Neo Prospects

FlightGlobal.com November 2020

Supersonic charger Boom Neo unveils demonstrator p18 Let our training guide set prospects your career path p50 Why Airbus expects A320 to soar after pandemic p39 705371327 770015 9 £4.99

Survival mode On the up £4.99 Can Predator How Boeing will builder adapt manage 737 Max for new ﬁ ght? delivery backlog 35 p22 p36 A different animal for a different world

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No silver bullet There are reasons to think that next year may offer more cheer than 2020, but optimism should still be tempered Patrick J Nelson/Shutterstock Patrick The distance between us

ost airlines are resigned to ly changing travel restrictions and the northern hemisphere spring. the next few months be- quarantine requirements. But there are also plenty of de- Ming flat at best in terms of That point stands despite com- velopments that could further de- international air travel de- mercial air travel being relatively lay the significant opening up of mand amid widespread restrictions, safe. But within that context, there is international markets well into next quarantine requirements and rising still a reasonable chance that better year, and perhaps beyond. coronavirus cases in many regions. news for airlines will be forthcoming The benefits of any vaccines will Impatient carriers will continue in the next few months – particularly not be seen overnight; coronavi- to burn through cash and resize in terms of medical developments. rus reinfections could prove more operations, in the hope that next Important data on the final-stage widespread than first thought and year will bring some better news. It trials of several vaccines should be immunity could be much shorter; seems highly likely that more bank- available soon, and perhaps one or treatments may only bring incre- ruptcies are ahead, whatever the two candidates might already be in mental benefits, not a cure; more- coming months deliver. circulation come early 2021. Con- over, without significant medical But when this crisis reaches the currently, progress could be made breakthroughs and/or the virus re- 12-month mark around February/ on treatments and the care of those treating, governments might further March 2021, are there any reasons infected with Covid-19. And come tighten their borders next year. to believe that things will look vast- early next year, more of the world The bleak economic picture – with ly better than they do today? will have a better idea of what does millions of jobs lost worldwide and The cautious answer is: yes, but and does not work in terms of keep- corporate travel demand severe- there are no guarantees. ing case numbers low. ly depressed – must also be baked Every optimistic forecast must be More “travel bubbles” may also into the outlook, whatever progress tempered by a recognition that the open up, allowing some interna- the new year brings in other areas. airline industry’s fortunes are inex- tional connectivity. Schemes such Ultimately, while cautious opti- orably linked to how quickly the as the EU’s traffic light system for mism about improving conditions virus is brought under control – a tracking cases might make it easier next year is justified, pent-up de- factor it cannot influence. for carriers to serve certain routes. mand for international flying going International air travel cannot en- And perhaps IATA and ACI World into 2021 is most likely to be con- ter a full recovery phase while the will get their way and a widespread verted into actual travel by a much virus is as big a threat as it is today. pre-flight testing regime will open improved health picture, under- Quite simply, most people will not up more international markets. pinned by medical advancements. commit to crossing borders while In combination, those and other Nothing should be taken for it still comes with a genuine threat factors might put the airline industry granted. ◗ of catching Covid-19, plus rapid- on a much stronger footing come See p6

November 2020 Flight International 3

In focus How protests and pandemic Embraer sees bright future Reports highlight long-term pushed Cathay to the brink 6 for regional jets 20 FAA fears 28 Testing times for BA boss 8 From Predator to survivor 22 No conﬁ dence crisis at Max closer to return 10 Airbus shows clarity of ST Engineering 32 Staying top of the props 12 ACJ TwoTwenty vision 24 Endangered species 34 Subsidy row rumbles on 16 Starling spreads its wings 26 Max factors 36

Going the distance: Gulfstream’s G600 put through its paces

INSIDE Dassault Falcon 6X cutaway 34

Supersonic charger Boom Neo unveils demonstrator p18 Let our training guide set prospects your career path p50 Why Airbus expects A320 to soar after pandemic p39 705371327 770015 9 £4.99

Survival mode On the up £4.99 Can Predator How Boeing will builder adapt manage 737 Max for new ﬁ ght? delivery backlog 35 p22 p36 Cover: AirTeamImages AirTeamImages Cover:

Regulars Comment 3 Straight & Level 74 Letters 76 Jobs 81 Women in aviation 82

4 Flight International November 2020 Contents

Features An industry on hold Assessing Train in vain? Training and 6X appeal Anticipating the the position of commercial development standards arrival of Dassault’s latest, airliners in today’s market 38 come under the spotlight 50 most advanced business jet 64 Hard lessons Progress still Long ranger Gulfstream’s Always ready Our annual required in sharing pilot long-legged G600 comes report on military ﬂ ight training performance data 46 in for a ﬂ ight test 58 simulators worldwide 70 12

38 58

November 2020 Flight International 5 Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com

How protests and pandemic pushed Cathay to the brink Anti-government demonstrations together with Covid-19 have meant a double whammy for Hong Kong’s ﬂag carrier

Alfred Chua Singapore tradition bill – wore on, Cathay be- tomer and commercial officer Paul gan to feel the heat. Loo announced their resignations, In early August, the carrier an- caught up in a controversy over athay Pacific’s 21 Octo- nounced a significant number of crew members taking part in the ber announcement that it flight cancellations out of Hong anti-government protests. is shedding 8,500 posts Kong, initially caused by an air traf- August was also when the first and closing its Cathay fic control strike. signs of financial stress became CDragon brand is the culmination apparent, with Cathay warning that of more than a year of strife at the the demonstrations could dent its Hong Kong carrier, with the indus- “Rather than revenue for the month. August try-wide upheaval of the corona- also marked the start of a decline virus crisis adding to the financial growing, for in traffic that the carrier has been pain already caused to the airline unable to arrest. by local political unrest. Inbound traffic fell by 38% year At the beginning of last year the the first time on year in August 2019, tradition- carrier appeared to be turning a ally a strong month for the carrier. corner: yields were on an upward in a long time Yields, which months earlier had trajectory, passenger demand was been climbing, also took a hit. healthy, and its transformation ef- our airlines will The carrier trimmed its capacity forts appeared to be paying off. growth for the rest of the year in The success of the restructuring reduce in size” order to cope with the impact of was reflected in Cathay’s full-year the protests. results for 2018, which showed Augustus Tang A month later, Cathay flagged a swing back into the black. It Chief executive, Cathay Pacific weaker financial results for the sec- acquired HK Express in March 2019, ond half of the year, as continued allowing it to expand into the low- unrest dragged its revenue down. cost market. But on 12 August, protests hit fe- September saw lower load factors Six months later, Hong Kong was ver pitch, with demonstrators oc- and passenger numbers than Au- veiled in clouds of tear gas as an- cupying swathes of Hong Kong’s gust, and marked the third straight ti-government protesters took on airport. That meant that all flights, month of weaker traffic. the authorities, and any momen- including Cathay’s, were cancelled. By November, the carrier said it tum Cathay had ebbed away. Days later, in yet another unex- was pushing back the delivery of As the protests – demonstrations pected twist, the airline’s chief ex- four Airbus A320neo-family aircraft against an unpopular proposed executive Rupert Hogg and chief cus- that were originally set to join its

Deferrals and job cuts needed to staunch ﬁnancial bleeding

In addition to the lay-offs, in July Cathay said it was in monthly cash burn by around Cathay Pacific has announced “advanced negotiations” with HK$500 million ($64 million). that the delivery of its on-order Boeing to defer the 777-9s, but Cathay estimates its monthly Boeing 777Xs has now been gave no further details. cash burn to be in the region of pushed back until the second Cathay Pacific group chairman HK$1.5 billion to HK$2 billion. half of the decade. Patrick Healy adds that there With Cathay Dragon ceasing Cathay has 21 777-9s on order, are no changes to other already operations, the airline’s fleet will dating from a 2013 agreement disclosed deferrals. be “incorporated into the Cathay under which deliveries were This means that an agreement Pacific fleet”. Those aircraft will scheduled from 2021 to 2024. it reached with Airbus in July to include the A321neos that are However, the airline now says delay the delivery of A350s and due for delivery this year. that the widebody twins will A321neos by up to two years is Healy says the closure of the not begin to be delivered until still in effect. Cathay Dragon operation is “beyond 2025”. Healy says the latest part of a shift towards a “more The fate of the widebodies has restructuring, together with focused, more efficient and more been uncertain in recent months: previous cutbacks, will trim competitive group”.

6 Flight International November 2020 Airline Financial

In March this year the carrier reduced its network to just 15 destinations Kevin On Man Lee/Penta Press/Shutterstock On Man Lee/Penta Kevin subsidiaries HK Express and Cathay al, without which the airline would Dragon in 2020 – the first of many have collapsed. deferrals to come. HK$2.2 The carrier’s financial results for The following month, the carrier the first half of this year were dis- announced it would cut seat ca- astrous, as it reported a staggering pacity by 1.4% year on year in 2020 billion operating loss of HK$8.7 billion. as Hong Kong’s political troubles Traffic has continued to remain and trade tensions hurt the airline at extremely low levels in recent in key markets. months, particularly given that the Extent of latest restructuring at “Rather than growing our airlines airline had no domestic market to Cathay Pacific in 2020, for the first time in a long fall back upon. Cathay deferred de- time our airlines will reduce in size,” livery of new Airbus and Boeing air- said newly installed chief executive By March, Cathay was only flying craft and parked about 40% of its Augustus Tang. a “bare skeleton” network of just 15 fleet in long-term storage overseas. While the protests abated by the destinations, as it hunkered down end of the year, they meant that to weather the crisis. Business review Cathay ended 2019 in an already The carrier warned that its finan- In addition, the carrier embarked weakened state. Without the cush- cial results for the first half of 2020 on a business review that would ion of a period of sustained profita- would be significantly impacted determine the “final shape and bility, what came next would threat- by the outbreak, disclosing an un- size” of the group. en the airline’s very existence. audited loss of over HK$2 billion That process culminated when ($260 million) for February alone. Cathay announced the job loss- Halving capacity Things got bleaker as the months es – 2,600 unfilled posts would be Cathay, and its associate carriers, rolled by: in April, Cathay despond- cut, along with 5,900 redundancies entered the new year amid the ently admitted it was “impossi- – and the closure of Cathay Drag- growing prominence of a novel ble to predict” when passenger on, an operation which began life coronavirus outbreak originating in demand would recover from the as Dragonair in 1985, as part of a mainland China. coronavirus crisis. The following HK$2.2 billion restructuring. By end-January, the mainline car- month, the carrier said it did not These measures will help the carrier, along with its Cathay Dragon “anticipate a meaningful recovery rier reduce monthly cash burn fur- and HK Express units, had halved for an extended period”. ther, says Healy, with the axing of capacity to 24 points in mainland A sliver of hope came in June, Cathay Dragon allowing the group China, as part of special arrange- when the Hong Kong government to better align its product offerings. ments made by the Hong Kong stepped in with a financial lifeline, But the carrier remains pessimis- government. as part of the airline’s group HK$39 tic of any recovery in the coming Traffic figures, already impacted billion recapitalisation plan. year, disclosing that it will probably by the protests, plunged further – Cathay group chairman Patrick only operate at up to half capacity gradually in January, then rapidly Healy said that the recapitalisation in 2021, given the sluggish pace of from February. was crucial for the carrier’s surviv- rebound globally. ◗

November 2020 Flight International 7 Event Airlines 2050

Testing times for BA boss

New airline chief executive warns of ways industry’s collapse British Air

without Covid-19 Quarantines are not the screening plan answer, says Doyle

Lewis Harper London Even halving the current 14-day 2019. He complains that BA has re- quarantine requirement – which is ceived no information from the UK in place for the majority of inter- government about its strategy for n his first appearance since his national arrivals to the UK – would restarting the sector. appointment as British Airways mean the country gets “left be- Speaking during the same event, chief executive, Sean Doyle has hind”, Doyle believes. UK transport secretary Grant called for the urgent introduction Citing BA’s once lucrative and Shapps said the government is Iof pre-flight coronavirus testing extensive US network, Doyle notes developing proposals for the rou- to save the UK’s airline industry. that the UK flag carrier was flying tine testing of international passen- Doyle told the Airlines 2050 online to 30 cities pre-crisis but is now gers. Measures under consideration, conference on 19 October that the serving less than half that num- however, include testing arrivals “stakes could not be higher”, warn- ber. A recovery is unlikely without several days after they land in the ing that there is a “risk we will not “reliable and affordable” Covid-19 UK. “We need a period of isolation see beyond this crisis if we do not testing before passengers travel, and a single test,” Shapps states. get people flying again”. he states. A taskforce is due to report to UK Highlighting the huge reduction Doyle was appointed chief exec- prime minister Boris Johnson on in travel being seen in BA’s mar- utive of BA in early October follow- testing proposals in early Novem- kets, Doyle says that quarantines ing the sudden departure of Alex ber, Shapps adds. He hopes that a are not the solution to reigniting Cruz. He had been leading IAG- testing regime can be rolled out for demand for international flights. owned Aer Lingus since January inbound travellers by 1 December, with the aim of reducing quarantine times to one week. Shapps says that under the gov- No quick return for Qatar’s A380s, says Al Baker ernment’s plan, passengers would pay for a private test to be taken a Qatar Airways does not expect Baker believes. “There will not week after their arrival in the coun- to operate its Airbus A380s for be that kind of demand, and if try, halving the required time spent at least two years, according to demand starts to increase and in quarantine. He is hopeful the new the Middle Eastern carrier’s chief people start deploying the A380, testing plan can happen “extreme- executive Akbar Al Baker. you will only be able to achieve ly quickly”, but it will be reliant on “I don’t think the A380 will get the reintroduction by dumping the private sector’s manufacturing back into the skies in the short the price of tickets,” he says. of sufficient tests. term,” Al Baker told the Airlines “And once you dump the price, An international testing regime 2050 conference, citing the you become unsustainable.” will involve significant co-opera- type’s unfavourable economics Airlines instead need to focus tion with other governments, so is amid the coronavirus crisis. on recovering the losses incurred likely to take much longer to estab- The carrier would need to during the crisis, Al Baker lish, Shapps adds. ◗ see the ”growth we achieved explains. in 2019” for it to consider That means “we don’t think we The Airlines 2050 event, launched reintroducing its examples of the are going to operate our A380s last year, is hosted by FlightGlobal type. for at least the next couple of in partnership with industry groups A decision to bring the years”, he says. Airlines UK, BAR UK and IATA. A superjumbo back sooner would Qatar Airways has 10 A380s in replay of the event can be found at: therefore be “very foolish”, Al storage. https://flightglobalevents.com/ airlines20502020

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Max inches closer to return Even as regulators prepare ground for troubled narrowbody’s recertiﬁcation, Boeing is shedding more orders for the twinjet

Jon Hemmerdinger Tampa

oeing’s 737 Max continues to inch its way towards a return to service, with regulators on both sides of the BAtlantic preparing the conditions for that crucial milestone. However, in the meantime, Boe- ing is continuing to lose orders for the re-engined narrowbody from its backlog. In October, the US Federal Avia- tion Administration (FAA) released a draft report proposing training requirements for 737 Max pilots. FAA chief Dickson piloted aircraft in test

The FAA is accepting comments Elaine Thompson/AP/Shutterstock on the Flight Standardization Re- port through 2 November, after which it will issue final recommen- angle-of-attack sensor – a soft- ber and received no commercial dations. The draft document out- ware-based system to work along- aircraft orders in the month. Year lines changes aimed at helping side the current pair of mechanical to date, excluding deliveries, Boe- pilots better understand and re- sensors. This will form part of the ing has removed 1,041 jets from its spond to inputs from the Max’s certification requirements on the backlog, including 1,006 737 Max. Maneuvering Characteristics Aug- 737-10 and will be retrofitted onto The latest 51 Max aircraft delet- mentation System (MCAS). the existing fleet. ed from the backlog include three Specifically, it says that pilots The regulatory moves followed cancellations: two from lessor must be taught about MCAS and the piloting of the twinjet by FAA BOC Aviation and one from an un- “associated failure conditions”, and chief administrator Steve Dickson. disclosed customer. experience, in a flight simulator, ac- After the 2h sortie, conducted over An additional 48 of the type were tivation of the controversial system. the Seattle area and including two removed to align with accounting They must also be trained to rec- landings, he declared that the ex- standards. Although Boeing still ognise and deal with a runaway sta- perience made him “comfortable” holds firm contractual orders for biliser - a condition occurring when with the Max’s systems, but insist- those aircraft, it has less confi- an aircraft’s horizontal stabiliser ed his agency will certificate the jet dence the sales will close. moves without pilot command. only when convinced it is safe. The company argues the cancel- Training must also emphasise pro- lations will help maintain aircraft cedures for using electric and man- Flight scenarios values and “provide Boeing with ual stabiliser trim during non-nor- Dickson flew 10 “flight scenarios” more flexibility to address the 737 mal conditions, and “the effects of that involved experience with the Max-family backlog”. the air loads on the stabiliser”. jet’s MCAS and he also experi- Cancellations enable the com- The draft training outlined incor- enced “all the changes made to the pany to shuffle delivery schedules, porates recommendations from a flight-control computers and auto- helping ensure it can deliver Max Joint Operations Evaluation Board pilot systems”, he says. jets as quickly as possible to other – a panel composed of regulators He had no difficulty maintaining customers once regulators lift the from the USA, Brazil, Canada and safe flight, even during scenarios in type’s grounding. the EU. which the aircraft “was significant- Lessors have accounted for an The FAA has already issued its ly out of trim”, he adds. outsized share of Max cancellations draft airworthiness directive for the Boeing has said it expects reg- this year, though Boeing notes it Max, but the European Union Avia- ulators will certificate the Max in still holds orders for some 900 Max tion Safety Agency (EASA) has yet time for deliveries to resume in the jets from the sector. to follow suit. However, the regula- fourth quarter. Regulators grounded the 737 tor confirms that it will publish the But even as it readies for the re- Max in March 2019, following the document in early November, ush- sumption of deliveries, the backlog crash of a Lion Air jet in 2018 and ering in a 28-day comment period. for the Max continues to shrink. that of an Ethiopian Airlines air- In addition, EASA will by 2022 Boeing stripped 51 737 Max aircraft in 2019 – accidents that killed require the addition of a third craft from its backlog in Septem- a combined 346 people. ◗

10 Flight International November 2020 The Courage to Meet Tomorrow's Challenges Today

IAI draws on innovative solutions and proven technologies to meet today and tomorrow's challenges. We've been creating exceptional solutions since 1953. IAI offers tailored interconnected and interoperable solutions within and across domains. Leap into the future together with us. www.iai.co.il • [email protected] Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com

Staying top of the props

ATR chief Stefano Bortoli explains why support for regional airlines can play vital role in keeping communities connected

Dominic Perry London Of course, there is a huge element ing flightcrew, it also inevitably en- of self-interest in this – without a compasses fleet renewal. thriving regional aviation industry, “If you look at the aircraft in oper- t is indicative of the times we are ATR does not sell any aircraft. ation there are a number of ageing living in, and the nature of the in- Bortoli readily admits the “vest- aircraft to be replaced with those dividual, that Stefano Bortoli, chief ed interest”, noting that ATR is part that are more efficient, more af- executive of ATR, both starts and of the “ecosystem of regional avia- fordable, have a lower environmen- Ifinishes his interview with a plea for tion”. However, that does not make tal footprint and which give passen- regional aviation. his call to action any less valid: gers a better experience,” he says. Bortoli – now in his second year for those reliant on the all-weath- “Better” need not simply mean in charge of the Airbus and Leonar- er, year-round connections those a nicer cabin, however; for region- do-owned turboprop manufacturer operators provide, a healthy and al passengers travelling relatively – is worried that amidst the talk of functioning market is vital. short sectors, better could mean billion-euro bailouts for the world’s a more reliable or quicker service, major carriers, regional aviation’s or one able to operate in a greater voice is being drowned out. “Regional range of weather conditions. Those Large airlines, he says, “have been latter gains, argues Bortoli, could be on the radar” of all governments, aviation needs achieved through aircraft with the and consequently at the front of most up-to-date avionics. the queue for financial help, while “As I said, [ATR] has an interest, their regional counterparts “have support to the but it’s an interest that connects not been supported to that extent”. with the interests of local commu- Because regional airlines are typ- same extent as nities and a number of other stake- ically smaller and lack the “sophisti- holders,” he says. cated” communications and lobby- national airlines” Covid-19 has upset the plans of ing teams of their larger brethren, each and every aerospace chief ex- the “critical role” they play in pro- Stefano Bortoli Chief executive, ATR ecutive this year and Bortoli is no viding connectivity – from both exception. Whatever strategy was social and economic perspectives to be rolled out has been replaced – goes unrecognised, he argues. Although the world’s flag carri- by firefighting, including the loss of “Regional aviation has been im- ers have been supported with large over 200 jobs at the company. portant in the development of capital injections, Bortoli thinks “If you look at 2020 it has been many communities and this must regional airlines require “more tai- a year of significant changes that not be forgotten,” he says, add- lored solutions”, potentially linking have not been brought by me, but ing that: “It has been an engine of funding to product or performance by a need to address the situation growth” globally. improvements “to help them keep we are in,” he says. “It plays an important role and up with industry standards”. An economist by training, Bor- needs to be supported to the same While on the one hand that could toli was appointed to lead ATR extent as national airlines,” he says. include reducing the cost of train- in September 2018, joining from Leonardo’s aircraft division where ATR 72-600 offers better fuel efficiency he had held the position of sen- than jet for short sectors, argues Bortoli ior vice-president of strategy and sales since 2017, as well as president of ATR’s board. Although he also had a four-year stint at Leon- ardo Helicopters, he also previously worked for Alenia – one of several businesses that would eventually go on to form the aircraft division. But once the pandemic has abated, perhaps the biggest concern for airlines, particularly for those more visibly serving local communities, will be an environmental one. Like it or not, a carrier’s green credentials will in future be another per-

ATR formance benchmark. And, in many

12 Flight International November 2020 Interview Stefano Bortoli ATR

Former Leonardo executive has been in charge of turboprop maker since 2018

cases, government bailouts are also craft’s environmental performance The freighter is gaining “signifi- contingent on an airline cutting its in the interim. cant interest” and the manufactur- greenhouse gas emissions. One solution could be sustaina- er is hopeful that it can add to its To an extent, the introduction of ble aviation fuel (SAF), which the launch order from FedEx Express new aircraft will help achieve that manufacturer has previously tri- for 30 firm and 20 options. “We are goal, and Bortoli is also quick to alled, blended 50/50 with kero- coming to the market at the right point out that a turboprop burns sene, during test flights in Sweden. time,” he adds. less fuel than a comparably sized jet. While the environmental benefits First shipment of the ATR 72-600F But given the focus on a post-Cov- of SAF are clear, uptake is hampered will be this year, and should help to id-19 reset of aviation, this seems by it costing three or four times as bolster the airframer’s performance unlikely to placate those treating much as conventional jet fuel. “We in 2020. However, Bortoli declines aviation as a polluting punchbag. have to make SAF available at a rea- to offer a delivery forecast, beyond So what can ATR offer? In the sonable price,” says Bortoli. noting that it will be short of the short term, little beyond “incre- previous year’s total. mental improvements”, admits Interim steps “It is not as it was in 2019, but we Bortoli, noting that the engines and If the decision is made to go for are continuing our efforts.” aerodynamics of its aircraft are al- a new propulsion system, it also While ATR’s current market dom- ready “very efficient”. makes it unlikely that any conven- inance is likely to continue in the However, that is not to say the tional replacement of the ATR’s short term, albeit with fewer de- airframer is content with the sta- Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127Ms liveries than previously, there are tus quo: discussions are under way will be contemplated as an interim a number of start-ups looking to between the company and its joint step due to the investment required. enter the segment. And while the shareholders over plans to develop “You cannot invest in a new en- cost of bringing a new aircraft to low-emission technologies on the gine and then also think of a hybrid market remains considerable, de- twin-turboprop, with a roadmap aircraft. They are alternative op- veloping a new regional turboprop hopefully agreed by early 2021. tions: one or the other,” he says. is arguably cheaper, and more Bortoli believes the ATR 42 and ATR’s engineering resources are achievable, than trying to do the 72 are ideal platforms on which to not infinite: current developments same with a 150-seat jet. trial new technologies, likely some include a new-build freighter variant Bortoli points out that new mar- form of hybrid-electric propulsion, of the ATR 72-600 and a short take- ket entrants will have to “suffer a although this could also cover a hy- off and landing derivative of the little bit in terms of time” before drogen fuel-cell-based powertrain. ATR 42-600. “Over the next two to they gain traction and, he says, ATR But with such a new propulsion three years we have enough on our is already considering what its next system likely to be 10-15 years plate and would not have the engi- move should be. away, ATR faces the dilemma of neering capability to develop more “We are uniquely placed to face how to markedly improve the air- than this,” he says. any competition,” he says. ◗

November 2020 Flight International 13

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Subsidy row rumbles on

Although WTO permits EU to level $4 billion in duties on US goods, including aircraft, ﬁgure is smaller than it hoped for

David Kaminski-Morrow London The EU has been awaiting its own necessary damage on businesses. chance to implement tariffs after The source claims a previous WTO U authorities have secured the WTO supported its claims that authorisation for $4 billion in sanc- the right to impose almost a number of instruments, including tions, relating to a dispute over For- $4 billion in tariffs on US im- Washington state tax programmes, eign Sales Corporation provisions, ports, including aircraft, in were unlawfully subsidising Boeing. has remained “in the cupboard”. Eretaliation for harm arising from US The European side had been con- Given that the dispute has been government subsidies to Boeing. fident it would obtain WTO author- running for 16 years, there seems The decision from the World isation for a penalty even harsher little chance that a change of ad- Trade Organization (WTO), issued than the US award, but the $4 billion ministration arising from Novem- on 13 October, states that the level figure is substantially lower – which ber’s US election will increase the of countermeasures “commensu- could be spun by the Trump admin- prospects for a swift resolution. rate with the degree and nature of istration as a technical victory. Boeing does not have a Europe- the adverse effects determined to an aircraft assembly site equivalent exist” amounts to $3.99 billion. Quantifying impact to Airbus’s facilities in Mobile, Al- This figure is only half the permit A senior European industry source abama, capable of supplying tar- for $7.5 billion in tariffs awarded to says the scale of the European iff-free A320-family and A220 jets the US side in its similar subsidies award “doesn’t matter” because to US customers. case in October last year – but no the case against Boeing has already Significant Boeing customers in decision has been disclosed on the been proven, with the penalty vali- the EU include Ryanair, which has scale of EU tariffs to be directed dating it and quantifying its impact. a large fleet of 737s and is waiting specifically at US civil aircraft. “There is nothing to suggest the for 737 Max deliveries. The WTO assessment is the latest EU won’t impose the tariffs,” the “Airbus did not start this dispute, development in the long-running source adds. Last year the EU initi- and we remain ready to support a transatlantic dispute over state ated a consultation on US goods to negotiation that leads to a fair set- support and launch aid for civil air- be included on the tariff list. tlement,” says Airbus chief execu- craft programmes. But the preference of the Euro- tive Guillaume Faury. “The WTO has Airbus has been having to cope pean side is to “retaliate but not spoken, the EU can implement its with a 15% duty imposed by the US escalate”, a stance intended to countermeasures. It is time to find government on imported Europe- encourage negotiations to settle a solution so tariffs can be removed an aircraft. the dispute rather than inflict un- on both sides of the Atlantic.”

‘Aeronautical research’ ﬁnding slashed size of penalty decision

While the EU had sought WTO to Air Canada, Flydubai and The US side had raised several authorisation to impose a higher Icelandair, and the “threat of objections to the claimed level penalty than the $7.5 billion impedance” of imports to the of countermeasures, notably awarded to the US government, USA and exports to the United arguing that the impact of the it ultimately failed to convince Arab Emirates – plus aeronautics aeronautics research fell outside the body of its case. research and development the scope of the proceedings. Over the course of the long- subsidies, which led to lost It also challenged other running dispute the EU has A330 and original A350 sales aspects of the valuation, submitted various claims for the to Ethiopian Airlines, Icelandair, saying that Airbus would not total countermeasures penalty Kenya Airways and Qantas. necessarily have won each – including ﬁgures of $12 billion The EU argued that the tax contested sales campaign. in September 2012 and just over impact took place over 33 Crucially the WTO accepted $10 billion in July 2019. months from 2013-2015, and the aeronautical research The EU had calculated its that from the aeronautics objection, ruling that its impact ﬁgure based on two primary research over 36 months from did “not… fall within the scope” sources of adverse effects on 2004-2006. According to the of the adverse effects under Airbus’s business. WTO the EU’s ultimate value for consideration. These comprised a tax break the penalty, combining these Its calculations ultimately for Boeing in Washington effects, amounted to just under reduced the size of the penalty State – leading to lost sales $8.6 billion. award to $3.99 billion.

16 Flight International November 2020 Dispute Ruling Thor Jurgen Udvang/Shutterstock Jurgen Thor

The A350 and 787 have both been subject of claims relating to illegal ﬁ nancial support

However, the US Trade Represent- WTO’s arbitrator declining to au- fair competition and a level playing ative’s offi ce argues that the penalty thorise any retaliation for subsidies fi eld to this sector,” says Lighthizer. award to the EU should be reduced other than the Washington State EU trade commissioner Valdis further, and that the bloc has “no tax situation. Dombrovskis similarly hints at pros- lawful basis” to impose tariff s on US pects for a settlement, stating imports, including civil aircraft. Counter-complaint that he has been “engaging” with This is because, the offi ce claims, While the US side fi red the fi rst shot Lighthizer on the matter. The EU, the WTO “did not take into consid- in the dispute, and the EU has at- he says, is open to seeking a “fair eration” the legislative measure on tempted to encourage negotiation and balanced” settlement and an 1 April 2020 through which Wash- while simultaneously pursuing its agreement on disciplines govern- ington State raised a business tax own counter-complaint, both par- ing future civil aircraft subsidies. rate to the “generally applicable lev- ties may be prepared to fi nd a way But Dombrovskis also warns that el”, eliminating the controversial tax of settling the long-running spat. the EU is prepared “reluctantly” break at the centre of Airbus’s case. “We are waiting for a response to impose its own counterstrike, US Trade Representative Robert from the EU to a recent US propos- through tariff s on imported Boeing Lighthizer says the EU’s case large- al and will intensify our ongoing aircraft, if it does not see evidence ly fell apart under scrutiny, with the negotiations with the EU to restore of a US rethink. ◗

November 2020 Flight International 17 Technology Supersonic

The J85-15 turbojet-powered XB-1 is expected to ﬂy for the ﬁrst time in 2021 Boom Supersonic Boom reveals prelude to Overture Start-up supersonic aircraft developer unveils one-third-scale demonstrator of its future all-business-class Mach 2.2 airliner

Jon Hemmerdinger Tampa Those include the XB-1’s engine on a manufacturing facility for inlets, which Scholl describes as the type. It aims to unveil the first among the most technologically Overture in 2025 and achieve cer- oom Supersonic has public- challenging aspects of the design. tification by 2029, executives say. ly unveiled its XB-1 demon- On supersonic jets, inlets have The planned Overture produc- strator, which will be used to the critical job of slowing (and tion site will have capacity to build develop a future supersonic compressing) supersonic airflow five to 10 jets monthly. Bpassenger aircraft called Overture. to the subsonic speeds that the “It is very likely we will have to Denver-based Boom revealed the engines require. build a second factory and double XB-1 on 7 October at a virtual roll- Chief engineer for the XB-1 Greg that up,” Scholl says. “We think we out event, when executives spelled Krauland says the jet has a “long, are going to make more Overtures out production plans and highlight- slender fuselage” – 21.6m (71ft) – a than Boeing has made 787s.” ed the jet’s design features. carbon-composite airframe and a Boeing has already delivered “At supersonic speeds, cities narrow, swept wing. The wing com- nearly 1,000 787s, and its produc- rarely visited can become major bines high-speed efficiency with tion continues. destinations,” Boom founder and low-speed stability, he says. Boom has said it will price the chief executive Blake Scholl says. Overture at $200 million, excluding “We’ve begun to pave the path to Carbonfibre components options and interiors. a mainstream supersonic future.” Using carbonfibre enables Boom Unlike the XB-1, the Overture will The Overture will carry 55-75 to mould large, strong and com- have modern jet engines without passengers in an all-business-class plex airframe components, and to afterburners – something like a cabin, reach Mach 2.2, and have make those components thicker “medium-bypass turbofan with the ocean-crossing range, Boom says. and stronger in specific areas as latest technologies”, Scholl says. But first up is the XB-1, effective- required. Carbonfibre also expands Boom has not announced which ly a one-third-scale demonstrator less than metal when exposed to engines the Overture will use, but of the Overture, which is powered the high temperatures created by the company has been working for by three afterburner-equipped supersonic flight, says Krauland. five years with Rolls-Royce to “de- 12,000lb (53.4kN)-thrust GE Avia- Boom is outfitting the XB-1 with a fine and refine” a potential power- tion J85-15 turbojets. The power- forward-looking vision system con- plant, he adds. plants are part of an engine family sisting of a high-resolution cam- Such an engine could make use that entered service in 1959 and era, which will help pilots better of “an existing large Trent-based are used on the US Air Force’s see outside the aircraft, particular- core”, R-R says. Northrop T-38 Talon trainers. ly during landings. Such a system Boom says the Overture’s fuel Boom plans to fly the XB-1 for allows for the jet’s nose-high ap- efficiency (measured per busi- the first time in 2021, with flight proach, which can obscure views ness-class seat) will be comparable tests occurring from Mojave Air & outside the cockpit. to that of subsonic airliners. Space Port in California. It will allow In 2021, as XB-1 flight tests com- So far, the fledgling company has Boom to evaluate technologies and mence, Boom intends to begin announced “pre-orders” from Ja- features it expects to implement on windtunnel trials of the Overture, pan Airlines for 20 Overture jets, the Overture. and in 2022 it plans to start work and from Virgin Group for 10. ◗

18 Flight International November 2020

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Delta Air Lines senior vice-pres- Embraer sees bright ident of network planning Joe Esposito said much the same in mid-October. future for regional jets “Now big cities are getting smaller,” Esposito told Boyd Group’s In- ternational Aviation Forecast Sum- Populations shifting away from cities mit. “The forecast of where people live and move has changed.” after coronavirus pandemic will spur need Embraer largely dominates the regional jet market. Bombardier for smaller aircraft, says manufacturer had been a competitor, albeit a struggling one, until fi nalising in June the sale of its CRJ programme Jon Hemmerdinger Tampa more,” Galhardo says. “Companies to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries actually will also be able to estab- (MHI). No further examples of the lish their headquarters away from regional jet family will be built be- mbraer expects regional air- big centres.” yond those in the current backlog; ports and smaller passenger Anti-globalisation sentiment has at the deal’s conclusion, Bombar- aircraft will emerge on top in also caused some manufacturers dier expected the fi nal delivery in the wake of the coronavirus and suppliers to return to their the second half of 2020. Epandemic due to population shifts home countries, centralising oper- That sale followed the earlier di- away from big cities. ations there. vestment of the CSeries family to “We do believe that the small Airbus, where it has since been re- airplane will have more relevance Post-virus environment branded as the A220. in the airline business model in the In the post-virus environment, MHI subsidiary Mitsubishi Aircraft future,” Embraer strategic market- factors like these will drive more is developing its own regional jet – ing director Daniel Galhardo tells demand for regional and inter-re- the SpaceJet. But the company has FlightGlobal. “Demand will come gional travel – benefi ting those delayed that programme amid the back, but it will come back in a companies, such as Embraer, that coronavirus downturn. diff erent way.” are making aircraft to serve those Galhardo expects the pandemic Galhardo bases his prediction on segments, Galhardo predicts. will also lead airlines to focus on factors including the recent wide- “There will be more business chasing profi ts, not market share. spread adoption of remote work- connections domestically and in- By contrast, in recent years carri- ing, which is allowing people and ter-regionally,” he adds. “It is defi - ers had rushed to acquire new, larg- companies to relocate from big nitely a matter of adjusting the [air- er jets and expand their networks cities to smaller towns. line] business model.” – an eff ort to match competitors. “We will see people looking for Such trends were already under Profi ts slumped, Galhardo says. other places to live. They don’t way before the pandemic but have “Our size of aircraft is important have to live in big centres any- since accelerated, Galhardo says. because [it] helps airlines to right

Airframer sees new dawn in eVTOL as it spins off Eve programme

Pilar Wolfsteller Las Vegas we see signifi cant opportunities working within Uber Elevate’s for Embraer,” says chief executive network – the others being Francisco Gomes Neto. Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell, Joby EmbraerX, the Brazilian “Innovation and diversifi cation Aviation and PIpistrel, alongside airframer’s innovation subsidiary, are key pillars of Embraer’s new automotive fi rm Hyundai. Uber has spun off Eve, its fi rst electric strategic plan, which will increase has partnered with companies vertical take-off and landing revenue and improve profi tability building aircraft that it plans (eVTOL) project. over the next few years. Eve is to deploy on its network. The Eve, says the company, is a primed to create a new frontier rideshare giant is also developing “human-centred eVTOL design in transportation with intelligent, related support infrastructure. [which] represents an actual, environmentally friendly, Eve joins a crowded fi eld of certifi able product development”. autonomous-ready aircraft and potential UAM vehicles fi ghting EmbraerX has for four years associated support and urban air for attention. More than 200 been incubating Eve, which is traffi c management solutions.” eVTOL concepts are currently working in the urban air mobility Andre Stein, former head in some state of development, (UAM) segment, and has now of strategy for EmbraerX, will ranging from relatively advanced “graduated” the operation into its lead the new company, which is programmes from start-ups such own company. located at the airframer’s US base as Germany’s Volocopter and “We value the vast potential of in Melbourne, Florida. China’s eHang, to those from the UAM market, as it represents EmbraerX is among several the world’s largest airframers, a new business segment where aerospace companies that are including Airbus and Bell.

20 Flight International November 2020 Forecast Embraer

E175’s maximum take-off weight is below US ‘scope clause’ limit Markus Mainka/Shutterstock Markus size in terms of load factor and cost The E175-E2 has been essentially est in acquiring E175-E2s, though management,” he says. “It will be cut off from the US airline market, ﬁ rst they must renegotiate con- important in the future when the owing to so-called “scope clauses” tracts. For years, there has been demand will be changed.” within contracts between the three speculation about when airlines Embraer’s line-up includes the major US network carriers and their might succeed in reaching an E175 (76-88 seats) and the three- pilot unions. The E175-E2’s maximum agreement with unions. Galhardo strong second-generation E2 fam- take-off weight (MTOW) exceeds a thinks the time may soon be right. ily: the E175-E2 (80-90 seats), limit of 39,000kg (86,000lb). Factors such as industry turmoil E190-E2 (97-114 seats) and E195-E2 and the advent of new products (120-146 seats). Unlimited appeal typically drive scope changes, he The E190-E2 and E195-E2 are For now Embraer has continued notes. “What we are seeing now is already in operation, though Em- manufacturing its ﬁ rst-generation both things happening,” he says. braer has pushed back service-en- E175 as its MTOW is below the “We are at a moment when airlines try of the E175-E2 to 2023, citing scope clause cap. have to rethink their business.” ◗ diffi cult market conditions. US airlines have expressed inter- See p42 Navigate your way back to the flight deck.

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November 2020 Flight International 21 Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com

From Predator to survivor Its unmanned armed reconnaissance platforms dominated the ‘War on terror’, but now General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is adapting its portfolio for tougher opponents

Garrett Reim Los Angeles existing business, seize near-term But while Washington is shift- opportunities and ultimately main- ing its budget focus to investing eneral Atomics Aeronau- tain its position into the 2030s. in technology for future conflicts tical Systems’ MQ-1 Pred- But it faces challengers, and lost with so-called great power rivals, ator unmanned air vehicle two important next-generation the company believes there is still (UAV) is perhaps the most UAV development contests late an opportunity to sell its armed Gsymbolic aircraft of the USA’s ‘War last decade. In April 2018, it was reconnaissance UAVs to interna- on terror’, launched following the edged out by Dynetics in the US tional customers. 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001. The Defense Advanced Research Pro- Previously, the company’s am- public grew familiar with the plat- jects Agency’s (DARPA’s) Gremlins bitions were frustrated by US form via black and white footage programme, which is designed to government export restrictions as it circled and fired its Lockheed demonstrate the launch and re- linked to the international Mis- Martin AGM-114 Hellfire missiles at covery of intelligence, surveillance sile Technology Control Regime targets in Afghanistan and Iraq. and reconnaissance (ISR) drones (MTCR) agreement, which classi- Today, Washington has new en- from the back of a Lockheed C-130 fies large, long-range UAVs as a emies and future conflicts to pre- transport. Four months later, Boe- form of cruise missile. pare for. That has put the Preda- ing won the US Navy’s MQ-25 “Trying to compete with a Chi- tor’s larger successor – the General Stingray deal to develop an aircraft nese or Israeli company, that’s Atomics MQ-9A Reaper – on the carrier-based unmanned tanker. pretty difficult to win on price. Just chopping block. In February, the knowing they’re going to be low US Air Force (USAF) revealed in Eyes wide open cost means we [have] really got its budget proposal a plan to stop The MQ-25 defeat particularly to bid tight,” Alexander says. How- buying the UAV in fiscal year 2020. stung. It cost about $200 million in ever, “Our customers are willing to The US Department of Defense internal research and development see the advantage of going with a is in the middle of a massive shift funds, General Atomics Aeronauti- US platform that can be interoper- in spending priorities, as it moves cal Systems president Dave Alex- able,” he adds. to deter aggression by China and ander said in 2018. “My big concern is the Chinese. Russia. That is forcing the maker of “MQ-25 was a sad day for us Once they’re in, they’re going to be its most-famous armed reconnais- because we worked it almost 10 in for 20 to 25 years, just due to the sance UAVs to rethink its business. years,” Alexander recounted to logistics trail of bringing a system San Diego, California-based Gen- Flight International in an Octo- like that to bear.” eral Atomics has reacted in the ber interview. “But you win some, A new interpretation of the MTCR past couple of years with a flurry you lose some. I think the lesson framework taken by the Trump ad- of initiatives intended to hold on to learned is that we just keep our ministration – which reclassifies eyes wide open.” slow-moving UAVs like the MQ-9 In August, General Atomics con- as being exempt from restrictions firmed plans to lay off about 6% – appear to be opening the door to of its workforce, reportedly more foreign sales. than 600 employees. It rebuffed speculation that the measure was Export drive directly linked to the end of Reaper “A big piece of our strategy go- production for the USAF. ing forward is international sales. The Predator and Reaper once It’s really picked up with the new flew with impunity above terrorist unmanned aircraft export policy or insurgent targets with no means and MTCR changes,” says Alexan- of shooting them down, but UAVs der. “We have a bright future in in- are today vulnerable to surface-to- ternational sales right now. Really, air missiles, particularly the sophis- really good.” ticated batteries fielded by China In September, the USAF granted and Russia. General Atomics an Agile Reaper For now, the USAF says it is plan- Enterprise Solution contract, al- ning MQ-9A missions using “unpre- lowing it to sell up to $7.4 billion dictable” flight paths, and General worth of aircraft at pre-set prices, Alexander knows priorities Atomics is developing its first pur- eliminating costly and time-con- must shift with geopolitics General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Systems Aeronautical Atomics General pose-built countermeasures pod. suming negotiations.

22 Flight International November 2020 Strategy Unmanned systems

Armed with AGM-114 missiles, the MQ-1 was deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq US Air Force

General Atomics has also expand- wealth of data gathered by on- General Atomics also is developed its company-owned-and-oper- board sensors. ing half a dozen new mission pods, ated UAV leasing programme to In February 2020, General Atom- including a Scalable Open Archi- seven military services, Alexander ics showcased the US Army’s MQ- tecture Reconnaissance payload to says, without identifying the cus- 1C Gray Eagle Extended Range UAV identify, characterise and geolocate tomers involved. using an L3Harris Technologies radar emissions, the Sledgehammer communications intelligence sys- EW payload and an Airborne Laser Expanded airspace tem to cross-cue its Lynx synthet- Communications System. Meanwhile, a second iteration of ic aperture radar on targets at a the Reaper is being advanced as range of over 32.4nm (60km). And Broader integration the MQ-9B SkyGuardian: a model in June, it demonstrated the plat- An Integrated Intelligence Center, compatible with operations in ci- form’s ability to launch Area-I Alti- designed to integrate with any ISR vilian airspace, thanks to a detect- us-600 small reconnaissance UAVs: platform, will make sense of the and-avoid system. “air-launched effects” designed to data gathered from such sensors General Atomics is pitching the fly into enemy airspace and relay in- and air-launched effects. Some UAV at missions ranging from formation as far back as 162nm. of its software applications were border and maritime patrol to fire earlier this year demonstrated as detection and firefighting sup- part of the USAF’s experimental port, law enforcement, search and “A big piece of Advanced Battlefield Management rescue, disaster assistance and re- System activity. source monitoring. our strategy “We’re getting to the point now The UK Royal Air Force will be where we have all this data and we launch operator of the type, local- need to get it into one place where ly named Protector, while Belgium going forward we can action it, and have it all in- has ordered four SkyGuardians. tegrated together,” Alexander says. General Atomics is bullish about is international “We’re doubling down on that be- its prospects with a SeaGuardian cause we see that as the future.” maritime patrol variant, which was sales” Perhaps the ultimate prize for demonstrated to European nations General Atomics will be the USAF’s off the coast of Greece in December Dave Alexander President, General MQ-Next programme to replace 2019 and from 15 October is also Atomics Aeronautical Systems the Reaper in 2030, where it fac- being showcased to Japan’s coast- es competition from Lockheed and guard. The design is intended to be Northrop Grumman. flown on sorties lasting up to 40h. Using internal research and de- In September, the company “A long-endurance, affordable velopment funds it is also testing a revealed a stealthy flying wing aircraft like an MQ-9 is perfect jet-powered UAV. Called Sparrow- proposal it claims will have “ul- for the maritime mission,” says hawk, this would be air-launched tra-long endurance”. Alexander, with General Atomics from and air-recovered by the US- “We have to really provide some- citing a per-hour operating cost of AF’s MQ-9A. Based on its rejected thing compelling,” Alexander says. around $5,000. offer for DARPA’s Gremlins pro- “If we can keep the cost down – The airframer also is develop- gramme, it would perform ISR and make it MQ-9-like in cost – [give] it ing artificially intelligent software electronic warfare (EW) missions eye-watering endurance, I think we to help quickly make sense of the over a range of up to 174nm. will have something.” ◗

November 2020 Flight International 23 Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com

Airbus shows clarity of ACJ TwoTwenty vision Airframer set to convert A220-100 into ‘Xtra Large Bizjet’, adding ﬁve extra fuel tanks that will take its range to 5,650nm

David Kaminski-Morrow London minimum payload and maximum fuel. Its fuel capacity is 21,805 litres omewhat inevitably, giv- (5,760USgal), about 17.2t. en the popularity of its But Airbus Corporate Jets presi- narrowbody airliners as dent Benoit Defforge says the twin- corporate jets, Airbus has jet will have five additional tanks, Sfinally launched a VIP version of allowing it to carry another 5.6t the A220-100. of fuel. The jet will take advantage Able to operate across a range of a planned increase in maximum of up to 5,650nm (10,500km), the take-off weight for the A220-100, ACJ TwoTwenty – a deviation from to 63t, which has been scheduled prior corporate jet designations for the second half of 2021. the “Xtra Large Bizjet” – position- – will be able to operate sectors ing it as an alternative to traditional such as London-Los Angeles and Direct routes large-cabin executive aircraft. Tokyo-Dubai. Defforge adds that the aircraft will “This offer includes for the first Airbus’s performance documen- also be certified for 180min extend- time a flexible cabin catalogue, ad- tation for the standard A220-100 ed twin-engined operations, “al- dressing the requirements of the indicates that the variant typically lowing more direct routes”. heavy and long-range business jet has a range of 2,760nm with 120 Airbus says that the ACJ Two- categories,” it adds. passengers, and that the range Twenty will create a “whole new Executive jets claiming a similar tops out at some 4,250nm with market segment” – which it terms range include the Gulfstream G500

Comlux completes deal for pair of new jets, as operator backs a ‘winner’

Specialist corporate aircraft on sectors with durations of up extensive cabin catalogue, operator Comlux Aviation is the to 12.5h. that customers will be able to launch customer for the Airbus Gaona tells FlightGlobal the “customise it as they want”. ACJ TwoTwenty, opting to take aircraft will be flexible, and have “We looked at each and every two of the new business twinjets. “very impressive performance”, detail of the cabin,” he adds. It will receive the initial aircraft able to conduct a take-off run of Comlux has selected a as early as December 2022, 1,300m (4,270ft) fully-fuelled. business and guest lounge, and plans to offer it to charter Comlux’s completion division, private entertainment zone, customers from 2023. located in Indianapolis, has an bathroom, and private suite. Four other TwoTwenty aircraft exclusive contract to outfit the The aircraft will have large lie- have also been ordered by first 15 ACJ TwoTwenty jets. flat seats, a king-size bed, and undisclosed customers, Airbus “We’re working very closely standing shower. has revealed. to redefine the cabin,” says Gaona says the ACJ TwoTwenty Comlux chief executive Gaona, stating that the cabin will benefit from the “second-to- Richard Gaona says the aircraft will feature modernised in-flight none” economics of the A220- is “creating a new segment” entertainment, in-flight wi-fi 100, which is powered by Pratt & between traditional executive communications, and cabin Whitney PW1500G engines. jets and large corporate- environmental systems, as well as “We are convinced the aircraft configured airliners, offering electronically dimmable windows will be a winner in the business a wide cabin combined with and LED lighting. aviation market,” he adds. “extremely” long range. “You can control almost Comlux operates a diverse fleet “You don’t need any more to everything with your ranging from smaller executive choose between speed, range [smartphone],” he adds. jets up to large corporate and cabin comfort,” he states. Gaona says the aircraft has airliners including the Boeing Airbus Corporate Jets is “so many different options” 777-200LR and 767-200ER, the intending the aircraft to operate for configuration, through an ACJ319, and Sukhoi Business Jet.

24 Flight International November 2020 Business aviation Launch Airbus

VIP variant takes advantage of planned increase in maximum take-off weight

and the Dassault Falcon 6X, with Airbus has been looking to fering intercontinental range ca- maximum range fi gures of 5,200nm broaden the capabilities of the pability, “unmatched” personal and 5,500nm, respectively. A220 family since acquiring the space and comfort, and “unbeata- VIP aircraft specialist Comlux, programme, formerly the CSeries, ble economics”. which has a completion centre in from Bombardier in mid-2018. It has The interior will feature 73sq m Indianapolis, will be the exclusive been tweaking the take-off weight, (785sq ft) of fl oor space across six outfi tter for the fi rst 15 cabins of payload and range performance of zones providing accommodation the TwoTwenty programme. the aircraft for airline customers. for up to 18 passengers. Other interiors specialists have Airbus claims that the aircraft previously shown off potential VIP Promising demand will be able to use the same air- confi gurations for the twinjet. Deff orge says the ACJ TwoTwenty ports as competing business jets, Lufthansa Technik displayed a has “compelling market appeal” but will provide three times the concept in 2019 with a cockpit fully and that the company sees “prom- cabin space at one third of the op- visible from the cabin, while earlier ising demand” for the twinjet in the erating cost. this year two North American fi rms business jet sector. Deff orge insists the business jet – Camber Aviation Management While the A319neo had been market is proving “very resilient” in and Kestrel Aviation Management a competitor to the CSeries, he the face of the air transport crisis, – showed off a design proposal for argues that the TwoTwenty will not with no postponements of orders the larger A220-300 variant. undermine the ACJ319neo but in- requested. He says “newcomers” Deff orge says that, for the time stead be “very complementary”. are turning to the idea of private being, Airbus is focusing on the He says the aircraft will amount jets, while “people already fl ying -100 for the corporate market. to a “new value proposition”, of- are thinking of fl ying diff erently”. ◗

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November 2020 Flight International 25 26 U spreads itswings Starling project also usefor commuting,” he says. million onanaircraft that they can they will bewillingto spend $2 happy to purchase asuper-yacht, aircraft every year. “Ifsomebodyis ny candeliver 500ofthe$2million dividuals andbelieves thecompa- is aimedatultra-high-net-worth in- Seyed Moshenisays theQ-Starling path for thefollow-on programme. tem, will smooththecertification central lift-fan andthecontrol sys- the Q-Starling,notablyaround the believes thatlessons learnedfrom two aircraft differ, the company and overall configuration ofthe built to supportthatprogramme. S5 demonstrator thathas been part, aspin-offfrom thehalf-scale aircraft andthenew modelis,in its larger, seven-person e-Starling lar turbojetsinconventional flight. the electricalpower become regu- ers. The turbogenerators providing wing-tips andhorizontal stabilis- come from four smallerfans inthe fuselage, while stability andcontrol ered ducted fan inthecentre ofthe provided by asingleelectric-pow- lic-based PBS. ly sourced from Czech Repub- and turbojets.These are current- that doubleasturbogenerators two modifiedturboshaftengines ite aircraft thatwillbepowered by service entryin2023. luxury market thatistargeted for landing (VTOL) personaljetfor the a two-person vertical take-off and Dominic Perry jet scheduledfor service entryin2023 development, withtwo-seat personal UK start-up reveals latest hybrid-electric Innovation Flight International Founder andchief executive Although thefuselageshape Samad Aerospace isdeveloping Lift for take-offs andlandingsis The Q-Starlingisanall-compos- tric aircraft development – veiled itslatest hybrid-elec- Samad Aerospace hasun- K-headquartered start-up London Programme November 2020 country. Initialcertification islike- the aircraft willever bebuiltinthe quarters, there isnoguarantee that and beginserialproduction. quired to complete theQ-Starling that another£30millionwillbere- A fundinground. Mosheni estimates targeted £15millionduringitsseries mately £10million($13million)ofa the Q-Starling. dispense withtheluxuryfinishof ble version willfollow, whichwill entry. Inaddition,amore afforda- window before scheduledservice Mosheni says, leaving aone-year begin certification flightsin2022, A prototype oftheQ-Starling will Affordable version the UKfor further test flights. will subsequentlybetransferred to ad’s industrial partners,althoughit been manufactured by oneofSam- closed Asiancountry where ithas says. These willbeinanundis- totype shouldbeginshortly, he goes furtherthanahelicopter.” “It issafer, more comfortable and of fuselagefor VTOL performance Design features lift-fan mounted incentre Despite thecompany’s UKhead- So far, Samadhasraised approxi- Test flightsof the S5scaled-pro- craft to market,” hesays. before we bringthepassenger air- could beusedto generate revenue or surveillance platforms. “These manned cargo, medicalevacuation the e-Starlingprogramme asun- scaled-prototypes developed for the spin-offpotential oftheearly our shoulders,” hesays. “We are nottakingeverything on and pointsto itspartnershipmodel. that thestart-up isoverloading itself ing, Moshenibatsbacksuggestions the globe. “e-VTOL innovation villages”across plans to construct anetwork of books, plusitrecently unveiled two active programmes onits ling to itsline-up, Samadnow has vided by aballistic parachute. An additionallevel ofsafety is pro- quired to master theVTOL system. as little10hoffurthertraining re- with aprivate pilot’s licence, with will beableto beflown by anyone supply chain. centage oftheQ-Starling’s global region, aswell asproviding aper- will licence-build aircraft for their nerships around theglobethat ate anetwork ofstrategic part- or goelsewhere.” whether we want to stay intheUK “But we have not100%decided ment backingfor any programme. the low levels ofpossible govern- hicle development,” hesays, citing but itisnotthebest place for ve- site onthecontinent. Mosheni, implyingaproduction Union Aviation Safety Agency, says ly to behandledby theEuropean He alsosays Samadiseyeing Despite thescaleofundertak- With theadditionofQ-Star- Samad believes theQ-Starling In addition,Samadhopesto cre- “The UKisgoodfor technology, ◗

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Reports highlight long-term FAA fears Trio of draft evaluations on US regulator’s controversial self-certiﬁcation process show concerns were raised ﬁve years ago

Jon Hemmerdinger Tampa turers to perform certain certification activities. FlightGlobal recently received the trio of Federal Aviation reports from the FAA, more than Administration (FAA) one year after requesting them. The reports, written several documents broadly summarise in- years before two fatal 737 formation and opinions received AMax crashes, highlighted concerns from the FAA and aerospace manu- about the agency’s self-certifica- facturers, reviewing how implemen- tion programme, describing Boe- tation of the ODA in 2009 affected ing-FAA relations as “contentious” those companies and the product and possibly requiring a “reset”. certification process. Marked “draft reports”, the 2015 documents broadly review the Change resistance agency’s Organization Designation The reports are dated August, Authorization (ODA) programme October and November 2015, and and recommend improvements some pages are marked “McKinsey”, that would enable the agency to a consulting firm. reduce some project involvement. The FAA did not respond to The reports were compiled well questions about the documents. before the Max crashes in 2018 and “Lack of consistent performance 2019, which killed 346 people and management systems, change- ODA programme came under spurred criticism of the ODA initi- resistant frontline mindsets, and scrutiny after Max crashes ative. Under that programme the skills challenges contribute to vari- FAA authorises selected manufac- able performance,” say the reports. “Disagreement on safety relevance current level of involvement,” the contributes to uneven application documents say. of standards,” they add. Still, BASOO “is a relatively high “ODA implementation has not met performer” compared with other expectations and has not consist- FAA certification offices, despite ently delivered industry-wide bene- handling far more projects. fits,” the documents say. “OEMs feel Asked to comment, Boeing a larger administrative burden with- says, “This report, released in out corresponding benefits.” 2015, i llustrates how the FAA and The reports review Boeing’s re- the aerospace industry, including lationship with the FAA’s Boeing Boeing, have an ongoing practice Aviation Safety Oversight Office of identifying and resolving issues

JL Images/Shutterstock JL Images/Shutterstock (BASOO), which oversees Boeing – all with an eye towards continu- certifications and is within the FAA’s ous improvement as a global aero- Aircraft Certification Service (AIR). space industry. “We continue to “The Boeing-BASOO relationship “After Boeing and many other is the most important and conten- companies implemented their tious,” the reports say. “Discon- ODAs, the FAA and the indus- make progress nects between Boeing and BASOO try focused on continuous learn- may require a relationship reset.” ing and improvement of the ODA in improving The reports describe Boeing as programme,” the airframer adds. perhaps “the most important AIR “We continue to make great pro- how we work stakeholder by virtue of [its] size gress in improving how we work and growing product complexity”. with the FAA.” with the FAA” “Projected 15% annual growth in Boeing says it and the aerospace Boeing’s certificate submissions industry are “relentlessly focused Boeing will overwhelm BASOO at [the] on safety”. The reports quote a

28 Flight International November 2020 Safety Investigation VDB Photo/Shutterstock VDB Photo/Shutterstock

Boeing representative as saying: John Hamilton, who has since left industry representative said. “ODA “Our relationship has deteriorated the company but was vice-presi- has had the opposite effect. Rela- to the point where every non-com- dent of engineering; Michael Del- tionships with the FAA have been pliance finding is viewed as a sys- aney, then vice-president of com- replaced by a formal, rigid process.” temic problem… as if we don’t have mercial engineering; and Lindsay “I never expected the level of a commitment to safety.” Anderson, vice-president of com- administrative burden ODA en- “The FAA is more reactive than” mercial aircraft quality, the reports tails. I have three people working the European Union Aviation Safe- say. Top executives at the other full-time for me just to handle the ty Agency (EASA), a Boeing repre- companies were also contacted. admin,” a manufacturer added. sentative added. “EASA supports FAA officials who participated in Outside of the reports, many Airbus in a way that isn’t mirrored the reviews included former depu- companies have publicly praised by the FAA with us.” ty associate administrator for avi- self-certification programmes like Boeing and BASOO use “differ- ation safety John Hickey, and Jeff ODA, saying they help them bring ent metrics and methods to deter- Duven, system oversight division innovative and safer technologies mine compliance”, and “data is not director of aircraft certification. to market faster. consistent between Boeing FAA “ODA is the latest and most-com- databases”, the reports say. Process evaluation prehensive in a series of steps to- The studies were compiled fol- The FAA Modernization and wards increased delegation and lowing input from and workshops Reform Act of 2012, which funded leverage of industry resources in with 10 “industry players”: Bell; the agency, required the FAA to certification,” say the reports. Boeing; CubCrafters Aircraft; GE assess certification processes and The ODA process is now under Aviation; Gulfstream; Heico; Honey- evaluate potential ODA programme fire following the two 737 Max well; Icon Aircraft; Rockwell Collins improvements. It is unclear wheth- crashes. Investigators attributed (now Collins Aerospace); and Tex- er the 2015 studies stemmed from the accidents to factors including tron Aviation. that requirement. Boeing’s design, the FAA’s certifi- Boeing executives contacted to “What we need is more flexibil- cation process, and pilot and main- contribute to the review included: ity and autonomy,” one unnamed tenance issues. US lawmakers ❱

November 2020 Flight International 29 Safety Investigation

❱ recently introduced legislation aimed at strengthening the FAA’s certification oversight. According to the reports, manufacturers spent between $1 million and $11 million annually on their ODA work, equating to less than 0.5% of all OEM profits. The documents specify how manufacturers’ certification workload changed after the ODA

programme came into being. Fossler/Shutterstock David Boeing’s “delegation level” roughly doubled from 39% in 2006 to 82% A century of delegated certification under ODA, the 2015 documents indicate. Aerospace supplier Hei- Forms of aerospace self- process under which it authorised co’s delegation level saw a huge certification extend back to the groups within companies to increase from 10% to 91%, and GE’s early decades of flight. oversee certification aspects. delegation rate increased from From the 1920s to 1940s, The agency then broadened its 90% to 98%. US regulators designated approach with the ODA structure, Other companies’ delegation lev- individuals, including those which “opens [the] possibility els remained flat or declined. Col- at manufacturers, “to make for almost all manufacturers lins remained unchanged over the compliance” findings related to to receive organisational period with a 99% delegation level, certification, the reports note. designation”. while Cessna’s level declined from Those individuals included “The certification model has 68% to 55%, the reports show. As “designated engineering continuously evolved to handle the documents are five years old, representatives”, “designated more volume with proportionally those figures are likely to have manufacturing inspection fewer resources,” say the reports. changed since. representatives” and “designated “ODA allows manufacturers Manufacturers’ certification pa- airworthiness representatives”. relatively broad authorisation… perwork ballooned following their Between the 1950s and but requires a dedicated internal transitions to the ODA structure. 1990s, the FAA had a “limited organisation with stringent audit Their certification plans jumped organisational designation” and control standards.” from an average of 236 pages to 5,248 pages after adopting ODA programmes, while certification descriptions increased from an av- OEMs have also struggled to before [the] escalation process has erage of 69 pages to 830 pages, find employees with qualifications run its due course,” according to the reports say. required for ODA work, the docu- the documents. ments say. Manufacturers sometimes lack Staff shortage The reports describe the inter- “necessary systems and processes Former National Transportation play between certification and to enable effective FAA… systemic Safety Board member and inde- broader competitive issues. oversight”. pendent aviation safety consult- Manufacturers tend to set “am- Other countries’ civil aviation ant John Goglia said US aerospace bitious” project schedules, and regulators face similar issues, but suppliers need self-certification sometimes make delivery commit- “feel [that the] FAA digs into too because the FAA lacks sufficient ments “in advance and independ- many non-safety-critical details”, resources and skilled staff. ent of certification planning”, the the reports say. “When you ask a bureaucrat documents say. The reports recommend the FAA to make a decision about some- “Innovation puts continued “partner with applicants” to priori- thing he knows little about, he is pressure to keep up with frontier tise policies for emerging technol- going to take time to dig and talk standards. Releasing a product a ogies. The agency should reduce to everyone else… to build up his year later will mean delaying if not paperwork and harmonise its reg- comfort level,” Goglia says. entirely forfeiting that revenue, as ulations with those of other coun- “While that is going on, you are new products from other suppliers tries, they advise. giving the competition time to de- will create obsolescence for your velop their product.” product,” they add. Accelerate delegation An industry-wide shortage of The documents touch on other Additionally, the documents call on skilled technical workers has con- issues, noting the tendency by the FAA to accelerate delegation of tributed to those staffing issues, some manufacturers, when disa- some types of certification, and to Goglia adds. greeing with FAA specialists, to improve “systems-level oversight… According to the 2015 docu- “go above to management, caus- by building and leveraging” ODAs’ ments, Boeing reported that FAA ing friction”. capabilities and responsibilities. approvals “are too long and un- The FAA’s Boeing office The reports estimate that predictable”, and that “50%-60% “describes repeated and recurring improvements could reduce the of deliverables are completed after instances where Boeing leader- FAA’s “real-time project involve- agreed-upon targets”. ship engages with FAA leadership ment by 40%”. ◗

30 Flight International November 2020

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No conﬁ dence crisis at ST Engineering New president of Singapore company’s aerospace division can see silver lining behind current coronavirus clouds

Alfred Chua Singapore “A crisis like this off ers us opportunities,” he begins, rather setting the tone for the conversation. s the old business adage “For example, what are some of goes: never let a good the growth and acquisition oppor- crisis go to waste. Of tunities? We continue to focus on Facility at Changi airport, Singapore, course, the aerospace in- partnership opportunities, looking off ers broad range of capabilities Adustry has never seen a crisis quite for acquisitions, in the right space, like the current coronavirus-driven at the right time. downturn, but for some, that max- “So we do have active discus- im remains as relevant as ever. sions ongoing, for example, [about] The company recently an- Jeff rey Lam, the some partnership arrangements nounced that it was ramping up newly installed outside of Singapore. A crisis is an production slots for Airbus A321 president of ST En- opportunity not to be missed.” passenger-to-freighter (A321P2F) gineering’s aero- For example, he says the pan- conversions it carries out. space division, can demic has allowed ST Engineering In addition to existing modiﬁ - be counted among to double down on its smart tech- cation lines for the A321P2F pro- that group. While nology initiatives, such as the use gramme in Germany and Singapore, Covid-19 has of drones in its work processes. in September it said that Chinese caused the While the idea of using unmanned unit ST Engineering Aerospace unit’s busi- air vehicles for MRO operations is Guangzhou Aviation Services and ness to not new, the pandemic has given Alabama operation VT Mobile Aer- plunge – the company “an opportunity to ospace Engineering would also be at points accelerate” their usage, such as for equipped to handle conversions of by up to aircraft inspection tasks, says Lam. the popular narrowbody. The move 90% – he But while aerospace is perceived will bring total annual capacity from remains as a high-tech industry, some are- nine to 25 aircraft by 2023. unflus- as can be resistant to change. Lam tered, and admits that the “traditional operat- Innovation drive instead ing environment that is aerospace And this part of the business is not sees an [and especially] MRO”, is a “little escaping the drive for innovation opportunity bit harder to transform. either: ST Engineering’s German in the cur- “But we recognise the opportuni- joint venture EFW is also looking rent situation. ty, and we have been accelerating into creating containers about the Lam took these programmes and investing size of an aircraft seat, meant for the reins on 1 in people to move these activities temporary converted freighters. October, when forward,” he says. The design will allow for the his predecessor Another area of opportunity that container to be loaded through a Lim Serh Ghee ST Engineering has been quick standard passenger door before was promoted to tap into has been the growing being locked into seat tracks. In- to the role of demand for passenger to cargo stead of “carrying bags and pack- ST Engineering conversions. That market “is very ages” or moving pallets through chief operating important to the short- to medi- the aircraft door, it will permit the offi cer. um-term strategy”, Lam says. effi cient loading and unloading of In an interview ST Engineering is seeing a “high- cargo from the passenger cabin. with FlightGlobal er number of enquiries about what The new container design is one days after assum- we can do for them” in the freight example of how ST Engineering ing his new role, market, whether that is the perma- is “open to all kinds of solutions”, Lam strikes an nent conversion of passenger air- says Lam. optimistic note, craft, or a temporary modiﬁ cation “[This] is something we just want despite the gloom to the cabin – by removing seats, to help our customers with. It is

ST Engineering ST surrounding the for example – to allow it to carry not like a big business, you know, aviation industry: more cargo. you’re not [going to] make a tonne

32 Flight International November 2020 Interview Jeffrey Lam ST Engineering ST of money there, but helping our tunes are firmly tied to those of its what to study at university, real- customers that use the passen- customers. ised that Singapore did not offer a ger aircraft as freighters is going The pandemic, which has forced bachelor’s degree in aerospace en- to help them return to operation airlines across the world to ground gineering, a subject that was close [and] return to profitability. Really, most of their fleets, could cause the to his heart. that’s our focus right now, to help MRO market to be low “for a while”, Lam ended up taking on a gov- them survive the crisis,” says Lam. says Lam, even as flying gradually ernment scholarship to study the Lam says the company’s focus is, returns due to low utilisation rates. subject overseas, returning to Sin- and has always been, about “creat- In the short term, Lam says ST gapore with liberal arts and engi- ing value for the customer”. Engineering is working with its neering degrees. customers on rescheduling work, as well as “working with them on Graduate studies “A crisis like their cash flow”. On graduation, he worked at Sin- One advantage ST Engineering gapore’s Economic Development this offers us has against its regional competi- Board, where he was “promoting tors is what Lam calls its “breadth the aerospace industry”, to seek opportunities of capability”, paired with its pres- investment by foreign OEMs and ence not just in Singapore, but in suppliers into the country. for growth, China, Europe and North America. It was during his stint working “I mean, literally from the birth of for the Singapore government an aircraft, to retirement, and then between 2000 and 2003 that he acquisitions and from the nose to the tail. [We have addressed the higher education a] huge, broad range of capabilities, gap that he had previously noted, partnerships” a huge footprint and very compre- persuading local universities and hensive capability,” says Lam. polytechnics to start aerospace Jeffrey LamPresident, aerospace “So to be all that, and then to be engineering courses. division, ST Engineering independent, and then to actual- Today, he says, there is a “won- ly survive without being bought, I derful explosion” of aerospace pro- “When we say we create value for would say, is truly unique,” he says. grammes in Singapore. Lam is also the customer, it is about capability, Lam adds that ST Engineering’s quick to point out that aerospace it is about value, it is about safety Singapore home is “truly the global courses “remain one of the hottest and quality,” he adds. That also in- hub for aerospace”. programmes in the schools”. cludes helping them during the “For any single country, [Singa- “So today, the young don’t have pandemic-driven crisis, a point Lam pore has] so much capability, and to go overseas to get their degree. reiterates on several occasions. this much representation of OEMs They can get it here. And we have “We want to be there to support and aerospace interests is hard to been hiring many of them, you our customers [and] help them find in any country, you know. So, know, who graduated from the recover… from a financial point of I’m really happy about it,” says local universities in aerospace en- view, a cash-flow point of view, and Lam, who entered the aerospace gineering,” he adds. also from a going back to flying industry more than 25 years ago. “I’ve been fortunate to see the point of view,” he tells FlightGlobal. The island nation has come a evolution of the industry from small Of course this is not pure al- long way since that point. Lam beginnings to become comprehen- truism: the aerospace unit’s for- recounts how he, while deciding sive, and still becoming bigger.” ◗

November 2020 Flight International 33 Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com

Endangered species

As Australia nears a decision on its armed reconnaissance helicopter capability, Airbus is ﬁghting to save its at-risk Tiger

Greg Waldron Singapore tion was issued in July 2019, and a formal tender is expected to be launched early next year. In a July t may have taken years for Airbus 2020 strategic update to the 2016 Helicopters’ Tiger to hit its stride White Paper, the government indi- in Australian army service, but cated that the replacement effort the capability improvement now will cost between A$3.4 billion and Iachieved may have come too late A$5.1 billion ($2.4-3.7 billion). to save the armed reconnaissance The army’s new ARH must also helicopter (ARH) from being re- be comfortable operating at sea, placed by a US-built rival. from the Royal Australian Navy’s In February 2016, Australia’s (RAN’s) amphibious assault ships defence White Paper explicit- HMAS Adelaide and Canberra. ly stated that its 22 Tigers were The contest immediately attract- to be supplanted. “The Tiger has ed the interest of Bell and Boeing, had a troubled history – essen- which are respectively promot- tial upgrades are programmed to ing their AH-1Z Viper and AH-64E maintain the capability’s effective- Apache. ness. Defence will invest in a future Amid Canberra’s ever-deepening armed reconnaissance capability defence ties with Washington, both to replace the Tiger, which could firms have talked up commonality head start because the product is include manned or unmanned sys- with US forces. Bell notes that the in service.” tems or a combination of both, US Marine Corps, which has forc- The company estimates a Tiger to be introduced from the mid- es in Australia, operates the AH-1Z. upgrade will be A$3 billion cheap- 2020s,” the document said. Boeing points out that several er over two decades than introduc- Eight months later, the Australian regional allies operate the Apache ing a new fleet. Mathewson notes National Audit Office (ANAO) deliv- and the type has a long future that the in-service rotorcraft also ered another blow. In a 64-page thanks to US Army-driven upgrades. have plenty of life left. So far, the report, it identified 76 “capabili- In addition to emphasising the airframes have amassed an aver- ty deficiencies” with the Tiger, of raw firepower embodied in both age of 2,000 flight hours, against which the Department of Defence rotorcraft, the rivals – and especial- an 8,000h design life. “We know deemed 60 to be “critical”. ly Bell – have stressed the ability of that we need to do the engineering “The Tiger helicopter fleet has not their helicopters to operate from analysis on some dynamic compo- yet delivered the original capability ships. nents so they can be lifed out to expected by the Australian govern- 8,000h, and then could serve well ment, and continues to experience Upgrade path out to 2040,” he says. higher than expected sustainment The stakes are high for Airbus. In addition, the helicopter’s elec- costs and lower than expected air- Approximately 90% of its helicop- tronic warfare and targeting sys- craft availability,” said the ANAO. ter business in Australia is derived tems would be upgraded, along “On average, only 3.5 aircraft in the from government work, of which with the addition of a Link 16 data- operational fleet of 16 helicopters the Tiger is a key element. Ironical- link, enabling the Tiger to better were available on any given day in ly, Canberra’s plan to buy 29 new integrate with Royal Australian Air 2015,” it said: far short of a targeted attack helicopters is at full steam Force and RAN assets. readiness of 12. as the Tiger, at last, is performing In February 2019, Brigadier Other issues included the appar- as advertised. So, instead of of- Jeremy King, director general army ent lack of ability to operate from fering a replacement for the type, aviation systems, said a huge effort warships, shortcomings with sus- Airbus Australia Pacific is propos- had gone into getting both the tainment and combat capabilities, ing an upgrade. “The decision in Tiger and another helicopter with and challenges communicating 2016 was made at a time when Ti- heavy Airbus involvement – the with the broader army network, ger was not performing as well as NH Industries NH90 (designated reducing its usefulness as a recon- it is today,” says Andrew Mathew- MRH90 in Australia) – up to speed. naissance platform. son, managing director of Airbus A more collaborative approach Canberra’s Tiger replacement Australia Pacific. “Now it’s kicking with Airbus Helicopters had driv- effort has since coalesced into goals and achieving its missions. en availability and ironed out per- Project Land 4503, which calls for And the performance is very good. formance issues with the Tiger, he 29 ARH. A request for informa- We hope that we’ve got a bit of a said. “It is now a capable platform

34 Flight International November 2020 Defence Rotorcraft Commonwealth of Australia Commonwealth

Type’s introduction proved far from plain sailing

and one that can be relied upon, Tiger demonstrated its sea legs with of the programme’s earlier chal- but it has been quite a journey – we an operational unit in 2019, com- lenges are hard to shake. “That rep- have had to drive it really hard.” pleting a Southeast Asian cruise utational damage just seems to last One problem with the company’s aboard HMAS Canberra. Four ARH and last,” Mathewson concedes. proposal, however, is that the new were embarked aboard the vessel, “And it’s something that we’re requirement calls for 29 helicop- having been flown from Darwin to now trying to work at, getting the ters: seven more than the existing Kuala Lumpur aboard Boeing C-17 positive stories out. Until recent- Australian fleet size. strategic transports. ly, some army commanders have In its initial proposal, Airbus made some very positive com- offered to upgrade the 22-strong Warm words ments about the Tiger. Now, as we inventory and provide seven armed Lieutenant Colonel Dan Bartle, lead up to a competition, of course H145Ms to make up the difference. commanding officer of the army’s the army is completely silent, and “We offered those seven H145Ms 1st Aviation Regiment, had warm quite rightly, because they don’t to work in conjunction with the words for the Tiger during the de- want to be in any way seen to be Tigers to offer a mixed fleet, so they ployment. “You won’t find too many influencing future decisions.” can be supported when they’re pilots who dislike the Tiger,” he said. Canberra is close to deciding deployed… and also to lift the num- “Maintainers love it as well, as do who will receive the Land 4503 ber up to 29,” says Mathewson. the guys who re-arm and refuel it.” request for tender, and some indus- However, the idea of an H145M With reference to shipboard try observers believe it is leaning top-up failed to pique Australia’s operations, Mathewson notes that towards soliciting just one bid: for interest, so Airbus will instead the Tiger has a smaller footprint the Apache. focus on obtaining seven additional than its rivals, with a maximum It is up to Airbus Helicopters to examples of the out-of-production take-off weight of 6t, versus the set the record straight about the Tiger. The type’s other operators AH-1Z’s 8t and the Apache’s 10t. Tiger and try to persuade Australia are France, Germany and Spain. Yet, despite the Tiger’s strong that its troubles are part of aviation As for shipborne operations, the progress in recent years, memories history. ◗

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November 2020 Flight International 35 36 T factors Max Aviation Administration (FAA) is recertification by theUSFederal awaiting delivery. Max airframes are builtand stored that approximately another 450 um fleetsdata.Ciriumestimates ed worldwide, according to Ciri- 385 delivered Maxaircraft ground- memories. Asitstands, there are tion could quickly revive painful attention around itsre-introduc- by theCovid-19 pandemic, media ings hasperhapsbeenovertaken narrative ontheMax’s safety fail- lic to flyontheaircraft. While the acceptance by thetravelling pub- yond theindustry’s control: the But onecrucialparameter isbe- Travelling public tory approvals worldwide. fleets; andthealignmentofregula- tial displacement effect onother crew-training capacity;thepoten- appetite to addMaxaircraft and undelivered airframes); operators’ fleet andthehundreds ofbuiltbut restoration (amongtheinstalled such asthepace oftheMaxfleet coronavirus pandemic. trading conditions causedby the cluding somelinked to theairline 20 monthssince itsgrounding, in- programme isrevived more than sues thatwillcome into play asthe wider industry. There are myriad is- for Boeing,itscustomers, andthe the start ofanew setofchallenges But therecertification will bejust to theskiesbefore theendof2020. Boeing 737 Maxshouldfinallyreturn around jet’s return outlines key issues Max Kingsley-Jones FAA recertification, narrowbody nears As controversial Opinion Flight International If, asisnow widelyexpected, There are questions around areas dawns for itsrevival –the overcome –andseveral false many hurdles thathadto be he signsare thatafter the November 2020 imately 1,300Maxorders inthe Boeing hasalready shedapprox- the numberispotentially high. the originalcontractual date, then not achieved within12monthsof cancel penalty-free ifdelivery is with customers potentially ableto number involved isimprecise. But reconfiguration andestimating the aircraft would require somecabin cellations orrescheduling. These now beingunallocated dueto can- complicated by someairframes balled, undelivered aircraft willbe a monthlyrate of31aircraft. 2023, withproduction stabilising at fall slightlyto approximately 390in 2023. The delivery rate would then be cleared by thefirst quarter of airframes, theparked backlogwill are amixofstored andnew-build two years. Assuming deliveries ing below 400over thefollowing and 480in2022, before declin- shipments reaching 430in 2021 sembly line, Cirium projects annual ing deliveries from theRenton as- built aircraft, alongwithintegrat- ing works to clearthebacklogof just reach doublefigures. AsBoe- mates that2020 deliveries could soon, thenAscend by Ciriumesti- the FAA’s decision. pected to follow withinmonths of China isless clear, but mightbeex- The approval status inkey market Board: Brazil, CanadaandtheEU. Max JointOperations Evaluation participating alongsideitinthe737 shadowed promptly likely thattheFAA’s approval willbe tion ofdeliveries to for analmost immediate resump- imminent, thatshouldcleartheway Ascend by Ciriumestimates that The resurrection ofthe moth- If USMaxclearance doescome US by authorities airlines. Itis at 3,403 aircraft at30September. ASC-adjusted firmbacklogstood have already beenbuilt.The Max’s changes may affect aircraft that unlikely to complete. Someofthese which theairframer believes are ments –orders thatare still firmbut ject to ASC 606accounting adjust- more than 750 orders thatare sub- 553 confirmed cancellations plus wake ofthegrounding, including consultant at Ascend by Cirium Max Kingsley-Jones isasenior single-aisle spectrum. munity, butalsoacross thewider rates –notjust inthe737NG com- be implicationsfor values andlease airlines’ agenda,andsothere will when capacitygrowth isoffmost one basis.This willincrease supply will replace a737NG onaone-for- returned to service ordelivered aircraft –predominantly 737NGs. rather thansupplementexisting operators where they willreplace will create adisplacement effect at demand balance. Itsreintroduction absence hashelped thesupplyand fleets, asamidthecrisisMax’s cations for incumbentsingle-aisle required for flightcrews. downturn andtraining availability fleet-planning strategy amidthe pective, airlineswilllookattheir testing. From ademand-sidepers- undergo post-storage checksand risdiction, every aircraft willhave to received withineachoperator’s ju- in March 2019. Once approval is vice ofthe385aircraft grounded mining thepace ofreturn to ser- There willbeseveral drivers deter- Return to service

The likelihood isthat eachMax But there willcertainly beimpli- effect on existing 737 ﬂeets Restart ofdeliveries willhave ◗

Jack Darling Photo/Shutterstock December’s issue Next month

OurXX new World Air Forces directory details On sale combat strength 26 November and spending plans

Plus… Saab Boeing Munich airport Maintaining thrust Global view Giant puzzle Engine makers keep driving We interview Saab chief Don’t miss Uncle Roger’s ahead despite the downturn executive Micael Johansson ever-ﬁ endish festive quiz US Air Force

November 2020 Flight International 37 An industry on hold

The delivery ceremony for Aeroflot’s first A350-900: widebody’s monthly output has been slashed to five

For some airliner programmes and evaporates. Embraer is facing a very Airbus their manufacturers, Covid-19 jammed different future after being jilted at the the brakes on robust sales growth; for altar by would-be marriage partner others it has simply made worse existing Boeing. problems. In this special package we The freight market is providing some look at the challenges facing each respite for ATR and De Havilland airframer as we approach the end of the Canada as the regional turboprop toughest year the industry has faced. market crumbles, while the emerging Boeing – already badly damaged by the players of China, Russia and Japan grounding of the 737 Max – and Airbus are all wrestling with their own unique continue to pin their hopes on a single- challenges, from certiﬁcation obstacles aisle recovery as demand for widebodies to Western sanctions.

38 Flight International November 2020 Commercial airliner Review

end of September this year, and Mhun admits that Airbus – owing to “industrial sequencing” – the MSN10000 airframe is not technically the 10,000th example to be taken up. Airbus had already delivered MSN10001, an A321neo to Air China, and MSN10002, an A320neo to Single minded Iberia, from Hamburg and Toulouse last year. The serial number often departs from the production rank – that for the final A380, MSN272, exceeds the 251 The airframer is struggling to aircraft ordered. EasyJet received the 9,000th A320, which bore MSN9105. Airbus sometimes assigns test find customers for its A330s and serial numbers to components or projects outside of the jets on the physical assembly line, including A350s, but narrowbody production simulators. The airframer is also shuffling hundreds of will continue at 40 units per month. aircraft positions – as it did in 2008-2009 – to maintain its delivery stream during the pandemic. But it has also However, plans to add production been using some serial numbers for the pilot phase of a project to ensure its systems, and those of its suppliers, capacity by turning the former can cope with the change from four to five digits. A380 facility in Toulouse into a Reference number dedicated assembly line for the Mhun describes the airframer’s first five-digit MSN delivery as a reference, and points out: “It’s one number A321neo have stalled out of 15,000 aircraft ordered.” The precise figure of 15,577 at the end of September puts the A320 family David Kaminski-Morrow London 830 aircraft ahead of the Boeing 737, and makes it the most popular commercial jet in terms of orders – ithin just two weeks at the beginning of although deliveries lag its US rival by about 1,100 aircraft. autumn Airbus oversaw two contrasting “Customers believe in the future of the A320,” says events that illustrated the frustratingly Mhun, adding that Airbus is investing around €2 billion capricious nature of air transport and the ($2.3 billion) per year in enhancements for the family. Wdelicate balance of circumstances that influence the Single-aisle production will be a focus for Airbus, as industry. It rolled out its final A380, MSN272, from the this sector is set to lead the crisis recovery. “I think the Toulouse production line’s station 40 – the combined [A320neo family] is a good answer to the uncertainty point at which the jet is fully assembled, bar the engine we’re in – airlines using them to open new routes, point- installation – leaving the facility empty, just 16 years to-point, and long-range operations,” Mhun states. after the first test-flight aircraft, MSN001, emerged. Weakness in the twin-aisle sector, exacerbated by The airframer had already called time on A380 the pandemic, and fragmentation that has resulted in production a year before the pandemic-driven crisis smaller aircraft being introduced on long-haul routes which – having curtailed A380 fleets at several carriers has spurred Airbus to maintain the development – would almost inevitably have forced the decision. schedule for its A321XLR – the longest-range version But the A380 facility will not remain dormant. Airbus of its largest single-aisle jet, due for flight tests in intends to convert it to house a modernised assembly 2022 and service entry in 2023. “We’ve protected the line for its A321neo, an aircraft that occupies a place on project,” says Mhun. “We’re still on the same milestones. the opposite end of the popularity spectrum. We’ve had talks with airlines, they still want to get Airbus has formally handed over an A321neo bearing A321XLRs at the time they were expecting them.” ❱ the numerically-significant MSN10000, to the same customer – Lebanese flag-carrier Middle East Airlines – which took MSN5000, an A320 transferred to the Beirut-based operator in January 2012. “This delivery is a sign of incredible adventure and incredible success,” Airbus executive vice-president of programmes Philippe Mhun tells Flight International. Mhun has seen the high and low points having joined the manufacturer, as vice-president of the A380 programme within customer services, just after the first airframes were completed in 2004. The son of one of the first A320 captains, his role as programmes chief means he oversees the single-aisle range Airbus originally forecast would reach 600 sales. “But the A320 delivered in 1988 is an ancestor of what we’re delivering today,” he says. Since that initial customer acceptance, Airbus has seen a “permanent acceleration” of single-aisle deliveries, adds Mhun. It took 11 years to hand over 1,000 A320s but less than four to reach the same mark Airbus handed over an A321neo with the serial with the re-engined A320neo. number MSN10000 to Middle East Airlines in October

Airbus had delivered 9,529 A320-family jets by the Airbus

November 2020 Flight International 39 ❱ He believes the aircraft, which will feature a large Boeing aft centre fuel tank to enable its 4,700nm (8,700km) range, will “bring a lot of value in the current situation”. “It’s one of the priority projects where we’re still full- speed ahead,” Mhun adds. Metal cut has commenced for the crucial aft tank, and structural sections are A better place starting to be assembled. Airbus is testing and using its new digital design, manufacturing and services tools on the project to help model the assembly process. Consolidating its US manufacturing “It’s not only about the product, but the efficiency of the end-to-end industrial process,” he says. footprint might be one way Boeing

Delivery rate will tackle the challenges of its long Airbus still has a backlog of more than 3,000 737 Max grounding and a collapse in A321neos, but monthly single-aisle production has been pulled back to 40 aircraft, a slowdown that came orders as a result of the pandemic just two months after the airframer had been exploring ways to nudge output further than the 63-per-month Jon Hemmerdinger Tampa planned for 2021. This has forced Airbus to shelve the conversion of the Toulouse A380 facility into an mid the troubles of 2020, Boeing’s strategy updated A321neo line. for returning to past heights remains unclear, “The question is not any more about adding capacity with open questions about the company’s but to deliver at the rate we’ve decided to deliver,” product strategy and future production says Mhun. He says the A321neo assembly line project Afootprint. Some analysts speculate that production is on hold and will be revived once the market justifies rate cuts and tough market conditions, which have it. He indicates, however, that the easing of production hammered the entire aerospace industry, might lead rates has brought time for the company to address Boeing to consolidate its two commercial aircraft industrial problems that had hampered A321neo ramp- manufacturing sites in the Puget Sound region. up and deliveries, after the aircraft’s increasing range Also uncertain is whether Boeing might continue generated demands for new interior configurations shifting away from the Seattle area entirely by building compatible with long-haul travel. its next new jet, whatever that may be, outside “We allocated a lot of energy to think about end- Washington state. to-end industrial efficiency,” says Mhun. This involved Analysts view North Charleston, South Carolina, putting “value-stream management” in place, bridging where Boeing makes 787s, as among candidates the development and industrial systems, from suppliers for future expansion. Other options could include to the various plants and the final assembly line. somewhere in eastern Washington state, or cities Evidence that this was generating the necessary such as Huntsville, Salt Lake City or San Antonio, results emerged in early 2020, he says. “Then we were says aerospace analyst Michel Merluzeau with trying to use the reduction of production rates to go consultancy AIR. further, to another element of stabilisation – ‘quality Within Washington state, analysts suspect first’ – targeting high-quality standards,” he states. The consolidation may be looming, saying production cuts airframer has been able to revisit processes and de- have left too much manufacturing capacity. “It’s only bottleneck the system, as well as “raise the bar” natural for Boeing to consolidate Renton into Everett,” on quality. says Alex Krutz, aerospace manufacturing strategy Mhun says the combination of these strategies will consultant with Patriot Industrial Partners. result in a positive situation when A321neo production If Boeing were to keep only one Puget Sound site, increases. But he is mindful of the economic pressures analysts view Everett as the likely winner, citing that on the supply chain while the crisis persists, and says facility’s capacity and engineering talent. the airframer has directed a lot of government support Boeing’s Renton site produces 737s, while the to this chain, to help ensure they do not slip into Everett facility manufactures 767s, 777s and, for a trouble before they are needed for ramp-up. while longer, 747s and 787s. With the prospects for a substantial return to Chicago-based Boeing this year announced it will intercontinental flying still unclear, Airbus is yet to move 787 production out of Everett in mid-2021, commit to restoration of twin-aisle production rates. consolidating that work in North Charleston, where it It has halved monthly A350 output to five, while the A330neo line is ticking over at two. The airframer, which delivered 14 twin-aisle jets in the first two months of this year, handed over just 18 in the following six months – and none in July. Mhun says Airbus’s models are predicting 2023-2025 to be a “reasonable window” for recovery in widebody activity, but points out that “100% of A350-1000s are flying” – discounting a few for Etihad Airways, which were already being parked before the pandemic struck.

Airbus estimated, at the end of July, that it had 145 Boeing undelivered aircraft. But chief executive Guillaume Will 737 Max production remain at Renton ❱ Faury believed this would be the “high point” for for the duration of the programme?

40 Flight International November 2020 Commercial airliner Review

also makes the jets. Boeing also announced plans to cease 747 production in 2022. Boeing has not disclosed other Seattle-area commercial aircraft manufacturing footprint changes. Max Kingsley-Jones/FlightGlobal However, it is undertaking a wholesale business The 787 is built in North Charleston and, for now, in Everett appraisal. “We’re evaluating our overall infrastructure across Boeing to optimise our facilities and footprint,” the company tells FlightGlobal. “We’ll share any at the company, executive vice-president of enterprise additional details in the future.” operations and chief financial officer Greg Smith said Krutz suspects Boeing will eventually transfer 737 during Boeing’s second-quarter earnings call on work to Everett, a move also enabling it to sell the 29 July. Boeing is reviewing every aspect of its prime Renton real estate. “I think they have to,” Krutz business, including infrastructure, facilities, sites and says. “If there’s a time to do a transition, it’s now,” when enterprise footprint, in light of the reduced demand, 737 production rates are low, he adds. he said. Renton was “busting at the brim” before the Max Boeing lost $3 billion in the first half of 2020. grounding, when Boeing was churning out upward of Revenue slipped 26% year-on-year to $28.7 billion 50 Max aircraft monthly, he notes. Everett would give in the period. Its challenges are not unique – many Boeing the manufacturing space to ensure it can meet aerospace companies reported recent losses and cut production goals when demand returns. staff in a rush to save cash amid the downturn. Airbus Others think the cost and logistics of moving 737 likewise trimmed commercial jet production. production to Everett would be prohibitive – especially But Aboulafia wishes Boeing would communicate considering the 737 Max may have only 10 or 12 years something about its commercial aircraft strategy – “If of production remaining, says Merluzeau. only to… say, ‘Yes, there is a future and this is what we “In terms of economics, I’m not sure that a transfer are considering’.” of the 737 line out of Renton would make sense,” says Some observers suspect Boeing’s next move will be Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst with Teal Group. a 737 replacement. Others speculate that it may first Other 737 options could include keeping Renton return to an aircraft like the NMA. humming until Max production runs its course, or Regardless, where might Boeing build such a jet? transiting the 737 to Everett in phases, initially splitting “Building a new jet in Everett would make a great production between sites. deal of sense,” says Aboulafia. Challenges aside, Boeing has positive developments Krutz likewise sees Boeing aligned with Everett. on the horizon, including the anticipated re- While Renton is primarily a manufacturing site, certification of the long-grounded Max. Boeing expects Everett is home to a large engineering workforce. “You regulators will clear the jet in time for deliveries to want to centre your production with engineering,” resume in the fourth quarter. Krutz says. He also thinks Boeing will not risk losing The company also continues working toward the talented workers there who are affected by its certification of its 777X, which it expects to begin widebody production cuts. “It should be important to delivering, with the 777-9, in 2022. The US Federal Boeing to continue to have work there, to be able to Aviation Administration recently certificated that jet’s harness that talent, and retain it,” Krutz says. GE Aviation GE9X powerplants. Merluzeau thinks Everett stands a strong chance And Boeing predicts a healthy aerospace recovery. of building Boeing’s next jet, noting the site’s skilled Its recently released 2020 outlook estimates carriers labour and the company’s long ties to the region. globally will need 43,110 new jets through 2039, down Without more work fast, Everett will become “an only 2% from last year’s 20-year projection. empty building with a lot of smart people”, he says. Questions about Boeing’s production strategy stem But several factors could lead Boeing to look beyond from sagging demand, rate cuts and cost pressure. Washington state. Those include labour challenges Boeing is bringing 787 production to six jets monthly, and the relatively high cost of doing business in and 777 output to two monthly, in 2021. Previously, it Washington, Merluzeau says. He cites regulations and had produced 14 and five respectively every month. taxes, adding that comparatively high minimum wages 737 Max production has been anaemic for much of have already affected smaller aerospace suppliers. 2020. Boeing predicts output will reach 31 jets monthly Merluzeau suggests neither Everett nor Renton may by early 2022. Before the Max grounding, it produced be compatible with Boeing’s future aircraft production 53 737s monthly. process, which will likely employ advanced automation❱ Boeing also this year stepped back from its proposed and composite materials, like thermal plastics. “The New Mid-market Airplane (NMA). That jet, never organs of the production system are not going to look formally launched, was to carry 270 passengers, have anything like what you have in Everett,” he says. “You 4,000-5,000nm (7,400-9,300km) range and counter need a new type of factory, you need a new production long-legged variants of the Airbus A320neo family. system, you need something that does not exist.” Several months ago Boeing announced a 10% Also, automation could allow Boeing to build its next workforce reduction. It had 161,000 employees in 2019. jet with one-third of the 737’s workforce, meaning Departing staff reportedly include 170 vice-presidents, fewer jobs for skilled workers. “I don’t think the directors and other mid-level executives, including workforce is the primary defining element in what’s those in sales, manufacturing, supply chain and coming next,” Merluzeau says. “The production system strategy. A “true business transformation” is under way can move anywhere, and you can get the talent base.”

November 2020 Flight International 41 ❱ parked jets, and that the level would start coming Regionals down towards the year-end. Mhun says he cannot predict when Airbus – which still has nearly 60 conventional A320s in its backlog – might hand over the single-aisle jet designated Routes to recovery MSN11000. But he states that the airframer is conﬁdent it has the right product portfolio, from the A220 up to the A350. While the air transport industry awaits a Abandoned by Boeing and seeing its sustained upward trend, he says, Airbus is supporting European market turn elsewhere, customers in various ways, retraining pilots and mechanics, helping carriers to store aircraft, and Embraer and De Havilland Canada ensuring safety during restart. “People will remember the support we provided in the bad times,” he adds. have problems beyond those “We’ve reacted quickly, reducing production rates, caused by Covid-19, while ATR is but we’re doing it in a responsible way. When demand ramps up, we’re ready.” hoping a new freighter programme will offset a fading orderbook Russia Murdo Morrison London

year ago, the future looked bright for the Made in the three Western regional airliner manufacturers. Embraer was close to signing off on a takeover of its commercial aircraft division backyard Aby Boeing that would have secured the future of the industry’s number three player. ATR was coming to the end of a solid year that would see it deliver 68 aircraft Sanctions mean Irkut is looking to and notch up 79 orders – up 50% on 2018. And the sector’s newest name, Toronto-based De Havilland domestic industry to provide an Canada, was hoping to inject impetus into the fortunes of the former Q400 programme that parent Longview alternative source of components Aviation Capital had acquired from Bombardier in for the MC-21 and Superjet 100 June that year, renaming it the Dash 8-400 and adding it to the Twin Otter 19-seat turboprop built in British Columbia by sister company Viking Air. David Kaminski-Morrow London For all three companies, 2020 has been about retrenchment, preserving cash, and survival, although he death, aged 95, of Tupolev Tu-154 chief there have been glimmers of optimism. Turboprop designer Alexander Shengardt in September specialists ATR and De Havilland Canada turned closed the era of the Soviet Union’s most their attention to freighter conversion programmes, prolific airliner programme, leaving Russia still with ATR in September also flying its first new- Tstruggling to replicate the workhorse trijet’s success. build freighter, based on the ATR 72-600. Embraer’s More than 1,000 Tu-154s were assembled, a four- commercial aircraft business is under new management figure production run comparable with that of the – although not the new management it hoped for – Boeing 757 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 despite after John Slattery’s departure to head GE Aviation, to its relatively limited market for export. Some 150 were be replaced by former chief commercial officer Arjan sold abroad. Meijer. Boeing’s decision in April to abandon its 80% Shengardt, who held his position for 36 years, acquisition of the business for $4.2 billion left Embraer had overseen the pioneering development of low- furious and likely triggered Slattery’s exit. maintenance operation and internationally-approved It has dealt the Brazilian airframer a double blow. technical documentation for the aircraft. Under Like all manufacturers Embraer has seen sales collapse political pressure from industrial sanctions, the Russian since the coronavirus outbreak: commercial deliveries government is trying to rebuild some of that former fell by 75%, to just nine jets in the first half. Meanwhile, Soviet aerospace glory, retreating from international Boeing’s investment would have provided the funds for co-operation in favour of an import-substitution its Brazilian subsidiary to invest in new technologies initiative for its latest civil aircraft. Official Russian to continue dominating the regional segment when procurement documentation shows a steady stream recovery comes. One of these is a long-mooted of tender invitations for various equipment – avionics, 90-seat turboprop – taking Embraer into direct life-rafts, passenger cabin control systems – to replace competition with ATR and De Havilland Canada – but foreign equivalents on its Irkut MC-21. now unlikely in the medium term as preserving cash Irkut has been hoping to fly its first MC-21-310 – the and finding a new partner becomes vital. In July, Meijer designation of the twinjet with domestically built said that, while the case for such an aircraft remained Aviadvigatel PD-14 engines – before the end of 2020. sound, Embraer’s priority was weathering the storm: The airframe has already undergone a technical engine “Then we will think about next steps.” installation for preliminary checks. Embraer has also pushed back the entry into service Recent procurement requests for the Western- ❱ until 2023 of its 80- to 90-seat E175-E2 after the

42 Flight International November 2020 Commercial airliner Review

Embraer has put back the ﬁrst delivery of its E175-E2 until 2023 Embraer Embraer

initial flight of the final variant of its trio of re-engined conversion solution that enabled airlines to quickly and regional jets in December 2019. The first of the larger temporarily install a light freighter configuration. E190-E2 and E195-E2 were delivered in 2018 and 2019 ATR is also developing a short take-off and landing respectively, and the smallest sibling had been due to version of the 40-seat ATR 42-600, for which Papua follow in 2021. New Guinea carrier PNG Air is launch customer. The While a modern jet with that capacity might appeal ATR 42-600S is due for service entry in 2022, and PNG to many airlines serving thinner routes, a big obstacle says the variant will allow it to access more remote for Embraer is US scope clauses that ban regional communities served by unpaved, short airstrips. affiliates of major airlines from operating aircraft with The manufacturer is also committing to a low-carbon more than 76 seats or a maximum gross take-off future and said in October that it plans to announce a weight of more than 39,000kg (86,000lb). The Pratt series of low-emission initiatives early next year, likely & Whitney PW1700G-powered E175-E2 falls into that to include a trial using hybrid-electric propulsion. The category. French government has committed to part-funding the Where Embraer goes from here is uncertain. The development of a “decarbonised regional aircraft” by company is still banking on its business rationale for 2035. the E2s – that they provide a more cost-effective De Havilland Canada was still finalising its strategy option than conventional narrowbodies for airlines for its newly-acquired aircraft programme when flying thinner city pairs, or bedding in new routes Covid-19 struck. Like ATR, it has seized the opportunity on which flying a large regional jet makes more offered by cargo conversions, with regulator Transport commercial sense initially. Canada approving until at least next July the Dash Bombardier’s introduction of the CSeries a decade 8-400 Simplified Package Freighter adaptation ago doomed the Canadian firm in the airliner sector – where seats and seat track covers are removed – its pockets were not deep enough to compete with overnight to provide room for freight. discounts offered by Airbus and Boeing. Will Embraer The company made its maiden delivery of the battle on solo, as a small, third player, or will it turn to rebranded Dash 8-400 in June, when state-owned the Chinese? If so, its ambitions in the defence market TAAG Angola Airlines took the first of six examples it would likely mean it once again moving to spin off its signed for at the 2019 Paris air show. However, commercial aircraft interests. De Havilland’s woes started early in the crisis with the Although it is shedding some 200 jobs, ATR’s collapse of its biggest customer in early March. UK position is less precarious. Owned by aerospace giants regional airline Flybe had 54 Dash 8-400s, almost 10% Airbus and Leonardo, the Toulouse-based airframer of the turboprop’s global fleet. has just two product lines, the ATR 42-600 and With the type losing favour with several European larger ATR 72-600, and entered the crisis with a solid operators, including Austrian Airlines and Air Baltic, backlog. With the cargo market holding up reasonably De Havilland Canada is looking to replace them well, the family’s popularity as a freighter provides ATR elsewhere. Target markets are Africa and Southeast with cushioning. Asia, where there are efforts to improve connectivity Its first purpose-built freighter, the ATR 72-600F, is to far communities. The firm sees potential there with a now in flight testing, with the programme underwritten high-density, 86-seat version that can also operate as a by a 2017 order for 30 examples with 20 options from “combi” freighter. the world’s largest parcels company FedEx Express. With domestic and other short-haul travel likely to The variant includes a large cargo door in the forward rebound quicker than the intercontinental market, fuselage as well as an aft cargo door. established regional aircraft manufacturers are in The airframer also claims the ease with which some some way better placed for recovery than Airbus and operators – such as Fiji Airways – have converted ATR Boeing. However, each of the three finds itself in an aircraft for freight operations illustrates the adaptability uncomfortable position as the industry continues on its of its platforms. In May it authorised a quick turbulent course into 2021.

November 2020 Flight International 43 ❱ powered version – the MC-21-300, with Pratt Asia-Pacific & Whitney PW1400G engines – include testing of noise levels for the powerplant and work on type certification documentation, signalling that the variant is slowly edging towards completion of its flight-test campaign. Emerging, diverging Four PW1400G-powered MC-21s are undertaking flight tests. The latest to join the fleet (73056) is fitted with an all-economy configuration equating to 211 Asian airframers Comac and seats, whereas its predecessor (73054) had a two-class cabin with 163. The twinjet’s engines underwent water- Mitsubishi Aircraft are on different ingestion testing, using its second flight-test airframe (73053), during ground runs in mid-July. trajectories as they continue to look Irkut claims firm orders for 175 aircraft. Aeroflot to become significant players in the remains the primary customer, with firm orders for 50, plus 35 options, but certification and deliveries commercial aircraft market are unlikely until 2021, particularly given the added complication arising from the coronavirus pandemic. Alfred Chua Singapore Import substitution is under way for the Superjet 100, which has been absorbed into the Irkut portfolio, to n the middle of this year, as most of the world was produce a ‘Russified’ version, the SSJ New, by 2023. convulsing between lockdowns, two Asian aircraft Irkut has been testing the KRET BINS-2015 inertial manufacturers made announcements relating to their navigation system, using a prototype Superjet, to key programmes. In May, Mitsubishi Aircraft of Japan replace the Honeywell Laseref V system fitted to the Idelivered sobering news: the annual budget for its type. flagship SpaceJet regional aircraft programme was to Tests will start next year on other domestic systems be halved, amid fresh delays to the clean-sheet jet. The that will be integrated into the SSJ New, including SpaceJet was allocated just Y60 billion ($569 million) oxygen equipment to cope with depressurisation and a for the current financial year, amid widening losses on vibration-control system for the aircraft’s engines. the programme. Just over a month later, the positive news from neighbouring China was in stark contrast. On 29 June, Shanghai-based airframer Comac trumpeted the fact that examples of its ARJ21 regional jet had been delivered to China’s Big Three airlines – Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines. The trio of ARJ21s made for a picture-perfect moment, adorned in the easily recognised liveries of two of the carriers, save for that of China Eastern, which instead was painted in the colours of regional subsidiary OTT Airlines. It was a long time coming for Comac, which has always hoped to give the ARJ21 greater visibility in its home market. Its optimism when at the milestone could barely be concealed: hailing what it called “the official entry of the ARJ21… into mainstream international airline fleets”, Comac was quick to add that the ARJ21 will “play a positive role” in the promotion of regional aircraft operations. Indeed, the two announcements of May and June Irkut had hoped to fly its first MC-21 with Russian- highlight the diverging fortunes of Comac and made Aviadvigatel engines before the end of 2020

Russian state technology ﬁrm Rostec’s aerospace Russia’s other near-term programme is the

United Aircraft United divisions are supplying multiple components including resurrection of the Ilyushin Il-114 as a modernised a different landing-gear assembly. It says the landing- 68-seat regional turboprop, the Il-114-300, ground tests gear will have enhanced damping and control, for a and engine runs for which commenced in September more “comfortable” touchdown. Testing has already ahead of taxi trials and the flight campaign. Low-power started on the SSJ New’s air-conditioning and cooling runs of its Klimov TV7-117ST-01 powerplants were system, which moderates hot engine air, for cabin carried out at Ilyushin’s Zhukovsky flight-test base. pressurisation and temperature control. Il-114 programme director Maxim Kuzmenko says “Research carried out during the development the installation of all systems and equipment has been process has revealed possibilities for improving [the completed, pointing out that these modern systems – system], reducing the weight and increasing its heating most of which have been designed by Russian suppliers and cooling capacity,” says Viktor Tyatinkin, general – represent the aircraft’s “innovative component”. director of the system’s supplier, Teploobmennik. The fuel system has been tested and operation of the Irkut is also looking to improve the Superjet’s flight engine was performed in real conditions for the first performance as part of the SSJ New project. time, says United Aircraft’s Ilyushin division. Manufacture

44 Flight International November 2020 Commercial airliner Review

Mitsubishi Aircraft, and that they seem to be drifting ever further apart. But Mitsubishi Aircraft’s recent history has been written via a steady drip-drip of bad news. The Japanese airframer began the year on a low note, announcing in February, days before it was due to participate in the 2020 Singapore air show, that it expected the ﬁrst SpaceJet delivery to be delayed by a year or more. That milestone is now expected in April 2021 at the earliest, and potentially beyond March 2022. Mitsubishi Aircraft’s SpaceJet programme has been plagued by budget cuts and production delays

Launch customer All Nippon Airways was due to Mitsubishi Aircraft have received its first Pratt & Whitney PW1200G- powered SpaceJet M90 in the middle of this year. In March, as the pandemic forced the adoption base, co-located at the same facility where its C919 of social-distancing measures, Mitsubishi Aircraft’s narrowbody programme is assembled. It was also the SpaceJet M90 flight-test vehicle 10 took off for same month that it restarted production at its sites. a muted, low-key maiden sortie. After its major In April, it made its first post-shutdown delivery, an announcement about budget cuts and fresh delays, ARJ21 that went to Chengdu Airlines. It was the 24th Mitsubishi Aircraft dropped yet another bombshell: ARJ21 to be handed over, and the first to be assembled it was to close all non-Japan locations, and move at its Pudong production line. In addition, Comac has SpaceJet activities back to its Nagoya headquarters. As managed a rare feat this year by adding to its backlog: part of the consolidation to Japan, the company halted in June, Guizhou-based China Express Airlines signed a flight testing of its 90-seat SpaceJet M90 variant and partnership framework agreement for the purchase of suspended development of its 76-seat M100. 100 ARJ21 and C919 aircraft. Financially, the SpaceJet programme has also proved Cirium fleets data shows that as of 30 September, to be a poisoned chalice for parent company Mitsubishi Comac has delivered 12 ARJ21s to Chinese carriers Heavy 20Industries body drop (MHI). cap For feature: the quarter ely since to 30the June, turn this year. Of these, 10 are in service, while two are in the SpaceJetof the century programme has there made been a loss such of Y68.8 a flurry billion. of storage. Two further handovers are scheduled this FAlthoughmerger that andwas acquisitionmainly driven activity by impairment in the aerospace month, which should help the airframer towards its 30- chargesindustry related as to in the the acquisition past 18 months, of the involvingCRJ regional unit year-end target. companiesjet programme in and from outside Bombardier, our Top another 100 ranking. Y20 billionMajor Details on Comac’s other development programmes acquireof development privately-owned costs did Exotic not help. Metals SpaceJet-related for $1.56 billion. remain scant, however. Test flights of the C919 lossesF20 bodypulled indent MHI into feature the red, pudio as theconsequi parent dollesed company narrowbody – powered by CFM International Leap-1C magnihitincisank to a loss denit of Y71.3 et preria billion int for the quarter. engines – are continuing using a six-strong fleet, but The aircraft, defence, and space unit, in which the no firm dates for certification or service entry have F20SpaceJet crosshead programme feature resides, emerged as one of the been revealed. In addition, China continues to work on F20worst-hit body segments no indent from the coronavirus outbreak, as an indigenous powerplant for the jet, the ACAE CJ- it tumbled to a steep first-quarter loss of Y62 billion, 1000AX. reversing the Y9.4 billion profit it made in the same As for the CRAIC CR929 widebody, which is being period last year. jointly developed with Russia’s United Aircraft, Comac As for Comac, its fortunes in 2020 could not be adds that it hopes to complete “optimisation of any more contrasting. More specifically, the fate of composite structural parts” by the year-end. However, its ARJ21 programme continued its upward climb. reports of serious differences between the partners, The airframer was forced to suspend operations in plus an apparent lack of progress on supplier selection, February, as China battled the coronavirus outbreak. do little to instil confidence in the project. First delivery But just a month later, Comac announced the opening now appears to have shifted to 2028-2029, from 2025 of a second ARJ21 production line at its Shanghai previously.

of a second prototype, using serial production United Aircraft intends the Il-114-300 to succeed techniques, is being undertaken at the Lukhovitsy plant Soviet-era Antonov types including the An-24 and of RAC MiG, near Moscow. Fuselage mating of this An-26, as well as foreign models in the same category. aircraft is being ﬁnalised at the automated assembly rig, It envisions the turboprop operating primarily in the to be followed by tail and wing attachment. domestic market, and offering connectivity to remote Deputy technical director of the Lukhovitsy plant regions in Siberia and eastern Russia. The Il-114-300 will Artyom Sukach says the assembly technology have digital avionics and, says Rostec aviation enables high-precision work – including alignment industrial director Anatoly Serdyukov, will be “one of within hundredths of a millimetre – accompanied by a the most promising models in its class”, with an 800nm reduction in preparation costs. (1,500km) range. The Il-114-300 is being manufactured through a co- The twin-turboprop is a completely domestic aircraft, operation between several aerospace plants including the product of a broad co-operation between Rostec’s Aviastar, VASO, and MiG’s Sokol facility, as well as aerospace manufacturing companies, he says, adding Lukhovitsy. Aviastar makes fuselage panels and doors, that it will be “unpretentious”, able to operate from while VASO supplies the wing, tail and engine nacelles. unpaved, short runways and even Arctic ice strips. ◗

November 2020 Flight International 45 A fatal accident involving an Atlas Air freighter exposed a lack of progress in operators compiling and sharing data on pilot training performance, despite a 2010 mandate to boost safety

Operator recruited ﬁrst officer to ﬂy 767-300F unaware of his prior performance limitations Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock Kavolelis/Shutterstock Karolis Hard lessons

David Kaminski-Morrow London Former naval aviation instructor Michael Graham, one of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hen investigators delivered their scathing members participating in the inquiry, was unequivocal verdict on the loss of Giant 3591, the Atlas in his opinion of the first officer’s abilities. Air Boeing 767-300F that disintegrated “He lacked the basic airmanship skills required after diving into a lake on approach to perform as a pilot, much less an airline transport Wto Houston on 23 February 2019, the language pilot. His training performance, deficient skills, and barely contained their frustration over the missed inappropriate responses at multiple carriers confirmed opportunities to prevent the accident. this,” he said. “At some point one of these instructors, Barely 30s before the jet struck the water of Trinity Bay training review boards, or companies should have at over 400kt (740km/h) it had been stable, descending pulled him from the cockpit.” Graham stressed that, in through 6,300ft, and riding mild turbulence from a cold his military service, he had intervened to halt pilots’ front. This benign disturbance, the inquiry believes, careers over weak skills, poor judgement, and lapses caused the first officer’s wrist to bump against a thrust- in safety, and that the first officer’s trail of training lever go-around switch as he held the speedbrake failures at four previous carriers should have led each handle. The engines powered up, and the first officer, airline to recommend an alternate vocation. startled, pushed the nose sharply down – an over- Atlas’s own hiring process relied on agents, rather reaction from which the crew failed to recover. than flight operations specialists, to review pilots’

46 Flight International November 2020 Training & development Standards xx1,500h xx5,000 xx$27-31m F20Experience pullout requirednumber textby new white: F20Operators pullout employing number text pilots white: F20Estimated pullout total number cost textof white: Musdametfirst officers volum under duciet tightened am Musdametthat will need volum to submit duciet recordsam Musdametdeveloping volumsingle ducietelectronic am quoFAA maio.criteria El in corio maximi, quoto pilot maio. database El in corio maximi, quorecord maio. system El in corio maximi, sandi rehendi int as sum sandi rehendi int as sum sandi rehendi int as sum backgrounds and highlight potential concerns. This An inquiry found the aircraft, during its descent, vulnerability combined with missing pieces of the stalled in icing conditions at 2,300ft after the captain first officer’s record, some deliberately obscured and did not respond correctly to a stick-shaker warning. omitted, allowed him to slip through the operator’s Colgan had electronic pilot-training records, but recruitment defences. they did not contain sufficient detail for the airline to “I hate to be a Monday-morning quarterback,” Atlas analyse properly the captain’s “trend of unsatisfactory senior director of flight procedures training and performance”, the investigation found. Nor did the standards Scott Anderson told the inquiry. “If I had carrier use all available sources of information on the that information at the time we would not have crew’s qualifications and performance to determine offered him a position.” their suitability for work at the company. Without the full disclosure of prior problems, Atlas After the Air Sunshine accident, the NTSB asked proceeded to train the first officer on the 767 without the FAA to require carriers, when recruiting pilots, being able to put into context his subsequent difficulties to obtain any ‘notices of disapproval’ – a formal in flying the aircraft, including heavy-handed control, record of failure – for flight checks before making a low situational awareness, failing to think ahead, and hiring decision. The PRIA process did not explicitly pressing wrong buttons. require airlines to obtain such information. Carriers that sought it needed to ask applicant pilots to sign Poor training record a consent form permitting the FAA to release any The investigation was critical of the first officer for notices of disapproval. deliberately concealing his poor training record, and During the probe into the Colgan accident, the FAA’s stated that – despite this deception – the airline could programme manager for PRIA was unable to say how not be given “a pass” for missing indications of his many carriers obtained additional information about weakness in the paperwork it had available. But the their pilot applicants, but stated that “only one or two” inquiry also underlined the continuing absence, years had contacted him for such information. after it was proposed, of a sufficiently robust database The NTSB underscored its belief that notice of of pilot records on training, proficiency, qualifications, disapproval information should be included in evaluations, and employment. an airline’s assessment of pilot suitability during “I’m convinced that had the [database] been fully recruitment, and that such notices amounted to safety- implemented by the mandated deadline, it is likely that related records that ought to feature alongside detailed the first officer of [the 767] would not have been hired training records in an airline’s evaluation of a pilot’s by Atlas Air,” says NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt. career progression. The Pilot Records Improvement Act, known as PRIA, NTSB investigator Roger Cox, in the aftermath of has governed cockpit crew recruitment for nearly a the Colgan accident, noted a phenomenon of new-hire quarter of a century, requiring operators to investigate pilots being flushed from one regional carrier only to an individual’s piloting background, sourcing data from turn up at another, and questioned the airline as to previous employing carriers, the US Federal Aviation whether it had encountered cases of pilots’ concealing Administration (FAA) and the National Driver Register background information. covering the previous five years. “If someone lies to us on the application, they're But flaws in the PRIA’s enactment emerged with bounced out,” Colgan vice-president of administration the fatal ditching of an Air Sunshine Cessna 402C Mary Finnigan told him. near the Bahamas in July 2003, following an engine failure to which the pilot had not responded correctly – Certificate disapprovals unnecessarily losing too much altitude. The NTSB found that the Q400’s captain, during his “If the pilot had been more proficient, he might have hiring, had only partially revealed previous certificate been able to decrease the descent rate enough to disapprovals – but also found that Colgan had not maintain flight and reach land,” an investigation into exercised the opportunity to obtain his consent for that crash stated. further disclosure. Just before joining the carrier the pilot had received Then-NTSB vice-chairman Christopher Hart a large number of ‘unsatisfactory’ grades during expressed concern that the airline industry was simulator training at cargo operator Arrow Air, while failing to respond to a decline in ex-military pilots. a review of FAA records revealed an earlier string of While commercial training tested written knowledge nine failed flight checks for various qualifications over and stick-and-rudder skills, he pointed out, military a 15-year period. training crucially instilled discipline and judgement. But the PRIA vulnerabilities began to receive “Not only is military training world-class, but the greater scrutiny following the loss of a Colgan Air military has a long history of effectively weeding out Bombardier Q400 near Buffalo in February 2009 – those who lack the right stuff,” he said, adding that the last mass-casualty accident involving a US carrier. commercial licensing did not distinguish between ❱

November 2020 Flight International 47 ❱ pilots passing tests first time and those passing training schemes identified specific pilots, while those only after several attempts. for advanced qualification programmes did not. “Our civilian system needs to address the challenge The FAA also faced problems transitioning from of systematically continuing to provide the world-class PRIA-compliant record-keeping because the new pilot training that the military has provided for so many database would contain more extensive information years,” Hart said. “The system particularly needs a – requiring carriers to undertake extensive record better way to keep out those who should not begin or retrieval, a process that could take years, the review continue flying passengers for hire.” said. In response, the FAA mentioned its rulemaking This need to screen pilots more effectively led obligations to analyse costs and benefits, and stressed Congress, in 2010, to mandate the FAA to create a that the database – which would contain records single electronic pilot-records database, speeding of some 866,000 pilots – needed to be reliable and the retrieval of records under PRIA. The database secure. “This particular rulemaking project is a complex would contain FAA certificate, type rating and and lengthy undertaking due to the requirements that medical records, as well as information on failures the proposed rule be fully examined for acceptable to pass qualifications and summaries of any legal alternatives to mitigate costs, and for cyber security enforcement actions. It would also feature employment risks,” it said. records including information on training, proficiency, The original 2010 legislation was amended in 2016 comments from examiners, and any information on to insert a 30 April 2017 deadline not only to establish disqualification, resignation or termination. the database but make it available for use. This deadline was missed. But the FAA, which divided the project Written consent into four stages, managed to complete the first three Carriers would be required to obtain written consent – essentially creating a proof-of-concept version, for to access the database, and access would be a beta-release to a small number of volunteer airlines – by condition before hiring pilots. But this database the end of 2017. This limited version, with FAA record has yet to materialise. No deadlines were originally data only, was used for the first time on 20 December set, and the Office of Inspector General correctly 2017 to provide FAA records to a hiring airline. predicted, in an August 2015 review, that the database would not be ready until at least a decade after Intensive training Congress’s mandate. It pointed out the FAA had The FAA stated, in an update to Congress in March been late in making decisions on transitioning to the 2018, that it needed to be convinced, through database and maintaining historical records, even after intensive testing, that the identify verification system airlines ceased operations, with the result that pilot was rigorous and that security could be assured. training information might not be retained, rendering But it claimed that its availability, while preliminary, potentially “thousands” of records “irretrievable”. amounted to a “significant achievement”. Completing Carriers could use “good faith exception”, it said, to the database, by enabling carriers and other external hire pilots if records were not available – but the FAA entities to add their own pilot records, is the crucial did not know how often airlines relied on this practice. fourth stage – and demands a rulemaking procedure. One of the FAA’s greatest hurdles was deciding how The FAA finally published its notice of proposed to lessen the paperwork burden to obtain and enter rulemaking on the pilot record database in March pilot information dating back to 2005, given that some 2020. More than 5,000 operators employing pilots carriers had paper-based systems or archived records. would need to submit records, the FAA estimates, This also meant resolving inconsistencies in the and its rulemaking proposal, running to more than 60 type of data held. Instructor comments for traditional pages, reflects the complexity of the database and

❱

Loss of Colgan Air-operated Q400 in February 2009 was blamed on captain’s improper response to stick-shaker AirTeamImages

48 Flight International November 2020 Training & development Standards

Pilot records database will ‘overhaul’ the way carriers access information about the experience and training of crew Matus Duda/Shutterstock Matus Duda/Shutterstock

its associated issues. It sets out not only which types is “overreaching” in its bid to include fractional of operator will be required to access the database – operators, and surpassing its regulatory authority. among them airlines, fractional ownership, and air tour The National Air Transportation Association puts operators – but which organisations will be required to forward several scenarios about which, it says, clarity is submit background information. needed – such as the situation of record management The FAA observes that its own tightened criteria for when businesses close, particularly regarding new first officers, demanding they have at least 1,500h rectification of errors in the data. experience, means trainee airline pilots will spend more Simulation and training organisation CAE queries time building hours at “gateway” operators, which whether the system can track pilots who show would be among those subject to database reporting consistent difficulty with particular tasks, but requirements. Operations such as agricultural flying, eventually pass their checks. not viewed as transition paths to airline pilot careers, “With so much riding on a pilot’s personal record in will probably be exempt. the [database], will this system negatively influence an Formal comment has been sought on multiple examiner, keeping them from accurately assessing the aspects of the database’s use, content and application, pilot in such a public record?” it says. “Will this system and the FAA has received nearly 800 submissions. put inadvertently undue pressure on an examiner to Airlines for America has described the database pass a pilot when their competency is questionable?” as a “complete overhaul” of the way carriers access pilot information and, along with the Cargo Airline Standardised format Association, pleaded for a several-month extension to Once the database is fully operational, the PRIA the 29 June comment deadline, given the complexity process will be discontinued after two years and 90 of the proposal, the “numerous” issues it raised, and days. The FAA estimates the cost of developing the the diversion of the coronavirus crisis. database at $26-31 million over 20 years to 2030. The Air Line Pilots Association also sought more time, Having explicitly contrasted the 32s of the Atlas 767 stating that a previous review of the issues in 2011 had accident sequence with the FAA’s 10-year slog, the generated a 115-page report, and that the new proposal NTSB says it “generally supports” the proposed rule, involved matters of “great and substantive impact”. and the extension of reporting requirements to non- airline entities. Strong opposition “We are pleased with the proposed breadth of But ironically, given its slow progress on the database, record sources and that these various records will be in the FAA refused a postponement. Any delay, it stated, a standardised format and available in one database,” would “not be consistent with the safety objectives of it states, adding that it supports plans to include the proposed rule”. documentation of pilots’ failure to adhere to company Strong opposition to the rule has arisen from the procedures, or drug and alcohol violations. business aviation sector, with fractional ownership Far less analytical, but perhaps no less persuasive, and corporate flight specialists strenuously objecting are the favourable replies from several personal to “burdensome” record-keeping and reporting accounts submitted by individuals purporting to have requirements set out in the proposal. known relatives or friends among the 49 occupants One commenter describes the rule as “bureaucratic of the ill-fated Colgan Q400. “We need to protect overkill” for the sector, with “absolutely no safety the lives of future travellers,” states one. “This pilot advantage”, while another argues that the FAA database will help.” ◗

November 2020 Flight International 49 Even in the midst of the pandemic, many would- be commercial pilots lack the aptitude to get a job. One aviation veteran believes changes are needed before the sector starts to recruit again Train in vain?

David Learmount London an aspiring pilot between 18 and 30 months, the challenge facing would-be trainees is to predict when commercial aviation operations will be back to pre- omething is wrong with the delivery of pilot coronavirus levels. The betting right now varies from training in Europe – and it has nothing to two to three years. do with the coronavirus crisis. There are an Recognition of the licensed-pilot skills deficit is not estimated 7,000 individual holders of full new, but it is still there to be dealt with. O’Shea made Scommercial pilot licences in Europe who are not good this public two years ago, when – still at Ryanair – he enough to get a job with an airline. announced that his airline had consistently found that That is what the former head of the Airline Training up to 55% of fully licensed candidates could not carry Policy Group (APG) at the European Union Aviation out its routine simulator flying exercise to a satisfactory Safety Agency (EASA) believes after conducting a standard, despite being given plenty of time to prepare. review of training provision throughout the region. But O’Shea was still in his head-of-training job while how could this situation have arisen, given that the leading the EASA APG, and there he developed a licence-holders have completed the statutory syllabus solution that not only worked within Ryanair, but was and passed their written exams and flying tests? also approved by the agency. This involved replacing Right now – while air transport is in a holding pattern the old Multi-Crew/Jet Orientation Course (MCC/ forced on it by the Covid-19 pandemic – would seem JOC) – usually tacked onto the end of the solo-pilot- to be a good time to acknowledge and correct the focused commercial pilot’s licence/instrument rating weaknesses in a recruitment and training process that (CPL/IR) – with a more realistic knowledge and skills fails a significant proportion of its participants. course that awards those who pass it an Airline Pilot Certificate (APC), confirming success in the higher- Firing or hiring? level flight-deck skills. At present, the most popular question directed by The APC training employs a sophisticated jet- would-be pilots at air training organisations (ATOs) performance flight simulator, whereas the MCC/JOC is: “Should I start training now, when the airlines are had been found to be a major contributor to the skills firing, not hiring?” The former APG chief cited above – deficit because there were no rules against carrying it Ryanair’s then head of training Captain Andy O’Shea – out in low-performance devices. EASA, however, has predicts that the demand for commercial aviation will return when the pandemic is perceived to be under control by the wider public. Anyone who wishes to When that happens, there will be fewer airlines, he predicts. The weaker ones will have gone to the wall, train for a licence despite but approximately the same number of aircraft will be in the world fleet, operating with the fewer but larger failing aptitude tests can still surviving airlines. Therefore, O’Shea argues, there will be a need for about the same number of pilots. Meanwhile, the remaining “baby-boomer” pilots do so, but he or she risks born in the late 1950s will continue to retire, some of them even taking early retirement instead of facing becoming the 7,001st pilot furlough. So, O’Shea believes, the aviation skills crisis that the industry faced pre-Covid could actually be on Europe’s unemployable worse afterwards. Given that training and landing a job will take aviators heap

50 Flight International November 2020 Training & development Selection AFTA O’Shea has set up the Airline Pilot Club in an effort to improve standard of new recruits heading for the right-hand seat

held back from making the APC training compulsory Pilot Club offers to guide prospective student pilots, because of its additional expense. but he is also working with another organisation to O’Shea, recently retired from Ryanair and the APG, extend that guidance even further back. Whereas is launching what he has named the Airline Pilot Club, the club starts with a candidate who has already, at describing this as a complete pathway to commercial least tentatively, decided to embark on the training piloting. It makes use of the best of the existing journey, by partnering with Aviation 360, a training training system, while putting pressure on it to improve consultancy that recommends trawling for suitable the quality of its output. candidates even earlier, the partnership can encourage The Airline Pilot Club plan inserts systemic and guide youngsters from about age 16 through the improvements from the beginning of the training most appropriate academic route towards an aviation process, rather than just relying on adding better career, and finally provide an entry into it. That applies material at the end. This starts with setting higher whether the aspiring students want to be pilots, standards for its candidate intake, on the grounds that engineers, air traffic controllers or future astronauts. not every person who wishes to be an airline pilot has O’Shea describes his co-operation with Aviation 360 the aptitude to be one. as “a meeting of minds”. Of course, anyone who wishes to train for a licence despite failing aptitude tests will still be able to find an Transforming training ATO that will take their money and do their best, but Meanwhile, the founder of Aviation 360, airline training he or she risks becoming the 7,001st pilot on Europe’s expert Simon Witts, is working with the Lincoln unemployable aviators heap. College Group (LCG), UK, to create “the country’s For a long time, the route to the right-hand seat first” International Air and Space Institute (IASTI). of an airliner has been confusing to those wishing to This, says LCG, will transform the way pilots, engineers embark upon it. Decisions are many, including: which and ground staff are trained. An employment and ATO to train with? Consolidated or modular course? skills enterprise, it will be based initially in Newark, CPL/IR or multi-crew pilot licence? In addition, today’s Nottinghamshire, and has potential to scale-up aircraft are far more technically sophisticated than both across the UK and internationally, subject to a the early digital flight-decks of the 1980s, and the air promised UK government grant designed to generate navigation environment is, likewise, more crowded, skills and expertise in new regions. demanding and complex. This state of affairs has LCG explains: “We aim to produce the next added more layers to the journey. generation of skills-matched aviation professionals, The airlines have never seen it as their job to ensure providing a shop window for civil airlines and operators that a flow of suitably educated candidates are to acquire fully-qualified trained pilots as well as future available to the industry. Most operators still do not, so astronauts, engineers and ground staff. It also offers candidates looking for guidance can feel lonely. If they the potential for future military co-operation. The talent attend an aviation training fair, they are likely to leave pipeline will achieve a step-change in the way people with an armful of brochures feeling more confused from all backgrounds are trained and will eventually than when they arrived. offer reduced training costs for an industry that has It is across this confusing terrain that O’Shea’s Airline been hit hard by the recent pandemic.” ❱

November 2020 Flight International 51 Training & development Selection

❱ AFTA

Ryanair commissions additional APC instruction for its new pilots from Cork-based Atlantic Flight Training Academy

❱ In the case of trainee pilots, the IASTI product can five, partner organisation AON, a specialist insurance parallel – or feed neatly into – the Airline Pilot Club. consultant, offers individual coverage against risks that Once registered at the club, the potential pilot has could result in course drop-out, and ensures that banks embarked on the first of eight stages in the journey will look more kindly on a subsequent application for to the right-hand seat. The actual training takes place course financing. Stage six involves the full Class One during stage seven; being paid as an airliner co-pilot medical assessment, followed by securing financing for does not come until stage eight. the cost of the course. So what are the other stages – and why so many? The second stage involves completing an online Joined-up education “indicative assessment” – the initial part of determining The Airline Pilot Club, Aviation 360, and the IASTI the candidate’s suitability for the piloting task. If project are all still works in progress, but if they a candidate is judged “ready”, he or she is now a establish and thrive, such systems will represent a more club member and will receive a development plan joined-up education and training path towards the indicating where potential weaknesses have been aerospace industry than anything available before. detected, and in stage three, it provides guidance The absence of a consistent, logical pathway is and learning material to reinforce those areas. Stage one of the reasons so many well-motivated aspiring four follows, in which candidates apply to one of the aviators have ended up on the scrap heap, and also club-approved partner ATOs and undertake the full why many whose families did not have the financial aptitude assessment that school requires. In stage means to back them never even tried it. ◗

Follow the money The Canadian firm is partnering with a number of banks and financial institutions to provide financing CAE, the world’s largest flight crew training packages to those who are not able to fund organisation, has launched an initiative to help themselves. “With this initiative, CAE is connecting aspiring pilots secure financing for the cost of their aspiring pilots with banking partners that offer training. Financing for students whose parents specific financing solutions for pilot training, making can afford to provide loan security has never been the profession more accessible to those who wish to a problem, but this limits training to those from pursue their dream of flying for a living,” it says. prosperous backgrounds. Despite the destabilising effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the airline industry and its recruiting, CAE says it “foresees significant demand for new commercial pilots over the next 10 years”. But it adds a caution: “Successful applicants who have passed assessment may access a funding solution with one of our approved partners. As with any financial solution, terms and conditions apply.” This highlights a problem for those wanting to apply for financing in the near future while Covid- related uncertainty still plagues the industry, because even students assessed as certain to win their commercial pilot licence cannot be guaranteed a job at the end of their course. Unsecured loans, repayable only when the student finds a job and is able to repay might be the solution, but, with the airline sector shedding rather CAE says it wants to make the profession than taking on pilots, at least for the immediate more accessible to those with a dream to fly CAE future, that might be a lot to ask lenders.

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54 Flight International November 2020 Training & development Guide

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November 2020 Flight International 55 Training & development Guide

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CAE offers training programs that address the entire career life cycle of a pilot from cadet to captain. As the training partner of choice of many aircraft manufacturers and airlines, we offer innovative training solutions to our customers, such as the recently launched CAE Rise CONTACT training system, the XR Series Training Equipment suite, including the INFORMATION CAE 7000XR Series full-flight simulator. With 60+ training locations worldwide, CAE has the world’s largest civil aviation training network, providing training on the widest coverage of in-production and CAE – 12 global locations in-service aircraft models. In addition, we offer aviation personnel Brussels, Belgium Dammam, Saudi Arabia sourcing services including recruitment of flight personnel and leasing Gondia, India of pilots to airlines. London Gatwick, UK Madrid, Spain In 2018, CAE announced the introduction of the CAE Women in Flight Melbourne, Australia scholarship program, demonstrating its commitment to promoting the Oslo, Norway advancement of women in the aviation industry. The CAE Women in Oxford, UK Perth, Australia Flight scholarship program is a competitive program seeking female Phoenix, USA ambassadors who demonstrate leadership skills, active involvement in Sohar, Oman their communities, perseverance and who are passionate about aviation. Tamworth, Australia CAE will provide financial support to aspiring female pilots by awarding www.cae.com/becomeapilot a number of full scholarships across its global training network to support greater diversity and a better gender balance in the aviation Follow the global journeys industry. For more information, visit cae.com/womeninflight of recent CAE graduates by following #CAEpilot CAE is a high technology company, at the leading edge of digital Keep up to date with CAE news immersion, providing solutions to make the world a safer place. Backed and connect with our training by a record of more than 70 years of industry firsts, we continue to advisors, students and reimagine the customer experience and revolutionise training and graduates on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram operational support solutions in civil aviation, defense and security, and pages. healthcare. We are the partner of choice to customers worldwide that operate in complex, high-stakes and largely regulated environments, CAEpilot where successful outcomes are critical. As a testament to our customers’ ongoing needs for our solutions, more than 60% of CAE’s revenue @CAE_Inc is recurring in nature. We have the broadest global presence in our

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56 Flight International November 2020 Ready to pursue your dream of becoming a pilot?

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Start your journey right, and right here. Contact us today at www.cae.com/becomeapilot

)ROORZWKHJOREDOMRXUQH\VRIUHFHQW&$(JUDGXDWHVRQΖQVWDJUDP@caepilot DQGIROORZ #CAEpilot Bespoke wing and 1.5m fuselage stretch help jet to out-distance its G500 stablemate by some 1,300nm

58 Flight International November 2020 Flight test Gulfstream G600

With 6,500nm range and a wealth of cabin and ﬂight safety innovations, the G600 is Gulfstream’s latest offering – we put it through its paces

Long ranger

Michael Gerzanics Savannah models have little in common with their predecessors, instead sharing more with the top-of-the-range G650. Structurally they share a common empennage, and aunched in October 2014, Gulfstream’s G500/ their FBW flight control system (FCS) architecture is G600 family was designed to supplant its older nearly identical to the G650’s. Additionally, the flight G450/G550 models. The smaller and shorter- control laws (FCL) are basically the same. While their range G500 led the way, making its flight flight controls have many commonalities, the addition Ldebut in May 2015, followed by the stretched and of an active control sidestick (ACS) marked a welcome longer-range G600 on 17 December 2016: the 113th advancement. anniversary of the Wright brother’s historic first flight. The G600’s initially promised range of 6,200nm Restful cabin (11,470km) would have been incomprehensible to Although they are similar visually, Gulfstream has those aviation pioneers, whose longest flight that day made numerous improvements versus the G500 when covered only 260m. fielding the more capable G600. The company fitted While they are aimed at different segments of the the latter with a bespoke wing that is 22.2% (19.6sq m) business jet market, the G500 and G600 have a lot in larger: a super critical design with a fixed leading edge common. Both have a great ramp presence, with and large span, single piece trailing edge flaps that 14 large oval cabin windows that instantly mark them also allows for the tankage of an additional 5,000kg out as Gulfstreams. Like the G650, they also have (11,000lb) of fuel: a 37% increase. shorter landing gear than their predecessors, giving During flight testing, the larger aircraft performed them a more solid appearance on the tarmac. Previous, better than expected, enabling a 300nm bump in non-fly-by-wire (FBW) Gulfstreams have a unique range, to 6,500nm. The larger wing also gives the nose-down attitude in their three-point stance. G600 the lightest wing loading of any aircraft in While range performance remained roughly its class, at 397kg/sq m, helping to improve field equivalent between the families, the G500/G600 offer performance. Befitting a longer-range aircraft, the notable improvements over the G450/G550. Their G600 is 1.5m (4ft 9in) longer than the G500, thanks to cabins are slightly longer, and fully 18cm wider. They fuselage plugs before and aft of the wing. also promise shorter trip times due to cruising Mach The G600’s cabin ordinarily features three 0.05 faster, at the same time burning less fuel. living areas, with seating for up to 19 passengers. ❱ Gulfstream Gulfstream But from a design standpoint, the clean-sheet Alternatively, its extra 1.12m of cabin space allows

November 2020 Flight International 59 experimental test pilot Howard Judd as he performed the pre-flight walkaround inspection. The large wing was a sight to behold, with its smooth upper and lower surfaces unbroken by control hinges or flap tracks. While rounding the empennage I took note of the size of the T-tail-configured horizontal stabiliser and elevator. They were fairly small, which is no doubt a drag-reducing benefit of the G600’s FBW control scheme. After boarding the aircraft, I slid into the left seat and adjusted it to attain the design eye position, and dropped the Collins Aerospace HUD to ensure I could see its entire presentation area. The console-mounted forearm rest had height and tilt adjustments, so the ACS fell comfortably to hand. Judd then started

Gulfstream Gulfstream the auxiliary power unit, its generator automatically Sleek tail section and PW815GA coming online once up to speed. He then talked me engines enable M0.925 performance through flight management system (FMS) initialisation and other pre-flight steps. The primary FMS interface is through any of the four TSCs. The TSCs and OHPTS are elevated above their ❱ for the addition of a crew rest facility aft of the mounting panels, making their frames convenient hand flightdeck – almost a must-have given its range. An holds in the event of turbulent airborne conditions. additional passenger sleeping berth is also available, FMS initialisation was intuitive, facilitated by its “Phase and both new models can be equipped with a forward of Flight” tab process. Gulfstream set a goal of 10min or aft galley. or fewer to prepare a cold aircraft for taxi, which A lower cabin pressure altitude is proven to cause is certainly an attainable mark based even on my less fatigue, so the G500/G600 share the G650’s unfamiliar hands. pressurisation schedule. With a maximum 10.7psi, this After an easy left to right flow on the forward edge yields a remarkably low cabin pressure altitude of just of the overhead panel and FMS initialisation we were 4,850ft at their 51,000ft operating ceiling: on most ready for engine start. The FADEC-controlled Pratt & airliners this is in the region of 8,000ft.

Greater Symmetry Over the years I have been fortunate to have flown Gulfstream G600 specifications nearly the entire Gulfstream range, from the G150 to the G650. I was looking forward with great anticipation Dimensions to flying the G600 from the company’s facility in Savannah, Georgia, for several reasons, mostly focused Length 29.3m on the flightdeck. Height 7.77m When I flew the G500 in 2018, I was impressed with its Symmetry flightdeck and the advance it Wingspan 28.7m represented over the G650’s capable PlaneView II. Passenger cabin The G600’s flightdeck features the same hardware as the G500, but with some additional features and Length 13.7m capabilities, to be discussed later in this report. Width 2.3m The cockpit features four 33 x 25.4cm LCD displays, as well as four 25.4cm touch-screen controllers (TSCs). Height 1.88m As I detailed in my G500 report, the overhead panel Baggage stowage (tail cone) 4.69cb m is innovative. There is a row of push-button switches

along the forward edge of the panel, used to power Weights* up the aircraft. On the overhead itself there are only four traditional panels: engine start; electrical power control; bleed air; and cabin pressurisation control. Maximum take-off weight 42,900kg Adding to these are three overhead panel Maximum landing weight 34,800kg touchscreens (OHPTS), each of which can control any Standard basic operating weight 23,300kg

one of 13 aircraft and cabin systems, along with six test Performance and maintenance functions. These flexible displays can also show information more commonly presented on instrument panel MFD synoptic pages. Other standout Take-off distance** 1,730m features are a LCD head-up display (HUD), enhanced Operating ceiling 51,000ft vision system (EVS) and synthetic vision primary flight Range (M0.85)*** 6,500nm display (PFD). Like the G650, the G600’s cockpit is Maximum operating Mach speed M0.925 paperless, with JeppView charts and an electronic checklist. Landing distance**** 884m Source: Gulfstream *4 crew, standard avionics and interior **MTOW, SL, ISA Our preview flight aircraft was serial #73009 ***MTOW, 4 crew + 8 passengers, NBAA IFR ****MLW, SL, ISA (registration N600GS). I accompanied Gulfstream

60 Flight International November 2020 Flight test Gulfstream G600 Gulfstream Gulfstream

Gerzanics was impressed with ﬂ ightdeck

Whitney Canada PW815GAs were a snap to start: each followed the FD guidance in the HUD for the 200kt reached IDLE approximately 60s after hitting the large climb. This was intuitive, placing the “winged circle” overhead panel START switch. Like the commercial FPM over the FD cue. Once above 3,000ft I lowered geared turbofan engines they share a core with, the the nose and accelerated the G600 to 250kt in a right- high bypass PW815GAs are susceptible to rotor bowing hand-turn towards the Atlantic, where our working from asymmetric heating after shutdown. But, had area was located. cooling been needed, the FADECs would have motored Passing 10,000ft, we accelerated to 300kt for a climb the engines until it was safe to initiate light off . to 45,0000ft. With only three occupants and 5,400kg To ensure checklist completion before leaving the of fuel, our gross weight was just over 28,800kg – chocks we used Symmetry’s electronic checklist, its much lighter than the G600’s maximum take-off auto-sensing feature checking off most items. During weight (MTOW) of 42,900kg. At MTOW and standard the taxi to runway 01 for departure, I re-familiarised conditions the aircraft can climb directly to 41,000ft. myself with the ACS. This would be my third fl ight with During the climb I performed a series of bank-to- an active sidestick, after the G500 and also Embraer’s bank turns at up to 45° to gain a feel for the aircraft’s KC-390 military transport/tanker. handling qualities. The G600 has a turn co-ordinator, As I noted in my G500 report, Gulfstream rotates so I was able to smoothly execute these with my feet the ACS’s pitch axis outboard by about 3°, to more on the fl oor. closely refl ect actual arm movement. While stick forces While some FBW schemes provide pitch in the KC-390 were symmetric in both pitch and roll, compensation for banked fl ight, Gulfstream FCLs Gulfstream opted to tailor its system to mimic real seek to replicate a conventional aircraft, so I needed world arm strength. There is more forward ACS motion to increase ACS back pressure to stop the nose from than aft, and wrist pronation is harder than outboard dropping as the angle of bank (AoB) increased. The supination. FMS allows for user-selected climb speeds, and Judd One of the benefi ts an ACS off ers is electronic suggested we transition to M0.87 rather than the connection between the left and right sidesticks, so default of M0.85. According to our safety pilot, Stefan each pilot can feel the inputs made by the other; much Eling, the higher speed makes for a smoother ride like mechanically connected yokes/sticks. Before with only a 4% reduction in fuel effi ciency. During the taking the runway I felt the ACS’s interconnection climb I also exercised the FMS’s graphical waypoint feature as Judd conducted a fl ight control sweep. capability, which would be particularly handy if trying to manoeuver around thunderstorms. Rated thrust take-off Less than 20min after brake release the G600 Cleared by the tower, I advanced the thrust levers leveled at our cruise altitude of 45,000ft, where I (TLs) and engaged the auto throttle (AT) with the made another series of 45° AoB turns. There was thumb-actuated TL-mounted switch. Pedal controlled ample thrust available to maintain M0.87 during the nose wheel steering allowed me to smoothly track the banking and 1.4g pulls. Remarkably, no airframe buff et runway centreline as the AT set our “Rated” take-off was felt during these high altitude steep turns, where thrust of 93.6% N1. The G600 can perform a “Flex” I found the G600’s control forces to be low and well power take-off , with reduced thrust to lower noise and harmonised. increase engine longevity, but I appreciated the brisk Next I engaged the AT and allowed the G600 to acceleration experienced using full thrust. accelerate to and stabilise at M0.90, its high speed I referenced the HUD as airspeed increased, before cruise condition. Total fuel fl ow was 2,760lb/h at Judd called “Rotate” at 119kt (220km/h). I pulled the an indicated airspeed of 246kt. Our resultant true ACS aft and rotated the fl ight path marker (FPM) up airspeed was a very respectable 505kt for the ISA to the fl ight director’s (FD’s) guidance cue, which set a +9°C conditions. Next I slowed the aircraft to its M0.87 rotation angle of about 9°. intermediate cruise speed, with 236kt indicated. Total Once airborne with the gear and fl aps retracted, I fuel fl ow was 2,580lb/h as we clipped along at a true ❱

November 2020 Flight International 61 ❱ 487kt. The final cruise point was at the published condition: a safety-enhancing addition. Should a long-range cruise speed, M0.85, where a 2,480lb/h cabin depressurisation trigger the G600’s emergency total fuel flow held an indicated 229kt for a true air- descent mode, the AT will retard the TLs to IDLE and speed of 475kt. extend speed brakes (SBs) to facilitate a rapid descent. It will level the aircraft at 15,000ft, retract the SBs and Quiet, airy cabin advance the TLs. Pleased with the cruise performance, I left the flightdeck We continued the descent into a 12,000-17,000ft to sample the cabin environment. The forward section altitude block to set up for three approaches to was comprised of an optional crew rest facility, forward stall. The first was flown in a clean configuration. lavatory, galley and several closets. Passenger living Decelerating in level flight at IDLE power, we entered areas – of which our demonstrator had three – are the PFD’s amber speed tape band at 131kt indicated separated from the forward area by an acoustical door. airspeed. Slowing further sounded an audible “airspeed Gulfstream also offers a four-living-area configuration, low”. These cautions were purposely ignored as I which dispenses with the crew rest provision. applied full aft ACS. At the limit, the AT woke up and The large oval windows give the cabin an open and advanced power to keep us above the normal angle airy feel and, as could be expected, the furnishings of attack (AoA) limit of 0.94. As with the high-speed were luxurious. The environment is controlled by a condition, I disengaged the AT and held full aft ACS. bespoke cabin management system with obligatory The aircraft stabilised in a wings level descent at 116kt. app. Ambient noise levels were astoundingly low – Had the pilots been totally unaware that the envelope while Gulfstream does not publish numbers, it says the protection schemes had kicked in, an “FCS AoA G600 has “industry-leading cabin sound levels”. limiting” (advisory) CAS message is displayed. The next approach to stall was in a departure Auto-throttle intervention configuration, with gear up and flaps set to T/O APP After my brief respite in the lap of luxury, I returned to (20°). Using the same procedures, the amber band was the flightdeck. With the high altitude work complete, entered at 110kt, with a limit speed of 100kt. The final we started a descent in preparation for low-speed manoeuvre was flown in an approach configuration, handling evaluations at medium altitude. In the descent with gear and flaps down (39°). Here, the amber band I accelerated the G600 to its maximum Mach operating was entered at 106kt, with the G600 stabilised again in speed (MMO) of M0.925 at part power (AT off). Ample a wings level descent at an indicated 97kt. At the slow warnings were provided for the high-speed condition, speed limit in all three stall approaches, the jet was both on the PFD and HUD. predictable and responsive to small control inputs in all Approaching the limit, further aggravating pitch three axes. trim is prohibited. And on exceeding MMO, a “high speed protect active” (advisory) crew-alerting system EFVS approach (CAS) message alerted me that the FBW protections With the area work complete I turned the G600 had kicked in. Although not available when I flew the towards Savannah and accepted air traffic control G500 two years earlier, both new models now have (ATC) vector to the final approach course for the ILS an AT “wake-up” feature. An imminent or actual MMO runway 10. En-route to the field Judd watched as I excursion will cause this to activate and retard the TLs loaded and activated the approach. Using the phase to IDLE. of flight feature of the FMS we calculated an approach I clicked off the AT and continued to apply forward reference speed of 111kt for the 26,300kg G600. With ACS pressure. At the limit speed, the FCLs raise the prevailing winds our target speed was 116kt. I the nose to slow the aircraft, and no amount of hand-flew the approach, with the AT off. During the forward ACS pressure can exacerbate the overspeed approach I found the FD guidance and precise aircraft

Gulfstream G600 versus competitors

G600 Bombardier Global 6500 Dassault Falcon 8X

Cabin (L x W x H) 13.7 x 2.3 x 1.88m 13.2 x 2.4 x 1.88m 13 x 2.3 x 1.88m Accomodation Up to 19 passengers Up to 17 passengers Up to 19 passengers Basic operating weight 23,300kg 23,700kg 16,400kg Range* 6,500nm 6,600nm 6,450nm Maximum operating Mach speed M0.925 M0.9 M0.9 Operating ceiling 51,000ft 51,000ft 51,000ft Engines 2 x Pratt & Whitney 2 x Rolls-Royce Pearl 3 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW815GA Canada PW307D Take-off distance 1,740m 1,940m 1,790m Landing distance** 945m 814m 897m Wing loading, kg/sq m 397 476 468 Price $58.5m $56m $59.3m Source: Manufacturers *4 crew + 8 passengers, M0.85 **MLW, SL, ISA

62 Flight International November 2020 F20Flight page test head Gulfstream right F20 G600 Bold

response to ACS inputs allowed me to accurately track both the localiser and glideslope. As with my previous G500 experience, the G600 displays speed stability in all confi gurations. I found the yoke-mounted trim switch easily allowed me to null out pitch forces as we slowed for approach. On several occasions I used the autopilot disconnect switch in its trim speed sync mode, which immediately set the pitch trim to the current airspeed. Engine response to Gulfstream TL inputs allowed me to easily maintain our approach Shorter gear gives the G600 a speed of 116kt with fl aps set to down. solid appearance on ramp Industry fi rst The light workload on fi nal allowed me to evaluate the G600’s EVS display in the HUD. The HUD has a fl ight, with the left engine at around 65% N1. nominal 42° x 30° fi eld of view, with the EVS’s infrared At 100ft RA Judd called for a go-around. I smoothly (IR) view displayed in a large rectangular portion. As rotated the nose towards a 10° attitude and called for detailed by the US Federal Aviation Administration, gear up as I advanced the left TL. I fed in left rudder aircraft properly equipped with an enhanced fl ight as the thrust was increased to a TOGA setting of vision system (EFVS) and trained pilots can continue 93.6%. Approximately 45kg of pressure and nearly full an approach below minimum decision altitude to 100ft pedal was needed to counter the asymmetric thrust above runway touchdown zone elevation if certain as we climbed to a downwind for our fi nal circuit and runway or lighting elements are visible without the EFVS. approach. In an industry-fi rst, properly trained G500/G600 While I found the G600’s fl ight controls allowed crews can fl y all the way to touchdown solely with me to properly manage the simulated engine failure, reference to the EVS. While using the feature during I think Gulfstream has missed an opportunity. By approach I was able to make out various topographical fully leveraging the capabilities that a FBW control features, with land/water contrast particularly scheme provides, an engine failure at even the most prominent. At 300ft, visual approach slope indicators inopportune time could be turned into a non-event. were clearly visible in the display, as were the actual Once on downwind, Judd used the FMS interface runway edges. The clarity of the IR display continued on the TSC to set the auto-brakes to MED. Auto- to improve as we descended, before Judd called for a brake status was displayed as a white message on the go-around at 100ft radar altitude (RA). CAS. The last approach was a visual one to runway Our next approach was to RNAV (GPS) runway 01. 01, with fl aps again set to down. In the turn to fi nal I I hand fl ew the aircraft as ATC provided vectors to used the HUD’s FPM and pitch ladder lines to ensure the fi nal approach segment. I found that the large I rolled out on a 3° glide path. About 55% N1 on both map display on the MFD greatly enhanced situational engines was needed to hold our target speed of 116kt. awareness as we navigated what was, traffi c wise, Approaching 50ft RA I retarded the TLs to IDLE, with an unexpectedly busy time. Once established on a shallow fl are initiated at about 20ft RA. After a small fi nal, Judd retarded the right TL to IDLE to simulate balloon, I relaxed aft ACS back pressure and the G600 an inoperative engine. Initially I used rudder trim to settled gently onto the runway. I felt the auto-brakes compensate for the adverse yaw, but once on the fi nal engage as I lowered the nose gear onto the surface. descent path I zeroed it out. At 116kt, very little left The aircraft was slowed for runway turn off with pedal pressure was needed to maintain co-ordinated auto-brakes and IDLE thrust reverse. The taxi back to Gulfstream’s ramp and shutdown were a snap.

Accomplished with aplomb Having already fl own the G500 I was predisposed to be impressed with the G600, and our test fl ight confi rmed my expectations. A 25% range increase from the G500’s 5,200nm to 6,500nm is no small feat, but Gulfstream has accomplished it with aplomb. The G600’s bespoke wing and tweaking of the FBW fl ight controls ensure it handles just as well as the smaller and lighter model. It can cruise as fast as M0.9, shortening even the longest legs, while its passengers are coddled with a remarkably quiet and low-pressure altitude cabin. A dedicated crew rest compartment ensures that even the pilots will arrive rested after a globe-spanning fl ight. The new auto-throttle wake-up feature of the envelope protection schemes and emergency descent mode are both laudable safety enhancements.

Gulfstream Gulfstream Oval cabin windows alone may be heraldry enough Cabin is 18cm wider than G550’s, to show the G600 is a Gulfstream, and my preview accommodating up to 19 in luxury ﬂ ight revealed that there is much for passengers and pilots to like. Z

November 2020 Flight International 63 Following its launch in 2018 as a replacement for the ill-fated 5X, Dassault's latest, highly advanced twinjet is set to make its ﬁrst appearance ahead of a planned entry into service in 2022

6X appeal

Dominic Perry London says the airframer. “We all took pride in this effort. Cutaway Tim Hall When it rolls out, all our people will consider it a collective success that this aircraft is on the threshold assault Aviation’s newest business jet, the of taking flight.” Falcon 6X, will, by the end of the year, have While the unforeseen effects of the pandemic came made its public debut. Roll-out of the ultra- from left-field, the end of the 5X programme was wide-body twin is due in December, and while a deliberate decision – but one that needed to be Dthere are still at least 12 months of flight testing ahead, navigated nonetheless. it is a sign of sustained progress on the programme. That aircraft was due to be powered by a pair of Since its launch in February 2018, the Falcon 6X has Safran Silvercrest engines, but persistent problems maintained its steady march to a service-entry target with the powerplants caused delay after delay and of 2022. That is impressive for two reasons: first, the eventually forced Dassault to axe it. fact that the jet was born out of adversity, namely the cancellation of the Falcon 5X in December 2017; and Technological advances second, the significant and unplanned impact of the In its place, the Falcon 6X was launched: conceived as coronavirus pandemic. a 5,500nm (10,200km)-range jet with the largest cabin The latter issue in particular had the potential to in its class, the aircraft features numerous technological significantly derail progress on the Falcon 6X. At the advances designed to bring significant benefits to turn of the year, the programme was beginning to owners, operators, customers and crews, as befits the accelerate and the first pre-production aircraft had just airframer’s new flagship. entered final assembly. Then the pandemic hit, virtually The 6X is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney shutting down France – and numerous other countries Canada PW812 engines – a variant of the PW800 series where parts of the jet’s supply chain were located. already selected by Gulfstream for its G500 and G600. Outside of the development, Dassault made While the P&WC powerplants are more powerful and continued support for its customers a key priority. But heavier than the Silvercrests, requiring some structural keeping the 6X on track was seen as the other side of redesign to the Dassault-built empennage, they also that coin; a commitment to its customers to deliver the promise an additional 500nm range over the already jet as promised. impressive 5,000nm planned for the Falcon 5X. Engineering and production departments – as well P&WC sister company Collins Aerospace supplies as suppliers – pulled together to maintain momentum, an integrated engine system, which includes the

64 Flight International November 2020 Technical description Dassault Falcon 6X Dassault Aviation Dassault

Dassault extended the forward fuselage of the 5X by 50cm, increasing cabin volume

composite inlets, cowls, nacelles, thrust reversers and Up to 16 passengers can be accommodated within engine build-up system. the cabin, with individual seating in three different However, it is worth emphasising that the Falcon lounge areas. In addition, the ultra-wide-cabin 6X is not simply a new pair of engines bolted onto an credentials are highlighted by the additional 13cm of existing airframe design. aisle width available. Dassault stresses that the jet is not an “evolution” but The impressive size of the cabin has been put to a “major redesign” of the previous aircraft. good use. “Thanks to the extra space available, and Aside from the structural modifications required by based on extensive input from customers, Dassault’s the new engines, the most significant change over the in-house design studio completely rethought and Falcon 5X is an extension of 50cm (20in) to the forward restyled the cabin interior. Their solution features fuselage, contributing to increased cabin volume of flowing, uninterrupted lines that enhance the feeling of 52.2cb m (1,840cb ft), against 50cb m for the 5X. spaciousness,” says the airframer. However, the Falcon 6X retains the rest of its The cabin also boasts a hugely impressive 30 predecessor’s class-leading cabin dimensions of 2.58m windows – two more than planned for the 5X, which (8ft 4in) wide by 1.98m high – 25cm wider and 10cm itself offered 30% more window area than the higher than the 7X – and a full 12.3m long. venerable 9X (and, if quantity is everything, is more Dassault boasts that the twinjet “offers the most than double the 12, admittedly larger, windows on interior space in the 5,000nm segment and features Gulfstream’s flagship G650). the highest and widest cross-section of any purpose- Speaking of transparencies, the 6X also features an built business jet”. industry first: above the entryway/forward galley sits a roof-mounted skylight, introduced following feedback from flight attendants. Dassault says it wanted to do something different with the space and compares the experience to “walking into the foyer of your office or the hallway of your home”. For added comfort, the cabin pressure altitude at 16 41,000ft will be equivalent to 3,900ft. Number of passengers accommodated in the As with all modern business aircraft, the cabin ultra-wide cabin, between three lounge areas features the latest in connectivity – in this case via ❱

November 2020 Flight International 65 Dassault Aviation Dassault

At long-range cruise, nonstop missions like London to Hong Kong or Los Angeles, or Moscow to Singapore are fully within reach

❱ a Ka-band network. On top of that, passengers can control all the cabin functions via a mobile app or cabin interface. Smart-control mood lighting varies colour patterns in accordance with the type of activity, time of day and season. Passengers sit in what the manufacturer calls an “ergonomic cocoon”, with all the required electronic functions within easy reach. Recessed controls light up when a hand is near and dim when not in use. Side- panel charging pockets accept personal devices of all types and sizes. While maximum range is given as 5,500nm, that metric is achieved with eight passengers and three Passengers sit in what Dassault crew. While travelling at its long-range cruise speed of describes as an ‘ergonomic cocoon’ Mach 0.8, the figure is 5,100nm. At long-range cruise, nonstop missions like London to Hong Kong or Los Angeles, or Moscow to Singapore are possible, while at M0.85 nonstop flights from Moscow to New York or Paris to Beijing are within range. A large part of the Falcon 6X’s efficiency comes from its new-generation wing, which is also another structure that has seen significant redesign over the 5X, with significant weight-saving applied to the internal components. Dassault assembles the wings at its Martignas facility near Bordeaux, adding GKN- supplied control surfaces to its own primary structure. With a span of 25.9m, the structure is equipped with three slats on the leading edge on each side, and features a curved trailing edge with inboard flap,

flaperon and outboard aileron. AviationDassault Aviation Dassault While a flaperon is more usually seen on high-speed A skylight was introduced to forward military aircraft, Dassault has leveraged its experience galley area following crew feedback building the Rafale fighter to translate the control

66 Flight International November 2020 Technical description Dassault Falcon 6X

advances that really set the Falcon 6X apart and will make their working lives simpler and, crucially, safer. Dassault’s next-generation digital flight-control system (DFCS) provides better manoeuvrability and protection on the primary and secondary flight controls. The DFCS commands all flight-control surfaces, including slats and flaps. The system also integrates nose-wheel steering for safer runway handling in strong crosswinds or on wet runways. Digital flight controls have been present on Dassault business aircraft for over a decade – again aided by the company’s experience in military jets – but the Falcon 6X’s system “represents the next generation of DFCS refinement”, it says, “further simplifying the pilot’s

Dassault Aviation Dassault workload for optimised, safer performance. Wider fuselage allows for a spacious “Even the streamlined starting sequence for the cockpit, with increased window area Falcon 6X is more automated, requiring fewer actions by the pilot other than monitoring the systems as they come on line.” Accompanying the sophisticated flight controls is “The starting sequence the latest iteration of the FalconEye combined vision system (CVS), which was developed in conjunction with Elbit Systems. Already selected by most for the 6X is automated, customers for the 8X, FalconEye will be standard on the new twin. requiring few actions The CVS blends synthetic terrain images with those from infrared and low-light cameras into a by the pilot other than single view on the head-up display. This provides an “unprecedented level of situational awareness to monitoring the systems” flightcrews in challenging weather conditions and all phases of flight,” says Dassault. “The EVS function Dassault will eventually provide operational credits for bad ❱ surfaces onto the Falcon 6X – their first appearance on Dassault 6X general arrangement a business jet. Although this adds complexity, the flaperon brings significant performance benefits, increasing control and capability. Steep approaches are also aided by their presence; the ailerons can be deflected upwards while the flaperons act as an additional pair of trailing edge 0 5m flaps. The ailerons and flaperons meanwhile combine 0 15ft to provide roll control. The result is a significant increase in drag with no lift degradation, helping to maintain a low approach speed.

Steep approaches In fact, the approach speed can be as low as 109kt Tim Bicheno-Brown/Artscreatif (202km/h) with eight passengers and three crew, Tim Bicheno-Brown/Artscreatif and the 6X is able to fly steep approaches of up to 6°, enabling access to airports such as London City, Lugano, and St Tropez. Short-field performance sees Exterior Dassault 6X changes the Falcon 6X able to land on runways of just 760m. In some senses, though, it is in the cockpit where Pratt & Whitney Canada the biggest advances have been made. Described by PW812D engines Dassault as “the pilot’s new office”, on a basic level the larger fuselage allows for a more spacious cockpit – more headroom than any other aircraft, says Dassault Forward mid-section – alongside 30% more window area. Seats recline fuselage extension to 130° and the wider cockpit allows entry and exit without the need to clamber over the centre console. Dassault’s FalconSphere II electronic flight bags are integrated into the console. On top of which, there is more storage space for the flightcrew. Two additional cabin windows and structural reinforcements While pilots will welcome these changes from a comfort perspective, it is the numerous technological Tim Bicheno-Brown/Artscreatif

November 2020 Flight International 67 Technical description Dassault Falcon 6X

❱ weather approaches with 100ft minima, providing operators with a substantial operational benefit as well.” Dassault Falcon 6X specifications The HUD itself has a 30° x 40° field of view and is fed by a six-sensor electro-optical/infrared camera. Dimensions Images from the camera are combined with three synthetic vision databases that map terrain, obstacles, Length 25.68m navigation and airport runway data. Height 7.47m Rounding out the cockpit package is the third- generation EASy III flightdeck, based on Honeywell’s Wingspan 25.94m Primus Epic suite. New features include an integrated Performance controller-pilot datalink communication system and RDR 4000 IntuVue 3D colour weather radar that Engine thrust (x2) 13,000-14000lb provides predictive lightning and hail detection as well as 60nm-range Doppler turbulence detection. Maximum take-off weight 35,135kg Hazardous weather and the vertical definition of Maximum zero fuel weight 20,80kg thunderstorms can be seen at distances up to 320nm. Range (at Mach 0.8)* 5,500nm While outside the cockpit, one other safety feature Maximum operating Mach speed M0.90 is also worthy of note: a fuel-tank inerting system that uses a blanket of nitrogen gas to stop the fuel igniting Operating ceiling 51,000ft – another business aviation first, according to the Balanced field length** 1,670m manufacturer. Approach speed (Vref)* 109kt

Source: Dassault Aviation *8 passengers, 3 crew, NBAA IFR reserves **MTOW, SL, ISA

The first two of these will be heavily instrumented and capable of performing a full range of aerodynamic, performance and systems testing. However, the third 109kt aircraft will be outfitted with a full passenger cabin Low approach speed allows access to airports to evaluate “systems functionality, acoustics, airflow, including London City, Lugano, and St Tropez comfort and other factors”. Interior furnishings, environmental systems, Onboard diagnostics have also been improved: a electronics and other equipment are currently being new integrated maintenance system called FalconScan tested in a ground-test rig prior to installation. monitors more than 100,000 parameters in real time to Selection of the PW812D engine was a sign that provide enhanced visibility for technicians. Dassault was determined not to – and could also not Final assembly of the aircraft is performed at afford to – make any decisions that would delay the Dassault’s Bordeaux-Merignac facility, with the fuselage development of the Falcon 6X. delivered from the airframer’s plant in Biarritz and the When the aircraft was launched in early 2018 wing from nearby Martignas. PW800-family powerplants were yet to enter service, Ahead of the December roll-out, ground testing of although variants had been chosen by Gulfstream to the first flight-test aircraft began in July at Bordeaux- equip its G500 and G600 jets, which duly arrived later Merignac. That means the aircraft remains on track for that year. All of which provided some level of certainty both its maiden sortie in early 2021 and service entry on the relative maturity of the engine by the 6X’s the following year. service entry target of 2022. In all, three aircraft will be used for the certification On top of this, the engine shares core technology campaign; the second pre-production aircraft is with Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G-series powerplants complete and the third recently had its wing and for commercial aviation, adding an extra degree of fuselage mated at Bordeaux-Merignac. reassurance for operators. Aside from the out-of-the-box reliability, what the 13,000-14,000lb (59-62kN)-thrust PW812Ds also promise is emissions and fuel burn that offer a claimed double-digit improvement over previous-generation engines, plus a 40% cut in scheduled maintenance. The PW812D completed an initial airborne test campaign earlier this year aboard P&W’s Boeing 747 flying testbed and a second series of flight tests is currently ongoing. So far, the engine has logged 200 flight hours and more than 1,600h of ground tests. A number of initial certification points for the powerplant have also been completed, including bird strike, ice ingestion and blade-off tests.◗ Dassault Aviation Dassault This issue should contain a cutaway poster of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812D Dassault Falcon 6X. If yours is missing or damaged, engine has logged 200 flight hours please contact flight.international@flightglobal.com

68 Flight International November 2020

Simulation-based training is a crucial element in preparing military aviators around the globe for the full scope of operations – our annual report looks at the devices in use worldwide

New CAE and L3Harris devices are supporting US Air Force AWACS crews US Air Force Always ready

70 Flight International November 2020 Census Military simulators

Market share by military Military simulators share by Military simulator share simulator manufacturer aircraft manufacturer by country

20% 22%

31% 32% 54% 44% 18% 16%

3% 3% 9% 7% 4% 11% 10% 5% 6% 5%

● CAE ● L3Harris ● Boeing ● FSI ● Thales ● Other ● Lockheed Martin ● Boeing ● Beechcraft ● Sikorsky ● USA ● France ● UK ● Russia ● Canada ● Other ● Airbus Helicopters ● Other

Craig Hoyle London Rivet Joint intelligence-gathering fleets. Now in use Data compiled by Antoine Fafard London at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, and RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, the devices use the company’s Raster XT visuals. ur latest Military Simulator Census shows The RAF revealed in July that its three RC-135s, along there are 2,789 instructional devices in with 17 USAF examples, are to undergo a glass cockpit Ooperational use around the globe, across our modernisation activity, with the first examples already qualifying categories. returned to the operators. As would be expected, since it has the world’s Also listed as a recent delivery is a Thales Reality largest and best-equipped military, the USA is by far H Level D full-flight simulator for the new Helisim the dominant customer for simulation-based training Simulation Center in Grand Prairie, Texas. This will equipment, accounting for 54% of all listed devices: train pilots for operations with the Airbus Helicopters’ some 1,515 units. By contrast, second-ranked France H145T2. The company claims its equipment delivers has 145 devices and just a 5% share, followed by the “high levels of performance and unparalleled realism UK, with 98 (4%). and flexibility”. CAE is the world’s largest provider of military simulators, with our data showing that the company Design and production has supplied 20% of all listed equipment in use; some Despite the unravelling global coronavirus pandemic, 556 devices. L3Harris is in second place, with an new business announced during the first three-quarters 18% stake (506 units), trailed by Boeing (11%/303), of 2020 included an award for CAE to perform avionics FlightSafety International (FSI; 10%/288) and Thales updates on an E-3A flightdeck simulator and FTD for (9%/241). The remaining 32% share, representing the NATO AWACS force at Geilenkirchen air base in 895 devices, is spread between other suppliers. Germany. BAE Systems in July selected CAE’s Medallion MR New business visual system for use with the full-mission simulators Information received from the leading manufacturers (FMS) to be delivered to Qatar in support of Doha’s shows that new equipment delivered in the first future Eurofighter Typhoon fleet. nine months of 2020 included four devices that Lockheed Martin selected CAE USA to support are now supporting the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) the design and production of a trio of FMS for the Boeing 707-based E-3 Airborne Warning and Control Air Force Special Operations Command’s EC-130J System (AWACS) aircraft fleet in Oklahoma City. CAE electronic warfare aircraft and MC-130J combat and L3Harris each delivered a single flight training tankers. device (FTD), while the former also shipped a pair of FSI, meanwhile, was selected to provide equipment operational flight trainers (OFTs) featuring its Medallion and instructional services in support of the US Navy’s visual system. incoming fleet of TH-73A training helicopters. Under L3Harris also handed over one OFT each to the the deal, the company will, from 2021, deliver 18 USAF and UK Royal Air Force (RAF), as part of an flight simulation training devices, along with image upgrade programme affecting their Boeing RC-135 generators, visual databases, projectors and two ❱

Download the Military Simulator Census online now.

CAE – Your worldwide training partner of choice ZZZȵLJKWJOREDOFRPPLOLVLP

November 2020 Flight International 71 Census Military simulators FlightSafety International FlightSafety

FlightSafety International will provide equipment related to US Navy’s TH-73A

central control stations. Leonardo Helicopters will to also train students for prospective Pegasus supply the navy with a version of its AW119 under the customers Israel and the United Arab Emirates. FSI TH-73A procurement. supplies weapon system, boom operator and part task And in a new link-up with Boeing, FSI is to provide trainers for the KC-46A programme. aircrew and maintenance personnel training on the Securing such business with the USAF, which, with 767-based KC-46A tanker at Altus AFB in Oklahoma. 722 training devices across our census categories holds Their multi-year arrangement initially covers services a 26% share of the global market, is a clear goal for all for the USAF and Japan, but could later be expanded suppliers.

Common standards In September 2020, an L3Harris-led team was picked to participate in the USAF’s Simulators Common Ensuring Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) Safety and Performance programme. Other team members are CAE USA, CymSTAR, Dell Technologies and Leidos. for Today and Tomorrow “The team will help the air force develop a set of common standards for simulator design and operation,” L3Harris says, noting that suppliers’ current use of varying and unique interfaces “makes training updates diffi cult”. As well as tackling this, another key objective of the SCARS eff ort is to enhance cybersecurity, which will enable the service to securely link remote simulators together. Work under the initiative will initially focus on nine sites supporting the USAF’s Boeing KC-135 tanker and Fairchild Republic A-10 ground-attack aircraft ﬂ eets. However, L3Harris notes: “There are approximately 2,400 simulators across 300 locations that will be updated with the new common architecture over the With light weight, small volume, outstanding next few years.” This total includes training equipment environmental robustness and unmatched not covered by our listing. Meanwhile, our data shows that 22% of all listed performance LITEF’s certified Inertial Systems simulation devices are used in support of Lockheed- deliver value to the operators of all types of built aircraft – most prominently civil and military aircraft. the C-130 and F-16 – followed by 16% for Boeing platforms, and then MILITARY Beechcraft (7%), Sikorsky (6%) and SIMULATOR CENSUS

Inertial Systems Airbus Helicopters (5%) types. ◗ 2020 in association with made by Flight International and FlightGlobal Premium subscribers have exclusive For more information, please contact [email protected] access to our Military Simulator Census, Northrop Grumman LITEF GmbH, Loerracher Strasse 18, 79115 Freiburg, Germany sponsored by CAE. To download a copy, go to: FlightGlobal.com/milisim

72 Flight International November 2020 QZ\]IT)]K\QWVZIQ[ML[QOVQÅKIV\N]VL[QV[]XXWZ\WN +WZXWZI\M)VOMT6M\_WZS+)6 8ZWKMML[NZWU\PMM^MV\_QTTMV[]ZM+)6Q[IJTM\WKWV\QV]MPMTXQVOKIVKMZXI\QMV\[TQSM;KIZTM\\QVKZQ\QKITVMML L]ZQVO\PMXIVLMUQKIVLTWVOIN\MZ

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A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR CURRENT SPONSORS

PRESENTING SPONSOR

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Russian connection One poster that President Donald Trump will probably be glad did not emerge during his impeachment hearings has been produced by a group campaigning for his re-election. It exhorts voters to “support our troops”, and shows three silhouetted soldiers walking as ﬁghter jets soar over them. Stirring stuff, except that the aircraft are Russian MiG- 29s. Not only that, but one of the soldiers is carrying a Kalashnikov AK-47.

eVTOL village Copyright Crown Sea Harrier fighters had decisive role in the Falklands conflict Not content with designing a revolutionary hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, UK start-up Samad Aerospace has gone further and announced its vision for the “first eVTOL aviation innovation village in the world”. Eat-380 This is not the sort of village that has a pub, post office and cricket green. Samad’s concept will offer As speculation grows about the fate of Singapore its residents its own airport, factory and “aerospace Airlines’ grounded Airbus A380 fleet, the airline has innovation hub” as well as shopping malls, a hospital, come up with an appetising idea to return at least one schools, supermarkets, museum, cinema, health centre, to service, albeit without leaving its parking stand. sports centre and a range of villas and apartments. Fans of the gentle giant had a chance to enjoy “a fine Samad, a tiny company based at Cranfield dining experience” on board an A380 at Changi. Technology Park, hopes to build several of these Restaurant A380 @ Changi was due to open on villages around the world in countries ranging from 24 October for just two days, with customers able to India to Canada, Brazil or South Africa. choose from menus for each cabin class. As one colleague remarks: “Samad idea.” Tasty stuff. Just no jokes about wide bodies please.

From the archive

1920 Good propaganda100 1945 Spiteful behaviour75 One of the essentials to the success of civil aviation Retaining many of the features which have become is, as we have always insisted, good propaganda. The so familiar through the long line of Spitfires, the new need for the proper kind of advertisement was well R.A.F. Spiteful fighter differs from its predecessors brought out at the recent Air Congress, and we are in that it has incorporated in its design the new type glad to learn that the suggestions then made are likely of wing known as the “laminar-flow” type. Briefly to bear much good fruit. To begin with, it is fact that explained, this means that, in order to avoid or, rather, the existing aerial services are not as well patronised, delay, the onset of the setting up of shock waves, either by the travelling public or the business the aerofoil sections are much thinner than those to community which conducts its affairs by letter, as which we have become accustomed. From the aircraft we have a right to think they should be. The main designer’s point of view, the laminar-flow wing is an reason for this is, we are convinced, a want of general unmitigated nuisance. A thin wing has to be made knowledge of the facilities available. In a casual sort much heavier than a thick in order to bear the loads. of way a great many people know that such services However, these handicaps must be regarded as the exist, but the knowledge is not what we may, for want price to be paid for entering speed regions in which of a better term, call automatic. the speed of sound is approached, or even exceeded.

74 Flight International November 2020 Straight & Level

Shar is born With the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War approaching, Rowland White’s latest offering – Harrier 809 – nestles comfortably in the “must-read” category for any total aviation person. Now available, the book tells the tale of the Fleet Air Arm’s third squadron of British Aerospace Sea Harrier fighters, hastily formed on the eve of the conflict. From the frantic hunt for suitably-skilled pilots and sufficient aircraft to the unit’s creative embarkation aboard the ill-fated container ship Atlantic Conveyor, Harrier 809 includes many fascinating details – but far from focusing exclusively on the Sea Harrier’s critical role in the conflict, White also reveals the UK’s efforts to secretly introduce English Electric Canberra bombers and BAe Nimrod R1 surveillance aircraft to the action. His inclusion of battle accounts from Argentinian pilots also gives the perspective from those who faced the “muerte negra” over the South Atlantic. Meanwhile, word reaches us that legendary former Flight editor Mike Ramsden completed an update to his biography Sir Geoffrey de Havilland: A Life of Innovation shortly prior to his death last year. A limited-edition run of just 200 copies has been printed, with the new content including an extensive interview with chief test pilot John Cunningham. Tower struggle Priced £30, plus postage, the book can be ordered via dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/product/sir-geoffrey-de- Thanks to regular contributor Doug Brown for havilland-a-life-of-innovation-by-j-m-ramsden drawing our attention to an online quiz appearing With the museum’s agreement, we are offering our on the website of a certain aviation weekly. copy as a competition prize. For your chance to win the “Where is the ATC tower located?” readers are last editorial offering from the great “JMR”, email your asked underneath a picture of said erection. name and address to flight.international@flightglobal. Eagle-eyed quizzers don’t have to journey too com, with the subject line de Havilland, answering this far to discover a helpful hint. Directly underneath simple question: Which de Havilland jetliner spawned the image reads the giveaway line: “Credit: New Image: Rex/Shutterstock the Nimrod? Closing date 11 November. Istanbul Airport”. Sadly, no prizes seem to have been on offer.

1970 Choosing Hobson50 1995 Creating a colossus25 To be one of the major designers and manufacturers Whether Boeing IS really talking to McDonnell of flight control systems and aerospace equipment in Douglas (MDC) about a co-operation which might the UK is an achievment worthy of note: to be pre- or might not lead to a merger, the mere thought eminent in Europe in the field of aviation hydraulics of such a move has sent shock waves through an is by definition unique, and it is H. M. Hobson Ltd of already shell-shocked aerospace industry. Immediate Wolverhampton which holds this position. In entering reactions have painted a potential merged company the Lucas group early this year, Hobson’s has added as a market-dominating, competition-killing, anti- greatly to the product range and capability of that trust-breaking colossus which would quickly smother group. Hobson’s reputation rests on a combination of most of its competitors. In relation to other industries, having produced carburettors for nearly every British however, even at $35 billion, Boeing/MDC would be, World War Two aircraft and a line of hydraulic pumps, if not exactly small fry, hardly the biggest of whales flying control systems, screwjack operating systems, either. It would be roughly half the size of a General constant speed alternator drive units, fuel-flow Electric, a Daimler-Benz or a Siemens, and a fraction proportioners and boost pumps fitted to both civil of the size of the big motor-manufacturers, computer and military aircraft since the war. manufacturers and the like.

November 2020 Flight International 75 76 76 Airbus electric cars,butitistheairliners flying. They willbeimportant,like we are doingsomething. temporary measure, to show that sustainable aviation fuel isonlya sponsoring alternative fuel.But to beforced into encouraging and well underway by 2024. neutral fuel,andthatneedsto be aviation isdependent onacarbon- footprint isterrible. A1, becauseaviation’s carbon looking atareplacement for Jet need to urgently getourindustry and carbonemissions. so well withoneexception –fuel industry to follow. We were doing which formed thepathfor the the success ofICAO andIATA, people worldwide. Itstarted with so many successes by somany happened to ourindustry after been very saddenedby whathas As anaviation veteran Ihave Green machines Flight International Electric aircraft are already Industry andgovernments need I believe thefuture success of As aresult ofCovid-19 we November 2020 via email Graham Stephenson green movement. understands andissupportingthe and show populationsthataviation meet ourcarbon-neutral targets forward. We have to beready to up thedecision-makers to press development topic, sothat itlights to getstuck into thisfuel used for ground transportation. neutral. InJapan,itisalready being using hydrogen, anditiscarbon because aircraft are already flying into developing thispossibility, International that isthefavourite ( moment itmust behydrogen that we must consider andatthe out inNigeria,my company, with theBell47 andHiller360. I learnedto flyhelicopters in1958, Back to Biafra We alsoneedaviation journalists Governments must putmoney When theBiafra conflict broke , October 2020). Flight via email Peter Gray down. Icomplied. behind usorwe would beshot back andlandatthemilitarybase been intercepted andmust turn answered andtold usthat we had “Mayday” call.Airtraffic control very closeinfront. water below andaFiatjetpassing followed by large splashesinthe there was ahugeexternal noise, next international border when were just afew milesfrom the we were flyingat about300ftand Because ofthestrong headwind what was thenPortugueseGuinea. Europe there. coast to Gibraltar andenter decided just to follow thewest than godirect across Africa, I the enroute checks,andrather apprentice withmeto carryout for offshore operations. Westland S-55that was usedthere fly backto theUKlarge, grey Bristow Helicopters, told meto I pulledupandputouta All went well untilwe entered I took alongayoung engineer as acarbon-neutral fuel for airliners Hydrogen offers thebest prospects Letters

Yesterday’s news

Taking up your invitation welcoming feedback on the new monthly format for Flight International, something I think that would be welcome is a round-up of news covering the past four weeks. Much happens across the aerospace world, and while news in feature form gives a more in-depth approach, some of the small, short items would give readers a greater overview of the subject, and in my opinion such material should not just be published on the internet. I believe readers would appreciate thumbnail slugs of Two-crew ﬂight operations news about important deliveries, means errors can be trapped

first flights, new companies, or Skycolors/Shutterstock obituaries on those who made the news in the past. Why pilots need protecting Barry Wheeler via email Regarding the concept of a ‘crew-free future’: the technology companies seem to be suffering from a number of serious misunderstandings. Editor’s reply: Our in-depth Two pilots are about trapping error, and this is the reason that all large coverage is intended to keep aircraft have two crew members: incapacitation to one is a small risk in readers informed about the key comparison. It is the application of crew resource management theory aviation developments each that has enabled two-crew flight operations to reduce accident rates to month, including registering such extraordinarily small numbers. major milestones, but we will The current system allows an inexperienced pilot to safely gain the consider whether some kind of necessary experience, by both operating and observing, under the “best of” section could add value. watchful gaze of an experienced colleague. The sum of two pilots in a However, given our publishing crisis always exceeds the sum of their parts, and it is hard to see how a schedule, using your subscriber machine in one seat will ever lift crew performance beyond one. login to access our 24/7 reporting A fully-autonomous system, while more than capable of replicating on FlightGlobal Premium is the the motor skills of a pilot and operating safely, will fail when something best way of keeping current catastrophic occurs. Examples such as the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’, the with up-to-the-minute industry DC-10 at Utah City and the Qantas A380 uncontained engine failure developments. spring to mind. Safety is always an airline’s number one priority, but a fully-autonomous system will suffer from the ‘Challenger Syndrome’. The best defence against this is to have a crew of two on board the aircraft, empowered by Power play their regulator-issued and -enforced licences to make hard decisions, and safe decisions that their airline is not always happy about. Take the crew With reference to Chris Elliott’s away and the artificial intelligence algorithm will always dance to the letter ‘Maths vs Musk’ (Flight company’s tune. International, October 2020), The pilots are the final buffer between disaster and safety. and several previous articles on Look at recent events, where pilots and trainers were sidelined, electric- and hydrogen-powered company dogma applied to decisions, and two disasters followed. aircraft options: the energy Remember how reluctant the company concerned and its regulator were density of liquid hydrogen to make the necessary safety-related decisions, even after fatal events. appeared to be missing. I, like many, would not get on a single pilot/autonomously operated This equates to 144MJ/kg – far large commercial aircraft, until all the above points have been sorted to greater than kerosene at 43MJ/ my satisfaction. I’m not a Luddite, but give me a hard-nosed captain and kg – and should give much further a fresh faced co-pilot any day: a genuinely tried, tested and de-bugged scope for its use. operating system.

J Baker Name and address supplied Brighton, East Sussex, UK

We welcome your letters about our coverage, or any other aerospace-related topic. Please email ﬂight.international@ﬂightglobal.com, or write to: The Editor, Flight International, 1st Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 1JB. Letters should be no longer than 350 words in length, and supplied with the correspondent’s name and location. Letters may also be published on FlightGlobal.com, and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor.

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78 Flight International November 2020

Steffi Ziegler is a new aircraft maintenance engineer, responsible for one of wartime Germany’s most iconic types kept at the Messerschmitt Flight Museum. She combines the role with being an honorary ambassador for her region’s horticulture industry across Europe A promising future

Pilar Wolfsteller Manching showcasing the collection, often bringing the aircraft to airshows and exhibitions across Europe. The biggest issue Ziegler and her colleagues at the ucked into a far corner of the sprawling museum face is the lack of spare parts for the historic Airbus Defence & Space campus in Manching, birds, with components often out of production and Germany, about an hour’s drive north of Munich, difficult to find. Much creativity and elbow-grease goes is the Messerschmitt Flight Museum, housed in a into securing, refurbishing and replacing things that Tconverted hangar and home to a priceless collection of break. “It’s not like a modern jet where you take a part unique aircraft. that has failed and swap it with a new one,” she says. Willy Messerschmitt, one of the most prolific Ziegler also knows the work she does is not just German aircraft engineers of his generation, played a for show. The aircraft are kept in flying condition. decisive role in advancing mid-20th century aviation All are certificated and airworthy. “You can’t just technology. His designs range from the minimalist park an airplane on the side of the road, like a car, M 17 light aircraft, first flown in 1926, through to the jets if it has engine trouble,” she says. “There is a lot of upon which today’s fighters are based. responsibility that goes along with repairing an aircraft. When you are aware of that you realise what a great Rose Queen career this is on so many levels.” The museum is also the workplace of 21-year-old Ziegler showed an early interest in aviation. Her Steffi Ziegler, Rose Queen of her home town and childhood home sat under the flight paths of two freshly-minted aircraft maintenance engineer. “I am airports and she was fascinated by the technology. so happy here,” she says, surveying the sparklingly When the time came to choose a career, she naturally clean hangar, which also serves as a repair shop for the looked to the nearby Airbus campus. “In school I took historic aircraft it houses. She completed her three- the advanced-maths-focused track,” she says. “I always year apprenticeship in January, and works on the loved watching the airplanes cross overhead, also collection’s Messerschmitt Me 262 and HA 200 D jet. fighter jets like the Eurofighter. So I decided to apply The iconic Me 262 is arguably Willy Messerschmitt’s for the vocational course here.” most enduring type, and the world’s first jet-powered Of the 15 students in her apprenticeship class, four fighter. It lifted off on its maiden flight in 1941 amid the were women. All graduated and are now working on tumult of Second World War. Engine issues forced it to different programmes at the Manching site. sit out the conflict until 1944 and it returned to service “My family was excited when I told them this was a year before the war ended. About 1,400 examples what I wanted to do as a career, and that a girl could were built, but only 300 flew in combat. even do this. But they couldn’t help me because none A fully certified replica sits prominently in the of them had any experience in the field,” she adds. Manching hangar, its maintenance and repair entrusted Hard work and a bit of luck led to her job at the to Ziegler. “It’s my favourite aircraft, and the most museum, she says. She had the choice of working on beautiful,” she says. “Messerschmitt said it was the most cutting-edge programmes like the Eurofighter, Tornado important aircraft for him because there is so much to or the A400M, but the older aircraft appealed most. “It learn from it. It was fast, the most modern of its kind, is so vital that people see how aviation started,” and the first fighter to go from pistons to turbines.” she says. Despite her youth, Ziegler appreciates the responsibility she carries and the importance of the Advanced technology legacy of which she is a part. “You have to be careful “Today’s aviation is based on what the designers did with these aircraft, they are so valuable,” she says. years ago with these historic aircraft, and it’s important “There are only a handful of these left in the world, and to see how things were done then, how advanced the that’s it. So it’s crucial that we preserve this history.” technology was at that time, what was even possible,” Airbus and the Messerschmitt Foundation have made she adds. sizeable investments into restoring, maintaining and Ziegler’s down-to-earth attitude also led her to be

82 Flight International November 2020 Women in aviation Pilar Wolfsteller/FlightGlobal

Ziegler completed her apprenticeship in January and turned down the chance to work on more modern aircraft

voted Rose Queen of her hometown of Karlshuld, just “Today’s aviation is west of Manching. “It’s an honorary post where I represent the based on what the horticultural society at festivals, trade fairs and parades in Germany and across Europe,” she says. “Very diff erent from my day job.” designers did years Her advice to others interested in learning how to take apart aircraft and put them back together again is: ago with these historic “If you want to do this you need to be inspired by the technology, have some craftsmanship skills and manual aircraft... how advanced know-how and, of course, you have to love aviation,” she says. “It’s such a fun career. You have so many the technology was” possibilities to learn. That’s why I love what I do.” ◗

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November 2020 Flight International 83 INNOVATING FOR SUSTAINABILITY

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