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Testers with the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership FEATURES carried a Titan X8 multirotor drone equipped with the Echodyne 60 EchoFlight metamaterial electronically scanning array radar, the 16 | Digital Dragon Lady small white panel fi tted below its front, during NASA’s Raavin project. U-2 avionics upgrades underway could open a new chapter for the storied spy plane COMMERCIAL AVIATION SPACE 21 | Boeing is expected to follow Airbus 34 | Boeing to redo uncrewed Starliner 38 | Rotary Refresh production cuts test amid ISS sta shortfall U.S. Army and Navy are modernizing their helicopter 24 | How air travel might look after FAST FIVE fl eets for multidomain ops the COVID-19 crisis 35 | Former astronaut Norm Thagard on how to stay busy in quarantine 50 | Supersonic Evolution AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT Aerion unveils performance and 26 | Free route airspace gains AUTONOMY sustainability updates to its AS2 ground in Europe 36 | DARPA automates dogfi ghting to supersonic business jet design 28 | Europe’s ATM modernization build pilot trust in AI in combat 55 | Survival of the Smallest champions try to keep momentum HYPERSONICS Lower travel demand may ROTORCRAFT 48 | Stratolaunch unveils updated provide a second chance for 29 | New technology, data sharing are hypersonic fl ying testbed details small narrowbody airliners boosting o shore helicopter safety AVIONICS 58 | Drones Join the Fight 30 | Speedy adaptations help 60 | Fundamentals still apply in sizing Nations around the world use helicopters fi ght pandemic systems for drones and UAM small UAS to combat COVID-19 TECHNOLOGY VIEWPOINT 32 | Uncertain fate looms for NASA’s 66 | How the coming wave of aircraft DEFENSE two largest research aircraft retirements will reshape aviation 19 | Contractors still working, but long- term budget outlook uncertain ON THE COVER 20 | Airlift initiative propels NATO A new delta wing, revised engines and an improved empennage are hallmarks of a fi nalized AS2 COVID-19 e orts supersonic business jet design that Aerion believes is not only sustainable but also lays a solid foundation for a follow-on family of high-speed commercial and military derivatives. Senior Editor 47 | Leonardo hopes Falco Xplorer can Guy Norris’ report begins on page 50. Aerion concept. plant fl ag in MALE market Aviation Week publishes a digital edition every week. Read it at AviationWeek.com/AWST DIGITAL EXTRAS Access exclusive online features from articles accompanied by this icon.

AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 3 Editor-In-Chief Joseph C. Anselmo [email protected] Executive Editors Jen DiMascio (Defense and Space) [email protected] Jens Flottau (Commercial Aviation) [email protected] Graham Warwick (Technology) [email protected] Editors Lindsay Bjerregaard, Sean Broderick, Michael Bruno, Bill Carey, Thierry Dubois, William Garvey, Ben Goldstein, Lee Hudson, Irene Klotz, Helen Massy- Beresford, Jefferson Morris, Guy Norris, Tony Osborne, Bradley Perrett, James Pozzi, Adrian Schofield, Lee Ann Shay, Steve Trimble Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor Fred George Director, Editorial and Online Production Michael O. Lavitt Associate Managing Editor Andrea Hollowell Art Director Lisa Caputo Artists Thomas De Pierro, Rosa Pineda, Colin Throm Copy Editors Jack Freifelder, Arturo Mora, Natalia Pelayo, Andy Savoie Production Editors Audra Avizienis, Theresa Petruso Contributing Photographer Joseph Pries Director, Digital Content Strategy Rupa Haria Content Marketing Manager Rija Tariq Data & Analytics Director, Forecasts and Aerospace Insights Brian Kough Senior Manager, Data Operations/Production Terra Deskins Manager, Military Data Operations Michael Tint Editorial Offices 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, D.C. 20037 Phone: +1 (202) 517-1100 GoGo beyondbeyond thethe newsnews ofof thethe 605 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10158 Phone: +1 (212) 204-4200 dayday withwith AviationAviation WWeekeek Bureau Chiefs Auckland IntelligenceIntelligence Network’sNetwork’s Adrian [email protected] Market Brieﬁ ngs. Beijing Bradley Perrett [email protected] Cape Canaveral These sector-specifi c intelligence Irene Klotz [email protected] Chicago briefi ngs empower busy Lee Ann Shay [email protected] executives to stay-ahead of the Frankfurt market, identify opportunities and Jens Flottau [email protected] Houston drive revenue. Mark Carreau [email protected] London Tony Osborne [email protected] Los Angeles LEARN MORE: Guy Norris [email protected] aviationweek.com/marketbrieﬁ ngs Lyon Thierry Dubois [email protected] Moscow Maxim Pyadushkin [email protected] Paris Helen Massy-Beresford [email protected] Washington Jen DiMascio [email protected] Wichita Molly McMillin [email protected]

President, Aviation Week Network Gregory Hamilton Managing Director, Intelligence & Data Services Anne McMahon

4 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST Know. Predict. Connect.

Editor-In-Chief Joseph C. Anselmo [email protected] Executive Editors Jen DiMascio (Defense and Space) [email protected] Doing Our Part With Crisis-Focused Content Jens Flottau (Commercial Aviation) [email protected] Graham Warwick (Technology) [email protected] Editors Lindsay Bjerregaard, Sean Broderick, Now that we are all engaged in unprecedented efforts to Michael Bruno, Bill Carey, Thierry Dubois, William Garvey, contain the spread of COVID-19, I’d like to update you on Ben Goldstein, Lee Hudson, Irene Klotz, Helen Massy- Beresford, Jefferson Morris, Guy Norris, Tony Osborne, actions that the Aviation Week Network has taken since my Bradley Perrett, James Pozzi, Adrian Schofield, last letter a few weeks ago. Lee Ann Shay, Steve Trimble Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor Fred George Our goal from the beginning of this crisis has been to deliver Director, Editorial and Online Production Michael O. Lavitt Associate Managing Editor Andrea Hollowell high-quality, reliable and actionable information. We want to Art Director Lisa Caputo help you maintain situational awareness, see forward and Artists Thomas De Pierro, Rosa Pineda, Colin Throm Copy Editors Jack Freifelder, Arturo Mora, connect with experts and each other to navigate the risks, Natalia Pelayo, Andy Savoie plan for the recovery and return to growth. Production Editors Audra Avizienis, Theresa Petruso Contributing Photographer Joseph Pries Director, Digital Content Strategy Rupa Haria Here are initiatives we have already launched to make Content Marketing Manager Rija Tariq “know-predict-connect” a reality for you: Data & Analytics Director, Forecasts and Aerospace Insights Brian Kough ● Some 8,000 COVID-19-related articles, more than 1,000 of them analytical, opinion or feature pieces aimed at Senior Manager, Data Operations/Production sharing best practices, solutions and forecasts. Terra Deskins ● A coronavirus portal, curated daily and free to all, that provides convenient access to the above content. Manager, Military Data Operations Michael Tint ● Editorial Offices Three webinars and two podcasts per week that address the challenges across aviation and aerospace and 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, D.C. 20037 especially in our niche communities of Air Transport, MRO, Defense, Space, Business Aviation and Aerospace, Phone: +1 (202) 517-1100 featuring our leading editors, analysts and guest experts. GoGo beyondbeyond thethe newsnews ofof thethe 605 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10158 ● Expansion of Route Exchange, which connects airline network planners and airports in the absence of live Phone: +1 (212) 204-4200 Routes events. dayday withwith AviationAviation WWeekeek Bureau Chiefs ● Ask the Editors, another free service offering that provides an opportunity to reach out to our editors and the Auckland IntelligenceIntelligence Network’sNetwork’s Adrian [email protected] experts with whom they consult for answers to your questions. Market Brieﬁ ngs. Beijing ● SpeedNews COVID-19 Manufacturer and Supplier Services connecting industry players who are stepping in Bradley Perrett [email protected] to play a role in addressing medical shortages. Cape Canaveral These sector-specifi c intelligence Irene Klotz [email protected] ● New features for our premium subscribers, such as an AWIN coronavirus portal, The Daily Memo and a new Chicago monthly COVID-19 key indicator report. briefi ngs empower busy Lee Ann Shay [email protected] executives to stay-ahead of the Frankfurt ● CAPA country-by-country Air Transport COVID-19 analyses. market, identify opportunities and Jens Flottau [email protected] ● A new Air Transport group on WeChat to help members make new connections and share best practices with Houston drive revenue. Mark Carreau [email protected] their Chinese counterparts. Visit https://youtu.be/ZJBXXnCWqnQ for a video on how to join the group. London Tony Osborne [email protected] Visit the landing page: AviationWeek.com/COVID19 Los Angeles Register for our webinar series: AviationWeek.com/COVID19/webinar LEARN MORE: Guy Norris [email protected] aviationweek.com/marketbrieﬁ ngs Lyon Ask the Editors: AviationWeek.com/ask-the-editors Thierry Dubois [email protected] Moscow From the engagement we are seeing on our websites (22% traffic growth since January) and webinars (over 10,000 Maxim Pyadushkin [email protected] have registered so far), it is clear that our information is being consumed and used all over the world. Paris Helen Massy-Beresford [email protected] We will continue to do our part to help the industry move to the other side of the pandemic and begin growing again. Washington Until then, if there is anything you think we could do better and to be more useful, please contact me or anyone on Jen DiMascio [email protected] our global team. Wichita Molly McMillin [email protected]

President, Aviation Week Network Greg Hamilton, Gregory Hamilton President, Aviation Week Network Managing Director, Intelligence & Data Services Anne McMahon [email protected]

4 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 5 FEEDBACK

‘BALANCED CAPITALISM’ MISSIONS OF MERCY Kevin Michaels’ recent Up Front, In response to Aviation Week “Rethinking ‘Shareholders First’” Network President Greg

(March 23-April 5, p. 10), is the ADRIAN825/ISTOCK Hamilton’s letter in the April most important thing you have 6-19 issue (p. 5), as a professional published in years. UAV operator in South Africa, In law school, in our first I believe it is time for all UAV course of business law, the pro- pilots to step up and help the fessor asked: “By what principle world and the aviation industry does a Corporation have the by delivering goods and supplies rights and protections under law to otherwise inaccessible regions of a natural individual? How is in order to help those struggling it that owners (shareholders) to get them. Long-range UAV are granted no liability and technology has come a long long limited risk (they can only lose way, and there is no better time their investment, not be further held driven strictly by shareholder value as to implement it than now to safely responsible for actions of the corpora- the most acceptable business model. complete missions of mercy. tion)? What does the corporation owe But they’ve also been encouraged in return?” by added incentives and safety nets, Janus van Zyl, Springs, South Africa It owes service to customers, the because Washington thinks they are community, employees, suppliers and “too big or critical to fail.” Taxpayers CLEANING THE AIR shareholders. Since these constituen- are fed up. Your fine article “COVID-19 Outbreak cies are all essential to the economic Your editorial has prioritized what Ushers in New Cabin Cleaning Tech- success of the enterprise, this is a prac- needs to be done and is actually what niques” (March 23-April 5, p. 24) on the tical as well as moral imperative. There Capt. Crozier of the USS Roosevelt’s improved procedures and expected is a mutual benefit, a mutual interest actions were all about: The mission new requirements for aircraft cab- and a mutual responsibility. and the crew always come before any in cleaning will, no doubt, improve Later, in study of organizational personal consideration. hygiene on aircraft. But it might have behavior, we were asked how we expect included one more area requiring managers to behave if they are com- Angus Macaulay, Kennebunk, Maine urgent attention, especially in today’s pensated with shares or options of climate: the proportion of stale, possi- ownership? They will behave in their The financial and viral malady facing bly bacteria-/virus-laden recirculated own interests as stockholders, not as the commercial aviation industry air on commercial aircraft. professional managers responsible to should be renamed “MAXCorona,” a Several hours of inhaling other pas- their ethical and legal calling to serve systemic illness that should cause the sengers’ exhaled air is unquestionably customers, the community, employees, death of the weaker carriers and bring a bigger threat to health than simply suppliers and shareholders. financial responsibility to the major cleaning surfaces. Surely it is time for a In so doing, they are no longer loyal U.S. carriers. substantial increase in the percentage employees serving the best interest of The U.S. taxpayers do not want of fresh air being circulated during any the corporation in the largest sense. As another high-billion-dollar bailout give- flight. A focus on this might achieve ably discussed by Michaels, sharehold- away to the domestic airline industry even better results. ers, boards and managers have stolen when the taxpayers are getting only “the corporation” from the customers, $1,200 each at best and may shortly be Kenneth O.J. Harmon, Ancaster, Ontario community, employees and suppliers. unemployed. Even disregarding ethics and The day of reckoning has arrived for ONLINE, in response to “Possible New honorable participation in the nation- this industry, and the cure will be pain- ‘Engine War’ Recasts Pratt As Champion al commonwealth, it is fundamental ful. Sweep the airline CEOs and chief Of Competition” (March 23-April 5, p. 41) good sense that a return to a balanced financial officers from their lofty offices GERARDFK writes: capitalism is essential to long-term and cease building those new corporate prosperity of all the industry headquarters that are glass castles in One point is forgotten here. The USA the sky. The future is about prudence needs two viable military engine Eric E. Dirats, Westfield, Massachusetts with your operations and balance manufacturers and giving this engine sheets, saving for the hard times and buy to Pratt & Whitney could have a ‘THIS TOO SHALL PASS’ making customer service your mantra. detrimental effect. Losing a capable The advice offered by the editorial engine manufacturer, the cost of this in the March 23-April 5 issue (p. 66) James H. Sherrard, Plano, Texas will be immense. should not only resonate among the airlines or even just within the aerospace industry but among every public- Address letters to the Editor-in-Chief, Aviation Week & Space Technology, ly traded company. Our once-precious 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC, 20037 or send via email to: “free enterprise” system has seen too [email protected] Letters may be edited for length and clarity; many corporations morph into ones a verifiable address and daytime telephone number are required.

6 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST FEEDBACK WHO’S WHERE

‘BALANCED CAPITALISM’ MISSIONS OF MERCY has been hired as CEO of Kevin Michaels’ recent Up Front, In response to Aviation Week Vytis Zalimas HONORS AND ELECTIONS Jet Maintenance Solutions, a provider of “Rethinking ‘Shareholders First’” Network President Greg U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.) aircraft maintenance, repair and over- has received the Aeronautical Repair Sta-

(March 23-April 5, p. 10), is the ADRIAN825/ISTOCK Hamilton’s letter in the April haul. Zalimas was head of corporate cus- most important thing you have 6-19 issue (p. 5), as a professional tion Association’s 2020 Legislative Leader- tomers at Telia Co. published in years. UAV operator in South Africa, ship Award. Lawrence cosponsored a bi- Raines International has hired Patrick In law school, in our first I believe it is time for all UAV partisan bill establishing a collaborative Gray as managing director of its course of business law, the pro- pilots to step up and help the grant program to address the aviation aerospace and defense industrials sector. fessor asked: “By what principle world and the aviation industry workforce skills gap and helped ensure Gray was Heidrick & Struggles’ Americas practice lead- does a Corporation have the by delivering goods and supplies the program’s funding for fiscal 2020. Michigan’s aviation er for aviation, aerospace, defense and rights and protections under law to otherwise inaccessible regions maintenance industry supports more than 7,700 jobs and government services and is a former U.S. of a natural individual? How is in order to help those struggling contributes $1.6 billion a year to its economy. Army intelligence officer. it that owners (shareholders) to get them. Long-range UAV Adam Pilarski of Avitas has received the ISTAT Award SES has hired as chief are granted no liability and technology has come a long long Sandeep Jalan for 2020. The award recognizes individuals who have made financial officer. Jalan was chief financial limited risk (they can only lose way, and there is no better time lasting contributions to the aviation industry over a signif- officer of Aperam. He succeeds Andrew their investment, not be further held driven strictly by shareholder value as to implement it than now to safely icant period of time and is bestowed at The International Browne. responsible for actions of the corpora- the most acceptable business model. complete missions of mercy. Society of Transport Aircraft Trading yearly conference. c Bye Aerospace has named U.S. Air Force tion)? What does the corporation owe But they’ve also been encouraged Col. (ret.) Rod Zastrow to its board as a strategic advisor in return?” by added incentives and safety nets, Janus van Zyl, Springs, South Africa for its electric aircraft program. Zastrow is chief opera- It owes service to customers, the because Washington thinks they are tions officer and president of Spartan Air Academy Iraq. community, employees, suppliers and “too big or critical to fail.” Taxpayers CLEANING THE AIR To submit information for the Who’s Where column, send Word AsBAA, Asia’s aviation industry organization, has hired shareholders. Since these constituen- are fed up. Your fine article “COVID-19 Outbreak or attached text files (no PDFs) and photos to: Jeff Chiang as chief operating officer, a new position. cies are all essential to the economic Your editorial has prioritized what Ushers in New Cabin Cleaning Tech- [email protected] For additional information on Grove Resource Solutions (GRSi) has success of the enterprise, this is a prac- needs to be done and is actually what niques” (March 23-April 5, p. 24) on the companies and individuals listed in this column, please refer to the promoted to vice president tical as well as moral imperative. There Capt. Crozier of the USS Roosevelt’s improved procedures and expected Billy Burnett Aviation Week Intelligence Network at AviationWeek.com/awin of defense programs in addition to his For information on ordering, telephone U.S.: +1 (866) 857-0148 is a mutual benefit, a mutual interest actions were all about: The mission new requirements for aircraft cab- role as general manager of Naval Infor- or +1 (515) 237-3682 outside the U.S. and a mutual responsibility. and the crew always come before any in cleaning will, no doubt, improve mation Warfare Systems Command op- Later, in study of organizational personal consideration. hygiene on aircraft. But it might have erations. The new appointment expands behavior, we were asked how we expect included one more area requiring Burnett’s NIWC responsibilities across managers to behave if they are com- Angus Macaulay, Kennebunk, Maine urgent attention, especially in today’s the entire GRSi defense business. pensated with shares or options of climate: the proportion of stale, possi- Woolpert, an architecture, engineering and geospatial ownership? They will behave in their The financial and viral malady facing bly bacteria-/virus-laden recirculated consultancy, has promoted Chris Snyder from aviation own interests as stockholders, not as the commercial aviation industry air on commercial aircraft. design practice leader to aviation market director. He Ensuring professional managers responsible to should be renamed “MAXCorona,” a Several hours of inhaling other pas- will focus on unmanned aircraft systems infrastructure safety and performance their ethical and legal calling to serve systemic illness that should cause the sengers’ exhaled air is unquestionably in his new role. It also has hired Jeff Mulder—former di- customers, the community, employees, death of the weaker carriers and bring a bigger threat to health than simply for today and tomorrow rector of airports in Florida, Oklahoma and Wisconsin— suppliers and shareholders. financial responsibility to the major cleaning surfaces. Surely it is time for a as a senior infrastructure consultant. In so doing, they are no longer loyal U.S. carriers. substantial increase in the percentage Professional Aircraft Accessories has hired Keith Johnson employees serving the best interest of The U.S. taxpayers do not want of fresh air being circulated during any as director of materials and production control. He was the corporation in the largest sense. As another high-billion-dollar bailout give- flight. A focus on this might achieve Citadel Completions senior director of operations and ably discussed by Michaels, sharehold- away to the domestic airline industry even better results. held leadership roles at Delta Air Lines, ers, boards and managers have stolen when the taxpayers are getting only Commercial Jet Services and AAR “the corporation” from the customers, $1,200 each at best and may shortly be Kenneth O.J. Harmon, Ancaster, Ontario Corp., among others. community, employees and suppliers. unemployed. FLIR Systems has hired Paula M. Cooney Even disregarding ethics and The day of reckoning has arrived for in response to “Possible New ONLINE, as senior vice president and chief human honorable participation in the nation- this industry, and the cure will be pain- ‘Engine War’ Recasts Pratt As Champion resources officer. Cooney was vice presi- al commonwealth, it is fundamental ful. Sweep the airline CEOs and chief Of Competition” (March 23-April 5, p. 41) dent of human resources and communi- good sense that a return to a balanced financial officers from their lofty offices GERARDFK writes: Highly accurate and reliable Inertial cations at H.B. Fuller specialty chemicals. capitalism is essential to long-term and cease building those new corporate Measurement Units and Inertial Duncan Aviation has promoted Tyler Spurling to assistant prosperity of all the industry headquarters that are glass castles in One point is forgotten here. The USA Reference Systems for critical manager of its maintenance, repair and overhaul rapid the sky. The future is about prudence needs two viable military engine airborne operations. response teams for facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska; Battle Eric E. Dirats, Westfield, Massachusetts with your operations and balance manufacturers and giving this engine Creek, Michigan; and Provo, Utah. It also added a new po- sheets, saving for the hard times and buy to Pratt & Whitney could have a sition at its Lincoln headquarters, naming Robert Montano ‘THIS TOO SHALL PASS’ making customer service your mantra. detrimental effect. Losing a capable as engine tech representative for Rolls-Royce support. The advice offered by the editorial engine manufacturer, the cost of this Par Avion Ltd. has hired David Wyndham as executive in the March 23-April 5 issue (p. 66) James H. Sherrard, Plano, Texas will be immense. Inertial Systems sales director and acquisition specialist. Wyndham, an should not only resonate among the industry veteran with more than 36 years in aviation, is a made by airlines or even just within the aero- former U.S. Air Force C-130 instructor pilot. space industry but among every public- Address letters to the Editor-in-Chief, Aviation Week & Space Technology, For more information on our products, please contact [email protected] Controp Precision Technologies has promoted Guy Oren to Northrop Grumman LITEF GmbH, Loerracher Strasse 18, 79115 Freiburg, Germany ly traded company. Our once-precious 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC, 20037 or send via email to: vice president for international marketing and sales from “free enterprise” system has seen too [email protected] Letters may be edited for length and clarity; vice president of business operations, North America. many corporations morph into ones a verifiable address and daytime telephone number are required.

6 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 7 FIRST

all but a handful for nearly a year, Boeing delivered only 50 commercial TAKE the U.S. Air Force says. aircraft in the first quarter, down from For the latest, go to 149 a year earlier, and saw 333 cancella- AVIATIONWEEK.COM Boeing’s Airpower Teaming System tions, but only 26 new orders, for a net unmanned aircraft is on its landing orderbook reduction of 307 (page 21). gear and powered up as the loyal DEFENSE wingman demonstrator progress- Airbus has decided to cut commercial Boeing on April es toward a first flight planned in aircraft production by roughly a third, 13 conducted Australia this year. including reducing the A320neo family the first flight output to 40 per month on average from of the F-15QA BOEING PHOTOS a previous near-term target of 63. ordered by the Qatar Emiri Air Force, scheduled for first de- The International Air Transport Associ- livery next year. ation has further downgraded its 2020 forecast for the global airline industry The Russian Navy should deploy the and now believes revenue passenger Zircon hypersonic missile in 2022 on kilometers will be down 48%, for a $314 the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, reports billion revenue shortfall. the state-owned TASS news agency. Business jet deliveries in 2020 could The head of U.S. Air Force Global Strike drop by between 12.5% and 40-50%, with Command has outlined a new concept recovery unlikely before 2023, forecasts for the Arsenal Plane as a clean-sheet JetNet IQ. Jefferies analysts expect a aircraft to fill a gap in long-range strike COMMERCIAL AVIATION decline of 20%, while JP Morgan fore- capability even after the Northrop Ten U.S. airlines have agreed in princi- casts a 37% drop. Grumman B-21 enters service. ple to participate in a $25 billion payroll support program under the govern- Eurocontrol’s member states have A once-crippled B-1B bomber force has ment’s CARES stimulus package, de- agreed to let airlines and private jet op- recovered significantly since structural spite the surprise disclosure that 30% erators defer payment of up to €1.1 billion and egress system problems grounded will have to be repaid (page 21). ($1.2 billion) in air traffic control fees.

The International Civil Aviation Organi- VIEW FROM WASHINGTON zation is consulting with global public health authorities on a “prototype” process that would validate flight crews— COVID-19 Concerns Reach Orbit and, potentially, passengers—have been Space may seem well-removed from the pandemic gripping the screened for COVID-19. world, but, citing the bankruptcy of satellite operator OneWeb, Space-based surveillance provider Aire- an industry trade group is asking the U.S. government to add $2.5 on and the Civil Air Navigation Services billion in funding for space programs Organization are to analyze the impact OneWeb declared bankruptcy on March 27, after the assets of of the COVID-19 pandemic on air traffic primary shareholder SoftBank collapsed amid the novel corona- flows of essential goods and services. virus pandemic. The U.S. military draws heavily on commercial Aerospace and defense suppliers Wood- satellite communication and Earth-observation services. Given ward and Hexcel called off their planned that dependence, the National Security Space Association (NSSA) merger due to the COVID-19 pandemic. is asking the government to help companies survive this downturn. Airbus will continue investing in urban “From dramatic disruptions to existing contracts and critical air mobility despite shutting down Voom, its on-demand helicopter booking ser- production lines, to the shrinking of capital markets that fuel the vice, citing the pandemic’s impact. new space economy, the economic and national security threats to the space industrial base from the pandemic are clear and pres- Unmanned aircraft system test sites in New York and Virginia have been cho- ent,” says the NSSA. sen to participate in the second phase The group is seeking $1 billion for unfunded U.S. Space Force of the FAA’s unmanned traffic manage- requirements in fiscal 2021, $500 million to accelerate existing ment pilot program. programs and $500 million to protect commercial communication Leonardo has completed its $185 million and remote-sensing capabilities. It is also seeking $500 million for takeover of Switzerland’s Kopter Group launch service providers. and its SH09 light single-turbine helicopter from private equity firm Lynwood.

8 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST FIRST all but a handful for nearly a year, Boeing delivered only 50 commercial SPACE TAKE the U.S. Air Force says. aircraft in the first quarter, down from Nonignition of a third-stage engine 60 YEARS AGO IN AVIATION WEEK 149 a year earlier, and saw 333 cancella- caused the failure of a Chinese Long For the latest, go to Our cover of April 25, 1960, showed early astronaut and U.S. Air Force Capt. Donald AVIATIONWEEK.COM Boeing’s Airpower Teaming System tions, but only 26 new orders, for a net March 3B rocket on March 9, accord- unmanned aircraft is on its landing orderbook reduction of 307 (page 21). ing to a part-owner of the Indonesian K. “Deke” Slayton sliding into the side hatch of a boilerplate Project Mercury capsule gear and powered up as the loyal customer that lost its satellite. to begin training for maritime escape techniques. Slayton, a World War II fighter pilot DEFENSE wingman demonstrator progress- Airbus has decided to cut commercial and Air Force test pilot, was chosen by NASA as one of the original Mercury 7 astro- Boeing on April es toward a first flight planned in aircraft production by roughly a third, nauts. Scheduled to fly on the second 13 conducted Australia this year. including reducing the A320neo family orbital Mercury mission in 1962, the first flight output to 40 per month on average from following John Glenn, he was ground- of the F-15QA BOEING PHOTOS a previous near-term target of 63. ordered by the Qatar ed after doctors detected a slight Emiri Air Force, scheduled for first de- The International Air Transport Associ- irregular heartbeat. Determined to be livery next year. ation has further downgraded its 2020 restored to flight status, Slayton un- forecast for the global airline industry dertook a rigorous health routine that The Russian Navy should deploy the and now believes revenue passenger eliminated the fibrillation. Zircon hypersonic missile in 2022 on kilometers will be down 48%, for a $314 He finally made it to space at the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, reports billion revenue shortfall. the age of 51 in 1975, flying on the the state-owned TASS news agency. Business jet deliveries in 2020 could U.S.-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz docking The head of U.S. Air Force Global Strike drop by between 12.5% and 40-50%, with mission and logging 217 hr. 28 min. VIRGIN ORBIT Command has outlined a new concept recovery unlikely before 2023, forecasts 24 sec. on his only spaceflight. Slay- for the Arsenal Plane as a clean-sheet JetNet IQ. Jefferies analysts expect a Virgin Orbit completed a major dress re- ton retired from NASA in 1982 and aircraft to fill a gap in long-range strike COMMERCIAL AVIATION decline of 20%, while JP Morgan fore- hearsal for its LauncherOne air-launch became president of Houston-based capability even after the Northrop Ten U.S. airlines have agreed in princi- casts a 37% drop. system on April 12, clearing the way for Space Services Inc., which success- Grumman B-21 enters service. ple to participate in a $25 billion payroll the first demonstration launch. fully launched a Conestoga rocket support program under the govern- Eurocontrol’s member states have A once-crippled B-1B bomber force has ment’s CARES stimulus package, de- agreed to let airlines and private jet op- The Ozone Monitoring Instrument on in September 1982, becoming the recovered significantly since structural spite the surprise disclosure that 30% erators defer payment of up to €1.1 billion NASA’s Aura satellite has shown a 30% world’s first privately funded rocket Read every issue of Aviation and egress system problems grounded will have to be repaid (page 24). ($1.2 billion) in air traffic control fees. drop in air pollution over the Northeast to reach space. Slayton died of brain Week back to 1916 at: U.S as a result of lockdowns to contain cancer in 1993 at the age of 69. archive.aviationweek.com The International Civil Aviation Organi- the COVID-19 pandemic. VIEW FROM WASHINGTON zation is consulting with global public health authorities on a “prototype” pro- A small autonomous helicopter flying as lombo probe, launched in 2018 to study April 9, prepared, if necessary, to continue cess that would validate flight crews— a technology demonstration on NASA’s Mercury, completed a flyby of Earth on minimal staffing through October. COVID-19 Concerns Reach Orbit and, potentially, passengers—have been Mars 2020 mission has been attached to April 10 as a gravity-assist maneuver on Space may seem well-removed from the pandemic gripping the screened for COVID-19. the Perseverance rover in preparation its seven-year journey. Boeing is to conduct a second uncrewed world, but, citing the bankruptcy of satellite operator OneWeb, for launch this summer. flight test of its CST100 Starliner crew an industry trade group is asking the U.S. government to add $2.5 Space-based surveillance provider Aire- A NASA astronaut and two cosmonauts capsule, expected in October, following on and the Civil Air Navigation Services The European Space Agency’s BepiCo- docked to the International Space Station a flawed orbital debut in December. c billion in funding for space programs Organization are to analyze the impact OneWeb declared bankruptcy on March 27, after the assets of of the COVID-19 pandemic on air traffic flows of essential goods and services. primary shareholder SoftBank collapsed amid the novel corona- VENTURE CAPITAL Lessons U.S. venture-capital funding declined 28% during the 2007-09 recession. A similar decline from 2019 funding levels of $136 billion virus pandemic. The U.S. military draws heavily on commercial Aerospace and defense suppliers Wood- implies the industry could shrink by about $39 billion in 2020—more satellite communication and Earth-observation services. Given ward and Hexcel called off their planned From the Last Recession merger due to the COVID-19 pandemic. than the size of the entire market in 2007 —forecasts capital mar- that dependence, the National Security Space Association (NSSA) kets research company PitchBook. is asking the government to help companies survive this downturn. in urban Airbus will continue investing Deal Count 10,951 11,923 air mobility despite shutting down Voom, “From dramatic disruptions to existing contracts and critical 11,177 its on-demand helicopter booking ser- 10,811 9,823 10,572 production lines, to the shrinking of capital markets that fuel the vice, citing the pandemic’s impact. Deal Value (U.S. $ billions) 9,536 136.1 140.8 new space economy, the economic and national security threats to 8,012 the space industrial base from the pandemic are clear and pres- Unmanned aircraft system test sites in 6,864 New York and Virginia have been cho- 5,501 86.2 ent,” says the NSSA. 83.8 79.6 sen to participate in the second phase 4,462 4,795 4,571 72.3 The group is seeking $1 billion for unfunded U.S. Space Force of the FAA’s unmanned traffic manage- 3,377 2,298 requirements in fiscal 2021, $500 million to accelerate existing ment pilot program. 45.1 48.2 38.1 41.4 programs and $500 million to protect commercial communication 36.9 31.6 34.2 Leonardo has completed its $185 million 29.4 27.5 and remote-sensing capabilities. It is also seeking $500 million for takeover of Switzerland’s Kopter Group launch service providers. and its SH09 light single-turbine helicop- 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020* ter from private equity firm Lynwood. Source: PitchBook *as of March 31, 2020

8 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 9 COMMENTARY GOING CONCERNS MICHAEL BRUNO

APRIL IS THE CRUELEST MONTH of giving Washington outright equity in what is the coun- for Boeing. As of April 6, the aerospace try’s biggest exporter and second-biggest defense prime. and defense giant’s Puget Sound, Wash- But that is likely easier said than done. “There ington, sites were closed indefinitely for aren’t many options to explore for Boeing without a deep cleaning, and Boeing is trying to convince workers guarantee from the government,” says Dhierin Bechai, to come back after at an investment advisor least one local death with the Aerospace from the COVID-19 Forum whose Boeing pandemic was report- High Stakes, Deep Cuts analyses are widely Webhed: April Becomes the Worst Month Ever for Boeing—So Far ed in late March. That followed on Seeking same day, the com- Giving equity to Uncle Sam may be the Alpha. The commercial Teaser: The stakes are getting high for Boeing, so giving equity to pany announced that least of Boeing’s worries aviation outlook has Uncle Sam may be the least of the worries facing the embattled work at its factory in turned so bad so rapid- Charleston, South Carolina, was suspended, too. ly that newly minted airliners are being flown to stor- OEM. Meanwhile, Boeing is asking if there are some work- age. Even if commercial credit markets thaw enough for ers who do not want to come back at all. new debt to be taken on, Boeing could get hammered on Primary Category: Aerosp>manufac On April 2, Boeing announced voluntary layoffs, and the terms of that debt. “Doing the math, you can con- CEO and President David Calhoun acknowledged there clude rather quickly that Boeing can sustain a couple of Secondary Category: Aerosp; Aerosp>aircraft; marketplace....and likely will be changes coming to its product lines. But months, but if this is going to last well into late 2020, as monumental as those changes might be, they are not then this is not sustainable,” Bechai said March 31. tag coronavirus the biggest concern. Instead, the OEM first must figure But there probably will be less work in which to be Bullet Points: none needed out how to finance itself through the rest of the year. involved. Any day now, Boeing is expected to announce The numbers were well-publicized in March as the new, lower production rates for 2020 and perhaps for U.S. Congress raced to pass its multitrillion-dollar the longer term. stimulus and relief bill in response to the coronavirus Analysts are lowering their expectations for future pandemic, the CARES Act. Jaws dropped when Boe- production. Rob Stallard and Karl Oehlschlaeger of ing sought a $60 billion aid package for itself and its Vertical Research Partners on March 30 said they en- suppliers as part of the legislative sausage-making. vision a revised requirement for 6,300 new airliners But it is easy to see why it did so: Short-term commer- over the next five years, compared with their previous cial paper financing is frozen as a recession suddenly grips forecast of 8,300. By type, they foresee 1,540 fewer nar- the U.S. and likely the world. Boeing rowbodies and 380 fewer widebod- Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith ies, both roughly 25% cuts versus said access had dried up, at least AIRCRAFT DELIVERIES their prior demand model. temporarily. Calhoun tried to offer a Analysts Sheila Kahyaoglu and brave face and said Boeing has ac- ARE FORECAST TO Greg Konrad of Jefferies on March cess to $15 billion in cash and anoth- 31 forecast that aircraft deliveries er $9.6 billion revolving credit line. will fall about 70% year-over-year So why would Boeing seek gov- FALL ABOUT 70% in 2020, and they reduced their ernment aid? The company ended 2020-23 cumulative delivery es- 2019 with more than $27 billion in timate by around 60%, as airlines debt, doubling the red ink from the YEAR-OVER-YEAR continue to defer deliveries with a year before. By mid-March, before significant portion of the widebody credit markets froze, it had newly IN 2020. fleet parked. opened and then fully drawn down a The Jefferies duo assume Boeing credit line totaling nearly $14 billion. will produce its 787 widebody at an Boeing Commercial Airplanes alone is burning through average rate of four a month this year, stepping up to more than $4 billion a month to bankroll itself and some six in 2021 and 2022. They also forecast 777X deliveries suppliers, starting with Spirit AeroSystems and General at a rate of one per month, “which is quite pessimistic Electric Aviation, and it faces other big bills such as the relative to [an] assumption of three a month.” $4.2 billion acquisition of most of Embraer’s commercial Similarly, Manfred Hader and Robert Thomson of division and $4 billion in debt repayments. Analysts say Roland Berger say a recovery to overall 2019 produc- Boeing could have to nearly double its debt again this tion rates will take two years, albeit faster for Airbus year, especially if the grounded and halted 737 MAX is and longer for Boeing, given the MAX situation. not recertified until late this year due to further delays The new normal for Boeing (and Airbus) is lower for caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. longer when it comes to large commercial aircraft de- Boeing wants either no strings attached on direct U.S. mand. With the MAX already putting it behind, Boeing aid or government guarantees that back its loans from may become eager for any American to boost his or other financiers. Calhoun tried swatting down the idea her stake in the company, even Uncle Sam. c

10 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST COMMENTARY GOING CONCERNS IAI’s Maritime Heron MICHAEL BRUNO Expand Your Horizon

APRIL IS THE CRUELEST MONTH of giving Washington outright equity in what is the coun- for Boeing. As of April 6, the aerospace try’s biggest exporter and second-biggest defense prime. and defense giant’s Puget Sound, Wash- But that is likely easier said than done. “There ington, sites were closed indefinitely for aren’t many options to explore for Boeing without a deep cleaning, and Boeing is trying to convince workers guarantee from the government,” says Dhierin Bechai, to come back after at an investment advisor least one local death with the Aerospace from the COVID-19 Forum whose Boeing pandemic was report- High Stakes, Deep Cuts analyses are widely Webhed: April Becomes the Worst Month Ever for Boeing—So Far ed in late March. That followed on Seeking same day, the com- Giving equity to Uncle Sam may be the Alpha. The commercial Teaser: The stakes are getting high for Boeing, so giving equity to pany announced that least of Boeing’s worries aviation outlook has Uncle Sam may be the least of the worries facing the embattled work at its factory in turned so bad so rapid- Charleston, South Carolina, was suspended, too. ly that newly minted airliners are being flown to stor- OEM. Meanwhile, Boeing is asking if there are some work- age. Even if commercial credit markets thaw enough for ers who do not want to come back at all. new debt to be taken on, Boeing could get hammered on Primary Category: Aerosp>manufac On April 2, Boeing announced voluntary layoffs, and the terms of that debt. “Doing the math, you can con- CEO and President David Calhoun acknowledged there clude rather quickly that Boeing can sustain a couple of Secondary Category: Aerosp; Aerosp>aircraft; marketplace....and likely will be changes coming to its product lines. But months, but if this is going to last well into late 2020, as monumental as those changes might be, they are not then this is not sustainable,” Bechai said March 31. tag coronavirus the biggest concern. Instead, the OEM first must figure But there probably will be less work in which to be Bullet Points: none needed out how to finance itself through the rest of the year. involved. Any day now, Boeing is expected to announce The numbers were well-publicized in March as the new, lower production rates for 2020 and perhaps for U.S. Congress raced to pass its multitrillion-dollar the longer term. stimulus and relief bill in response to the coronavirus Analysts are lowering their expectations for future pandemic, the CARES Act. Jaws dropped when Boe- production. Rob Stallard and Karl Oehlschlaeger of ing sought a $60 billion aid package for itself and its Vertical Research Partners on March 30 said they en- suppliers as part of the legislative sausage-making. vision a revised requirement for 6,300 new airliners But it is easy to see why it did so: Short-term commer- over the next five years, compared with their previous cial paper financing is frozen as a recession suddenly grips forecast of 8,300. By type, they foresee 1,540 fewer nar- the U.S. and likely the world. Boeing rowbodies and 380 fewer widebod- Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith ies, both roughly 25% cuts versus said access had dried up, at least AIRCRAFT DELIVERIES their prior demand model. temporarily. Calhoun tried to offer a Analysts Sheila Kahyaoglu and brave face and said Boeing has ac- ARE FORECAST TO Greg Konrad of Jefferies on March cess to $15 billion in cash and anoth- 31 forecast that aircraft deliveries er $9.6 billion revolving credit line. will fall about 70% year-over-year So why would Boeing seek gov- FALL ABOUT 70% in 2020, and they reduced their ernment aid? The company ended 2020-23 cumulative delivery es- 2019 with more than $27 billion in timate by around 60%, as airlines Ship-borne UAS MOIC - Mission Operation Control Station & Intelligence Center for debt, doubling the red ink from the YEAR-OVER-YEAR continue to defer deliveries with a Naval UAS Missions year before. By mid-March, before significant portion of the widebody credit markets froze, it had newly IN 2020. fleet parked. opened and then fully drawn down a The Jefferies duo assume Boeing credit line totaling nearly $14 billion. will produce its 787 widebody at an Our Experience - Your Winning Solution Boeing Commercial Airplanes alone is burning through average rate of four a month this year, stepping up to more than $4 billion a month to bankroll itself and some six in 2021 and 2022. They also forecast 777X deliveries The all-in-one platform backed by over 1,800,000 operational suppliers, starting with Spirit AeroSystems and General at a rate of one per month, “which is quite pessimistic UAS ﬂight hours, IAI’s Maritime Heron features: Electric Aviation, and it faces other big bills such as the relative to [an] assumption of three a month.” $4.2 billion acquisition of most of Embraer’s commercial Similarly, Manfred Hader and Robert Thomson of • Multiple operational confgurations with a variety of multi-sensor suites division and $4 billion in debt repayments. Analysts say Roland Berger say a recovery to overall 2019 produc- • Payloads: MPR (with Air-to-Air & weather modes, AIS, SAR, ISAR), Boeing could have to nearly double its debt again this tion rates will take two years, albeit faster for Airbus year, especially if the grounded and halted 737 MAX is and longer for Boeing, given the MAX situation. EO/IR, ESM, COMINT not recertified until late this year due to further delays The new normal for Boeing (and Airbus) is lower for • Day & night adverse weather operation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. longer when it comes to large commercial aircraft de- Boeing wants either no strings attached on direct U.S. mand. With the MAX already putting it behind, Boeing • Proven SATCOM capabilities aid or government guarantees that back its loans from may become eager for any American to boost his or www.iai.co.il • [email protected] other financiers. Calhoun tried swatting down the idea her stake in the company, even Uncle Sam. c

10 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST COMMENTARY LEADING EDGE GRAHAM WARWICK

fields you have to be very precise,” he says. “repeatable landings on very short fields needs “within a couple of hundred some autonomy.” feet,” the aircraft would be Another piece of Electra’s able to operate from small, offering will be an Uber-type local STOLports, yet fly in- mobile app to enable on-de- tercity distances. mand booking and manage the Langford is working switching between transpor- with Mark Drela and John tation modes to enable seam- Hansman, professors in the less regional travel. “One of Massachusetts Institute of AW&ST ARCHIVE the big questions is going to be Technology’s (MIT) department of aeronautics and as- the mixture in demand between scheduled and on-de- tronautics. With Aurora’s support, the MIT team has mand,” he says. already flown a one-third-scale model of a super-STOL Planned to launch this summer, Electra is initially concept using distributed electric propulsion to blow the funded by Langford from money he received for selling wing and flaps, increasing lift at low airspeed. Aurora to Boeing. But he says the company will have to If successful, Electra will help a class of aircraft re- raise “many hundreds of millions, probably approach- turn to the skies that has not been seen for a genera- ing $1 billion” through a couple of investment rounds to tion, Langford says, pointing to previous powered-lift take the aircraft through certification, which is expect- STOL designs including the 1960s’ Breguet 941 and ed to take about five years. NASA’s Quiet STOL Research Aircraft of the 1970s. Electra hopes to fly a full-size, two-seat demonstra- At that time, he notes, both NASA and the FAA fore- tor, designed by the MIT team, within a year of the casted that STOL airliners would be the future of COVID-19 novel coronavirus restrictions lifting. For short-haul air transportation. now, it is a virtual endeavor with a team of about 10 But extreme STOL performance requires multi- people working from home. But Langford’s goal is to ple turbine engines to blow the wing and flaps, which build a company similar to Pilatus Aircraft—“high means high maintenance costs, so the idea never took quality and highly regarded in a meaningful niche in off. Now, the low energy and maintenance costs of dis- the market, but not trying to do everything.” c

12 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST COMMENTARY LEADING EDGE Unprecedented times require GRAHAM WARWICK Reliable Aerospace & Defense Market Forecasts.

THERE ARE SOME WHO BELIEVE tributed electric propulsion are making powered lift advanced air mobility is about more than attractive again. urban air taxis and vertical takeoff and While Langford is a believer in electric vertical take- landing. John Langford, founder and for- off and landing (eVTOL) and urban air mobility, he sees mer CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences, is one. economic advantages to STOL. “When you look at the Langford, who finally left Aurora in January after energy costs of doing VTOL versus some kind of super- selling the company to Boeing in 2017, has formed a STOL concept, super-STOL has a large advantage and new company, Electra.aero, focused on applying hy- almost as good a balanced field length,” he says. brid-electric propulsion to regional mobility. Now in the Super-STOL aircraft could operate from the same initial design phase, the company is looking at aircraft vertiports as eVTOLs and also provide services to ranging from 4-6 to 35-40 seats that are able to fly 50- connect cities. Compared with short intracity hops, re- 500-mi. stage lengths. gional super-STOLs flying longer distances could offer The Aurora founder’s new vision is to use powered greater door-to-door time savings that passengers may lift enabled by distributed hybrid-electric propulsion be more willing to pay a premium for, Langford says. to achieve extreme short-takeoff-and-landing perfor- Also, Langford believes urban air taxis can only be mance, or super-STOL. Capable of taking off or landing economically viable with full autonomy replacing the pilot. “Economically, you can’t operate at scale with pilots when you are carrying two people.” And certifying full autonomy “is very much, in my belief, a job for a big company” like Airbus or Boeing. Electra plans to use autonomy to augment—not replace—the pilot. “If you are operating into very small Short-Field Short-Haul Aurora founder eyes hybrid-electric super- MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MASSACHUSETTS STOL regional mobility fields you have to be very precise,” he says. “repeatable landings on very short fields needs “within a couple of hundred some autonomy.” feet,” the aircraft would be Another piece of Electra’s able to operate from small, offering will be an Uber-type local STOLports, yet fly in- mobile app to enable on-de- tercity distances. mand booking and manage the Langford is working switching between transpor- with Mark Drela and John tation modes to enable seam- Hansman, professors in the less regional travel. “One of Massachusetts Institute of AW&ST ARCHIVE the big questions is going to be Technology’s (MIT) department of aeronautics and as- the mixture in demand between scheduled and on-de- tronautics. With Aurora’s support, the MIT team has mand,” he says. already flown a one-third-scale model of a super-STOL Planned to launch this summer, Electra is initially concept using distributed electric propulsion to blow the funded by Langford from money he received for selling wing and flaps, increasing lift at low airspeed. Aurora to Boeing. But he says the company will have to If successful, Electra will help a class of aircraft re- raise “many hundreds of millions, probably approach- turn to the skies that has not been seen for a genera- ing $1 billion” through a couple of investment rounds to tion, Langford says, pointing to previous powered-lift take the aircraft through certification, which is expect- STOL designs including the 1960s’ Breguet 941 and ed to take about five years. NASA’s Quiet STOL Research Aircraft of the 1970s. Electra hopes to fly a full-size, two-seat demonstra- forecastinternational.com At that time, he notes, both NASA and the FAA fore- tor, designed by the MIT team, within a year of the casted that STOL airliners would be the future of COVID-19 novel coronavirus restrictions lifting. For [email protected] short-haul air transportation. now, it is a virtual endeavor with a team of about 10 But extreme STOL performance requires multi- people working from home. But Langford’s goal is to ple turbine engines to blow the wing and flaps, which build a company similar to Pilatus Aircraft—“high 203.426.0800 means high maintenance costs, so the idea never took quality and highly regarded in a meaningful niche in off. Now, the low energy and maintenance costs of dis- the market, but not trying to do everything.” c

12 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST COMMENTARY THE LAUNCHPAD IRENE KLOTZ

THE LAST TIME A ROCKET LIFTED OFF hicles have to dogleg around the Canadian province of from Florida to put a satellite into a polar Newfoundland to avoid first-stage flight over populat- orbit, the booster failed, raining debris ed areas. “You lose a lot of energy when you go north,” over Cuba. Engine parts were reportedly says Monteith. handed over to Russia and China for analysis, and a sto- At the time, the Air Force was also working with ry circulated about a not-so-proverbial sacrificial cow SpaceX to test and certify an autonomous flight safety being felled by a falling piece of wreckage. system (AFSS) for its Falcon rockets. The AFSS would “Havana charged that a cow was killed in a delib- alleviate the need for downrange tracking systems to erate U.S. action,” George Tenet, former director of relay a destruct signal in case the booster veered off the Central Intelligence Agen- course and posed a threat to pop- cy, said during a speech at the ulated areas. National Reconnaissance Of- Cape Goes Polar “SpaceX at that time supplied fice 40th Anniversary Gala on us with notional flight data [for Sept. 27, 2000. Saocom launch will be first polar polar trajectory from the Cape], “The Cubans soon paraded flight from Florida in60 years and we did the initial safety anal- another cow through the streets ysis,” Monteith says. “I say ‘initial’ with a placard reading: ‘Eisen- because there was no projected hower, you murdered one of my mission at that time.” sisters.’ It was the first—and There is now. SpaceX plans last—time that a satellite has been to launch Argentina’s Earth-ob- used in the production of ground serving Saocom 1B satellite from beef,” Tenet quipped. Cape Canaveral into a near-polar, The incident spurred the U.S. sun-synchronous orbit about to abandon polar launches from 390 mi. above Earth. The flight, Florida and shift those missions originally targeted for late March, instead to Pacific Coast launch was postponed due to travel re- sites in California and Alaska. strictions imposed to help combat But the restriction, which has the spread of COVID-19. The com- remained in effect for nearly 60 pany also has not yet received its years, is about to be lifted. FAA license to fly. A new generation of rockets “We are in the throes of doing outfitted with automated flight the actual analysis, based on a safety systems is once again mak- launch that has been submitted ing the polar corridor an option for a license,” Monteith says. “It’s for Florida launches, says U.S. really pretty exciting if you think Air Force Brig. Gen. (ret.) Wayne about it—for the first time in what Monteith, who now serves as as- AW&ST ARCHIVE would be 60 years doing this flight sociate administrator for the FAA’s Commercial Space trajectory,” he adds. “What is allowing that to occur Transportation Office. [are] the advances in technology.” In 2016, when Monteith was the director of the Air The SpaceX mission, which has not yet been re- Force’s Eastern Range at Patrick AFB, Florida, and the scheduled, will still overfly Cuba, but by then its first commander of the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral, stage will have separated, leaving powered flight to widespread fires in California temporarily shut down the second stage. It will pass over Cuba at an altitude operations at Vandenberg AFB. of about 300 mi., the FAA says. “The fires were so intense they took down power Rockets flying east from Cape Canaveral typically lines, and as I recall they melted some of the fiber-optic have second-stage flight over Europe or Africa, so the backbone,” Monteith tells Aviation Week. “There was polar trajectory is not considered any higher risk to a lot of consternation about what would happen if we public safety, the FAA analysis shows. needed to support . . . something into polar or sun-syn- SpaceX is planning to fly up to seven polar missions chronous orbit and Vandenberg was unavailable.” from Florida a year, according to a draft environmen- Monteith directed his team to start researching po- tal impact analysis posted on the FAA’s website. And lar orbits from Cape Canaveral. “We really started it it is not the only one looking at polar trajectories from out as a sort of science project: Is it something that’s the Cape. even possible, given the last anomaly?” he says. “Once you had a company that could successfully In addition to the famed failed flight over Cuba, demonstrate it, then you would anticipate that other Monteith’s team found a few examples of rockets companies may follow suit,” says Monteith. “You’re heading north from Florida to reach polar orbits. looking for that trailblazer to go through any regulato- However, the problem with that trajectory is that very and safety hurdles.” c

14 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST COMMENTARY THE LAUNCHPAD IRENE KLOTZ

THE LAST TIME A ROCKETLIFTED OFF hicles have to dogleg around the Canadian province of from Florida to put a satellite into a polar Newfoundland to avoid first-stage flight over populat- orbit, the booster failed, raining debris ed areas. “You lose a lot of energy when you go north,” over Cuba. Engine parts were reportedly says Monteith. handed over to Russia and China for analysis, and a sto- At the time, the Air Force was also working with ry circulated about a not-so-proverbial sacrificial cow SpaceX to test and certify an autonomous flight safety being felled by a falling piece of wreckage. system (AFSS) for its Falcon rockets. The AFSS would “Havana charged that a cow was killed in a delib - alleviate the need for downrange tracking systems to erate U.S. action,” George Tenet, former director of relay a destruct signal in case the booster veered off the Central Intelligence Agen- course and posed a threat to pop- cy, said during a speech at the ulated areas. National Reconnaissance Of- Cape Goes Polar “SpaceX at that time supplied fice 40th Anniversary Gala on us with notional flight data [for The Smarter, Faster Way Sept. 27, 2000. Satcom launch will be first polar polar trajectory from the Cape], “The Cubans soon paraded flight from Florida in 60 years and we did the initial safety anal- another cow through the streets ysis,” Monteith says. “I say ‘initial’ to Grow Your Business with a placard reading: ‘Eisen- because there was no projected hower, you murdered one of my mission at that time.” sisters.’ It was the first—and There is now. SpaceX plans Locate new business with Aviation Week Intelligence Network’s (AWIN) last—time that a satellite has been to launch Argentina’s Earth-ob- used in the production of ground serving Saocom 1B satellite from authoritative market insights and company, program, ﬂeet and contact databases beef,” Tenet quipped. Cape Canaveral into a near-polar, The incident spurred the U.S. sun-synchronous orbit about covering the global aviation, aerospace and defense community. to abandon polar launches from 390 mi. above Earth. The flight, Florida and shift those missions originally targeted for late March, instead to Pacific Coast launch was postponed due to travel re- sites in California and Alaska. strictions imposed to help combat But the restriction, which has the spread of COVID-19. The com- remained in effect for nearly 60 pany also has not yet received its years, is about to be lifted. FAA license to fly. A new generation of rockets “We are in the throes of doing outfitted with automated flight the actual analysis, based on a safety systems is once again mak- launch that has been submitted ing the polar corridor an option for a license,” Monteith says. “It’s for Florida launches, says U.S. really pretty exciting if you think Air Force Brig. Gen. (ret.) Wayne about it—for the first time in what Monteith, who now serves as as- AW&ST ARCHIVE would be 60 years doing this flight sociate administrator for the FAA’s Commercial Space trajectory,” he adds. “What is allowing that to occur Transportation Office. [are] the advances in technology.” In 2016, when Monteith was the director of the Air The SpaceX mission, which has not yet been re- Force’s Eastern Range at Patrick AFB, Florida, and the scheduled, will still overfly Cuba, but by then its first commander of the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral, stage will have separated, leaving powered flight to widespread fires in California temporarily shut down the second stage. It will pass over Cuba at an altitude Become a member today. operations at Vandenberg AFB. of about 300 mi., the FAA says. “The fires were so intense they took down power Rockets flying east from Cape Canaveral typically Visit aviationweek.com/AWINinfo to schedule your demo. lines, and as I recall they melted some of the fiber-optic have second-stage flight over Europe or Africa, so the backbone,” Monteith tells Aviation Week. “There was polar trajectory is not considered any higher risk to a lot of consternation about what would happen if we public safety, the FAA analysis shows. needed to support . . . something into polar or sun-syn- SpaceX is planning to fly up to seven polar missions chronous orbit and Vandenberg was unavailable.” from Florida a year, according to a draft environmen- Monteith directed his team to start researching po- tal impact analysis posted on the FAA’s website. And lar orbits from Cape Canaveral. “We really started it it is not the only one looking at polar trajectories from out as a sort of science project: Is it something that’s the Cape. even possible, given the last anomaly?” he says. “Once you had a company that could successfully In addition to the famed failed flight over Cuba, demonstrate it, then you would anticipate that other Monteith’s team found a few examples of rockets companies may follow suit,” says Monteith. “You’re Or call or heading north from Florida to reach polar orbits. looking for that trailblazer to go through any regulato- Anne McMahon at +1 646 291 6353 However, the problem with that trajectory is that very and safety hurdles.” c Thom Clayton +44 (0) 20 7017 6106

14 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE > Defense contractors’ long-term outlook p. 19 NATO vs. COVID-19 p. 20 U.S. Army rotor refresh pp. 38-42 U.S. Navy welcomes CMV-22 p. 43 Tilting Into the 2020s p. 45 Leonardo’s xPlorer p. 47 DIGITAL DRAGON LADY

> AVIONICS TECH REFRESH INCLUDES NEW MISSION COMPUTER AND COCKPIT DISPLAYS

> UPDATE PROVIDES BRIDGE TO FOLLOW-ON UPGRADES PLANNED UNDER DRAGON STAR

> THE ATR-CONFIGURED U-2S MAY BE USED AS A TESTBED FOR ABMS, LOCKHEED SAYS

Guy Norris Los Angeles fter shrugging off the recurring threat of replacement is “a replacement for the existing avionics processor, which is experiencing by unmanned systems, the U-2S is poised for a compre- a lot of diminishing manufacturing hensive avionics upgrade that Lockheed Martin says sources,” says Sean Thatcher, U-2 mod- will position the spy plane for follow-on capability en- ernization program manager. Finding a A replacement “is really the genesis from hancements and a new lease on life at the heart of the U.S. Air where the ‘tech refresh’ components Force’s ambitious Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) came in for the aircraft,” he adds. command and control plan. Other key elements include a mission computer, which “is actually a The Air Force’s $50 million in- the late 1980s and ’90s and have only new addition to the U-2, and that’s vestment in Lockheed Martin Skunk averaged about 17,000 flight hours, so really what starts to grow the mission Works’ Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) [they] have about 80% of their airframe itself,” Thatcher says. upgrade forms the latest part of a life remaining and still have so much The mission computer is designed broader update plan funded through more to give.” to the Air Force’s open mission sys- fiscal 2025 and underpins the service’s The upgrade is “about growing the tems (OMS) standard, which will renewed intent to grow the strategic mission,” Helley adds. “We are re - enable the aircraft to integrate at and tactical roles of the venerable in- vamping all of the avionics [in a] sys- various security levels with systems telligence, surveillance and reconnais- tem [that] really hasn’t been revisited across air, space, sea, land and cyber sance (ISR) platform. It also confirms since the early 2000s.” domains. “We’re taking the OMS stan- Air Force plans to keep the U-2S in Lockheed says the updated avion- dard throughout the entire suite, so service as a complement to the un- ics system provides the backbone for everything will be able to ride within manned Northrop Grumman RQ-4 enhanced mission capabilities and the same network. Instead of being Global Hawk, reversing earlier moves will build a bridge to a wider series of federated and their own little system, to sunset the fleet. follow-on upgrades. Internally called they’ll now be able to communicate “We’re really breathing new life into Dragon STAR (Sensors Technology and with one another to allow that broader the capabilities of this platform,” says Avionics Refresh), this broader long- system to be much more capable.” Irene Helley, U-2 program director term initiative also includes additional Lockheed confirms the upgrade for Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. sensor technology and systems updates. incorporates the Enterprise Mission “Most of these jets were being built in The core of the avionics suite update Computer 2 (EMC2), a company-devel-

16 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE > Defense contractors’ long-term outlook p. 19 NATO vs. COVID-19 p. 20 U.S. Army rotor refresh pp. 38-42 U.S. Navy welcomes CMV-22 p. 43 Tilting Into the 2020s p. 45 Leonardo’s xPlorer p. 47

The U-2S cockpit was last mod- vanced” and embraces a more com- ernized under the Reconnaissance prehensive Air Force ambition to share Avionics Maintainability Program, data with and between Army, Navy and which was completed in 2007. As well Marine Corps assets across land, sea, DIGITAL DRAGONDRAGON LADYLADY as providing a new main avionics pro- air and space domains. Now, as the cessor, three 6 X 8-in. multifunction Skunk Works begins funded work on displays and a secondary flight display the initial U-2 avionics modification, system, the upgrade also included a Lockheed also believes the compa- BAE Systems ALQ-221 advanced de- ny’s ability to fast-track development fensive system that incorporated both efforts could play a key role in early electronic countermeasures and radar test and deployment of the ABMS. warning receivers. “There’s so much talk about what Helley says the enhanced displays the future holds for JADC2 (joint will enable pilots to “collect data and all-domain command and control),” The first ATR-configured aircraft will AVIONICS TECH REFRESH respond faster” as well as “allow them Helley says. “Because of our ability to > have initial capability in 2021 to make better and [more] informed take the concept straight to demon- INCLUDES NEW MISSION with upgrades to other aircraft to decisions.” Part of this will include com- stration—and then to have the capa- COMPUTER AND COCKPIT follow from 2022 onward. municating and connecting with both bility in the field in months, rather DISPLAYS fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft via than years—the U-2 has really become multiple tactical data links such as Link the perfect testbed to prove out those 16, the F-35’s fast-switching narrow capabilities. With this avionics tech UPDATE PROVIDES BRIDGE TO FOLLOW-ON directional multifunction advanced refresh effort, we’re looking to be the > data link and the F-22’s low-proba- first fully OMS-compliant fleet out UPGRADES PLANNED UNDER DRAGON STAR bility-of-detection and low-probabili- there in the Air Force today.” ty-of-intercept inflight data link. Given The upgraded U-2 “really is going to that none of these data links are com- be kind of a testbed truck for whatev- > THE ATR-CONFIGURED U-2S MAY BE USED AS patible, the U-2S will communicate er those future platforms of 2030 will A TESTBED FOR ABMS, LOCKHEED SAYS U-2 Upgrades Planned and in Progress

LOCKHEED MARTIN CONCEPT INCREASED BANDWIDTH INCREASED BANDWIDTH Guy Norris Los Angeles BEYOND LINE OF SIGHT WITHIN LINE OF SIGHT NEXT-GEN fter shrugging off the recurring threat of replacement is “a replacement for the existing avi- oped system nicknamed the “Einstein SIGNALS onics processor, which is experiencing Box” that first publicly emerged in mid- INTELLIGENCE by unmanned systems, the U-2S is poised for a compre- a lot of diminishing manufacturing 2017, when it was tested on a modified hensive avionics upgrade that Lockheed Martin says sources,” says Sean Thatcher, U-2 mod- U-2 taking part in demonstrations of will position the spy plane for follow-on capability en- ernization program manager. Finding a advanced battlefield communications A replacement “is really the genesis from systems during a training exercise. hancements and a new lease on life at the heart of the U.S. Air where the ‘tech refresh’ components Originally described as a “plug-and- Force’s ambitious Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) came in for the aircraft,” he adds. play” system that bolts on to the avi- command and control plan. Other key elements include a mis- onics processor, the EMC2 also incor- sion computer, which “is actually a porates wider capabilities including NEXT-GEN

The Air Force’s $50 million in- the late 1980s and ’90s and have only new addition to the U-2, and that’s dynamic mission replanning, ISR and RADAR OR LOCKHEED MARTIN ELECTRO-OPTICAL/ vestment in Lockheed Martin Skunk averaged about 17,000 flight hours, so really what starts to grow the mission electronic warfare capabilities. INFRA-RED Works’ Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) [they] have about 80% of their airframe itself,” Thatcher says. The update also includes modern NEXT-GEN AVIONICS, upgrade forms the latest part of a life remaining and still have so much The mission computer is designed touch screen cockpit displays. “We OPEN MISSION SYSTEM, broader update plan funded through more to give.” to the Air Force’s open mission sys- are making those displays higher NAVIGATION UPGRADES fiscal 2025 and underpins the service’s The upgrade is “about growing the tems (OMS) standard, which will resolution for the pilots to see more renewed intent to grow the strategic mission,” Helley adds. “We are re - enable the aircraft to integrate at and do more within the same physical and tactical roles of the venerable in- vamping all of the avionics [in a] sys- various security levels with systems area,” says Thatcher. “They will have a Avionics upgrades (marked in squares) will enable a raft of follow-on system telligence, surveillance and reconnais- tem [that] really hasn’t been revisited across air, space, sea, land and cyber higher pixel resolution as well as add updates that dovetail with others already underway. sance (ISR) platform. It also confirms since the early 2000s.” domains. “We’re taking the OMS stan- some touch playing abilities. And we Air Force plans to keep the U-2S in Lockheed says the updated avion- dard throughout the entire suite, so are also looking at upgrading other with all versions through the EMC2. look like,” Helley says. “It will be able service as a complement to the un- ics system provides the backbone for everything will be able to ride within cockpit systems, to bring it up to a The ATR upgrade puts the high-al- to buy down the risk of those technol- manned Northrop Grumman RQ-4 enhanced mission capabilities and the same network. Instead of being more modern standard.” titude-capable U-2 on the path toward ogies and also serve the warfighter Global Hawk, reversing earlier moves will build a bridge to a wider series of federated and their own little system, There also will be a focus on soft- providing the Air Force with a key node in today’s mission abroad.” Lockheed to sunset the fleet. follow-on upgrades. Internally called they’ll now be able to communicate ware-driven display changes, he adds. in the service’s ABMS network con- aims to field an interim capacity be- “We’re really breathing new life into Dragon STAR (Sensors Technology and with one another to allow that broader “Pilots will be able to have more inter- struct, a vision that Lockheed Martin ginning as early as mid-2021 and hopes the capabilities of this platform,” says Avionics Refresh), this broader long- system to be much more capable.” action with maps and other informa- has been steering the aircraft toward to begin the whole fleet modification Irene Helley, U-2 program director term initiative also includes additional Lockheed confirms the upgrade tion that you would see in a modern for several years. Originally conceived effort in early 2022. for Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. sensor technology and systems updates. incorporates the Enterprise Mission jetliner.” The provider of the display as the Airborne Battle Management Looking further ahead under the “Most of these jets were being built in The core of the avionics suite update Computer 2 (EMC2), a company-devel- system has not yet been announced. System, the “A” now stands for “Ad- Dragon STAR plan, the ATR “bridges

16 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 17 DEFENSE

the way for the U-2 mission to add in Improvements to the BAE Systems fort zone. But we ultimately want to next-generation sensors such as a ra- ALQ-221 advanced defensive system have [enhanced navigation capability] dar or electro-optic/infrared sensor up are also included in the upgrade. baked in as the ultimate PNT source in the nose,” Thatcher says. “We are “We are talking about being able to for the U-2, and also to have the ability also looking at opportunities for Sigint host agile pods that give new mission to share that data with the other sys- [signals intelligence] to be able to come capability at a rapid pace to support tems that are onboard the aircraft.” in rapidly.” In addition to providing a any given warfighter needs that come Along with these operational im- “gateway in the sky” for tactical data up,” Thatcher adds, referencing sys- provements, other upgrades are in links, he adds the upgrade plan “will tems such as the recently developed the works to address obsolescence also look at increasing the bandwidth Air Force Research Laboratory Agile concerns with airframe sustainment, that can go over some of the existing Pod—a reconfigurable sensor and com- the helmet and full-pressure suit, and links as well, both on the line-of-sight munications payload system. Universal (formerly Unmanned) Aero- space Systems Command and Control Standard Initiative standards compliance. Beyond this, more upgrades— some of them secret—are planned,

LOCKHEED MARTIN says Helley. “There are a number of other refresh modernization efforts that we are working on with our affil- iates, but right now we’re still in the early planning phases of those efforts. We are not quite to the place where we can talk about them in greater detail, and a number of those items will probably remain on the classified side of the fence,” she adds. Expanding U-2S mission capability forms one of three strategic program goals for the airframe, Helley says. “For the modernization, we’ve been growing our engineering and manufacturing team.” Another is growing the fleet. “So we’ve been working in ways to increase the rate at which we do PDM The rebuild of damaged U-2S 80-1099 is underway following loading of the [programmed depot maintenance], as fuselage into the RF50 tool. well as introducing another tail number back into the fleet,” she adds, referring and beyond-line-of-sight links.” The overall upgrade plan also ad- to the refurbishment of tail number 80- Many of these elements are either dresses improvements to the aircraft’s 1099. That aircraft is a single-seat model already underway or in planning. Flight future precision navigation and tim- that was damaged in an August 2008 tests of the first production version of ing (PNT) capability. U-2 pilots are ground accident at Al Dhafra airbase, the upgraded Raytheon ASARS-2B now being given Garmin D2 Charlie in the United Arab Emirates. Together primary surveillance radar are due to wristwatches that provide location with the rebuilt aircraft and four two- start in 2021, although the Air Force and waypoint positioning information seat trainers, the planned upgraded is expected to issue a request for pro- based on GPS and Global Navigation fleet will number 31 aircraft. posals for the follow-on ASARS-2C up- Satellite System signals to augment “They recently loaded that tail grade in fiscal 2022. The move to the the aircraft’s navigation systems. [1099] into the main tool, which be - -2C standard will involve upgrading However, for the near term, navigation gins the main rework on the areas that the radar processor to exploit the full enhancements will include improved were damaged,” Helley says. “So the potential of the active, electronically map displays as part of the cockpit restoration processes will be worked scanned array antenna being intro- avionics upgrade. on over the next year. It will be im- duced with the -2B. Other, longer-term changes are mediately followed by program depot The Air Force, Lockheed and Collins planned, including adding a star-track- maintenance, and they’re anticipating Aerospace also announced in February ing system and replacing the current a return to service as early as 2022.” c that flight testing and deployment of inertial navigation and GPS system. the latest variant of the Senior Year “We are definitely looking at being Digital Extras Read then-Editor-In-Chief Electro-Optical Reconnaissance Sys- able to provide that [capability] into David M. North’s 1999 U-2 pilot report in tem (SYERS) sensor, SYERS-2C, has the backbone of the aircraft, too, the AW&ST archive.aviationweek.com/ been completed. Meanwhile, Northrop and to not have the pilots need that issue/19990412#!&pid=60 Grumman is upgrading the Airborne reliance upon other technologies,” See Guy Norris’ gallery on the Dragon Lady Signals Intelligence Payload system Thatcher says. “That’s not to say that at 65: https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/ that flies on the U-2 to provide cyber- they would ever get rid of [the wrist lockheed-martins-dragon-lady-65 security and systems enhancements. watch] or not want to have it as a com-

18 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE the way for the U-2 mission to add in Improvements to the BAE Systems fort zone. But we ultimately want to Defense Primes Still Working Amid governments to delay scheduled pro- next-generation sensors such as a ra- ALQ-221 advanced defensive system have [enhanced navigation capability] curements. Argentina, for example, dar or electro-optic/infrared sensor up are also included in the upgrade. baked in as the ultimate PNT source Uncertain Long-Term Budget Outlook indefinitely deferred a planned or- in the nose,” Thatcher says. “We are “We are talking about being able to for the U-2, and also to have the ability der of Korea Aerospace Industries/ also looking at opportunities for Sigint host agile pods that give new mission to share that data with the other sys- Lockheed Martin F/A-50 light attack [signals intelligence] to be able to come capability at a rapid pace to support tems that are onboard the aircraft.” > PENTAGON LOOSENS CONTRACT PAYMENT RULES aircraft. In Europe, Croatia suspend- in rapidly.” In addition to providing a any given warfighter needs that come Along with these operational im- ed the procurement process for a “gateway in the sky” for tactical data up,” Thatcher adds, referencing sys- provements, other upgrades are in > WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, DEFENSE PRODUCTION IS ON TRACK long-awaited replacement to the Bal- links, he adds the upgrade plan “will tems such as the recently developed the works to address obsolescence kan country’s Soviet-era MiG-21 fleet. also look at increasing the bandwidth Air Force Research Laboratory Agile concerns with airframe sustainment, Steve Trimble Washington U.S. defense spending was already that can go over some of the existing Pod—a reconfigurable sensor and com- the helmet and full-pressure suit, and expected to peak under the $712 billion links as well, both on the line-of-sight munications payload system. Universal (formerly Unmanned) Aero- lbit Systems of America had ued operating without any stoppages. budget alloted for fiscal 2020. As the space Systems Command and Control everything set up on April 10 to However, the defense sector is not Pentagon continues to defend a $705 Standard Initiative standards compli- Epublicize a self-defense system immune to all maladies. A Lockheed billion spending request for fiscal 2021 ance. Beyond this, more upgrades— upgrade for the Air National Guard Martin employee in Fort Worth died and begins compiling the fiscal 2022 some of them secret—are planned, and Air Force Reserve Command F-16 on April 11, six days after reporting spending plan, the proposals face a

LOCKHEED MARTIN says Helley. “There are a number of fleet—except one last detail. COVID-19 symptoms to a supervisor. new economic future. The Pentagon other refresh modernization efforts Internal social-distancing direc- Lockheed also advised any colleagues released the fiscal 2021 request on that we are working on with our affil- tives—due to concerns about the who might have had contact with the Feb. 10, only six weeks before the global iates, but right now we’re still in the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic— employee in question to self-quaran- pandemic prompted Congress to pass early planning phases of those efforts. ruled out an in-person signing ceremony tine, but operations continued. the $2 trillion CARES Act and the Fed- We are not quite to the place where between the U.S. military and Elbit, so A different set of challenges has eral Reserve to take steps to provide up we can talk about them in greater de- Air Force and company officials instead affected the defense sector’s teams to another $2.3 trillion more in loans. tail, and a number of those items will met virtually on the Zoom videoconfer- of engineers and office workers. With During defense spending downturns, probably remain on the classified side encing application. The U.S. subsidiary many working from home or in offic- military suppliers often look to the of the fence,” she adds. of the Israeli contractor announced the es rearranged to accommodate social commercial sector for growth. With Expanding U-2S mission capability deal minutes after the ceremony ended. distancing guidelines, program offi- the airline market facing an uncertain forms one of three strategic program “It’s just to demonstrate to every- cials are scrambling to develop work- long-term recovery, some defense con- goals for the airframe, Helley says. “For body that even with this pandemic we arounds for routine activities such as tractors are seeking refuge in other the modernization, we’ve been grow- can get things done and moving for- in-person design reviews. markets, such as healthcare. Horowitz ing our engineering and manufactur- ward,” says Raanan Horowitz, CEO of In Washington, Pentagon officials notes that one of Elbit’s subsidiary coming team.” Another is growing the fleet. Elbit Systems of America. have loosened certain federal acquisi- panies based in New Hampshire makes “So we’ve been working in ways to in- For the most part, the U.S. and tion regulations in order to allow the devices used for blood testing. Hospitals crease the rate at which we do PDM global defense sectors continue to government to reimburse contrac- have started to convert the devices to The rebuild of damaged U-2S 80-1099 is underway following loading of the [programmed depot maintenance], as move forward with few operational tors—even if precautions for COVID-19 test for COVID-19 infections, he says. fuselage into the RF50 tool. well as introducing another tail number disruptions reported through mid- meant work was delayed. But the U.S. The subsidiary specializes in back into the fleet,” she adds, referring April. Nevertheless, executives and military’s leadership has struggled with “high-volume, very capable diagnostic and beyond-line-of-sight links.” The overall upgrade plan also ad- to the refurbishment of tail number 80- defense officials remain wary of the basic operational issues, including how test equipment that’s exactly fit for any- Many of these elements are either dresses improvements to the aircraft’s 1099. That aircraft is a single-seat model spread of the COVID-19 illness and the to evacuate virus-stricken naval ships. thing to do with blood analysis,” Horow- already underway or in planning. Flight future precision navigation and tim- that was damaged in an August 2008 long-term effects on spending priori- Additionally, the economic impact itz says. “As we speak, we definitely tests of the first production version of ing (PNT) capability. U-2 pilots are ground accident at Al Dhafra airbase, ties and available resources. of the pandemic has prompted some see that area growing significantly.”c the upgraded Raytheon ASARS-2B now being given Garmin D2 Charlie in the United Arab Emirates. Together In the U.S., Boeing shut down as- LOCKHEED MARTIN primary surveillance radar are due to wristwatches that provide location with the rebuilt aircraft and four two- sembly of the KC-46 and P-8A com- start in 2021, although the Air Force and waypoint positioning information seat trainers, the planned upgraded mercial aircraft derivatives in the is expected to issue a request for pro- based on GPS and Global Navigation fleet will number 31 aircraft. Seattle area for three weeks. The posals for the follow-on ASARS-2C up- Satellite System signals to augment “They recently loaded that tail manufacturer resumed operations grade in fiscal 2022. The move to the the aircraft’s navigation systems. [1099] into the main tool, which be - for both defense programs on April -2C standard will involve upgrading However, for the near term, navigation gins the main rework on the areas that 13 even as commercial aircraft pro- the radar processor to exploit the full enhancements will include improved were damaged,” Helley says. “So the duction remained on indefinite hiatus. potential of the active, electronically map displays as part of the cockpit restoration processes will be worked In a parallel development, a two-week scanned array antenna being intro- avionics upgrade. on over the next year. It will be im- production stoppage for Boeing’s H-47 duced with the -2B. Other, longer-term changes are mediately followed by program depot and V-22 fuselage lines in Philadelphia The Air Force, Lockheed and Collins planned, including adding a star-track- maintenance, and they’re anticipating is expected to be lifted on April 20. Aerospace also announced in February ing system and replacing the current a return to service as early as 2022.” c Elsewhere, the defense supply chain that flight testing and deployment of inertial navigation and GPS system. remains active. Although Boeing the latest variant of the Senior Year “We are definitely looking at being Digital Extras Read then-Editor-In-Chief stopped work in Seattle and Philadel- Electro-Optical Reconnaissance Sys- able to provide that [capability] into David M. North’s 1999 U-2 pilot report in phia, the company’s fighter production tem (SYERS) sensor, SYERS-2C, has the backbone of the aircraft, too, the AW&ST archive.aviationweek.com/ lines in St. Louis continued operating been completed. Meanwhile, Northrop and to not have the pilots need that (the Qatari Air Force F-15QA achieved issue/19990412#!&pid=60 Grumman is upgrading the Airborne reliance upon other technologies,” a first flight on April 13). The military’s See Guy Norris’ gallery on the Dragon Lady Lockheed Martin’s mile-long F-35 assembly line, pictured here in 2012, is Signals Intelligence Payload system Thatcher says. “That’s not to say that at 65: https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/ sprawling network of aircraft repair that flies on the U-2 to provide cyber- they would ever get rid of [the wrist lockheed-martins-dragon-lady-65 depots and the Defense Logistics Agen- continuing to operate. An employee died several days after entering security and systems enhancements. watch] or not want to have it as a com- cy’s parts distribution hubs also contin- quarantine and complaining of virus symptoms.

18 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 19 DEFENSE

Airlift Initiative Propels NATO land, for example, may normally have to secure diplomatic clearance from COVID-19 Efforts 5-6 different countries before the departure date. Such clearances can > RAPID AIR MOBILITY FLIGHTS USE THE TRIGRAPH “OAN” take days or even weeks to acquire. Nations that request a RAM flight, > NATO WANTS DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCES FAST-TRACKED IN 24 HR. however, receive a special call sign with the trigraph “OAN” from Supreme Tony Osborne London Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). With an OAN call sign, dip- ust a few weeks ago, the idea Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). lomatic clearances are fast-tracked, that a Turkish military aircraft The initiative achieved an initial and the flight can be waved through Jwould perform a medical aid operating capacity last October. “We the airspace of different countries by flight to the UK would have seemed decided there might be moments in air navigation service providers. extraordinary. this crisis for which this proves use- The Turkish Air Force flight used The April 10 mission from Anka- ful to move around medical supplies, the call sign OAN2901. Under OAN, ra to RAF Brize Norton, England, patients or medical teams,” Camille the allies have agreed to fast-track flown by an Airbus A400M not only Grand, NATO assistant secretary clearance in 48 hr., with the aim of demonstrated Turkish president Re- general for defense investment tells reducing that to 24 hr. cep Tayyip Erdogan’s soft power but Aviation Week. NATO is also taking steps to request also tested for the first time a NATO In peacetime or during emergencies, blanket diplomatic clearances so that crisis-intervention initiative to speed military aircraft have to compete for OAN flights can receive automatic up airlift missions across Europe. airspace with commercial traffic and diplomatic clearance. This is in part The activation of NATO’s Rapid may not get the most efficient routings driven by the need to reduce delays for Air Mobility (RAM) capability by the or slots. But in wartime, NATO would flights, but it is also in recognition that North Atlantic Council on April 2 to likely own the skies over Europe. the COVID-19 crisis has shut down help alliance members deal with the “COVID-19 is a different scenario to government ministries that would novel coronavirus pandemic removed what we had anticipated [for RAM],” normally supply such approvals. the constraints associated with mov- Grand says. “The airspace is not ex- The initiative was developed pri- ing military airlifters across Europe. actly crowded, but on the other hand marily for military aircraft, not for air- Although the Turkish A400M car- there are fewer air traffic controllers craft chartered by governments. But ried much-needed medical protective than in normal times. So it is not ab- the alliance is “looking into whether gear destined for the UK’s National surd to suggest that military flights it could be extended to other govern- Health Service, RAM was originally should get priority.” mental or government-chartered air- developed so that NATO members When activated, the plan—a collab- craft,” Grand says. This would allow could quickly reinforce their garrisons oration between NATO and air traffic types such as the Antonov An-124 air- on the outer edges of the alliance, such management agency Eurocontrol—pri- lifters operated by Ukraine’s Antonov as the Baltic States, with personnel oritizes flight routings and fast-tracks Airlines through the Strategic Airlift and equipment at a time of growing the diplomatic clearance process. International Solution initiative also crisis to support NATO’s Very High- A military flight from Spain to Po- to use the OAN call sign. SGT. MATTY MATTHEWS/ROYAL AIR FORCE The COVID-19 pandemic presents one of the biggest crises the alliance has faced in its 70-year history, as it battles to help countries fight the virus The Turkish aid flight carried but also remain at readiness. NATO has 250,000 items of personal medical already seen several major exercises protection equipment. canceled, including the pan-European Defender-Europe exercise, which was due to test U.S. capabilities to rapidly deploy 20,000 troops and 13,000 pieces of equipment from the U.S. to Europe. It would have been the largest U.S. force to deploy to Europe in 25 years. SHAPE has established a COVID-19 Task Force to coordinate logistical, transport and medical support. NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Re- sponse Coordination Center has been receiving requests for assistance. So far, nine countries, including alliance members and partner nations, have made requests for assistance to NATO as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. c

20 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE COMMERCIAL AVIATION > Air travel after COVID-19 p. 24 Small narrowbody promise p. 55

Airlift Initiative Propels NATO land, for example, may normally have At this stage, trying to figure out to secure diplomatic clearance from aircraft demand and future produc- COVID-19 Efforts 5-6 different countries before the de- tion rates is a matter of likelihoods parture date. Such clearances can and scenarios covering a wide range > RAPID AIR MOBILITY FLIGHTS USE THE TRIGRAPH “OAN” take days or even weeks to acquire. of outcomes. In many cases, the most Nations that request a RAM flight, optimistic scenarios already look > NATO WANTS DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCES FAST-TRACKED IN 24 HR. however, receive a special call sign with outdated, leaving those indicating a the trigraph “OAN” from Supreme deeper and more lasting impact on Tony Osborne London Headquarters Allied Powers Europe the table—a grim outlook for Airbus, (SHAPE). With an OAN call sign, dip- Boeing, Embraer and their suppliers. ust a few weeks ago, the idea Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). lomatic clearances are fast-tracked, Consultancy Roland Berger has at- that a Turkish military aircraft The initiative achieved an initial and the flight can be waved through tempted to defi ne three possible out- Jwould perform a medical aid operating capacity last October. “We the airspace of different countries by comes. Its “rebound” scenario is mod- flight to the UK would have seemed decided there might be moments in air navigation service providers. eled around two months of air travel extraordinary. this crisis for which this proves use- The Turkish Air Force flight used restrictions, a full recovery to a precri- The April 10 mission from Anka- ful to move around medical supplies, the call sign OAN2901. Under OAN, sis air travel level by next winter and a ra to RAF Brize Norton, England, patients or medical teams,” Camille the allies have agreed to fast-track compound annual growth rate (CAGR) flown by an Airbus A400M not only Grand, NATO assistant secretary clearance in 48 hr., with the aim of of 4.6% thereafter. In that case, OEMs demonstrated Turkish president Re- general for defense investment tells reducing that to 24 hr. would lose only 790 deliveries over 10 cep Tayyip Erdogan’s soft power but Aviation Week. NATO is also taking steps to request years vis-a-vis the precrisis outlook. It also tested for the first time a NATO In peacetime or during emergencies, blanket diplomatic clearances so that is already clear that the short term will crisis-intervention initiative to speed military aircraft have to compete for OAN flights can receive automatic be much worse, although a steep recov- up airlift missions across Europe. airspace with commercial traffic and diplomatic clearance. This is in part ery in later years remains a possibility. The activation of NATO’s Rapid may not get the most efficient routings driven by the need to reduce delays for If restrictions stay in place for four Air Mobility (RAM) capability by the or slots. But in wartime, NATO would flights, but it is also in recognition that months, the new normal would be at North Atlantic Council on April 2 to likely own the skies over Europe. the COVID-19 crisis has shut down 90% of precrisis levels and would be help alliance members deal with the “COVID-19 is a different scenario to government ministries that would reached in the summer of 2021. Air- novel coronavirus pandemic removed what we had anticipated [for RAM],” normally supply such approvals. lines would defer aircraft replacement the constraints associated with mov- Grand says. “The airspace is not ex- The initiative was developed pri- for 18 months and future growth rates ing military airlifters across Europe. actly crowded, but on the other hand marily for military aircraft, not for air- average 4.1%. Under this “delayed Although the Turkish A400M car- there are fewer air traffic controllers craft chartered by governments. But cure” scenario, the industry would ried much-needed medical protective than in normal times. So it is not ab- the alliance is “looking into whether lose almost 6,000 deliveries between gear destined for the UK’s National surd to suggest that military flights it could be extended to other govern- now and 2030. mental or government-chartered air- Health Service, RAM was originally should get priority.” Airbus is reducing A350 Unfortunately, the worst Roland developed so that NATO members When activated, the plan—a collab- craft,” Grand says. This would allow Berger scenario may now be the could quickly reinforce their garrisons oration between NATO and air traffic types such as the Antonov An-124 air- production from as most likely, at least in its short-term on the outer edges of the alliance, such management agency Eurocontrol—pri- lifters operated by Ukraine’s Antonov many as 10 aircraft per elements: Six months of severe travel as the Baltic States, with personnel oritizes flight routings and fast-tracks Airlines through the Strategic Airlift month to just six. restrictions, demand recovery to only and equipment at a time of growing the diplomatic clearance process. International Solution initiative also 80% by the summer of 2022, extend- A military flight from Spain to Po- to use the OAN call sign. ed deferrals and lower growth for the crisis to support NATO’s Very High- H. GOSSE/AIRS SGT. MATTY MATTHEWS/ROYAL AIR FORCE The COVID-19 pandemic presents long term at 3.6%. In that circum- one of the biggest crises the alliance stance, airlines would accept 10,460 has faced in its 70-year history, as it fewer aircraft over the next 10 years. battles to help countries fight the virus IN DISTRESS For context: Airbus delivered 863 air- The Turkish aid flight carried but also remain at readiness. NATO has craft in 2019, and Boeing sent out 380 250,000 items of personal medical already seen several major exercises COVID-19 CRISIS TO LEAD TO LOWER PRODUCTION RATES LONG-TERM (a ected by the 737 MAX grounding). protection equipment. canceled, including the pan-European In 2019, Boeing led with 806 deliveries, AIRBUS CUTS OUTPUT BY ONE-THIRD Defender-Europe exercise, which was > and Airbus handed over 800 aircraft. due to test U.S. capabilities to rapidly If the worst-case scenario comes deploy 20,000 troops and 13,000 pieces Guy Norris Los Angeles, Jens Flottau Frankfurt and to pass, the industry will deliver only of equipment from the U.S. to Europe. Michael Bruno and Sean Broderick Washington 11,280 aircraft in the next 10 years; the It would have been the largest U.S. more positive assumptions of the “de- force to deploy to Europe in 25 years. ust a short time ago, Airbus longer-term impact of the COVID-19 layed cure” model leave that number SHAPE has established a COVID-19 could not expand fast enough. pandemic, the Toulouse project and at 15,840. This would essentially put Task Force to coordinate logistical, JGiven the strength of demand, many others are on hold or at least the industry—on average and very transport and medical support. the manufacturer planned to add an- substantially slowed down. And if the roughly—at the 2017 delivery levels NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Re- other fi nal assembly line for narrow- revised projections for future aircraft of a combined 1,600 commercial jets sponse Coordination Center has been bodies in Toulouse, even though its deliveries are only roughly accurate, above 100 seats for Airbus (now includ- receiving requests for assistance. So global industrial system was already that additional assembly line will not be ing the A220), Boeing and Embraer. Of far, nine countries, including alliance complex—because maximum deliver- needed for a very long time. Airbus in course, new players such as Mitsubi- members and partner nations, have ies were what mattered. early April became the fi rst OEM to an- shi’s SpaceJet, the Comac C919 and the made requests for assistance to NATO Now, as aircraft manufacturers nounce new production targets, around United Aircraft Corp. MC-21 will fill as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. c begin to assess the medium- and one-third below previous assumptions. (small) amounts of the demand as well.

20 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 2 COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Airbus’ decision to cut production 60 more aircraft that were not deliv- tor funding Boeing ultimately receives. by one-third would, if continued, leave ered in the quarter because customers “We believe the updated produc- it with around 570 annual deliveries, said they were unable to accept them. tion forecasts are alarming, but not close to 2011 levels. CEO Guillaume The A330 will remain a profitable surprising,” Herbert added. Faury points out that it is “not unlikely” program, says Faury, but the A350 “The coronavirus is likely to become that the new rates could go back up in will face “more headwinds,” having a significantly greater pressure point 2021 as the situation improves, but he just moved into profitability in 2019. on Boeing than the long-running 737 says it is too early to make firm com- Boeing’s recently updated commer- MAX crisis,” says Jonathan Root, mitments. The decisions made now cial airliner figures for 2020 through Moody’s Investors Service senior vice reflect the “best knowledge” today March reveal dramatic cuts in orders president and lead analyst. “We now and “many conversations with airline and deliveries as the air transport estimate external funding needs in CEOs and [chief operating officers].” market continues to nosedive in the 2020 to at least double—to $30 bil- The production reduction will be midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. lion—compared to our precoronavirus implemented over the coming weeks. The beleaguered company, which is expectations,” he says. Boeing already “This crisis will probably be a long due to release its first-quarter finan- funded about half of this need with the one,” says Faury. “Our industry is one cial results on April 29, saw net orders $13.8 billion delayed-draw term loan fa- of the most impacted. . . . [The pro - for the year plummet by 307 aircraft, cility arranged in February and drawn down by mid-March. In the long term, FUTURE AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION Possible Scenarios Root’s team does not en- visage a return to 2019 Consultancy Roland Berger says OEMs Reduction delivery numbers before of new civil could lose up to half of previously estimated 0 -790 -5,920 -10,460 the end of 2022. Many demand over the next 10 years. aircraft deliveries other analysts such as 35,300 35,300 30,570 26,400 compared to baseline Herbert and consultants Lower demand 4,730 such as Roland Berger’s 8,900 Lower demand group agree. Unused capacity 26,400 21,760 20,970 Grounded since 100% 22,250 Additional capacity 96% 15,840 March 2019 following 73% 11,280 Demand for new Fleet replacement 52% civil aircraft two accidents, the 737 MAX lost a further 150 orders in March 2020, Existing fleet half of which were can- end of 2019 Existing fleet at end of 2019 of which cellations from aircraft 13,540 14,330 14,730 15,120 1,580 aircraft lessor Avolon. Other replacements postponed operators included Bra- zilian carrier Gol, which 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Scenario 1 Scenario 3 Rebound Recession cut 34 aircraft from the New aircraft Existing fleet at end of 2019 Baseline Scenario 2 backlog as part of a precrisis Delayed Source: Roland Berger cure compensation deal for nondelivery of 25 MAXs duction rates are] the result of the putting it on track for its worst period in 2019. Overall, net 737 orders for the best matching between the downturn since the mid-1990s. Despite picking first quarter have been reduced by 314 and the remaining commitments. We up 24 new orders for the 787 and two aircraft, some 173 of which are listed as needed to have a plan. We will review additional 767 orders, the bulk of the cancellations or conversions to other it probably on a monthly basis.” damage was caused by losses to the models, and another 141 lost because The manufacturer plans to produce 737 MAX orderbook. they no longer meet Boeing’s firm con- 40 A320neo-family aircraft per month According to many financial ana- tract revenue accounting standard. on average, down from a previous lysts, Airbus’ rate cuts set a floor for Deliveries were also significantly near-term target of 63 and a planned similar action by Boeing. down. Just 50 aircraft of all models increase to 67 or more. Airbus will “We believe similar cuts from Boe- were delivered through March 31, repre- also reduce A330/A330neo output to ing are likely,” Ken Herbert of Canac- senting the lowest number of quarterly two aircraft per month from the pre- cord Genuity said April 14. His team as- deliveries since the end of 2008. By com- crisis production level of 3.5. A350 de- sumes MAX deliveries will not restart parison, Boeing delivered 149 aircraft in liveries are being reduced from 9-10 until at least the third quarter, with the same period in 2019, and 184 were aircraft per month to just six. just 36 to be delivered this year. It will handed over to customers in the first Airbus delivered 122 aircraft in the take “several quarters” for MAX new quarter of 2018. The falloff in deliveries first quarter, 36 of them in March. order activity to pick up. Production primarily reflects the continuing impact That month included two A220s, 19 next year could average 21 new narrow- of the 737 MAX grounding, which last A320neos, one A321ceo, 10 A321neos, bodies monthly, and perhaps around year more than halved the company’s one A330-200 and three A350s, ac- 40 per month by the end of 2022. But overall delivery target. Boeing says de- cording to the company’s latest order some of that depends on how much livery numbers have been also affected and delivery figures. Airbus produced government aid and commercial-sec- by logistical challenges, as some opera-

22 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST COMMERCIAL AVIATION First-Quarter Deliveries Combined for Airbus and Boeing Boeing 0 Airbus’ decision to cut production 60 more aircraft that were not deliv- tor funding Boeing ultimately receives. tors have been unable to bring flight by one-third would, if continued, leave ered in the quarter because customers “We believe the updated produc- crews to the U.S. to accept the new Airbus 1 it with around 570 annual deliveries, said they were unable to accept them. tion forecasts are alarming, but not aircraft owing to travel restrictions. 9 close to 2011 levels. CEO Guillaume The A330 will remain a profitable surprising,” Herbert added. The restrictions are also hampering Faury points out that it is “not unlikely” program, says Faury, but the A350 “The coronavirus is likely to become the MAX’s return-to-service effort. The Total 1 that the new rates could go back up in will face “more headwinds,” having a significantly greater pressure point final FAA certification flight to put the 2021 as the situation improves, but he just moved into profitability in 2019. on Boeing than the long-running 737 software through its paces, the next ma- 8 9 says it is too early to make firm com- Boeing’s recently updated commer- MAX crisis,” says Jonathan Root, jor step in the return-to-service process 1 10 mitments. The decisions made now cial airliner figures for 2020 through Moody’s Investors Service senior vice has not taken place. The subsequent 0 reflect the “best knowledge” today March reveal dramatic cuts in orders president and lead analyst. “We now milestone, work by the Joint Operation- A330 A320/ A330 A350 737 747 767 777 787 and “many conversations with airline and deliveries as the air transport estimate external funding needs in al Evaluation Board (JOEB), a multi- A320neo CEOs and [chief operating officers].” market continues to nosedive in the 2020 to at least double—to $30 bil- regulatory group that will evaluate the The production reduction will be midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. lion—compared to our precoronavirus MAX training recommendations in sim- Family Sources: Airbus and Boeing implemented over the coming weeks. The beleaguered company, which is expectations,” he says. Boeing already ulator sessions, has not been scheduled “This crisis will probably be a long due to release its first-quarter finan- funded about half of this need with the and is not likely to happen until inter- Boeing has meanwhile announced it will see a greater decline in demand one,” says Faury. “Our industry is one cial results on April 29, saw net orders $13.8 billion delayed-draw term loan fa- national travel restrictions are eased. will begin a phased return to produc- than larger jets, there will still be a of the most impacted. . . . [The pro - for the year plummet by 307 aircraft, cility arranged in February and drawn The MAX will not be approved for ser- tion of commercial aircraft models— negative impact to the large-cabin down by mid-March. vice until the JOEB’s work, including a including the 737MAX—at its Puget segment that includes Bombardier’s In the long term, written report, is done. Boeing has not Sound, Washington, and South Car- Global family,” Moody’s analysts say. FUTURE AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION Possible Scenarios Root’s team does not en- wavered from its projection that a mid- olina plants starting as early as April In turn, credit rating agencies such as visage a return to 2019 2020 FAA approval is in the cards, but 20 after suspending activity on March Moody’s, S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Consultancy Roland Berger says OEMs Reduction delivery numbers before the lack of progress on key milestones 25 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It is, Ratings are downgrading debt rank- of new civil could lose up to half of previously estimated 0 -790 -5,920 -10,460 the end of 2022. Many makes this increasingly unlikely. however, widely expected to announce ings of OEMs and suppliers across the demand over the next 10 years. aircraft deliveries other analysts such as In 2019, Boeing completed the year rate reductions for the 737, 777 and board. “The downgrades reflect Moody’s 35,300 35,300 30,570 26,400 compared to baseline Herbert and consultants with 380 deliveries, 127 of which were 787 shortly after manufacturing re- expectation that 2020 will be a very chal- Lower demand 4,730 such as Roland Berger’s 737s and 158 787s. The previous year, sumes. The adjusted numbers, using lenging year for commercial aerospace 8,900 Lower demand group agree. with production of the MAX ramp - Boeing’s own accounting standards on suppliers, with double- digit earnings Unused capacity 26,400 21,760 20,970 Grounded since ing up and manufacture of the final firm contracts, now show the overall declines stemming from a significant 100% 22,250 Additional capacity 96% 15,840 March 2019 following 737NGs still being phased out, the firm backlog for all models has been reduction in commercial aerospace pro- 73% 11,280 Demand for new Fleet replacement 52% civil aircraft two accidents, the 737 single-aisle models accounted for 580 reduced to 5,049—4,079 of those are duction by Tier 1 OEMs and suppliers,” MAX lost a further 150 of the record-breaking 806 deliveries for the 737. The 747-8F backlog is now the Moody’s analysts say. “Stress on the orders in March 2020, the company racked up for the year. reduced to 13, while the 777 orderbook supply chain will result in unprecedent- Existing fleet half of which were can- Military deliveries accounted for has shrunk to 356 and the 787 to 515. ed deterioration in earnings and cash end of 2019 Existing fleet at end of 2019 of which cellations from aircraft eight of the 50 (five KC-46A/767-de- Business aviation fares no better flows, resulting in key credit metrics 13,540 14,330 14,730 15,120 1,580 aircraft lessor Avolon. Other rivative tankers and three P-8A mari- than civil, with an expectation that that will remain strained for some time.” replacements postponed operators included Bra- time patrol 737NG derivatives), while the business jet market will see dete- “Many suppliers are distressed,” zilian carrier Gol, which the 787 contributed to the bulk of the riorating demand. “Though we expect Spirit AeroSystems said in a regula- 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Scenario 1 Scenario 3 Rebound Recession cut 34 aircraft from the tally with 29 aircraft. demand for smaller and midsize jets tory filing. c New aircraft Existing fleet at end of 2019 Baseline Scenario 2 backlog as part of a precrisis Delayed Source: Roland Berger cure compensation deal for nondelivery of 25 MAXs duction rates are] the result of the putting it on track for its worst period in 2019. Overall, net 737 orders for the best matching between the downturn since the mid-1990s. Despite picking first quarter have been reduced by 314 and the remaining commitments. We up 24 new orders for the 787 and two aircraft, some 173 of which are listed as needed to have a plan. We will review additional 767 orders, the bulk of the cancellations or conversions to other it probably on a monthly basis.” damage was caused by losses to the models, and another 141 lost because The manufacturer plans to produce 737 MAX orderbook. they no longer meet Boeing’s firm con- Listen. Understand. Innovate. 40 A320neo-family aircraft per month According to many financial ana- tract revenue accounting standard. on average, down from a previous lysts, Airbus’ rate cuts set a floor for Deliveries were also significantly near-term target of 63 and a planned similar action by Boeing. down. Just 50 aircraft of all models increase to 67 or more. Airbus will “We believe similar cuts from Boe- were delivered through March 31, repre- also reduce A330/A330neo output to ing are likely,” Ken Herbert of Canac- senting the lowest number of quarterly two aircraft per month from the pre- cord Genuity said April 14. His team as- deliveries since the end of 2008. By com- crisis production level of 3.5. A350 de- sumes MAX deliveries will not restart parison, Boeing delivered 149 aircraft in liveries are being reduced from 9-10 until at least the third quarter, with the same period in 2019, and 184 were aircraft per month to just six. just 36 to be delivered this year. It will handed over to customers in the first Airbus delivered 122 aircraft in the take “several quarters” for MAX new quarter of 2018. The falloff in deliveries first quarter, 36 of them in March. order activity to pick up. Production primarily reflects the continuing impact That month included two A220s, 19 next year could average 21 new narrow- of the 737 MAX grounding, which last Driven by an everything-is-possible attitude, CMC Electronics has embraced A320neos, one A321ceo, 10 A321neos, bodies monthly, and perhaps around year more than halved the company’s innovation for over a century. Listening to our customers, understanding their needs and delivering innovative solutions is what we do best. one A330-200 and three A350s, ac- 40 per month by the end of 2022. But overall delivery target. Boeing says de- Contact our avionics experts today at [email protected] cording to the company’s latest order some of that depends on how much livery numbers have been also affected and delivery figures. Airbus produced government aid and commercial-sec- by logistical challenges, as some opera-

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How Air Travel Might Look After the COVID-19 Crisis

> IATA IS HOLDING A SERIES OF MEETINGS TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS > ICAO IS LOOKING INTO THE HEALTH VALIDATION PROCESS

Sean Broderick and Bill Carey Washington, Jens Flottau Frankfurtand Helen Massy-Beresford Paris he COVID-19 pandemic has incorporated into the rituals of air trav- brought commercial flight el. Even so, carriers are cautious about Tschedules to a virtual standstill, how quickly they can expect to see a leaving airlines across the globe scram- signifi cant increase in activity. bling to survive. With much of the world still in Now, with the spread of the disease lockdown, it is di cult to predict how slowing in some countries, govern- quickly the fi rst stages of the return to ments are looking ahead—tentative- a more normal level of air tra c will ly—to the post-lockdown era and to take place, but there will be some clues how they can square the gradual re- as to the pace of the recovery in the sumption of aspects of daily life with months ahead. the protection needed to avoid a dam- “If airlines continue to keep me- aging resurgence of the virus. dium-term schedules—[in] July, Au- Association (IATA) has revised its Airlines globally are also attempting gust, September—largely intact, we 2020 economic forecast for the global to prepare for what comes next. But would take this as a sign that airlines airline industry downward based on mapping out a recovery strategy amid have confi dence in attracting su cient worsening economic forecasts and now uncertainty about how the disease will demand by that time again. If airlines predicts full-year demand in revenue evolve once travel begins to ramp up start cutting fl ights further in advance, passenger kilometers will drop 48%, again is no easy task. we would be worried that the recov- creating a $314 billion revenue shortfall. IATA says the effects of the recession alone will lead Global Revenue Passenger Kilometers by Quarter, 2016-21 to an 8% drop in air travel in 20% the third quarter. Projected Brian Pearce, the associ- 10% ation’s chief economist, an- 0% ticipates that domestic air Impact of the -10% recession travel will begin to recover first, in the third quarter, -20% followed by international Fourth quarter: -30% 0 recovery, fl ights in the fourth quarter. -40% international markets He believes there is “pent-up demand for air travel,” but it -50% is unclear whether it can be -60% met if restrictions remain.

Percent Change Year-Over-Year Percent -70% IATA is hosting a series of Third quarter: regional video conferences -80% recovery, domestic markets with governments and avi- -90% ation authorities to discuss 2016 2016 2018 2019 2020 2021 the restart, as it attempts Source: to establish what rules and IATA sees domestic ight recovery coming before an international one. restrictions will remain in place even after fl ights are Airlines will need to balance their ery will be slower,” Bernstein analyst allowed to resume. urgentSource: need to start generating reve- Daniel Roeska wrote in an April 15 In Europe, Lufthansa Group believes nues again after an unprecedented and research note. “To judge the duration it will take months for all international damaging hiatus against the safety of of the crisis, we would want to see the travel restrictions to be fully lifted and their passengers and crew and the wid- apex for new infections in EU countries years for air tra c volumes to return er populations they connect. to give us an indication when the sec- to precrisis levels. As with previous crises that have tor can start to recover. In many cases It is already planning for a future touched the aviation industry, there this is fl attening, but declines so far are requiring a fl eet around 20% smaller may be no return to “normal” as such. slow,” he added. than before the coronavirus, with cuts New post-COVID-19 regulations will be The International Air Transport across its airlines, including the perma-

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How Air Travel Might Look Wizz Air is considering providing as dedicated parking lots where ac- masks and leaving some seats cess is controlled. After the COVID-19 Crisis empty, as well as other measures. ICAO’s plan is to develop the PHCC for cargo operations initially, then work > IATA IS HOLDING A SERIES OF MEETINGS TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS Low-cost carrier Wizz Air is looking on scaling it for passenger services. into the possibility of mandatory masks Even if the program never gets beyond > ICAO IS LOOKING INTO THE HEALTH VALIDATION PROCESS and leaving a third of seats empty, a the flight deck, it will serve a purpose. spokeswoman confirmed, adding that Expanding the PHCC or a similar Sean Broderick and Bill Carey Washington, Jens Flottau Frankfurtand the airline was also considering further program to passengers would require Helen Massy-Beresford Paris steps, with details to come. significant coordination not just with “Health control is going to be a key industry stakeholders but also with lo- he COVID-19 pandemic has incorporated into the rituals of air trav- element,” IATA Director General/CEO cal and state officials. Aviation execu- brought commercial flight el. Even so, carriers are cautious about Alexandre de Juniac said April 14. “We tives are becoming convinced that such Tschedules to a virtual standstill, how quickly they can expect to see a want to avoid a patchwork of measures processes and the confidence-building leaving airlines across the globe scram- signifi cant increase in activity. in different countries.” IATA is aiming they help create will be needed to nurse bling to survive. With much of the world still in instead for a consistent approach. the industry’s recovery. Now, with the spread of the disease lockdown, it is di cult to predict how Airlines assume health checks will “Airlines will need to focus on en- slowing in some countries, govern- quickly the fi rst stages of the return to be required both at departure and ar- couraging the flying public to resume ments are looking ahead—tentative- a more normal level of air tra c will rival points, but they are still unsure as flying,” says Gilberto Lopez-Meyer, ly—to the post-lockdown era and to take place, but there will be some clues to what that will entail. The new rules IATA senior vice president for safety how they can square the gradual re- as to the pace of the recovery in the also take in new aircraft-cleaning pro- and flight operations. “Airlines and sumption of aspects of daily life with months ahead. cesses as well as changes to the way governments will need to work with the protection needed to avoid a dam- “If airlines continue to keep me- KUDAK/WIKIMEDIA boarding and disembarkation will be other affiliated sectors to ensure neg- aging resurgence of the virus. dium-term schedules—[in] July, Au- Association (IATA) has revised its nent retirement of six of its 14 Airbus carried out to avoid having too many ative perceptions of travel are chang- Airlines globally are also attempting gust, September—largely intact, we 2020 economic forecast for the global A380s, seven of its 17 A340-600s, three people in a confined space. ing. This may imply a slow return to to prepare for what comes next. But would take this as a sign that airlines airline industry downward based on A340-300s and five Boeing 747-400s, as Airports will also need to determine normal traffic.” mapping out a recovery strategy amid have confi dence in attracting su cient worsening economic forecasts and now well as cuts to short-haul fleets. how they can ensure social distancing As expected, given the unprecedent- uncertainty about how the disease will demand by that time again. If airlines predicts full-year demand in revenue Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith in departure lounges and as passengers ed crisis airlines from which airlines evolve once travel begins to ramp up start cutting fl ights further in advance, passenger kilometers will drop 48%, says it will be two years before the in- go through checks. are attempting to recover, industry and again is no easy task. we would be worried that the recov- creating a $314 billion revenue shortfall. dustry sees a return to 2019 traffic lev- But the crisis could be the catalyst policymakers disagree on the details of IATA says the effects of els. With the airline group losing €25 for other changes, too. The Interna- safely relaunching international travel. the recession alone will lead million ($27 million) per day because tional Civil Aviation Organization During a press call with U.S. aviation Global Revenue Passenger Kilometers by Quarter, 2016-21 to an 8% drop in air travel in of the crisis, he says it is aiming for a (ICAO) is consulting with global pub- union leaders on April 6, Sara Nelson, 20% the third quarter. gradual ramp-up, with 40% of planned lic health authorities on a “prototype” president of the Association of Flight Projected Brian Pearce, the associ- capacity on offer in July, 60% in Au- process that would validate that flight Attendants (AFA), rejected screening 10% ation’s chief economist, an- gust and 75% in the fourth quarter at crews, and potentially passengers, of passengers and airline employees 0% ticipates that domestic air the earliest. screened for COVID-19 are safe to trav- before they enter an aircraft—such Impact of the -10% recession travel will begin to recover “Forget 2020; yearn for 2021. 2020 el, instilling confidence as air transport as by taking their temperatures—as a first, in the third quarter, by all accounts will be a trough year demand resumes. way to prevent the spread of the novel -20% followed by international for EU airlines’ profits,” Roeska wrote. The process is in its early stages, coronavirus. Fourth quarter: -30% 0 recovery, fl ights in the fourth quarter. “Whoever makes it through the cur- Stephen Creamer, director of ICAO’s “A big reason that this virus is being -40% international markets He believes there is “pent-up rent crisis will benefit from a more Air Navigation Bureau, said on a Flight spread across our country and around demand for air travel,” but it consolidated market,” he added, cit- Safety Foundation webinar April 9. But the world is because it can be spread -50% is unclear whether it can be ing Ryanair and Wizz Air as the best the agency is pushing to get a frame- when people are asymptomatic. We -60% met if restrictions remain. placed, followed by International Air- work in place and start soliciting in- know for sure that this can be spread

Percent Change Year-Over-Year Percent -70% IATA is hosting a series of lines Group and EasyJet and then Air dustry feedback in the coming weeks. without any symptoms present,” says Third quarter: regional video conferences France-KLM and Lufthansa. He said ICAO’s idea, dubbed the Public Nelson. “It is important to be on the -80% recovery, domestic markets with governments and avi- the latter two groups are likely to need Health Corridors Concept (PHCC), lookout for those symptoms because -90% ation authorities to discuss significant short-term funding, which would create a virtual “corridor, or clearly that is an indication of possible 2016 2016 2018 2019 2020 2021 the restart, as it attempts they are already negotiating. bubble,” for flight crews and other trav- spread. But the concern here is that Source: to establish what rules and In the shorter term, those airlines elers. For airline personnel, globally screening will not mitigate spread be- IATA sees domestic ight recovery coming before an international one. restrictions will remain in that survive the immediate crisis, agreed-upon tests would be adminis- cause of the [traits] of this virus.” place even after fl ights are many of which will rely on sizable gov- tered premission at the home base and The AFA, which represents 50,000 Airlines will need to balance their ery will be slower,” Bernstein analyst allowed to resume. ernment support to do so, will prob- then again at the mission’s completion. flight attendants at 20 airlines, was urgentSource: need to start generating reve- Daniel Roeska wrote in an April 15 In Europe, Lufthansa Group believes ably need to impose now-familiar so- A certificate or other validation would calling for a suspension of leisure travel nues again after an unprecedented and research note. “To judge the duration it will take months for all international cial-distancing restrictions and safety be issued signifying no presence of the as the pandemic worsened in the U.S. damaging hiatus against the safety of of the crisis, we would want to see the travel restrictions to be fully lifted and measures on their flights. novel coronavirus. “Even if you set up a screening proce- their passengers and crew and the wid- apex for new infections in EU countries years for air tra c volumes to return Passengers may be required to wear Aircraft would go through globally dure with tests, there is a time to get er populations they connect. to give us an indication when the sec- to precrisis levels. masks or airlines to leave empty seats accepted cleaning procedures that those test results back,” says Nelson. As with previous crises that have tor can start to recover. In many cases It is already planning for a future in aircraft filled to only half or two- would be validated as a condition for “Screening passengers, while it may be touched the aviation industry, there this is fl attening, but declines so far are requiring a fl eet around 20% smaller thirds capacity to maintain social dis- return to service. The verified-bubble a good step and is happening in some may be no return to “normal” as such. slow,” he added. than before the coronavirus, with cuts tancing, as has been the case on some concept could extend to other airside cases, is not going to help with stopping New post-COVID-19 regulations will be The International Air Transport across its airlines, including the perma- flights still operating in recent weeks. and perhaps landside facilities, such the spread of the coronavirus.” c

2 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 25 AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT HUNGAROCONTROL Free Route Airspace Gains Ground In Europe

> SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN NATIONS PIONEER CROSS-BORDER FREE ROUTES > FRANCE, GERMANY PROCEED GRADUALLY

Thierry Dubois Lyon mplementation of free route air- ATS at Hungaro- space, a concept under which flight Control, Hunga- Icrews choose their preferred routes ry’s air navigation in a relaxed framework, is gradually service provider becoming the norm in Europe. Carri- (ANSP). “From Free route airspace enables more direct routings, which ers may begin to expect more direct my standpoint, I can generate fuel and time savings. routing, which can generate time and cannot say which fuel savings—similar to what they ex- flightpath is the optimum, depending they are spread all across the airspace. perience when air traffic controllers on high-altitude winds or anything France will begin to implement the allow shortcuts in Europe’s upper air- else important for the airline.” concept in three of its five area control space. As a result of the changing envi- That freedom of choice for the car- centers (ACC)—Brest, Athis-Mons ronment, controllers anticipate better rier was introduced in Hungary in (near Paris) and Bordeaux—for flights trajectory predictability for aircraft. February 2015. Romania and Bulgaria above flight level 195 (approximately Route extension—or the difference quickly followed. As a result, aircraft 19,500 ft. in altitude). The change will between a planned flight trajectory operators can now plan their flights be phased in over two years, starting and the corresponding portion of freely across the airspace of the three in late 2021. the great-circle distance (the short- countries 24/7 without the limitations The other two ACCs, Aix-en- est distance between two points on of the geographical boundaries. Slova- Provence and Reims, have yet to mod- a sphere)—is a key component of the kia is still limiting itself to night hours. ernize. “The current system could be rationale behind instituting free route “When we were using ATS routes, used for free routes but would require airspace (FRA). Eurocontrol, the orga- it was impossible to fly from Austria a lot of redefinition,” says Michel Coz nization in charge of air traffic man- to Croatia via Hungary,” Bakos says. Elleouet, a DSNA controller and a agement (ATM) in Europe and Tur- “From the day after we dropped that member of the board at the SNCTA key, says route extension decreased to system, Austrian Airlines flew such controllers union. As these two ACCs 2.77% in 2017. It credits FRA, among direct routes instead of circumnavi- are upgrading to a new system that other initiatives, for that drop. gating the country.” is fully compatible with FRA, DSNA A goal of the Single European Sky Many controllers in Europe already has decided to wait for the upgrade ATM Research (SESAR) improvement permit direct routing for upper air- to be complete before implementing program is the expansion of Eurocon- space; however, they give clearance FRA. Aix and Reims could implement trol’s entire airspace by 2025. Under tactically after takeoff depending on FRA in 2023. the plan, a few internal borders will parameters such as traffic density and In Germany, ANSP Deutsche Flug- still involve entry and exit points. Mili- active military areas. Crews still have sicherung (DFS) sees limited suitabil- tary areas will be the other exceptions. to plan for the fuel consumption that ity of FRA. Since November 2019, the South corresponds to the flight plan they In March 2018, DFS implemented East Europe Free Route Airspace have filed, rather than factoring in a the concept in the northeast, which is project has allowed operators to controller’s potential shortcut. an area considered to be of medium choose their routes as they see fit in Structurally eliminating ATS complexity and moderate density. a large, cross-border area, involving routes takes ATM into another dimen- “However, in the so-called core area, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slo- sion. FRA instates routes that enable along the London-Brussels-Amster- vakia. Calculated daily savings amount an aircraft to carry less fuel and thus dam-Dusseldorf-Cologne-Frankfurt to up to 10,000 nm and approximately save some. axis and then on to Basel and Munich, 70 metric tons of fuel. From the controller’s standpoint, there is high complexity and a high The conventional way of allotting adherence to the flight plan is im- demand for capacity,” says Dirk routes to flights is along a predefined, proved. And traffic is streamlined, Mahns, DFS’ managing director of mandatory route structure, known as says DSNA, France’s ANSP. operations. “Offering too many rout- air traffic service (ATS) routes. A Eu- Nevertheless, “you need a very good ing options with interferences to this rocontrol working group determines medium-term conflict detection and main flow would jeopardize capacity.” ATS routes. warning system,” Bakos emphasizes. DFS will therefore soon proceed “In 2015, we asked ourselves: ‘What In a conventional system, a controller with 24-hour FRA (an extension from if we eliminate all ATS routes and cre- knows which routes are busiest and is night hours) in the core area with ate a free airspace with entry and exit familiar with conflict locations. In FRA, unspecified “structural limitations,” points?’” recalls Jozsef Bakos, head of conflicts are not more numerous, but Mahns says. c

26 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT HUNGAROCONTROL Free Route Airspace Gains Ground In Europe

> SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN NATIONS PIONEER CROSS-BORDER FREE ROUTES > FRANCE, GERMANY PROCEED GRADUALLY Fleet Discovery Military Thierry Dubois Lyon mplementation of free route air- ATS at Hungaro- space, a concept under which flight Control, Hunga- Icrews choose their preferred routes ry’s air navigation in a relaxed framework, is gradually service provider becoming the norm in Europe. Carri- (ANSP). “From Free route airspace enables more direct routings, which ers may begin to expect more direct my standpoint, I can generate fuel and time savings. routing, which can generate time and cannot say which fuel savings—similar to what they ex- flightpath is the optimum, depending they are spread all across the airspace. Discover Opportunity with perience when air traffic controllers on high-altitude winds or anything France will begin to implement the allow shortcuts in Europe’s upper air- else important for the airline.” concept in three of its five area control Unparalleled Tracking of space. As a result of the changing envi- That freedom of choice for the car- centers (ACC)—Brest, Athis-Mons ronment, controllers anticipate better rier was introduced in Hungary in (near Paris) and Bordeaux—for flights trajectory predictability for aircraft. February 2015. Romania and Bulgaria above flight level 195 (approximately Global Military Fleets Route extension—or the difference quickly followed. As a result, aircraft 19,500 ft. in altitude). The change will between a planned flight trajectory operators can now plan their flights be phased in over two years, starting and the corresponding portion of freely across the airspace of the three in late 2021. Aviation Week Network’s Fleet Discovery Military the great-circle distance (the short- countries 24/7 without the limitations The other two ACCs, Aix-en- Edition simplifi es tracking global military aircraft and est distance between two points on of the geographical boundaries. Slova- Provence and Reims, have yet to mod- engines — piloted and unpiloted, fi xed wing and rotary a sphere)—is a key component of the kia is still limiting itself to night hours. ernize. “The current system could be rationale behind instituting free route “When we were using ATS routes, used for free routes but would require — so you can discover new opportunities to grow your airspace (FRA). Eurocontrol, the orga- it was impossible to fly from Austria a lot of redefinition,” says Michel Coz business. nization in charge of air traffic man- to Croatia via Hungary,” Bakos says. Elleouet, a DSNA controller and a agement (ATM) in Europe and Tur- “From the day after we dropped that member of the board at the SNCTA ● Featuring over 70,000 aircraft and 110,000 key, says route extension decreased to system, Austrian Airlines flew such controllers union. As these two ACCs 2.77% in 2017. It credits FRA, among direct routes instead of circumnavi- are upgrading to a new system that engines in service with more than 400 military other initiatives, for that drop. gating the country.” is fully compatible with FRA, DSNA operators. A goal of the Single European Sky Many controllers in Europe already has decided to wait for the upgrade ATM Research (SESAR) improvement permit direct routing for upper air- to be complete before implementing ● Searchable and ﬁ lterable by aircraft, engine, program is the expansion of Eurocon- space; however, they give clearance FRA. Aix and Reims could implement category, mission, lift type, weight class and trol’s entire airspace by 2025. Under tactically after takeoff depending on FRA in 2023. the plan, a few internal borders will parameters such as traffic density and In Germany, ANSP Deutsche Flug- more. still involve entry and exit points. Mili- active military areas. Crews still have sicherung (DFS) sees limited suitabil- See for yourself how Fleet Discovery Military can tary areas will be the other exceptions. to plan for the fuel consumption that ity of FRA. Since November 2019, the South corresponds to the flight plan they In March 2018, DFS implemented help you track aircraft and engines so you never East Europe Free Route Airspace have filed, rather than factoring in a the concept in the northeast, which is miss a business opportunity. project has allowed operators to controller’s potential shortcut. an area considered to be of medium choose their routes as they see fit in Structurally eliminating ATS complexity and moderate density. a large, cross-border area, involving routes takes ATM into another dimen- “However, in the so-called core area, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slo- sion. FRA instates routes that enable along the London-Brussels-Amster- vakia. Calculated daily savings amount an aircraft to carry less fuel and thus dam-Dusseldorf-Cologne-Frankfurt To learn more, go to to up to 10,000 nm and approximately save some. axis and then on to Basel and Munich, 70 metric tons of fuel. From the controller’s standpoint, there is high complexity and a high aviationweek.com/FDMilitary The conventional way of allotting adherence to the flight plan is im- demand for capacity,” says Dirk routes to flights is along a predefined, proved. And traffic is streamlined, Mahns, DFS’ managing director of Or call: mandatory route structure, known as says DSNA, France’s ANSP. operations. “Offering too many rout- Anne McMahon +1 646 291 6353 air traffic service (ATS) routes. A Eu- Nevertheless, “you need a very good ing options with interferences to this Thom Clayton +44 (0) 20 7017 6106 rocontrol working group determines medium-term conflict detection and main flow would jeopardize capacity.” ATS routes. warning system,” Bakos emphasizes. DFS will therefore soon proceed “In 2015, we asked ourselves: ‘What In a conventional system, a controller with 24-hour FRA (an extension from if we eliminate all ATS routes and cre- knows which routes are busiest and is night hours) in the core area with ate a free airspace with entry and exit familiar with conflict locations. In FRA, unspecified “structural limitations,” points?’” recalls Jozsef Bakos, head of conflicts are not more numerous, but Mahns says. c

26 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

28 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ROTORCRAFT

Europe’s ATM Modernization Meanwhile, in a bid to cut costs, a carrier may question overflight fees that fund ground equipment for navigation, Champions Strive To Keep such as mode-S radars. “They might ask, ‘Why shall I pay for these? My state-of-the-art aircraft uses satellites,’” Wa- Momentum rinsko notes. Basing fees on utilization may jeopardize the funding of some systems needed for redundancy. > DATA LINK ADOPTION ON FAST UPWARD CURVE “We have yet to build resilience [in our infrastructure],” he says. “We will not discard ground-based technologies > SESAR PROMOTERS PREPARE ARGUMENTS FOR without thinking, but we have to reflect on keeping both MORE INVESTMENT [automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B)] and mode-S radars.” Thierry Dubois Lyon Expanding the use of ADS-B—a real-time tracking system where aircraft broadcast their position, altitude, speed, New Technology, Data urope’s project for air traffic management (ATM) identity and other information—is believed to be a key ex- modernization is almost half implemented, and its ample of SESAR’s success thus far. Sharing Are Boosting Epromoters are looking to show the technology can Adoption grew to 63% in December 2019 from 24% in deliver the promised benefits. August 2018 (measured over the fleet registered in the EU Offshore Helicopter Safety The Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) pro- and four states associated in civil aviation). “We took over gram’s deployment alliance (SDA), the organization in charge ADS-B in 2018, when the program was in a chicken-and-egg > NEW HTAWS ALGORITHMS PROVIDE of executing it, was emphasizing environmental progress situation,” Warinsko says. “It was missing a conductor. As ADDITIONAL WARNING OF CFIT when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The SDA is now bracing every player was waiting for the others, the deadline was for the full impact of the crisis, which may bring other con- nearing and nothing was done.” > STANDARDS FOR OFFSHORE siderations to the fore for its members—air navigation ser- Early this year, the take-up rate was projected to increase HELICOPTERS ARE BEING vice providers (ANSP), airlines and airports—and partners. to 80% in June. Another example can be found in data link, the wide - WRITTEN BY IOGP spread use of which is deemed the cornerstone of ATM digitalization in Europe. Data link services enable the digital exchange of information between aircraft and the ground. LEONARDO HELICOPTERS Progress has recently picked up. Tony Osborne London “In 2014-15, a tentative entry into service actually turned the spotlight on some problems. In 2016, the European Com- he novel coronavirus pandemic An early success for the organization Leonardo’s AW139 will be the first type mission asked [the] SESAR DM to handle technical correc- may have thrown another curve- has been the development of Flight to benefit from the new algorithms in tions, as well as ANSP and operator equipage,” Warinsko Tball at the long-suffering offshore Crew Operations Manuals (FCOM) HTAWS. says. The adoption rate grew to 68% in January, up from helicopter industry, but in the mean- by the OEMs, now written for most 40% in 2018, according to the SESAR DM. time the sector is making transforma- helicopters serving offshore. Although that could be inadvertently installed In 2014, both the ARINC and SITA ground networks were tive safety gains. FCOMs were already common in the upside down. If it cannot be redesigned lacking capacity. Upgrading them to a multifrequency archi- Concerns that low energy prices fixed-wing world, the helicopter indus- to prevent incorrect installation, then tecture from single-frequency solved the problem, according could drive operators to cut costs and try had left it up to operators to devel- the risk of that possibility should be to Warinsko. “We managed the technological emergency, so compromise safety have fortunately op their own procedures for the tech- made clear and procedures put in and we are now ahead of demand.” Nevertheless, a com- not materialized. Instead the industry nologies introduced in new platforms. place to prevent it. “It is a case of put- plementary technology is thought necessary in the future. is cooperating its safety body Heli- Most OEMs now produce FCOMs for ting in layers of defense to prevent such The SESAR DM’s experts are considering curbing the load Offshore to introduce new technology, their platforms used offshore, allowing events,” Haskins says. SESAR DM on ground networks by using a space-based infrastructure. industry data sharing and updated pilots to understand the design and au- Airbus Helicopters has agreed to From the airlines’ perspective, primary issues may To make the case for further investment in the program, standards, with the aim of being as safe tomation concepts for each type; Bell is make Human Hazard Analysis a part change post crisis, and SESAR’s execution team is build- the SESAR DM is emphasizing how research and develop- as its fixed-wing equivalents. even working on an FCOM for its fly- of its design process going forward for ing a case for continuing ATM updates. ment has resulted in improved ATM in Europe. “SESAR de- Since its launch in 2014, the Lon- by-wire Model 525. With the introduc- all helicopters, Haskins says. livers in the world of commercial operations,” Warinsko says. don-based nonprofit’s membership tion of FCOMs, the “operators see the HeliOffshore has also been working The European Commission tasked the SDA with fulfilling Since the program’s launch in the mid-2000s, 142 of the has grown to 50 offshore operators in benefit of using everybody’s knowledge with industry on adaptations to the the role of deployment manager (DM). “The relationship 345 planned projects have been put into operation. Planned addition to energy companies and the and experience,” Haskins says. Opera- Helicopter Terrain Awareness and with the public is important for us in these troubled times,” flight-time savings were to be 25,000 hr. in 2020, according helicopter OEMs (AW&ST Oct. 6, 2014, tors are increasingly adopting FCOM Warning System (HTAWS) for use says Nicolas Warinsko, the SESAR DM’s general manager. to numbers released before the crisis and based on the as- p. 31). At its heart, HeliOffshore’s ap- procedures, and the process is becom- over water. His willingness to speak, in a period when not every organi- sumption that 150 projects would be completed by June. proach takes advantage of data sharing ing smoother with the introduction of Although the technology has been zation is taking time for communications, signals the DM’s The total was predicted to increase by a factor of 13 by 2030. to understand safety challenges affect- new types. around for years, HeliOffshore along concern that the current efforts might be wasted because Fuel-burn savings were calculated at 25,000 metric tons ing the sector. Another significant project for Heli- with the UK Civil Aviation Authority, of shifting priorities. for this year. This was planned to grow 14-fold by 2030. The “We can proactively target our re- Offshore has been the use of Human the International Association of Oil “We are devising a plan to boost ATM modernization in European Green Deal, proposed by European Commission sources onto the few things that are Hazard Analysis, an approach used in and Gas Producers (IOGP) and sever- Europe, postcrisis,” Warinsko says. Collaboration among President Ursula von der Leyen, heralds the movement going to make a difference,” says Heli- the nuclear industry to look for single al operators have jointly funded new carriers and the industry’s investments are the two pillars of environmental issues to the top of the EU’s agenda, and Offshore CEO Gretchen Haskins, a points of failure that could lead to a HTAWS capabilities, including seven supporting SESAR’s advancement. “The crisis is harming the theme has grown in importance in SESAR’s promotion. human factors safety expert who was catastrophic outcome. The review has new operational modes. HeliOffshore’s these two pillars, due to survival reactions,” he warns. For the 345 projects planned to be competed by 2030, a one of several authorities on a special resulted in “enhancements to proce- examination of offshore accidents found Some states may require air navigation infrastructure on combined €2.9 billion ($3.2 billion) is calculated to be spent, committee to review the FAA’s certifi- dures, changes in design and improve- that controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) their soil, citing sovereignty. This may undermine efficiency including €1.3 billion in public funds. The projects will gen- cation processes in light of the Boeing ments in training,” Haskins notes. is the largest single cause, claiming 41 on the continental level. erate an estimated €16 billion in savings. c 737 MAX accidents. An example would be a component lives in 10 accidents since 2013.

28 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 29 ROTORCRAFT

The new HTAWS modes significant- Speedy Adaptations Help Helicopters ly boost warning times, giving pilots more time to see, react and avoid a To Fight Pandemic collision.“This is going to be a lifesav- ing technology because it just helps LEONARDO HAS DEVELOPED BIOLOGICAL CONTAINMENT ADAPTATIONS the pilots to see and avoid obstacles,” > Haskins says. > BRISTOW AND CHC ARE EVACUATING OIL WORKERS FROM OFFSHORE The first OEM to implement the ad- PLATFORMS WITH MODIFIED AIRCRAFT vanced systems will be Leonardo He- licopters with its AW139 twin-engine medium helicopter, through its Phase Tony Osborne London 8 upgrade to the aircraft’s Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite. Sikorsky and he COVID-19 pan- LEONARDO HELICOPTERS Airbus will follow suit, and Bell plans to demic may have integrate them onto the Model 525. Tbrought the air- New technologies such as HTAWS line industry to a halt, are likely to feature in new offshore he- but for helicopter opera- licopter management guidelines being tors—both offshore and written by the IOGP. These standards onshore—the routine of will likely involve the latest technology daily operations continues. and data techniques as they develop The rotary-wing in- and could drive a new wave of offshore dustry has had to quickly helicopter procurement. At Heli-Expo adapt its aircraft and pro- in January, Shell Aircraft, a company cedures for the need to with a lengthy track record of driving carry patients with con- offshore helicopter safety, called for firmed or suspected cases adopting the Airbus H160 into offshore of COVID-19. operations. And Norwegian energy Nowhere has this need company Wintershall Dea has called been more acute than in for introducing the Bell 525 into North Italy, the epicenter of the Sea offshore operations. outbreak in Europe. The North Sea continues to be a Dozens of helicopters testbed for safety technologies. Last there, both civilian and year, HeliOffshore collaborated with state-operated, have been UK air navigation service provider requisitioned for use by National Air Traffic Services (NATS) the Civil Protection agen- to trial automatic dependent surveil- cy to transfer patients lance-broadcast (ADS-B) technologies from hospitals in the to support safe helicopter operations north overwhelmed by around the platforms. NATS began us- the illness to less affected ing ADS-B Out to provide surveillance facilities in the south. The biological containment capsules are bulky and in the area last March, and the heli- Italy has the benefit of leave little room, even in the cabin of a 4.8-metric-ton copter operators have been looking at a large fleet of helicopters (10,600-lb.) Leonardo AW169. testing ADS-B In to deliver enhanced serving with various gov- weather and rig-identifier information. ernment agencies as well as commer- ters Chief Technical Officer Matteo Haskins says the technology could cially operated emergency medical Ragazzi tells Aviation Week. “There warn pilots of conditions such as trig- helicopters. But few, if any, have ever was no installation that was actually gered lightning, a phenomenon caused had to be equipped to cope with such a certified for aviation use, so we had to by the interaction of the helicopter’s ro- highly contagious virus, and the equip- talk with EASA (European Union Avi- tor blades and positively charged cloud ment to carry patients has not been ation Safety Agency) and our national formations, which can be dangerous for certified. agency ENAC and work with them on aircraft operating offshore (AW&ST At Leonardo Helicopters, a “hot developing a risk-based approach for April 21, 2014, p. 49). team” of engineers, usually devoted the installation.” “Even in this time of crisis, offshore to resolving airworthiness or urgent The configuration had to allow not helicopters are a critical service,” requests from customers, has been only for the installation of the capsule Haskins says. “This is an industry working on developing installations but also room for medics to look after that’s shown it can collaborate and and procedures for the use of stretch- the patient in flight while also main- cope during challenging times,” he ers fitted with biological containment taining isolation between the cabin and adds. “COVID-19 represents a new lev- capsules. the cockpit. The engineers developed el of challenge, and we are going have Such devices “are big, bulky plas- installations, instructions and proce- to use the things that have worked well tic containers ventilated by forced air dures for the company’s AW169, AW139 and foster innovation to find new ways from an electrical motor with a battery and AW189 twin-engine helicopters. of getting our mission done.” c that lasts 10 hr.,” Leonardo Helicop- “It is not a one-size-fits-all solution,”

30 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST Ragazzi adds. “We could not do this critical energy industry, concerned to the rigs, categorizing passengers with a twin-engine light helicopter [be- that an outbreak offshore could have a according to whether they have been cause] you have to have a roomy cabin serious impact on production. in contact with the virus or are show- for the medical staff to be able to work Faced with potential outbreaks of ing symptoms. Different categories of on the patient.” COVID-19 on offshore oil and gas plat- passengers cannot be mixed, the guide- Leonardo has passed details of the forms, offshore helicopter operators lines say. installations on to other airworthiness have adapted parts of their fleets to A similar mission is being performed agencies with the expectation that sim- be able to collect suspected COVID-19 by Bristow in the Gulf of Mexico and ilar configurations will need to be used cases from the rigs. In the North Sea, in support of energy extraction op- elsewhere. both Bristow Helicopters and CHC erations in Trinidad and Tobago and For patients with more complex have modified several aircraft for in Guyana using a mix of AW139s, needs, the company also developed COVID-19 cases. Bristow is using a Sikorsky S-76s and S-92s. modifications for the AW101 three-en- trio of Sikorsky S-92s previously used Looking to the future, Leonardo is gine heavy helicopters being flown by in the search-and-rescue role. They are taking steps to develop a fully certified the Italian Air Force. equipped with protective curtains to installation that would form part of These aircraft have been used for separate the cockpit from the passen- the medical equipment for emergency patients challenged with other under- ger area, airflow systems and adjust- medical service (EMS) helicopters. lying health complications that, along ed seating. Specific entrance and exit Ragazzi notes that the bulky nature with the special biological protection points are designated for each of the of the equipment, particularly the stretcher, require additional medical flight crew, paramedic and passengers stretcher, could encourage EMS oper- equipment. to further ensure required distance is ators to look again at larger helicopter The Norwegian Air Ambulance maintained. Each aircraft undergoes models, rather than the light single/ service has begun using an Airbus a full decontamination process after twin-engine helicopters often used AS332L1 Super Puma modified in nine every flight. today. Larger cabins could allow medi- days to carry a capsule stretcher and Oil and Gas UK, a British trade cal crews to provide enhanced care or three medics. body for the energy industry, has writ- treatment during the flight to the hos- Similar issues have challenged the ten guidelines for passengers heading pital (AW&ST April 8-21, 2019, p. 55). c

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Big Questions

> SOFIA SET TO BE TERMINATED IN FISCAL 2021

> STUDY FINDS 767 AND POSSIBLY P-8 GOOD DC-8 SUCCESSOR OPTIONS

Guy Norris Los Angeles

ASA’s two largest research JIM ROSS/NASA aircraft, the Boeing 747SP Nairborne observatory and the McDonnell Douglas DC-8 flying laboratory, face an increasingly uncertain future amid budget reductions and growing problems of parts ob - Delivered to Pan Am in May 1977, the converted 747SP began space science solescence. observation missions in 2010. Funding for the 747SP Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy lion per year to operate the upcoming mission. As an aging aircraft, it is (SOFIA), which has been flying sci- James Webb Space Telescope. more difficult to acquire spare parts, ence missions since 2010, is now ear- SOFIA received $85.2 million in but we can continue to fly the aircraft marked for termination in the agency’s the fiscal 2020 budget and will confor several more years.” fiscal 2021 budget request. NASA has tinue to operate for now, along with The study of alternate aircraft op- meanwhile begun studies of potential other funded agency aircraft and tions was “really a long-term, broad midterm successors to the DC-8-72, science systems, says David Mc- outlook that wasn’t prescriptive but which it acquired in 1985 for airborne Bride, director of NASA’s Armstrong was more of a ‘What sort of direc- sciences research but is now becom- Flight Research Center. He confirms, tion should we head in—something ing increasingly hard to support. however: “The president’s budget re- big or a fleet of smaller aircraft?’” SOFIA, which was developed by quest for [fiscal 2021] does eliminate says Thomas Ozoroski, a research NASA in partnership with DLR, the funding for SOFIA. The elimination engineer with Analytical Mechanics German Aerospace Center, was sin- of SOFIA has been proposed by the Associates, the Hampton, Virgin- gled out for grounding because of its Office of Management and Budget in ia-based consulting group hired by high operating costs and relatively previous years. Congress determines NASA for the study. low science productivity compared the enacted budget for [fiscal 2021] Describing details of the concept with other large science missions. and will determine the ultimate fate study at the American Institute of The specially modified 1977-built of SOFIA in [fiscal 2021] and beyond.” Aeronautics and Astronautics Sci- aircraft incorporates an 8.2-ft.-effec- Even before the looming budget Tech Forum and Exposition confer- tive-diameter reflecting telescope, crunch, SOFIA observation flights ence in Orlando, Florida, earlier this the largest ever to be flown, and had been suspended because of the year, Ozoroski says the evaluation conducts observations in the strato- COVID-19 pandemic. But NASA says “included discussions with scien - sphere at 38,000-45,000 ft., putting the SOFIA science center continues tists, and the key was to really listen it above 99% of the Earth’s infra- other operations via teleconferencing. to them and tie that together with red-blocking atmosphere. Unlike SOFIA, which is scheduled the aeronautics requirements. They The observatory—which, along to be put in long-term storage under weren’t always the same, but mostly with the DC-8, is operated and main- current plans, the fate of the DC-8 is they were.” tained by NASA’s Armstrong Flight not expected to be decided for some Despite the vintage of the Research Center—is managed for time, says McBride, who acknowledg- 1969-built DC-8, the airframe age space science missions by the agen- es that long-term studies for its re - itself “isn’t much of a concern,” Ozo- cy’s Ames Research Center in coop- placement are underway. “The DC-8 roski says. “This aircraft flies only eration with the Universities Space has long been a valuable asset for the about 500-600 hr. per year, which Research Association and the Ger- agency,” McBride says. “While it is a in terms of airframe lifetime is con- man SOFIA Institute at the Univer- rugged airframe and works well in its sidered relatively young. It has been sity of Stuttgart. The 747SP, however, current mission, Armstrong Flight modified a lot with cutouts for ex - competes for astrophysics funding Research Center is evaluating our periments and was converted into a with the agency’s Hubble Space Tele- options for replacing the aircraft in -72 variant in the 1980s, when it was scope, and from 2021, NASA will also a manner that maintains our role in given new pylons and reengined with be spending an estimated $172 mil- supporting NASA’s airborne science CFM56 turbofans [under the ‘Super

32 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST TECHNOLOGY

70’ retrofit program]. But there are imum payload and fuel to bring the growing concerns with operating an aircraft to maximum takeoff weight Big Questions airplane that is this old,” he adds. (MTOW), a flight with maximum Key supportability issues include fuel and sufficient payload to equal SOFIA SET TO BE TERMINATED access to the few remaining DC-8 MTOW, and a ferry flight-type con- > flight deck simulators for training dition with maximum fuel and zero IN FISCAL 2021 of the three-person flight crew and a payload weight. The results helped shortage of spares for critical items to differentiate the capabilities of the STUDY FINDS 767 AND > such as tires. In the case of the lat- candidate replacements, and the cal- POSSIBLY P-8 GOOD DC-8 ter, these are so rare that a spare tire, ibrated models were run to predict SUCCESSOR OPTIONS along with a DC-8-specific tow bar, performance for selected airborne are carried for science missions in missions. These ranged from regular the belly. “The spare tires are from long-range transport flights and more Guy Norris Los Angeles a special manufacturing run of 50 demanding vertical-sampling science produced by Goodyear. They don’t missions, including multiple climb- ASA’s two largest research make that tire anymore, and not be- and-descent segments, to long-dura- JIM ROSS/NASA aircraft, the Boeing 747SP ing able to find more of them could tion smoke-survey flights at low level. Nairborne observatory and the be the thing that kills the ability to The results indicated that of all the McDonnell Douglas DC-8 flying lab- operate the DC-8,” Ozoroski says. candidates, the 767 may be the best oratory, face an increasingly uncer- The study modeled some of the option. “The 767 is very similar to tain future amid budget reductions DC-8 airborne science missions and DC-8 in size and, being a semi-wide- and growing problems of parts ob - Delivered to Pan Am in May 1977, the converted 747SP began space science evaluated the range and payload body, fits the sweet spot in terms of solescence. observation missions in 2010. requirements against a range of al- being able to mount instruments along Funding for the 747SP Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy lion per year to operate the upcoming mission. As an aging aircraft, it is (SOFIA), which has been flying sci- James Webb Space Telescope. more difficult to acquire spare parts, ence missions since 2010, is now ear- SOFIA received $85.2 million in but we can continue to fly the aircraft marked for termination in the agency’s the fiscal 2020 budget and will confor several more years.” Although the DC-8, built in 1969, has airframe life remaining, spare fiscal 2021 budget request. NASA has tinue to operate for now, along with The study of alternate aircraft op- parts such as tires are increasingly hard to source. meanwhile begun studies of potential other funded agency aircraft and tions was “really a long-term, broad midterm successors to the DC-8-72, science systems, says David Mc- outlook that wasn’t prescriptive but which it acquired in 1985 for airborne Bride, director of NASA’s Armstrong was more of a ‘What sort of direc- sciences research but is now becom- Flight Research Center. He confirms, tion should we head in—something ing increasingly hard to support. however: “The president’s budget re- big or a fleet of smaller aircraft?’” SOFIA, which was developed by quest for [fiscal 2021] does eliminate says Thomas Ozoroski, a research NASA in partnership with DLR, the funding for SOFIA. The elimination engineer with Analytical Mechanics German Aerospace Center, was sin- of SOFIA has been proposed by the Associates, the Hampton, Virgin- gled out for grounding because of its Office of Management and Budget in ia-based consulting group hired by high operating costs and relatively previous years. Congress determines NASA for the study. low science productivity compared the enacted budget for [fiscal 2021] Describing details of the concept with other large science missions. and will determine the ultimate fate study at the American Institute of ● The specially modified 1977-built of SOFIA in [fiscal 2021] and beyond.” Aeronautics and Astronautics Sci- aircraft incorporates an 8.2-ft.-effec- Even before the looming budget Tech Forum and Exposition confer- ● tive-diameter reflecting telescope, crunch, SOFIA observation flights ence in Orlando, Florida, earlier this the largest ever to be flown, and had been suspended because of the year, Ozoroski says the evaluation ● conducts observations in the strato- COVID-19 pandemic. But NASA says “included discussions with scien - sphere at 38,000-45,000 ft., putting the SOFIA science center continues tists, and the key was to really listen it above 99% of the Earth’s infra- other operations via teleconferencing. to them and tie that together with GUY NORRIS/AW&ST red-blocking atmosphere. Unlike SOFIA, which is scheduled the aeronautics requirements. They The observatory—which, along to be put in long-term storage under weren’t always the same, but mostly ternative aircraft that included the the sides without having wasted space with the DC-8, is operated and main- current plans, the fate of the DC-8 is they were.” Gulfstream G-V; Boeing P-8 (military in the middle,” Ozoroski says. “The 767 tained by NASA’s Armstrong Flight not expected to be decided for some Despite the vintage of the derivative of the 737-900ER), 767- is a nice blend of capabilities,” includ- Research Center—is managed for time, says McBride, who acknowledg- 1969-built DC-8, the airframe age 200ER and 777-200LR; and Airbus ing additional range, capacity and re- space science missions by the agen- es that long-term studies for its re - itself “isn’t much of a concern,” Ozo- A330-200. “We didn’t have the A321 duced operating costs compared with cy’s Ames Research Center in coop- placement are underway. “The DC-8 roski says. “This aircraft flies only in the list, but it is a possible as it’s the older Douglas jet. eration with the Universities Space has long been a valuable asset for the about 500-600 hr. per year, which kind of a one-to-one trade,” he adds. The P-8 emerged as a close run- Research Association and the Ger- agency,” McBride says. “While it is a in terms of airframe lifetime is con- “But we also wanted to consider the ner-up while offering marginally less man SOFIA Institute at the Univer- rugged airframe and works well in its sidered relatively young. It has been possibility of a fleet of aircraft. There mission capability. The 737 deriva- sity of Stuttgart. The 747SP, however, current mission, Armstrong Flight modified a lot with cutouts for ex - was some talk of using a fleet of G-Vs tive uses “substantially less fuel per competes for astrophysics funding Research Center is evaluating our periments and was converted into a to do what the DC-8 does.” mission,” the study found, and could with the agency’s Hubble Space Tele- options for replacing the aircraft in -72 variant in the 1980s, when it was Three calibrated missions were be useful for those cases that do not scope, and from 2021, NASA will also a manner that maintains our role in given new pylons and reengined with used for the aircraft performance require the full capabilities of the be spending an estimated $172 mil- supporting NASA’s airborne science CFM56 turbofans [under the ‘Super models, including a flight with max- current DC-8. c

32 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 33 SPACE

sion-impacting system adjustments will be made, but these Station Scramble are as expected during any first-time flight test.” OFT-1 failed to dock at the ISS as planned due to a software BOEING TO REFLY UNCREWED STARLINER error that missynchronized the Starliner’s mission-elapsed > timer with the actual mission-elapsed time. The error cost the > NASA PINS HOPES ON SPACEX Starliner its first attempt to fire thrusters to reach the station’s orbit. A communications problem then scotched a fol- Irene Klotz Cape Canaveral low-on effort to position the Starliner for an ISS rendezvous. Instead, Boeing conducted a two-day free-flying test, On Nov. 2, NASA will mark 20 years since demonstrating the Starliner’s systems and extending and the Expedition 1 crew reached the Interna- retracting its docking ring. The capsule then successfully COMMERCIAL tional Space Station, kicking off an unbro- deorbited and parachuted to a touchdown in New Mexico. CREW ken succession of astronauts and cosmo- During the abbreviated flight, Boeing engineers uncovered COUNTDOWN nauts living aboard the orbiting outpost. a second software issue that could have caused the Starliner’s But the chain is starting to thin. The jettisoned service module to collide with the capsule after the Expedition 63 crew, which arrived at the station on April 9, will be short-staffed. NASA has yet to announce astronauts for follow-on missions, including who will be onboard when Ex- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy was accompanied to the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 9 by mask-clad support personnel as the COVID-19 pandemic continued.

pedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy and his two crewmates return home in October. NASA had hoped to be flying astronauts onboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon by now, but technical problems delayed both programs. SpaceX is in position to emerge from the quagmire first, though analysis of a Falcon 9 premature engine shutdown during a March 18 launch and a botched Dragon 2 parachute test on March 24 remain underway. If those issues are resolved and remaining work ANDREY SHELEPIN/NASA/GCTC completed, NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley could launch in late May or June for deorbit burn. Those problems prompted NASA, on March 6, a flight test to the International Space Station (ISS). No to declare the mission a “high-visibility close call,” enabling launch dates have been scheduled, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. it to broadly share lessons learned from the investigation. Douglas Schiess, the Eastern Range commander, told report- Boeing and NASA decided to reverify the Starliner’s entire ers April 9. Behnken and Hurley are training for a possible flight software—1 million lines of code—prior to continuing longer stay on the ISS to help bridge the staffing shortfall. with the flight-test program. The software verification pro- NASA last year began training the Boeing Starliner cess remains underway. “The work scope is well-understood flight-test crew for a potential extended ISS stay of up to six and we are making good and steady progress,” Barrett said. months, but those astronauts are extremely unlikely to reach The independent review team also is homing in on the likely orbit this year. Boeing instead will repeat an uncrewed Star- root cause of the communications problem, which prevented liner flight test following a troubled trial run on Dec. 20-22, OFT flight controllers from communicating with the Starliner 2019. The Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT) is targeted for October. via NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellites as planned. “Flying another uncrewed flight will allow us to complete Recommended corrective actions are pending, Barrett said. all flight-test objectives and evaluate the performance of the In January, Boeing reported a $410 million pretax charge in second Starliner vehicle at no cost to the taxpayer,” Boeing its 2019 fourth-quarter results to cover the cost of a possible said in an April 6 statement. “We will then proceed to the OFT reflight, which would require the purchase of another tremendous responsibility and privilege of flying astronauts Atlas V launch service from United Launch Alliance, among to the International Space Station.” other expenses. Boeing is covering the costs associated with Boeing’s investigation into software glitches that marred corrective actions needed after the OFT, Barrett said. the orbital flight test of its CST-100 Starliner commercial The delays with both Commercial Crew providers are hit- space taxi is nearing completion, with no additional major ting the ISS program just as U.S. paid rides on the Soyuz errors discovered, spokesman Joshua Barrett said. are coming to an end. Cassidy’s April 9 launch was the last “To date, we have not found any additional errors with sim- seat reserved under NASA’s existing agreements with Rus- ilar or anywhere near the same mission-impacting signifi- sia’s state space corporation Roscosmos. As Cassidy and his cance as the two declared issues,” Barrett wrote in an email crewmates began their 196-day mission, negotiations for a c LOGO ART: SHUTTERSTOCK to Aviation Week. “There were a few cases where nonmis- ride for his backup, Stephen Bowen, were still underway.

34 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST APRIL 2020 SPACE sion-impacting system adjustments will be made, but these Station Scramble are as expected during any first-time flight test.” OFT-1 failed to dock at the ISS as planned due to a software BOEING TO REFLY UNCREWED STARLINER error that missynchronized the Starliner’s mission-elapsed > timer with the actual mission-elapsed time. The error cost the > NASA PINS HOPES ON SPACEX Starliner its first attempt to fire thrusters to reach the station’s orbit. A communications problem then scotched a fol- Irene Klotz Cape Canaveral low-on effort to position the Starliner for an ISS rendezvous. Instead, Boeing conducted a two-day free-flying test, On Nov. 2, NASA will mark 20 years since demonstrating the Starliner’s systems and extending and the Expedition 1 crew reached the Interna- retracting its docking ring. The capsule then successfully COMMERCIAL tional Space Station, kicking off an unbro- deorbited and parachuted to a touchdown in New Mexico. CREW ken succession of astronauts and cosmo- During the abbreviated flight, Boeing engineers uncovered COUNTDOWN nauts living aboard the orbiting outpost. a second software issue that could have caused the Starliner’s But the chain is starting to thin. The jettisoned service module to collide with the capsule after the Expedition 63 crew, which arrived at the station on April 9, will be short-staffed. NASA has yet to announce astronauts for follow-on missions, including who will be onboard when Ex- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy was accompanied to the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 9 by mask-clad support personnel as the COVID-19 pandemic continued. pedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy and his two crewmates return home in October. NASA had hoped to be flying astronauts onboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon by now, but technical problems delayed both programs. SpaceX is in position to emerge from the quagmire first, though analysis of a Falcon 9 premature engine shutdown during a March 18 launch and a botched Dragon 2 parachute test on March 24 remain underway. If those issues are resolved and remaining work ANDREY SHELEPIN/NASA/GCTC completed, NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley could launch in late May or June for deorbit burn. Those problems prompted NASA, on March 6, a flight test to the International Space Station (ISS). No to declare the mission a “high-visibility close call,” enabling launch dates have been scheduled, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. it to broadly share lessons learned from the investigation. Douglas Schiess, the Eastern Range commander, told report- Boeing and NASA decided to reverify the Starliner’s entire ers April 9. Behnken and Hurley are training for a possible flight software—1 million lines of code—prior to continuing longer stay on the ISS to help bridge the staffing shortfall. with the flight-test program. The software verification pro- NASA last year began training the Boeing Starliner cess remains underway. “The work scope is well-understood flight-test crew for a potential extended ISS stay of up to six and we are making good and steady progress,” Barrett said. months, but those astronauts are extremely unlikely to reach The independent review team also is homing in on the likely orbit this year. Boeing instead will repeat an uncrewed Star- root cause of the communications problem, which prevented liner flight test following a troubled trial run on Dec. 20-22, OFT flight controllers from communicating with the Starliner YEARSYEARS OFOF MROMRO 2019. The Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT) is targeted for October. via NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellites as planned. “Flying another uncrewed flight will allow us to complete Recommended corrective actions are pending, Barrett said. all flight-test objectives and evaluate the performance of the In January, Boeing reported a $410 million pretax charge in second Starliner vehicle at no cost to the taxpayer,” Boeing its 2019 fourth-quarter results to cover the cost of a possible said in an April 6 statement. “We will then proceed to the OFT reflight, which would require the purchase of another tremendous responsibility and privilege of flying astronauts Atlas V launch service from United Launch Alliance, among to the International Space Station.” other expenses. Boeing is covering the costs associated with Boeing’s investigation into software glitches that marred corrective actions needed after the OFT, Barrett said. the orbital flight test of its CST-100 Starliner commercial The delays with both Commercial Crew providers are hit- space taxi is nearing completion, with no additional major ting the ISS program just as U.S. paid rides on the Soyuz errors discovered, spokesman Joshua Barrett said. are coming to an end. Cassidy’s April 9 launch was the last “To date, we have not found any additional errors with sim- seat reserved under NASA’s existing agreements with Rus- ilar or anywhere near the same mission-impacting signifi- sia’s state space corporation Roscosmos. As Cassidy and his cance as the two declared issues,” Barrett wrote in an email crewmates began their 196-day mission, negotiations for a c LOGO ART: SHUTTERSTOCK to Aviation Week. “There were a few cases where nonmis- ride for his backup, Stephen Bowen, were still underway.

34 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST Guaranteed.

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MRO 4 LETTER TO THE MRO MAINTENANCE CHECK COMMUNITY MRO 6 NEWS BRIEFS & CONTRACTS The Origin of MRO SAFETY & REGULATORY wenty-five years ago, MRO 8 EASA Revises Cabin Air Recirculation Guidance an event happened that MRO 10 FAA Adjusts Guidance, Policy Twould forever change the Amid Pandemic aviation aftermarket industry. MRO 12 ARSA Update Three people saw a change coming AIRLINE INSIGHT in the airline industry and had a vi - American Airlines CEO Doug Parker and I while touring the airline’s Tulsa MRO 14 Air Canada sion to harness the power of what they Marc-Andre Huard saw—and one made it happen. It was base before the big announcement the birth of MRO—the acronym syn- (page MRO23). 25 YEARS OF MRO onymous with today’s aviation after- maintenance and reducing invento- MRO 16 The MRO Generation market, as well as the Aviation Week ries—was the hot topic. Airlines were The maintenance sector’s event series. being pressured to focus on their “core transformation since 1995 “The name and the first conference competencies” and shift other elements MRO 19 The Executive Perspective (MRO ’96) in Dallas were hatched in to suppliers. Stephan Regulinski, presi- MRO execs discuss the a frenzy of meetings and brainstorm- dent of UAL Services for United Air- industry’s evolution ing sessions headed by Ken Gazzola, lines, advocated outsourcing any main- AIRLINES Aviation Week’s publisher; Don Fink, tenance that was not of a “value-added MRO 23 Go Big Aviation Week editor-in-chief; George nature” for the carrier, but he cau- American Airlines invests Ebbs, president of the Canaan Group, tioned, “United’s employee ownership $550 million in its Tulsa base a consulting firm that pioneered the plan limits the airline from outsourcing expansion of MRO outsourcing and its more than 20% of maintenance work,” TECHNOLOGY modern supply chain; and Lydia Janow, according to an Aviation Week article MRO 26 Structural Health Monitoring who led the small Aviation Week con- about MRO ’96. Why are sensors not being ference unit at the time and provided Boeing President Philip Condit urged used more readily? the tradeshow executional expertise to airlines and MROs to establish and sus- OPERATIONS produce the first MRO event . . . and tain a “mutual dialog” with each to navi- every MRO thereafter, continuing to gate this new world. MRO 30 Redesigning an MRO STS’ Monarch revamp this day,” says Greg Hamilton, Aviation Engine OEM business fundamentals Week Network president. also were under pressure: Increased en- MRO 32 The Price of Reusability MRO ’96 was held in Dallas on March gine reliability decreased the number of Reflying rockets is cool, but 10-12 at the Fairmont Hotel’s ballroom. powerplants needed, customers want- does it make financial sense? Janow budgeted for 25 exhibitors and ed cost guarantees and better service, WORKFORCE 350 conference attendees. “We ended and a Rolls-Royce speaker cited rising MRO 34 Workforce Wins in Chicago up with 70 exhibitors (and a waiting spares costs that were suppressing en- A grassroots aviation list) and more than 500 conference at- gine sales. This was prompting Rolls to workforce program thrives tendees,” she says. Although the curtain “make it very difficult” for new entrants separating the conference and exhibi- to get into its aftermarket. ENGINEERED tion spaces did not drown out vacuum- In 1996, Overhaul & Maintenance, the MRO 36 Next-Gen Navigation ing underway during exhibitor setup, original name of this magazine that New systems are accurate the conference was considered a big launched in 1995, pegged the MRO mar- and satellite-dependent success. (We’ve improved details such ket to climb to $60 billion by the year ENGINE ANALYSIS as that since then.) 2000. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, MRO 39 Pratt’s Geared Turbofan Gazzola had contacted Ross Perot, Aviation Week was forecasting the 2020 Service entry issues are Jr., whose family led the establishment commercial aviation MRO market dol- nearly solved of Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, for lar demand to be worth $91.2 billion, but his support. That entailed MRO ’96 at- now the forecast is 20-30% less. MRO LINKS tendees touring the new airport, which Even with this drop, it’s a big, dynam- MRO 40 Eco-Friendly MRO was home to an American Airlines ic market—and one that will continue maintenance facility, and attending a to evolve and persevere. Happy 25th VIEWPOINT spectacular Texas barbeque at Perot’s anniversary, and thank you for being MRO 42 David Marcontell, Circle T Ranch. part of it. c Oliver Wyman At MRO ’96, the theme of airlines COVER: THOMAS DE PIERRO needing to cut costs—by outsourcing —Lee Ann Shay

AviationWeek.com/MRO INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 MRO3 InsideMRO 25 Years of MRO

Dear MRO Community Colleagues,

he global coronavirus pandemic is dev- MRO industry and harmonize with other in- astating in so many ways and of course dustry events. We know there will be some Thas been debilitating across the air scheduling hurdles, but we are confident this transportation community and its stake - community will rally to overcome them. holders. As we all deal with this crisis, our account Together, we face a situation with little to and content teams remain focused on your no route map. All of our families, businesses, success. All of our businesses are in un- communities and ways of life have been affect- charted territory, but the aviation industry ed. It is difficult to focus on the future when has withstood many serious challenges, and we are consumed by the concerns of the pres- Aviation Week’s commitment to your success ent. With this in mind, we wanted to reach out is unwavering. We are at the ready to support and update you on how Aviation Week’s MRO and provide flexible options for the best pos- events team is navigating the situation. sible experience. MRO Americas has been rescheduled for The conversations we’ve had with airline Sept. 1-3, 2020, in Dallas at the Kay Bailey and MRO leaders and managers over the last Hutchison Convention Center. The unprec- few days have proven just how lucky we are to edented postponement was necessary to probe part of this supportive, tight-knit industry. tect our customers and employees. We also We are all being called upon to be our best believe strongly that we should move forward selves and to exercise patience, understand- with MRO Americas in 2020, as it plays an in- ing and compassion. This too shall pass, and tegral role in our customers’ business opera- we will rise, stronger and better than ever. tions. We worked to keep the event in Dallas, Stay resilient and safe during these coming hold as much as possible to the original plans weeks and months. We look forward to seeing and expectations for this cornerstone of the you in September.

Lydia Janow Lee Ann Shay Managing Director Chief Editor, MRO MRO & Air Transport Events

MRO4 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO 25 Years of MRO

Dear MRO Community Colleagues, Wings he global coronavirus pandemic is dev- MRO industry and harmonize with other in- astating in so many ways and of course dustry events. We know there will be some of change Thas been debilitating across the air scheduling hurdles, but we are confident this transportation community and its stake - community will rally to overcome them. For more than four decades, we’ve been a world leader in the design holders. As we all deal with this crisis, our account and development of flight controls, engine controls, and flight deck Together, we face a situation with little to and content teams remain focused on your and cabin systems. We are developing next generation systems that no route map. All of our families, businesses, success. All of our businesses are in un- will enable all-electric and hybrid-electric aircraft and engines. communities and ways of life have been affect- charted territory, but the aviation industry ed. It is difficult to focus on the future when has withstood many serious challenges, and we are consumed by the concerns of the pres- Aviation Week’s commitment to your success ent. With this in mind, we wanted to reach out is unwavering. We are at the ready to support and update you on how Aviation Week’s MRO and provide flexible options for the best pos- events team is navigating the situation. sible experience. MRO Americas has been rescheduled for The conversations we’ve had with airline Sept. 1-3, 2020, in Dallas at the Kay Bailey and MRO leaders and managers over the last Hutchison Convention Center. The unprec- few days have proven just how lucky we are to edented postponement was necessary to probe part of this supportive, tight-knit industry. tect our customers and employees. We also We are all being called upon to be our best believe strongly that we should move forward selves and to exercise patience, understand- with MRO Americas in 2020, as it plays an in- ing and compassion. This too shall pass, and tegral role in our customers’ business opera- we will rise, stronger and better than ever. tions. We worked to keep the event in Dallas, Stay resilient and safe during these coming hold as much as possible to the original plans weeks and months. We look forward to seeing and expectations for this cornerstone of the you in September.

Lydia Janow Lee Ann Shay Managing Director Chief Editor, MRO MRO & Air Transport Events

baesystems.com/commercialsupport MRO4 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO News Briefs

secured a long-term maintenance/modifica- Woodward and Hexcel Cancel Merger tion contract from GECAS; the first job is a Boeing 777-300ER cabin modification. Key aerospace and defense (A&D) suppliers Woodward and Hexcel have called off their planned merger due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, end- Contract Source: SpeedNews ing a three-month saga that baffled many industry insiders and has since been overtaken by survival necessities. “The pandemic has resulted in a need for each company to focus on its respective businesses and has impacted the companies’ ability to realize the The aviation industry has faced its share benefits of the merger during these unprecedented times,” they said in a joint of disruptive challenges, and each time it statement. Neither company will pay a breakup fee to the other. has emerged stronger. With that in mind, In the joint statement, the CEOs of both companies—who know each oth- Aviation Week is expanding our COVID-19 er well—upheld their reasons behind the erstwhile “merger of equals.” The coverage with content that not only helps in the short term with news and situation- stock-swap deal, announced Jan. 12, was supposed to create a horizontally al awareness but also skews to predictive powerful entity—not vertically integrated—that could capitalize especially and best-practices content that will help on reducing material weight and other sustainability technologies increas- our industry make good decisions now— ingly demanded as commercial aviation battles its poor climate-change image. and for the better times ahead. But financial analysts and aerospace advisors never bought the pitch and Access coronavirus coverage openly questioned the combination of such different companies—Hexcel is Updates from across the Aviation Week Network— a leading provider of composites to A&D while Woodward excels in aircraft including current news, a new weekly parts and fluid- and motion-control systems. At industry conferences in Feb- webinar series and expert forecasts and ruary and March, many commenters told audiences they did not understand analysis of what’s next for our global the reasons. Also, the stock prices of both have dropped around 57% since industry: Aviationweek.com/coronavirus the merger announcement. c

MRO6 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO News Briefs

Highlights Contracts GA Telesis acquired five GE CF6-80C2B1Fs Emergency Funding for U.S. MROs, Suppliers from Atlas Air for parting out. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act sets up sev- Israel Aerospace Industries has gained eral new programs and adjusts some existing ones—each aimed at pumping FAA certification for its Boeing 737-800 much-needed cash into organizations or industry sectors. Large portions of freighter conversion program. It has delivered the U.S. commercial aviation industry got specific carveouts in the $2 trillion economic relief package enacted March 27. While these loans and grants will two to unnamed customers. help air carriers and other key industry players offset some financial losses Kenya Airways secured $49 million in gov- and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, most suppliers will be ernment loans to cover scheduled overhauls looking elsewhere for money. for 11 GE CF34-10s on its Embraer 190s. Thankfully, CARES act gives even the smallest companies options. Topping the list is the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a $349 billion pot of money Lufthansa Technik has landed long-term designed to enable the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide technical support contracts from two Rus- “expeditious” relief to eligible businesses, says an interim final rule published sian carriers: Red Wings Airlines for en- late April 2. The PPP provides SBA-guaranteed loans equal to up to 2.5 times gine (V2500/CFM56) and landing gear main- monthly payroll costs, with a $10 million cap, that businesses can use to keep tenance for eight Airbus A320s and four the lights on for two months. Eligible expenses include payroll, health care A321s, and Smartavia for Boeing 737NG benefits, rent and utility payments as well as some interest expenses. The loans come with a 1% interest rate, maximum two-year terms, and require no spare parts. collateral or personal guarantees. And they will be forgiven if 75% or more of Magnetic MRO won an Airbus contract to the funds are used to cover payroll. provide airframe maintenance for operators and Businesses can only apply for one PPP loan, so the SBA advises applying owners in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. for the maximum eligible amount. Determining eligibility is straightforward: A business must find its North RUAG MRO Switzerland was selected by American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, check the maximum the Royal Netherlands Air Force for PC-7 employee size for its business category and compare that to its staff size. maintenance. Day in. Day out. While the general small-business benchmark is 500 or fewer employees, aero- S7 Technics won a five-year consignment space has many exceptions. The threshold for aircraft engine and engine parts stock contract from Satair covering exclu- manufacturing/maintenance (NAICS Code 336412) is 1,500 employees. For CFM Services. Supporting your engine throughout its lifecycle. aeronautical instruments manufacturing (334511), it is 1,250. If your business sive aftermarket distribution of at least 350 falls under multiple codes, the one that generates the most work determines part numbers in Russia/the Commonwealth the NAICS code. SBA has an online tool that walks you through the process of Indepedent States. At any point in time – from entry into service to mid-life and through maturity – we at sba.gov/size-standards United Arab Emirates-based VD Gulf have the capability, resources and experience to deliver all of your engine service secured a long-term maintenance/modifica- requirements. From customized programs to tailored transactions, we ensure your Woodward and Hexcel Cancel Merger tion contract from GECAS; the first job is a CFM engine is maintained to meet your needs and cost of ownership objectives. Boeing 777-300ER cabin modification. Key aerospace and defense (A&D) suppliers Woodward and Hexcel have Wherever you are in the world, whatever day in your engine’s life. called off their planned merger due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, end- Contract Source: SpeedNews ing a three-month saga that baffled many industry insiders and has since been overtaken by survival necessities. Expertise. Choice. Flexibility. “The pandemic has resulted in a need for each company to focus on its respective businesses and has impacted the companies’ ability to realize the The aviation industry has faced its share www.cfmaeroengines.com/services benefits of the merger during these unprecedented times,” they said in a joint of disruptive challenges, and each time it statement. Neither company will pay a breakup fee to the other. has emerged stronger. With that in mind, CFM International is a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines In the joint statement, the CEOs of both companies—who know each oth- Aviation Week is expanding our COVID-19 er well—upheld their reasons behind the erstwhile “merger of equals.” The coverage with content that not only helps in the short term with news and situation- stock-swap deal, announced Jan. 12, was supposed to create a horizontally al awareness but also skews to predictive powerful entity—not vertically integrated—that could capitalize especially and best-practices content that will help on reducing material weight and other sustainability technologies increas- our industry make good decisions now— ingly demanded as commercial aviation battles its poor climate-change image. and for the better times ahead. But financial analysts and aerospace advisors never bought the pitch and Access coronavirus coverage openly questioned the combination of such different companies—Hexcel is Updates from across the Aviation Week Network— a leading provider of composites to A&D while Woodward excels in aircraft including current news, a new weekly parts and fluid- and motion-control systems. At industry conferences in Feb- webinar series and expert forecasts and ruary and March, many commenters told audiences they did not understand analysis of what’s next for our global the reasons. Also, the stock prices of both have dropped around 57% since industry: Aviationweek.com/coronavirus the merger announcement. c

MRO6 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Safety & Regulatory

EASA Revises Antiviral Cabin Air Recirculation Guidance

The novel coronavirus pandemic has AIRBUS forced the entire aviation industry to EASA is urging operators to limit cabin air recirculation. change at a moment’s notice and rethink formerly benign issues such as how flight decks are wiped down and whether cabin air systems, as designed, are sufficient for protecting those onboard. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) addressed both issues as part of a safety information bulletin (SIB) series aimed at limiting the spread of the COVID-19—but not without creating some uncertainty. EASA’s SIB urged operators to crack down on pilots and cabin crew members using their own cleaning products on aircraft. Using unap - proved cleaning agents can damage surfaces or mix with other cleaning agents to create fumes that could en- danger passengers and crew members, Control and Prevention guidance. latex gloves and N95 masks, among the agency says. “We are aware of airlines claiming other precautions. “Aircraft operators should, to the to have cleaned aircraft with alcohol- EASA’s operational guidance also practicable extent, provide appropri- based disinfectants that fail to comply tackled minimizing the virus’s pres- ate and sufficient disinfectants (e.g., with the minimum 70% alcohol-based ence in cabins. Aircraft with High disinfectant wipes) for all crew mem- solution,” DePete wrote. “The FAA Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) fil- bers, and establish appropriate pro- should make airlines aware of their ters in their cabin air system are well- cedures/guidance on their use, mak- obligation to stringently adhere to equipped to minimize spread of the ing sure that all possible touch points these standards. We suggest including novel coronavirus, but those without and transmission-capable surfaces are a list of specific products recognized should consider minimizing cabin air appropriately treated,” EASA says. to disinfect for the virus causing CO- recirculation, the agency concludes. “This should occur before flight crew VID-19.” FAA has issued recommenda- EASA’s latest information on prevent- compartment and cabin preparation, tions to operators, but as of April 8, ing the virus and the COVID-19 illness with emphasis on ensuring all aircraft had stopped short of mandating them. it triggers—updated April 7—revises systems are correctly set before use.” ALPA leaders met with top FAA of- previous guidance that recommended Approved procedures and cleaning ficials on April 8 and came away less using air conditioning, which draws in agents are discussed in more detail than satisfied. fresh air, as much as possible. in other agency guidance and recom- “Unfortunately, the FAA is refusing “Whenever performing commercial mendations from the European Cen- to act, putting flight crews and the air transport of passengers during the ter for Disease Prevention and Con- flying public at great risk,” DePete COVID-19 outbreak, aircraft opera- trol, EASA says. wrote in a letter to Transport De - tors employing recirculation of cabin EASA’s call came on the heels of an partment Secretary Elaine Chao. air are recommended either to install Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) “This bureaucratic inertia needs to and employ HEPA filters, according plea to the FAA for mandates aimed stop—and action must be taken now to the manufacturer specifications, at U.S. operators. The FAA in mid- to protect lives.” or to avoid the use of cabin air recir- March FAA issued advisory material In the U.S., flight attendants were culation completely,” the agency says. on how operators can protect front- raising novel coronavirus-related EASA adds that safety-critical func- line employees and passengers during cabin health concerns well before the tions such as avionics cooling should the pandemic, but ALPA says more is World Health Organization declared be factored into any decision. needed. In a March 31 letter to FAA the situation a pandemic on March 11. Recycling air lessens the load on air Administrator Steve Dickson, ALPA The Association of Flight Attendants conditioning systems, which on most President Joe DePete said that some urged hand sanitizer stations at air- aircraft use air diverted from the en- airlines are using cleaning agents that ports and in aircraft and provision gines. While this provides fresh air, it do not meet U.S. Centers for Di sease of kits for flight attendants with non- also reduces engine efficiency. Shut-

MRO8 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Safety & Regulatory

Custom-repaired flange: EASA Revises Antiviral Thousands of Cabin Air Recirculation Guidance dollars saved.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has AIRBUS forced the entire aviation industry to EASA is urging operators to limit cabin air recirculation. change at a moment’s notice and rethink formerly benign issues such as how flight decks are wiped down and whether cabin air systems, as designed, are sufficient for protecting those onboard. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) addressed both issues as part of a safety information bulletin (SIB) series aimed at limiting the spread of the COVID-19—but not without creating some uncertainty. EASA’s SIB urged operators to crack down on pilots and cabin crew members using their own cleaning products on aircraft. Using unap - proved cleaning agents can damage surfaces or mix with other cleaning agents to create fumes that could en- danger passengers and crew members, Control and Prevention guidance. latex gloves and N95 masks, among the agency says. “We are aware of airlines claiming other precautions. “Aircraft operators should, to the to have cleaned aircraft with alcohol- EASA’s operational guidance also practicable extent, provide appropri- based disinfectants that fail to comply tackled minimizing the virus’s pres- ate and sufficient disinfectants (e.g., with the minimum 70% alcohol-based ence in cabins. Aircraft with High disinfectant wipes) for all crew mem- solution,” DePete wrote. “The FAA Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) fil- bers, and establish appropriate pro- should make airlines aware of their ters in their cabin air system are well- cedures/guidance on their use, mak- obligation to stringently adhere to equipped to minimize spread of the ing sure that all possible touch points these standards. We suggest including novel coronavirus, but those without and transmission-capable surfaces are a list of specific products recognized should consider minimizing cabin air appropriately treated,” EASA says. to disinfect for the virus causing CO- recirculation, the agency concludes. “This should occur before flight crew VID-19.” FAA has issued recommenda- EASA’s latest information on prevent- compartment and cabin preparation, tions to operators, but as of April 8, ing the virus and the COVID-19 illness with emphasis on ensuring all aircraft had stopped short of mandating them. it triggers—updated April 7—revises systems are correctly set before use.” ALPA leaders met with top FAA of- previous guidance that recommended Approved procedures and cleaning ficials on April 8 and came away less using air conditioning, which draws in agents are discussed in more detail than satisfied. fresh air, as much as possible. in other agency guidance and recom- “Unfortunately, the FAA is refusing “Whenever performing commercial mendations from the European Cen- to act, putting flight crews and the air transport of passengers during the Longer-lasting compressor shroud: Corrosion-free bearing plate: ter for Disease Prevention and Con- flying public at great risk,” DePete COVID-19 outbreak, aircraft opera- More uptime for your fleet. trol, EASA says. wrote in a letter to Transport De - tors employing recirculation of cabin Hundreds of cool, EASA’s call came on the heels of an partment Secretary Elaine Chao. air are recommended either to install Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) “This bureaucratic inertia needs to and employ HEPA filters, according comfortable passengers. plea to the FAA for mandates aimed stop—and action must be taken now to the manufacturer specifications, at U.S. operators. The FAA in mid- to protect lives.” or to avoid the use of cabin air recir- March FAA issued advisory material In the U.S., flight attendants were culation completely,” the agency says. on how operators can protect front- raising novel coronavirus-related EASA adds that safety-critical func- line employees and passengers during cabin health concerns well before the tions such as avionics cooling should A small component repair that the pandemic, but ALPA says more is World Health Organization declared be factored into any decision. needed. In a March 31 letter to FAA the situation a pandemic on March 11. Recycling air lessens the load on air translates into big savings. Administrator Steve Dickson, ALPA The Association of Flight Attendants conditioning systems, which on most President Joe DePete said that some urged hand sanitizer stations at air- aircraft use air diverted from the en- We know a lot about your air cycle machine. Like that when one isn’t working, passengers airlines are using cleaning agents that ports and in aircraft and provision gines. While this provides fresh air, it will get heated. Or that our DER repair costs 50 percent less than the standard OEM do not meet U.S. Centers for Di sease of kits for flight attendants with non- also reduces engine efficiency. Shut- replacement — and lasts longer. So, if you want an MRO that will give your bottom line a lift, visit DeltaTechOps.com and learn how our Oper-chanics mindset can work for you.

MRO8 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Safety & Regulatory

ting off recirculation taps the air con- Even when using HEPA filters, bridge physical gaps with technology. ditioning system, putting more fresh EASA suggests operators boost fresh On March 31, the agency issued long- air through the cabin. air intake by setting fan pack flow awaited policy on using real-time and HEPA filters “have demonstrated settings to “high” or the equivalent recorded video “to perform prototype good performance with particles of setting that increases fresh air flow. conformity inspections, engineering the SARS-Cov-2 virus size (approxi- “Operators should confirm with and ground tests, engineering compli- mately 70-120 [nanometers]),” EASA the aircraft manufacturers the ance inspections, production confor- explains. HEPA filters are standard practice of selecting the configura- mity inspections, and inspections” for on some aircraft—but not all. Sup - tion high pack flow and follow their issuing 8130-3s, or airworthiness ap- pliers including Donaldson and Pall instructions for continuous use,” the proval tags for parts and assemblies. Aerospace have developed retrofits safety agency adds. c “Remote technology may have limita- for most transport category aircraft. —Sean Broderick tions that could render it unsuitable for some applications,” the FAA said. “Ac- cordingly, careful consideration and risk management should be applied when making a determination when to use it.” FAA Adjusts Guidance and Video feeds were already permit- ted for observing certification-related Policy Amid Pandemic tests, so long as the process is part of an FAA-approved plan. The new guid- The FAA is adjusting on the fly to con- examinations would further stress ance, which has been in the works since duct as much of its oversight as possible the health care system, and would in- 2018, broadens the use of remote feeds while accommodating the new world crease the risk of transmitting the virus for use in training, inspections, and order of social distancing: blending new through personal contact between the other procedures that manufacturers processes, policies and deadline exemp- doctor and the applicant,” the FAA said. and maintenance providers need to tions to keep operators compliant dur- In some cases, the agency is making comply with the agency’s regulations. ing the novel coronavirus pandemic. small changes to allow surveillance to “This is the new reality,” says Sarah As of April 8, the agency had issued continue. For instance, airport inspec- MacLeod, executive director of the 16 policy deviations and regulatory tions have not stopped, but inspectors Aeronautical Repair Station Associa- exemptions covering a wide range of and airport personnel are expected to tion. “The agency has to be able to con- issues. Many addressed training for pi- practice social distancing. duct normal activity and verify compli- lots, cabin crew, dispatchers and others In other cases, the agency developed ance as much as possible.” who are required to hold a license or to procedures that will help industry stay Another issue the agency has ad- receive regular instruction. The general compliant without requiring an FAA dressed: removing red tape so that theme: Extend deadlines on recurrent inspector’s on-site presence. Foreign Part 147 schools can shift to online training requirements to help avoid in- repair stations that already have approv- classes for aviation maintenance tech- person instruction during the pandemic. als may not get annual inspections if nicians working toward their airframe Pilots and flight engineers also will see travel restrictions prevent FAA person- and powerplant (A&P) certificates. upcoming medical certificate expirations nel from getting to the shops, but they Under current protocol, the FAA ap- extended through June 30. “Requiring will not lose their approvals either. Other proves distance learning curriculum pilots to undergo in-person medical methods are being explored to safely on a class-by-class basis—a process that the agency acknowledges can be “time-consuming.” That is one reason only five of the 170 FAA-approved Part 147 schools had sought distance learning approval for their A&P candidates before the pandemic. Updated guidance gives schools that comply with social distancing protocol the leeway to adopt temporary distance learning and testing programs for existing and newly enrolled students. Agency approval is still required, Temporary FAA policy will but it is being fast-tracked. The FAA help repair stations and says about 40% of schools have asked others maintain compliance for deviations, and 20% have suspend- during the pandemic. ed operations. The other 40% had yet to reach out to the agency. c —Sean Broderick SEAN BRODERICK/AW&ST

MRO10 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Safety & Regulatory ting off recirculation taps the air con- Even when using HEPA filters, bridge physical gaps with technology. #MROAM | ditioning system, putting more fresh EASA suggests operators boost fresh On March 31, the agency issued long- air through the cabin. air intake by setting fan pack flow awaited policy on using real-time and HEPA filters “have demonstrated settings to “high” or the equivalent recorded video “to perform prototype good performance with particles of setting that increases fresh air flow. conformity inspections, engineering the SARS-Cov-2 virus size (approxi- “Operators should confirm with and ground tests, engineering compli- mately 70-120 [nanometers]),” EASA the aircraft manufacturers the ance inspections, production confor- explains. HEPA filters are standard practice of selecting the configura- mity inspections, and inspections” for on some aircraft—but not all. Sup - tion high pack flow and follow their issuing 8130-3s, or airworthiness ap- pliers including Donaldson and Pall instructions for continuous use,” the proval tags for parts and assemblies. Aerospace have developed retrofits safety agency adds. c “Remote technology may have limita- for most transport category aircraft. —Sean Broderick tions that could render it unsuitable for some applications,” the FAA said. “Ac- cordingly, careful consideration and risk management should be applied when Join us for a Week of making a determination when to use it.” FAA Adjusts Guidance and Video feeds were already permit- ted for observing certification-related Policy Amid Pandemic tests, so long as the process is part of MRO Focused Virtual Content an FAA-approved plan. The new guid- The FAA is adjusting on the fly to con- examinations would further stress ance, which has been in the works since duct as much of its oversight as possible the health care system, and would in- 2018, broadens the use of remote feeds while accommodating the new world crease the risk of transmitting the virus for use in training, inspections, and April 28-30. order of social distancing: blending new through personal contact between the other procedures that manufacturers processes, policies and deadline exemp- doctor and the applicant,” the FAA said. and maintenance providers need to tions to keep operators compliant dur- In some cases, the agency is making comply with the agency’s regulations. ing the novel coronavirus pandemic. small changes to allow surveillance to “This is the new reality,” says Sarah Tune in for live and recorded webinars, podcasts, As of April 8, the agency had issued continue. For instance, airport inspec- MacLeod, executive director of the 16 policy deviations and regulatory tions have not stopped, but inspectors Aeronautical Repair Station Associa- whitepapers and more. exemptions covering a wide range of and airport personnel are expected to tion. “The agency has to be able to con- issues. Many addressed training for pi- practice social distancing. duct normal activity and verify compli- lots, cabin crew, dispatchers and others In other cases, the agency developed ance as much as possible.” Topics include: who are required to hold a license or to procedures that will help industry stay Another issue the agency has ad- receive regular instruction. The general compliant without requiring an FAA dressed: removing red tape so that theme: Extend deadlines on recurrent inspector’s on-site presence. Foreign Part 147 schools can shift to online • Industry Consolidation, Mergers & Acquisitions training requirements to help avoid in- repair stations that already have approv- classes for aviation maintenance tech- person instruction during the pandemic. als may not get annual inspections if nicians working toward their airframe • Technology for Efﬁ ciency Pilots and flight engineers also will see travel restrictions prevent FAA person- and powerplant (A&P) certificates. upcoming medical certificate expirations nel from getting to the shops, but they Under current protocol, the FAA ap- • Liquidity: What are we seeing in the market? extended through June 30. “Requiring will not lose their approvals either. Other proves distance learning curriculum pilots to undergo in-person medical methods are being explored to safely on a class-by-class basis—a process • Lease Returns that the agency acknowledges can be “time-consuming.” That is one reason only five of the 170 FAA-approved Part 147 schools had sought distance learn- To register for webinars, subscribe to podcasts ing approval for their A&P candidates before the pandemic. and access content visit: Updated guidance gives schools that comply with social distancing protocol https://aviationweek.com/shows-events/mro-americas the leeway to adopt temporary distance learning and testing programs for existing and newly enrolled students. Agency approval is still required, Temporary FAA policy will but it is being fast-tracked. The FAA And we hope to see you live and in person help repair stations and says about 40% of schools have asked others maintain compliance for deviations, and 20% have suspend- at MRO Americas! during the pandemic. ed operations. The other 40% had yet to reach out to the agency. c September 1-3, 2020 • Dallas, TX —Sean Broderick SEAN BRODERICK/AW&ST

MRO10 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Safety & Regulatory

ARSA UPDATE Cooking Up Workforce Solutions

THE TITLE OF THIS PIECE WAS CONCOCTED ON THE a positive connection with the other people in your peoples’ spot by my colleague Christian Klein, ARSA’s executive vice lives and make the company a part of that relationship. president, as he and I ran a workshop on aviation mainte- We all know the stories of losing people. A technician nance career development during ARSA’s Annual Confer- can take another job for a marginal increase in pay, a slight ence in March, before the coronavirus crisis hit the U.S. change in commute or schedule, or in response to some other As always, Christian provided an erudite “kicker” to set professional interest. Many do, and we hear routinely from off the title: What do weekend cooking classes have to do larger employers (and some smaller ones) about the pains of with maintenance? investing in training and skill development for new people, only to lose them to others. We hear also about the cycle of technical personnel leaving for richer rewards elsewhere, only to turn around and seek even more from the company that had first hired them. In the worst cases, the story ends with those “boomerangs” actually getting what they ask for . . . when they weren’t considered stellar performers the first time. Surely, these discussions occurred during the workshop Christian and I were running, but let’s stay with family engagement and what it means. The basic idea is to create additional connection with wives, husbands, girlfriends, best friends, children and even, perhaps, pets. Doing so gives you allies, additional voices in the personal lives of your people who will advocate for your business should other options arise. A cooking class is a fun example, one that is meant to add a social element to the experience of your employees, but there are a number of other hard and soft benefits that play directly into the home lives of those who spend their working hours with you—fam- ANDERS RYMAN/GETTY IMAGES ily leave, educational opportunities, health resources and Answering this question requires rewinding to a few min- other activities can make a useful connection. utes before Christian typed the words into his laptop. We I’ve said before that one of the great blind spots in our were deep into the second hour of discussion on workforce industry-wide efforts to find new talent is that we overlook and recruitment challenges, reviewing various government the challenge of keeping the talent we have. The working resources and programs available to businesses looking world has changed, and many employees don’t intend or to stimulate technical talent. Wisely, he changed tack and expect to spend full careers with the same company. Ex- asked the group for examples of useful retention activities. pecting to keep staff at all costs is foolhardy and probably One response stood out, if only because it was so unex- against the larger interests of the maintenance community. pected: Cooking classes. Not just for employees, but for Still, differentiating your company from other options is an spouses and family members, together at special off-hours important way to encourage people to stay and make your events hosted by the company. business more attractive than others. The idea hasn’t been implemented yet of course, due to This is where I ask for your input and feedback, so here the lockdown—you can stand ready for even more mouth- it is: Help us learn more about how industry can inventively watering plays on words once it has been and we can report retain good people. Contact me at [email protected] on it—but the underlying logic was quite interesting. Be- and share what you’re cooking up.c sides salaries, benefits and other “hard” payments to personnel, the company was considering what other “anchors” Brett Levanto is vice president of operations at Obadal, Filler, affect the decisions made by employees to change jobs. MacLeod & Klein and an advisor to the Aeronautical Repair The family experience, they determined, was key. Create Station Association.

MRO12 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Safety & Regulatory

Discover more ARSA UPDATE www.aeroengineconference.com Cooking Up Workforce Solutions

THE TITLE OF THIS PIECE WAS CONCOCTED ON THE a positive connection with the other people in your peoples’ spot by my colleague Christian Klein, ARSA’s executive vice lives and make the company a part of that relationship. president, as he and I ran a workshop on aviation mainte- We all know the stories of losing people. A technician nance career development during ARSA’s Annual Confer- can take another job for a marginal increase in pay, a slight ence in March, before the coronavirus crisis hit the U.S. change in commute or schedule, or in response to some other As always, Christian provided an erudite “kicker” to set professional interest. Many do, and we hear routinely from off the title: What do weekend cooking classes have to do larger employers (and some smaller ones) about the pains of with maintenance? investing in training and skill development for new people, only to lose them to others. We hear also about the cycle of technical personnel leaving for richer rewards elsewhere, only to turn around and seek even more from the company that SEE YOU IN had first hired them. In the worst cases, the story ends with those “boomerangs” actually getting what they ask for . . . STAVANGER! when they weren’t considered stellar performers the first time. Surely, these discussions occurred during the workshop Christian and I were running, but let’s stay with family engagement and what it means. 16-17 SEPTEMBER 2020 The basic idea is to create additional connection with STAVANGER, NORWAY wives, husbands, girlfriends, best friends, children and even, perhaps, pets. Doing so gives you allies, additional voices in the personal lives of your people who will advocate for your business should other options arise. A cooking class is a fun example, one that is meant to add a social element to the THE PREMIER EVENT experience of your employees, but there are a number of other hard and soft benefits that play directly into the home EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED lives of those who spend their working hours with you—fam- ANDERS RYMAN/GETTY IMAGES ily leave, educational opportunities, health resources and TO THE TRENDS AND Answering this question requires rewinding to a few min- other activities can make a useful connection. utes before Christian typed the words into his laptop. We I’ve said before that one of the great blind spots in our ISSUES RELATED TO were deep into the second hour of discussion on workforce industry-wide efforts to find new talent is that we overlook and recruitment challenges, reviewing various government the challenge of keeping the talent we have. The working THE REGION’S ENGINE resources and programs available to businesses looking world has changed, and many employees don’t intend or MRO COMMUNITY to stimulate technical talent. Wisely, he changed tack and expect to spend full careers with the same company. Ex- asked the group for examples of useful retention activities. pecting to keep staff at all costs is foolhardy and probably One response stood out, if only because it was so unex- against the larger interests of the maintenance community. GET IN TOUCH: pected: Cooking classes. Not just for employees, but for Still, differentiating your company from other options is an spouses and family members, together at special off-hours important way to encourage people to stay and make your events hosted by the company. business more attractive than others. The idea hasn’t been implemented yet of course, due to This is where I ask for your input and feedback, so here the lockdown—you can stand ready for even more mouth- it is: Help us learn more about how industry can inventively Speaker Enquiries: Sponsor/Exhibitor Enquiries: Registration Enquiries: watering plays on words once it has been and we can report retain good people. Contact me at [email protected] Hannah Bonnett Victoria Keeble E: [email protected] on it—but the underlying logic was quite interesting. Be- and share what you’re cooking up.c E: [email protected] E: [email protected] sides salaries, benefits and other “hard” payments to personnel, the company was considering what other “anchors” Brett Levanto is vice president of operations at Obadal, Filler, affect the decisions made by employees to change jobs. MacLeod & Klein and an advisor to the Aeronautical Repair The family experience, they determined, was key. Create Station Association.

MRO12 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Airline Insight Air Canada Reliability is important to every nine segments in all. We classify them airline, but it must be balanced as high-runners, medium-runners and low-runners—and low-price, medium- against the cost of achieving it. price and high-price. There are price At the recent International Air- limits for each segment. For low-cost, lines Technical Pool (IATP) con- higher usage, no-go parts, we want [availability] there every time. ference, Henry Canaday spoke to Servigistics takes information into Marc-Andre Huard, operations account, calculates probabilities and manager for components, about makes recommendations on where we how Air Canada achieves this. are short or where we have a surplus. Then we add in human factors. Is your basic objective to maximize technical dispatch reliability (TDR) Do you have flight-hour agreements? while minimizing cost per flight hour or available seat-mile? Many. Half of our fleet components are on flight-hour agreements with OEMs Yes, basically. But we also have an in- Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and AAR. flight entertainment (IFE) metric—the percentage of seats that have IFE avail- AIR CANADA Then why worry about part needs? able for passenger convenience. We still worry. We want to do a sanity check. Do we rent Are there TDR target metrics you can tell us? or own the right stuff? We get a home base kit and then we get two to three years of usage. So we want to do a sanity It depends on the fleet. There is a range for each fleet. The check and renegotiate so we can rebalance our home base older ones are lower, and the younger ones are higher. But kits as the platforms evolve. there are also teething pains for younger jets. Also, we don’t know initially which components on the new jets will fail the Which other software do you use? most often. OEMs tell us which ones are probable [to fail], but it usually takes two years to find out. Then we get into Our main [enterprise resource planning software (ERP)] the golden age of low maintenance. for planning maintenance is Trax. Servigistics and Trax We publish these metrics internally in our control tower talk to each other. In 2013 we got Trax, and in 2015 we inte- display. It shows the TDR for each fleet and IFE available, grated them. Our old ERP, a DOS-based in-house system, as well as causes and plans for action. only [transferred information] one way and [for] expend- ables, [not rotables], not [transferring information] in and How much does a cancellation or delay cost you? out. We are happy with Servigistics and Trax now, but it was a difficult transition. There are so many variables. We have a number for each fleet type. And for delays, it also depends on country. We Why do you use IATP parts pools? must follow the rules for passenger protection that just went into effect in Canada. These went into effect last summer You can’t have everything everywhere. It’s easy if you go and increased on Jan. 15. Now the airline is trying to figure into some stations enough, like London eight times a day, out the compensation. where we put our own stocks. But if we fly seasonally into Athens a few times a week, we look for service providers. What is your part strategy? We ask other airlines because it costs less together. We don’t have to buy parts, and we do not have to arrange logistics. We use Servigistics to track failures. When a new aircraft At the same time, I use the pool to offset spending on is introduced, this tool is not as good. But once we are fly- inventory at main bases. I carry inventory at Toronto, Van- ing for a while, the tool gets smarter and makes recom- couver and Montreal, and I can make revenue assisting an mendations. It tracks usage and how many flying hours we airline that only flies there once a week. It’s a good way to do. Then it tells us the likelihood of needing parts. It’s not generate revenue and help them out. perfect. There is also the human [element], and you can always be misled. If we change parts sometimes, we adjust Is there a rule of thumb on how many times you must fly to it. For engines, we have another group that looks at those. a station to own your own inventory there? Servigistics is also segmented. It’s designed so we can specify 99% availability for no-go, low-cost parts. There are No. Sometimes we cannot supply a wheel. Sometimes we

MRO14 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Airline Insight Air Canada Reliability is important to every nine segments in all. We classify them don’t have the inventory to put there because the OEMs can- IATP in March]. They are just starting from nothing and airline, but it must be balanced as high-runners, medium-runners and not supply the inventory fast enough. The minimum would in a few years will be flying 27 aircraft. They might fly into low-runners—and low-price, medium- probably be once a day, and we would try to put our own Canada, and I would not have known them except for IATP. against the cost of achieving it. price and high-price. There are price wheels there if we had the inventory. If they called us and asked to borrow a part and I didn’t know At the recent International Air- limits for each segment. For low-cost, they were legitimate, I might fear losing thousands of dollars. lines Technical Pool (IATP) con- higher usage, no-go parts, we want Do you use any pools other than those from IATP? [availability] there every time. Aside from part pools, are you in other IATP pools? ference, Henry Canaday spoke to Servigistics takes information into Not really. We have access to the LHT pool under the flight- Marc-Andre Huard, operations account, calculates probabilities and hour agreement, but that is a little different. We pay a flat We are in the aircraft recovery pool. It’s very rare but very manager for components, about makes recommendations on where we rate for repairs and access to the pool. important if any of our aircraft ever went on an “excursion.” how Air Canada achieves this. are short or where we have a surplus. You have got to be ready for that kind of event. And we Then we add in human factors. For which parts do you use the IATP pool? are in line maintenance pools, but these are outside IATP. Is your basic objective to maximize This IATP event is a good conduit to adjust those line pool technical dispatch reliability (TDR) Do you have flight-hour agreements? We use IATP for wheels and brakes and for no-go parts agreements. We already know our line maintenance plan while minimizing cost per flight hour such as valves, engine components and wiper motors. for this summer. or available seat-mile? Many. Half of our fleet components are [Wiper motors] are a simple but no-go item. on flight-hour agreements with OEMs What do you hope to accomplish at this meeting? Yes, basically. But we also have an in- Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and AAR. What are the advantages of IATP pools? flight entertainment (IFE) metric—the For me, at every conference I find out the new operators percentage of seats that have IFE avail- AIR CANADA Then why worry about part needs? We can find other airlines that fly into our destinations. that will fly into the places we fly to [in summer]. I want to able for passenger convenience. There is networking and getting to know people. The IATP make our parts available for other airlines to seek. Ethiopi- We still worry. We want to do a sanity check. Do we rent conferences are a great venue for seeing new airlines that fly an Airlines just came to visit us. That can generate revenue. Are there TDR target metrics you can tell us? or own the right stuff? We get a home base kit and then we into a city we serve. Look at Starlux Airlines [which joined It’s not huge, but we can make money from our inventory. c get two to three years of usage. So we want to do a sanity It depends on the fleet. There is a range for each fleet. The check and renegotiate so we can rebalance our home base older ones are lower, and the younger ones are higher. But kits as the platforms evolve. there are also teething pains for younger jets. Also, we don’t know initially which components on the new jets will fail the Which other software do you use? most often. OEMs tell us which ones are probable [to fail], but it usually takes two years to find out. Then we get into Our main [enterprise resource planning software (ERP)] the golden age of low maintenance. for planning maintenance is Trax. Servigistics and Trax PROVEN. RELIABLE. FAST. We publish these metrics internally in our control tower talk to each other. In 2013 we got Trax, and in 2015 we inte- display. It shows the TDR for each fleet and IFE available, grated them. Our old ERP, a DOS-based in-house system, Choose FMi Chemical for nonmetallic materials that arrive on time and ready to work. as well as causes and plans for action. only [transferred information] one way and [for] expend- ables, [not rotables], not [transferring information] in and How much does a cancellation or delay cost you? out. We are happy with Servigistics and Trax now, but it FMi Chemical has the sealants, compounds, was a difficult transition. and coatings you need to meet your manu- There are so many variables. We have a number for each facturing, maintenance, or repair schedules. fleet type. And for delays, it also depends on country. We Why do you use IATP parts pools? From our proven Thermosil line of heat- must follow the rules for passenger protection that just went resistant sealants to a broad range of into effect in Canada. These went into effect last summer You can’t have everything everywhere. It’s easy if you go products from industry-leading brands, and increased on Jan. 15. Now the airline is trying to figure into some stations enough, like London eight times a day, FMi Chemical is your one-stop source for NEW Thermosil out the compensation. where we put our own stocks. But if we fly seasonally into nonmetallic materials. 3005 RTV Athens a few times a week, we look for service providers. Become an FMi Chemical customer today What is your part strategy? We ask other airlines because it costs less together. We don’t and choose innovative products like our new Thermosil 3005 have to buy parts, and we do not have to arrange logistics. primerless, 24-hour cure RTV. Get labor-saving custom packag- We use Servigistics to track failures. When a new aircraft At the same time, I use the pool to offset spending on ing solutions. Work with confidence, knowing FMi’s accredited is introduced, this tool is not as good. But once we are fly- inventory at main bases. I carry inventory at Toronto, Van- laboratory can certify products to OEM specifications. Plus, ing for a while, the tool gets smarter and makes recom- couver and Montreal, and I can make revenue assisting an mendations. It tracks usage and how many flying hours we airline that only flies there once a week. It’s a good way to streamline inventory with short lead times do. Then it tells us the likelihood of needing parts. It’s not generate revenue and help them out. and fast shipping. perfect. There is also the human [element], and you can always be misled. If we change parts sometimes, we adjust Is there a rule of thumb on how many times you must fly to Call us today at (+1) 860-243-3222. it. For engines, we have another group that looks at those. a station to own your own inventory there? Visit fmichemical.com to learn more. Servigistics is also segmented. It’s designed so we can specify 99% availability for no-go, low-cost parts. There are No. Sometimes we cannot supply a wheel. Sometimes we

MRO14 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO AviationWeek.com/MRO INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 MRO15 InsideMRO 25 Years of MRO The MRO Generation

Pricing pressure was significant enough to cause a recon- The maintenance sector sideration of operations at SR Technics (which in the mid- 1990s was the technical department of Swissair), recalls Jakob has transformed itself in Straub, senior vice president of aircraft services, line maintenance and training services at SR Technics. “Some of our base maintenance activities were moved to Ireland, and we the past 25 years also had to offshore part of our services to low-cost countries, primarily to the [Asia-Pacific] region,” he says. Alex Derber London Adapting to the new market demand also meant big changes to standard maintenance procedures. uture histories of the aircraft MRO “I remember when one of the new LCCs was entering the sector will probably cite as a pivotal market and tendering their line and light maintenance ser- moment the ongoing novel coronavi- vices, they were asking for zero downtime in order to not cut out any operating hours,” recalls Robert Gaag, Lufthansa rus crisis—and the changes its after- Technik senior vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle Fmath will force upon the industry. Yet writers East and Africa. “We thought, ‘These guys are nuts!’ But when of those histories would also do well to reflect you think about it, you can use all the time at night for maintenance, just not during the day. So you can design a mainte- on the factors that have shaped the aftermar- nance program around it. Of course, today, that is standard ket up to this point, some of which are now practice in the industry.” an entrenched part of its dynamics and some whose influence is only starting to play out. ADDED FLEXIBILITY Driven by the aircraft availability requirements of LCCs, air- From the 1990s and into the 2000s, the MRO sectors of suc- craft maintenance programs drifted away from traditional cessive regions had to adapt to the huge upheaval in the airline letter-check intervals toward a more flexible approach en- business caused by the rise of low-cost carriers (LCC). Lean, dorsed by aircraft manufacturers. Thus, some elements of a efficient and operating at aircraft utilization rates that had traditional C check were incorporated into a work package been unheard before that point, these new players were willing equivalent to an overnight A check. to outsource much or all of their maintenance. At the same “We went away from letter checks and introduced a us- time, they demanded stiff discounts and rapid turnarounds age-parameter-based maintenance program, which allows for fleet-wide support deals. a lot of flexibility in how you structure and schedule your AAR

The advent and growth of low-cost carriers drove airlines to outsource more maintenance.

MRO16 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO 25 Years of MRO

maintenance,” says Bert Stegerer, head of maintenance and CFM argues that this is not the case universally and that commonality marketing for Airbus. “You can optimize it for it remains committed to an open maintenance model that re- maintenance cost or for aircraft availability, so you can influ- spects third-party providers. ence either the cost side or the revenue side.” “When there are competing MROs, such as in the CFM The MRO Generation At the same time, the OEMs sought to extend maintenance model, it drives not only lower maintenance cost but also intervals and eliminate unnecessary tasks without compro- improvements on intangibles, such as service quality, slot Pricing pressure was significant enough to cause a recon- mising safety. These efforts have resulted in huge changes availability and ease of doing business or customer service,” The maintenance sector sideration of operations at SR Technics (which in the mid- to maintenance scheduling over the past 25 years or so. For says Barton. 1990s was the technical department of Swissair), recalls Jakob example, Airbus A320 A check intervals have gone from 350 That said, it is undeniable that in recent decades, manu- has transformed itself in Straub, senior vice president of aircraft services, line main- hr. at entry into service to 1,000 hr. for the equivalent check facturers of a range of aircraft components have emerged as tenance and training services at SR Technics. “Some of our today, while C check intervals have gone from 15 months significant competitors to MRO providers. “Competition was base maintenance activities were moved to Ireland, and we to 36. less [25 years ago], as nowadays the after-sales market has the past 25 years also had to offshore part of our services to low-cost countries, The effects upon MRO were not just felt from the LCCs become attractive to the OEMs, which tend to regulate the primarily to the [Asia-Pacific] region,” he says. themselves: Network carriers were forced to rethink their spare-parts market with high parts prices and the proprietary Alex Derber London Adapting to the new market demand also meant big chang- operations to compete, and often this meant a reduction of rights with licence and royalty fees,” says Straub. es to standard maintenance procedures. in-house maintenance capacity and the outsourcing of main- “In 1995, the airframe manufacturers were clearly focus- uture histories of the aircraft MRO “I remember when one of the new LCCs was entering the tenance tasks such as engine overhauls and widebody heavy ing on building airplanes,” Gaag says. “Now they are getting sector will probably cite as a pivotal market and tendering their line and light maintenance ser- checks. Together with the rapid growth in the commercial in the turf of MROs. On the other hand, system OEMs are moment the ongoing novel coronavi- vices, they were asking for zero downtime in order to not aviation sector caused by LCCs, this resulted in a booming getting more independent from airframe OEMs. So there are cut out any operating hours,” recalls Robert Gaag, Lufthansa third-party MRO market. more selected partnerships between MROs and system OEMs rus crisis—and the changes its after- Technik senior vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle “Growth of the global aircraft fleet and enlightenment possible.” Fmath will force upon the industry. Yet writers East and Africa. “We thought, ‘These guys are nuts!’ But when among carriers to outsource their maintenance needs over of those histories would also do well to reflect you think about it, you can use all the time at night for main- the past two decades are [among] the key trends I have seen RISK TRANSFER tenance, just not during the day. So you can design a mainte- impacting the industry,” says ST Engineering President Lim For engine and aircraft support, consolidation among MRO on the factors that have shaped the aftermar- nance program around it. Of course, today, that is standard Serh Ghee. providers and more outsourcing by airlines were allied to the ket up to this point, some of which are now practice in the industry.” Gaag notes that today’s airlines have a mature, deep MRO growth of full-service maintenance deals and a reduction of an entrenched part of its dynamics and some market to which to outsource, but 25 years ago not all after- time-and-materials contracts in favor of support billed ac- whose influence is only starting to play out. ADDED FLEXIBILITY market incumbents had the scale to respond to the burgeon- cording to equipment use—on a dollar-per-flight-hour basis. Driven by the aircraft availability requirements of LCCs, air- ing opportunities for third-party work, paving the way for For airlines increasingly focused on their core operations of From the 1990s and into the 2000s, the MRO sectors of suc- craft maintenance programs drifted away from traditional extensive consolidation over the following decades. transporting passengers, simplicity was vital. As such, many cessive regions had to adapt to the huge upheaval in the airline letter-check intervals toward a more flexible approach en- “Major airlines want to have major players behind them,” preferred to outsource maintenance to a single company business caused by the rise of low-cost carriers (LCC). Lean, dorsed by aircraft manufacturers. Thus, some elements of a notes Brian Loomer, vice president and general manager of rather than manage numerous providers, a trend that has efficient and operating at aircraft utilization rates that had traditional C check were incorporated into a work package aircraft services at AAR. “In the ’90s, there were a lot of small endured. “Many smaller MROs have been bought up, as you been unheard before that point, these new players were willing equivalent to an overnight A check. private MROs providing services, and they have been bought need to be able to offer a one-stop-shop solution for the cur- to outsource much or all of their maintenance. At the same “We went away from letter checks and introduced a us- up by large corporations delivering a much better service.” rent customers,” says Loomer. time, they demanded stiff discounts and rapid turnarounds age-parameter-based maintenance program, which allows At the same time—starting in the mid-1990s—OEMs such for fleet-wide support deals. a lot of flexibility in how you structure and schedule your ENGINE MAINTENANCE as Rolls-Royce were pioneering full-service contracts billed

AAR The last 25 years have also seen a thorough transformation on a per-flight-hour basis, the popularity of which boomed of the engine maintenance business, as product design, ma- as they transferred the risk of unscheduled maintenance terials, OEM strategy and data analysis have coalesced into from operator to maintenance provider. And since the OEM a unique ecosystem that almost operates on a standalone ba- was also the maintenance provider—at least in Rolls-Royce’s sis within the aftermarket. case—such contracts also incentivized it to improve the reli- By and large, airlines have seen the reliability of engines ability of its products. shoot up. CFM says that time on wing for CFM56 engines has Per-flight-hour support deals were quickly picked up by doubled since 2004, while unscheduled engine removals for other component OEMs, while MRO providers, encouraged the most popular -5B and -7B models have declined by 25%. by the trend toward better reliability, also started offering “The improvements in time on wing, coupled with thought- them, particularly for component support. fully designed and managed [life-limited part] lives, have en- “We tend to think that Lufthansa Technik invented the abled scheduled maintenance event timing to be pushed out, [cost-per-flight-hour] program for full component support of resulting in fewer shop visits over the life of the asset,” says a commercial aircraft fleet in the second part of the 1990s,” Aileen Barton, CFM marketing manager. notes Gaag. “For the first time, a complete integration of all The advent and Widebody engine reliability has also improved, but unlike required spare and MRO services for all line replaceable units growth of low-cost for narrowbody engines, this trend was accompanied by a was established.” carriers drove airlines reduction in maintenance provider choice as OEMs took over Besides transferring risk, another attraction of comprehen- to outsource more much of the aftermarket. This model, pursued most aggres- sive deals was guaranteed availability of spare parts. This was maintenance. sively by Rolls-Royce, has driven further consolidation as enabled by another big MRO trend of the last 25 years: a shift MRO providers and airlines pursue OEM partnerships as the away from individual operators holding large inventories and most economical method of adding new engine capabilities. toward participation in pooling programs. “For new-technology engines, you have to somehow cooper- Parts pooling is now a common feature of the engine and ate with the OEM, or you are out,” says Gaag. landing gear aftermarkets and is also used for other compo-

MRO16 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO AviationWeek.com/MRO INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 MRO17 InsideMRO 25 Years of MRO nents, although its popularity varies, according to Gaag. “This in the past 10 years. For airlines, this has meant fewer un- was extremely successful in Europe but not so much in other scheduled maintenance events and less downtime, while MRO parts of the world, for example in North America,” he says. providers have been able to add new digital services to their Other strategies to mitigate the cost of spare parts, prices product offerings. of which have risen above inflation for many years, have in- “Analytics can be used to define the optimum inspection cluded parts manufacturer approval (PMA) parts, designated interval based on the duty cycle for each specific engine, with engineering representative (DER) repairs and used service- the goal of minimizing line maintenance and unnecessary in- able material (USM). Although these are all important ele- spections,” notes CFM’s Barton. ments of the MRO story, it is possible that OEM maintenance Predictive maintenance is part of a broader digitization trend that also encompasses a shift away from paper-based records; advances in 3D printing; automation of certain testing, inspections and repair procedures; and the first steps toward better parts and life-cycle tracking via experiments with distributed ledger technology. With the probable excep- LUFTHANSA TECHNIK tion of predictive maintenance, few of these developments are mature enough to have significantly influenced MRO until now, but many are likely to do so in the coming decade, in some cases simply because the aircraft aftermarket lags so far behind other sectors. “Why can an airline manager track the $10 book he ordered yesterday at any point in time, but not his $100,000 aircraft part to and from an MRO? We need to be better than that,” Predictive maintenance is part of a broader digitization states Gaag. trend that includes advances in manufacturing. RECRUITMENT contracts and lessor contracts have prevented PMA parts While MRO providers look forward to efficiencies provided from proliferating as much as expected. USM, in contrast, by new technology over the next decade, they also fear the has gone from strength to strength, although it is another growing shortage of technical staff. And since the mainte- also vulnerable to the COVID-19 crisis, which could flood the nance business is likely to remain dependent on touch labor market with parts stripped from aircraft of failed airlines. for the foreseeable future, the implications of this shortage are potentially far more significant than any gains realized TECHNOLOGY from new technology. Maintenance exists to support equipment, so changes in air- “Recruitment really became an issue around 2015. Prior to frame, avionics and engine technologies will always require that, it wasn’t a major concern,” says Loomer. “As the baby adaptation from MRO providers. Often this means new tool- boomers started to retire and airlines at the same time started ing and training, but sometimes technological change is so to hire more technical staff, it has had a major effect on the profound that it leads to new business models as well. MROs. The industry has a major challenge looking forward, Although the basic form of passenger aircraft has not as we see a technician workforce shortage.” changed much in the past 50 years, the use of carbon fiber Gaag speculates that aircraft MRO providers’ difficulties has increased over the last 25 years as manufacturers sought in attracting and retaining staff might have to do with a dero- weight savings across more parts of the airframe. In turn, manticizing of the sector. “I have the feeling the profession MRO providers had to expand their expertise from metal re- of an aircraft mechanic does not have the same appreciation pairs to support of composite materials, adding a host of new it had in Western societies 25 years ago. We are missing the inspection, testing and repair processes. aviation enthusiasts that we used to have,” he says. “If you want to get into deep repairs, you need an autoclave Here again the influence of LCCs is detectable, for they of a certain size,” notes Gaag. “This is a very expensive invest- transformed air travel from a small luxury into a mundane ment that requires high utilization once you have it.” part of modern lifestyles, at least in the West. OEMs and MRO At the same time, the spread of composites across aircraft providers have tried to rekindle interest with outreach pro- has meant certain inspection tasks are no longer necessary, grams, educational partnerships and even their own dedicated notably fatigue- and corrosion-monitoring on parts previously training colleges, but more may be required. made from aluminum. Another technology change that has “We have to become better at selecting sites not necessarily lightened maintenance workload is the shift to fly-by-wire at the lowest-cost location but close to young people who are controls and flight control computers. interested in aviation,” says Gaag. “And we have to do better “If you have a mechanical flight control system, then you to keep them.” have to adjust cables and check for wear and tear, but all that Another—unwelcome—solution to the manpower short- is gone if you use just electrical signals,” notes Stegerer. age is possible. Maintenance demand could collapse follow- Airlines also have benefited from better engine sensor data ing the COVID-19 crisis if it causes many airlines to fail and and vastly improved means to analyze it through machine the survivors to reduce their fleets. For that reason, MRO learning and artificial intelligence, both of which have under- managers must hope that recruitment remains a concern in pinned the rapidly growing field of predictive maintenance a year’s time. c

MRO18 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO 25 Years of MRO InsideMRO 25 Years of MRO nents, although its popularity varies, according to Gaag. “This in the past 10 years. For airlines, this has meant fewer un- was extremely successful in Europe but not so much in other scheduled maintenance events and less downtime, while MRO The Executive Perspective parts of the world, for example in North America,” he says. providers have been able to add new digital services to their Other strategies to mitigate the cost of spare parts, prices product offerings. of which have risen above inflation for many years, have in- “Analytics can be used to define the optimum inspection Aviation Week launched the first MRO event in 1996, which also launched the economy, but the situation is too cluded parts manufacturer approval (PMA) parts, designated interval based on the duty cycle for each specific engine, with the term “MRO.” To celebrate 25 years of the industry, Inside MRO fluid and uncertain to have a clear vi- engineering representative (DER) repairs and used service- the goal of minimizing line maintenance and unnecessary in- sion of the future. able material (USM). Although these are all important ele- spections,” notes CFM’s Barton. reached out to some executives around the world to get their opinions The only certainty in a changing ments of the MRO story, it is possible that OEM maintenance Predictive maintenance is part of a broader digitization on a few key questions about how the industry has evolved—and how it world, as we see it, is that innovation trend that also encompasses a shift away from paper-based most likely will change in the decades to come. and adaptation will drive the business. records; advances in 3D printing; automation of certain test- Environmental consideration is- ing, inspections and repair procedures; and the first steps efficiency for every single customer sues will likely be one of the major toward better parts and life-cycle tracking via experiments JOAN around the world. We can help connect challenges for players in the MRO with distributed ledger technology. With the probable excep- the dots between OEMs, suppliers and market. Airlines around the world are LUFTHANSA TECHNIK ROBINSON-BERRY tion of predictive maintenance, few of these developments MRO providers in such a way that the challenged regarding the impact of are mature enough to have significantly influenced MRO until Vice president industry is better trained and aligned their operations on the environment, now, but many are likely to do so in the coming decade, in and chief engineer, for improved quality and outcomes. and maintenance activities must play some cases simply because the aircraft aftermarket lags so Boeing Global The manufacturing industry has a role and take their full place in meet- far behind other sectors. Services also had an impact on MROs, particu- ing this challenge. This is not a new “Why can an airline manager track the $10 book he ordered larly when needing access to a robust issue for AFI KLM E&M, as we are yesterday at any point in time, but not his $100,000 aircraft parts supply for older aircraft. Main- already well-advanced in terms of part to and from an MRO? We need to be better than that,” Over your career, what do you think had tainers can’t do their job if they don’t circular economy or the reduction of Predictive maintenance is part of a broader digitization states Gaag. the biggest impact on MRO and why? have access to a seamless parts supply. polluting emissions, but this trend will trend that includes advances in manufacturing. Looking back, I can’t say there is It’s about having the right part at the accelerate over the next 10 years, and RECRUITMENT a single “biggest impact” area but right time and in the right place. That’s that will give us another opportunity contracts and lessor contracts have prevented PMA parts While MRO providers look forward to efficiencies provided rather intertwined challenges, oppor- where advancements with additive to positively meet the times. from proliferating as much as expected. USM, in contrast, by new technology over the next decade, they also fear the tunities and observations that have manufacturing or innovative programs has gone from strength to strength, although it is another growing shortage of technical staff. And since the mainte- shaped where MRO is today. And with such as Boeing’s used serviceable ma- What do you see as the biggest also vulnerable to the COVID-19 crisis, which could flood the nance business is likely to remain dependent on touch labor thoughtful consideration, these learn- terials program can drive efficiencies opportunities and/or largest im- market with parts stripped from aircraft of failed airlines. for the foreseeable future, the implications of this shortage ings can help create an MRO evolution and value for the aviation industry. pediments in using data analytics to are potentially far more significant than any gains realized in the aerospace sector. The MRO market has evolved and drive predictive maintenance? TECHNOLOGY from new technology. Boeing Global Services provides will continue to evolve as the industry In the digital field, Prognos is an im- Maintenance exists to support equipment, so changes in air- “Recruitment really became an issue around 2015. Prior to technical solutions for our commercial accepts new innovations, advances portant brick. Launched in 2016, it frame, avionics and engine technologies will always require that, it wasn’t a major concern,” says Loomer. “As the baby and government customers around the technical solutions, partners for stan- brings together different predictive adaptation from MRO providers. Often this means new tool- boomers started to retire and airlines at the same time started world. And we’ve been able to deliver dardization and invests in training a maintenance solutions based on the ing and training, but sometimes technological change is so to hire more technical staff, it has had a major effect on the on these by attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. exploitation of data from aircraft profound that it leads to new business models as well. MROs. The industry has a major challenge looking forward, diverse, motivated workforce. But it systems, in order to improve main- Although the basic form of passenger aircraft has not as we see a technician workforce shortage.” hasn’t always been easy, with MRO ac- tenance models and processes. We changed much in the past 50 years, the use of carbon fiber Gaag speculates that aircraft MRO providers’ difficulties tivities moving from paper records to capitalize on the vast amount of data has increased over the last 25 years as manufacturers sought in attracting and retaining staff might have to do with a dero- digital solutions. It can be a challenge ANNE BRACHET generated by the Air France and KLM weight savings across more parts of the airframe. In turn, manticizing of the sector. “I have the feeling the profession to find maintenance technicians with fleets to develop these solutions and MRO providers had to expand their expertise from metal re- of an aircraft mechanic does not have the same appreciation top-secret clearances and software Executive vice verify their relevance and operational pairs to support of composite materials, adding a host of new it had in Western societies 25 years ago. We are missing the engineers and aviation data scientists president, performance before sharing these in- inspection, testing and repair processes. aviation enthusiasts that we used to have,” he says. who have the critical thinking skills AFI KLM E&M novations with our customers. “If you want to get into deep repairs, you need an autoclave Here again the influence of LCCs is detectable, for they needed to perform with precision. For an airline, operational perfor- of a certain size,” notes Gaag. “This is a very expensive invest- transformed air travel from a small luxury into a mundane This is why apprenticeship programs mance is a major challenge in terms ment that requires high utilization once you have it.” part of modern lifestyles, at least in the West. OEMs and MRO and internships that deliver hands-on of both economy and safety. Today, the At the same time, the spread of composites across aircraft providers have tried to rekindle interest with outreach pro- career preparation are so important— What is the biggest current challenge use of data provided by the aircraft has meant certain inspection tasks are no longer necessary, grams, educational partnerships and even their own dedicated they enable and help build a skilled the MRO industry is facing? makes it possible to reduce the num- notably fatigue- and corrosion-monitoring on parts previously training colleges, but more may be required. workforce with top talent. The current circumstances are ex- ber of technical delays, reduce the made from aluminum. Another technology change that has “We have to become better at selecting sites not necessarily Another area that has impacted— ceptional and have resulted in greater number of technical tolerances and lightened maintenance workload is the shift to fly-by-wire at the lowest-cost location but close to young people who are and will continue to impact—the MRO levels of unpredictability. Adaptive- anticipate the interventions of main- controls and flight control computers. interested in aviation,” says Gaag. “And we have to do better services market is the ability to be ness is part of our DNA. More than tenance personnel on the aircraft be- “If you have a mechanical flight control system, then you to keep them.” more integrated and standardized, so ever, during this coronavirus situation fore equipment fails. We have several have to adjust cables and check for wear and tear, but all that Another—unwelcome—solution to the manpower short- that the value chain can deliver day in our teams are mobilized to support hundreds of aircraft that are tracked, is gone if you use just electrical signals,” notes Stegerer. age is possible. Maintenance demand could collapse follow- and day out for our customers. It’s not our customers as well as possible and we reduce the technical effects Airlines also have benefited from better engine sensor data ing the COVID-19 crisis if it causes many airlines to fail and an “us” or “them” mentality but a “we,” while following local government felt by at least 50%. We are thus able and vastly improved means to analyze it through machine the survivors to reduce their fleets. For that reason, MRO and by having standards and common restrictions. They will be ready and to anticipate the arrival of a techni- learning and artificial intelligence, both of which have under- managers must hope that recruitment remains a concern in protocols in place, we have the oppor- engaged for a restart, whatever the cal failure and reduce the volume of pinned the rapidly growing field of predictive maintenance a year’s time. c tunity to deliver improved operational time necessary for a new “takeoff” of failures by 50-70%. Leveraging our in-

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depth knowledge of aircraft systems, connected to any other data source, from paperless maintenance and new our ability to innovate and our big data not just aircraft data. diagnostic tools to robotics. All these skills, we are able to reduce operational However, big data is not an advan- aspects will not replace our highly qual- impacts and the aircraft dispatch. tage by itself, and there are no “au- ified employees but will relieve them of The main beneficiaries of this new tomatic” analytics. It is important to the burden of many dull and repetitive branch of maintenance activities are understand that “it is not the amount tasks so that they can fully concentrate passengers. of data; it is the right amount of the on the real value-adding jobs. Mobile Predictive maintenance also has an right data” that makes the difference. applications will also play a major role impact on the supply chain and stock It is about combining the data with the in my vision of MRO 2030, but the in- dimensioning. Because we can predict technical and operational experience formation technology infrastructure the needs of components, we can ad- of the engineering experts, both in the will have to evolve for that to happen. just the number of parts and where it airline and the MRO organization, to For example, we are already pioneering is valuable to place them. deliver the best results. Prediction is in the field of 5G networks with two dif- As another benefit, by reducing nothing without fulfillment. ferent use cases at our Hamburg base. stock, repairing instead of replacing Data control is a key issue, because Moreover, I see our industry making and reducing fuel consumption, big more and more OEMs restrict access to significant progress in the next decade data technologies help reduce the en- operational data for airlines that own through the knowledge of collecting, vironmental impact of the aeronautic the data. This reduces the choices for analyzing and using large volumes of industry. That’s why, in 2019, Prognos airlines to cooperate with MROs and data. Building capacities in data sci- was identified and certified as an en- other players in the market. I think we ences will help us leverage the full vironmentally efficient solution by the are not the only ones in this industry potential of predictive and proactive Solar Impulse Foundation. to say that this is not acceptable. Other maintenance. Modern aircraft already impediments can be a lack of sensors produce this enormous amount of data, or equipment on older aircraft. Also, and by 2030 we will have greatly im- on the newest aircraft, sensors on com- proved our knowledge on how to make JOHANNES ponents sometimes cannot transmit in use of it. BUSSMANN real time for reasons such as data links and/or other limitations, which do not During your career, what do you think had CEO, allow it to be combined with other op- the biggest impact on MRO and why? Lufthansa Technik erational data. I have been working in the MRO in- The lack or the cost of connectivity, dustry for more than 20 years now, but as well as limited data science expe- I think the event with the biggest im- rience/resources, or missing infra- pact took place not too long ago with What do you see as the biggest oppor- structure and interfaces between the the advent of digitization in our indus- tunities and/or largest impediments in various data sources within an airline, try. Although we are only at the be - using data analytics to drive predictive limit the use of predictive technologies. ginning of this process, it has already maintenance? Human factors, pilot unions and legal opened up so many new possibilities to Ideally, predictive solutions will reduce obstacles can also be impeding factors. rethink what we do and how we create the overall cost of operation, reduce In addition, internal stakeholders such value for our customers. operational interruptions and increase as work councils may restrict the use At Lufthansa Technik, this is hap- the reliability of the fleet. The number of new digital technologies or the link- pening in three dimensions: The first of airlines using the latest big data so- ing of certain data sources. is the digitization of our core business, lutions is limited but growing quickly. meaning that we will not change the Many airlines worldwide are looking How do you think the MRO industry existing work steps fundamentally but at such solutions, but the products of will evolve over the next 10 years? improve them step by step by imple- real predictive maintenance are limit- Despite the current negative impact of menting more digital aids. ed. Many products are just providing the coronavirus on the global aviation The second dimension is the digi- digital results without a direct connec- business, I am sure that the aviation tal evolution of our existing products tion to maintenance actions. industry will remain on a solid growth and services. In the future, we want to Therefore, Aviatar, our digital oper- path in the midterm and long term. make digital solutions that were previ- ations suite, can be directly and auto- Consequently, the MRO market will ously not possible, but we do not want matically linked to fulfillment actions. also continue to grow. to change the respective business We are working closely with different I am also sure that digitization and model behind them. This is exactly maintenance and engineering system automation will become increasingly the case in the field of predictive main- vendors such as AMOS or TRAX and important for us and will lead to a sig- tenance: The evaluation of aircraft, other airline information technology nificant change in how MRO services engine or component data will allow providers such as NetLine to make our will be executed in the future. us to track and monitor their condi- platform plug-and-play for operators. Higher degrees of automation will tion in real time. The fulfillment—for Aviatar’s digital solutions can also be have entered certain repair processes, example, the rectification of any dam-

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depth knowledge of aircraft systems, connected to any other data source, from paperless maintenance and new age—remains the same but will now tunities and/or largest impediments in Without a doubt the biggest and our ability to innovate and our big data not just aircraft data. diagnostic tools to robotics. All these take place exactly when it is necessary, using data analytics to drive predictive most urgent challenge we are fight- skills, we are able to reduce operational However, big data is not an advan- aspects will not replace our highly qual- not too early, not too late. maintenance? ing right now is how to deal with the impacts and the aircraft dispatch. tage by itself, and there are no “au- ified employees but will relieve them of The third dimension—which, for Manpower shortages, an increasing COVID-19 situation. Gameco was hit The main beneficiaries of this new tomatic” analytics. It is important to the burden of many dull and repetitive me, will be the truly disruptive step— focus on sustainability and keen com- hard already at the end of January, branch of maintenance activities are understand that “it is not the amount tasks so that they can fully concentrate is the creation of a digital business petition among airlines will be some right during the peak travel season passengers. of data; it is the right amount of the on the real value-adding jobs. Mobile model or a new digital ecosystem of the key factors driving advances in in China. Very quickly we established Predictive maintenance also has an right data” that makes the difference. applications will also play a major role where our customers can display their predictive maintenance. a program focusing on three main impact on the supply chain and stock It is about combining the data with the in my vision of MRO 2030, but the in- entire fleet as a digital twin, providing However, near-term implementation issues: how to keep our employees dimensioning. Because we can predict technical and operational experience formation technology infrastructure an overview of the condition of each may not be as straightforward. Exist- healthy, how to ensure aviation safety the needs of components, we can ad- of the engineering experts, both in the will have to evolve for that to happen. aircraft at all times. The impact of ing restrictions in access and rights to under these circumstances and how just the number of parts and where it airline and the MRO organization, to For example, we are already pioneering such developments will surpass any- data controlled by various stakehold- to keep the company stable, especially is valuable to place them. deliver the best results. Prediction is in the field of 5G networks with two dif- thing previously seen. ers mean that MRO service providers financially. As another benefit, by reducing nothing without fulfillment. ferent use cases at our Hamburg base. have to deal with imperfect and incom- We have established a whole series stock, repairing instead of replacing Data control is a key issue, because Moreover, I see our industry making plete data most of the time. The avia- of actions. Just to mention a few: This and reducing fuel consumption, big more and more OEMs restrict access to significant progress in the next decade tion industry would benefit as a whole is a stressful and worrisome time, so LIM SERH GHEE data technologies help reduce the en- operational data for airlines that own through the knowledge of collecting, if we had an open-source environment to address human factors we estab- vironmental impact of the aeronautic the data. This reduces the choices for analyzing and using large volumes of President of akin to the software industry and in lished a hotline for psychological sup- industry. That’s why, in 2019, Prognos airlines to cooperate with MROs and data. Building capacities in data sci- ST Engineering’s how applications are being developed. port and guidance for our mechanics was identified and certified as an en- other players in the market. I think we ences will help us leverage the full aerospace sector or staff under quarantine. We split vironmentally efficient solution by the are not the only ones in this industry potential of predictive and proactive How do you think the MRO industry teams for social distancing or to pre- Solar Impulse Foundation. to say that this is not acceptable. Other maintenance. Modern aircraft already will evolve over the next 10 years? vent grounding of a whole team in case impediments can be a lack of sensors produce this enormous amount of data, I believe sustainability will become one of an infection. Of course, special at- or equipment on older aircraft. Also, and by 2030 we will have greatly im- What is the biggest current challenge of the key focuses for the industry in tention needs to be paid to the hando- on the newest aircraft, sensors on com- proved our knowledge on how to make the MRO industry is facing? the near-to-midterm. As it is, the glob- ver of work. Our line maintenance JOHANNES ponents sometimes cannot transmit in use of it. The biggest challenge now may well be al air transport industry has begun to business is hit hardest, but we tried BUSSMANN real time for reasons such as data links COVID-19, with impacts arising from take its environmental responsibility to rebalance the workload by pulling and/or other limitations, which do not During your career, what do you think had customer demand reduction, the sup- more seriously. checks and modifications forward on CEO, allow it to be combined with other op- the biggest impact on MRO and why? ply chain and workforce redistribu- And as part of striving to become grounded aircraft. We expect domes- Lufthansa Technik erational data. I have been working in the MRO in- tion. However, the aviation industry has more sustainable in the business sense, tic flights in China will start to pick up The lack or the cost of connectivity, dustry for more than 20 years now, but shown itself to be resilient—for instance, I believe the industry will also step up again in April. as well as limited data science expe- I think the event with the biggest im- during the SARS outbreak in 2002—and its efforts in automating operations rience/resources, or missing infra- pact took place not too long ago with should be able to rebound strongly. and using data analytics to reduce, What do you see as your biggest op- What do you see as the biggest oppor- structure and interfaces between the the advent of digitization in our indus- The other challenge, which is becom- reuse, recycle and recover. portunity in the next five years, and tunities and/or largest impediments in various data sources within an airline, try. Although we are only at the be - ing increasingly pressing, is the global how do you plan to capitalize on it? using data analytics to drive predictive limit the use of predictive technologies. ginning of this process, it has already shortage of aircraft technicians. The Over your career, what do you think had Gameco and China Telecom cooper- maintenance? Human factors, pilot unions and legal opened up so many new possibilities to shortage will only be further com- the biggest impact on MRO and why? ated on the application of 5G technolo- Ideally, predictive solutions will reduce obstacles can also be impeding factors. rethink what we do and how we create pounded, even if just for a period, when The growth of the global aircraft fleet, gies in 2019. Meanwhile, all our han- the overall cost of operation, reduce In addition, internal stakeholders such value for our customers. manpower resources are pulled to re- which is especially strong in Asia-Pacif- gars and facilities are fully equipped operational interruptions and increase as work councils may restrict the use At Lufthansa Technik, this is hap- turn all the grounded Boeing 737 MAXs ic in recent years, and enlightenment with 5G infrastructure. Now our cus- the reliability of the fleet. The number of new digital technologies or the link- pening in three dimensions: The first into service. The positive side to this is among carriers to outsource their main- tomers can perform remote quality of airlines using the latest big data so- ing of certain data sources. is the digitization of our core business, that it will serve to fuel the already ac- tenance needs over the past two de- inspections from their home office, or lutions is limited but growing quickly. meaning that we will not change the celerating adoption of technologies by cades are some of the key trends I have our engineering team can give onsite Many airlines worldwide are looking How do you think the MRO industry existing work steps fundamentally but the industry to optimize maintenance. seen affecting the industry. Such trends support to our mechanics with aug- at such solutions, but the products of will evolve over the next 10 years? improve them step by step by imple- have a direct impact on the growth of mented reality equipment. We acceler- real predictive maintenance are limit- Despite the current negative impact of menting more digital aids. What do you see as your biggest oppor- the MRO industry and also on the level ated the use of this equipment due to ed. Many products are just providing the coronavirus on the global aviation The second dimension is the digi- tunity in the next five years, and how do of competitiveness one now sees. the coronavirus pandemic, and it al- digital results without a direct connec- business, I am sure that the aviation tal evolution of our existing products you plan to capitalize on it? lows us to establish a 3D-cloud of vir- tion to maintenance actions. industry will remain on a solid growth and services. In the future, we want to The OEM business is something we have tual data points all over our facilities. Therefore, Aviatar, our digital oper- path in the midterm and long term. make digital solutions that were previ- been investing in and which we believe These 5G applications then can ations suite, can be directly and auto- Consequently, the MRO market will ously not possible, but we do not want will allow us to capture significant syn- NORBERT MARX track, coordinate and address every matically linked to fulfillment actions. also continue to grow. to change the respective business ergies when integrated with our MRO aircraft, tool, working platform and We are working closely with different I am also sure that digitization and model behind them. This is exactly business. In a market that is getting more CEO and general piece of equipment within this cloud. maintenance and engineering system automation will become increasingly the case in the field of predictive main- fragmented, the breadth and depth in the manager, Gameco Via face recognition, mechanics can be vendors such as AMOS or TRAX and important for us and will lead to a sig- tenance: The evaluation of aircraft, value proposition we can offer as both an linked to tasks, performance of work other airline information technology nificant change in how MRO services engine or component data will allow OEM and MRO service provider will help can be coordinated and optimized, providers such as NetLine to make our will be executed in the future. us to track and monitor their condi- set us apart from our competitors. and material ordering and delivery platform plug-and-play for operators. Higher degrees of automation will tion in real time. The fulfillment—for What is the biggest current challenge can be handled with some clicks from Aviatar’s digital solutions can also be have entered certain repair processes, example, the rectification of any dam- What do you see as the biggest oppor- the MRO industry is facing? a smartphone right at the point of

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work. The potential is huge over the need to understand how it is really should be able to get better predictive next couple of years, and our team is affecting the learning and working maintenance tools. very excited about the opportunities. environment. How do you think the MRO industry What do you see as your biggest op- will evolve over the next 10 years? portunity in the next five years, and In the first place, evidently air trans- JOSE LUIS QUIROS how do you plan to capitalize on it? port growth and fleet evolution will Senior vice president MRO will develop in the Latin Ameri set the frame for the MRO indus- of maintenance and can region in the coming five years. Al- try in terms of capacity and—such engineering, though it is exposed to a certain level as whether MRO centers could do Avianca of instability, like almost all other re- something additional to MRO—as an gions of the world, from the social, po- option for the coming 10 years, and litical and economic fronts, it will facil- therefore the drivers will be the same What is the biggest current challenge itate the required level of investment. we have today. the MRO industry is facing? The necessary workforce is available On the other hand, the trend of There is definitely not one single chal- with the required technical skills and consolidated OEMs getting a bigger lenge, and most of those that exist are competitive costs, with excellent “soft portion of the MRO business (the not really new and will not disappear skills” in terms of age, use of technolo- OEMRO concept) will be even more in the next few years: capacity, ef - gies, “digital mind setup,” etc. deeply implemented, although I still ficiency, flexibility, globalization and The combination of the aforemen- see a question mark regarding whether “customer satisfaction.” But there is tioned elements makes Latin America or not airframe activity will be finally one affecting our whole society and a fertile region, with a privileged geo- affected by this model, even with a lim- MRO: the next steps in digital trans- graphical location, not only to satisfy ited scope (modifications, end-of-lease formation. its needs up to a much higher percent- transitions, etc.) After some years in which data ac- age, but also to attract business from I think we will see a significant quisition, massive storage and acces- nearby markets that started to have a change in the profiles of MRO tech- sibility have been problems, what we hard time finding maintenance slots nicians and engineers, not so much do with them and how we use them in the Asia-Pacific region. because of the changes in the profes- will become wide territory to be dis- sional skills (basically educational) but covered, framed with the unsolved What do you see as the biggest oppor- as a consequence of the faster evolu- questions about who is really propri- tunities and/or largest impediments tion (revolution in some cases) of our etor of the data and how the associ- in using data analytics to drive predic- society from many points of view and ated rights are protected. tive maintenance? the impact on its members. This is not Before, the important thing was to Predictive maintenance is obviously new, and it has been a constant for de- use data better to find solutions to one of the low fruits of the digitization cades, but the depth and the speed of problems already identified. Now, the of our working environment, since the the changes are probably higher and issue is how we should change the way “intelligent” use of the large amount will have a more visible effect on the in which activity in MRO is executed of data available, the relatively easy MRO model. based on a significantly different sce- build-up of operational systems and It is important to confirm in the nario, where data tends to no longer failure mode patterns, and accessibil- coming years whether diversity and be a problem and the ability to draw ity should allow this concept to be - inclusion will be competitive advan- information from it is extraordinarily come one of the most successful tools tages or myths. The world is different higher than in previous decades. in our activity. from what it was 20 years ago and will Artificial intelligence (AI) is defi- Nevertheless, there are some as- change even faster in the coming years. nitely shaping the business landscape, pects around preventive maintenance The workplace, workforce and market- but it is not clear how. There has been that, in my opinion, are not helping place are changing in ways that require a lot of hype about AI, and according to develop the concept to its optimal a different approach to management. to different market studies, demand stage: It is not clear there is full align- Less than 5% of management roles are for workers with AI skills has experi- ment between service/platform provid- currently filled by women, and the in- enced steady growth over the past few ers and users in terms of what the final equality today is quite palpable. years. When you add that there’s cur- goals of predictive maintenance will be, And, finally, environmental care and rently a shortage of job seekers who and there is no proper balance between sustainability will undoubtedly be con- can meet that need, it only makes the standardization and competition in sidered a top priority when defining or skills more valuable for those who do terms of variety of available solutions. reviewing repair and maintenance pro- possess them or would like to learn. With a much broader common cesses, and of course in designing and It will be necessary to carefully de - ground among the industry players rebuilding facilities, not only to comply fine the kind of jobs that are being cre- about what is really required and a with regulations, but as a result of the ated specifically. And now that AI is clear set of minimum standards to be companies’ vision and social responsi- becoming a reality, there is an urgent applied to the different solutions, we bility commitments. c

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the hangars so American can deploy work. The potential is huge over the need to understand how it is really should be able to get better predictive Go Big tablets and real-time work packages. next couple of years, and our team is affecting the learning and working maintenance tools. Updating the central utility plant, very excited about the opportunities. environment. American Airlines is investing built in the 1940s and ’50s, with sustain- How do you think the MRO industry able systems also has a green benefit. What do you see as your biggest op- will evolve over the next 10 years? $550 million in its Tulsa base American Airlines CEO Doug Park- portunity in the next five years, and In the first place, evidently air trans- er says the Tulsa maintenance base JOSE LUIS QUIROS maintenance facility how do you plan to capitalize on it? port growth and fleet evolution will is a “critical part” of the airline and Senior vice president MRO will develop in the Latin Ameri set the frame for the MRO indus- that the investment reflects that. He of maintenance and can region in the coming five years. Al- try in terms of capacity and—such points out that American has invested engineering, though it is exposed to a certain level as whether MRO centers could do $20 billion in fleet renewal the last 5-6 Avianca of instability, like almost all other re- something additional to MRO—as an years, and upgrading this facility is gions of the world, from the social, po- option for the coming 10 years, and necessary to keep up with the fleet. litical and economic fronts, it will facil- therefore the drivers will be the same Barton says the Tulsa base changes What is the biggest current challenge itate the required level of investment. we have today. will give the airline flexibility to “man- the MRO industry is facing? The necessary workforce is available On the other hand, the trend of age the mix” of narrowbody and wide- There is definitely not one single chal- with the required technical skills and consolidated OEMs getting a bigger body aircraft and the maintenance lenge, and most of those that exist are competitive costs, with excellent “soft portion of the MRO business (the that is input. “It’s key to keeping a not really new and will not disappear skills” in terms of age, use of technolo- OEMRO concept) will be even more good balance of what we do,” he says, in the next few years: capacity, ef - gies, “digital mind setup,” etc. deeply implemented, although I still adding that American completes more ficiency, flexibility, globalization and The combination of the aforemen- see a question mark regarding whether The Tulsa facility has tail slots for Boeing 737NGs. maintenance in-house than other U.S. “customer satisfaction.” But there is tioned elements makes Latin America or not airframe activity will be finally carriers. The base maintains about one affecting our whole society and a fertile region, with a privileged geo- affected by this model, even with a lim- 900 aircraft annually. 2 MRO: the next steps in digital trans- graphical location, not only to satisfy ited scope (modifications, end-of-lease Lee Ann Shay Tulsa, Oklahoma The new 193,000-ft. hangar will ac- formation. its needs up to a much higher percent- transitions, etc.) commodate two widebody aircraft or After some years in which data ac- age, but also to attract business from I think we will see a significant few weeks before the COVID-19 is not a practical, long-term solution— six narrowbodies—adding widebody quisition, massive storage and acces- nearby markets that started to have a change in the profiles of MRO tech- pandemic began wreaking especially in inclement weather. maintenance capacity to the airline’s sibility have been problems, what we hard time finding maintenance slots nicians and engineers, not so much A havoc with the U.S. economy One of the facility infrastructure system. The design will enable techni- do with them and how we use them in the Asia-Pacific region. because of the changes in the profes- and airline operations, American Air- upgrades is to the fire suppression cians to bring aircraft in tail- or nose- will become wide territory to be dis- sional skills (basically educational) but lines announced on Feb. 28 that its system, which needs to be manually first, compared to the current nose- covered, framed with the unsolved What do you see as the biggest oppor- as a consequence of the faster evolu- largest maintenance base will undergo monitored and is beyond its useful life, in-only option, and allow for a cleaner questions about who is really propri- tunities and/or largest impediments tion (revolution in some cases) of our a major transformation—to the tune of says Erik Olund, American Airlines’ workspace around the aircraft. Instead etor of the data and how the associ- in using data analytics to drive predic- society from many points of view and $550 million—over the next few years. managing director of base mainte - of aircraft surrounded by the old, tradi- ated rights are protected. tive maintenance? the impact on its members. This is not The investment at the base fulfills nance. Other infrastructure projects tional docking, workspaces will include Before, the important thing was to Predictive maintenance is obviously new, and it has been a constant for de- two of the carrier’s needs for the next include new roofs, sewer water lines, lots of natural light, clean power for use data better to find solutions to one of the low fruits of the digitization cades, but the depth and the speed of 20-30 years: a new hangar able to ac- utilities and information technology the aircraft and modernized systems problems already identified. Now, the of our working environment, since the the changes are probably higher and commodate any aircraft that Ameri- upgrades—including adding Wi-Fi to to make work processes more efficient. issue is how we should change the way “intelligent” use of the large amount will have a more visible effect on the can Airlines flies—narrowbody or in which activity in MRO is executed of data available, the relatively easy MRO model. widebody—and upgrades to the rest based on a significantly different sce- build-up of operational systems and It is important to confirm in the of the hangars and infrastructure, says nario, where data tends to no longer failure mode patterns, and accessibil- coming years whether diversity and Craig Barton, American Airlines vice be a problem and the ability to draw ity should allow this concept to be - inclusion will be competitive advan- president of technical operations. information from it is extraordinarily come one of the most successful tools tages or myths. The world is different The base, erected during World War higher than in previous decades. in our activity. from what it was 20 years ago and will II to build bombers, was taken over by Artificial intelligence (AI) is defi- Nevertheless, there are some as- change even faster in the coming years. American in 1946 and reconfigured as nitely shaping the business landscape, pects around preventive maintenance The workplace, workforce and market- a maintenance facility, as it moved its but it is not clear how. There has been that, in my opinion, are not helping place are changing in ways that require tech ops headquarters from New York a lot of hype about AI, and according to develop the concept to its optimal a different approach to management. LaGuardia Airport. Its original four to different market studies, demand stage: It is not clear there is full align- Less than 5% of management roles are hangars expanded to six, plus Hangar for workers with AI skills has experi- ment between service/platform provid- currently filled by women, and the in- 80 across the field, where the team per- enced steady growth over the past few ers and users in terms of what the final equality today is quite palpable. forms overnight line maintenance work. years. When you add that there’s cur- goals of predictive maintenance will be, And, finally, environmental care and While the hangars could easily house rently a shortage of job seekers who and there is no proper balance between sustainability will undoubtedly be con- MD-80s, the last of which American can meet that need, it only makes the standardization and competition in sidered a top priority when defining or retired in September 2019 as it inducts skills more valuable for those who do terms of variety of available solutions. reviewing repair and maintenance pro- newer and bigger aircraft such as the possess them or would like to learn. With a much broader common cesses, and of course in designing and Boeing 787, the hangars are not large It will be necessary to carefully de - ground among the industry players rebuilding facilities, not only to comply enough. American has added tail slots fine the kind of jobs that are being cre- about what is really required and a with regulations, but as a result of the for Hangars 1 and 2 to accommodate American Airlines’ base maintenance ated specifically. And now that AI is clear set of minimum standards to be companies’ vision and social responsi- larger aircraft such as the Boeing 737, facility in Tulsa is its largest. becoming a reality, there is an urgent applied to the different solutions, we bility commitments. c but having a tail stick out of the hangar LEE ANN SHAY/AW&ST PHOTOS

MRO22 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO AviationWeek.com/MRO INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 MRO23 Webhed: Teaser: Primary Category: Secondary Category- InsideMRO Operations Bullet Points: LEE ANN SHAY/AW&ST Tulsa’s Hangar 6 already has switched That was one of the drivers of the to some docking that could become the new $215 million, 191,000-ft.2 line main- model for the others, says Olund. tenance hangar at Chicago O’Hare In- The base already has extensive ternational Airport, which officially backshops in which component and opened in January 2019. That hangar engine maintenance are performed. can simultaneously house six narrow- So the basic capabilities list will not bodies or two narrowbodies and two change during the renovation. But widebodies, including the 787. the current administrative building While the plans included in that Feb. that houses engineering, records, hu- 28 announcement have not changed—as man resources and other services that of early April, American plans to con- support the base will move to the new tinue moving forward with the hangar— hangar, says Barton. like all U.S. carriers that have ground- American also operates base main- ed a significant portion or their fleets, tenance facilities at its Dallas head- it is evaluating how it will ramp up quarters as well as in Charlotte, North operations after the virus is contained. Carolina, and Pittsburgh. American Airlines executives Barton, The tech ops team is working on The Tulsa facility, the largest in (left), Olund, Parker and Brickner. the master plan, which will outline ev- American’s network, has not received erything from the green initiatives to a major investment in 20 years and needs are balanced. “In Miami, we how people, parts and aircraft flow into needs it to make it sustainable for the just picked up a hangar on the north and out of the facility. “By the end of long term, says Kevin Brickner, senior side of the airport that adds about 50- the year or early 2021, we expect the vice president of technical operations. 75% more [line maintenance] capacity,” groundbreaking will start on the new American performs line mainte - says Barton. The new hangar will allow facility,” says Olund. Constructing the nance in 30 U.S. cities and wants to American to perform more work that hangar should take about 18 months, make sure it has the right facilities, naturally should be done there, instead but the whole project is scheduled to and that line and base maintenance of forcing it elsewhere in its network. take place over seven years. c

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MRO24 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO Webhed: Teaser: Primary Category: Secondary Category- InsideMRO Operations Bullet Points: LEE ANN SHAY/AW&ST Tulsa’s Hangar 6 already has switched That was one of the drivers of the to some docking that could become the new $215 million, 191,000-ft.2 line main- model for the others, says Olund. tenance hangar at Chicago O’Hare In- The base already has extensive ternational Airport, which officially backshops in which component and opened in January 2019. That hangar engine maintenance are performed. can simultaneously house six narrow- So the basic capabilities list will not bodies or two narrowbodies and two change during the renovation. But widebodies, including the 787. the current administrative building While the plans included in that Feb. that houses engineering, records, hu- 28 announcement have not changed—as man resources and other services that of early April, American plans to con- support the base will move to the new tinue moving forward with the hangar— hangar, says Barton. like all U.S. carriers that have ground- Aftermarket Opportunities American also operates base main- ed a significant portion or their fleets, tenance facilities at its Dallas head- it is evaluating how it will ramp up quarters as well as in Charlotte, North operations after the virus is contained. at Your Fingertips Carolina, and Pittsburgh. American Airlines executives Barton, The tech ops team is working on The Tulsa facility, the largest in (left), Olund, Parker and Brickner. the master plan, which will outline ev- American’s network, has not received erything from the green initiatives to a major investment in 20 years and needs are balanced. “In Miami, we how people, parts and aircraft flow into needs it to make it sustainable for the just picked up a hangar on the north and out of the facility. “By the end of long term, says Kevin Brickner, senior side of the airport that adds about 50- the year or early 2021, we expect the vice president of technical operations. 75% more [line maintenance] capacity,” groundbreaking will start on the new MRO Prospector provides in-depth details and reliable American performs line mainte - says Barton. The new hangar will allow facility,” says Olund. Constructing the nance in 30 U.S. cities and wants to American to perform more work that hangar should take about 18 months, data that enables subscribers to locate new business make sure it has the right facilities, naturally should be done there, instead but the whole project is scheduled to and that line and base maintenance of forcing it elsewhere in its network. take place over seven years. c opportunities ﬁ rst:

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MRO24 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Technology Structural Health Monitoring Using sensors to monitor aircraft structural health could be an efficient way to accomplish this, so why isn’t it being readily implemented?

Paul Seidenman and David J. Spanovich San Francisco

f an airframe structural inspection reveals a crack, the aircraft, by regulation, is grounded RANDY MONTOYA/SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES until repairs are made. By contrast, an engine turbine blade with a known hairline crack Icould remain on wing, as increased inspections determine when the blade must be replaced. To level the playing field, regulatory approval of structural health monitoring (SHM), employing high-tech sensors, is being sought.

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mex- ico, a leading SHM research and development center, has Dennis Roach of Sandia National Laboratories holds a primarily worked with five different sensor technologies— self-adhering, comparative vacuum monitoring sensor comparative vacuum monitoring (CVM), piezoelectric (PZT), used for aircraft health monitoring. fiber optics, carbon nanotubes and acousto-ultrasonics (AU). “Each has its own way of interrogating a structure to obtain Kumar adds that another advantage of a PZT Smart Layer signatures associated with specific types of damage,” says sensor network, compared to CVM, is that it can be used in Dennis Roach, a senior technical fellow there. both an ultrasonic and acoustic mode for crack detection. CVM and PZT are considered the maturing technologies. In an ultrasonic mode, the sensors can be used periodically With CVM, a sensor in the form of a self-adhesive elastomeric to provide information on damage location and size. In an patch—about the size of a credit card—is used. By applying acoustic mode, the sensor network “listens” for external im- vacuum pressure to the sensor’s built-in rows of intercon- pacts and provides the location and magnitude of damage nected channels, any measurable change in the vacuum level to the structure. will reveal a crack. The Smart Layer sensors, says Kumar, have successfully But PZT sensors have an advantage over CVM, says undergone MIL-STD 810G and lightning-strike testing for Amrita Kumar, executive vice president of Acellent Tech- use on any metal or composite structure. Also, the sensors nologies in Sunnyvale, California. “CVM sensors are ‘point have been proven for use in damage detection through ex- sensors,’ which means they need to be placed exactly at the tensive testing and validation at the coupon, component and location where damage such as cracks are anticipated,” she flight-test levels. says. “PZT sensors, such as Acellent’s Smart Layer sensors, “Boeing and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have both can be used in a network design to monitor an entire area adopted the technology and declared it ‘tech-ready’ and Air- for damage.” bus has flight-tested it on the A350,” she says.

MRO26 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Technology

bus fleets also are being prepared for AMOC requests. “On the 737NG family, the eddy-current inspection requires removal of a galley. If sensors were located in that Structural Health Monitoring area, the technician would only need to remove the galley if a problem is detected,” Piotrowski says. “Not having to remove the galley frequently would provide significant savings AIRLINE BENEFITS for the airline and allow the aircraft to be available for more Using sensors to monitor “For airlines, SHM could be an airframe maintenance game revenue opportunities.” changer, moving unscheduled actions to scheduled mainte- Delta Air Lines has been leading industry efforts with aircraft structural health nance,” says David Piotrowski, senior principal engineer for SHM since 2005, including work done by Northwest Air- Delta Air Lines. “SHM will give us the data to safely man- lines, which installed CVM sensors on two DC-9s in 2004-07. could be an efficient way age our fleets more efficiently and in a more cost-effective Delta, which merged with Northwest in 2009, flew sensors manner. Rather than taking the aircraft out of service im- on Boeing 757s and 767s in 2005-12. to accomplish this, so mediately for repair, the area could be monitored.” This can Most of the initial work, explains Piotrowski, focused on help determine if a crack needs to be repaired right away, or data collection and addressing the question of how well the if it can wait until the next scheduled maintenance event or sensors would work under real-world conditions. The next why isn’t it being readily another convenient opportunity. question, he says, was answered in 2014, when an FAA- Using SHM in this manner could enhance safety, as it al- funded program was established to determine what, if any, implemented? lows for continuous, real-time monitoring versus today’s pe- certification guidance would be needed to support SHM ap- riodic examinations, says Piotrowski. “While the technology plications. Under the program, Delta—in partnership with is ready, there is more work to be done to persuade regu- Boeing, Sandia National Laboratories and Anodyne Elec- Paul Seidenman and lators of a data-driven, tail-specific maintenance program. tronics Manufacturing—installed 10 CVM sensors in the David J. Spanovich San Francisco Therefore, near-term applications of SHM will be limited to center wingbox of seven of its 737-700s. The center wingbox substituting for conventional inspections, which still provide was selected because it is a high-stress area. The installa- f an airframe structural inspection reveals a substantial benefits to operators.” tions were approved by a service bulletin revision drafted by In fact, Piotrowski points out, Delta is currently perform- Boeing. Those seven aircraft are still flying with the sensors crack, the aircraft, by regulation, is grounded

RANDY MONTOYA/SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES ing a 1,200-cycle repetitive inspection of the rear pressure installed and to date have logged 110,000 flight hours and until repairs are made. By contrast, an engine bulkhead fasteners on its Boeing 737NG fleet as mandated 56,000 cycles, says Piotrowski. turbine blade with a known hairline crack by an airworthiness directive (AD). The airline has request- Other programs included sensor installations by Azul, in Icould remain on wing, as increased inspections ed an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) using conjunction with Embraer, on the Brazilian airline’s E190 SHM technology rather than eddy-current inspections, as jets, and an Air Canada Jazz CRJ that flew with sensors in determine when the blade must be replaced. To required by the AD. Other applications on Boeing and Air- 2009-10, he says. “Combining those with testing by North- level the playing field, regulatory approval of west and Delta, CVM sensors have flown some 1.5 million structural health monitoring (SHM), employing Stephen Neidigk (left), Dennis Roach (center) and Tom hr. to date,” he points out. “We have proven that the sensors Rice of Sandia National Laboratories set up a compara- work under all operating conditions—flight cycles, pres- high-tech sensors, is being sought. tive vacuum monitoring SHM system to allow for remote surization, vibration, contaminants—anything that could visual inspection of aircraft structures. impact them in flight,” he adds. Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mex- ico, a leading SHM research and development center, has Dennis Roach of Sandia National Laboratories holds a primarily worked with five different sensor technologies— self-adhering, comparative vacuum monitoring sensor comparative vacuum monitoring (CVM), piezoelectric (PZT), used for aircraft health monitoring. fiber optics, carbon nanotubes and acousto-ultrasonics (AU). “Each has its own way of interrogating a structure to obtain Kumar adds that another advantage of a PZT Smart Layer signatures associated with specific types of damage,” says sensor network, compared to CVM, is that it can be used in Dennis Roach, a senior technical fellow there. both an ultrasonic and acoustic mode for crack detection. CVM and PZT are considered the maturing technologies. In an ultrasonic mode, the sensors can be used periodically With CVM, a sensor in the form of a self-adhesive elastomeric to provide information on damage location and size. In an patch—about the size of a credit card—is used. By applying acoustic mode, the sensor network “listens” for external im- vacuum pressure to the sensor’s built-in rows of intercon- pacts and provides the location and magnitude of damage nected channels, any measurable change in the vacuum level to the structure. will reveal a crack. The Smart Layer sensors, says Kumar, have successfully But PZT sensors have an advantage over CVM, says undergone MIL-STD 810G and lightning-strike testing for Amrita Kumar, executive vice president of Acellent Tech- use on any metal or composite structure. Also, the sensors nologies in Sunnyvale, California. “CVM sensors are ‘point have been proven for use in damage detection through ex- sensors,’ which means they need to be placed exactly at the tensive testing and validation at the coupon, component and location where damage such as cracks are anticipated,” she flight-test levels. says. “PZT sensors, such as Acellent’s Smart Layer sensors, “Boeing and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have both can be used in a network design to monitor an entire area adopted the technology and declared it ‘tech-ready’ and Air- for damage.” bus has flight-tested it on the A350,” she says. RANDY MONTOYA/SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES NATIONAL MONTOYA/SANDIA RANDY

MRO26 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO AviationWeek.com/MRO INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 MRO27 InsideMRO Technology

NDT SUBSTITUTE Rich Poutier, executive vice president, business develop- Sandia National Laboratories’ Roach reports that the cur- ment for Perth, Australia-based Structural Monitoring Sys- rent focus of study is the use of SHM as a substitute for non- tems (SMS)—the supplier of CVM sensors being used by destructive testing (NDT) tasks that often involve the ap- Delta Air Lines for the 737 wingbox service bulletin inspec- plication of human-deployed inspection methods to identify tions—reports that the next step for SMS is to obtain regula- damage. These are labor-intensive processes that require tory approval for application of the sensors to mandatory in- inspectors to physically access the “structure of interest” to spections. The FAA received an approval request from SMS conduct manual inspections. The idea behind SHM, Roach in January 2019, he says. says, is to place an array of embedded sensors throughout Because the FAA considers the application of sensors to the aircraft to quickly alert the operator that some type of SHM a “new and novel technology,” the agency is finalizing damage is taking place on a certain structure. To achieve what is referred to as a policy issue paper, says Poutier. That this, the sensors are tailored not only to the parts of the air- paper will provide the regulatory inspectors with guidance craft being targeted but to the type of damage to be detected. material to use as reference for approving future applica- As SHM evolves, the interrogation will move past “hot-spot” tions of the technology—which will initially take place on a monitoring to include applications across a broad spectrum targeted case-by-case basis. of aircraft components. “Once a sensor application is identified, we then design a “Basically, each SHM application is reviewed for desired sensor configuration [to] target that area to monitor fora flaw detection such as cracks, corrosion or disbonds; loca- surface crack,” he says. “The sensor can detect a crack as tion such as the surface or subsurface; sensitivity required; small as 0.1 in. [depending on the materials being monitored] as well as structural material, and geometry,” Roach ex- and it can monitor crack growth until it reaches a size where plains. “Thn the sensor network approach is designed based the OEM would require a repair, based on the OEM’s damage on this information.” tolerance model.” According to Poutier, SMS is the only company certified by an OEM—Boeing—offering CVM technology for aircraft SHM through its patented and trademarked CVM product. SHM holds more than 30 patents globally for CVM DELTA AIR LINES DELTA technology, with 14 more pending. Those patents include surface crack detection along with detection of internal delamination within composites and composite bonds. SMS selects targeted applications for its sensors, based on labor hours and aircraft downtime required for current inspection processes. Right now, the two with the highest priority are the 737NG aft pressure bulkhead, and the Wi-Fi antenna mount structure for all narrowbody aircraft. “The aft pressure bulkhead AD calls for inspection of stringers 5-7L on the left side and 5-9R on the right side of CVM sensors supplied by Structural Monitoring Systems the bulkhead,” Poutier notes. “It was selected because there attached to the pressure bulkhead fasteners on a Delta can be a high amount of false positive readings when using Air Lines Boeing 737NG. Delta has requested authoriza- tion to use CVM technology as an alternative method of conventional low-frequency eddy-current probe inspections, compliance for an AD pertaining to the fasteners, instead which sensors could reduce.” The false positive rate for many of the eddy-current inspections the AD mandates. low-frequency eddy-current inspections averages 3-5%, he says. The result is unnecessary grounding of aircraft and In some cases, there may be several types of damage to be galley removals to confirm if a crack exists on the forward detected in one area. “In the future, the desire is to move to- side of the bulkhead. ward condition based maintenance (CBM), allowing airlines For the Wi-Fi antennas, Delta Engineering (no affiliation to automatically acquire information from the sensors and with Delta Air Lines) holds the supplemental type certifi- use that to make maintenance decisions,” he says. cate—licensed to Gogo—and has applied to the FAA for a Roach adds that while there may be no need for more per- revision to the instructions for continued airworthiness to formance data in general, there will always be a need for test- include the use of CVM sensors as an option to visual and ing the specific SHM application. In that respect, he says, ad- eddy-current inspections of the structure, Poutier adds. ditional flight history and successful operation from a series While the FAA ignored a request for comment, the Euro- of applications will help move SHM into new areas faster. pean Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) gave a cau- “We are acquiring that data now, but the newness of SHM tionary response. “EASA does not believe that SHM will technology—or any new aircraft technology—requires that change existing strategies regarding damage tolerance the performance data be very comprehensive for each new philosophies,” says Janet Northcote, its head of commu- application,” he says. “Once we get downstream, we will be nications. “A conservative ‘step-by-step’ approach will be much smarter on the performance of SHM for each variance taken when considering potential adoption of SHM, as has in application. This will streamline the process from initial been openly discussed in public forums with OEMs. It can- identification of an SHM application to final installation and not be predetermined that use of SHM will allow flight with routine use of SHM solutions on commercial aircraft.” known cracks.” c

MRO28 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Technology

NDT SUBSTITUTE Rich Poutier, executive vice president, business develop- Sandia National Laboratories’ Roach reports that the cur- ment for Perth, Australia-based Structural Monitoring Sys- rent focus of study is the use of SHM as a substitute for non- tems (SMS)—the supplier of CVM sensors being used by destructive testing (NDT) tasks that often involve the ap- Delta Air Lines for the 737 wingbox service bulletin inspec- plication of human-deployed inspection methods to identify tions—reports that the next step for SMS is to obtain regula- damage. These are labor-intensive processes that require tory approval for application of the sensors to mandatory in- inspectors to physically access the “structure of interest” to spections. The FAA received an approval request from SMS conduct manual inspections. The idea behind SHM, Roach in January 2019, he says. says, is to place an array of embedded sensors throughout Because the FAA considers the application of sensors to the aircraft to quickly alert the operator that some type of SHM a “new and novel technology,” the agency is finalizing damage is taking place on a certain structure. To achieve what is referred to as a policy issue paper, says Poutier. That this, the sensors are tailored not only to the parts of the air- paper will provide the regulatory inspectors with guidance craft being targeted but to the type of damage to be detected. material to use as reference for approving future applica- As SHM evolves, the interrogation will move past “hot-spot” tions of the technology—which will initially take place on a monitoring to include applications across a broad spectrum targeted case-by-case basis. of aircraft components. “Once a sensor application is identified, we then design a “Basically, each SHM application is reviewed for desired sensor configuration [to] target that area to monitor fora flaw detection such as cracks, corrosion or disbonds; loca- surface crack,” he says. “The sensor can detect a crack as tion such as the surface or subsurface; sensitivity required; small as 0.1 in. [depending on the materials being monitored] Where buyers and as well as structural material, and geometry,” Roach ex- and it can monitor crack growth until it reaches a size where plains. “Thn the sensor network approach is designed based the OEM would require a repair, based on the OEM’s damage on this information.” tolerance model.” suppliers connect. According to Poutier, SMS is the only company certified by an OEM—Boeing—offering CVM technology for aircraft SHM through its patented and trademarked CVM product. SHM holds more than 30 patents globally for CVM DELTA AIR LINES DELTA technology, with 14 more pending. Those patents include surface crack detection along with detection of internal delamination within composites and composite bonds. SMS selects targeted applications for its sensors, based on labor hours and aircraft downtime required for current inspection processes. Right now, the two with the highest priority are the 737NG aft pressure bulkhead, and the Wi-Fi antenna mount structure for all narrowbody aircraft. “The aft pressure bulkhead AD calls for inspection of Quickly fi nd what you need with an stringers 5-7L on the left side and 5-9R on the right side of intuitive, searchable database of CVM sensors supplied by Structural Monitoring Systems the bulkhead,” Poutier notes. “It was selected because there attached to the pressure bulkhead fasteners on a Delta products and services. Connect with can be a high amount of false positive readings when using Air Lines Boeing 737NG. Delta has requested authoriza- customers around the world through tion to use CVM technology as an alternative method of conventional low-frequency eddy-current probe inspections, compliance for an AD pertaining to the fasteners, instead which sensors could reduce.” The false positive rate for many your company’s profi le on the premier of the eddy-current inspections the AD mandates. low-frequency eddy-current inspections averages 3-5%, he global MRO marketplace that never closes. says. The result is unnecessary grounding of aircraft and In some cases, there may be several types of damage to be galley removals to confirm if a crack exists on the forward detected in one area. “In the future, the desire is to move to- side of the bulkhead. Learn more at MROLinks.com ward condition based maintenance (CBM), allowing airlines For the Wi-Fi antennas, Delta Engineering (no affiliation to automatically acquire information from the sensors and with Delta Air Lines) holds the supplemental type certifi- use that to make maintenance decisions,” he says. cate—licensed to Gogo—and has applied to the FAA for a Elizabeth Zlitni Roach adds that while there may be no need for more per- revision to the instructions for continued airworthiness to Director of Sales formance data in general, there will always be a need for test- include the use of CVM sensors as an option to visual and [email protected] ing the specific SHM application. In that respect, he says, ad- eddy-current inspections of the structure, Poutier adds. 913-967-1348 ditional flight history and successful operation from a series While the FAA ignored a request for comment, the Euro- of applications will help move SHM into new areas faster. pean Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) gave a cau- “We are acquiring that data now, but the newness of SHM tionary response. “EASA does not believe that SHM will technology—or any new aircraft technology—requires that change existing strategies regarding damage tolerance the performance data be very comprehensive for each new philosophies,” says Janet Northcote, its head of commu- application,” he says. “Once we get downstream, we will be nications. “A conservative ‘step-by-step’ approach will be much smarter on the performance of SHM for each variance taken when considering potential adoption of SHM, as has in application. This will streamline the process from initial been openly discussed in public forums with OEMs. It can- identification of an SHM application to final installation and not be predetermined that use of SHM will allow flight with routine use of SHM solutions on commercial aircraft.” known cracks.” c

MRO28 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Operations

venture. The group includes former Redesigning MAEL man Alan Brooks, who recently returned as base maintenance manager of the Birmingham facility, and Colby an MRO Payne, a former MAEL employee who was retained by the administrator at STS takes faster, leaner approach in resurrected the hangar before being appointed Monarch hangar commercial manager at STS. Adams, who most recently worked at DHL Supply Chain following a four- James Pozzi Birmingham, England year stint as vice president of MRO services at Etihad Airways Engineer- he start of 2019 saw the collapse organization business and a Luton- ing in Abu Dhabi, jumped at the op - of Monarch Aircraft Engineering based training academy. Surplus plant portunity to oversee a fresh challenge T(MAEL), the British MRO that and machinery equipment at both facili- at a facility he knows so well. “The de- had been operating for more than 50 ties was auctioned off by Hilco Global. mise of Monarch Aircraft Engineering years. A little more than 12 months after British real estate specialist Avison undoubtedly left a huge gap in the UK the demise of its Monarch Airlines af- Young acted as selling agent of the and Europe’s MRO industry,” he says. filiate, the MRO business still struggled leaseholds for its two main hangars, “Couple that with STS’ success story despite private equity owner Greybull at Luton and Birmingham. The lat - and appetite to grow the business with- Capital’s attempts to restructure the ter, a more modern hangar than the in and around Europe—this was a mar- business. MAEL had inherited the air- former, having been built only in 2013, riage made in heaven. Doing a project line’s historic debts, estimated at more garnered significant interest. In Oc- of this nature was something I always aspired to do, but for one reason or another, I never got an opportunity to see it through.” On arrival at the Birmingham hangar, the specter of MAEL is still evident: Its logo adorns the hangar’s exte- rior, while its purple and yellow colors linger in the carpets. Yet no doubt is left about the absence of a function- ing maintenance operation—tooling stalls lie empty, once-vibrant meeting areas are empty, and the hangar floor is mostly bare save for stored equipment and several warehouse forklifts. But Adams is not focusing on the past. He describes the task ahead as The STS Birmingham facility, akin to “redesigning an MRO” rather pictured on March 11, 2020. than trying to re-create what came before. He says that although MAEL JAMES POZZI/AW&ST generally had a long-standing industry than £100 million ($125 million), and lost tober 2019, U.S.-based STS Aviation reputation for good-quality work, from around 50% of its maintenance work as Group was confirmed as the buyer of a culture perspective, he’s looking to a result of the carrier’s collapse. the 200,000 ft.² hangar, just one month run an altogether leaner operation in From a manpower perspective, after acquiring UK-based MRO Apple Birmingham underpinned by a flatter, an estimated 450 jobs evaporated Aviation—signaling its intention to nonhierarchical type of management immediately —depriving the domestic expand in Europe. Mick Adams, man- structure aimed at quick decision- and continental segments of valuable aging director of MAEL in 2009-14, making. At this juncture in November, technical expertise. The demise of was installed as CEO and senior vice January 2020 is the target month to get MAEL also had ramifications for the president of STS’ Europe operation the operation up and running, but a long UK’s overall MRO capacity, with base and tasked with establishing new op- list of priorities looms with the anticipa- maintenance capacity at Luton and eration at the existing facility. tion that the team could have to spend Birmingham cut. Its line stations across One month later, in November, on a Christmas Day working in the hangar. the UK were sold off to several MRO brisk Thursday morning in England’s First, a leadership team needs to be specialists by administrator KPMG, second city, Adams sat ready to talk to built, with “the right caliber and mind- which was appointed to oversee the Aviation Week in a near-empty hangar set” to fit the culture, Adams says. Sec- offloading of assets, which included a where he has been working with a small ond, preparation for the UK Civil Avia- continuing airworthiness management team of people to kick-start the new tion Authority (CAA) Part-145 audit is

MRO30 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Operations venture. The group includes former also in the works, a process Adams A330, as well as Boeing 737NG and 757 Redesigning MAEL man Alan Brooks, who recently predicts will be extensive. “This facility Monarch to STS in Birmingham: aircraft. Further aircraft types, such as returned as base maintenance manager was operational just less than one year A Timeline the Embraer 190, are expected to follow of the Birmingham facility, and Colby ago, so you can understand why some in the same month, and the Boeing 787 2017 October Monarch Airlines col- Payne, a former MAEL employee who people might think a team of engineers base maintenance certificate should be an MRO lapses, leading to more than 1,800 jobs was retained by the administrator at can turn up and put on a light switch achieved by May 2020. Once ramped lost. The affiliated Monarch Aircraft Engi- STS takes faster, leaner approach in resurrected the hangar before being appointed to make it all work again,” he says. “But up, the hangar will operate across five neering business carries on as a stand- commercial manager at STS. this is more equivalent to a startup, and to six maintenance lines. Monarch hangar alone entity. Adams, who most recently worked in many ways, even more complex than On the manpower side, several tech- at DHL Supply Chain following a four- that, as you have to deal with remnants 2018 December Monarch Aircraft En- nicians have joined the operation. As James Pozzi Birmingham, England year stint as vice president of MRO of the old operation and any associated gineering is put up for sale by private of mid-April, 10 technicians and 14 services at Etihad Airways Engineer- legacy issues before refreshing them.” equity owner Greybull Capital. mechanics were at work, and the he start of 2019 saw the collapse organization business and a Luton- ing in Abu Dhabi, jumped at the op - Adams foresees that the company 2019 January Monarch Aircraft Engi- number was expected to rise further of Monarch Aircraft Engineering based training academy. Surplus plant portunity to oversee a fresh challenge will adopt a “build slowly, grow quickly” neering collapses, resulting in the loss in April for the summer months, be- T(MAEL), the British MRO that and machinery equipment at both facili- at a facility he knows so well. “The de- mentality. “It’s unlikely we’ll be doing of around 450 jobs. The Birmingham fore building up to 60 mechanics and had been operating for more than 50 ties was auctioned off by Hilco Global. mise of Monarch Aircraft Engineering very heavy maintenance checks from Airport hangar is among the sites closed. 20 technicians later in the year. Adams years. A little more than 12 months after British real estate specialist Avison undoubtedly left a huge gap in the UK Day One, and that’s because we’ll focus says interest in roles remains strong, the demise of its Monarch Airlines af- Young acted as selling agent of the and Europe’s MRO industry,” he says. on higher volume fast turn, reasonable March Monarch Aircraft Engineering and several former MAEL employees filiate, the MRO business still struggled leaseholds for its two main hangars, “Couple that with STS’ success story margin activities drawing on STS’ ca- assets—including hangars, tooling and expressed interest in returning. This despite private equity owner Greybull at Luton and Birmingham. The lat - and appetite to grow the business with- pabilities around design and modifi- equipment—are put on the market by was reflected at management level, with Capital’s attempts to restructure the ter, a more modern hangar than the in and around Europe—this was a mar- cations,” he says. This contrasts with KPMG. former MAEL staff Ian Bartholomew, business. MAEL had inherited the air- former, having been built only in 2013, riage made in heaven. Doing a project previous MAEL work at the hangar, October STS Aviation Group an- Malcolm Welsby and Mike Ainsworth line’s historic debts, estimated at more garnered significant interest. In Oc- of this nature was something I always which undertook heavy D checks with nounces its acquisition of Monarch’s joining the team. Engagement with aspired to do, but for one reason or a workforce of several hundred techni- former Birmingham Airport hangar. new talent has been encouraging thus another, I never got an opportunity to cians. “It comes back to having the dis- far—a recruitment fair held in the 2020 January STS begins operating in see it through.” cipline to undertake the right type of Birmingham. same month over a two-day period also On arrival at the Birmingham han- work in the facility,” Adams continues. garnered strong interest, with between gar, the specter of MAEL is still evi- “I can’t imagine a day when we’d have April STS is granted UK Civil Aviation 90-100 potential employees attending. dent: Its logo adorns the hangar’s exte- multiple lines of D checks in the hangar Authority certification for base main- However, although STS has overcome rior, while its purple and yellow colors for six to seven weeks at a time with all tenance in Birmingham. challenges and hurdles to establish a new linger in the carpets. Yet no doubt is the complex logistics and infrastructure MRO presence in Birmingham, another left about the absence of a function- that has to sit around that.” tools. This involved a total inventory one looms in the form of the COVID-19 ing maintenance operation—tooling While the collapse of MAEL along check whereby teams maintained, cali- pandemic, which has led to a slowdown stalls lie empty, once-vibrant meeting with UK airline Thomas Cook had an brated and repaired the tools. In total, of the global aftermarket. Since the areas are empty, and the hangar floor impact on the regional MRO segment, around $2 million was invested in new outbreak, many aircraft have been is mostly bare save for stored equip- Adams feels that the timing of STS to tooling in Birmingham, including some grounded, and a wave of maintenance ment and several warehouse forklifts. expand in Europe could not be better. items from the hangar acquisition. cancellations is anticipated throughout But Adams is not focusing on the But this landscape necessitates being Perhaps the most visually striking this year. While STS continues to run past. He describes the task ahead as ready to adapt to the changing market. image is the sight of aircraft returning its operations, with heightened staff The STS Birmingham facility, akin to “redesigning an MRO” rather “The market has changed, and next-gen- to the shop floor. Just one week prior, safety procedures, it has not escaped pictured on March 11, 2020. than trying to re-create what came eration aircraft are the future. We have Birmingham had been home to two the impact of the novel coronavirus. before. He says that although MAEL to manage the transition from legacy Boeing 787s operated by Italian carrier Despite being wary of the long-term JAMES POZZI/AW&ST generally had a long-standing industry aircraft and supporting customers on Neos—representing STS’ first third- impact of COVID-19, Adams remains than £100 million ($125 million), and lost tober 2019, U.S.-based STS Aviation reputation for good-quality work, from those fleets while also building the skills party airline customer since taking bullish about the industry’s prospects. around 50% of its maintenance work as Group was confirmed as the buyer of a culture perspective, he’s looking to [and] capabilities [to] transition into the ownership of the facility. The audit for “Maintenance never goes away—if the a result of the carrier’s collapse. the 200,000 ft.² hangar, just one month run an altogether leaner operation in next-generation of maintenance, adding UK CAA Part-145 approval had recent- coronavirus is brought into check, the From a manpower perspective, after acquiring UK-based MRO Apple Birmingham underpinned by a flatter, capabilities for Part-21, design, training ly been concluded to acquire the base grounded aircraft will come back into an estimated 450 jobs evaporated Aviation—signaling its intention to nonhierarchical type of management and everything else required.” maintenance certificate. Still short of service. There will be some necessary immediately —depriving the domestic expand in Europe. Mick Adams, man- structure aimed at quick decision- Fast-forward four months, to early its base maintenance approval at that maintenance during that period, be- and continental segments of valuable aging director of MAEL in 2009-14, making. At this juncture in November, March 2020, and an uptick in activity time, STS provided touch labor to work fore a backlog of maintenance and per- technical expertise. The demise of was installed as CEO and senior vice January 2020 is the target month to get is evident at the hangar following the with the airline’s own engineers on perhaps modifications and airworthiness- MAEL also had ramifications for the president of STS’ Europe operation the operation up and running, but a long winter months. From a visual perspec- forming double engine changes. directive work to ensure those aircraft UK’s overall MRO capacity, with base and tasked with establishing new op- list of priorities looms with the anticipa- tive, some of the purple and yellow of Approval for the UK CAA certifica- are brought back into service. This will maintenance capacity at Luton and eration at the existing facility. tion that the team could have to spend MAEL has been changed to STS red, tion came three weeks later, on April 1. likely all happen much later in the year, Birmingham cut. Its line stations across One month later, in November, on a Christmas Day working in the hangar. white and black. Teams of people are As Adams envisaged, services will in- so capacity and resources will need to the UK were sold off to several MRO brisk Thursday morning in England’s First, a leadership team needs to be beginning to fill previously empty of- clude aircraft modifications, structural be managed very carefully.” c specialists by administrator KPMG, second city, Adams sat ready to talk to built, with “the right caliber and mind- fice space. Tool stores have also been repairs, engine changes, A checks, C which was appointed to oversee the Aviation Week in a near-empty hangar set” to fit the culture, Adams says. Sec- restocked, following the undertaking of checks, lease transition and bridging Digial Extra Take a look at the current offloading of assets, which included a where he has been working with a small ond, preparation for the UK Civil Avia- a time-consuming process in which STS checks. Initially, these services will be global MRO trends by world region: continuing airworthiness management team of people to kick-start the new tion Authority (CAA) Part-145 audit is individually identified more than 5,000 offered for the Airbus A320 family and AviationWeek.com/MROTrends

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Irene Klotz Cape Canaveral Blue Origin is developing the BE-4 engine, which it will install on its reusable New Glenn rockets and sell to he first Falcon 9 rocket to land successfully after dis- United Launch Alliance (ULA) for its onetime-use Vulcan patching a payload into orbit stands on permanent booster. ULA plans to eventually reuse just the engines. T display outside SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, a testament to the perseverance of founder, CEO New Glenn, a reusable system powered by seven BE-4 and chief engineer Elon Musk, who wants a fleet of fully methane-fueled engines designed to carry nearly 50 tons to reusable spaceships to reduce the cost of colonizing Mars. low Earth orbit. “That is the smallest orbital vehicle we are The vision is shared by fellow tech entrepreneur Jeff planning to build and launch,” says Clay Mowry, Blue Origin Bezos, whose Kent, Washington-based Blue Origin space vice president of sales, marketing and customer experience. company is developing a series of reusable vehicles, begin- But the first BE-4s to power a rocket to orbit may not ning with the New Shepard suborbital passenger transport be aboard the New Glenn. United Launch Alliance (ULA) system. The New Shepard made 12 uncrewed flight tests over is buying the engines to power the first stage of its Vulcan the last five years, with more to come before commercial rocket, an expendable booster—at least for now—which, flights begin. like the New Glenn, is slated to debut next year. Bezos also has pumped $2.5 billion into developing the At some point, ULA may decide to recover and reuse just

A SpaceX Falcon 9, which landed on a drone ship positioned in the Atlantic Ocean, returned to Port Canaveral, Florida, on Dec. 7, 2019, after delivering a Dragon Cargo ship into orbit for NASA.

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the BE-4 engines, a pair of which will fl y on each Vulcan. intentionally destroyed as part of a Crew Dragon capsule The idea is for the engine compartment to disengage after launch abort fl ight test. Price of Reusability launch and fall back through the atmosphere protected by SpaceX’s fl eet leader fl ew fi ve times before failing to land an infl atable hypersonic shield. A helicopter would be posi- on a drone ship stationed o¡ the Florida coast on March 18. Reflying rockets is cool, but does tioned to snag the engine section midair as it makes a para- SpaceX has not said if the botched landing was related it make financial sense? chute descent. ULA calls the approach its Sensible Modular to a premature engine shutdown during the fi nal phases Autonomous Return Technology, or SMART. of ascent. The rocket’s remaining eight Merlin engines “It does not impact, in any signifi cant way, the overall per- compensated for the shutdown, and the payload—a batch formance of the launch vehicle because you don’t have to save of 60 SpaceX Starlink broadband satellites—reached its fuel to fl y home with,” ULA CEO Tory Bruno tells Aviation intended orbit. Week. “You still get to burn up all your fuel, separate your While it continues to fl y the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy for engine, which is the most expensive piece, and recover it.” NASA, national security and commercial missions, SpaceX “We have not really changed our assessment over the last is developing a fully reusable, human-class deep-space couple of years because we have yet to see the other forms transportation system called Starship at its own expense. of reusability—fl yback or propulsive return to Earth—dem- Another company testing the waters of reusability is onstrate economic sustainability on a recurring basis,” Rocket Lab, which builds and flies the Electron small- Bruno says. “It’s pretty darn hard to make that actually satellite launcher. save money. . . . We’ve seen nothing yet that changes our “For a long time, I said we weren’t going to do reus- analysis on that.” ability,” Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said in August 2019, Irene Klotz Cape Canaveral Blue Origin is developing the BE-4 engine, which it will SpaceX currently is the only launch company refl ying orbit- when he announced the new initiative. “This is one of those install on its reusable New Glenn rockets and sell to he first Falcon 9 rocket to land successfully after dis- al rockets. SpaceX launched its fi nal version of the workhorse occasions where I have to eat my hat.” United Launch Alliance (ULA) for its onetime-use Vulcan patching a payload into orbit stands on permanent Falcon 9 booster, called the Block 5, in May 2018. Within two booster. ULA plans to eventually reuse just the engines. Electrons do not have the performance for a propulsive T display outside SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, months, the company was fl ying Block California, a testament to the perseverance of founder, CEO New Glenn, a reusable system powered by seven BE-4 5s exclusively. The upgrade includes Rocket Lab is testing and chief engineer Elon Musk, who wants a fleet of fully methane-fueled engines designed to carry nearly 50 tons to higher-thrust Merlin engines, stronger to see if it can reuse its reusable spaceships to reduce the cost of colonizing Mars. low Earth orbit. “That is the smallest orbital vehicle we are landing legs and dozens of upgrades to Electron small-satellite The vision is shared by fellow tech entrepreneur Jeff planning to build and launch,” says Clay Mowry, Blue Origin streamline recovery and reuse. launch vehicle. Bezos, whose Kent, Washington-based Blue Origin space vice president of sales, marketing and customer experience. Block 5s were designed to fly 10 company is developing a series of reusable vehicles, begin- But the first BE-4s to power a rocket to orbit may not times with minimal maintenance be- ning with the New Shepard suborbital passenger transport be aboard the New Glenn. United Launch Alliance (ULA) tween flights, and up to 100 times system. The New Shepard made 12 uncrewed flight tests over is buying the engines to power the first stage of its Vulcan with refurbishment. SpaceX President the last five years, with more to come before commercial rocket, an expendable booster—at least for now—which, and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne flights begin. like the New Glenn, is slated to debut next year. Shotwell says the company no longer Bezos also has pumped $2.5 billion into developing the At some point, ULA may decide to recover and reuse just expects to need to fl y a Falcon 9 more than 10 times. “We don’t have to ramp up our production, at least for boost phases, like we thought we were going to,” Shotwell said on March 10 at the Satellite 2020 ROE LB conference in Washington. “From a reliability perspective, we want to know the limits of Falcon 9, so we’ll push them, but . . . some government customers want return like SpaceX’s Falcons do, so Rocket Lab is pursuing new vehicles—I think over time, they will come to fl ight- a midair, helicopter recovery system to snare the booster’s proven vehicles as well,” she added. “But if I have to build fi rst stage. The intent is not to reduce costs per se but to A SpaceX Falcon 9, which landed a couple of new ones every year, or 10 new ones a year, that increase fl ight rates without having to boost production. on a drone ship positioned in the adds to the fl eet, and I don’t know that I’ll have to push a The company currently is producing one Electron rocket Atlantic Ocean, returned to Port rocket more than 10 [fl ights.]” about every 30 days. “We need to get that down to one a Canaveral, Florida, on Dec. 7, 2019, With regard to how much the company has been able to week,” Beck says. after delivering a Dragon Cargo cut costs by refl ying rockets, Shotwell would only say, “We “We view [rocket reuse] as sort of a journey,” ULA’s ship into orbit for NASA. save a lot of money.” Bruno adds. “We’re going to start with the engines because As a privately held company, those operating expenses we’re pretty sure we can save money with that and pass are not publicly available, but the Block 5 fl ight record is. those savings on right away. As we learn more by doing, So far, SpaceX has fl own 14 Block 5 core boosters over 31 we’ll continue to assess other valuable parts of the rocket, missions, including two Falcon Heavy fl ights, which use and we may discover that we can do that there as well.” three cores apiece. “There is one funny thing about reusability,” he adds. “As Of those 14 boosters with fl ight history, fi ve remain part you make your rocket less expensive, and you make parts of the operational fl eet. The rest were expended—several of your rocket less expensive, it’s harder to close a business SE after multiple missions—due to payload performance re- case on reuse because the thing you’re recovering isn’t as quirements or unsuccessful landings. One booster was valuable. There’s a balance there.” c

MRO32 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO AviationWeek.com/MRO INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 MRO33 InsideMRO Workforce Workforce Wins in Chicago A grassroots aviation workforce program is thriving in the ‘Windy City’

Lindsay Bjerregaard Chicago Students enrolled in D214’s Aviation Academy receive dual credit with Lewis University. The university’s nterest in aviation careers is boom- ship High School District 214 (D214), maintenance hangar is pictured. ing in the Chicago area, thanks to located near ORD, reached out to him Ia new partnership between a local for input on an aviation academy the LINDSAY BJERREGAARD/AW&ST high school district, an airframe and district was trying to set up. The academy, now in its second year, powerplant (A&P) school and Ameri- According to Megan Knight, D214 di- is run out of Chicago Executive Airport can Airlines’ Tech Ops team at O’Hare rector of programs and pathways, the (PWK) in partnership with American International Airport (ORD). Informal- aviation academy developed as a result Airlines and Lewis University. Stu- ly launched less than two years ago by of strong demand for qualified avia- dents in the program take two dual- two of American’s crew chiefs at ORD, tion professionals in the area. “What credit, introductory courses—Aviation the Educational Outreach Program we saw, looking at the job outlook, was Fundamentals and Aviation Physics— has “mushroomed almost instanta- there was so much opportunity in this that count toward transcripted college neously,” says Gary Percy, crew chief space that was untapped; so we wanted credit and are taught by instructors of aircraft maintenance at the airline to create a talent pipeline into the field from Lewis. Knight says the course- The program’s roots began with the of aviation with our kids,” she explains. work caters to students regardless of simple desire to spark a passion for “We’ve always had a really strong trans- which area of interest they are pursu- aviation careers in younger genera- portation program—we have a lot of ing, so they are not pigeonholed into tions. A contact of Percy’s from Town- students in our autos program—and one field. so we felt like we had the target audi- Classes take place in a recently ren- Wheeling High School students ence in terms of our students, and that ovated portion of a T-hangar at PWK, toured American Airlines’ ORD hangar. allowed us to move forward.” which features a classroom and lab

AMERICAN AIRLINES

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been very involved and are helping us Workforce Wins explore opportunities and opening up their facilities to our students to inspire them to think about going into ReliableReliable News,News, in Chicago this field—whether on the aviation mechanic side or even on the pilot side.” ConciseConcise FormatFormat A grassroots aviation workforce program According to O’Callaghan, word is thriving in the ‘Windy City’ about the program has spread quickly in the area, and ORD Tech Ops has seen a high level of interest from other Lindsay Bjerregaard Chicago Students enrolled in D214’s Aviation local high schools. Academy receive dual credit with “We’re trying, with the help of our Lewis University. The university’s nterest in aviation careers is boom- ship High School District 214 (D214), station director, to figure out the best maintenance hangar is pictured. ing in the Chicago area, thanks to located near ORD, reached out to him way to put it out there that there are Ia new partnership between a local for input on an aviation academy the LINDSAY BJERREGAARD/AW&ST technical opportunities for A&P me- high school district, an airframe and district was trying to set up. The academy, now in its second year, space. According to Knight, hands-on chanics and within American Airlines,” powerplant (A&P) school and Ameri- According to Megan Knight, D214 di- is run out of Chicago Executive Airport learning experiences at the airport are he says. “But the bigger picture is get- can Airlines’ Tech Ops team at O’Hare rector of programs and pathways, the (PWK) in partnership with American a major element in generating interest ting kids involved in aviation, because International Airport (ORD). Informal- aviation academy developed as a result Airlines and Lewis University. Stu- among high school students. “We want there are lots of companies and oppor- ly launched less than two years ago by of strong demand for qualified avia- dents in the program take two dual- the kids to be there and feel the energy tunities out there.” two of American’s crew chiefs at ORD, tion professionals in the area. “What credit, introductory courses—Aviation of that. To be able to go to school and O’Callaghan points out that an A&P the Educational Outreach Program we saw, looking at the job outlook, was Fundamentals and Aviation Physics— to have aircraft taxiing right in front of license can also open up career op - has “mushroomed almost instanta- there was so much opportunity in this that count toward transcripted college you is really unlike anything that our portunities outside of aviation. “That neously,” says Gary Percy, crew chief space that was untapped; so we wanted credit and are taught by instructors kids have ever seen. Most people don’t A&P ticket is a valued commodity in of aircraft maintenance at the airline to create a talent pipeline into the field from Lewis. Knight says the course- have a high school experience that looks other industries because [other com- SpeedNews is the source The program’s roots began with the of aviation with our kids,” she explains. work caters to students regardless of like that,” she says. panies] know what kind of training you for relevant insights, news simple desire to spark a passion for “We’ve always had a really strong trans- which area of interest they are pursu- In addition to helping D214 develop received in school. Disneyland hires and information powering aviation careers in younger genera- portation program—we have a lot of ing, so they are not pigeonholed into curriculum based around certifica- A&P mechanics, because [they’ve] got commercial aviation. tions. A contact of Percy’s from Town- students in our autos program—and one field. tions that are critical in the field of a background in pneumatics, hydrau- so we felt like we had the target audi- Classes take place in a recently ren- aircraft maintenance, Percy and his lics and electrics,” he says. Sent electronically, top Wheeling High School students ence in terms of our students, and that ovated portion of a T-hangar at PWK, colleague Jack O’Callaghan, technical Percy and O’Callaghan are now executives rely on its toured American Airlines’ ORD hangar. allowed us to move forward.” which features a classroom and lab crew chief at ORD, began arranging working with American’s other de - unique, quick-read hangar tours for students at ORD. A partments to grow the Educational format to: centerpiece of these tours is walking Outreach Program system-wide, espe- students through the Boeing 787, “a cially since some of the airline’s other flying computer,” Percy says. maintenance stations have expressed ➤ Monitor your “The younger generation, that’s interest, and “corporate is trying to competition. what they do—whether it’s gaming, catch up,” Percy says. programming or anything like that. Within the next year, D214 hopes to ➤ Uncover new business The airplanes are so computerized, implement some work-based learning opportunities. and I think that’s what draws them to opportunities for Aviation Academy ➤ Connect and network it,” he says. students and strategically increase American’s ORD Tech Ops staff access to the program for all six of its with industry leaders. lets students look inside the electron- area schools. ics compartment of the aircraft to see “What’s exciting about this is that “the brains of what makes the airplane it’s developing and it’s growing, so our Discover Leads operate,” O’Callaghan adds, which also partnership with American is only go- presents photo opportunities inside ing to become stronger,” says Kathy Win Deals the aircraft. Wicks, partnership manager for D214’s Grow Your Business Knight says several Aviation Acad- Center for Career Discovery. emy classes have visited American’s “We’re really at the infancy stages of ORD hangar, and the airline has been that right now,” Wicks says. “So we’re Learn More at working with D214 and Lewis Univer- very excited and have talks planned aviationweek.com/SpeedNews-info sity on how to best develop a career for the future to map out where we pathway for students. think this can go, which students we “They have been really interested in can teach and also the parent com - how to grow their talent pipeline, so ponent as well, to really help every- they have a vested interest in helping one understand the opportunity. So I us grow this pathway and the inter- think there’s more to come—the sky’s est [of] students,” she says. “They’ve the limit.” c AMERICAN AIRLINES

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Then there is radio frequency in - Next-Gen Navigation terference (RFI), the focus of which is to detect and mitigate both inten- New systems are more dependent on satellites tional and unintentional RFI and increase the overall performance of but also more accurate GNSS receivers. “Additionally, the industry is evaluating the vulnerability of satellite navigation and looking for alternative position, navigation and time (APNT) sources,” Gallo notes. “Availability is a key issue that needs to be addressed.” Gallo calls the U.S. ADS-B Out mandate a “key example” of where the airline industry is relying on the accuracy and integrity of satellite navigation. He adds that beyond ADS-B Out and ADS-B In, dual-frequency multiconstellation (DFMC) and RFI are key to the evolution of navigation. For instance, he says, DFMC “could likely support the implementation of LPV” (localizer performance with vertical guidance) in regions that do not benefit from satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) such as Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in the U.S., Russia’s Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) in Europe, and GPS-aided GEO-augmented navigation (GAGAN) in India, he says. LPV provides a precision approach capability, which does not require ground infrastructure but is currently SBAS dependent. COLLINS AEROSPACE “The implementation of SBAS is DFMC technology is considered key to the evolution of navigation because it new to the commercial aircraft mar- increases the number of frequencies the receiver accepts from satellites, while ket, and LPV implementation on these also receiving data from more than one satellite constellation—all of which aircraft is coming in the near future,” improves aircraft position accuracy and integrity. says Gallo. “The next generation of navigation systems will incorporate DFMC, RFI and LPV—both with Paul Seidenman and David J. Spanovich San Francisco SBAS and potentially MF/MC. They are on the horizon for most commer- he ongoing global implementa- features are on the near-term horizon cial aircraft.” As an example, he cites tion of automatic dependence for satellite navigation. One is dual- the GLU-2100, which is Collins’ latest T surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) frequency (DF), which is the capabil- multimode receiver. “Out” has accelerated a further shift ity to receive data on two frequencies “The GLU-2100 has a modern, ro- from ground-based infrastructure to from each GNSS (Global Navigation bust hardware design and will sup - satellites, as avionics OEMs roll out a Satellite System) satellite, enabling port all navigation features now and new generation of onboard navigation more precise measurements by elimi- for the foreseeable future including products. nating ionospheric and multipath in- LPV, GBAS Categories 2/3, DFMC and “The industry continues to evolve terference. RFI,” he notes. “All of these future ca- the airspace to take advantage of The second is multiconstellation pabilities can be added with on-wing the increased accuracy and integrity (MC), in which GNSS satellite constel- software-only upgrades.” benefits that satellite navigation pro- lations such as China’s BeiDou Navi- Gallo adds that the GLU-2100 is vides,” says Joe Gallo, global market- gation Satellite System and Galileo certified on most Boeing airliners, ing director for commercial avionics increase the total number of satellites with installation under OEM service at Collins Aerospace. available, significantly improving ac- bulletins (SB) and supplemental type Gallo notes that three important curacy and integrity. certificates (STC). Certification is slat-

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Then there is radio frequency in - ed for Airbus platforms later this year, at 63 airports including all 36 of the FUEL SAVINGS, NOISE Next-Gen Navigation terference (RFI), the focus of which with availability in 2021 under Airbus major hubs. The en route [in-flight] For the past decade, GE Aviation Sys- is to detect and mitigate both inten- SBs and STCs. clearance delivery via CPDLC phase tems has been working with the FAA New systems are more dependent on satellites tional and unintentional RFI and is currently in [initial operational ca- on the agency’s Continuous Lower En- increase the overall performance of TECH FOCUS pability] and will result in additional ergy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) but also more accurate GNSS receivers. Today’s navigation system technology efficiency gains for equipped opera- program. GE’s approach has concen- “Additionally, the industry is evalu- enhancements are focused on GNSS tors when it becomes operational next trated on the FMS, rather than struc- ating the vulnerability of satellite multiconstellation systems, dual-fre- year,” notes Gorsky. tural changes to the aircraft or engine, navigation and looking for alternative quency development and adoption, and Citing other developments, Gorsky says Gary Goz, product director for position, navigation and time (APNT) integration with ground-based augmen- says that for inertial navigation sys- navigation airborne systems at GE sources,” Gallo notes. “Availability is a tation systems for GPS precision land- tems (INS), sensor technologies based Aviation Avionics. key issue that needs to be addressed.” ing, as well as the implementation of on micro electromechanical systems “The FMS only requires a change to Gallo calls the U.S. ADS-B Out man- upgrades for ADS-B mandate compli- continue to be pursued for commercial the flight management computer for date a “key example” of where the air- ance, says John-Paul Gorsky, lead sales aircraft applications, especially for at- older systems. And on newer ones, line industry is relying on the accuracy manager at Honeywell Aerospace for titude and heading reference systems, just an aircraft interface device to and integrity of satellite navigation. air transport and regional. “With SBAS He adds that beyond ADS-B Out and in full operation and thousands of LPV ADS-B In, dual-frequency multicon- approach procedures available today, stellation (DFMC) and RFI are key to we are working with the aircraft manu- the evolution of navigation. facturers to introduce LPV approach For instance, he says, DFMC “could on a larger portion of the air transport likely support the implementation of and regional airliner fleet,” he explains. LPV” (localizer performance with ver- Honeywell has been “instrumental tical guidance) in regions that do not in the introduction of LPV” on the benefit from satellite-based augmen- Airbus A350 and Embraer E-Jet fleet, tation systems (SBAS) such as Wide says Gorsky. “And now, the integrated Area Augmentation System (WAAS) multimode receiver (IMMR) work in the U.S., Russia’s Global Navigation is progressing to make LPV avail- Satellite System (Glonass) in Europe, able on the [Airbus] A320, A330 and and GPS-aided GEO-augmented navi- [Boeing] 737 series through IMMR gation (GAGAN) in India, he says. LPV development programs and Airbus provides a precision approach capa- flight management systems (FMS),” bility, which does not require ground he notes. Gorsky says Honeywell ex- infrastructure but is currently SBAS pects to add satellite landing system dependent. (SLS) approach capability to the A320 COLLINS AEROSPACE “The implementation of SBAS is and A330 FMS this year. DFMC technology is considered key to the evolution of navigation because it new to the commercial aircraft mar- “In conjunction with the IMMR cer- increases the number of frequencies the receiver accepts from satellites, while ket, and LPV implementation on these tification already achieved, the certifi- also receiving data from more than one satellite constellation—all of which aircraft is coming in the near future,” cation of the SLS feature of the FMS L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES improves aircraft position accuracy and integrity. says Gallo. “The next generation of later this year will make the SLS ap- L3Harris Technologies includes an in-trail procedures (ITP) application as navigation systems will incorporate proach option available in both forward part of its SafeRoute+ ADS-B In retrofit solution, as pictured. ITP is typically DFMC, RFI and LPV—both with fit and retrofit on these fleets,” he adds. Paul Seidenman and David J. Spanovich San Francisco used on over-ocean flights, providing the flight crew with a vertical profile SBAS and potentially MF/MC. They Another area of focus at Honeywell, of surrounding traffic more than 100 nm away. One result is significant fuel are on the horizon for most commer- notes Gorsky, is the development of savings, which translates into CO2 emissions reductions. he ongoing global implementa- features are on the near-term horizon cial aircraft.” As an example, he cites communications management unit tion of automatic dependence for satellite navigation. One is dual- the GLU-2100, which is Collins’ latest (CMU) and FMS capability to support flight control and secondary systems. connect to a pilot’s secure device to T surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) frequency (DF), which is the capabil- multimode receiver. operation of the Future Air Navigation “Tightly integrated GPS/INS sys- access these new calculations—both “Out” has accelerated a further shift ity to receive data on two frequencies “The GLU-2100 has a modern, ro- System (FANS) 1/A for controller pilot tems provide more robustness and on and off aircraft,” says Goz. “While from ground-based infrastructure to from each GNSS (Global Navigation bust hardware design and will sup - data link communication (CPDLC) in high availability as a navigation source. the fuel savings would be small com- satellites, as avionics OEMs roll out a Satellite System) satellite, enabling port all navigation features now and the U.S. airspace. FANS—originally They ensure maximum availability of pared to the larger structural changes, new generation of onboard navigation more precise measurements by elimi- for the foreseeable future including certified in conjunction with Boeing the more efficient [required navigation they would be more readily available products. nating ionospheric and multipath in- LPV, GBAS Categories 2/3, DFMC and in the mid-1990s for transoceanic op- performance (RNP)] procedures in ar- to an existing fleet.” “The industry continues to evolve terference. RFI,” he notes. “All of these future ca- erations, delivery of route clearance eas where there is significant terrain Noise abatement, he points out, has the airspace to take advantage of The second is multiconstellation pabilities can be added with on-wing information from air traffic control masking preventing continuous GPS several unique challenges that the the increased accuracy and integrity (MC), in which GNSS satellite constel- software-only upgrades.” (ATC) and directly loaded into FMS coverage, or during times of unreli- industry must face as well. “We are benefits that satellite navigation pro- lations such as China’s BeiDou Navi- Gallo adds that the GLU-2100 is via data link—is considered key to air- able GPS reception in general,” notes working collaboratively with the FAA vides,” says Joe Gallo, global market- gation Satellite System and Galileo certified on most Boeing airliners, space modernization in the U.S. Gorsky. “[Micro electromechanical on approaches there,” he says. ing director for commercial avionics increase the total number of satellites with installation under OEM service “The tower phase, in which prede- systems] inertial sensor technologies Further developments with FMS at Collins Aerospace. available, significantly improving ac- bulletins (SB) and supplemental type parture clearance delivery is provided can also offer greater reliability and at GE, says Goz, include a new ap - Gallo notes that three important curacy and integrity. certificates (STC). Certification is slat- over data link, is now fully operational mean times between failures.” plication that has been redesigned to

MRO36 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO AviationWeek.com/MRO INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 MRO37 InsideMRO Engineered significantly reduce and/or eliminate just-issued STC. It will also be avail- space system call for surveillance inflight resets—a known nuisance able for retrofit on the A320, 737 and applications such as ADS-B In, he with FMS in commercial aviation. In regional airliner platforms. notes. “They provide greater situa- addition, he says, LPV will become “ADS-B In relies on approaches tional awareness about other aircraft, available later this year as an upgrade such as RNP procedures, maximizing sharing information similar to what to the Boeing 737 FMS, as part of the airport throughput by use of onboard ATC is using on the ground,” he says. system’s version U14. Required navi- distance-spacing tools,” says Terry “With ADS-B In, you are safely reduc- gation performance, which GE iden- Flaishans, president of avionics at ing aircraft spacing on approach, re- tifies as RNP-0.1, is already incorpo- L3Harris Technologies. This includes ducing ground delays, and having the rated in its current product line. crew-assisted visual separation, which ability to increase runway capacity In the meantime, ongoing develop- means less time in the terminal area without expanding the airport.” ments are taking place with ADS-B as and fewer go-arounds. Operators want to maximize the airlines see the value of ADS-B In— “It also incorporates onboard time- benefits of equipping their aircraft the step beyond ADS-B Out. The most based spacing tools such as interval with ADS-B Out by being able to use recent example is SafeRoute+, devel- management, providing less vari- that information for more direct routes oped by Aviation Communication and ability in aircraft delivery to the run- and less flying time, says Flaishans. Surveillance Systems (ACSS), an way,” Flaishans notes. “The air traffic Along with that, ADS-B In applica- L3Harris Technologies and Thales management ground infrastructure tions enable greater airport efficiency joint venture. Certification was an- is being upgraded to enable those op- by increasing block time predictability. nounced this March, as an ADS-B erations such as the evolution toward Surface applications increase safety by In retrofit solution, under a techni- time-based management.” reducing runway incursions. cal standard order for the software Flaishans points out that ADS-B “With the large number of existing and new ADS-B guidance display. In technology leverages ADS-B Out aircraft, ADS-B In can be beneficial SafeRoute+ software and hardware transmissions. International Civil now, without waiting for the technol- installation on American Airlines’ Aviation Organization performance- ogy on new aircraft,” he adds. “We Airbus A321 fleet—its initial applica- based navigation and U.S. trajectory- are retrofitting aircraft and certifying tion—is being accomplished under a based operation in the national air- these systems—today.” c

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MRO38 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Engineered InsideMRO Engine Analysis significantly reduce and/or eliminate just-issued STC. It will also be avail- space system call for surveillance The problems have hit Indian carri- inflight resets—a known nuisance able for retrofit on the A320, 737 and applications such as ADS-B In, he ers particularly hard due to a combina- with FMS in commercial aviation. In regional airliner platforms. notes. “They provide greater situation of the operating environment and addition, he says, LPV will become “ADS-B In relies on approaches tional awareness about other aircraft, certain high-thrust fl ight profi les. Fol- available later this year as an upgrade such as RNP procedures, maximizing sharing information similar to what lowing four infl ight shutdowns within a to the Boeing 737 FMS, as part of the airport throughput by use of onboard ATC is using on the ground,” he says. week in November 2019, India’s Direc- system’s version U14. Required navi- distance-spacing tools,” says Terry “With ADS-B In, you are safely reduc- e year aead could see an end to nain torate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gation performance, which GE iden- Flaishans, president of avionics at ing aircraft spacing on approach, re- entryintoserice issues ordered IndiGo Airlines to ensure its tifies as RNP-0.1, is already incorpo- L3Harris Technologies. This includes ducing ground delays, and having the rated in its current product line. crew-assisted visual separation, which ability to increase runway capacity India is fast-tracking PW1100G-JM In the meantime, ongoing develop- means less time in the terminal area without expanding the airport.” turbine blade upgrades. ments are taking place with ADS-B as and fewer go-arounds. Operators want to maximize the airlines see the value of ADS-B In— “It also incorporates onboard time- benefits of equipping their aircraft entire fl eet of PW1100G-JMs contain the step beyond ADS-B Out. The most based spacing tools such as interval with ADS-B Out by being able to use the new LPT by Jan. 31. The DGCA recent example is SafeRoute+, devel- management, providing less vari- that information for more direct routes later revised the deadline to May 31. oped by Aviation Communication and ability in aircraft delivery to the run- and less flying time, says Flaishans. Pratt, Airbus and Indigo proposed Surveillance Systems (ACSS), an way,” Flaishans notes. “The air traffic Along with that, ADS-B In applica- a revised deadline of July 1, 2020, but L3Harris Technologies and Thales management ground infrastructure tions enable greater airport efficiency the DGCA pushed for a month earlier. joint venture. Certification was an- is being upgraded to enable those op- by increasing block time predictability. IS The FAA has ordered all engines to nounced this March, as an ADS-B erations such as the evolution toward Surface applications increase safety by have modifi ed blades by mid-December In retrofit solution, under a techni- time-based management.” reducing runway incursions. 2020, while EASA has issued a de-pair- cal standard order for the software Flaishans points out that ADS-B “With the large number of existing his year is shaping up to be one of Most pressing is a PW1100G-JM ing mandate. and new ADS-B guidance display. In technology leverages ADS-B Out aircraft, ADS-B In can be beneficial signifi cant transition for Pratt & turbine blade upgrade to guard against “We’re doing some accelerated in- SafeRoute+ software and hardware transmissions. International Civil now, without waiting for the technol- Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) blade fractures that have been linked spections and accelerated retrofi t to get installation on American Airlines’ Aviation Organization performance- ogy on new aircraft,” he adds. “We program, as nagging reliability issues to numerous in-service incidents and the older design blade out of the fl eet,” Airbus A321 fleet—its initial applica- based navigation and U.S. trajectory- are retrofitting aircraft and certifying that have plagued the fl eet may fi nally infl ight engine shutdowns. UTC President Greg Hayes said. “That tion—is being accomplished under a based operation in the national air- these systems—today.” c be put to rest and the engine’s lucra- Operators reported 57 instances of will happen mostly in India in the fi rst tive aftermarket potential begins to low-pressure turbine (LPT) third-stage half of the year, and we’re monitoring it move the company’s bottom line. blade fractures from January 2017 to around the rest of the world. The [fl eet- Four years after delivery of the fi rst November 2019, with 28 linked to seals wide] retrofi t is going to take through GTF-powered aircraft, a Lufthansa wearing, fracturing and releasing debris the end of this year to complete.” Airbus A320neo with PW1100G-JMs, that struck and damaged the titanium- Two other reliability-linked retrofi t the engine family’s level of regularly aluminum blades. Pratt developed a programs—the auxiliary gearbox and scheduled MRO demand remains low. more durable blade using a nickel-based combustor liner—are also progressing. But executives at Pratt parent UTC alloy and is both replacing in-service An upgraded, fourth-generation com- pointed to early GTF shop visits as a parts and installing them in new en- bustor liner is due out around midyear, welcome tailwind in late 2019, helping gines. The FAA mandated the blade Pratt says. o set expected declines in legacy Pratt upgrade in a November 2019 directive, Meanwhile, production is rising. models. Before the novel coronavirus- giving operators one year to comply. Pratt boosted year-over-year GTF pro- related decline in air transport fl ying But at least a dozen more failures have duction 20% in 2019 and was project- rendered 2020 guidance meaningless, occurred since last November, prompting a similar jump in 2020 before the Pratt was projecting a mid-single-digit ing Pratt to revise its inspection recom- pandemic set in. The company does rise in commercial MRO work. IAE mendations in a February 2020 service not break down its large commercial V2500 demand was expected to be the bulletin calling for borescope inspec- engine deliveries by model, but Avia- main growth driver, but the company tions of turbine piston seals on engines tion Week’s Fleet Data Services showed highlighted the GTF and its initially with the original blade configuration. 1,400 in service as of late March 2020 light shop visits as a contributor dur- The FAA’s order, which the European and 4,090 more on order. Aviation ing a late January earnings call. Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Week’s forecast projects the in-service The ramifications of the virus and adopted, is based on the bulletin. fl eet will surpass 4,500 in 2025 and will ● the COVID-19 illness it causes will “Pratt & Whitney’s service bulletin top 5,800 in 2030. ● almost certainly include flipping the and the related FAA mandate require A320neo-family aircraft are forecast ● global air transport MRO business inspections as a mitigation measure to still be dominating the fl eet in a de- from a trend of growth to contraction— while we upgrade the low-pressure tur- cade, with about 70% of the installed at least for this year. For Pratt, idled bine (LPT) in the PW1100G-JM fl eet to base. PW1500G-powered A220s are customer engines provide opportunity the latest confi guration,” the company expected to have about 20% of the mar- to roll upgrades into the fl eet that will said. “The closing action for these in- ket, followed by Embraer E190E2s with address remaining reliability issues spections is the LPT upgrade, which is PW1900Gs at 11%. A remaining sliver is that have plagued multiple members already certifi ed and is incorporated in made up of PW1400Gs powering Irkut of the PW1000 family since their ser- all new production engines and during MC-21s and PW1200Gs installed on vice entry. planned maintenance visits.” Mitsubishi SpaceJets. c

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enough pilots; others were trimming MRO After the Crisis flight schedules. A stunning 90% of the Aeronautical Repair Station The cyclical business will renew itself, but what Association’s 2019 survey reported difficulty finding enough techni- will that entail, and how long will it take? cians—a situation that cost ARSA members more than $100 million per o say that COVID-19 is having a devastating effect on aviation month in unrealized revenue. is an understatement. With hundreds of millions of people COVID-19 will change all that. With T the global fleet expected to have 1,200 living under stay-at-home orders and unemployment rates in the fewer airplanes flying in 2021 than U.S. and Europe rising faster than they ever have, global airline 2019, the industry will need roughly capacity in available seat-miles is down 59% compared to what 18,000 fewer pilots and 8,400 fewer it was at this time last year. The International Air Transport aviation maintenance technicians in 2021. The depth of the cutbacks is Association is forecasting airline losses of $252 billion—a tally the equivalent of grounding 1-2 years’ that has been revised upward twice in the last six weeks. worth of graduates from training and certification programs around the At my own firm, we cut our 2020 curity caused people to stay at home world. How many would-be pilots and forecast for demand in the MRO or drive. It took nearly a decade for mechanics may now be dissuaded market by $17-35 billion to reflect the the public to adjust to the new normal from pursuing a career in aviation nearly 11,000 aircraft that have been of commercial air travel. with those statistics? If people turn taken out of service and the 50% In a post-COVID-19 environment, away now, when aviation comes back drop in daily utilization for those that it is not unrealistic to expect new it may be a few years before that are still flying. Oliver screening protocols to candidate pipeline is restored. Wyman also lowered be put in place to help Another example of permanent its projection for new The post- manage the risk of change from aviation’s last cataclys- aircraft deliveries by 50- reinfection or an emer- mic event was the consolidation of 60% versus 2019 after a COVID-19 gence of new hot spots. the OEM supply chain after the Great comprehensive review MRO industry Already, international Recession. Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers of original equipment public health officials are went on a buying spree, gobbling up manufacturer (OEM) is likely to be considering such tools as smaller companies. While the post- build projections versus immunization passports COVID-19 business environment will airline demand. Deliver- smaller and and body temperature undoubtedly be hazardous for these ies for most current- further scanning (already in use same suppliers, the consolidation of production models are by some airports) that the past decade has put them in a bet- expected to drop 50% or consolidated. would be applicable to ter position to survive this upheaval. more in 2021 and 2022. everyone on every flight, Can the same be said for the MRO As a result, we project much like our security community, which comprises many that it will be well into 2022 before the screening is today. smaller, privately held and family- global MRO market might return to In addition, virtual meeting technol- owned companies? I suspect not. the size it was before COVID-19. ogy—adoption of which is expand- While governments are scrambling to This crisis has gone well past the ing quickly out of necessity—is now provide financial relief for small busi- point of a V-shaped recovery. Lasting becoming business as usual for work nesses hurt by the global economic damage has been done, and not unlike and socializing, and it’s unlikely we shutdown, these efforts will likely the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks or will turn away from it entirely even fall short. The result might well be a the 2008 global financial crisis, the when the disease is a memory. These further consolidated MRO community behavior of governments, businesses combined influences will undoubtedly dominated by the OEMs plus a handful and the public is likely to have been slow passenger traffic growth. of fully integrated firms that provide changed forever. COVID-19 also will change the support to both OEMs and airlines. Following 9/11, it took nearly 18 industry’s labor landscape. For the COVID-19 is a painful reminder months for passenger traffic to return past several years, the aviation that aviation always will be a cyclical to its previous level, and when it industry has been concerned with a business. With each cycle, the industry finally did, travel looked very different looming labor shortage. Before the renews itself, performing better than than it had before the attacks. Pas- coronavirus crisis, regional airlines before. One should expect this cycle to senger anxiety and the “hassle” factor were already being forced to shut be no different. The biggest question associated with heightened airport se- down because they couldn’t find is: How long will this cycle last? c

MRO42 INSIDEMRO APRIL 2020 AviationWeek.com/MRO InsideMRO Viewpoint By DAVID MARCONTELL MROLinks ADVERSN SEN David Marcontell, Oliver Wyman partner and general manager of its Cavok division, MRO is is an online service that connects ers seers in the MRO industry. Become an MRO Links power has aftermarket experience with leading user by registering at mrolinks.com/register. Registration is FREE, enabling you to nd hundreds of products like the OEMs, airlines, MROs and financial services. ones featured below and to connect with more than 8000 companies. You can create a personalized save list, learn about companies’ specialties, get contact details and request information at mrolinks.com. enough pilots; others were trimming To advertise in MRO Links, contact ieth iti t r eiethitiitiee MRO After the Crisis flight schedules. A stunning 90% of the Aeronautical Repair Station e t Annual R Americas onference and Exiition ill tae place Septemer The cyclical business will renew itself, but what Association’s 2019 survey reported in Dallas exas. The conference and exhibition provide the ultimate opportunity for aviation difficulty finding enough techni- professionals to gather knowledge, debate the issues, forge new partnerships and cement existing will that entail, and how long will it take? cians—a situation that cost ARSA relationships. The worldwide fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic makes this more important than members more than $100 million per ever before. The -day conference agenda will address what the industry can realistically expect in the o say that COVID-19 is having a devastating effect on aviation month in unrealized revenue. coming days and what role MROs, OEMs, fuel companies, and fi nancial institutions will play in helping is an understatement. With hundreds of millions of people COVID-19 will change all that. With to keep airlines in business. MRO Americas is the largest and most important event for the commercial T the global fleet expected to have 1,200 air transport maintenance, repair and overhaul industry. The conference and exhibition is co-located with living under stay-at-home orders and unemployment rates in the fewer airplanes flying in 2021 than the ilitar Aviation ogistics aintenance Smposium AS that drives the U.S. military U.S. and Europe rising faster than they ever have, global airline 2019, the industry will need roughly to partner with the private sector. The exhibition hall will host the o ive eatre and the Aerospace capacity in available seat-miles is down 59% compared to what 18,000 fewer pilots and 8,400 fewer aintenance ompetition- two live action special features that are open to all attendees. For more information please visit mroamericas.aviationee.com. it was at this time last year. The International Air Transport aviation maintenance technicians in 2021. The depth of the cutbacks is Visit itieeeets for more information, including complete exhibitor listings and MRO Links participants! Association is forecasting airline losses of $252 billion—a tally the equivalent of grounding 1-2 years’ that has been revised upward twice in the last six weeks. worth of graduates from training and AAR AERES certification programs around the At my own firm, we cut our 2020 curity caused people to stay at home world. How many would-be pilots and Doing Aftermarket Right Repair • DERs • Mfg. • Interior OOPP/PMA • Military forecast for demand in the MRO or drive. It took nearly a decade for mechanics may now be dissuaded market by $17-35 billion to reflect the the public to adjust to the new normal from pursuing a career in aviation Our Market Solutions focus Aereos, a global aircraft solutions nearly 11,000 aircraft that have been of commercial air travel. with those statistics? If people turn on operational excellence and provider, consists of experts taken out of service and the 50% In a post-COVID-19 environment, away now, when aviation comes back are tailored to commercial focused on core competencies drop in daily utilization for those that it is not unrealistic to expect new it may be a few years before that and government operators. within component repair and are still flying. Oliver screening protocols to candidate pipeline is restored. Our capabilities include overhaul, unique FAA engineered Wyman also lowered be put in place to help Another example of permanent MRO Services, Parts Supply, repair solutions, precision its projection for new The post- manage the risk of change from aviation’s last cataclys- Integrated Solutions and manufacturing and custom aircraft deliveries by 50- reinfection or an emer- mic event was the consolidation of Manufacturing. We are committed to helping customers maintain interior products for commercial 60% versus 2019 after a COVID-19 gence of new hot spots. the OEM supply chain after the Great high levels of safety, quality and effi ciency. and military aircraft. comprehensive review Already, international Recession. Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers MRO industry aereos.com of original equipment public health officials are went on a buying spree, gobbling up iew this product at aarcorp.com Cabin Interiors/InFlight Entertainment ttpsmaretplace.avia manufacturer (OEM) is likely to be considering such tools as smaller companies. While the post- • Components • Electrical • Hydraulics/ .aarcorp.com tionee.comproduct build projections versus immunization passports COVID-19 business environment will Pneumatics • Landing Gear/Wheels/ ttpsmaretplace.aviationee. componentrepairderand airline demand. 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Rely on us for aftermarket Airbus is a global leader the size it was before COVID-19. ogy—adoption of which is expand- While governments are scrambling to aviation expertise and in aeronautics, space and This crisis has gone well past the ing quickly out of necessity—is now provide financial relief for small busi- integrated fl eet support. related services and employs point of a V-shaped recovery. Lasting becoming business as usual for work nesses hurt by the global economic A global aviation leader, a workforce of around damage has been done, and not unlike and socializing, and it’s unlikely we shutdown, these efforts will likely we specialize in the sale, 1,000. Airbus offers the the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks or will turn away from it entirely even fall short. The result might well be a lease, and exchange of most comprehensive range of the 2008 global financial crisis, the when the disease is a memory. These further consolidated MRO community used aircraft, engines, passenger airliners from 100 behavior of governments, businesses combined influences will undoubtedly dominated by the OEMs plus a handful and components, and to more than 00 seats. Airbus is also a leader providing tanker, and the public is likely to have been slow passenger traffic growth. of fully integrated firms that provide provide a broad range of MRO and engineering services for combat, transport and mission aircraft, and is one of the world’s changed forever. COVID-19 also will change the support to both OEMs and airlines. commercial aircraft and components. leading companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most Following 9/11, it took nearly 18 industry’s labor landscape. For the COVID-19 is a painful reminder effi cient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. months for passenger traffic to return past several years, the aviation that aviation always will be a cyclical .aersale.com to its previous level, and when it industry has been concerned with a business. With each cycle, the industry ttpsmaretplace.avia .airus.com finally did, travel looked very different looming labor shortage. Before the renews itself, performing better than tionee.comproduct Maintenance, Repair & ttpsmaretplace.aviation than it had before the attacks. Pas- coronavirus crisis, regional airlines before. One should expect this cycle to Aftermarket Services onestopsourcenonstopservice Overhaul • Airframes ee.comproductairus senger anxiety and the “hassle” factor were already being forced to shut be no different. 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ATP B&H WORLDWIDE ATP Software Solutions for Commercial Aviation Best-In-Class Leaders in Aerospace Logistics

ATP Software Solutions is the • 24/7 AOG & Critical Logistics leading provider of repetitive • Freight Management defect and troubleshooting • Engine Management applications focused on • Warehousing and Inventory reducing operating costs, • 24/7 Control Tower improving reliability, and • Charter Services supporting technical knowledge • Performance Reporting sharing and collaboration for the • Order Management military, commercial aviation, and • Trade Compliance OEMs.

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CASTLEBERRY INSTRUMENTS & AVIONICS CONCAST METAL PRODUCTS CO. Capability, Reliability, Quality Concast Offers Aerospace Alloys

When you count on Concast is AS9100 certified. instruments, you must We offer aircraft and count on Castleberry! aerospace industry alloys Now with manufacturing such as C63000, C63020, and repair capabilities. C64200, C72900 and AMS 4880-C95510. Se Habla Español

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CREAN EXXONMOBIL Every MRO needs Smart Racks & Smart Benches ExxonMobil Aviation

Smart Flow™ system For more than one hundred provides visibility, years, ExxonMobil has insight, and actionable been a trusted partner and control over your Work technology leader serving the In Process (WIP) by global aviation industry.Today, displaying real-time WIP ExxonMobil prides itself on its locations, activity, priority, solutions-oriented mentality; actions required and wait times. The system consists of Smart providing a combination of products and on-site expertise to Racks™ and Smart Benches™. help airlines achieve their safety and efficiency goals.

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ATP B&H WORLDWIDE FLEURET SAS FLOW SYSTEMS INC. ATP Software Solutions for Commercial Aviation Best-In-Class Leaders in Aerospace Logistics EXPERTS OF TECHNICAL CONTAINERS & GSE FLOW SYSTEMS

ATP Software Solutions is the • 24/7 AOG & Critical Logistics We design, create and FLOW SYSTEMS leading provider of repetitive • Freight Management manufacture reusable has been leading the defect and troubleshooting • Engine Management technical containers, worldwide market applications focused on • Warehousing and Inventory transportation jigs for air and liquid fl ow reducing operating costs, • 24/7 Control Tower and ground support testing of critical aero engine components for more than 30 improving reliability, and • Charter Services equipments which years. FLOW SYSTEMS provides air and liquid fl ow testing supporting technical knowledge • Performance Reporting ensure high value solutions for hot gas path, combustion parts, blades, vanes sharing and collaboration for the • Order Management components handling, and fuel nozzles. MRO Customers include both OEM and military, commercial aviation, and • Trade Compliance transport and storage. Tier 1 manufactures.“Ensuring compliance and performance OEMs. in the aero industry for more than 30 years” www.atp.com www.bhwordwide.com Tools & Equipment • Tools • Test www.fl euret-toulouse.com Technology • Manuals/Repair https://marketplace.aviation- https://marketplace.avia- Equipment • Hangars & Equipment https://marketplace.avia- www.fl owsystemsinc.com Documentation/Records • week.com/product/atp-software- tionweek.com/product/ • Ground Support Equipment • tionweek.com/product/ MRO Americas • https://marketplace.aviationweek. Software solutions-commercial-aviation Supply Chain/Logistics best-class-leaders-aerospace-logistics Airport Equipment & Services experts-technical-containers-gse Tools & Equipment com/product/fl ow-systems

CASTLEBERRY INSTRUMENTS & AVIONICS CONCAST METAL PRODUCTS CO. FMI CHEMICAL, INC. HEATCON COMPOSITE SYSTEMS Capability, Reliability, Quality Concast Offers Aerospace Alloys Why Wait a Week for Your RTV Sealant to Cure? Revolutionary Concept in Composite Curing! When you count on Concast is AS9100 certified. Get NEW Thermosil 3005. Unlike instruments, you must We offer aircraft and condensation cure sealants that can For unique and complex composite count on Castleberry! aerospace industry alloys take up to 7 days to cure, Thermosil repair applications found on Now with manufacturing such as C63000, C63020, 3005 is an all-purpose, RTV2 adhesive structures of aircraft such as the and repair capabilities. C64200, C72900 and AMS sealant that cures in just 24 hours at 787, the HCS9400-02 Smart 4880-C95510. room temperature. Ideal for deep-section SusceptorTM technology addresses Se Habla Español applications, Thermosil 3005 adheres thermal uniformity challenges and to a wide range of surfaces; no primer represents a revolutionary concept required. It can withstand operating temperatures from -65˚F in composite curing through the use to 500˚F and emits no hazardous by-products. Call FMi of inductive heating. Chemical at (+1) 860-243-3222. www.heatcon.com www.ciamfg.com www.concast.com fmichemical.com https://marketplace.avia- Airframes • Consumables/Supplies https://marketplace.avia- https://marketplace.avia- https://marketplace.aviationweek. • Engines/Engine Systems • tionweek.com/product/ Manufacturing & Distributing • tionweek.com/product/ tionweek.com/product/ com/product/fast-curing-thermosil- Landing Gear/Wheels/Brakes • coming-soon-revolutionary- Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul capability-reliability-quality Aerospace Materials • Metals concast-offers-aerospace-alloys 3005-primerless-adhesive-sealant Military Maintenance concept-composite-curing

CREAN EXXONMOBIL •HENKEL HRD AERO SYSTEMS Every MRO needs Smart Racks & Smart Benches ExxonMobil Aviation Avoid Process Stalls with Ready-to-Use Products Inﬂ atables

Smart Flow™ system For more than one hundred Henkel’s global portfolio We offer repair and overhaul of provides visibility, years, ExxonMobil has of surface treatment and emergency escape slides, rafts, insight, and actionable been a trusted partner and structural adhesive solutions helicopter fl oats, and life vests control over your Work technology leader serving the meet small and large scale for the following manufacturers: In Process (WIP) by global aviation industry.Today, aerospace MRO needs. displaying real-time WIP ExxonMobil prides itself on its From BONDERITE Touch- • Goodrich locations, activity, priority, solutions-oriented mentality; N-Prep conversion coating • Air Cruisers actions required and wait times. The system consists of Smart providing a combination of products and on-site expertise to pens to LOCTITE composite & structural adhesive kits, • Zodiac Racks™ and Smart Benches™. help airlines achieve their safety and efficiency goals. repairs are easy & effi cient with these ready-to-use solutions. • Winslow • RFD View this product at exxonmobil.com • Aero Sekur www.creaninc.com Consumables/Supplies • www.henkel-adhesives.com/aerospace Aftermarket Services • https://marketplace.aviationweek. www.exxonmobil.com Aerospace Materials • Advanced https://marketplace.aviationweek. Tools & Equipment • Safety/ www.hrd-aerosystems.com Consulting Services • com/product/every-mro-needs- https://marketplace.aviationweek. Materials/Composites • com/product/avoid-process- Emergency Equipment • https://marketplace.aviation- Engineering and Design smart-racks-smart-benches Aerospace Materials com/product/exxonmobil-aviation Chemicals • Metals stalls-ready-use-products Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul week.com/product/infl atables

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IAG ENGINE CENTER USA EUROPE INNODYNE SYSTEMS Integrated Solutions, One Provider STRCTRES AD ELECTRICAL SERICES DER OE ROO IAG Engine Center SA Europe is a Supporting a wide range of world-class engine airframe components including service provider. Its composite, sheet metal and IAG Engine Centers have industry-leading MRO capabilities mechanical parts plus cockpit and extensive experience to provide customied solutions control panels, sensors and across an array of engine types. The company services wire harnesses. Specialiing in CFM56, CF6, and PW4000 model engines. Bombardier and Embraer regional and business aircraft components. FAA/EASA certifi ed.

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ET ACCESSORIES TECHNICIANS INC. ELI LABS AT Celebrating EARS of ECELLECE Calibration Provider to the Aerospace Industry

et Accessories Complete calibration Technicians, Inc. (AT) provider with 5 .S. Labs. is an FAA / EASA located in key MRO Calibration component Repair and markets. We are able to Asset Management - Procurement Overhaul facility since service your entire program 1993. Starters, CSs, Valves, Generators, IGs, Hydraulics, regardless of its sie. Our Pneumatics, Pumps, ACMs, Actuators, Accumulators, Heat capabilities are extensive Labs Exchangers / Coolers, Fuel Noles. Boeing, Airbus, ash-8, and our asset management Embraer, ATR, C130. systems are among the best - uality Matters - Visit us at MRO Americas 2019 Booth 1318! Tools & Euipment • Tools • Test www.etaccsoh.com Euipment • round Support www.kelilabs.com https://marketplace.avia- Euipment • Calibration/eighing https://marketplace.aviation- Maintenance, tionweek.com/product/ Services • Airport Euipment & week.com/product/-calibration- Repair & Overhaul at-celebrating--years-excellence Services provider-aerospace-industry

ELLSTROM AEROSPACE MATEC INSTRUMENT COMPANIES INC. ellstrom Aerospace Lifecycle Solutions Partner ltrasonic Disk Inspection Systems

ellstrom Aerospace supports aircraft Matecs disk owners, operators, and MROs with inspection systems cost saving solutions and value added provide a powerful services at each phase of an aircrafts yet simple method to life cycle. We are a global supplier perform immersion to the worlds airline and aftermarket ultrasonic testing. Our industry operating 24/7/365 with systems feature robust AOG support worldwide. industrial design elements, and our Aragorn data collection and analysis software allows you to easily import a CA model, create scan fi les, and review C-scans. Airframes • Avionics/Instruments • www.kellstromaerospace.com www.matec.com Components • Engines/Engine Systems https://marketplace.avia- https://marketplace.avia- • Parts • Airport Euipment & Services • tionweek.com/product/ Tools & Euipment • tionweek.com/product/ round Support Euipment • Tools lifecycle-solutions Test Euipment ultrasonic-disk-inspection-systems

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IAG ENGINE CENTER USA EUROPE INNODYNE SYSTEMS MDS COATING TECHNOLOGIES MILLENNIUM INTERNATIONAL AVIONICS Integrated Solutions, One Provider STRCTRES AD ELECTRICAL SERICES ot all surfaces are created eual Repairs or Legacy LCDs DER OE ROO IAG Engine Center As pioneers in PD coating Millennium International SA Europe is a Supporting a wide range of technology, we continue to Avionics provides next- world-class engine airframe components including innovate ways to protect gen upgrades and legacy service provider. Its composite, sheet metal and gas turbine engines. Our system repair options for IAG Engine Centers have industry-leading MRO capabilities mechanical parts plus cockpit OEM-approved lackGold commercial, military and and extensive experience to provide customied solutions control panels, sensors and coating protects airfoils corporate applications. across an array of engine types. The company services wire harnesses. Specialiing in against erosion, corrosion, As an FAAEASA certifi ed CFM56, CF6, and PW4000 model engines. Bombardier and Embraer regional and fl uid erosion during repair station we continue and business aircraft components. engine operation, which has to improve our custom engineering and specialized test FAA/EASA certifi ed. saved our customers well solutions to service our customers worldwide. over 1 billion dollars. www.iagaerogroup.com Maintenance, Repair & www.innodynesystems.com www.mdscoating.com Avionics/Instruments • https://marketplace.avia- Overhaul • Airframes • https://marketplace.aviationweek. https://marketplace.avia- Components • Connectors/ www.avionics.com Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul tionweek.com/product/ Components • Electrical com/product/structures-and- Manufacturing & Distributing • tionweek.com/product/ asteners • Electrical • https://marketplace.aviationweek. • Engines/Engine Systems integrated-solutions-one-provider • Painting/Coatings electrical-services-under-one-roof Painting/Coatings not-all-surfaces-are-created-equal Military Maintenance com/product/repairs-legacy-lcds

ET ACCESSORIES TECHNICIANS INC. ELI LABS MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL MT TEXAS LLC AT Celebrating EARS of ECELLECE Calibration Provider to the Aerospace Industry ertically Integrated Material Solution Partner LOOI OR EIE AIROIL COMPOET SPPORT et Accessories Complete calibration Mitsubishi Chemical Technicians, Inc. (AT) provider with 5 .S. Labs. brings together We provide turnkey is an FAA / EASA located in key MRO Calibration 20 different group component repair or component Repair and markets. We are able to Asset Management - Procurement companies with an specialized standalone Overhaul facility since service your entire program offering of materials and services (chemical 1993. Starters, CSs, Valves, Generators, IGs, Hydraulics, regardless of its sie. Our material solutions for the coating removal, DT Pneumatics, Pumps, ACMs, Actuators, Accumulators, Heat capabilities are extensive Labs aerospace industry. As inspection services, or specialized high temp coatings Exchangers / Coolers, Fuel Noles. Boeing, Airbus, ash-8, and our asset management a vertically integrated including Platinum-Aluminide), we can meet your needs. With Embraer, ATR, C130. systems are among the best - uality Matters - Visit us at solution provider, Mitsubishi Chemical is your trusted partner our highly competitive turn times and outstanding on-time MRO Americas 2019 Booth 1318! from molecules to material solutions and beyond. delivery performance. Tools & Euipment • Tools • Test mitsubishi-chemical.com www.etaccsoh.com Euipment • round Support www.kelilabs.com www.meyertool.com https://marketplace.avia- Euipment • Calibration/eighing https://marketplace.aviation- Aerospace Materials • https://marketplace.aviationweek. https://marketplace.aviationweek. Maintenance, tionweek.com/product/ Services • Airport Euipment & week.com/product/-calibration- Advanced Materials/Composites com/product/vertically-integrat- com/product/looking-engine- Repair & Overhaul at-celebrating--years-excellence Services provider-aerospace-industry • Chemicals ed-material-solution-partner Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul airfoil-component-support

ELLSTROM AEROSPACE MATEC INSTRUMENT COMPANIES INC. MTI INSTRUMENTS INC. PHOENIX-MESA GATEWAY AIRPORT AUTHORITY ellstrom Aerospace Lifecycle Solutions Partner ltrasonic Disk Inspection Systems MTI Instruments is a US-based manufacturer Land our Business ere of highly-advanced balancing and vibration analysis systems. Specifi cally designed for Located in the Greater ellstrom Aerospace supports aircraft Matecs disk aircraft engineturbine optimization, our on- Phoenix metro area, owners, operators, and MROs with inspection systems wing and rack-mounted test cell balancing Phoenix-Mesa Gateway cost saving solutions and value added provide a powerful solutions are backed by 50 years of sophisticated sensing and Airport has 1,000 acres services at each phase of an aircrafts yet simple method to physical measurement expertise. Every day, leading names from available for development life cycle. We are a global supplier perform immersion commercial aviation, as well as the US Air Force and foreign and exceptional facilities to the worlds airline and aftermarket ultrasonic testing. Our militaries, use our systems to solve engine vibration problems. for lease. Gateway is industry operating 24/7/365 with systems feature robust At MTI, we’re obsessed with precision and with providing a cost-effective, global AOG support worldwide. industrial design elements, and our Aragorn data collection and analysis innovative vibrationbalancing technology to OEMs, operators, business location for your MRO or specialized aviation services software allows you to easily import a CA model, create and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organizations operation. isit booth to learn more. scan fi les, and review C-scans. worldwide. MTI Instruments is also proud to be an ISO www.mtiinstruments.com www.choosegatewayairport.com Airframes • Avionics/Instruments • www.kellstromaerospace.com www.matec.com 90012015 certifi ed company. Components • Engines/Engine Systems https://marketplace.avia- https://marketplace.avia- Tools • Test Euipment • angars & https://marketplace.aviation- Aftermarket Services • https://marketplace.avia- • Parts • Airport Euipment & Services • tionweek.com/product/ Tools & Euipment • tionweek.com/product/ Euipment • Airport Euipment & week.com/product/pbs-r- Economic Development/ tionweek.com/product/ round Support Euipment • Tools lifecycle-solutions Test Euipment ultrasonic-disk-inspection-systems Services • Engines/Engine Systems vibration-balancing-system Airports land-your-business-here-

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PRATT & WHITNEY SCI TECHNOLOGY, INC. Pratt & hitney End-to-end life cycle support

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader In todays budget- in the design, manufacture and constrained efense service of aircraft and helicopter and Aerospace engines, and auxiliary power units. environment, the need for product life View this product at pw.utc.com extension is greater than ever. With SCI Technology, Inc., a Sanmina company, end-to-end product life cycle support is available through a single point of contact. Visit us at MRO to learn more!

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As the first American to live on the Russian Mir space station, Norm Thagard knows a thing or two about being cooped up. He spent four months isolated with two cosmonauts who had been told not to let him help with their experiments and chores. With the arrival of the Spektr science lab delayed, time passed slowly. His advice for the quarantined: Have a project. Thagard spoke to Aviation Week Space Editor Irene Klotz from his home in northern Florida, where he is sheltering, along with his wife, Thagard spent four long months with not much to do as the first during the COVID-19 pandemic. NASA astronaut to live on the Russian Mir space station in 1995.

When you look back on your days on you’re busy and you really believe in shuttle-Mir program? We learned we Mir, what stands out as most import- what you are doing, that’s probably could work together, although there ant? The thing that impressed me the sufficient. As my wife would readily were obviously differences. In my most was that I was underworked. A admit, I’m an obsessive-compulsive case, I thought it worked rather well. lot of the equipment I was going to person. I like to keep busy and make I know the Russians were having ter- use was coming up on the Spektr, things just so. rible economic problems at the time, but the module didn’t come up until but they still somehow seemed to do a month or so before the end of the One thing I remember from your Mir what they needed to do. And in spite flight. So a lot of the time I just was flight is when your commander’s moth- of those problems, I thought that they sitting around twiddling my thumbs, er passed away unexpectedly, and how did pretty well by way of their treat- and when you’re in a spacecraft with you dealt with that. The problem for ment of me and my wife and youngest not much to do and only two com - me was I knew my crewmates well and son, who were over there with me. panions, that’s not what you want. It I thought we were friends, but cultur- bothered me a lot. ally I wasn’t sure about how one would What has been your coronavirus quar- When I came back, I told NASA approach a friend whose mother had antine project? I had been kind of that for flights above six months, peo- just died. I could never know wheth- dawdling around trying to write an ple had to be kept pretty busy with er or not something I might think [to autobiographical book . . . but prog- meaningful work, otherwise psycho- say], which would be standard for ress was really slow. Now I’m only a logical things would start to get to you. an American to say to such a friend, few pages from the end of the entire might be culturally offensive to a Rus- air-to-ground transcription from my Is there anything else besides keeping sian, so I held back. first mission, STS-7 in June 1983. busy that would be helpful for people Then I’ll do something about the who are isolating in their homes be- In hindsight, what do you think were post-flight activities, and that’ll be cause of the coronavirus? As long as the most important results of the the end of the book. c

AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 35 AUTONOMY

DARPA Automates Dogfighting To The Lockheed Martin F-16 will represent aircraft with digital flight Develop Pilot Trust in AI in Combat controls in DARPA’s AI-automated dogfighting demo.

was planned for April 7-9 at the U.S. Air Force’s AFWerx innovation hub in Las Vegas, adjacent to Nellis AFB in Nevada. This has now been postponed to Aug. 17-20 in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. “One of the fortunate aspects of the AlphaDogfight Trials piece is that because it’s unclassified we can do a lot of it via telework,” Javorsek says. “The algorithm-development pieces are continuing to march ahead.” Eight teams from academia and industry were selected for ADT in Octo- ber 2019. In the final event at AFWerx, the teams will compete against each other for the first time. The algorithm developer that wins the tournament will then go up against one of the Air Force’s top fighter pilots, mirroring chess champion Garry Kasparov’s match against IBM’s Deep Blue su- > ACE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON HUMAN-MACHINE TEAMING IN AIR COM- percomputer. “The reason we targeted the AF- > ALPHADOGFIGHT TRIALS WILL PIT AI ALGORITHM AGAINST EXPERT Werx location in Las Vegas is that FIGHTER PILOTS Nellis is where the Weapons School is,” Javorsek says. “If we want to see U.S. AIR FORCE if these algorithms are making the Graham Warwick Washington grade, we need to put them up against someone who is considered to be at pair of machine-controlled well the computer science community the top of that pecking order—a grad- aircraft dogfighting against a is able to generate performance in this uate of the Weapons School.” A pair of human-piloted fighters context, we may only let them be in There is a deeper reason for choos- in the skies over Nevada—that science a human-machine pair,” he says. “But ing Las Vegas. “We wanted to draw fiction scenario is one potential culmi- if it turns out that they do very, very these pilots in at the core of the pro- nation of a new DARPA program to well . . . then we should also see how gram, because it’s about aviator trust automate air combat maneuvering well the machines team with each oth- in this kind of autonomy. How far we using artificial intelligence. er, independent of the human.” are able to move the needle on wheth- The Pentagon advanced research Part of DARPA’s wider push to ad- er fighter pilots trust the system is agency’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE) vance AI, ACE is also part of its “mo- largely a function of how much they program aims to use dogfighting as a saic warfare” concept for changing interact with it,” he says.“If I have the crucible within which to develop and how individual platforms are brought pilots at the leading edge of their field test pilot trust in artificial intelligence together to form force packages. Mo- be the ones that are humbled by the (AI). Officially, the project is planned saic warfare puts a premium on ma- technology, I am probably a lot more to culminate in combat between two chine-to-machine communication and likely to get the broader [fighter pilot] teams, each comprising one human- human-machine teaming for adapt- community to recognize the value of piloted fighter teamed with an AI-con- ability and flexibility. what is coming out of the computer trolled aircraft—a stress test of the As a precursor to ACE, the re - science community,” Javorsek says. pilot’s trust in the machine. search agency is running the Alpha- ACE will develop AI algorithms to The possibility of two AI “agents” Dogfight Trials (ADT), a competition automate within-visual-range combat teaming up to dogfight two human pi- designed both to prove the concept of and test them first in a modeling and lots is something ACE program man- using AI to automate aerial combat simulation environment, then in sub- ager Lt. Col. Dan Javorsek is “deliber- and to energize the algorithm-devel- scale unmanned aircraft and finally in ately holding off” until it is clear how opment community it plans to tap into live 1v1, 2v1 and 2v2 combat between well AI can perform in the context of under the formal program. full-size aircraft. highly dynamic aerial combat. Two trials have been conducted As a precursor to ACE, ADT is lim- “If it turns out there is a limit to how under ADT, and the final flyoff event ited to demonstrating algorithms for

36 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AUTONOMY

DARPA Automates Dogfighting To The Lockheed Martin F-16 will 1v1 dogfighting in a simulation environ- and it was “almost comical to see algorithms from local combat auton- represent aircraft with digital flight ment. The algorithm developed by each some of the things they were doing,” omy to larger air campaigns. TA4 in- Javorsek says those same mistakes volves integrating those algorithms Develop Pilot Trust in AI in Combat controls in DARPA’s AI-automated team fights against a series of increasingly capable AI agents developed for are things pilots do early in air combat into full-scale aircraft and conducting dogfighting demo. DARPA by Johns Hopkins University’s training when they are learning what live flight experiments. Applied Physics Laboratory. works and what does not. Under TA4, a single contractor will was planned for April 7-9 at the U.S. The first ADT trial in November In Trial 2, held in January, algo - modify two aircraft types for the live Air Force’s AFWerx innovation hub in was “a marble roll,” Javorsek admits, rithm developers faced off against demo: the Aero L-39 jet trainer and Las Vegas, adjacent to Nellis AFB in a relatively simple exercise to ensure more capable AI agents. “We allowed Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter. The Nevada. This has now been postponed the interfaces allowed algorithm de- the dogfight agent to be more cre - L-39 represents aircraft without digital to Aug. 17-20 in response to the coro- velopers to show up with the equiv- ative, with more performance capabil- flight controls and will be fitted with an navirus COVID-19 pandemic. alent of a thumb drive, plug it in and ity,” he says, noting again the parallel advanced tactical autopilot to host the “One of the fortunate aspects of play the game. Their opponent was a with how pilots are trained, where algorithms, while the F-16, with its digi- the AlphaDogfight Trials piece is that low-performance, basic fighter ma- they face an adversary whose perfor- tal fly-by-wire system, is a surrogate for because it’s unclassified we can do a neuver agent. mance has been artificially limited so the Lockheed F-22 and F-35. lot of it via telework,” Javorsek says. “In Trial 1, everybody got to go up they have an advantage. “If we can show extensibility by ap- “The algorithm-development pieces against that low-performing agent, “In training a new pilot, I give them plying these algorithms successfully are continuing to march ahead.” which kind of just drives around,” he what is called a limited adversary,” and safely to these two different plat- Eight teams from academia and in- says. Each AI agent has a different Javorsek says. The limited adversary forms, it helps us with our transition dustry were selected for ADT in Octo- behavior. “We have an agent called has reduced thrust and performance, to the services, which operate those ber 2019. In the final event at AFWerx, Zombie that just flies in a straight but the pilot being trained gets to use kinds of airplanes,” Javorsek says. the teams will compete against each line. He’s representative of a cruise all of their thrust and maneuverability “And it allows us to talk directly to other for the first time. The algorithm missile that doesn’t react when an- “and it gives them the opportunity to the fighter-pilot community, which ul- developer that wins the tournament other aircraft gets close.” learn some of those lessons without timately has to trust these systems. If will then go up against one of the Air Even a behavior that simple has constantly being foiled,” he says. we only did it on the F-22, it would not Force’s top fighter pilots, mirroring value, he says, because pilots do not In Trial 2, algorithm developers be doing it in quite the same room.” chess champion Garry Kasparov’s have to dogfight every target. “Some- faced an adversary agent that could Under TA1, contractors will de - match against IBM’s Deep Blue su- times you have to shoot down some- not use afterburner or maneuver velop AI algorithms not just for 1v1 > ACE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON HUMAN-MACHINE TEAMING IN AIR COM- percomputer. thing that doesn’t know you are there, more than 45 deg. away from the combat, as in ADT, but 2v1 and the “The reason we targeted the AF- or doesn’t care because it doesn’t horizon. “If in Trial 1, you were going capstone 2v2 demonstration. This is > ALPHADOGFIGHT TRIALS WILL PIT AI ALGORITHM AGAINST EXPERT Werx location in Las Vegas is that think,” Javorsek says. against cruise missiles, then in Trial 2 “a significant increase in the level of FIGHTER PILOTS Nellis is where the Weapons School “So we deliberately give them a you got something that could react to difficulty because you can’t be selfish is,” Javorsek says. “If we want to see handful of these agents because we you. But it’s limited, so a bomber-type anymore,” he says. “When you are 1v1 U.S. AIR FORCE if these algorithms are making the are trying to show that if you are just airplane that might not climb as well you make selfish types of decisions. Graham Warwick Washington grade, we need to put them up against going against a cruise missile, this or turn as tight.” When you are 2v1 or 2v2, it’s much someone who is considered to be at kind of autonomy might be awesome In the third and final ADT event, more nuanced, and I’m curious to see pair of machine-controlled well the computer science community the top of that pecking order—a grad- because it saves you having to maneu- “they will go against the fully ma- how these AI algorithms handle those aircraft dogfighting against a is able to generate performance in this uate of the Weapons School.” ver the aircraft into position to take a neuvering agent, which will take all nuances.” A pair of human-piloted fighters context, we may only let them be in There is a deeper reason for choos- shot. You can continue to be the bat- those restrictions off,” Javorsek says. Under TA2, a single performer will in the skies over Nevada—that science a human-machine pair,” he says. “But ing Las Vegas. “We wanted to draw tle manager and let the autonomy do “And we will also have them compete develop a biometric system that will fiction scenario is one potential culmi- if it turns out that they do very, very these pilots in at the core of the pro- that,” he says. against each other, because by that instrument pilots and measure their nation of a new DARPA program to well . . . then we should also see how gram, because it’s about aviator trust The ACE program is about devel- point they should be capable of han- physiological reactions, “so that when automate air combat maneuvering well the machines team with each oth- in this kind of autonomy. How far we oping “properly calibrated” trust in dling a fully dynamic maneuvering the pilots do these live dogfights, we using artificial intelligence. er, independent of the human.” are able to move the needle on wheth- autonomy, which Javorsek defines as: environment. If they do well, they get can capture whether they are trust- The Pentagon advanced research Part of DARPA’s wider push to ad- er fighter pilots trust the system is “Can I turn this level of aircraft con- to go against the human.” ing the system and properly calibrate agency’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE) vance AI, ACE is also part of its “mo- largely a function of how much they trol over to the autonomy, and in what With ADT acting as a proof of the level of trust with real data as program aims to use dogfighting as a saic warfare” concept for changing interact with it,” he says.“If I have the situations? If I want to be an effective concept, DARPA has released its so- opposed to a paper survey,” he says. crucible within which to develop and how individual platforms are brought pilots at the leading edge of their field battle manager, the intent is to only licitation for the air-combat auton- One key metric for the program is test pilot trust in artificial intelligence together to form force packages. Mo- be the ones that are humbled by the take over myself when it’s absolutely omy algorithms to be used in ACE. the cross-check ratio—essentially (AI). Officially, the project is planned saic warfare puts a premium on ma- technology, I am probably a lot more necessary, and in order to do that, I “What we really care about is the how often the pilot grabs the stick to to culminate in combat between two chine-to-machine communication and likely to get the broader [fighter pilot] have to be properly calibrated to the human-machine teaming element, counteract the automation. teams, each comprising one human- human-machine teaming for adapt- community to recognize the value of level of autonomy in my system.” and before we went into the larger The live dogfighting demos are piloted fighter teamed with an AI-con- ability and flexibility. what is coming out of the computer Today, he says, pilots only trust au- ACE program, we wanted to make planned for fiscal 2023, increasing trolled aircraft—a stress test of the As a precursor to ACE, the re - science community,” Javorsek says. tonomous systems to do basic things sure the algorithms were ready. And in complexity from 1v1 to 2v2. Two pilot’s trust in the machine. search agency is running the Alpha- ACE will develop AI algorithms to such as take off and land. “What we what ADT is showing is that they are AI developers are planned to make it The possibility of two AI “agents” Dogfight Trials (ADT), a competition automate within-visual-range combat are trying to do is expand that discus- in fact ready,” he says. all the way through to the capstone teaming up to dogfight two human pi- designed both to prove the concept of and test them first in a modeling and sion into more dynamic and compli- Development of algorithms for event, the dogfight between two hu- lots is something ACE program man- using AI to automate aerial combat simulation environment, then in sub- cated environments that are fraught local combat autonomy is Technical man-machine teams. “The goal is to ager Lt. Col. Dan Javorsek is “deliber- and to energize the algorithm-devel- scale unmanned aircraft and finally in with a lot of decisions—challenges Area (TA) 1 of ACE. DARPA is now have an AI performer and a human ately holding off” until it is clear how opment community it plans to tap into live 1v1, 2v1 and 2v2 combat between that tended to be off-limits for AI re- awarding contracts for the other go up against another AI performer well AI can perform in the context of under the formal program. full-size aircraft. searchers until now.” three areas. TA2 involves develop - and their human.” And if the AI does highly dynamic aerial combat. Two trials have been conducted As a precursor to ACE, ADT is lim- Although ADT Trial 1 was a rela- ing methods to measure pilot trust well enough, science fiction could be- “If it turns out there is a limit to how under ADT, and the final flyoff event ited to demonstrating algorithms for tively benign test of the AI algorithms, in the autonomy. TA3 will scale the come reality. c

36 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 37 DEFENSE ROTARY REFRESH

The U.S. Army continues ight-testing CH-47 Block II U.S. EFESE EARE upgrades to support the Lee Hudson Washington special operations community. hough the U.S. Army is pursuing a set of new vertical lift impressed with the clear picture for programs to arrive in the 2030s, it is still pouring billions target acquisition and the ease of locat- ing a designation site made possible by of dollars into a near-term e ort to ensure its fl eets of electro-optical/infrared fusion. AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk “The good thing about the way T we’ve architected this program is that helicopters can compete in a future war. the production line will be switched In March, the Army selected com- forms relevant in a future fi ght. to V6, and we’ll have the ability to up- panies to refi ne designs and develop By the mid-2020s, the service grade any of the V4s into the V6 con- prototypes for two future aviation plans to reconfi gure the aging Boeing figuration,” Patrick Mason, the U.S. platforms. The service selected Bell Apache to compete in a multidomain Army’s program executive o cer for and Sikorsky to compete for a new operations environment. The Version aviation, tells Aviation Week. armed scout helicopter envisioned to 6 (V6) kit is the fi rst in a suite of up- The service expects industry to in- replace Apaches used in the armed grades necessary to support the Penta- tegrate a similar multispectral target- reconnaissance role. In addition, the gon’s vision. The kit includes a new fi re ing capability into Future Vertical Lift Army chose Bell and Sikorsky-Boeing control radar, radio-frequency inter- (FVL) platforms that resides in the V6 to continue risk-reduction work to ul- ferometer and an expanded manned/ kit, Mason says. timately replace the Black Hawk. unmanned teaming capability. The Army’s FVL cross-functional While those platforms mature, the In the fall, the service will introduce team is leading demonstrations, and Army must add new technologies to another element into the AH-64E the unmanned aerial system program its Apache , Chinook and Black Hawk Apache V6 kit, the Gen III Day Side As- o ce is conducting a technology as- fleets, which will remain in the ser- sembly, formerly known as the Modern- sessment. Mason anticipates that by vice’s inventory for many years to ized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA). 2021 the service will have a better come. The goal: to keep the aging plat- During operational testing, users were idea of which kinetic or nonkinetic

The UH-60V Black Hawk updates the aircraft with a digital infrastructure compared to the analog architecture in the UH-60L. AU SEESO AU

3 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE

> COVID-19 DELAYS ARMY > ARMY EMBRACES SHIFT TO JOINT ROTARY REFRESH AVIATION PROGRAMS ALL-DOMAIN COMMAND AND CONTROL

technologies will be implemented in General Electric to ensure the critical cause of travel restrictions imposed the initial increment for air-launched design review is executed in a “rigor- on government workers in response effects (ALE)—the ability to deploy ous manner” and is completed by the to COVID-19. The crews are composed unmanned systems from a helicopter end of the year. Mason still anticipates of both government and industry per- at tactical altitudes. the first unit will test the engine in sonnel, he says. The Army plans to outfit both the 2021. The service is slated to integrate The Army’s other significant up- Apache and General Atomics MQ-1C the engine into the Apache in 2021 and grade program is the conversion of 760 Gray Eagle with ALE in the mid-2020s, into the Black Hawk in 2022. UH-60Ls to the V configuration. The but it has not selected specific technol- The next upgrades on tap for the UH-60V features a glass cockpit with ogies. The service is subsidizing two Boeing CH-47 Chinook are additional electronic displays instead of analog di- simultaneous efforts that are slated to software loads for the digital flight con- als and gauges. Additionally, the new The U.S. Army continues wrap up at year-end by using funding trol system and the common avionics variant includes a centralized proces- ight-testing CH-47 Block II secured from other transaction au- architecture system. These upgrades sor that allows for software updates. U.S. EFESE EARE upgrades to support the thority agreements through the Avia- are planned for June but may be de- The Army is reaping substantial cost Lee Hudson Washington special operations community. tion & Missile Technology Consortium. layed because of the COVID-19 crisis. savings by upgrading the L models in- U.S. ARMY hough the U.S. Army is pursuing a set of new vertical lift impressed with the clear picture for programs to arrive in the 2030s, it is still pouring billions target acquisition and the ease of locat- ing a designation site made possible by of dollars into a near-term e ort to ensure its fl eets of electro-optical/infrared fusion. AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk “The good thing about the way T we’ve architected this program is that helicopters can compete in a future war. the production line will be switched In March, the Army selected com- forms relevant in a future fi ght. to V6, and we’ll have the ability to up- panies to refi ne designs and develop By the mid-2020s, the service grade any of the V4s into the V6 con- prototypes for two future aviation plans to reconfi gure the aging Boeing figuration,” Patrick Mason, the U.S. platforms. The service selected Bell Apache to compete in a multidomain Army’s program executive o cer for and Sikorsky to compete for a new operations environment. The Version aviation, tells Aviation Week. armed scout helicopter envisioned to 6 (V6) kit is the fi rst in a suite of up- The service expects industry to in- replace Apaches used in the armed grades necessary to support the Penta- tegrate a similar multispectral target- reconnaissance role. In addition, the gon’s vision. The kit includes a new fi re ing capability into Future Vertical Lift The AH-64E Apache will receive a suite of upgrades to Army chose Bell and Sikorsky-Boeing control radar, radio-frequency inter- (FVL) platforms that resides in the V6 compete in a multidomain operations environment. to continue risk-reduction work to ul- ferometer and an expanded manned/ kit, Mason says. timately replace the Black Hawk. unmanned teaming capability. The Army’s FVL cross-functional While those platforms mature, the In the fall, the service will introduce team is leading demonstrations, and Army must add new technologies to another element into the AH-64E the unmanned aerial system program In the interim, the Army selected “We’re trying to monitor and un- stead of purchasing new aircraft. The its Apache , Chinook and Black Hawk Apache V6 kit, the Gen III Day Side As- o ce is conducting a technology as- the Spike Non-Line-of-Sight missile derstand exactly what we’re going service estimates the upgrade costs at fleets, which will remain in the ser- sembly, formerly known as the Modern- sessment. Mason anticipates that by for the Apache. It has greater range to be able to do as we get into June,” $12 million per unit in fiscal 2020 dol- vice’s inventory for many years to ized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA). 2021 the service will have a better than the AGM-114 Hellfire missile and Mason says. lars, instead of buying a new UH-60V come. The goal: to keep the aging plat- During operational testing, users were idea of which kinetic or nonkinetic guided rockets the Apache currently The Army will not speculate on for approximately $21 million. carries. a timetable for software upgrades, Due to COVID-19-related travel re- Once the Army selects the initial which depend on a multitude of fac- strictions, the Army is unable to con- ALE, the service must determine if tors including unit availability. duct user assessments, which delays the Apache will need additional ca- Nonetheless, the service is still the full-rate production decision. The pacity or greater range for its sensors. pushing ahead with Block II flight service anticipates the effort will enter The service must also upgrade testing in Mesa, Arizona, to support full-rate production in the fourth quar- the engine for the Apache and Black the special operations community. ter of fiscal 2020, two quarters behind Hawk, but the novel coronavirus pan- “We have some disruption obvi- the previous schedule. demic has delayed the critical design ously due to the COVID pandemic,” Mason’s team partnered with the review of the Improved Turbine En- Mason says. Corpus Christi Army Depot on the gine program. Mason’s team is work- The limited user test is scheduled Texas Gulf Coast to convert the air- ing on the design review virtually. to kick off in March 2021 at Fort Bliss craft. The depot anticipates complet- “Obviously, this is an incredibly in Texas, although it may be pushed ing the initial tranche to field the first unique and unprecedented time back if not enough progress is made unit next year, he says. The UH-60V Black Hawk updates the aircraft with a digital that we’re dealing with right now,” in flight testing. Flight testing in Mesa “It’s a very unique and cost-effective infrastructure compared to the analog architecture in the UH-60L. Mason says. is not paused, but the team is not gen- way to increase the capability of the c

AU SEESO AU The Army is working closely with erating sorties at a sufficient rate be- L models,” Mason says.

3 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 39 DEFENSE

COVID-19 Complicates T901 Milestone AH-64 and UH-60 with the T901 could be the first to be directly affected by as FARA Awaits New Engine Design any delay. Within six months of the first T901 entering testing, the Army > DESIGN FREEZE FOR T901 COULD SLIP SLIGHTLY plans to complete the CDR for the reengined AH-64. A preliminary design > FARA PROTOTYPE SCHEDULE LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR DELAY of the T901 passed a “fit check” event in January, with a 3D-printed version Steve Trimble and Lee Hudson Washington of the turboshaft loaded neatly into an AH-64 nacelle. A CDR of a T901-pow- he Bell 360 Invictus and ponents, is set for this summer, but ered UH-60 is scheduled for late 2022. Sikorsky Raider X helicopters the pressure is growing. But the schedule perhaps most at Tare the stars of the Future At- “That is one of the things that we’re risk is the flight demonstration phase tack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) continuing to monitor because we’re of the FARA Competitive Prototype Competitive Prototype program, but not able to get together for the crit- program. The Army has committed both designs need the GE Aviation ical design review for the engine,” to launching production for the win- T901 turboshaft engine to fulfill per- says Patrick Mason, the U.S. Army’s ner of the FARA competition by 2028. formance promises. program executive officer for aviation. Eight years may seem like plenty of In fact, three pillars of the Army’s “So we’re executing that in a virtual time, but in that window the compet- aviation modernization program— environment right now.” itive prototypes must be designed, the winner of the FARA competition, For the moment, the Army avia- flown and evaluated. The Army then along with the enduring Boeing AH-64 tion acquisition staff is sticking to has to select a winner, which must be and Sikorsky UH-60 fleets—are de- the schedule: A first engine is to be converted to an operational design, built and delivered to flight testing. The first critical date in the FARA

U.S. ARMY schedule is 2023, the year that the flight evaluation between the T901-powered prototypes begins. The Army now plans to award a preliminary flight rating for the T901 at the end of 2022, leaving only months to deliver compliant engines to the manufacturers of the competing FARA prototypes. The backup plan if the T901 is not available: Switch to the 2,638-shp YT700-GE-706. But that would deprive both FARA con- tenders of a chance to prove their performance capabilities with a representative powerplant. The Army has waited a long time for a new engine. GE started producing the 1,622-shp T700-GE-700 in 1978 The Army verified that a preliminary design of the GE T901 engine fits into for the original AH-64A. The latest the engine nacelle of the AH-64 Apache, despite generating 50% more power version, the T700-GE-701D, offers a maximum power rating of 1,994 shp. than the T700 it will replace. Fifteen years ago, the Army started to pending on GE’s 3,000-shp successor delivered to testing in June 2021, fol- work on the replacement by launch- to the T700 to stay on schedule. lowed by a preliminary flight rating ing requirements studies for the A first attempt at a quick start af- at the end of 2022. Improved Turbine Engine Program ter the contracts were awarded last “But obviously, the critical aspect is (ITEP). The goal remains to deliver year already faced one setback, with doing the engine critical design review an engine that can produce 50% more a protest from the losing bidder that this year, and how we do that in a rig- power than the -701D, with a 25% im- put the program on hold for three orous and appropriate manner given provement in fuel efficiency. months. Now, program officials are the restrictions that we have in deal- GE’s design sought to avoid the scrambling to keep the program on ing with the pandemic,” Mason says. risk of attempting a new configura- track despite administrative disrup- But Mason acknowledges the CDR tion. The T901’s single-spool core with tions caused by moves to limit the milestone could slip by 3-6 months. a free-power turbine relies on the impact of the novel coronavirus and “It’s going to be done this fiscal same design approach as the T700 COVID-19 pandemic. year,” Mason says. “I would [expect and leverages GE’s investments in A critical design review (CDR), it] in the third- or fourth-quarter time 3D aero and advanced materials for which, if passed, allows GE’s supply frame that we’re looking at right now.” commercial turbofans to achieve per- chain to start building the first com- The Army’s plans to reengine the formance increases. c

40 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE

COVID-19 Complicates T901 Milestone AH-64 and UH-60 with the T901 could be the first to be directly affected by as FARA Awaits New Engine Design any delay. Within six months of the first T901 entering testing, the Army > DESIGN FREEZE FOR T901 COULD SLIP SLIGHTLY plans to complete the CDR for the reengined AH-64. A preliminary design > FARA PROTOTYPE SCHEDULE LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR DELAY of the T901 passed a “fit check” event in January, with a 3D-printed version Steve Trimble and Lee Hudson Washington of the turboshaft loaded neatly into an AH-64 nacelle. A CDR of a T901-pow- he Bell 360 Invictus and ponents, is set for this summer, but ered UH-60 is scheduled for late 2022. Sikorsky Raider X helicopters the pressure is growing. But the schedule perhaps most at IN ASSOCIATION WITH: Tare the stars of the Future At- “That is one of the things that we’re risk is the flight demonstration phase APRIL 28, 2020 & MAY 12, 2020 tack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) continuing to monitor because we’re of the FARA Competitive Prototype Competitive Prototype program, but not able to get together for the crit- program. The Army has committed 11 AM ET / 8 AM PT both designs need the GE Aviation ical design review for the engine,” to launching production for the win- T901 turboshaft engine to fulfill per- says Patrick Mason, the U.S. Army’s ner of the FARA competition by 2028. formance promises. program executive officer for aviation. Eight years may seem like plenty of In fact, three pillars of the Army’s “So we’re executing that in a virtual time, but in that window the compet- COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR — Presented by SpeedNews Conferences aviation modernization program— environment right now.” itive prototypes must be designed, the winner of the FARA competition, For the moment, the Army avia- flown and evaluated. The Army then along with the enduring Boeing AH-64 tion acquisition staff is sticking to has to select a winner, which must be For over 40 years, SpeedNews has valued itself as an outlet for aviation industry INTRODUCTIONS: and Sikorsky UH-60 fleets—are de- the schedule: A first engine is to be converted to an operational design, news, data, forecasts and product developments via its original easy-to-read built and delivered to flight testing. newsletter-of-record and second-to-none series of supplier conferences — Joanna Speed The first critical date in the FARA on a community basis. Community is, was, and always will be the key aspect Managing Director

U.S. ARMY schedule is 2023, the year that the flight evaluation between the of our success. SpeedNews T901-powered prototypes begins. The Army now plans to award Earlier this year, we were fortunate enough to hold our 34th Annual Commercial a preliminary flight rating for the Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference, and 10th Annual Aerospace Raw MODERATOR: T901 at the end of 2022, leaving only Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference. As always, we very months to deliver compliant engines Steve Costley to the manufacturers of the competing much appreciated the community support. Managing Editior FARA prototypes. The backup plan if the T901 is not available: Switch to Now, without the benefit of hosting public gatherings and the need for crucial SpeedNews the 2,638-shp YT700-GE-706. But aviation industry intelligence, we are bringing you SpeedNews Virtual Nation, a that would deprive both FARA con- hosted webinar that provides our SpeedNews community with the opportunity to tenders of a chance to prove their re-connect, receive updated data, forecasts and presentations, and participate in a SPEAKERS: performance capabilities with a representative powerplant. live Q&A session, all from your (mandated) home office. Carlos Ozores The Army has waited a long time Principal Aviation for a new engine. GE started produc- Consultant ing the 1,622-shp T700-GE-700 in 1978 Join us for a two-part Webinar Series: ICF The Army verified that a preliminary design of the GE T901 engine fits into for the original AH-64A. The latest This Webinar Series has been developed specifically for our SpeedNews Community the engine nacelle of the AH-64 Apache, despite generating 50% more power version, the T700-GE-701D, offers a to gain the required intelligence necessary to navigate your organization’s journey maximum power rating of 1,994 shp. Richard Aboulafia than the T700 it will replace. through this unprecedented global downturn from COVID-19. Fifteen years ago, the Army started to Vice President, Analysis pending on GE’s 3,000-shp successor delivered to testing in June 2021, fol- work on the replacement by launch- The Teal Group to the T700 to stay on schedule. lowed by a preliminary flight rating ing requirements studies for the A first attempt at a quick start af- at the end of 2022. Improved Turbine Engine Program PART 1: Status of the Industry PART 2: Status of the Industry ter the contracts were awarded last “But obviously, the critical aspect is (ITEP). The goal remains to deliver year already faced one setback, with doing the engine critical design review an engine that can produce 50% more April 28, 2020 May 12, 2020 Chris R. Celtruda a protest from the losing bidder that this year, and how we do that in a rig- power than the -701D, with a 25% im- DISCUSSION TOPICS: DISCUSSION TOPICS: Chief Executive Officer put the program on hold for three orous and appropriate manner given provement in fuel efficiency. Airlines, Air Travel and OEMs Suppliers, MRO and the Aftermarket Kellstrom Defense months. Now, program officials are the restrictions that we have in deal- GE’s design sought to avoid the scrambling to keep the program on ing with the pandemic,” Mason says. risk of attempting a new configura- SPEAKERS: SPEAKERS: track despite administrative disrup- But Mason acknowledges the CDR tion. The T901’s single-spool core with Carlos Ozores Chris R. Celtruda tions caused by moves to limit the milestone could slip by 3-6 months. a free-power turbine relies on the ICF Kellstrom Defense Dr. Kevin Michaels Managing Director impact of the novel coronavirus and “It’s going to be done this fiscal same design approach as the T700 Richard Aboulafia Dr. Kevin Michaels COVID-19 pandemic. year,” Mason says. “I would [expect and leverages GE’s investments in The Teal Group AeroDynamic Advisory AeroDynamic Advisory A critical design review (CDR), it] in the third- or fourth-quarter time 3D aero and advanced materials for which, if passed, allows GE’s supply frame that we’re looking at right now.” commercial turbofans to achieve per- chain to start building the first com- The Army’s plans to reengine the formance increases. c Register at: Conf.Events/SVN 40 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE

U.S. Army Independently Testing on each of the aerodynamic bodies fl ying in close proximity; for example, High-Speed Rotorcraft Configurations the infl uence of dynamic systems such as the main rotor can be measured on > CHITA TRIALS PRE-DATE ARMY’S FARA REQUIREMENTS both the left- and right-hand wings. Since work began in 2017, engineers > “ADVERSE INTERACTIONS” WILL LIMIT FUTURE ROTORCRAFT SPEEDS have been testing the configuration of a conventional helicopter concept Tony Osborne London equipped with a high-advance-ratio rotor or slowed rotor system. ith an eye on its rotorcraft fu- Joint Multi-Role efforts, providing, Using the traverse system, this ture, the U.S. Army has been as CCDC officials say, an “unbiased configuration has been tested with Wquietly performing indepen- answer” to how the Army’s in-house and without wings and with a pusher dent experiments with advanced high- experts would have attacked the prob- propeller. The wing position was also speed rotorcraft confi gurations. lem of high-speed, long-range fl ight. varied as part of the trials. A modular wind tunnel model, the The aim of CHITA, fi rst revealed by Engineers have found that “adverse Compound Helicopter Interactional CCDC o cials during presentations interactions” will be the “most likely Aerodynamics (CHITA), was devel- in London in February, was to provide limiter of ultimate speed,” but they oped by the Army’s Combat Capabili- a “benchmark quality set of data” for note that the interactions are di cult ties Development Command Aviation high-performance computing tools, to predict. So the CHITA capability, they say, will “assist avoidance strategies” for those interactions. CHITA is expected to reenter the wind tunnel in 2021 with a focus on “other in-house concepts” and measuring “how far out the speed boundary can be pushed with a high-e ciency confi guration,” CCDC o cials say. The engineers note that they are being careful not to overlap industry efforts; the CHITA work, they say, is “complementary” and will help to validate tools, answer fundamental questions and enhance the testing capability for the next genera- U.S. ARMY tion of high-speed rotorcraft. The CHITA work is one of a number Initial CHITA tests at Langley used of science and technology programs a conventional helicopter con guration underway within the CCDC looking with a slowed rotor. at future rotorcraft systems. Studies CCDC officials say, validating the are examining structures technology computational fluid dynamics tools in terms of their crashworthiness, sur- and Missile Center Technology De- for aerodynamic performance and vivability and weight, while studies on velopment Directorate (CCDC AvMC unsteady fl ow interactions. engines and drive systems are aligned TDD) in conjunction with NASA to The data will allow engineers to bet- so that new dynamic systems are ready help de-risk future rotorcraft such ter understand strong interactional to support new engine concepts. as the Army’s Future Attack Recon- aerodynamic a phenomena such as One of the studies, the Alternative naissance Aircraft (FARA) and the rotor-wake interactions. Concept Engine, is examining technolo- Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft “Accurately predicting these inter- gies for a variable-speed power turbine (FLRAA) and even platforms beyond. actions can help future confi gurations capable of supporting a slowed rotor The model, tested in NASA Lang- avoid aeromechanics problems that and enabling the aircraft to increase ley’s 14 X 22-ft. wind tunnel, uses a tend to occur late in programs and can its speed by reducing rotor drag. The robotic traverse system to allow the lead to limitations on the upper end of Army is looking to insert the turbine position of wings, horizontal and ver- the speed range,” CCDC o cials said technology into an existing engine or tical stabilizers, and propellers to be in response to emailed questions. have it form part of a future engine. shifted into di erent confi gurations, CHITA also features power man- Work dating back to fi scal 2014-15 in and then tested at speeds of up to 230 agement for simultaneous operation conjunction with NASA had already kt., signifi cantly faster than the FARA of Mach-scaled rotor and propeller proved some of the technologies to a and FLRAA requirements. blades, and the coordination of rotating Technology Readiness Level (TRL) With work on CHITA dating as far and nonrotating data systems. The fu- 5, but continuing work will take that back as 2017, the model predates the selage is mechanically separated from through to a demonstration at TRL 6, FARA program and was initially de- the wings, allowing engineers to get officials say. The aim is to conduct a c

ARU MARA MY MAS MARA MY ARU veloped as a follow-up to the Army’s data on individual loads and moments demonstration in ﬁ scal 2023.

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U.S. Army Independently Testing on each of the aerodynamic bodies fl ying in close proximity; for example, High-Speed Rotorcraft Configurations the infl uence of dynamic systems such The CMV-22 is scheduled to begin flying as the main rotor can be measured on missions to Navy carriers in 2021. > CHITA TRIALS PRE-DATE ARMY’S FARA REQUIREMENTS both the left- and right-hand wings. Since work began in 2017, engineers > “ADVERSE INTERACTIONS” WILL LIMIT FUTURE ROTORCRAFT SPEEDS have been testing the configuration of a conventional helicopter concept Tony Osborne London equipped with a high-advance-ratio rotor or slowed rotor system. ith an eye on its rotorcraft fu- Joint Multi-Role efforts, providing, Using the traverse system, this ture, the U.S. Army has been as CCDC officials say, an “unbiased configuration has been tested with Wquietly performing indepen- answer” to how the Army’s in-house and without wings and with a pusher dent experiments with advanced high- experts would have attacked the prob- propeller. The wing position was also speed rotorcraft confi gurations. lem of high-speed, long-range fl ight. varied as part of the trials. A modular wind tunnel model, the The aim of CHITA, fi rst revealed by Engineers have found that “adverse Compound Helicopter Interactional CCDC o cials during presentations interactions” will be the “most likely Aerodynamics (CHITA), was devel- in London in February, was to provide limiter of ultimate speed,” but they oped by the Army’s Combat Capabili- a “benchmark quality set of data” for note that the interactions are di cult ties Development Command Aviation high-performance computing tools, to predict. So the CHITA capability, they say, will “assist avoidance strategies” for those interactions. CHITA is expected to reenter the wind tunnel in 2021 with a focus on “other in-house concepts” and U.S. NAVY measuring “how far out the speed boundary can be pushed with gies of the carrier strike group,” Col. a high-e ciency confi guration,” CCDC Matthew Kelly, V-22 joint program o cials say. The engineers note that manager, tells Aviation Week. they are being careful not to overlap TILTROTOR Central to the Navy’s decision to industry efforts; the CHITA work, retire the high-wing C-2 has been its they say, is “complementary” and will transition from the Boeing F/A-18E/F help to validate tools, answer funda- Super Hornet to the F-35C Lightning mental questions and enhance the II fighter. The CMV-22 tiltrotor is testing capability for the next genera- TAKEOVER equipped to support the future car- U.S. ARMY tion of high-speed rotorcraft. rier air wing by internally carrying The CHITA work is one of a number the F135 engine power module, which Initial CHITA tests at Langley used of science and technology programs > U.S. NAVY BEGINS TESTING ITS FIRST CMV-22 OSPREY will not fit inside a C-2 and must be a conventional helicopter con guration underway within the CCDC looking replaceable at sea. with a slowed rotor. at future rotorcraft systems. Studies “This capability will be a game CCDC officials say, validating the are examining structures technology > THE CMV-22 IS MORE THAN A ONE-FOR-ONE changer for the air wing of the future computational fluid dynamics tools in terms of their crashworthiness, sur- C-2 REPLACEMENT and drove the need to match up the and Missile Center Technology De- for aerodynamic performance and vivability and weight, while studies on F-35C and CMV-22 operational de - velopment Directorate (CCDC AvMC unsteady fl ow interactions. engines and drive systems are aligned ployments,” Capt. Dewon “Chainsaw” TDD) in conjunction with NASA to The data will allow engineers to bet- so that new dynamic systems are ready Lee Hudson Washington Chaney, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mis- help de-risk future rotorcraft such ter understand strong interactional to support new engine concepts. sion Wing commodore, tells Aviation as the Army’s Future Attack Recon- aerodynamic a phenomena such as One of the studies, the Alternative he U.S. Navy is preparing for the introduction of a new Week. The first CMV-22 deployment naissance Aircraft (FARA) and the rotor-wake interactions. Concept Engine, is examining technolo- aircraft to its carrier air wing, the Bell Boeing CMV-22 may coincide with the first F-35C de- Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft “Accurately predicting these inter- gies for a variable-speed power turbine ployment aboard the USS Carl Vinson (FLRAA) and even platforms beyond. actions can help future confi gurations capable of supporting a slowed rotor Osprey, which will assume the carrier onboard delivery (CVN-70). The model, tested in NASA Lang- avoid aeromechanics problems that and enabling the aircraft to increase role at a time when demand for the mission is greater. The Osprey will require more crew, ley’s 14 X 22-ft. wind tunnel, uses a tend to occur late in programs and can its speed by reducing rotor drag. The T however: A traditional C-2 detach- robotic traverse system to allow the lead to limitations on the upper end of Army is looking to insert the turbine In the last 10 years, the require - Navy to ask for more aircraft to ment deploys with two aircrew, while position of wings, horizontal and ver- the speed range,” CCDC o cials said technology into an existing engine or ment for logistics supply to the carrier conduct the carrier onboard deliv- a CMV-22 detachment deploys with tical stabilizers, and propellers to be in response to emailed questions. have it form part of a future engine. battle group has increased dramati- ery (COD) mission. The Navy pur - three, Chaney says. But the CMV-22 shifted into di erent confi gurations, CHITA also features power man- Work dating back to fi scal 2014-15 in cally. The need for resilient and agile chased a fleet of 39 Grumman C-2 has much greater range than the C-2. and then tested at speeds of up to 230 agement for simultaneous operation conjunction with NASA had already logistics was reinforced in the Nation- Greyhounds, which started service The Osprey can fly 1,150 nm, hundreds kt., signifi cantly faster than the FARA of Mach-scaled rotor and propeller proved some of the technologies to a al Defense Strategy. The service also in 1964. The Navy began purchasing of miles farther than the Greyhound. and FLRAA requirements. blades, and the coordination of rotating Technology Readiness Level (TRL) needs an aircraft capable of flying CMV-22s in 2018. Two potential drawbacks of the CMV- With work on CHITA dating as far and nonrotating data systems. The fu- 5, but continuing work will take that in engines for the Lockheed Martin “This is mainly driven by the re - 22, though, are carrying capacity and back as 2017, the model predates the selage is mechanically separated from through to a demonstration at TRL 6, F-35 aircraft that will equip its carrier quirement for more logistical sup - altitude. “The C-2 can fly higher than FARA program and was initially de- the wings, allowing engineers to get officials say. The aim is to conduct a decks beginning in 2021. port based on new threats and the the V-22 due to its cabin pressuriza- c

ARU MARA MY MAS MARA MY ARU veloped as a follow-up to the Army’s data on individual loads and moments demonstration in ﬁ scal 2023. Increased demand prompted the new operational employment strate- tion, and [it] also has more internal

4 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 43 DEFENSE

volume than the Osprey,” he says. operational squadron, Fleet Logistics says. “We know how it flies around To provide oversight of the new Multi-Mission Sqdn. 30 (VRM-30), at the ship, and we’ve already done community and conduct staff, train NAS North Island in California this some risk reduction where we could and equip functions, the Fleet Lo - summer. with the MV-22.” gistics Multi-Mission Wing was es- The first test aircraft is outfitted For three weeks in 2016, the MV-22 tablished in October 2019. The Na- with “basic instrumentation,” and the performed the COD mission to devel- vy’s fleet replacement squadron will second will have a “more extensive op a concept of operations to use the stand up this fall to support future instrumentation package,” Kelly says. Osprey in that role. High-gross-weight training for Navy pilots, aircrew and “That [second] aircraft will really do testing was conducted because the maintainers. the heavy-duty envelope expansion CMV-22 has a larger fuel load. “Right now, sailors are training to and loads testing.” “We tested an MV-22 at those high- fly and maintain the MV-22 with Ma- Following the initial flight tests, Air er gross weights around the ship to rines in New River, [North Carolina], Test and Evaluation Sqdn. 21 (HX-21) ensure that flying quality and handling San Diego, Hawaii and [are] even de- conducted performance and elec- quality wouldn’t be degraded at those ployed overseas,” Chaney says. “This tromagnetic-effects testing. “Before higher gross weights,” Kelly says. Additionally, the testing included the launch-and-recov- The C-2A Greyhound has been in service since 1964. ery window, assessing flight deck cycle times and how the remainder of the air wing re- sponds, he says. “Going forward, I’m sure there will probably be some adjustments based on new things they’ve learned,” Kelly says. Once developmental testing is completed at Patuxent Riv- er, operational testing will begin with the aircraft integrated into the carrier air wing. The pilots and aircrew will practice cycle times, loading and unloading, and the operational test squadron will em- bed with VRM-30 to assist in prepping for first deployment. In 2018, the Navy started putting pilots and maintain- U.S. NAVY ers through the V-22 training training will enable our teams not to we’re able to take it back to a ship, squadron at MCAS New River in skip a beat with CMV-22 operations.” there are some systems on the air- Jacksonville, North Carolina, after After receiving the first CMV-22 craft that make it electrically a little which they were assigned to VRM- Osprey in January, the Navy immedi- different” from the MV-22, Kelly says. 30. “It was great teamwork between ately entered developmental testing For example, the CMV-22 features a the Navy and Marine Corps to ensure at NAS Patuxent River in Maryland public address system, high-frequen- a very smooth transition of the CMV- by testing one of the new variant’s key cy radio and different cargo lighting 22 into the fleet,” Kelly says. “We’ve differences—its larger fuel system. system. One of the key requirements even had some pilots and maintain- The CMV-22 is outfitted with big- for the COD role is the ability to load ers go on deployment with Marine ger sponsons and greater fuel ca - and unload aircraft at night. The pro- Corps squadrons to get shipboard pacity and has an extra fuel tank in gram must ensure the lighting system experience.” each wing compared with the Marine is adequate for sailors to perform The Navy selected C-2 and H-60 Corps MV-22, Kelly says. The Navy safe, effective and rapid cargo trans- pilots and maintainers to cross-train is the third service to adopt the V-22: fer, he says. in the V-22. Kelly says this provided a The Marine Corps pioneered the Since only a few major differences “good blend of understanding” because MV-22 tiltrotor, and Air Force Spe - exist between the V-22 variants, the in some respects the tiltrotor Osprey cial Operations Command adopted program is tackling an accelerated acts like a fixed-wing aircraft, while in the CV-22. timeline from first aircraft delivery other scenarios it has more character- “After it came here, we did some to first deployment. The test program istics of a vertical-lift aircraft. initial flying-qualities testing just to will last roughly two years. “We truly believe that the tiltrotor make sure it was ready to go,” Kelly “It’s unique because we generally will bring a very unique capability to says. The squadron anticipates re - don’t introduce a new aircraft or a the carrier air wing,” Kelly says. “And ceiving the second CMV-22 in late new mission, but we’ve already done we’re looking forward to seeing the spring, followed by the first CMV-22 all of the background work,” Kelly unique ways the Navy will employ it.”c

44 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE ANATOMY OF THE BELL BOEING V-22 volume than the Osprey,” he says. operational squadron, Fleet Logistics says. “We know how it flies around To provide oversight of the new Multi-Mission Sqdn. 30 (VRM-30), at the ship, and we’ve already done Tilting Into community and conduct staff, train NAS North Island in California this some risk reduction where we could and equip functions, the Fleet Lo - summer. with the MV-22.” gistics Multi-Mission Wing was es- The first test aircraft is outfitted For three weeks in 2016, the MV-22 tablished in October 2019. The Na- with “basic instrumentation,” and the performed the COD mission to devel- vy’s fleet replacement squadron will second will have a “more extensive op a concept of operations to use the U.S. NAVY the 2020s stand up this fall to support future instrumentation package,” Kelly says. Osprey in that role. High-gross-weight training for Navy pilots, aircrew and “That [second] aircraft will really do testing was conducted because the The first, and so far only, operational tiltrotor, the Bell maintainers. the heavy-duty envelope expansion CMV-22 has a larger fuel load. Boeing V-22 Osprey first flew more than 30 years ago, in “Right now, sailors are training to and loads testing.” “We tested an MV-22 at those high- March 1989. In service with the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. fly and maintain the MV-22 with Ma- Following the initial flight tests, Air er gross weights around the ship to Air Force and to be deployed by the U.S. Navy and Japan rines in New River, [North Carolina], Test and Evaluation Sqdn. 21 (HX-21) ensure that flying quality and handling San Diego, Hawaii and [are] even de- conducted performance and elec- quality wouldn’t be degraded at those Ground Self-Defense Force, the tiltrotor is entering a new ployed overseas,” Chaney says. “This tromagnetic-effects testing. “Before higher gross weights,” Kelly says. phase of life with a series of significant upgrades, either Additionally, the testing in- already underway or planned over this decade. cluded the launch-and-recov- The C-2A Greyhound has been in service since 1964. ery window, assessing flight U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Degraded Visual Environment Includes flight control logic to deck cycle times and how the improve aircraft handling qualities, enhanced visualization and remainder of the air wing re- Common Configuration—Readiness and Modernization Brings sponds, he says. the entire fleet to late-model Block C configuration to increase sensors, as well as improved pilot cueing. “Going forward, I’m sure capability and reliability and provide an open-architecture foun- Aircraft Survivability Equipment Includes AAQ-24(V) directed there will probably be some ad- dation for future upgrades. Subsequent technology insertions will infrared countermeasures, new missile warning system, upgraded justments based on new things occur in 4-6-year cycles. countermeasures dispenser and threat displays. they’ve learned,” Kelly says. Once developmental testing Nacelle Improvement Increases mission readiness rates 10-12% Digital Interoperability Adds the MAGTF Agile Network Gateway is completed at Patuxent Riv- by removing eight of 10 wiring interface boxes, changing wiring Link (MANGL) to bring on Link 16, CDL, ANW2 and TTNT data links. er, operational testing will be- types and upgrading nacelle structures. Adds Iridium beyond-line-of-sight satcom. gin with the aircraft integrated into the carrier air wing. The pilots and aircrew will practice cycle times, loading and unloading, and the operational test squadron will em- bed with VRM-30 to assist in prepping for first deployment. In 2018, the Navy started putting pilots and maintain- U.S. NAVY ers through the V-22 training training will enable our teams not to we’re able to take it back to a ship, squadron at MCAS New River in skip a beat with CMV-22 operations.” there are some systems on the air- Jacksonville, North Carolina, after After receiving the first CMV-22 craft that make it electrically a little which they were assigned to VRM- Osprey in January, the Navy immedi- different” from the MV-22, Kelly says. 30. “It was great teamwork between U.S. AIR FORCE U.S. NAVY ately entered developmental testing For example, the CMV-22 features a the Navy and Marine Corps to ensure at NAS Patuxent River in Maryland public address system, high-frequen- a very smooth transition of the CMV- U.S. Air Force Special by testing one of the new variant’s key cy radio and different cargo lighting 22 into the fleet,” Kelly says. “We’ve differences—its larger fuel system. system. One of the key requirements even had some pilots and maintain- Operations Command CV-22B U.S. Navy CMV-22B The CMV-22 is outfitted with big- for the COD role is the ability to load ers go on deployment with Marine Common Configuration Block C/20 modification program im- Increased Range Adds ability to transport up to 6,000 lb. of cargo ger sponsons and greater fuel ca - and unload aircraft at night. The pro- Corps squadrons to get shipboard proves reliability and maintainability. or personnel to 1,150-nm range for carrier onboard delivery mis- gram must ensure the lighting system experience.” pacity and has an extra fuel tank in sion. each wing compared with the Marine is adequate for sailors to perform The Navy selected C-2 and H-60 Nacelle Improvements Adds wiring and structure upgrades Corps MV-22, Kelly says. The Navy safe, effective and rapid cargo trans- pilots and maintainers to cross-train plus improvements to engine inlet separator and infrared sup- Fuel Capacity The MV-22B Block C airframe has two new tanks in is the third service to adopt the V-22: fer, he says. in the V-22. Kelly says this provided a pressor. the wing plus forward sponson tanks for additional capacity. Gross The Marine Corps pioneered the Since only a few major differences “good blend of understanding” because APQ-187 Silent King Includes low-probability-of-detection/ weight increased to 52,600 lb. (vertical takeoff and landing) and MV-22 tiltrotor, and Air Force Spe - exist between the V-22 variants, the in some respects the tiltrotor Osprey 57,000 lb. (short takeoff and landing). cial Operations Command adopted program is tackling an accelerated acts like a fixed-wing aircraft, while in interception K-band radar for terrain-following/terrain avoidance, the CV-22. timeline from first aircraft delivery other scenarios it has more character- ground-mapping, weather information and aircraft/ship detection. Systems Includes improved fuel-dump capability, beyond-line-of- “After it came here, we did some to first deployment. The test program istics of a vertical-lift aircraft. Enhanced Self-Deployment Adds improvements to ice protec- sight high-frequency radio, public address system for passengers initial flying-qualities testing just to will last roughly two years. “We truly believe that the tiltrotor and improved lighting system for cargo loading and unloading. c make sure it was ready to go,” Kelly “It’s unique because we generally will bring a very unique capability to tion, worldwide airspace access, engine performance, weight says. The squadron anticipates re - don’t introduce a new aircraft or a the carrier air wing,” Kelly says. “And reduction, defensive avionics and weapon systems. ceiving the second CMV-22 in late new mission, but we’ve already done we’re looking forward to seeing the spring, followed by the first CMV-22 all of the background work,” Kelly unique ways the Navy will employ it.”c

44 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 45 DEFENSE

Sprawling Alaska Complex Becomes Bishop says. About 1,200 active duty personnel will be added to the base Newest Home for F-35A when the 356th and a still-unnamed second squadron are at full strength, > ALASKAN U.S. AIR FORCE BASE OWNS FIRST F35 doubling the size of the Alaskan base’s current workforce. > INITIAL F35 DELIVERIES SET TO BEGIN IN APRIL The Air Force has been preparing for Eielson’s dramatic growth since the F-35A basing announcement in 2016. Lockheed Martin handed The $500 million expansion project is made more challenging by the base’s over the rst Eielson AFB-bound location, which is 1.42 deg. of latitude, F-35A in early April. or about 85 nm, further north of Nor- way’s Orland Main Air Station, another F-35A base. Norway qualiﬁ ed a drag parachute to slow the F-35A on icy arctic runways in winter. The Polish Air Force adopted the same modification with its announced F-35A selection in Janu- ary, but the U.S. Air Force decided the added weight of the drag parachute is unnecessary. The U.S. Air Force decision is helped by the fact that Eielson boasts the world’s second-longest runway, at 14,507 ft., which the base’s busy snowplows work to keep clear through the long Alaskan winter, Bishop says.

OCEE ARIN The F-35A is rated to land and take o£ Steve Trimble Washington from surfaces with a Runway Condi- tion Rating (RCR) of 7, only two steps ucked deep within Alaska’s Elmendorf-Richardson and adjacent up from a completely iced-over RCR-5 rugged interior, next to a town to the home of the F-16-equipped 18th surface. Tnamed “North Pole,” Eielson Aggressor Sqdn. and, not least, the “We have a whole team of airmen AFB may seem an unlikely station for Joint Pacifi c Alaska Range Complex, that are really focused on that [snow-re- 54 Lockheed Martin F-35As. But the which is the largest U.S. instrument- moval] mission alone, and it’s not just commander of the 354th Fighter Wing ed training range for air combat. The the runways. It’s the taxiways, too,” asserts the location is more central U.S. Air Force declared the F-35A op- Bishop says. than it looks. erational in 2016, but service o cials The Air Force also had to make Indeed, the logic of Euclidean geom- are still learning how to optimize the other adjustments to the F-35A’s stan- etry places Eielson within a daylong aircraft’s capabilities, especially in joint dard survival gear. The 18th Aggressor fl ight, assisted by aerial refueling, of the operations with F-22s. Sqdn., for example, includes a sleeping biggest hot spots for the Indo-Pacifi c “I see the F-35 really maturing in the bag rated for -40F in the survival seat Command and European Command. skies of Alaska,” Bishop says. pack of the F-16, designed to keep pi- On a great circle route, the Alaskan That maturation process is about to lots warm overnight after an ejection base is closer to Taiwan than Oahu by get started. In early April, Lockheed until they can be reached by a rescue more than 300 nm. To reach Estonia transferred ownership to the Air Force team. But the same sleeping bag does across the Arctic Circle, Eileson’s fu- of the fi rst F-35A bound for the new- not fi t inside the F-35A seat pack, so ture F-35As would have roughly the ly reactivated 356th Fighter Sqdn. at the base’s support sta£ has stu£ ed the same ferry fl ight as Air National Guard Eielson. Despite administrative dis- pack instead with supplemental heat- F-35As flying from Burlington, Ver- ruptions caused by the response to ing equipment. mont, the next-closest U.S. F-35 base. the novel coronavirus and resulting For maintainers, the Arctic weather “A lot of people think Alaska is kind COVID-19 pandemic, Bishop still ex- presents another challenge. The Army of stuck in the corner of the map. But pects to complete the fi rst F-35A deliv- Corps of Engineers is constructing a 16- as an airman lives, we’re actually in ery to Eielson on schedule in April. The bay shelter for the F-35A on Eielson’s the middle of everything,” says Col. 356th should receive ownership of its permafrost terrain, the fi rst of several Benjamin Bishop, the 354th Wing’s fi rst three F-35As by the end of April. such structures to support the aircraft commander. The 356th was reactivated seven during the Alaskan winter. Another advantage of Eielson’s months ago with only two employees— The shelter “is not really for the air- location is its neighbors. Although a the squadron commander and the dep- craft,” Bishop says. “It is more for the remote location, the base is less than uty. Since then, the squadron has added maintainers. When it’s -40F, it’s really 230 nm north of a Lockheed Martin eight trained pilots and a full comple- di cult to work outside for an extend- F-22 squadron stationed at Joint Base ment of trainers and maintainers, ed period.” c

4 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST DEFENSE

Sprawling Alaska Complex Becomes Bishop says. About 1,200 active duty Leonardo Hopes the Falco to maximum takeoff weight is quite impressive.” personnel will be added to the base In comparison, Turkish Aerospace’s Anka platform has Newest Home for F-35A when the 356th and a still-unnamed Xplorer Can Plant a Flag a maximum takeoff weight of around 1.6 metric tons and second squadron are at full strength, in the MALE Market a useful load of around 200-250 kg. The Chinese-made > ALASKAN U.S. AIR FORCE BASE OWNS FIRST F35 doubling the size of the Alaskan base’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group Wing Loong has a pay- current workforce. load capacity of around 100 kg and a 1.1-metric-ton maxi- > INITIAL F35 DELIVERIES SET TO BEGIN IN APRIL The Air Force has been preparing > FALCO XPLORER FIRST FLEW IN JANUARY mum takeoff weight, a study by the Royal United Services for Eielson’s dramatic growth since the Institute suggests. F-35A basing announcement in 2016. > LEONARDO HOPES TO CERTIFY THE UAS TO Leonardo is hoping the Xplorer can build on the success Lockheed Martin handed The $500 million expansion project is NATO STANDARDS of its smaller, tactical Falco-family brethren, with which it made more challenging by the base’s shares commonality through onboard systems and ground over the rst Eielson AFB-bound location, which is 1.42 deg. of latitude, Tony Osborne London control stations. F-35A in early April. or about 85 nm, further north of Nor- At double the weight and size of the earlier Falco Evo, the way’s Orland Main Air Station, another urope is still some way from developing a medium-al- Xplorer model is being targeted for the intelligence, sur- F-35A base. titude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft veillance and reconnaissance mission. With the platform’s Norway qualiﬁ ed a drag parachute Esystem of its own. payload capability, Boggiani notes that it should be able to to slow the F-35A on icy arctic run- European industry continues to eagerly await a green take several different payloads aloft at any one time. ways in winter. The Polish Air Force light for the development of the so-called EuroMALE, the Likely payloads will include the company’s LEOSS elec- adopted the same modification with twin-engine, 11-ton platform proposed by Airbus, Dassault tro-optical camera and its Gabbiano Ultra-Light search ra- its announced F-35A selection in Janu- and Leonardo. Meanwhile, Piaggio’s dreams of transform- dar—the latter has ground-moving-targeting-indicator and ary, but the U.S. Air Force decided the ing its P.180 Avanti executive turboprop into a UAV left the synthetic-aperture-imaging modes. Leonardo also plans to added weight of the drag parachute is company insolvent and looking for a buyer after Emirati fit its SAGE electronic intelligence system and an automatic unnecessary. The U.S. Air Force deci- investors withdrew their money in late 2018. identification system for maritime use. sion is helped by the fact that Eielson “We expect we can fly multimission profiles and provide boasts the world’s second-longest run- data to many different users at the same time,” Boggiani says. way, at 14,507 ft., which the base’s busy Leonardo hopes to complete development and achieve snowplows work to keep clear through certification with Armaereo, Italy’s military airworthiness the long Alaskan winter, Bishop says. authority, toward the end of the year, although this timeline

OCEE ARIN The F-35A is rated to land and take o£ could be challenged by the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 Steve Trimble Washington from surfaces with a Runway Condi- pandemic. The company hopes to secure certification under tion Rating (RCR) of 7, only two steps NATO’s Stanag (Standardization Agreement) 4671 certifica- ucked deep within Alaska’s Elmendorf-Richardson and adjacent up from a completely iced-over RCR-5 tion requirements for UAV systems. Achieving this level of rugged interior, next to a town to the home of the F-16-equipped 18th surface. certification would open up the platform to operate in 80% Tnamed “North Pole,” Eielson Aggressor Sqdn. and, not least, the “We have a whole team of airmen of Italy’s airspace, compared with just 20% that the older AFB may seem an unlikely station for Joint Pacifi c Alaska Range Complex, that are really focused on that [snow-re- Falco EVO can operate in now, Boggiani says. 54 Lockheed Martin F-35As. But the which is the largest U.S. instrument- moval] mission alone, and it’s not just A second prototype Xplorer is expected to fly later this commander of the 354th Fighter Wing ed training range for air combat. The the runways. It’s the taxiways, too,” year to support the certification and testing of payloads. asserts the location is more central U.S. Air Force declared the F-35A op- Bishop says. “Once we have got this NATO standard, we expect we than it looks. erational in 2016, but service o cials The Air Force also had to make Falco Xplorer flight trials can easily move to a civil certification,” Boggiani suggests. Indeed, the logic of Euclidean geom- are still learning how to optimize the other adjustments to the F-35A’s stan- are being conducted from Certification is seen as one of the platform’s key selling etry places Eielson within a daylong aircraft’s capabilities, especially in joint dard survival gear. The 18th Aggressor Trapani, Sicily. points. But the manufacturer also notes that the platform fl ight, assisted by aerial refueling, of the operations with F-22s. Sqdn., for example, includes a sleeping is free of the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations biggest hot spots for the Indo-Pacifi c “I see the F-35 really maturing in the bag rated for -40F in the survival seat LEONARDO (ITAR), making it more easily exportable than ITAR-re- Command and European Command. skies of Alaska,” Bishop says. pack of the F-16, designed to keep pi- Instead, Europe’s needs for a MALE design are being met stricted platforms. It also falls into Category II of the Missile On a great circle route, the Alaskan That maturation process is about to lots warm overnight after an ejection by a mix of Israeli- and U.S.-built platforms. In addition, Tur- Technology Control Regime. base is closer to Taiwan than Oahu by get started. In early April, Lockheed until they can be reached by a rescue key has made inroads in Ukraine, and Serbia is purchasing Since the aircraft was unveiled in Paris, Leonardo has more than 300 nm. To reach Estonia transferred ownership to the Air Force team. But the same sleeping bag does Chinese UAVs. been in discussions with potential customers. But the man- across the Arctic Circle, Eileson’s fu- of the fi rst F-35A bound for the new- not fi t inside the F-35A seat pack, so Undeterred by Piaggio’s travails, Italy’s Leonardo has ufacturer has a keen eye on its home market. ture F-35As would have roughly the ly reactivated 356th Fighter Sqdn. at the base’s support sta£ has stu£ ed the pressed ahead with the development of a niche MALE plat- “The Italian market is one of the main goals,” Boggiani ex- same ferry fl ight as Air National Guard Eielson. Despite administrative dis- pack instead with supplemental heat- form of its own—the Falco Xplorer—an aircraft the com- plains. “We know there is an interest because the Italian end F-35As flying from Burlington, Ver- ruptions caused by the response to ing equipment. pany describes as a “light MALE” with a maximum takeoff user wants to expand the basket of UAV solutions to which mont, the next-closest U.S. F-35 base. the novel coronavirus and resulting For maintainers, the Arctic weather weight of 1.35 metric tons. they have access.” A potential role could be the replacement “A lot of people think Alaska is kind COVID-19 pandemic, Bishop still ex- presents another challenge. The Army After unveiling the aircraft at last year’s Paris Air Show, of the Italian Air Force’s General Atomics MQ-1 Predators. of stuck in the corner of the map. But pects to complete the fi rst F-35A deliv- Corps of Engineers is constructing a 16- Leonardo is now pressing ahead with flight testing: It com- “We know that the Xplorer can serve more than one re- as an airman lives, we’re actually in ery to Eielson on schedule in April. The bay shelter for the F-35A on Eielson’s pleted a first flight in January, a second flight in March and quirement in the Italian military domain,” Boggiani adds. the middle of everything,” says Col. 356th should receive ownership of its permafrost terrain, the fi rst of several is planning a third for later in April. Flight testing is taking Leonardo plans to package the Xplorer as a system of two Benjamin Bishop, the 354th Wing’s fi rst three F-35As by the end of April. such structures to support the aircraft place in Sicily. air vehicles and a ground control station, but the company commander. The 356th was reactivated seven during the Alaskan winter. “We are confident of success in the market,” says Fabrizio wants to remain in line with its push to develop services. It Another advantage of Eielson’s months ago with only two employees— The shelter “is not really for the air- Boggiani, senior vice president for airborne systems at is also proposing an intelligence-by-the-hour service, with location is its neighbors. Although a the squadron commander and the dep- craft,” Bishop says. “It is more for the Leonardo’s Electronics business. Leonardo crews operating the aircraft on behalf of individ- remote location, the base is less than uty. Since then, the squadron has added maintainers. When it’s -40F, it’s really “The key is the payload capability, and 350 kg [770 lb.] is ual customers. The company is already flying the Falco EVO 230 nm north of a Lockheed Martin eight trained pilots and a full comple- di cult to work outside for an extend- a large mass we can use for sensors and fuel,” Boggiani says. on such a contract with the United Nations in the Democrat- F-22 squadron stationed at Joint Base ment of trainers and maintainers, ed period.” c “Compared to other platforms, this ratio of useful payload ic Republic of Congo. c

4 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 47 HYPERSONICS HYPER PLAN > TALONA AND Z SUCCEED EARLIER HYPER DESIGNS, NOW FEATURE SINGLE FIN > REUSABLE BLACK ICE SPACEPLANE REMAINS ON ROAD MAP

Guy Norris Los Angeles

eborn Stratolaunch—the Mojave, California-based devel- Multiple Talon-As (inset) could be oper of the giant carrier aircraft originally designed for carried by Stratolaunch, pictured with air-launching medium-class rockets—has released new future concepts Talon-Z (left) and Black Rdetails of the revised hypersonic fl ying testbed designs Ice (right). it aims to develop as a key element of its plan to turn the unique derivative was to be signifi cantly larg- vehicle into a platform for supporting high-speed testing. er, with an overall length of 80 ft. and a 36-ft. wingspan. Having first emerged in late 2018 span but is now configured with a The more capable Z version is ex- under the leadership of Stratolaunch single vertical tailfin in place of the pected to target test conditions up to founder the late Paul Allen, the repur- wingtip-mounted canted fi ns on the Mach 10 and, with an all-up weight of posing strategy toward hypersonic original design. Launch weight simi- 65,000 lb., will o er longer-duration test continues as the central pillar of larly remains at around 6,000 lb., and fl ights that could potentially see the the company’s business plan under its as before, the vehicle will be capable vehicle boost to 500,000 ft. altitude new owner, Cerberus Capital, which of recovering for an autonomous hor- and cover ranges up to about 800 acquired the project in 2019. The izontal landing as well as taking off nm. Stratolaunch is not discussing a launch aircraft, which made its fi rst, horizontally under its own power. timeline for the second vehicle, but and so far only, fl ight in April 2019 is Updated renditions indicate up to under its original plan, estimated being prepared for the resumption of three Talon-A vehicles could be car- tests of the follow-on derivative could fl ight tests later this fall. ried aloft beneath the Stratolaunch come within fi ve years of the A model. Stratolaunch believes the 500,000- carrier aircraft, using a version of the Under the latest schedule, this could lb. lifting capacity of the carrier air- pylon-adapter confi guration original- mean Talon-Z will make its test debut craft makes it ideally suited to support ly developed for launching smaller by around 2028. the growing needs of the U.S. defense rockets. These include the Northrop The two vehicles will be able to car- industry for reliable access to Mach Grumman Pegasus XL, which was in- ry both internal and external payloads, 5-plus test conditions. Although oth- tended to prove the platform’s initial the latter including bolt-on propulsion er development payloads such as air- air launch capability. Stratolaunch or flow-path experiments as well as launched hypersonic weapons could says missions with single-aircraft fi nlike structures for boundary-layer conceivably be dropped from the Stra- drops are due to start in 2023 and adds transition and other investigations. tolaunch, the company’s main focus is that follow-on near-simultaneous, mul- The company’s new Talon-A graphic the provision of dedicated test vehi- tiple-launch capability “may support shows a variety of internal and exter- cles that could support a wide range specifi c operational scenarios.” nal locations for experiments, includ- of high-speed research and technology Stratolaunch will also o er another ing self-contained volumes in the nose experiments. vehicle, the Talon-Z. Like the original and midfuselage with standardized in- The initial fl ying testbed, Talon-A, Hyper-Z, this will be a basic, scaled- terfaces for power for smaller tests. is a fully reusable, autonomous, liquid up version of the Talon-A. Although Additional experimentation zones will rocket-powered vehicle targeted at no details of the updated vehicle have be sited on the wing leading edge as flight speeds up to Mach 6. Derived been provided, a new rendition also well as the belly area, where inlets and directly from the Hyper-A concept indicates a single fuselage-mounted fl ow-path tests will take place. unveiled two years ago, the sharply vertical fi n in place of the Hyper-Z’s Initial design of the Talon appears swept delta-wing aircraft shares the wingtip-mounted fi ns. Under Strato- to be relatively well-advanced based same 28-ft. length and 11.3-ft. wing- launch’s original plan, the follow-on on preliminary work already conduct-

4 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST HYPERSONICS

ed by the Paul Allen-owned company. reusable spaceplane that enables ad- A 3.5-ft.-long model of the original con- vanced on-orbit capabilities and cargo cept was tested in 2018 in the 4 X 4-ft. return,” the company says. subsonic wind tunnel at the U.S. Na- In terms of powering the Talon and val Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, follow-on vehicles, Stratolaunch “is which provided initial data on charac- working with engine providers to pro- teristics for approach and landing. It is cure the rocket engine,” the company unknown whether a series of follow-on says. “We will disclose our engine PLAN high-speed tests scheduled to take provider when we have more news to HYPER place at NASA Marshall Space Flight share.” Longer term, the company also > TALONA AND Z SUCCEED EARLIER HYPER Center’s trisonic facility in late 2018 and appears to be holding the door open to early 2019 were conducted as planned. resurrecting the development of the DESIGNS, NOW FEATURE SINGLE FIN Stratolaunch is also o cially res- PGA liquid rocket engine to power the urrecting the longer-term Black Ice new vehicle family. > REUSABLE BLACK ICE SPACEPLANE spaceplane project, which will build In January 2019, Stratolaunch an- REMAINS ON ROAD MAP on the Talon design to offer an air- nounced it was abandoning devel- launched space-shuttle-like capabil- opment of a proposed space launch Guy Norris Los Angeles ity to orbit. The concept, which also vehicle that would also have been emerged in 2018, would be a “fully powered by the PGA engine. At the time, preliminary development of the eborn Stratolaunch—the Mojave, California-based devel- Multiple Talon-As (inset) could be engine was progressing at NASA’s oper of the giant carrier aircraft originally designed for carried by Stratolaunch, pictured with Stennis Space Center in Mississip- future concepts Talon-Z (left) and Black pi. Commenting on the possibility of air-launching medium-class rockets—has released new restarting the PGA program, Strato- details of the revised hypersonic fl ying testbed designs Ice (right). launch says only that “long-term de- R velopment plans will be disclosed at a it aims to develop as a key element of its plan to turn the unique RAOLAN ONE derivative was to be signifi cantly larg- later date.” c vehicle into a platform for supporting high-speed testing. er, with an overall length of 80 ft. and a 36-ft. wingspan. Having first emerged in late 2018 span but is now configured with a The more capable Z version is ex- under the leadership of Stratolaunch single vertical tailfin in place of the pected to target test conditions up to founder the late Paul Allen, the repur- wingtip-mounted canted fi ns on the Mach 10 and, with an all-up weight of posing strategy toward hypersonic original design. Launch weight simi- 65,000 lb., will o er longer-duration test continues as the central pillar of larly remains at around 6,000 lb., and fl ights that could potentially see the the company’s business plan under its as before, the vehicle will be capable vehicle boost to 500,000 ft. altitude new owner, Cerberus Capital, which of recovering for an autonomous hor- and cover ranges up to about 800 acquired the project in 2019. The izontal landing as well as taking off nm. Stratolaunch is not discussing a SATURDAY/SUNDAY launch aircraft, which made its fi rst, horizontally under its own power. timeline for the second vehicle, but MAY 30-31, 2020 and so far only, fl ight in April 2019 is Updated renditions indicate up to under its original plan, estimated being prepared for the resumption of three Talon-A vehicles could be car- tests of the follow-on derivative could ARLINGTON, VA fl ight tests later this fall. ried aloft beneath the Stratolaunch come within fi ve years of the A model. PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE BOEING COMPANY Stratolaunch believes the 500,000- carrier aircraft, using a version of the Under the latest schedule, this could lb. lifting capacity of the carrier air- pylon-adapter confi guration original- mean Talon-Z will make its test debut WHERE CHAMPIONS COME TO COMPETE craft makes it ideally suited to support ly developed for launching smaller by around 2028. the growing needs of the U.S. defense rockets. These include the Northrop The two vehicles will be able to car- industry for reliable access to Mach Grumman Pegasus XL, which was in- ry both internal and external payloads, 5-plus test conditions. Although oth- tended to prove the platform’s initial the latter including bolt-on propulsion er development payloads such as air- air launch capability. Stratolaunch or flow-path experiments as well as launched hypersonic weapons could says missions with single-aircraft fi nlike structures for boundary-layer conceivably be dropped from the Stra- drops are due to start in 2023 and adds transition and other investigations. tolaunch, the company’s main focus is that follow-on near-simultaneous, mul- The company’s new Talon-A graphic SATURDAY | CRYSTAL CITY $5 OFF the provision of dedicated test vehi- tiple-launch capability “may support shows a variety of internal and exter- CHALLENGE RIDE / PRO-AMATEUR RACES / KIDS RACES (FREE) CHALLENGE RIDE REGISTRATION cles that could support a wide range specifi c operational scenarios.” nal locations for experiments, includ- Starting in 2008, the Challenge Ride has become the area’s USE CODE: AVWEEK of high-speed research and technology Stratolaunch will also o er another ing self-contained volumes in the nose largest non-competitive, participatory ride. Closed course. Register online before May 21st experiments. vehicle, the Talon-Z. Like the original and midfuselage with standardized in- (after $5 late fee) The initial fl ying testbed, Talon-A, Hyper-Z, this will be a basic, scaled- terfaces for power for smaller tests. SUNDAY | CLARENDON is a fully reusable, autonomous, liquid up version of the Talon-A. Although Additional experimentation zones will PRO-AMATEUR RACES / KIDS RACES (FREE) FREE Kids Races: Register online or same day. rocket-powered vehicle targeted at no details of the updated vehicle have be sited on the wing leading edge as A tradition since 1998, boasts the Washington, DC region’s flight speeds up to Mach 6. Derived been provided, a new rendition also well as the belly area, where inlets and premier Amateur and Professional bike races. CyclingClassic.org directly from the Hyper-A concept indicates a single fuselage-mounted fl ow-path tests will take place. No Federal endorsement intended or implied.

MAGAZINE unveiled two years ago, the sharply vertical ﬁ n in place of the Hyper-Z’s Initial design of the Talon appears Official Beneficary swept delta-wing aircraft shares the wingtip-mounted ﬁ ns. Under Strato- to be relatively well-advanced based of Challenge Ride same 28-ft. length and 11.3-ft. wing- launch’s original plan, the follow-on on preliminary work already conduct-

4 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 4 SUPERSONICS

DELTA WING REPLACES LAMINAR FLOW DESIGN FOR With a radically new swept delta > wing, revised underslung engines and BETTER ALL- AROUND PERFORMANCE a sleeker empennage, the conﬁ guration di ers fundamentally from previ- > EMPENNAGE AND WING CHANGES ENABLE ous AS2 iterations and is emblematic SHORTER, LIGHTER DESIGN of a greater level of maturity both for the aircraft design and the company itself, says Aerion CEO Tom Vice. Guy Norris Los Angeles “It’s representative of the amount of innovation we’ve been putting into the As its team of aerospace heavyweights continues airplane,” he says. “But we’ve been to grow, aircraft developer Aerion Supersonic has putting an equal amount of thought into our long-term strategic plan and unveiled a ﬁ nalized design for the AS2 business jet, the way we look at the marketplace.” which it believes is not only sustainable but also Notwithstanding the devastating lays a solid foundation for a follow-on family of high- impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ONE IN A SERIES speed commercial and military derivatives.

LOO ARONDENED NDENEDAEOLARLOOE AE

AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST SUPERSONICS

DELTA WING REPLACES LAMINAR FLOW DESIGN FOR With a radically new swept delta air travel in 2020, Aerion believes the over ranges around 5,000 nm at up to multidisciplinary design optimiza- > wing, revised underslung engines and appetite for reduced journey times and Mach 1.4, with a cabin large enough tion tool for the supersonic aircraft BETTER ALL- AROUND PERFORMANCE a sleeker empennage, the confi gura- enhanced global mobility will inevitably for 12 passengers, the AS2 design project. “Those two teams have been tion di ers fundamentally from previ- return in a post-pandemic world. Re- was already challenging without the working together nonstop over many > EMPENNAGE AND WING CHANGES ENABLE ous AS2 iterations and is emblematic gardless of whether this happens soon- sustainability factor. “[The prereq- years, especially the last two, and SHORTER, LIGHTER DESIGN of a greater level of maturity both for er or later, the company acknowledges uisites] pulled us in a lot of di erent that’s why this airplane looks the way the aircraft design and the company that long-term market acceptance of directions,” he says. “Our task was it does,” says Vice. itself, says Aerion CEO Tom Vice. the AS2 still hinges on achieving envi- to optimize around those compet- First unveiled by founder Robert Guy Norris Los Angeles “It’s representative of the amount of ronmental sustainability, both in terms ing requirements and come up with Bass in 2004, the year after the retire- innovation we’ve been putting into the of noise and emissions. an aircraft that could meet them all ment of the Anglo-French Concorde, As its team of aerospace heavyweights continues airplane,” he says. “But we’ve been Combining low noise and car- simultaneously.” the initial Aerion confi guration was to grow, aircraft developer Aerion Supersonic has putting an equal amount of thought bon-neutral performance while The confi guration is led by Aerion’s designed to operate in a new market into our long-term strategic plan and meeting the AS2’s original ambitious aerodynamic design team in the com- niche below that Mach 2.2 airliner. unveiled a fi nalized design for the AS2 business jet, the way we look at the marketplace.” performance goals “is really, really pany’s Reno, Nevada, headquarters Targeted at supersonic speeds over which it believes is not only sustainable but also Notwithstanding the devastating hard,” says Vice. Designed to super- and a Palo Alto, California-based water, it was also tailored for e cient lays a solid foundation for a follow-on family of high- impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cruise with nonafterburning engines group that developed a proprietary high subsonic, or transonic, flight ONE IN A SERIES speed commercial and military derivatives.

Aerion believes the AS2’s new delta wing and revised

empennage will boost aerodynamic e ciency and maintain AERON ERON its push toward fully sustainable supersonic operation.

LOO ARONDENED NDENEDAEOLARLOOE AE

AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 SUPERSONICS

around Mach 0.96 over land where, which that company acquired in 2015, nology being tested in NASA’s X-59 in most countries, no sonic boom is are providing electrical wiring and the demonstrator program, the company allowed. empennage structure. Spirit AeroSys- is keen to make the AS2 equally at- To fill this hitherto untapped mar- tems will supply the forward fuselage. tractive for transcontinental as well ket, the configuration employed a Spain-based Aernnova will pro - as transoceanic missions. Aerion novel wing design shaped for pas- vide the midfuselage structure, while therefore aims to offer a boomless sive supersonic natural laminar Potez Aeronautique of France is sup- cruise capability up to around Mach flow (SNLF)—a condition in which plying doors. Systems and compo - 1.2 by exploiting the Mach cutoff phe- the boundary layer flow remains sta- nents will also be provided by Eaton nomenon in which thicker air at low- ble for longer before becoming tur- and Parker, and Siemens Digital In- er altitude refracts the boom away bulent and causing friction drag. The dustries Software has been selected from the ground under particular technology was championed by aero- to support design and development. atmospheric conditions. dynamicist Richard Tracy— Aerion’s “We intend to announce others fairly Achieving this speed regime with a co-founder and chief technology soon as we finalize a couple of last wing optimized for SNLF was a chal- officer—who believed the low-drag, systems,” says Vice. lenge. “You’re going to fly an airplane low-aspect-ratio shape would permit The latest design update also re - in the highest drag region, which is the aircraft to fly with limited tran- flects Aerion’s decision to increase Mach cutoff. To do that, you’ve got to sonic drag penalty at high subsonic the AS2’s overland speed capability be a very efficient aircraft in virtually speed over land and, where permit- with a technique it calls boomless every segment of the flight,” says Vice. ted, supersonically up to Mach 1.6. cruise. With competition stirring, in- “So when we started to look at this, Initial development focused on cluding potential low-boom designs we had to think of every element of thin wing profiles in which shaping, that in the future may build on tech- drag—not just wave drag, but pressure rather than active control systems such as suction, could stabilize the boundary layer through pressure distribution. Encouraged by flight-test results of a scaled wing section with NASA in 2010, Aerion estimated the Aerion Industry Team SNLF wing would have 20% less drag than a conventional delta wing and contended that increasing laminar GKN Aerospace flow fraction could lead to significant Eaton Aernnova Electrical wiring weight savings. Aerospace Aerospace Although the overall design morphed Fuel system Midfuselage from a twinjet to a trijet in 2014 as takeoff and landing noise consider- Potez ations became a bigger factor, the Aeronautique Spirit configuration—by then called the AeroSystems Doors AS2—retained its unusual trape - Forward fuselage/ GKN Aerospace/ zoidal wing as Aerion went through cabin Fokker Technologies partnerships with Airbus and, in 2017, Empennage Lockheed Martin. The same basic Honeywell wing shape, though now supporting engines slung under the wing and Aerospace Parker Aerospace mounted on the upper fuselage, also Avionics Hydraulic systems continued as a feature until recently, well after the company’s pivotal new partnership with Boeing. The teaming with Boeing, unveiled in February 2019 just a few months after Aerion signed up GE (GE Avi- Safran Landing Systems ation) as engine supplier with the Af- PPG Aerospace Main landing gear, finity, helped dramatically accelerate Transparencies wheels, brakes the AS2 project. In addition to Boeing, Safran which will support engineering, man- Landing Systems Safran Nacelles GE Aviation ufacturing and flight testing, a raft Nose landing gear Inlets, fan cowl doors, Engines of other partners and suppliers have thrust reversers joined the program. These notably in- Boeing clude Honeywell, which is providing Engineering, manufacturing and ﬂight test the avionics, and Safran for landing

gear and nacelles. UK-based GKN AERION SUPERSONIC Aerospace and Fokker Technologies,

52 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST SUPERSONICS around Mach 0.96 over land where, which that company acquired in 2015, nology being tested in NASA’s X-59 drag, skin friction, lift-induced and of reduced engine power for takeoff. Vice, who notes the AS2 is now 144 ft. in most countries, no sonic boom is are providing electrical wiring and the demonstrator program, the company course all the miscellaneous. You have Although no details are being giv - 11 in. long, compared to almost 180 ft. allowed. empennage structure. Spirit AeroSys- is keen to make the AS2 equally at- to solve all of those problems.” en about the movable surfaces, the in earlier iterations. To fill this hitherto untapped mar- tems will supply the forward fuselage. tractive for transcontinental as well As a result, no one technology trailing edge is believed to support a The shortened length is an outcome ket, the configuration employed a Spain-based Aernnova will pro - as transoceanic missions. Aerion could dominate, says Vice. “So you set of high-speed flaperons inboard, of “a combination of the wing sizing, novel wing design shaped for pas- vide the midfuselage structure, while therefore aims to offer a boomless see a lot less supersonic natural lam- midspan flaps and low-speed ailerons the trailing edge and the tail itself,” he sive supersonic natural laminar Potez Aeronautique of France is sup- cruise capability up to around Mach inar flow on this airplane because we outboard. The leading edge is made adds. “We didn’t need a big moment flow (SNLF)—a condition in which plying doors. Systems and compo - 1.2 by exploiting the Mach cutoff phe- had to get an aircraft that could meet up of fixed sections inboard that arm to get the nose back down at low the boundary layer flow remains sta- nents will also be provided by Eaton nomenon in which thicker air at low- all of the different competing flight appear to incorporate laminar flow speed.” The new configuration, which ble for longer before becoming tur- and Parker, and Siemens Digital In- er altitude refracts the boom away regimes,” he says. “This [new delta treatment, while the movable devic- will not require a foreplane, will also bulent and causing friction drag. The dustries Software has been selected from the ground under particular wing configuration] just turned out es extend from the engine nacelle to allow landing approaches at a shal- technology was championed by aero- to support design and development. atmospheric conditions. to be an extremely high-performing almost the wingtip. lower angle of attack compared to dynamicist Richard Tracy— Aerion’s “We intend to announce others fairly Achieving this speed regime with a design for us.” The look of the AS2 is Two wing-mounted GE Affinity the Concorde, which relied on vortex- co-founder and chief technology soon as we finalize a couple of last wing optimized for SNLF was a chal- therefore transformed, with a more turbofans project forward, enclosed generated lift at low speed. The AS2 officer—who believed the low-drag, systems,” says Vice. lenge. “You’re going to fly an airplane substantial cranked arrow delta wing in slim Safran-supplied nacelles. The will have better visibility over the nose low-aspect-ratio shape would permit The latest design update also re - in the highest drag region, which is planform and pronounced area-ruling third engine is mounted in the tail and during approach, but, even though it the aircraft to fly with limited tran- flects Aerion’s decision to increase Mach cutoff. To do that, you’ve got to around the midfuselage. exhausts through a nozzle directly will not require a droop nose like the sonic drag penalty at high subsonic the AS2’s overland speed capability be a very efficient aircraft in virtually The 79-ft.-span wing has large ac- below the horizontal stabilizer—now retired airliner, it will be fitted with an speed over land and, where permit- with a technique it calls boomless every segment of the flight,” says Vice. tuated leading and trailing edges for mounted immediately aft of the tailfin enhanced vision system for improved ted, supersonically up to Mach 1.6. cruise. With competition stirring, in- “So when we started to look at this, improved low-speed flight and field rather than on top, as in earlier iter- crew situational awareness. Initial development focused on cluding potential low-boom designs we had to think of every element of performance—an important factor ations. “The tail sizing allowed us to With a gross weight of 139,000 lb., thin wing profiles in which shaping, that in the future may build on tech- drag—not just wave drag, but pressure for meeting noise regulations with get to a much shorter airplane,” says the aircraft will carry up to 70,000 lb. rather than active control systems of fuel and a payload of 8,000 lb. As such as suction, could stabilize the in the Concorde, the AS2 fuel system boundary layer through pressure dis- will be used to redistribute weight tribution. Encouraged by flight-test and balance during flight to maintain results of a scaled wing section with trim and compensate for changes in NASA in 2010, Aerion estimated the Aerion Industry Team the center of pressure, which occurs SNLF wing would have 20% less drag during the transition to supersonic than a conventional delta wing and flight. The aircraft will feature a fly- contended that increasing laminar GKN Aerospace by-wire flight control system and a flow fraction could lead to significant Eaton Aernnova Electrical wiring 3,000-psi hydraulic system. weight savings. Aerospace Aerospace Unlike the previous design, in which Although the overall design morphed Fuel system Midfuselage the engines were shown enclosed be- from a twinjet to a trijet in 2014 as hind relatively thick-lipped subsonic- takeoff and landing noise consider- Potez type inlets, the AS2 now features ations became a bigger factor, the Aeronautique Spirit axisymmetric spiked, external com- configuration—by then called the AeroSystems pression inlets. “I won’t say a lot about Doors AS2—retained its unusual trape - Forward fuselage/ GKN Aerospace/ what we do with that inlet, but it meets zoidal wing as Aerion went through all of the really tough requirements for cabin Fokker Technologies partnerships with Airbus and, in 2017, Empennage inlet distortion for engines that try to Lockheed Martin. The same basic Honeywell be all things to all speed regimes,” says wing shape, though now supporting Vice. The spike, which shocks the flow engines slung under the wing and Aerospace Parker Aerospace down to subsonic speeds for inlet re- mounted on the upper fuselage, also Avionics Hydraulic systems covery, forms part of what Vice de - continued as a feature until recently, scribes as a “quite sophisticated inlet.” well after the company’s pivotal new Although Aerion declines to com- partnership with Boeing. ment, the front of the inlet is thought The teaming with Boeing, unveiled to include an automatically controlled in February 2019 just a few months variable-geometry section. This may after Aerion signed up GE (GE Avi- Safran Landing Systems be actuated by translating the spike ation) as engine supplier with the Af- PPG Aerospace Main landing gear, longitudinally to vary the cone ramp finity, helped dramatically accelerate angle, thus controlling the flow area Transparencies wheels, brakes the AS2 project. In addition to Boeing, Safran and the shock system. Without de - which will support engineering, man- Landing Systems Safran Nacelles GE Aviation scribing the specific movement of the ufacturing and flight testing, a raft inlet ring, Vice says only that “if you Nose landing gear Inlets, fan cowl doors, Engines of other partners and suppliers have thrust reversers watch this aircraft go through about joined the program. These notably in- Boeing Mach 0.4, I think you’d find it quite an clude Honeywell, which is providing Engineering, manufacturing and ﬂight test interesting ballet.” the avionics, and Safran for landing He adds: “We really wanted to gear and nacelles. UK-based GKN AERION SUPERSONIC have an aircraft that was superef- Aerospace and Fokker Technologies, ficient at Mach 0.95 and supereffi- cient at Mach 1.4, while at the same

52 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 53 SUPERSONICS

time minimizing noise. These are not advanced systems design and tech- loud [aircraft]. In fact, they meet the Military Option nology leader at GE Aviation. “The most stringent noise rules.” Vice was work includes acoustic testing and speaking shortly after the FAA pro- AERION IS OFFERING A MILITARY AS2 performance testing, as we are trying posed noise certification regulations to optimize those two. There’s obvi- derivative dubbed the High-Altitude that, in the case of the AS2, would set ously a trade there between them, so a noise limit at the lateral certification Supercruise (HASC) platform to serve we are in the process of gathering the measurement point of 96.5 EPNdB, a as a U.S. high-altitude surveillance and data and we’ll continue through mid- flyover limit of 94 EPNdB and an ap- eavesdropping aircraft for the Army, Air year. Then we’ll be in a good position proach limit of 100.2 EPNdB. Force and Navy. The concept includes to downselect on our exhaust config- To minimize noise on takeoff, the new capabilities such as a high-altitude uration,” he adds. proposed rules would allow use of testbed platform for a powerful new As part of its push for sustainability “variable noise reduction systems,” Aerion is also designing the AS2 to class of high-energy lasers with power or dynamic systems such as variable use 100% alternative jet fuel, rather geometry inlets. It would also allow levels of 500 kW or more. than a blend. Much of the initial focus for a programmed lapse rate, which Aerion’s novel approach also cedes for this is at GE. “We’ll be doing com- the FAA says is “a fully automated ownership of the design to the military. bustion testing this summer,” says feature incorporated into the engine The baseline concept builds on the Kirk. “We’ve already completed a controls as part of the engine thrust commercial-certified empennage, en- round in February, and we’ll be doing rating structure, as a means of reduc- gines, wing and centerbody but adds more to show a best-in-class combus- ing noise.” tion technology.” a customized forward fuselage that Work on the Affinity, the world’s Aerion meanwhile aimed to hold first purpose-designed nonafterburn- would house a government-owned an aircraft-level preliminary design ing commercial supersonic engine, is mission system and payload, says review (PDR) in October as part of meanwhile underway at GE Aviation, Stew Miller, Aerion’s executive vice plans to make first flight in 2024 and where a product design review is president of strategic systems. Al- debut the AS2 in service in 2026. scheduled for later in 2020. “We’re lowing military control of the design, However, Vice says the COVID-19 working closely on that timeline,” production and sustainment of a fully pandemic may well change the time- says Brad Mottier, vice president and line. “Like every company in the world modular forward fuselage section general manager of business and gen- today, we’re stepping back and taking eral aviation and integrated systems “changes the model and it empowers a hard look at the economic impact of for GE Aviation. “This is a real pro - the customer,” Miller says. “This is not the coronavirus,” he says. “We have a gram; it’s not just a paper exercise. a [military] modification,” he adds. solid liquidity position that takes us We have hundreds of engineers who Aerion hopes to propose the idea well into the middle of next year, even are assigned to this full-time, and that for the Army’s Aerial Intelligence, Sur- into the fall if necessary, and we are number is going to probably triple by veillance and Reconnaissance aircraft watching closely the volatility and un- the end of the year.” certainty in the marketplace.” program, which seeks to acquire up to The company, which launched the The company is also watching the Affinity in 2017, has completed the 10 modified business jets for the role. impact on the supply chain. “We’re initial design review with Aerion and likely to have to slow things down, and is assessing benchmarking noise data Now thought to be based on a we’re going through that replanning from a “first-of-its-kind acoustic test modified version of the high-pres - now,” he adds. “But we are on a good on an engine to give us the sound sure core of the F110, itself derived solid footing for the overall plan, and reference for a multistage fan design from the same F101 core at the heart we will see what the impact is to the for aeroacoustics and environmental of the CFM56, the medium-bypass PDR as we get through the next four impacts,” says Mottier. “We ultimately 20,000-lb.-thrust-class Affinity incor- or five months.” have to build this, so we’re also start- porates a new low-pressure system Aerion has “taken very prudent ac- ed to engage with our supply chain.” with features not previously seen on tions to look at every element of cost,” Citing competitive reasons, GE and any commercial engine. In early ren- says Vice. “We’ve cut costs, but the one Aerion remain deliberately vague over ditions, these included a distinctive thing that we will not do is lay people the heritage and architectural details two-stage fan made up of wide-chord off or furlough. We have built one of of the core, which Vice describes sim- titanium blisks in place of the usual the most incredibly talented creative ply as off-the-shelf. “The reason why I single-stage fan and low-pressure teams, I think, anywhere in the world. don’t talk about the core is because it compressor, or booster, found in con- And our liquidity position is such that is an incredibly high-performance en- ventional subsonic engines. Novel we don’t have to do anything like that. gine that gives us enormous competi- features, possibly including a fore- So we’re in good shape. Although there tive advantage,” he says. “It is also the and-aft translating variable geometry are likely to be some impacts on the basis of the first of a family of Affinity system, are also thought to be inte - program, which will be pushed out, engines, and Aerion is going to be the grated into the exhaust system to op- we are very confident that we’ll get first of a family of supersonic aircraft. timize performance and reduce noise. through this virus and the economic And the last thing either Brad [Motti- “Since the end of last year and early impacts with it. We’ll come out the other] or I want is for our competitors to this year, we’ve been doing testing on er side stronger and get through PDR understand what we are really doing.” our exhaust system,” says Joel Kirk, and get the airplanes delivered.” c

54 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST SUPERSONICS COMMERCIAL AVIATION time minimizing noise. These are not advanced systems design and tech- loud [aircraft]. In fact, they meet the Military Option nology leader at GE Aviation. “The most stringent noise rules.” Vice was work includes acoustic testing and performance testing, as we are trying speaking shortly after the FAA pro- AERION IS OFFERING A MILITARY AS2 posed noise certification regulations to optimize those two. There’s obvi- SURVIVAL derivative dubbed the High-Altitude that, in the case of the AS2, would set ously a trade there between them, so a noise limit at the lateral certification Supercruise (HASC) platform to serve we are in the process of gathering the measurement point of 96.5 EPNdB, a as a U.S. high-altitude surveillance and data and we’ll continue through mid- OF THE flyover limit of 94 EPNdB and an ap- eavesdropping aircraft for the Army, Air year. Then we’ll be in a good position proach limit of 100.2 EPNdB. Force and Navy. The concept includes to downselect on our exhaust config- SMALLEST To minimize noise on takeoff, the new capabilities such as a high-altitude uration,” he adds. proposed rules would allow use of testbed platform for a powerful new As part of its push for sustainability “variable noise reduction systems,” Aerion is also designing the AS2 to class of high-energy lasers with power or dynamic systems such as variable use 100% alternative jet fuel, rather geometry inlets. It would also allow levels of 500 kW or more. than a blend. Much of the initial focus for a programmed lapse rate, which Aerion’s novel approach also cedes for this is at GE. “We’ll be doing com- the FAA says is “a fully automated ownership of the design to the military. bustion testing this summer,” says feature incorporated into the engine The baseline concept builds on the Kirk. “We’ve already completed a controls as part of the engine thrust commercial-certified empennage, en- round in February, and we’ll be doing rating structure, as a means of reduc- gines, wing and centerbody but adds more to show a best-in-class combus- ing noise.” tion technology.” a customized forward fuselage that Work on the Affinity, the world’s Aerion meanwhile aimed to hold first purpose-designed nonafterburn- would house a government-owned an aircraft-level preliminary design ing commercial supersonic engine, is mission system and payload, says review (PDR) in October as part of meanwhile underway at GE Aviation, Stew Miller, Aerion’s executive vice plans to make first flight in 2024 and where a product design review is president of strategic systems. Al- debut the AS2 in service in 2026. scheduled for later in 2020. “We’re lowing military control of the design, However, Vice says the COVID-19 working closely on that timeline,” production and sustainment of a fully pandemic may well change the time- says Brad Mottier, vice president and line. “Like every company in the world modular forward fuselage section general manager of business and gen- today, we’re stepping back and taking AIRBUS eral aviation and integrated systems “changes the model and it empowers a hard look at the economic impact of the customer,” Miller says. “This is not for GE Aviation. “This is a real pro - the coronavirus,” he says. “We have a > AMID EXPECTED PRODUCTION SLUMP, Air Canada started Airbus A220 gram; it’s not just a paper exercise. a [military] modification,” he adds. solid liquidity position that takes us commercial flights in January. We have hundreds of engineers who Aerion hopes to propose the idea well into the middle of next year, even THE AIRBUS A220 MAY BENEFIT are assigned to this full-time, and that for the Army’s Aerial Intelligence, Sur- into the fall if necessary, and we are and smaller A320/A320neo may be number is going to probably triple by veillance and Reconnaissance aircraft watching closely the volatility and un- better positioned. Boeing’s long-stalled the end of the year.” certainty in the marketplace.” > BOEING/EMBRAER JOINT VENTURE APPROVAL efforts to recertify the troubled 737 program, which seeks to acquire up to The company, which launched the The company is also watching the IS KEY FOR E2 OUTLOOK MAX, added to the scenario in which Affinity in 2017, has completed the 10 modified business jets for the role. impact on the supply chain. “We’re airlines will face acute overcapacity initial design review with Aerion and likely to have to slow things down, and problems even without taking any of is assessing benchmarking noise data Now thought to be based on a we’re going through that replanning > OPPORTUNITIES LIE IN RIGHTSIZING TO MARKETS the large numbers of MAX aircraft in from a “first-of-its-kind acoustic test modified version of the high-pres - now,” he adds. “But we are on a good storage, do not appear to bode well for on an engine to give us the sound sure core of the F110, itself derived solid footing for the overall plan, and ONCE AIRLINES RESTART ORDERS a speedy recovery. reference for a multistage fan design from the same F101 core at the heart we will see what the impact is to the Compounding the issue for Boeing for aeroacoustics and environmental of the CFM56, the medium-bypass PDR as we get through the next four Guy Norris Los Angeles and Jens Flottau Frankfurt is the 737 production halt, which impacts,” says Mottier. “We ultimately 20,000-lb.-thrust-class Affinity incor- or five months.” seems likely to extend beyond even have to build this, so we’re also start- porates a new low-pressure system Aerion has “taken very prudent ac- the provisional “worst-case” con - ed to engage with our supply chain.” with features not previously seen on tions to look at every element of cost,” s fleets of widebodies fly into storage around the ditions originally considered last Citing competitive reasons, GE and any commercial engine. In early ren- says Vice. “We’ve cut costs, but the one world, many of them never to leave, the coronavirus December. Growing delays to recer- Aerion remain deliberately vague over ditions, these included a distinctive thing that we will not do is lay people crisis poses equally challenging questions about the tification of the aircraft and the ter- the heritage and architectural details two-stage fan made up of wide-chord off or furlough. We have built one of mination of deliveries in 2019 have of the core, which Vice describes sim- titanium blisks in place of the usual the most incredibly talented creative Afuture of the smaller single-aisle aircraft at the other significantly affected the company’s ply as off-the-shelf. “The reason why I single-stage fan and low-pressure teams, I think, anywhere in the world. end of the capacity scale. cash flow, forcing it to consume a $13.8 don’t talk about the core is because it compressor, or booster, found in con- And our liquidity position is such that billion drawdown loan much faster is an incredibly high-performance en- ventional subsonic engines. Novel we don’t have to do anything like that. But what will that impact be? While small airliners are created equal and than the financial markets expected. gine that gives us enormous competi- features, possibly including a fore- So we’re in good shape. Although there it is virtually impossible to predict that the recovery scenario may favor Wall Street’s subsequent reaction to tive advantage,” he says. “It is also the and-aft translating variable geometry are likely to be some impacts on the with any certainty, there appears to the fortunes of some models and fam- Boeing’s increased debt and lowered basis of the first of a family of Affinity system, are also thought to be inte - program, which will be pushed out, be a growing consensus that smaller ilies over others. credit rating, exacerbated by the on- engines, and Aerion is going to be the grated into the exhaust system to op- we are very confident that we’ll get is better—particularly as operators In this context and given the relative set of the COVID-19 pandemic and its first of a family of supersonic aircraft. timize performance and reduce noise. through this virus and the economic struggle over the more near-term state of health of the two biggest man- impact on air travel, triggered a col- And the last thing either Brad [Motti- “Since the end of last year and early impacts with it. We’ll come out the oth- recovery period forecast for the next ufacturers—Airbus and Boeing—going lapse in the company’s share price in er] or I want is for our competitors to this year, we’ve been doing testing on er side stronger and get through PDR two years. To further complicate mat- into the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems March. Later the same month, Boeing understand what we are really doing.” our exhaust system,” says Joel Kirk, and get the airplanes delivered.” c ters, some observers believe not all the European company with its A220 also appealed for state aid.

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Not surprisingly, the signs of an ac- For now, deliveries—and even less compared to 48 in 2019. The number celerating erosion of the impressive so, orders—do not indicate that small will rise to 97 in 2022 and stay around MAX order backlog have begun to aircraft are doing better. In fact, the that level for several years, they say. show. Following order losses in 2019 Aviation Week Intelligence Network Airbus had hoped to bring the A220 largely connected to the collapse of Fleet Discovery database shows such up to the current maximum possible India’s Jet Airways, the latest fi gures aircraft were worse o going into the rate of 14 aircraft per month, or close show that by the end of February, be- COVID-19 crisis than the larger nar- to 170 a year, by the middle of the de- fore the full impact of the pandemic rowbodies, although the numbers cade, a target that now seems elusive. was felt outside of Asia, Boeing had refl ect previous market trends more But it is growth, at least. According already had a net loss of 43 orders for than the impact of the crisis. But to Agency Partners, Airbus will still the year. those numbers cannot be ignored be able to deliver 541 A320neo-family In early April, Avolon offered a either. aircraft this year, roughly in line with strong indication of what may come From January to March, Boeing de- 2019, but production will fall to just from the global leasing community in livered just two narrowbodies (both 319 in 2021 and not recover to precri- the next few years. Avolon canceled 737-800s); Airbus handed over 104 sis levels until 2025. an order for 75 737 MAXs that would single-aisles in the period, already The situation is even worse for have been due for delivery between well below its targeted average output Embraer, which delivered only six now and 2023, reducing its own ex- of 63 aircraft per month. But they in- commercial jets in January-March— posure to what is likely to be a very cluded no A319s or A319neos and only one E175 for American Airlines, one weak airline market. The lessor also eight A220s. 190-E2 each for Air Kiribati and deferred deliveries for nine A320neos The A220 could be a winner in Helvetic Airways and one E195-E2 from 2020 and 2021 to 2027 or later. relative terms, as its combination of for Azul. While the E2 is generally But even as the backlog takes a relatively small size, low unit costs accepted as a very e¡ cient, well-de- hit, there is the possibility that order and long range not only enables it to signed aircraft with good seat-mile substitutions may also take place as fl y in secondary markets but also to cost and even better trip-cost per- airlines attempt to adjust for mid- replace larger narrowbodies on pri- formance, its sales have been disap- pointing, with too few key orders from Aer- T A T M S 22 Cap, Azul and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the type of orders Regionals that meet Embraer’s Single-Aisles hopes of moving the E2 more into the Twin-Aisles mainline market. For Embraer, timing and the market environment were horrible. In the years of high growth, business was too good for airlines to buy in to Embraer’s rightsizing argument in a mean-

elieries in billions ingful way. It was still OK to fl y an A320 or 737-800, even if that one midday flight was not generating 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 profi ts. In the overall Source: ea roup scheme of things, it did not matter. Then term capacity needs. Whether this is mary, longer-haul routes on which de- Airbus bought the former C Series refl ected in an uptick for orders of the mand is temporarily suppressed. An program from Bombardier, forcing slow-sellingSource: e rou 737-7 variant of the MAX Airbus production forecast by Agency Boeing and Embraer to react. remains to be seen. Though Boeing Partners analysts envisions the A220 The resulting joint venture, Boeing does not provide a breakdown of as the only model that can sustain Brasil-Commercial, in which Boeing MAX orders, the smallest member increased production rates over the plans to own an 80% stake, has not yet of the family is thought to currently next seven years, albeit at lower num- received regulatory approval from the account for only around 50 aircraft bers than initially planned. European Commission. While most against 3,000 for the -8, more than Analysts Sash Tusa and Nick Cun- observers agree it will ultimately get 450 for the -9 and more than 520 for ningham forecast that Airbus will the green light even in Europe, the pre- the yet-to-fl y -10 stretch. be able to deliver 65 A220s in 2020, COVID-19 deadline for the decision

5 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Not surprisingly, the signs of an ac- For now, deliveries—and even less compared to 48 in 2019. The number was the end of June, and Boeing and of its product line.” Whether the in buying mode for new planes.” celerating erosion of the impressive so, orders—do not indicate that small will rise to 97 in 2022 and stay around Embraer had hoped to close the deal same positive push also applies to Leeuwen adds: “Another element MAX order backlog have begun to aircraft are doing better. In fact, the that level for several years, they say. at the end of 2019. the Embraer E-Jet family is still to to consider could be that passengers show. Following order losses in 2019 Aviation Week Intelligence Network Airbus had hoped to bring the A220 There has been much speculation as be determined. “Much depends on will strongly prefer smaller aircraft largely connected to the collapse of Fleet Discovery database shows such up to the current maximum possible to whether the transaction was being Embraer being able to get its produc- and point-to-point services rather India’s Jet Airways, the latest fi gures aircraft were worse o going into the rate of 14 aircraft per month, or close held hostage in the wider trade dispute tion economics in line with Airbus’. If than connecting through busy mega- show that by the end of February, be- COVID-19 crisis than the larger nar- to 170 a year, by the middle of the de- between Europe and the U.S., which they aren’t, this is a 75% Airbus mar- hubs, to reduce the risk of contagion fore the full impact of the pandemic rowbodies, although the numbers cade, a target that now seems elusive. has led to tari s on Airbus aircraft im- ket,” he adds. and crowded boarding areas.” was felt outside of Asia, Boeing had refl ect previous market trends more But it is growth, at least. According ported into the U.S. But people with According to Bert van Leeuwen, The second, equally gloomy, sce- already had a net loss of 43 orders for than the impact of the crisis. But to Agency Partners, Airbus will still close knowledge of the matter say the managing director and head of avi- nario builds on the premise of the the year. those numbers cannot be ignored be able to deliver 541 A320neo-family issue has more to do In early April, Avolon offered a either. aircraft this year, roughly in line with with internal com- strong indication of what may come From January to March, Boeing de- 2019, but production will fall to just mission matters and SA 22 from the global leasing community in livered just two narrowbodies (both 319 in 2021 and not recover to precri- how to exit an inves- the next few years. Avolon canceled 737-800s); Airbus handed over 104 sis levels until 2025. tigation that has gone an order for 75 737 MAXs that would single-aisles in the period, already The situation is even worse for too far in a face-sav- Airbus A320ceo Boeing 737NG have been due for delivery between well below its targeted average output Embraer, which delivered only six ing way. Airbus A320neo Boeing 737 MAX now and 2023, reducing its own ex- of 63 aircraft per month. But they in- commercial jets in January-March— But even if Boeing Airbus A321neo Comac C919/ posure to what is likely to be a very cluded no A319s or A319neos and only one E175 for American Airlines, one Brasil-Commercial Irkut MC-21 weak airline market. The lessor also eight A220s. 190-E2 each for Air Kiribati and were to receive the C Series/A220 deferred deliveries for nine A320neos The A220 could be a winner in Helvetic Airways and one E195-E2 last missing approval from 2020 and 2021 to 2027 or later. relative terms, as its combination of for Azul. While the E2 is generally this summer, it would But even as the backlog takes a relatively small size, low unit costs accepted as a very e¡ cient, well-de- be cleared to go at the hit, there is the possibility that order and long range not only enables it to signed aircraft with good seat-mile worst possible mo- substitutions may also take place as fl y in secondary markets but also to cost and even better trip-cost per- ment. Boeing would airlines attempt to adjust for mid- replace larger narrowbodies on pri- formance, its sales have been disap- have to pay $4.6 bil- pointing, with too few lion for the commer- key orders from Aer- cial part of a compa- elieries in billions T A T M S 22 Cap, Azul and KLM ny that the stock Royal Dutch Airlines, exchange currently the type of orders values at $1.5 billion Regionals that meet Embraer’s including its defense 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 hopes of moving the and business aviation Single-Aisles Source: ea roup E2 more into the segments. The low Twin-Aisles mainline market. valuation may be For Embraer, tim- temporary. But Boeing is asking for a ation research for MUFG Bank’s first. “Now, let’s assume there will ing and the market government bailout on the order of global aviation fi nance division, the be more airline defaults or consoli- environment were $60 billion for itself and the supplySource: e rou industry may well be facing two pos- dation,” he says. “The few surviving horrible. In the years chain, and may face political opposi- sible scenarios, both of which point airlines may compete on price, mainly of high growth, busi- tion to spending a signifi cant amount to signifi cant downsizing across both to stimulate demand, less so to gain ness was too good for on an acquisition in Brazil. single- and twin-aisle sectors. “After market share. This would imply that airlines to buy in to “Strategically, it is still a great part- the COVID-19 crisis, the world will airlines will not increase frequencies Embraer’s rightsizing nership, and we have to get through experience a major economic reces- but will focus on lowering seat-mile argument in a mean- the regulatory hurdles,” says Boeing sion. With high unemployment, pen- costs. They can achieve this by con- solidating fl ights and deploying larger elieries in billions ingful way. It was still Chief Financial O cer Greg Smith. sions and so on will be under pres- OK to fl y an A320 or “We will see how long that takes, but sure due to the collapse of the stock aircraft, like the MAX 9/10, A321. On 737-800, even if that it still remains a priority for us.” With- markets and some major corporations long-haul [transatlantic] routes this one midday flight out the deal, Boeing will struggle to in bankruptcy, while Italy and other may imply the A321neo XLR will re- was not generating come up with an o ering to compete countries will be in crisis.” place even more twin-aisles.” 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 profi ts. In the overall with the A220, and Embraer would He says one result will be that a This sentiment is shared by Source: ea roup scheme of things, it be left to compete on its own against fear of flying, along with economic Aboulafi a. “The A321neo will continue did not matter. Then Airbus and Boeing, a situation it has issues, will reduce the number of to be hugely relevant as a widebody term capacity needs. Whether this is mary, longer-haul routes on which de- Airbus bought the former C Series tried to avoid from the initial design passengers signifi cantly. “[A]irlines replacement. The 787, too, but if you refl ected in an uptick for orders of the mand is temporarily suppressed. An program from Bombardier, forcing of the latest E-Jet generation. will have to compete more intensely don’t need its range and capacity, the slow-sellingSource: e rou 737-7 variant of the MAX Airbus production forecast by Agency Boeing and Embraer to react. “My feeling is that this new climate for passengers,” he says. “This may A321neo will win,” he says. remains to be seen. Though Boeing Partners analysts envisions the A220 The resulting joint venture, Boeing will favor smaller aircraft, as long imply higher frequencies and smaller “Initially, we will see increased utili- does not provide a breakdown of as the only model that can sustain Brasil-Commercial, in which Boeing as they have necessary range and average aircraft sizes. With low fuel zation of smaller airplanes,” Leeuwen MAX orders, the smallest member increased production rates over the plans to own an 80% stake, has not yet equivalent economics,” says Richard cost, the less favorable fuel burn per says. “But by 2023 we may slowly re- of the family is thought to currently next seven years, albeit at lower num- received regulatory approval from the Aboulafi a, vice president of analysis seat-mile for smaller planes won’t be turn to normality. As it stands right account for only around 50 aircraft bers than initially planned. European Commission. While most for the Teal Group. “For single-aisles, that much of an issue for the airlines. now, I don’t expect airlines to go out against 3,000 for the -8, more than Analysts Sash Tusa and Nick Cun- observers agree it will ultimately get the A220 will be more relevant than Ultimately, A321s or 737-900s may on a shopping spree to buy additional 450 for the -9 and more than 520 for ningham forecast that Airbus will the green light even in Europe, the pre- ever, particularly now that Airbus is even be parted out to support A319 [smaller] aircraft. Leasing may be an the yet-to-fl y -10 stretch. be able to deliver 65 A220s in 2020, COVID-19 deadline for the decision getting its costs in line with the rest or 737-700 fl eets, as airlines won’t be option.” c

5 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 5 UNMANNED AVIATION DRONES JOIN THE FIGHT DRONETOOLS

> F ARM DRONES ARE REPURPOSED TO SPRAY DISINFECTANTS > D RONES WITH LOUDSPEAKERS ENFORCE SOCIAL DISTANCING

Bill Carey Washington edical logistics was already a growth market for small Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit is unmanned aircraft systems before the COVID-19 pan- using the Dronetools Dronehexa-AG demic pressed the case for using drones in a variety of agricultural drone to spray disinfectants in that hard-hit country. Mways to benefit public health. As the novel coronavirus that a 5-million-yuan ($710,000) fund to vaccine to overseas territories of the causes COVID-19 radiated beyond cover the cost of spare parts and Spanish Empire in 1803-06. China to Europe, the Americas, the maintenance. By late February, 370 A U.S. oil-spill response company, Indian subcontinent and elsewhere, teams and 2,600 drones had joined OMI Environmental Solutions, of Belle media accounts surfaced of drones the effort, the company said. Chasse, Louisiana, says it has lined up being deployed to move medical par- India’s Atom Drones operated multiple clients for its drone disinfec- cels, enforce social-distancing rules multirotor spray drones to disinfect tion service for large indoor areas, in- and disinfect streets and buildings. Delhi’s crowded Nizamuddin neigh- cluding stadiums, convention centers While some public health officials borhood, identified as a coronavirus and warehouses. OMI’s eight-rotor questioned the utility and safety of hot spot. Garuda Aerospace deployed drone disperses a mist of Environmen- dispersing chemical disinfectants 300 drones and 500 pilots to disinfect tal Protection Agency-approved agents by drone, many nations adopted the public spaces, colleges, hotels and hos- that kills the novel coronavirus and tactic, typically by repurposing ag- pitals across 26 cities in India, accord- nearly all bacteria, the company says. ricultural drones used for precision ing to its domestic media. Surveillance, enforcement of social- spraying of pesticides and fertilizers. Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit distancing rules and remote monitor- Early in the crisis, Chinese agricul- (UME) tested the DJI Agras MG-1 and ing for COVID-19 symptoms—uses ture technology company XAG de - Dronetools’ Dronehexa-AG agricultur- that could be considered intrusive in ployed its XPlanet agricultural drone al drones to disinfect outdoor areas, normal times—are among other ac- and R80 robotic ground vehicle, some- the South China Morning Post reported. tive or planned applications of drones times working in tandem, to disinfect The UME is among 2,500 troops in the pandemic battle. coronavirus-hit outdoor areas and participating in disinfection opera- In Kazakhstan, Terra Drone group epidemic-prevention vehicles. tions in 172 locations across Spain company KazUAV operated a fixed-wing On Feb. 2, XAG called for drone under Operation Balmis, named after surveillance drone to monitor borders users to “voluntarily engage” in dis- Francisco Javier Balmis, a military and enforce a quarantine of Nur-Sul- infection operations and announced doctor who delivered the smallpox tan, the country’s locked-down capital.

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Canada’s Draganfly, the University are making these requests a priority than many people are conditioned DRONES JOIN THE FIGHT of South Australia and health care and considering options for accommo- to—full truckloads dropping off a data company Vital Intelligence an- dating such operations consistent with giant delivery on an infrequent basis.” DRONETOOLS nounced a partnership on March 26 to our safety mission,” the agency stated. Stuart Ginn, a head and neck sur- develop a “pandemic drone” enabled “We believe there’s a lot we could geon and former airline pilot, was with cameras and computer vision. do here,” says William Hetzler, who instrumental in developing the UPS The aim is to ferret out infections in cofounded Zipline in 2014. “We have Flight Forward drone-delivery service crowds by monitoring the body tem- already received requests from the at WakeMed Health and Hospitals in peratures and heart and respiratory community level to accelerate our Raleigh, North Carolina. Launched in rates of individuals. launch to help with the response to March 2019 under the FAA’s UAS In- Despite U.S. government policies the coronavirus. We’re ready to go. tegration Pilot Program (IPP), the ser- that prohibit federal agencies from We believe that as soon as we receive vice uses the Matternet M2 quadcop- using Chinese-made drones, Shen- the green light, we could be operating ter to transport blood samples across a zhen, China-based DJI said it would in as little as a few weeks.” busy street from an outpatient surgery loan or donate drones and accesso- Such an operation in the U.S. could center to the main hospital laboratory. ries to police, fire and public safety help ensure continuity of access to The WakeMed operation was not agencies in 22 states. supplies such as blood and vaccines directly supporting the COVID-19 re- The Daytona Beach Police Depart- that may not be directly tied to the sponse, but the topic of applying IPP ment in Florida reported receiving pandemic, Zipline asserts. Addition- projects to battle the pandemic arose in

two drones from DJI, including a ATOM DRONES Mavic 2 quadcopter equipped with a loudspeaker that it was using to en- F ARM DRONES ARE REPURPOSED force social distancing in city parks. > “We’ve had great success with it,” TO SPRAY DISINFECTANTS stated an officer with the department’s unmanned aviation systems unit. > D RONES WITH LOUDSPEAKERS “We’ve put it in pretty much all of the city parks in the last week or so. We’ve ENFORCE SOCIAL DISTANCING had 100% compliance.” Apparently unauthorized was a loudspeaker-equipped drone that was Bill Carey Washington filmed skirting a river in New York City, A team with edical logistics was already a growth market for small Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit is instructing people below to keep their distance on behalf of the Anti-Covid-19 Atom Drones flew using the Dronetools Dronehexa-AG unmanned aircraft systems before the COVID-19 pan- Volunteer Drone Task Force. a multirotor spray agricultural drone to spray disinfec- demic pressed the case for using drones in a variety of Prominent in an effort to deploy drone to disinfect tants in that hard-hit country. drones in the pandemic response in ways to benefit public health. New Delhi’s crowded M the U.S. is Zipline, which launched a As the novel coronavirus that a 5-million-yuan ($710,000) fund to vaccine to overseas territories of the long-range service in 2016 to deliver Nizamuddin neighborhood. causes COVID-19 radiated beyond cover the cost of spare parts and Spanish Empire in 1803-06. units of blood to hospitals in Rwanda, China to Europe, the Americas, the maintenance. By late February, 370 A U.S. oil-spill response company, and in 2019 to deliver vaccines, blood ally, its services could help keep ve- March, Ginn says. He recalls: “Every- Indian subcontinent and elsewhere, teams and 2,600 drones had joined OMI Environmental Solutions, of Belle products and medications to health hicles off the street, allow illnesses to body’s first thought was, What about media accounts surfaced of drones the effort, the company said. Chasse, Louisiana, says it has lined up centers in Ghana. be treated at home and keep hospital testing? What about using this technol- being deployed to move medical par- India’s Atom Drones operated multiple clients for its drone disinfec- The South San Francisco, Califor- beds open for critical-care patients. ogy to ship test samples to the labs so cels, enforce social-distancing rules multirotor spray drones to disinfect tion service for large indoor areas, in- nia-based company now operates two More directly, Zipline drones could we could amplify the testing response?” and disinfect streets and buildings. Delhi’s crowded Nizamuddin neigh- cluding stadiums, convention centers distribution centers in Rwanda and deliver laboratory reagents and other Just as the virulence and spread of While some public health officials borhood, identified as a coronavirus and warehouses. OMI’s eight-rotor four in Ghana; the fixed-wing, cata- supplies used to diagnose COVID-19 the virus caught nations unprepared, questioned the utility and safety of hot spot. Garuda Aerospace deployed drone disperses a mist of Environmen- pult-launched aircraft it uses delivers cases, treatments used to manage Ginn believes the U.S. would have to dispersing chemical disinfectants 300 drones and 500 pilots to disinfect tal Protection Agency-approved agents an order to a distance of 50 mi., drops symptoms of the disease, and tar - ramp up the infrastructure for drone by drone, many nations adopted the public spaces, colleges, hotels and hos- that kills the novel coronavirus and the parcel by parachute and returns geted supplies of personal protective deliveries in a major way to make a tactic, typically by repurposing ag- pitals across 26 cities in India, accord- nearly all bacteria, the company says. to its base. equipment for healthcare workers, difference in the fight. ricultural drones used for precision ing to its domestic media. Surveillance, enforcement of social- Zipline has been collaborating with the company says. “If we had a national level or indus- spraying of pesticides and fertilizers. Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit distancing rules and remote monitor- Novant Health of North Carolina and The payload capacity of a Zipline try level asset in place, there are so Early in the crisis, Chinese agricul- (UME) tested the DJI Agras MG-1 and ing for COVID-19 symptoms—uses had plans to launch a delivery service drone is 3.9 lb., but the company says many models where you could deploy ture technology company XAG de - Dronetools’ Dronehexa-AG agricultur- that could be considered intrusive in in the U.S. this fall to convey supplies to it can perform 150 deliveries in a day. this technology to scale, amplify test- ployed its XPlanet agricultural drone al drones to disinfect outdoor areas, normal times—are among other ac- health facilities and at-home patients. “Over a week, we might distrib - ing and make an absolute impact on a and R80 robotic ground vehicle, some- the South China Morning Post reported. tive or planned applications of drones Now, because of the novel corona- ute several tons of product, but in a public health crisis,” Ginn says. times working in tandem, to disinfect The UME is among 2,500 troops in the pandemic battle. virus outbreak, the company hopes hyper-targeted, just-in-time-supply “You could set up distributed testing coronavirus-hit outdoor areas and participating in disinfection opera- In Kazakhstan, Terra Drone group to expedite the regulatory approval way,” Hetzler says. “We can do a sites all over a county, much closer to epidemic-prevention vehicles. tions in 172 locations across Spain company KazUAV operated a fixed-wing process. The FAA was working with thousand deliveries over that week people’s homes, and have those sam- On Feb. 2, XAG called for drone under Operation Balmis, named after surveillance drone to monitor borders a dozen companies and government of exactly what’s needed to exactly ples flown very rapidly to where [they] users to “voluntarily engage” in dis- Francisco Javier Balmis, a military and enforce a quarantine of Nur-Sul- agencies seeking to use drones outside the point where it is needed. It’s a dif- need to go to get testing done,” Ginn infection operations and announced doctor who delivered the smallpox tan, the country’s locked-down capital. its current regulatory framework. “We ferent way of thinking about supplies adds. “But we’re not quite there yet.” c

58 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 59 AVIONICS SCALING DOWN

> RADAR SYSTEMS READIED FOR LARGE AND SMALL DRONES

> L E G A C YMANUFACTURERS EYE UAM MARKET

Bill Carey Washington he size, weight, power and cost considerations that drive avionics design apply as usual Tfor small drones and compact urban air mobility vehicles that will be expected to perform like traditional aircraft in managed airspace.

Visibility to surveillance systems, keeping them below the FAA’s mini- Testers with the Virginia Tech Mid- an ability to self-separate from other mum safe altitude for manned aircraft Atlantic Aviation Partnership carried tra c and a high degree of fl ight auto- of 500 ft. over uncongested areas. UAS a Titan X8 multirotor drone equipped mation will be among the avionic at- Tra c Management Systems will coor- with the Echodyne EchoFlight meta- tributes drones and urban air mobility dinate multiple, simultaneous fl ights of (UAM) vehicles will need. commercial drones. material electronically scanning Aircraft operating in most con- UAM vehicles will inhabit a middle array radar (the small white panel trolled airspace in the U.S. as well as layer of 500-1,000 ft. AGL or higher, fl y- tted below its front) during NASA’s in designated airspace in other parts ing within defi ned airspace corridors Raavin project. of the world now require transponders that Uber has named “Skylanes.” Ser- and satellite-positioning receivers to vice providers will coordinate fl ights band for radio-controlled hobby aircraft transmit their precise location to con- within what Embraer calls an urban and cars. Using DSM, a transmitter trollers by automatic dependent sur- air tra c management system. scans the band for unused channels to veillance-broadcast (ADS-B), a method Five years ago, inventor and entre- send a unique encoded signal to a re- that adds another surveillance layer preneur Paul Beard founded uAvionix, ceiver that is “bound,” or programmed along with ground-based radar. a company focused on scaling down an to recognize the signal, a technique that Small unmanned aircraft systems ADS-B system to provide small drones reduces the possibility of interference (UAS) will need to signal their posi- with collision-avoidance capability. with other nearby devices. tion in the U.S.—although likely not A model aircraft enthusiast, Beard is “It was pretty simple back then—it by ADS-B—in lower-level airspace up credited with developing digital spec- was ADS-B for drones,” recalls uAvio- to 400 ft. above ground level (AGL), trum modulation (DSM) in the 2.4-GHz nix President Christian Ramsey about

AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIONICS

AMY ROBERTSON/VIRGINIA TECH the company’s founding. “Paul in par- internal avionics bay space—you put it der-equipped “cooperative” aircraft ticular comes from Silicon Valley and all on the edges of the aircraft.” replying to transponder interrogations. has a history of understanding how to He adds: “If you can combine that The system is based on performance miniaturize and put things on chips with [aircraft] lighting, then you’ve got standards developed by RTCA Special SCALING and move that into production.” a power source already available, ready Committee 228 and referenced in FAA With venture capital funding, for use. That’s the direction that we’re technical standard orders C211 (DAA uAvionix built its first product: an taking a lot of our systems with urban systems) and C212 (Air-to-Air Radar ADS-B core radio chip capable of air mobility in mind. We’re taking the for Traffic Surveillance), which provide transmitting and receiving at 1090 core component and building it into guidance to manufacturers planning to DOWN MHz and 978 MHz, frequencies what traditionally would be considered build FAA-authorized equipment. the FAA specifies to interact with the antenna footprint.” Last September, GA-ASI awarded its ground radio stations. From its In late December, the FAA released the L3Harris Technologies and Thales “ping” series of ADS-B transceivers a long-awaited notice of proposed joint venture ACSS a five-year contract > RADAR SYSTEMS READIED FOR weighing as little as 26 grams (0.9 rulemaking describing remote identi- to supply 200 DAA processors for air- LARGE AND SMALL DRONES oz.), the company branched into com- fication requirements for small drones. craft fitted with the collision-avoidance mand-and-control data link radios The proposed regulation would prohib- system. The processor supports the for drones, GPS modules and ADS-B it drones from using ADS-B Out tran- latest TCAS II, DAA and ADS-B func- > L E G A C YMANUFACTURERS transceivers and transponders for gen- sponders to send identity and position tionality in a compact, lightweight unit, EYE UAM MARKET eral aviation (GA) aircraft and airport data, out of concern for radio frequency says ACSS. ground vehicles. saturation and lack of ground infra- But an electronically scanned In October 2019, uAvionix acquired structure to receive ADS-B data at phased-array radar comparable to one AeroVonics of Albuquerque, New Mex- lower altitudes. designed for military fighters or ico, a manufacturer of digital primary While the rulemaking “affects our for a Predator-sized UAS that flight and multifunction cockpit dis- initial vision of ADS-B on drones,” a will fly in controlled airspace is

plays for the GA market. That month, strong business case remains for UAVIONIX not a size or cost option for a the company also settled a patent in- drone pilots to be informed of near- small drone intended for pack- fringement lawsuit brought against it by air traffic through ADS-B In age deliveries or some other Bill Carey Washington by Garmin, which had accused uAvion- reception, says Ramsey. “We’ve mission at low altitude. ix of using patented ADS-B technology known it’s been Around 2013, entrepreneurs at he size, weight, power and without permission. Under terms of Intellectual Ventures, a technolo- cost considerations that drive the confidential settlement, uAvio- gy incubator founded by former avionics design apply as usual nix was allowed to continue Microsoft Chief Technology Offi- offering specific cer Nathan Myhrvold, initiated Tfor small drones and compact products. development of a scaled-down urban air mobility vehicles that will be In the GA mar- electronic phased-array radar expected to perform like traditional air- ket, uAvionix spe- based on metamaterials—engi- cializes in easily neered microstructures that can craft in managed airspace. installed systems that take be arranged in patterns to manip- advantage of existing lighting loca- ulate electromagnetic waves. tions and access to aircraft power. In The uAvionix TailBeaconX ADS-B Military-grade AESA radars February, it announced TailBeaconX, Out transponder replaces an are structured from hundreds to thousands of transmit-re- a 1090-MHz Extended Squitter ADS-B aircraft’s rear position light. Visibility to surveillance systems, keeping them below the FAA’s mini- Testers with the Virginia Tech Mid- “Out” transponder, GPS position ceive (T/R) modules. A T/R an ability to self-separate from other mum safe altitude for manned aircraft Atlantic Aviation Partnership carried source and dipole antenna, which it module consists of phase tra c and a high degree of fl ight auto- of 500 ft. over uncongested areas. UAS a Titan X8 multirotor drone equipped hailed as the first commercially avail- coming for quite a time in order to piv- shifters that change radio mation will be among the avionic at- Tra c Management Systems will coor- able avionics solution developed with ot in other directions,” he notes. frequency (RF) signal phases with the Echodyne EchoFlight meta- tributes drones and urban air mobility dinate multiple, simultaneous fl ights of the needs of UAM vehicles in mind. While manned aircraft have a pi- to drive a radar wavefront in different (UAM) vehicles will need. commercial drones. material electronically scanning The TailBeaconX, with an integrat- lot aboard to see and avoid other air- directions, circulators that switch be- Aircraft operating in most con- UAM vehicles will inhabit a middle array radar (the small white panel ed light-emitting diode position light, craft and have traffic alert and colli- tween transmit and receive modes, am- trolled airspace in the U.S. as well as layer of 500-1,000 ft. AGL or higher, fl y- tted below its front) during NASA’s replaces an aircraft’s rear position sion-avoidance systems (TCAS) as a plifiers and other electronics, explains in designated airspace in other parts ing within defi ned airspace corridors Raavin project. light. uAvionix expects FAA technical last resort to prevent midair collisions, Eben Frankenberg, cofounder and CEO of the world now require transponders that Uber has named “Skylanes.” Ser- standard order and supplemental type drones and pilotless UAM vehicles will of Echodyne Corp. and satellite-positioning receivers to vice providers will coordinate fl ights band for radio-controlled hobby aircraft certification of the transponder in the need sensor-based detect-and-avoid Based in Kirkland, Washington, transmit their precise location to con- within what Embraer calls an urban and cars. Using DSM, a transmitter second quarter; it plans to introduce a (DAA) systems. Echodyne spun off from Intellectual trollers by automatic dependent sur- air tra c management system. scans the band for unused channels to wingtip version in mid-2020. In concert with NASA and the FAA, Ventures in 2014 to build metamateri- veillance-broadcast (ADS-B), a method Five years ago, inventor and entre- send a unique encoded signal to a re- With manufacturing facilities in General Atomics Aeronautical Systems al electronically scanning array-based that adds another surveillance layer preneur Paul Beard founded uAvionix, ceiver that is “bound,” or programmed Bigfork and Columbia Falls, Montana, (GA-ASI) has built a DAA system for radars sized for small drones and along with ground-based radar. a company focused on scaling down an to recognize the signal, a technique that uAvionix essentially builds radios, “and the Predator B over the past several ground-based DAA systems as well as Small unmanned aircraft systems ADS-B system to provide small drones reduces the possibility of interference radios need antennas,” says Ramsey. years that combines an active, electron- radars for security systems and auton- (UAS) will need to signal their posi- with collision-avoidance capability. with other nearby devices. “The antennas go on the external part ically scanned array (AESA) air-to-air omous cars. tion in the U.S.—although likely not A model aircraft enthusiast, Beard is “It was pretty simple back then—it of the aircraft, so why not build a whole radar to detect “noncooperative” air- While a beam-steering radar “costs by ADS-B—in lower-level airspace up credited with developing digital spec- was ADS-B for drones,” recalls uAvio- system that can be installed on the ex- craft targets with a TCAS computer hundreds of thousands of dollars at the to 400 ft. above ground level (AGL), trum modulation (DSM) in the 2.4-GHz nix President Christian Ramsey about ternals of the aircraft? You don’t need processor to track nearby, transpon- low end,” Echodyne’s radars are priced

AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 61 AVIONICS BELL TEXTRON

Garmin is leading avionics development for Bell Textron’s Nexus eVTOL air taxi.

at “tens of thousands of dollars,” says a smaller DJI Phantom 4, the compa- serve as an integral component of Frankenberg. ny says. Search-while-track capability UAM sensor suites. “A number” of “The whole concept around it is the enables the radar to track a specific UAM vehicle developers are testing ability to make a beam-steering radar object with a high refresh rate while Echodyne’s radar, says Frankenberg. like a phased-array radar but without continuing to scan the rest of the field “It’s very much the same thing as using phase shifters,” says Frankenberg. of view for intruders. the drone market, which is to provide “By eliminating those and all the com- In 2018-19, Echodyne participated in airspace surveillance in front of an plicated electronics, we can create a NASA’s “Raavin” project to analyze the urban air mobility vehicle,” observes true beam-steering radar at commer- radar’s DAA performance on a Titan Frankenberg. “The good news there is cial price points.” X8 multirotor drone. they are big platforms with plenty of Echodyne’s metamaterial elec- Managed by the Virginia Tech power that can carry weight. Trying tronically scanning array radars use Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, the to put three of our radars on a small multilayered printed circuit boards project paired the radar with NASA’s drone would be really hard. Even one to create a software-controlled, Icarous (Independent Configurable is viewed as a parasite on both power beam-steering radar antenna driven Architecture for Reliable Operations of and weight.” by standard radar transceiver elec- Unmanned Systems) software to test Among legacy manufacturers, Hon- tronics. “This is not a chip technology; collision-avoidance maneuvers. Tes- eywell is prominent in developing avi- it is essentially an antenna technology ters flew encounter scenarios against onics for UAM vehicles (AW&ST Oct. with our own radar in the back end of another drone and a Liberty University 14-27, 2019, p. 74) as well as for drones. it,” says Frankenberg. Cessna 172 Skyhawk. The company has revealed plans to Echodyne’s EchoFlight airborne As yet, there is no standards-based produce components including a fly- radar operates in the K band at 24.45- DAA system specification for small by-wire flight computer, a phased-array 24.65 GHz. The company sells the ra- UAS comparable to what industry radar, automatic landing and naviga- dar in single panels measuring 7.38 X and government have developed for tion systems, electromechanical actu- 4.75 X 1.6 in. and weighing about 26 oz. Predator B-class aircraft. “Everything ators and environmental and cooling The panel’s field of view is 120 deg. in that’s happening for DAA on smaller systems for companies such as Vertical azimuth (plus or minus 60 deg. from drones is still considered testing” and Aerospace, Jaunt Air Mobility, Eviation straightforward) and 80 deg. in eleva- requires exemptions from the FAA, and Pipistrel. tion. Three panels positioned around says Frankenberg. In recent months, Honeywell has an aircraft provide 360 deg. in azimuth. On April 6, San Francisco-based teased on social media “the world’s Cooling fins on the antenna pan- Iris Automation, a company founded smallest and lightest” satellite com- els allow air flow to cool radars that in 2015, announced the commercial munications system for beyond-visual- are mounted externally. If an array is release of an optical DAA system for line-of-sight connectivity with drones, contained within a fairing or cowling, drones, the Casio 360. Weighing 4.7 lb. but says it is not ready to officially “you may need to move the air around with enclosure, the system is an em- launch the product. inside there, but it doesn’t have sig- bedded computing platform combined Another manufacturer—Cobham— nificant airflow requirements,” says with onboard controllers and five ma- has developed the high-bandwidth Frankenberg. chine-vision cameras that provide a Aviator UAV 500 satellite terminal The typical detection range of 360-deg. field of view. for video streaming by larger drones. EchoFlight is at least 2 km (1.2 mi.) for Frankenberg contends that radar Collins Aerospace expects to be the a Cessna aircraft, 1 km for a DJI Inspire will be essential to any future DAA first to market with a certified C-band 2 quadcopter, and 750 m (2,500 ft.) for specification for drones and also will command-and-control data link ra-

62 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIONICS HONEYWELL AEROSPACE BELL TEXTRON

dio for drones (AW&ST , Feb. the aircraft, which is somewhat 24-March 8, p. 26). of a moving target as they final- Airframer Bell Textron has ize subsystems and propulsion selected Garmin to lead the de- systems,” says Stone. sign, development and produc- Similarly, Stone declined to tion of avionics hardware and specify which other UAM vehi- software for its Nexus electric cle manufacturers Garmin may vertical-takeoff-and-landing be working with, or what role (eVTOL) air taxi, first revealed the company’s new Autoland as a concept in 2018. Garmin system may play for the new will provide primary flight infor- aviation segment. Unveiled mation, navigation and commu- Honeywell is teasing “the world’s smallest” satellite with fanfare on Oct. 30, 2019, nications capabilities and flight communications system for drones on social media. Autoland will be introduced on guidance and management sys- G3000-equipped Cirrus Vision tems, says Bell. a lot of that development and being Jet and Piper M600 SLS light aircraft. Bell’s website depicts a Nexus glass able to leverage off-the-shelf hardware Whatever the future platform, the Garmin is leading avionics de- cockpit with four large-format dis- instead of bespoke solutions allows us same avionics design considerations velopment for Bell Textron’s plays—a derivative of Garmin’s touch- to keep the development cost [and] apply, says Stone. Nexus eVTOL air taxi. screen-controlled G3000 integrated production costs down and leverage “Many of these future aircraft flight deck fitted on small jets includ- what’s currently being used in manned that are being developed like the Bell ing Embraer Phenoms and HondaJets aviation.” Nexus—that’s twice the weight of a at “tens of thousands of dollars,” says a smaller DJI Phantom 4, the compa- serve as an integral component of as well as Daher TBM single-engine Both Bell and Garmin declined to [Cessna] 172, which is more weight-con- Frankenberg. ny says. Search-while-track capability UAM sensor suites. “A number” of turboprops. provide specifics on which stage of de- scious,” observes Stone. “They all kind “The whole concept around it is the enables the radar to track a specific UAM vehicle developers are testing “They’re essentially leveraging a velopment the Nexus program is in or of share the same desired requirements ability to make a beam-steering radar object with a high refresh rate while Echodyne’s radar, says Frankenberg. very similar system that is currently its first-flight milestone. for smaller, lighter weight, less power like a phased-array radar but without continuing to scan the rest of the field “It’s very much the same thing as flying in light business jets,” says Bill “The hardware is very mature, and consumption and lower cost, which is using phase shifters,” says Frankenberg. of view for intruders. the drone market, which is to provide Stone, Garmin Aviation senior busi- we’re working with Bell to refine the something we’ve been spearheading for “By eliminating those and all the com- In 2018-19, Echodyne participated in airspace surveillance in front of an ness development manager. “Sharing user interface and systems on board many years now.” c plicated electronics, we can create a NASA’s “Raavin” project to analyze the urban air mobility vehicle,” observes true beam-steering radar at commer- radar’s DAA performance on a Titan Frankenberg. “The good news there is cial price points.” X8 multirotor drone. they are big platforms with plenty of Echodyne’s metamaterial elec- Managed by the Virginia Tech power that can carry weight. Trying tronically scanning array radars use Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, the to put three of our radars on a small multilayered printed circuit boards project paired the radar with NASA’s drone would be really hard. Even one to create a software-controlled, Icarous (Independent Configurable is viewed as a parasite on both power beam-steering radar antenna driven Architecture for Reliable Operations of and weight.” by standard radar transceiver elec- Unmanned Systems) software to test Among legacy manufacturers, Hon- tronics. “This is not a chip technology; collision-avoidance maneuvers. Tes- eywell is prominent in developing avi- it is essentially an antenna technology ters flew encounter scenarios against onics for UAM vehicles (AW&ST Oct. with our own radar in the back end of another drone and a Liberty University 14-27, 2019, p. 74) as well as for drones. it,” says Frankenberg. Cessna 172 Skyhawk. The company has revealed plans to Aircraft Insight to Echodyne’s EchoFlight airborne As yet, there is no standards-based produce components including a fly- radar operates in the K band at 24.45- DAA system specification for small by-wire flight computer, a phased-array Grow Your Business 24.65 GHz. The company sells the ra- UAS comparable to what industry radar, automatic landing and naviga- dar in single panels measuring 7.38 X and government have developed for tion systems, electromechanical actu- 4.75 X 1.6 in. and weighing about 26 oz. Predator B-class aircraft. “Everything ators and environmental and cooling The panel’s field of view is 120 deg. in that’s happening for DAA on smaller systems for companies such as Vertical azimuth (plus or minus 60 deg. from drones is still considered testing” and Aerospace, Jaunt Air Mobility, Eviation With a database of over 220,000 aircraft, including more than straightforward) and 80 deg. in eleva- requires exemptions from the FAA, and Pipistrel. 840 aircraft and 170 engine types, only Fleet Discovery provides: tion. Three panels positioned around says Frankenberg. In recent months, Honeywell has ➤ Complete aircraft history, seating & utilization histories, and an aircraft provide 360 deg. in azimuth. On April 6, San Francisco-based teased on social media “the world’s current technical specifi cations for aircraft at the serial number Cooling fins on the antenna pan- Iris Automation, a company founded smallest and lightest” satellite com- level els allow air flow to cool radars that in 2015, announced the commercial munications system for beyond-visual- ➤ are mounted externally. If an array is release of an optical DAA system for line-of-sight connectivity with drones, Ad hoc reports for real-time answers contained within a fairing or cowling, drones, the Casio 360. Weighing 4.7 lb. but says it is not ready to officially ➤ Month-over-month trend analysis “you may need to move the air around with enclosure, the system is an em- launch the product. Go to aviationweek.com/fd inside there, but it doesn’t have sig- bedded computing platform combined Another manufacturer—Cobham— Learn more or call Anne McMahon at + 1 (646) 291 6353 or nificant airflow requirements,” says with onboard controllers and five ma- has developed the high-bandwidth Thom Clayton +44 (0) 20 7017 6106 Frankenberg. chine-vision cameras that provide a Aviator UAV 500 satellite terminal Find out how Fleet Discovery simplifi es tracking aircraft lifecycles, The typical detection range of 360-deg. field of view. for video streaming by larger drones. identifying new business opportunities, and will assist you to EchoFlight is at least 2 km (1.2 mi.) for Frankenberg contends that radar Collins Aerospace expects to be the enhance your strategic planning. a Cessna aircraft, 1 km for a DJI Inspire will be essential to any future DAA first to market with a certified C-band 2 quadcopter, and 750 m (2,500 ft.) for specification for drones and also will command-and-control data link ra-

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64 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 65 VIEWPOINT

The Elephant in the Room By Kevin Michaels

he COVID-19 crisis has created one of the largest air- positives aside, with more than 6,000 older A320ceos and craft fleets in the history of the jet age—the parked 737NGs parked, there still will be thousands of excess sin- Taircraft fleet, unfortunately, which is rapidly evolv- gle-aisles for the foreseeable future, no matter the pace of ing and comprises somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 recovery. Nor can we forget the 400 737 MAXs that were aircraft. What will happen to these aircraft? Which will rebuilt but not delivered. Airbus already slashed A320 pro- turn to service and when? How many will be permanently duction to 40 per month and may need to make further retired or parted out? The answers to these questions will adjustments while Boeing slowly brings the 737 MAX pro- shape commercial aviation for years. duction online after recertification. The number of aircraft that re- The aircraft least affected by turn to service depends, of course, AN UNPRECEDENTED COVID-19 are expected to be re- on how the COVID-19 pandemic gional jets, as airlines downgauge to plays out. There are a variety of maintain flight frequencies. Accord- possible scenarios—including “V-,” WAVE OF AIRCRAFT ing to CAPA – Centre for Aviation, “U-” and “L”-shaped recoveries— just 20% of the Bombardier CRJ but the truth is no one knows how RETIREMENTS AND fleet and 33% of the Embraer E-Jet deep or long the aviation depres- fleet are parked. The A220 is also sion will be. Despite this uncertain- PART-OUTS IS faring well, with 43% parked. ty, there is an emerging consensus An unprecedented wave of air- that it will be 2-3 years or more be- ON THE WAY. craft retirements and part-outs is on fore the active jetliner fleet returns the way, no matter which COVID-19 to its pre-COVID size. recovery scenario one believes. Avi- Twin-aisles, particularly larger and older models, will ation was already headed for a retirement tsunami before face the biggest headwinds, given the lockdown on interna- the coronavirus crisis. As I wrote in Inside MRO (Febru- tional travel. The situation is exacerbated by the industry’s ary 2019, p. MRO29), fleet demographics were forecast overproduction of twin-aisles in recent years, too. The re- to drive a surge in retirements in the early 2020s. The covery of twin-aisle production will 5,460 jetliners more than 18 years be tepid as governments and con- 100% old are now prime candidates for sumers will need to be convinced retirement as airlines reset their that it is safe to spend 8-12+ hr. on 90 fleet plans. So are some of the a long-haul flight. This means that 80 2,300 aircraft aged 15-17 years. smaller, more efficient twin-aisles P This will reduce aircraft mainte- ED. - QUOTES GET will be favored. Lufthansa just an- 70 P A nance cost—welcome news for air- nounced a complete fleet realign- lines—but will punish OEMs and ment including the retirement of 60 A maintenance, repair and overhaul DOUBLE QUOTES six Airbus A380s, seven A340- 50 (MRO) suppliers. We could soon 600s and five Boeing 747-400s as see 1,000 or more retirements per well as discontinuation of German- 40 year, with the capacity of part-out wings operations. Similar deci- specialists and MROs the only “, EXCERPTS GET 30 sions are forthcoming by the likes limit to how fast parts come on of International Airlines Group, 20 the market. Why overhaul an en- Air France/KLM and many other gine, for example, when there are NONE airlines as they plan for a future 10 large numbers of surplus engines with reduced long-haul demand. 0 with available “green time” that The least affected twin-aisles can be used instead? Why conduct A380 A330 787 777 A350 E-Jet CRJ an expensive maintenance check will be newer-generation aircraft A320ceo 737NG like the Boeing 787 and Airbus when there is an ample supply of A350XWB. Airbus already an- Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation younger aircraft that require less nounced significantly lower production rates for A350s maintenance? The MRO sector is about to go through and A330s; Boeing will undoubtedly follow suit. unprecedented structural change, and OEM commercial Single-aisles, in contrast, will return to service much aftermarket revenues—their economic lifeblood—are set faster. Large countries with sizable domestic markets such to plunge by 50-60% or more. as Australia, Canada, China, Russia and the U.S. as well as It’s unclear how many parked jetliners will return to the EU single market depend on air travel to connect their service how fast. What is clear is that the current crisis populaces and operate their economies. Moreover, govern- will have a profound impact on production rates and MRO ments of these countries will promote domestic travel re- activity well into the 2020s and beyond. c covery and sponsor rescue packages to ensure the survival of their airlines. Low-cost carriers should also pick up mar- Kevin Michaels is managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory ket share in a more price-conscious environment. These in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

66 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST VIEWPOINT

The Elephant in the Room Know. By Kevin Michaels Predict. he COVID-19 crisis has created one of the largest air- positives aside, with more than 6,000 older A320ceos and craft fleets in the history of the jet age—the parked 737NGs parked, there still will be thousands of excess sin- Taircraft fleet, unfortunately, which is rapidly evolv- gle-aisles for the foreseeable future, no matter the pace of ing and comprises somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 recovery. Nor can we forget the 400 737 MAXs that were aircraft. What will happen to these aircraft? Which will rebuilt but not delivered. Airbus already slashed A320 pro- Connect. turn to service and when? How many will be permanently duction to 40 per month and may need to make further retired or parted out? The answers to these questions will adjustments while Boeing slowly brings the 737 MAX pro- shape commercial aviation for years. duction online after recertification. The number of aircraft that re- The aircraft least affected by turn to service depends, of course, AN UNPRECEDENTED COVID-19 are expected to be re- on how the COVID-19 pandemic gional jets, as airlines downgauge to plays out. There are a variety of maintain flight frequencies. Accord- possible scenarios—including “V-,” WAVE OF AIRCRAFT ing to CAPA – Centre for Aviation, “U-” and “L”-shaped recoveries— just 20% of the Bombardier CRJ but the truth is no one knows how RETIREMENTS AND fleet and 33% of the Embraer E-Jet deep or long the aviation depres- fleet are parked. The A220 is also sion will be. Despite this uncertain- PART-OUTS IS faring well, with 43% parked. ty, there is an emerging consensus An unprecedented wave of air- that it will be 2-3 years or more be- ON THE WAY. craft retirements and part-outs is on fore the active jetliner fleet returns the way, no matter which COVID-19 to its pre-COVID size. recovery scenario one believes. Avi- Twin-aisles, particularly larger and older models, will ation was already headed for a retirement tsunami before face the biggest headwinds, given the lockdown on interna- the coronavirus crisis. As I wrote in Inside MRO (Febru- tional travel. The situation is exacerbated by the industry’s ary 2019, p. MRO29), fleet demographics were forecast overproduction of twin-aisles in recent years, too. The re- to drive a surge in retirements in the early 2020s. The covery of twin-aisle production will 5,460 jetliners more than 18 years be tepid as governments and con- 100% old are now prime candidates for sumers will need to be convinced retirement as airlines reset their that it is safe to spend 8-12+ hr. on 90 fleet plans. So are some of the a long-haul flight. This means that 80 2,300 aircraft aged 15-17 years. smaller, more efficient twin-aisles P This will reduce aircraft mainte- ED. - QUOTES GET will be favored. Lufthansa just an- 70 P A nance cost—welcome news for air- nounced a complete fleet realign- lines—but will punish OEMs and ment including the retirement of 60 A maintenance, repair and overhaul DOUBLE QUOTES six Airbus A380s, seven A340- 50 (MRO) suppliers. We could soon 600s and five Boeing 747-400s as see 1,000 or more retirements per well as discontinuation of German- 40 year, with the capacity of part-out wings operations. Similar deci- specialists and MROs the only “, EXCERPTS GET 30 sions are forthcoming by the likes limit to how fast parts come on Business-critical information, predictive intelligence and of International Airlines Group, 20 the market. Why overhaul an en- connections with opportunities and people. That’s how Air France/KLM and many other gine, for example, when there are NONE airlines as they plan for a future 10 large numbers of surplus engines the Aviation Week Network helps you make decisions with reduced long-haul demand. 0 with available “green time” that and build your business. The least affected twin-aisles can be used instead? Why conduct A380 A330 787 777 A350 E-Jet CRJ an expensive maintenance check Delivering award-winning journalism, deep data and will be newer-generation aircraft A320ceo 737NG like the Boeing 787 and Airbus when there is an ample supply of analytics, world-class events, and content-driven A350XWB. Airbus already an- Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation younger aircraft that require less marketing services, our core principle is helping our nounced significantly lower production rates for A350s maintenance? The MRO sector is about to go through and A330s; Boeing will undoubtedly follow suit. unprecedented structural change, and OEM commercial customers succeed. Single-aisles, in contrast, will return to service much aftermarket revenues—their economic lifeblood—are set faster. Large countries with sizable domestic markets such to plunge by 50-60% or more. Let’s grow your business. as Australia, Canada, China, Russia and the U.S. as well as It’s unclear how many parked jetliners will return to the EU single market depend on air travel to connect their service how fast. What is clear is that the current crisis aviationweek.com/productservices populaces and operate their economies. Moreover, govern- will have a profound impact on production rates and MRO ments of these countries will promote domestic travel re- activity well into the 2020s and beyond. c covery and sponsor rescue packages to ensure the survival of their airlines. Low-cost carriers should also pick up mar- Kevin Michaels is managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory ket share in a more price-conscious environment. These in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Know. Predict. Connect. 66 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/APRIL 20-MAY 3, 2020 AviationWeek.com/AWST Thinking ahead – the future of aviation now.

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