MISSING LINK FREIGHTER FEES ROTARY POWER THE ELECTRONIC Cargo carriers face new Start-up Mistral pushing BAG OF TRICKS IN Boeing technical support to beat pistons with light THE COCKPIT charges for passenger jet engine family built on FLIGHFEATURE P26 conversions 10 WankelT technology 22
fl ightglobal.com INTERNATIONAL
2-8 JUNE 2009
OPERATIONS REPORT GRIPENS ON GUARD AT NATO’S EDGE How Czechs met challenge of nation’s rst overseas air policing mission over Baltic
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IN THIS ISSUE BEHIND THE Companies and aircraft HEADLINES THE WEEK ON THE WEB Aero Vodochody ...... 18 Aerospace Industries Association ...... 7 Craig Hoyle (pictured) journeyed fl ightglobal.com AgustaWestland ...... 22 to the Baltic states to visit the Air Transport Association of America ...... 8 Sir Airbus ...... 7, 14, 21, 23, 24 Czech air force’s historic rst Last week was the 65th anniversary of the death of AirTran Airways ...... 25 Geoffrey de Havilland, creator of the Mosquito, among Airways New Zealand ...... 22 Gripen detachment for NATO Aurora Flight Sciences...... 23 (cover story P30), and also heard other iconic aircraft. Have a look at the obituary on the Flight Australian Department of Defence ...... 15 about Lithuania’s air force plans blog and see a great image on Avantair ...... 21 Aviation Partners ...... 21 (P18). Stephen Trimble visited Image of the Day blog. Next AVIC International ...... 25 Ottawa for the CANSEC defence week Flightglobal will welcome Banner Aerospace...... 25 Beagle Aerospace ...... 25 and security exhibition (P16) and aviation’s highest-pro le entre- Bell Helicopter ...... 20 saw Boeing UAV innovation in preneur, Sir Richard Boeing ...... 7, 10, 12, 15, 16, 24, 25 Seattle (P24). Elsewhere, Bombardier ...... 11, 14 Branson, chairman of the Andrew Doyle joined former F1 Bristow Group ...... 25 Virgin Group, as our Guest British Airways ...... 9, 12 world champion Niki Lauda in Canadian air force ...... 16 Editor on 8 June. He’ll be Cessna ...... 20, 21 Vienna to mark the entry into CitationShares ...... 20 service of his rst Embraer 190 rolling up his sleeves and getting involved in the day to day Dallas Airmotive ...... 21 running of the site. Plus you can win a ight. Submit a Dassault ...... 21 (P6), and Kieran Daly looked Deccan 360 ...... 24 inside the paperless cockpit in question to Sir Richard before 8 June and you could win a Department of National Defence ...... 16 EADS ...... 25 Malahide (P26). free return fl ight anywhere in the Virgin network. Read Eaton Aerospace ...... 25 Stephen Trimble’s post “Random 10 List: things I learned Elbit Systems ...... 25 Elta Systems ...... 15 on the F-35 factory tour”, of which number eight is: “The lift Esperia Aviation Services ...... 22 fan inlet door is also known within the factory as the ’57 Euro ghter ...... 16 European Aviation Safety Agency .....14, 21, 22 Chevy hood.” See a blog post about Etihad sponsoring European Space Agency ...... 9 English Premiership football club Manchester City. Its logo Gastops ...... 16 Gates and Partners ...... 25 will adorn the kit for the next three years. General Atomics...... 18 General Electric ...... 11, 16 Greenwich AeroGroup ...... 25 Gulf Coast Helicopters ...... 22 Find all these items at fl ightglobal.com/wotw Gulfstream ...... 20 Hawker Beechcraft ...... 22 Horizon Air ...... 11 QUESTION OF THE WEEK Ilyushin ...... 15 Last week, we asked: What’s your favourite means of following Indian air force...... 15 Innocon ...... 18 aviation? You said: Insitu Group ...... 24 For a full list of reader services, editorial Online Discussion Blogs Twitter Magazines International Air Transport Association ...... 14 and advertising contacts see P35 news forums Israel Aerospace Industries ...... 15, 25 EDITORIAL % % % % % Italian air force ...... 18 +44 (0) 20 8652 3842 Klyne Aviation ...... 21 ight.international@ ightglobal.com Lease Corporation International ...... 14 64 6 4 1 25 Lider Aviacao ...... 25 DISPLAY ADVERTISING Lithuanian air force ...... 18 +44 (0) 20 8652 3315 Total votes: 1,222 dawn.hartwell@ ightglobal.com Lockheed Martin ...... 15, 16 This week, we ask: Cockpit automation is cutting pilot workload: Lufthansa ...... 14 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Mistral Engines ...... 22 + 44 (0) 20 8652 4897 Good – reduces potential for error NASA ...... 7 ight.classi ed@ ightglobal.com Bad – makes mistakes more likely Navtech ...... 25 RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING Vote at fl ightglobal.com/poll Petroleum Air Services ...... 22 +44 (0) 20 8652 4900 Piaggio ...... 21 [email protected] Pratt & Whitney ...... 11, 16, 21 WEBMASTER HIGH FLIERS Qinetiq...... 25 andrew.costerton@ ightglobal.com The top fi ve stories for the week 20 – 26 May. Rolls-Royce ...... 16 SUBSCRIPTIONS Safran ...... 25 +44 (0) 1444 445 454 1 Flightblogger: video captures 787 rst engine start SaxonAir ...... 21 [email protected] 2 Sikorsky ...... 22 Airbus production issues delay next Qantas A380 delivery Space Foundation ...... 7 REPRINTS 3 Picture: Boeing completes 747-8F forward fuselage assembly +44 (0) 20 8652 8612 [email protected] Spidertracks ...... 22 4 UK government sounds warning on A400M Swiss International Air Lines ...... 14 FLIGHT DAILY NEWS TAF Linhas Aereas ...... 25 +44 (0) 8652 3096 5 British Airways to ground 16 747s and 757s for winter Textron ...... 20 andrew.doyle@ ightglobal.com Flightglobal gets around 800,000 visitors from 220 US Federal Aviation Administration ...... 7, 8, 20 ACAS US Marine Corps ...... 7, 24 +44 (0) 1788 540 898 countries viewing 6 million pages each month US Navy ...... 24 acassales@ ightglobal.com
4 | Flight International | 2-8 June 2009 ightglobal.com DEFENCE Explore 100 years of aviation history as it appeared in the original pages of Flight: fl ightglobal.com/archive
INTELLIGENCE ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV Innocon proposes UAV to Uganda ganda is seeking to deploy is 12h, with an operational range Uunmanned air vehicles for of 95km (51nm). intelligence-gathering missions The Ugandan government sev- along its borders. The government eral years ago acquired a P92 Echo is assessing a proposal from Israe- Super light aircraft modifi ed with li manufacturer Innocon. an electro-optical payload by In- Kampala is evaluating Inno- nocon, and briefl y used the asset
Aero Vodochody con’s Mini Falcon I UAV, says before its was grounded after suf- The L-159 is currently “not an ambition but a dream” for Lithuania chief executive Zvika Nave. The fering technical problems. vehicle has a wingspan of 4.99m Uganda’s army currently uses AIR DEFENCE CRAIG HOYLE SIAULIAI (16.3ft), a maximum launch a twin-engined Vulcanair P68 Ex-Czech L-159s weight of 85kg (187lb) and carries equipped with an Israeli-made a retractable payload. payload that is controlled from a on Lithuanian air Mission endurance for the UAV ground station. ■ UNMANNED SYSTEMS PINO MODOLA GENOA force wish list Italy nishes improved Nation could take responsibility for own airspace from 2018 Predator A UAV testing ιτηυανιαν αιρ φορχε λεαδερσ Ιτ ωιλλ µαψβε βε ονε Βαλτιχ ταλψ∏σ Γενεραλ ∆ιρεχτορατε φορ υνδεργονε τεστινγ ιν τηε ΥΣΑ Lηαϖε ηελδ υνοφ⇒ χιαλ δισχυσ− σθυαδρον ωιτη τηρεε λεγσ, ορ ποσ− IΑεροναυτιχαλ Αρµαµεντσ ιν ωασ α πρεϖιουσλψ δελιϖερεδ Ιταλιαν σιονσ ωιτη τηειρ Χζεχη χουντερ− σιβλψ τακεν ον ροτατιον. Ηοωεϖερ, λατε Μαψ χοµπλετεδ α χαµπαιγν αιρ φορχε εξαµπλε τηατ υνδερωεντ παρτσ οϖερ α ποσσιβλε φυτυρε δεαλ γιϖεν χυρρεντ εχονοµιχ χονδι− οφ τεστσ ιν τηε ΥΣΑ ον α ⇒ ρστ βατχη εξτενσιϖε µοδι⇒ χατιον το ρεαχη το αχθυιρε συρπλυσ Αερο ςοδο− τιονσ ανδ τηε Λιτηυανιαν αιρ φορχε∏σ οφ τηρεε ιµπροϖεδ Γενεραλ Ατοµ− τηε νεω στανδαρδ. Τηε οτηερ τωο χηοδψ Λ−159 αδϖανχεδ λιγητ χοµ− σµαλλ σιζε οφ ονλψ αρουνδ 420 περ− ιχσ ΡΘ−1Β Πρεδατορ Α υνµαννεδ ωερε νεω προδυχτιον εξαµπλεσ βατ αιρχραφτ. Τηε µοϖε χοµεσ ασ σοννελ, ιτ µιγητ νοτ βε υντιλ 2024 αιρ ϖεηιχλεσ. βυιλτ το τηε ενηανχεδ χον⇒ γυρα− ςιλνιυσ λοοκσ το ασσεσσ ιτσ οπτιονσ τηατ συχη α ηανδοϖερ χουλδ τακε Τηε αιρχραφτ αρε δυε το βε σεντ τιον. Ιταλψ∏σ τηρεε ρεµαινινγ οπερ− φορ τακινγ ρεσπονσιβιλιτψ φορ πολιχ− πλαχε, ηε χαυτιονσ. Τοδαψ, ωε ιν Ιταλψ ιν τηε νεαρ φυτυρε, ωηερε ατιοναλ Πρεδατορ Ασ φροµ αν ινι− ινγ ιτσ οων αιρσπαχε φροµ 2018. νεεδ το µακε α δεχισιον τηατ ωε τηεψ ωιλλ ϕοιν τηε Αµενδολα− τιαλ δεαλ φορ ⇒ ϖε ΥΑςσ ∠ ονε οφ Λιτηυανια ηασ οπερατεδ τωο νεεδ ⇒ γητερσ, ηε σαψσ. βασεδ 28τη Γρουπ, 32νδ Ωινγ: ωηιχη ωασ δεστροψεδ ιν α τραιν− Αερο ςοδοχηοδψ Λ−39ΖΑ ϕετ Λιτηυανια µεανωηιλε εξπεχτσ τηε ηοµε οφ τηε Ιταλιαν αιρ φορχε∏σ ινγ αχχιδεντ ιν 2004 ∠ ωιλλ υν− τραινερ/λιγητ ατταχκ αιρχραφτ σινχε το τακε δελιϖερψ οφ ιτσ τηιρδ ανδ ΥΑς αχτιϖιτιεσ. δεργο α σιµιλαρ υπγραδε ιν 2010. 1998, ανδ ηαδ υσεδ τηεσε φορ λαστ Αλενια Αεροναυτιχα Χ−27ϑ Τηε ιµπροϖεδ ΡΘ−1Β φεατυρεσ α Τηε εϖεντυαλ σιξ ιµπροϖεδ ΡΘ− σοµε θυιχκ ρεαχτιον αλερτ (ΘΡΑ) Σπαρταν ταχτιχαλ τρανσπορτ τηισ νεω, ινχρεασεδ σπαν ωινγ, Ραψτηε− 1Βσ ωιλλ βε ϕοινεδ εαρλψ νεξτ δεχ− δυτιεσ βεφορε εντερινγ ΝΑΤΟ ιν ψεαρ, ωιτη τηε ⇒ ρστ τωο εξαµπλεσ ον Μυλτισπεχτραλ Ταργετινγ Σψσ− αδε βψ φουρ µορε−χαπαβλε ΡΘ−9 Μαρχη 2004. Τηε αιρχραφτ αρε εξ− ηαϖινγ αλρεαδψ σεεν υσε ιν συπ− τεµ−Α ελεχτρο−οπτιχαλ/ινφραρεδ Πρεδατορ Β/ΜΘ−9 Ρεαπερσ. Τηε πεχτεδ το ρεµαιν ιν σερϖιχε υντιλ πορτ οφ ιτσ περσοννελ σερϖινγ ιν παψλοαδ ωιτη λασερ δεσιγνατορ, Ιταλιαν παρλιαµεντ αππροϖεδ τηε ατ λεαστ 2014, ηαϖινγ ρεχεντλψ υν− Αφγηανισταν. Τηε Χ−27ϑσ ηαϖε ρε− νεω οπερατιοναλ µαναγεµεντ αχθυισιτιον ιν Φεβρυαρψ 2008 ανδ δεργονε οϖερηαυλ ιν Ροµανια, πλαχεδ τηρεε λιφε−εξπιρεδ Αντονοϖ σοφτωαρε, ανδ α Ραψτηεον 3Μ αϖι− προϖιδεδ αν ινιτιαλ ⇔80 µιλλιον βυτ τηειρ συβσονιχ περφορµανχε Αν−26σ. Τηε αιρ φορχε∏σ ⇒ ρστ οφ τωο ονιχσ συιτε. Τηε ϖερσιον σηουλδ (∃111 µιλλιον) υντιλ 2011. ■ ανδ λαχκ οφ ραδαρ µακεσ τηεµ υν− Λετ Λ−410 λιγητ τρανσπορτσ ηασ αλσο ηαϖε ηιγηερ σαφετψ λεϖελσ το αλλοω συιταβλε φορ τηε αιρ πολιχινγ ρολε. ρεχεντλψ υνδεργονε µοδερνισα− υσε οϖερ δενσελψ ποπυλατεδ αρεασ. For more on unmanned air vehi- Ωηιλε χον⇒ ρµινγ σοµε χοµ− τιον, ωιτη ωορκ το υπγραδε τηε Ονε οφ τηε τηρεε αιρχραφτ το ηαϖε cles, visit fl ightglobal.com/uav µανδερ−το−χοµµανδερ ταλκσ σεχονδ το σταρτ σοον. ηαϖε βεεν ηελδ οϖερ τηε µορε χα− Τηε αιρ φορχε∏σ ηελιχοπτερ ιν− παβλε Λ−159, Λτ Χολ ςιργινιϕυσ ϖεντορψ χοµπρισεσ νινε Μιλ Μι−8 Στεποναϖι!ιυσ, χηιεφ οφ σταφφ ατ τρανσπορτσ, σιξ οφ ωηιχη αρε ιν οπ− Λιτηυανια∏σ Σιαυλιαι αιρ βασε, σαψσ ερατιοναλ χονδιτιον. Αλσο υσεδ το τηατ φορ τηε µοµεντ τηερε∏σ νο δελιϖερ σεαρχη−ανδ−ρεσχυε χοϖερ ρεαλ αµβιτιον ∠ ιτ∏σ α δρεαµ. φροµ Αλεκσοτασ ανδ Νεµιρσετα αιρ ΝΑΤΟ ηασ πλεδγεδ το χοντινυε βασεσ, παρτ οφ τηε ⇑ εετ ισ εξπεχτεδ ιτσ ΘΡΑ σερϖιχε φορ Βαλτιχ στατεσ το ⇑ ψ ον βεψονδ αν οϖερηαυλ στονια, Λατϖια ανδ Λιτηυανια πλαννεδ φορ 2017. υντιλ 2018, ωιτη δεταχηµεντ σλοτσ Τηερε αρε σοµε πλανσ το βυψ αλρεαδψ αλλοχατεδ το 2011. Ιν τηισ σοµε νεω ηελιχοπτερσ, βυτ τηερε∏σ τιµε ωε ηαϖε το σηοω ηοω ωε νο φυνδινγ φορ τηισ, σαψσ
ωιλλ τακε οϖερ τηε µισσιον φροµ Στεποναϖι!ιυσ. ■ Italian Air Force 2018, σαψσ Στεποναϖι!ιυσ. See Feature P30 The improved Predator A features a new, increased span wing
18 | Flight International | 2-8 June 2009 ightglobal.com COVER STORY BALTIC EXCHANGE
NATO’s dramatic CRAIG HOYLE SIAULIAI NATO in 1999 is also the fi rst commitment of its kind made by Prague since the end of the expansion within the past ATO’s most recent expansion, in Second World War. decade to today’s 26-strong March 2004, included Baltic states Equipped with four Saab Gripen C fi ghters, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the current detachment is drawn from the organisation has not been Nwhich were collectively unable to Czech air force’s 211th Tactical Squadron, defend their airspace from potential threats. home based at Cáslav, around 80km (43nm) without its challenges, The duty of providing air policing, or quick east of the nation’s capital. particularly for those reaction alert (QRA) cover for the nations’ 6.8 Two of the aircraft have been held at readi- million inhabitants fell upon the wider NATO ness to take off within 15min on a 24h, seven- entrants that lack the community, which is expected to maintain its day-a-week basis since 1 May, with the com- resources to rapidly commitment until around 2018. mitment forming part of the wider NATO Flight International visited Lithuania’s Integrated Air Defence System. Armaments transform their Soviet-era Siauliai air base as the fourteenth nation to as- carried for the Baltic mission are two Raythe- sume the Baltic QRA mission was less than on AIM-9M Sidewinder short-range air-to-air militaries with modern and three weeks into its four-month detachment at missiles and typically around 100 gun rounds predominantly Western- the site. Notably for the Czech Republic, the per aircraft. fi rst operational overseas deployment to have The deployment is notable not only for its supplied equipment been undertaken by its air force since joining historic-fi rst nature, but also because the
30 | Flight International | 2-8 June 2009 ightglobal.com AIR DEFENCE
L-159 advanced light combat aircraft, plus transports and helicopters. The fi rst Czech aircraft arrived at Siauliai on 30 April, with the presence to continue until the German air force takes over responsi- bility for the QRA mission on 1 September (see box). Representing the 20th period of cover to have been provided to the Baltic states, the Czech detachment has already been called upon for the fi rst time. A so-called “Alpha” scramble intercept was launched on 21 May, after a civilian aircraft was detected fl ying along the Russian-Lithuanian border after de- parting Poland. “A signal informing about an A-Scramble rang at 17:30. Our pilots were airborne at 17:41 and intercepted a German-registered aircraft at 17:50,” says Lt Col David Schreier, liaison offi cer of the Czech air policing detach- ment. Restricted from approaching within 1,000ft (305m) of the potential threat, the Gripens monitored the aircraft until it landed at Lithuania’s Klaipeda airfi eld, before they returned to Siauliai. “We learnt the day after that the aircraft had had a fl ight plan through that area, but it was not activated by the Brussels fl ight co-ordina- tion centre,” says Schreier. Typical of most recent incidents, the event was the fi rst in sev- eral months over the Baltic states: the previ- ous Danish Lockheed Martin F-16 contingent did not conduct an Alpha scramble during its entire tour of duty. US Air Force Boeing F-15s were twice launched from Siauliai between October and December 2008. Gripens are launched around 10 times a year in the Czech Republic to investigate ir- regular fl ight activity, says Míka. A total of 75 Czech personnel are partici- The Czech air force scrambled two Gripens pating in the Baltic mission, with the majority within 11min of a potential threat arising of these to be rotated half-way through the
Lt Col David Schreier/Czech air force Lt Col David commitment. The total includes eight pilots and 36 maintenance and logistics personnel at Siauliai and some personnel assigned to a Czech air force only began operating the Grip- last October, with a second site survey con- Lithuanian command and control facility at en in 2005 under a 10-year lease deal brokered ducted in February. “We are not an experi- Karmelava. via Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administra- enced nation with sending our tactical aircraft The mission is planned to total around 290 tion (FMV). abroad,” notes Míka. fl ying hours and not more than 350 by Sep- In addition, despite having a total of just 12 Czech personnel and Gripens had previ- tember, with the latter limit having been es- Gripen Cs and two D-model operational train- ously been deployed to Norway, Poland and tablished to avoid adversely affecting opera- ers, the service is providing parallel QRA Turkey for training, and squadron personnel tions at Cáslav. The air force usually has eight cover for the Czech Republic from Cáslav. performed a six-month work-up ahead of the of its 12 Gripen Cs ready for operations each “As one squadron we are supporting two Baltic deployment, following a model used by day, and detachment maintenance and logis- QRAs, so you can imagine the people are busy Czech military personnel deployed to Afghan- tics offi cer Maj Pavel Buchta notes: “What you now,” says Czech air force Maj Jaroslav Míka, istan and Iraq. do now, you will see the results 18 months detachment commander for the Baltic mission from now.” and also Gripen squadron commander. The EVALUATION EXERCISE The planning assumption is for the detach- fl eet logged more than 6,000 fl ight hours in its Final preparations included an air policing ment to fl y eight two-aircraft training missions fi rst three years of use, according to Saab. evaluation exercise conducted at Cáslav from – or Tactical scrambles – a week, up to a maxi- Preparations for the Lithuanian deploy- 9-13 March, which assessed the unit’s stand- mum of 8h a day and 25h a week. No training ment started in February 2007, with an initial ards, techniques and procedures against sorties are fl own at weekends due to local base survey having been conducted later the NATO guidelines. The process included sup- noise restrictions, although the 15min QRA same year. Materiel preparation work began port from Czech air force Aero Vodochody cover is maintained.