AE July 2020 ROSPACE

EXTREME DEFENCE

THREATS IN 2060 ELECTRIC GA FLIGHT: A PILOT’S VIEW TAMING THE WILDCAT

www.aerosociety.com July 2020

V olume 47 Number 7

WELCOME TO THE NEW NORMAL AIR TRAVEL IN THE POST CORONAVIRUS AGE Royal A eronautical Society NEW FOR MEMBERS IN 2020

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...and now to your phone and tablet! Prepare for an awesome launch! AEROSPACE is now available as an app! AEROSPACE has continued to grow in stature and influence as the informative and expert source of aviation, aerospace and space news, opinion and analysis. Revitalised from a design refresh, the clearer sharper magazine now presents key stories in a crisp stylish setting now seamlessly integrated into a convenient app. Notifications when new issue is available Download and browse past issues from the previous two years Download issues to read offline Search function Includes the twice weekly AEROSPACE Insight blog Available on Android and Apple devices. Search AEROSPACE on Google Play or iTunes, Download the app and log in using your aerosociety.com member portal username and password. The AEROSPACE App is the one-stop destination to the latest news in the fast-moving world of aerospace from The Royal Aeronautical Society. Download a copy now!

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Volume 47 Number 7 July 2020

EDITORIAL Contents Making space matter Regulars 4 Radome 12 Transmission Race riots, political turmoil and historic space fl ights. There were many who The latest aviation and Your letters, emails, tweets aeronautical intelligence, and social media feedback. noted the similarities between 1968 and 2020 when, in May, NASA sent two analysis and comment. astronauts to the International Space Station aboard a US-built spacecraft, 58 The Last Word launched from US soil – the fi rst time in almost a decade. Back in 1968, just 11 Pushing the Envelope Keith Hayward considers the a year before Armstrong and Aldrin would unite the world by stepping on the Rob Coppinger analyses implications of the advent how cabin air systems of commercial manned Moon, America seemed to be tearing itself apart with the assassinations of and new aircraft cleaning spacefl ight following the Martin Luther King and Robert F Kennedy, civil disturbances, protests and the technology can combat the launch of SpaceX’s mission Vietnam War. Fast forward to 2020 and this historic space launch came at a spread of Covid-19. to the ISS.. time of protests against police brutality, political schisms, a global pandemic Features

and an economic downturn that the US has not experienced since the Great Emirates 26 Electric fl ight, a pilot’s- Depression. It is no wonder, therefore that the Launch America slogan and the 14 eye view use of the event in President Trump’s re-election adverts left some normally An acrobatic display pilot enthusiastic space fans feeling uncomfortable watching this spectacle of gives a pilot’s perspective on the revolution in electric fl ight clean, white-suited astronauts climb aboard a shiny new spacecraft while for general aviation.

seemingly the rest of America burned. Space of course, is a long-term NATO business and thus missions and ambitions outlast political administrations. However, in 1968, despite the divisions in US society (and around the globe) Covid-19 The new normal 30 Apollo was reaching for a common and well understood goal – landing a How airlines are grappling with the challenges of human on the Moon – before a bitter ideological rival – the USSR. Today, resuming passenger fl ights in the goals are more abstract (commercial exploitation of space), longer term the post Covid-19 era. Forecasting extreme threats to the UK (a human mission to Mars) or have a ‘been there, done that’ (landing on Nuclear, cyber, space, 20 Boeing and Embraer – the Moon) feel to them. What that means is that the space sector needs to biological and other long term jilted at the altar redouble its efforts to explain to the public, politicians and media why human threats to the UK. What happens next after exploration of space is worth it and deserves their support in a time when many Boeing terminated a deal 32 Taming the Wildcat people’s eyes are focused on social and economic injustice here on Earth. to acquire Embraer’s commercial aircraft division. The challenge of adding a ‘pseudo-FBW’ system Tim Robinson FRAeS, Editor-in-Chief to Leonardo’s AW159 [email protected] helicopter. 22 SpiceJet

Editor-in-Chief Editorial Offi ce 2020 AEROSPACE subscription Tim Robinson, FRAeS rates: Royal Aeronautical Society Non-members, £180 Siemens 36 +44 (0)20 7670 4353 No.4 Hamilton Place Please send your order to: [email protected] London W1J 7BQ, UK Wayne J Davis, RAeS, No.4 Hamilton +44 (0)20 7670 4300 Deputy Editor Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK. [email protected] Bill Read, FRAeS +44 (0)20 7670 4354 Indian aviation’s invisible Digital aerospace www.aerosociety.com [email protected] +44 (0)20 7670 4351 force How digital data analytics [email protected] AEROSPACE is published by the Royal Any member not requiring a print Aeronautical Society (RAeS). version of this magazine should Why does India lead the and artifi cial intelligence Production Manager world in female equality on are transforming aerospace Chief Executive contact: [email protected] Wayne J Davis the fl ightdeck? manufacturing and MRO. +44 (0)20 7670 4354 Sir Brian Burridge CBE FRAeS USA: Periodical postage paid at [email protected] Advertising Champlain New York and additional offi ces. Publications Executive +44 (0)20 7670 4346 [email protected] Chris Male, MRAeS Postmaster: Send address changes to IMS of New York, PO Box 1518, +44 (0)20 7670 4352 Unless specifi cally attributed, no Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA. Afterburner [email protected] material in AEROSPACE shall be taken Publications Executive to represent the opinion of the RAeS. ISSN 2052-451X 42 Message from our President Annabel Hallam Reproduction of material used in this 43 Message from our Chief Executive +44 (0)20 7670 4361 publication is not permitted without the [email protected] written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. 44 Book Reviews Book Review Editor Printed by Buxton Press Limited, 48 Library Additions Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire Brian Riddle 50 NAL Heritage Website [email protected] SK17 6AE, UK Distributed by Royal Mail 52 NAL e-book service 53 RAeS statement on Black Lives Matter Additional content is available to view online at: www.aerosociety.com/aerospaceinsight 54 New Member spotlight Including: The fi rst SpaceX Crew Dragon fl ight to the ISS, Extreme threats to the UK, Air travel in the post Covid-19 age, In the June issue of AEROSPACE, New Member spotlight, 56 Elections/Corporate Partners Online Preserving aviation heritage, An analysis of the Superjet Moscow crash.

Front cover: Airlines are now adapting their cabin service in the light of Covid-19 pandemic. (Air Canada)

@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com JULY 2020 13 Blueprint

INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT

Distributed power Airflow’s eSTOL features ten electric motors on the wings, as well as rear propulsor between the twin tail booms. Cruise speed would be around 115mph.

W AEROSPACE eSTOL for packages A team that previously worked on Airbus’ Vahana eVTOL project has unveiled a new concept for an electric-powered short take-off and landing (eSTOL) cargo aircraft to revolutionise distribution networks for ‘middle mile’ logistics. The start- up, Airfl ow, envisages a single-pilot aircraft that would use distributed propulsion to take off and land in short spaces and fl y routes of up to 250miles. Using eSTOL rather Single pilot than VTOL, says the team, means Airflow’s concept would use a single pilot to that the operating costs will be reduce operating costs. They would be one third of a helicopter or eVTOL assisted by a ‘virtual tailhook’ system to allow vehicle. A prototype is planned to precision approaches and landings into short fl y in 2023. runways and airstrips.

4 AEROSPACE

JULY 2020 News.indd 2 19/06/2020 14:30:30 Airfl ow Super STOL The distributed propulsion would allow for ultra-short (150ft) take- off and landings with more control at low airspeeds. Accessing smaller airstrips will open up same day ‘middle mile’ logistics and replace slower gas-guzzling trucks on roads.

Aerial operating system As well as the air vehicle itself, Airflow says the aircraft would also be linked into an ‘aerial operating system’ to allow fleet operators to manage scheduling in real time.

Airfl ow specifi cations

Crew One Payload 500lb Cargo space 90ft³ Range 250nm Cruise speed 115mph Take-off/landing distance 150ft

JULY 2020 5

JULY 2020 News.indd 3 19/06/2020 14:30:34 Radome COVID-19 AEROSPACE AIR TRANSPORT France to fast-track hydrogen BA a ‘national disgrace’, aircraft in €15bn rescue deal

Enable H2 says Parliament In a report by the UK for its proposals which, Parliamentary Transport it argued, are trying Committee into the effect to take advantage of of Coronavirus on the the Covid-19 crisis to aviation sector, MPs have restructure itself and cut slammed fl ag carrier costs. IAG CEO Willie British Airways’ plans to Walsh defended the cut 12,000 jobs and sack, proposals, saying that The French Government has unveiled a €15bn fi nancial support programme for the then rehire 35,000 staff, the carrier was “fi ghting aerospace sector, comprised of investment, loan guarantees and subsidies. Designed including pilots, on new for its survival, in the to protect France’s ‘strategic’ industry, including Airbus and Air France, the investment terms and conditions. face of overwhelming is also set to accelerate zero-carbon aviation, with plans for a potentially hydrogen- The Committee branded and unprecedented powered successor to the A320 to enter service in the mid-2030s. BA a ‘national disgrace’ challenges.”

GENERAL AVIATION AIR TRANSPORT Drone deliveries take off Airlines return to fl ying in Europe during pandemic ICAO To meet the requirement follows on from another of urgent deliveries of trial using a larger Covid-19 testing kits Windracers ULTRA UAV and PPE to key workers to deliver essential PPE in remote areas, UAVs to a hospital on the Isle

have been used during of Wight. Meanwhile, Austrian Airlines the pandemic. In the in the US, Zipline, As AEROSPACE goes to press, several airlines in Europe have now resumed services UK, a trial carried out which has pioneered as lockdown restrictions continue to ease – albeit with new Covid-19 procedures in between Skyports and medical supply drones place, including facemasks. On 15 June, Austrian Airlines (above) returned to fl ight Thales has seen medical in Africa, was granted after being grounded for 90 days. The same day saw easyJet fl y its fi rst scheduled supplies delivered to the an emergency waiver by departure in 11 weeks from London to Glasgow – with the airline operating 300 fl ights Isle of Mull, Scotland, the FAA to fl y delivery in the fi rst week back. Brussels Airlines also resumed fl ights on 15 June and reported using a Wingcopter UAV UAVs with Covid-19 full aircraft. Domestic air travel in France and Turkey has also returned. Meanwhile, and fl ying beyond visual supplies BVLOS in North Ryanair aims to restore 40% of its services this month. However, IATA has warned that line of sight (BVLOS). It Carolina. foward bookings remain 82% lower than this time last year.

NEWS IN BRIEF

predicted that airlines will replace South Korean has applied to the US Vincenzo Nicastro. The Bombardier Aviation has post a collective net loss air force’s aging F-4D/E Federal Communications company has an order announced around 2,500 of $84.3bn in 2020, the Phantom IIs and F-5E/F Commission (FCC) book worth €640m and is job losses due to the largest loss ever. IATA Tiger IIs, fl ight tests on to modify the licence seeking new ownership by impact of the Covid-19 estimates that global the KF-X are scheduled to to expand its mega- the end of 2020. pandemic. The majority of passenger traffi c this year begin in 2023. constellation from the the lay-offs are expected will be around half of 2019 original goal of 900 Japan’s Mitsubishi to be at Bombardier’s levels and that losses will Bankrupt satellite satellites to 48,000. Aircraft has suspended manufacturing operations continue into 2021. constellation developer all work on its SpaceJet in Canada. In addition, OneWeb has applied to Struggling Italian regional jet programme, Bombardier is cutting 600 In May GE Aviation regulators for permission manufacturer, Piaggio including fl ight testing and jobs at its Northern Ireland delivered the fi rst to increase the number Aerospace, has drawn production. Six prototype operations. F414-GE-400K engine of satellites in its planned expressions of interest from aircraft have been built for Korea Aerospace network from 650 to 19 international bidders, with two to be completed. A report from the Industries’ (KAI) new 48,000. The company, according to a statement International Air Transport KF-X fi fth-generation which entered Chapter 11 made by the company’s Amazon Air has leased Association (IATA) has fi ghter. Intended to protection earlier this year, special administrator, 12 Boeing 767-300

6 AEROSPACE

JULY 2020 News.indd 4 19/06/2020 14:30:35 SPACEFLIGHT AEROSPACE SpaceX returns US All electric e-Caravan flies in US astronauts to LEO MagniX Electric propulsion specialist MagniX has flown the largest yet all-electric commercial aircraft – a Cessna Caravan in a 30min flight on 28 May. The Cessna C208B Grand Caravan, re-engined with a Magnix Magni500 electric engine, took off from Moses Lake, Washington State, having been converted to electric power by AeroTEC.

DEFENCE Dambusters fly from HMSQueen Elizabeth for first time NASA

On 31 May, the first piloted SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule arrived at the International Space Station carrying two NASA astronauts, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. After a delay due to bad weather, the Crew Dragon, now named ‘Endeavour’, took off from the historic Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 30 May aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The mission was the Navy Royal first crewed mission to reach low Earth orbit from US Lockheed Martin F-35Bs from the RAF’s 617 Sqn have conducted their first operations soil using a US-built spacecraft since the retirement of aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Four Lightnings embarked aboard the the Space Shuttle in 2011 and the first commercially carrier in the North Sea on 9 June. Training missions were also to be conducted with built and operated US spacecraft to carry humans to Leonardo Helicopters AW101 Merlin HM2 rotorcraft from the Royal Navy’s 820 Naval orbit. Air Squadron.

Converted Cargo aircraft Navy, as well as Japan. carried into orbit aboard freight between ground for the A220 with primary from Air Transport Services The first production V-22 a Long March 2C rocket. and hilltop and shore to production located in Group (ATSG). The first was delivered in 1999 islands at a customer site Mirabel, Canada, where aircraft will enter service and the aircraft type The Civil Aviation in Taizhou. the original Bombardier with Amazon’s air cargo has now accumulated Administration of CSeries was produced. operations in May, followed more than 500,000 flight China (CAAC) has Airbus has officially by the remaining 11 in hours. granted commercial opened its US A220 Congo Airways has 2021. pilot operation approval final assembly line (FAL) converted an order China launched a civilian- to Chinese eVTOL in Mobile, Alabama. made in December 2019 Bell Boeing has operated oceanography manufacturer EHang The company began for two Embraer E175 delivered the 400th V-22 satellite on 10 June to use its passenger- producing A220s at regional jets into an order tilt-rotor, a CV-22 for from the Taiyuan space carrying EHang 216 Mobile in 2019 in an for two re-engined E190- US Air Force Special centre, Shanxi Province. aerial vehicle for cargo A320 FAL hangar but the E2s. Two purchase rights Operations Command. Designed to monitor transport. EHang is to new assembly facility is for additional E175s have Variants of the V-22 have ocean colour and water conduct air logistics dedicated to the A220. also been converted into been ordered for the US temperatures, the trial services using the The Mobile site becomes purchase rights for E190- Marines, Air Force and Haiyang 1D satellite was EHang 216 to transport the second assembly site e2s.

JULY 2020 7

JULY 2020 News.indd 5 19/06/2020 14:30:36 Radome

AEROSPACE GENERAL AVIATION Inmarsat, Altitude Angel team up for Kinect Air launches ‘Uber’ ‘pop-up’ satellite-based UTM style air charter

Start-up Kinect Air has Dash 8s to fill the gap left launched a new regional by the collapse of regional on-demand service to airlines, ineffiencies of the allow passengers to book ‘hub and spoke’ system flights via an AI-enabled and public nervousness app as easily as hailing an around larger airports

Inmarsat Uber to connect smaller due to Covid-19. As well UAV airspace specialist Altitude Angel and satellite operator Inmarsat have announced airports within a 1,000mile as accessing a larger a partnership to develop a satellite-based ‘pop-up’ UAV traffic management (UTM) radius. The service is set number of under-utilised system to allow commercial beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAV operations almost to start in the US, as well airports, Kinect Air also anywhere on the globe. The system will pair Altitude Angels GuardianUTM platform with as the UK and Europe, aims to disrupt regional Inmarsat L-band communications to allow operators to perform BVLOS drone flights with Cirrus SR22s air connectivity by without needing ground infrastructure. The service will be initially targeted at ‘blue light’ and Pilatus PC-12s. In introducing hybrid and and government users, especially those conducting operations in remote areas. addition it plans larger electric aircraft by 2023.

AIR TRANSPORT DEFENCE China Express to buy USAF human vs AI dogfight test 100 COMAC airliners set for 2021 Guizhou-based China airlines, out of a total Express Airlines has backlog of 378. revealed that it is to  China Eastern Airlines acquire up to 100 is to launch new airline, airliners from state-owned Sanya International COMAC. The acquisition Airlines, to tap into tourist will be split between an growth to Hainan island undisclosed number of province, dubbed ‘China’s

ARJ21 and C919 airliners Hawaii’. The venture is in USAF with first deliveries set partnership with Juneyao The USAF is aiming to conduct a ‘fly-off’ air combat test in July 2021, pitting a human for 2020. COMAC has Airlines and Trip.com, fighter pilot against an AI-flown drone. The live dogfight test follows previous research currently delivered 26 China’s largest online organised by DARPA to develop AI algorithms that can conduct simulated within-visual- ARJ21-700s to Chinese travel agency. range air combat manoeuvring, under the AlphaDogfight Trials.

NEWS IN BRIEF

(VIPER) to the Moon’s Electro trainer. The aircraft low rate and regulatory German Government in The US Air Force Materiel South Pole at the end is powered by the first approval for the aircraft May. Command released a of 2023. Part of NASA’s certified electrical engine, to resume flying is not Request for Information Artemis programme to the E-811-268MVLC. expected until August at The use of low-flying on 3 June 2020 indicating develop a sustainable, the earliest. US Army helicopters that the USAF has begun long-term presence on Boeing has resumed to attempt to disperse its search for the next the Moon, the VIPER production of the 737 The Lufthansa Group has crowds of protestors medium-altitude UAV rover will have a 100- MAX passenger jet announced plans to cut in Washington DC to replace the General day mission to sample at its plant in Renton, 22,000 jobs, half of which has drawn widespread Atomics Aeronautical various soil environments, Washington, following will be in Germany. The criticism. US Army UH-72 Systems MQ-9 Reaper. including three water- suspension of production airline is in negotiation Lakota and UH-60 Black hunting instruments. in January. The aircraft with trade unions to have Hawks were used in Astrobotic of Pittsburgh was grounded in March the plan finalised by 22 low-level ‘shows of force’ has won a $199.5m The European Union 2019 in response June. The carrier will also over the nation’s capital to contract to deliver Aviation Safety Agency to two fatal crashes operate 100 fewer aircraft. try and disperse crowds NASA’s Volatiles (EASA) has certificated its that occurred in close Lufthansa agreed a protesting about the Investigating Polar first all-electric aircraft, the succession. Production €9bn ($10.2bn) financial killing of George Floyd by Exploration Rover two-seater Pipistrel Velis has been resumed at a support package with the Missouri Police.

8 AEROSPACE

JULY 2020 News.indd 6 19/06/2020 14:30:37 AIR TRANSPORT DEFENCE Delta retires the last Mad Dogs Russian MiG-29s spotted in Libya On 26 May, the US PMC (private military Pentagon released contractors) fighting imagery confirming on behalf of the Libyan rumours that Russian National Army (LNA). AF aircraft, stripped of  Meanwhile, the proxy national markings, have war in Libya has also seen been deployed to Libya Turkey, on behalf of the to support Russian Government of National

Delta Air Lines mercenaries fighting on Accord (GNA), use US carrier Delta Air Lines flew the last commercial flights of its MD-88 and MD-90 the ground there. MiG- armed UAVs to neutralise airliners on 2 June after 34 years of service. The final flights saw a MD-88 service from 29 fighters were routed Russian-supplied Sa-22 Washington-Dulles and a MD-90 flight from George Bush Airport in Houston land in from Russia via Syria to Pantsir short-range SAM Delta’s hub in Atlanta Hartfield, Georgia. Delta is the last airline to operate these aircraft support the Moscow- systems, being operated after American Airlines retired its last examples in September 2019. backed Wagner Group by the LNA.

SPACEFLIGHT AEROSPACE Virgin Orbit’s first launch Beta Technologies eVTOL revealed attempt fails

On 25 May Virgin Orbit process of conducting a launched its LauncherOne launch, learn as much as rocket from its 747 we could, and achieve carrier aircraft ‘Cosmic ignition. We hoped we Girl’ over the Pacific could have done more, but Ocean. However, an we accomplished those anomaly occurred, the key objectives today”. Data

NewtonThree engine failed shows that a malfunction Beta Technologies and the mission terminated caused the booster engine Start-up Beta Technologies has unveiled its previously unseen eVTOL prototype – shortly into the first stage to extinguish about 9 codenamed Alia. The air taxi is aimed at flying for 250miles and recharging in an hour. flight. VO reported that: seconds into the flight and The launch customer for the Alia is United Therapeutics, which plans to use the aircraft “our goals today were this, in turn, aborted the to rapidly transport urgent organs for transplants. As well as this and air taxi applications, to work through the mission. Beta has also been selected by the US Army as part of its Agility Prime eVTOL project.

AS350 B3 helicopter develop, manufacture Following two weeks of collided with a RCMP and market the ATL-100 ON THE MOVE weather delays, SpaceX SkyRanger R60 twin-turboprop multirole of GE Aviation in mid has launched 60 Starlink surveillance drone during aircraft. Both civil and The US Senate has July. Meanwhile, Arjan satellites into orbit onboard a joint mission over a rural military variants of the confirmed that General Meijer, CCO at Embraer a Falcon 9 rocket. The area of British Columbia. aircraft will be available. Charles Q Brown is to Commercial succeeds launch took place from The drone was destroyed be the next US Air Force Slattery as CEO. Cape Canaveral Air Force while the helicopter Australia’s second largest Chief of Staff. Base in Florida on 3 June. experienced damage to airline, Virgin Australia, has Anand Stanley is to The new satellites will its main rotor blades and filed for bankruptcy in an The new CEO and succeed Patrick de form part of SpaceX’s was forced to make an effort to secure protection President of Lockheed Castelbajac as President megaconstellation. emergency landing. as the Coronavirus Martin is Jim Taiclet. He of Airbus’ Asia-Pacific crisis pushed the flailing succeeds Marillyn Hewson. operations. The Royal Canadian Brazilian company airline into insolvency. Mounted Police (RCMP) DESAER will partner with Administrators will now Former CE of Embraer Pete Ring has been named has reported an incident the Portuguese centre of undertake a process Commercial Aviation, as the new VP of Sales which occurred in engineering and product of restructuring and John Slattery is to replace and Marketing for Flight February in which an development to jointly refinancing. David Joyce as CEO Data Systems.

JULY 2020 9

JULY 2020 News.indd 7 19/06/2020 14:30:37 By the Numbers Understanding the world of Aerospace through data

Female pilots by airlines (Jan 2020) Zoom Air (India) 30% Air India There are around 12.7% 7,500 women airline pilots in Air Asia the world 10%

Global United 7.4% Average El Al 5.26% <1% Aeroflot 2.20%

Emirates 2.25%

Lufthansa6.94% Atlantic 3.21% 5.26% Virgin

6.5% of the world’s pilots Air Canada are female (see dotted line)

Airways British

5.86%

Cathay Pacific 4.27% Qantas 5.68%

easyJet American4.96% 5%

KLM Delta 4.83% Air New 5.26% Zealand 4.67% Source: The International Society of Women Airline Pilots 10 AEROSPACE Pushing the Envelope Exploring advances on the leading edge of aerospace Robert Coppinger The invisible cabin stowaway

weeping the planet since January, the A cleaner cabin death toll from Coronavirus was more than 353,000 by 28 May, according to the On 14 May, Boeing announced its Confident Travel World Health Organization (WHO). While Initiative team will develop solutions to minimise air transport has rapidly delivered personal health risks during the pandemic. Boeing wants Sprotection and medical equipment, it has also been a to promote systems already in place for cabin transmission route for Covid-19. cleanliness along with enhanced cleaning methods, Research, some of which has been carried out temperature checks and face coverings. Boeing’s by the US government’s Centers for Disease Control May announcement also refers to its aircraft’s use and Prevention, has concluded that respiratory of HEPA filtration. However, whether it is Airbus or diseases can be transmitted between passengers. Boeing, any filtering system will not completely stop Passenger proximity and the duration of the flight are surface contamination of seat tables, seat cushions key factors in how many could be infected. Boeing and seat backs and manual cleaning of the cabin is and Airbus have both taken steps to address cabin transmission. time consuming and imperfect. Qingyan Chen is the James G. Dwyer Professor of Mechanical Engineering in Purdue University’s Understanding airflow School of Mechanical Engineering and he has worked In a 29 May social media-based presentation, Airbus’ with Boeing. For enhanced cleaning, Chen points Executive Vice President of Engineering, Jean-Brice to surface wipes with 70% ethanol and chemical Dumont, explained that, in Airbus aircraft, cabin air sprays but he said they have drawbacks. They take is blown downward, reducing forward and backward too long and the spray’s chemicals can damage seat air flow. That air re-enters the air conditioning system upholstery. Chen also described aircrafts’ air systems at floor level and it is filtered using high efficiency today as being designed to try to dilute any customer- particulate air (HEPA) filters for removing virus-sized spawned droplets by mixing the clean air-conditioned particles. Dumont also advocated the wearing of air with the cabin air. Chen said that, unfortunately, masks. these are not effective enough and instead the air Two years ago, a Boeing-funded research mixing causes cross-contamination. project, Flyhealthy, involved Delta Air Lines and was FOR YEARS, carried out by researchers from Georgia Institute Viruses feeling the heat of Technology and Atlanta-based Emory University. BOEING Boeing said: “Although this [Flyhealthy] study is To kill all viruses anywhere in the cabin, Chen has HAS BEEN two years old, since that time we’ve continued to filed patents for a device that would heat and DEVELOPING take steps to better understand potential risks from humidify an empty narrowbody cabin in less than an A SELF- disease transmission and advance new technologies hour. Four of Chen’s devices would heat the air to DISINFECTING that ensure a healthy cabin environment and enhance 70º Celsius (158º Fahrenheit), so all the surfaces the safety of passengers and crews.” LAVATORY For years, Boeing has been developing a self- were at 60º Celsius; killing all viruses. Powerful WHICH disinfecting lavatory which eliminates 99.9% of UV lamps could be used at the same time. For a ELIMINATES germs after every passenger use with an automated long-term solution, Chen envisages a column of air 99.9% OF GERMS ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV light disinfected water rising up from beneath every seat, partly propelled by the passenger’s body heat, like air conditioning AFTER EVERY in the lavatory sink when tested in the third quarter PASSENGER of last year onboard Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator for individual seats, which sends viruses to ceiling programme’s Boeing 777. Boeing said: ‘The testing ducts for filtration. For the next pandemic, these USE WITH AN validated the integration of UV on an airplane and technologies could help but, in the next 12 months AUTOMATED verified the light’s disinfecting effectiveness.’ UV light or more, ultimately the answer to Covid-19 will be in ULTRAVIOLET is also a potential method for cabin disinfection. individual’s bloodstreams, not the cabin air streams. (UV) LIGHT

JULY 2020 11 Transmission

LETTERS AND ONLINE @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com

RAeS BLM statement Air travel post Covid-19

Peter Round [On @Solsticenator [On what Black Lives Matter RAeS will be the ‘new normal’ for statement(2)] Good to see air travel post Covid-19?(7)] the RAeS speaking out. We Permanent anti-microbial/viral should all speak out, there is coatings. f i nothing more important. Nigel Jones FRAeS @StTim How does banning The art of fl ight Historical podcast carry on work for people Rebecca Richards [On Archive fi lms to watch ©Davidbentstudio travelling with a laptop? They Bernard Raphael George Nigel Jones New Members RAeS/NAL can’t go in the hold. [On Sir Roy Feddon 1969 and Fellows Spotlight] podcast(3)] Wow that’s Congratulations Nigel. amazing! Gender balance

Return to the Moon Elizabeth Jackson @ProfAtkin [On Gender Congratulations Nigel Jones. diversity on RAeS Council] Geoffrey Wardle [On IEng FRAeS FIMI, very well Very pleased to see that, @tempest_books [On Demo-2 – a new era in human deserved! after the recent election, National Aerospace Library spacefl ight(4)] Good article the composition of elected launches archive YouTube Circus by David Bent. by Sarah Cruddas, on the members in the new Aero Career prospects channel(5)] Wow – incredible development of the private / Society Council is eight footage of the Miles Libellula public space transportation Neelam Sharma women and 10 men. We’re Carole Bent [On Capturing [On What – thank you for uploading systems. To return to the getting there. the art of fl ight(1)] Fantastic. Next – Future employment these fi lms! Moon and stay we will need a A pleasure to host Tim and outlook for aviation & complete space infrastructure Wayne at the studio a few aerospace professionals] with SSTO vehicles to LEO, @keirinjoyce In a sign of months ago. Thank you Great webinar, thank you to all orbital transfer vehicles for Atlantic competitors the times, of the six new for such an intelligent and the speakers. Earth / Lunar transport and members, three are women. insightful piece. Best wishes @beaver_paul [On new gateway stations. This will be Congratulations to the to all at the Royal Aeronautical Journal of Aeronautical History the ultimate private / public Zethu Gumede AeroSociety membership for Society. Another paper on Alcock and Brown’s partnership, for our growth in casting such a positive, parity informative webinar, thank you! competitors(6)] Excellent space. vote in this year’s elections! scholarship.

RAeS statement on Black Lives Matter

Carl Warren [On RAeS be engaged in. For what it is industry to a wider number Black Lives Matter worth, I think a big part of the of children, within its available statement(2)] I wholeheartedly problem begins in the school resources. I assume the other RAeS Pilot Careers webinar support the Society’s position system where many teachers professional bodies do likewise. of looking at what it can do in general, unfortunately itself and to drive the wider have little clue about what industry to become more professional engineering is Jean M Dean I agree inclusive, whether it’s about about. Therefore, the probability entirely. Engineering and colour of skin, sex or gender. of someone being exposed to science careers are not Quite frankly, the aerospace the possibilities of a career in pushed in schools these industry is predominantly engineering is increased if a days. It is something that white and male, which means family member is in such a job. needs addressing with some that we are missing out on so Of course, if the existing work urgency. I do a lot of outreach much potential and could be force is inherently white then for science and continually try doing so much better. the population who consider to expose and enthuse school As a white man, I observe a career in engineering children to consider such that the majority (not all) of based upon exposure to the careers. But as you mention @cyrushavo [On RAeS Pilot On 3 June the RAeS held a Careers webinar available on webinar on ‘Pilot Careers – The my professional colleagues possibility remain inherently the schools and curriculum Future of Our Skies’ which looked (8) are white and male. This is skewed towards white people. could do much more. I don’t YouTube ] That’s the spirit of at pilot future prospects, training, something that needs more I believe that the Society does even know if engineering Royal Aeronautical Society preparation for recovery and work to change and is a much good work to increase of any type is even taught members – keep it up! transferable skills. The webinar can be viewed on YouTube. good thing for the Society to exposure of the aerospace anymore.

12 AEROSPACE June issue of AEROSPACE and the ‘A’ in Aviation Art From the RAeS photo archives ©Davidbentstudio @Tony_KeelingRAF @Scampycat123 Very RAeS/NAL [On June edition of proud and an excellent article AEROSPACE] The Aero by RAeSTimR – great to Society magazine arrived this see in-depth, intelligent and morning – refreshing to see thoughtful coverage, in line a focus on creativity through with Aero Society approach davidbentstudio art. You must since 1866. Thank you Tony_ be very proud Scampycat123. KeelingRAF.

@Iain_gray Really excited to @NAHF On Capturing the get this month’s AEROSPACE art of fl ight blog(1)] We are magazine from Aero Society. excited to have the ‘A’ added! Well done RAeSTimR – Inclusiveness expands the great piece about role of A Beautiful Jigsaw by David talent pool and makes the art in aerospace featuring Bent featured on the front results all the richer. Thank you ‘Birdman’ Clem Sohn, 1910-1937, at Hanworth early in davidbentstudio – great cover of June’s AEROSPACE. AeroSociety for this article. May 1936. Clements Joseph Sohn was an American air piece from Bill Read on show daredevil in the 1930s from Fowler, Michigan, US. @davethiggins Cranfi eldAerospace. Some real He perfected a way of gliding with a home-made wingsuit. food for thought in this issue, @kerissa_k Love love love He would drop from an aircraft at a height of approximately especially automation and this! Congrats. 6,000m and glide down until he was only 300 to 250m from pilot intervention. the ground, at which point he would open his parachute for the fi nal descent.

(xx) Hazardous helicopter France green initiative Future shocks blog Helicopters in Antarctica @Satcom_Guru [On US @bjennings [On France to @AviationVincent [On Army grounds helicopter accelerate hydrogen-powered Extreme Threats to the UK in pilots that fl ew low over aircraft development] How big, 2060 blog(9)] I’d add AI to your protesters in Washington DC] what envelope is needed to future list. When everything Always troubling when the power airplane with hydrogen is networked, controlling AI is commander-in-chief infi ltrates fuel cell or is range more the going to be a big challenge. an active investigation. The issue? Does it have an energy Look at plans for 6G – it’s indiscriminate use of rotor density comparable to modern an attractive subject for wash and operating at low aviation fuels? researchers across the globe. altitude over crowds of people is extremely hazardous. Using UK ‘Jet Zero’ Council Roy Feddon report a medivac is completely @NavyLookout [On Alan @TomSharpe134 Love that unacceptable. Ruling coming @S0meday3 [On UK @Brabazon2 [On Sir Roy Bristow Memorial Lecture on footage, thank you. Still in later this month. launching ‘Jet Zero’ Council for Fedden podcast(3)] Has NAL YouTube(10)] Recommended touch with David Baillie who zero-carbon fl ying] Extremely got a copy of the report he AeroSociety Alan Bristow fi lmed this and much more for disappointing to see zero prepared during his visit to the Memorial Lecture: With Lee Frozen Planet. Tough gig! Sign up for Sopwith ambition for zero emissions US during the war and which Evans, now Senior Test pilot compared to our European it seems Goering got to see Leonardo_UK speaking @SouthernFairy [On neighbours. £2m compared to soon after? Also, do we know about his time in the RN fl ying @KALAMAPA Strongly Sopwith Lecture from Dirk €15bn committed by France – more about which jet aircraft Lynx helicopters from HMS recommend watching, thanks Hoke, Airbus Defence] we may as well close the UK he saw in his visit to Germany Endurance in Antarctica. for sharing. Booked in. Love the graphic. aerospace sector and let the soon after the war ended? Europeans take over.

1. AEROSPACE, June 2020 p 14, Capturing the art of fl ight 2. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/black-lives-matter-statement/ 3. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/audio-from-the-archive-sir-roy-fedden-on-interwar-engines-the-wartime-german-aircraft-industry/ 4. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/demo-2-a-new-era-in-human-spacefl ight/ 5. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvOINKE_4cR6oBMKv_8wNKA 6. https://www.aerosociety.com/publications/jah-alcock-browns-competitors/ 7. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/air-travel-in-the-post-covid-19-age-the-new-normal/ 8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SCCmO6gEVE 9. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/future-shock-extreme-threats-to-the-uk/ 10. Alan Bristow lecture - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_dYFyWLBB0

@aerosociety i linkedin.com/raes f facebook.com/raes www.aerosociety.com JULY 2020 13 AIR TRANSPORT Air travel post-Covid-19

he worst of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic may be behind us by the time these words are read but the effects of the disease are likely to linger in the commercial aviation industry for months, Welcome to the ‘new normal’ Tif not years. Those airlines that survive will undoubtedly be financially weaker than before and will have to instil confidence in the public to encourage them to fly once again. Airports will also have to convince people that their facilities are safe to use. What will air travel look like in the coming years? It seems likely – at least in the short term – that passengers and crews will have to get used to a new set of pre-flight health requirements, in much the same way as they had to become accustomed to a sharp increase in security checks post-9/11. How long these requirements will remain may depend on how quickly a reliable vaccine for the novel coronavirus becomes available and can be widely rolled out. This is likely to take some time and vaccinating huge numbers of people worldwide is problematical. Also, the environmental issues that preoccupied so many people in 2019 may have temporarily faded into the background but have not disappeared. The reluctance to fly for ecological reasons, when combined with fear of contracting the coronavirus on journeys, is potentially a double disincentive to travel by air.

A return to skies

Most airlines plan to restart services through June and July, although perhaps only at 15%-30% of their previous capacity. Some CEOs, notably Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, have said they will tempt people back into the air with ultra-low fares. It seems certain that many people, fed up with government lockdowns over the previous three months, will leap at the chance to grab a break in different surroundings. How long this initial burst of activity will last is one of the major unknowns in the airline-passenger equation. The general feeling at the time of writing was that companies, desperate to rebuild their finances, would increase fares above 2019 levels once the initial burst of cut-price fares was over. If shrunken fleets mean that overcapacity, especially in Europe, becomes a thing of the past, then the laws of supply and demand will mean that passengers can expect to pay more for that business trip to Frankfurt or that holiday break in Paphos.

Adapting to comedown

How can airlines and airports respond to this existential threat? The industry is clear that recovery will not be rapid, with most airline CEOs estimating between two and five years for traffic to return to its pre-Covid-19 levels. That timespan will see many

14 AEROSPACE Welcome to the ‘new normal’ Masks, middle seats kept clear and ultraviolet light cleaning? ALAN DRON examines the measures that are set to be introduced as the air transport industry grapples with the challenges of transporting passengers in the post-Covid-19 era.

airlines disappear for ever and even the best-run and risk of disturbances if, for example, a business are likely to emerge from the pandemic with smaller executive is balked from flying for an important fleets. Ironically, in many cases it will be the older, meeting, or if one member of a family group going on state-owned carriers that survive, as governments holiday is told they cannot travel. pump in funding to allow their national airlines to survive, while privately-owned companies may Defining good flight health struggle to raise money from the banks. It is already clear, however, that limiting the The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the spread of the virus through the enforcement of social European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control distancing – both in airports and on board aircraft – have issued a joint document defining measures will be a non-starter as soon as passenger numbers to assure the health safety of air travellers and begin to ramp up from the minimal levels anticipated aviation personnel once airlines resume regular flight in the first few weeks of a return to service. London schedules. Heathrow’s CEO, John Holland-Kaye, made this clear These include observing physical distancing in an interview at the start of May. wherever possible, wearing a medical face mask to protect other passengers and practising scrupulous Fly the healthy skies and frequent hand hygiene. They warn, however, that ‘In the context of these While airports would introduce health screening and measures, an increase in cases of unruly or disruptive passengers would have to wear masks, introducing passengers should be expected, either prior to social distancing was “physically impossible” with any departure or in-flight. This may be due to passengers volume of passengers, he said. “Social distancing not wishing to sit next to each other or accusing each does not work in any form of public transport, let other of not following the rules. There is a strong alone aviation.” potential for conflict if it is not managed properly.’ Ryanair’s O’Leary has ridiculed suggestions “A lot of thought has to be put in as to how that airlines keep middle seats vacant, noting that passengers are dealt with if they are found to this measure would not only fail to provide the have a high temperature,” commented Christine necessary two metres’ distancing, but that it would be Druce, Senior Development Manager (baggage) economically unviable for airlines. at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport and a member Peter Hodkinson, of the RAeS’ Aerospace of the RAeS Air Transport Specialist Group. “What Medicine Group, believes there may be a multi- if it is a child or dependent person? What if the layered approach to making airports and airliners safe person is in transit and not expecting to ‘land’ in that for travel, including passengers potentially taking their country? What does that then mean for visas? If own temperature before leaving their homes, wearing the passengers are prevented from continuing their masks throughout the journey and having their journey, what happens to their bags?” temperatures taken as they arrive at the airport. Other possibilities for airport precautions, said The last of these options is potentially fraught Terry Buckland, Chairman of the RAeS’s Flight with difficulties, given the real risk of temperature- Operations Group, include tests (perhaps swab or measuring equipment giving false positives on blood) being carried out on passengers as they individuals, as people’s temperatures do fluctuate arrive at an airport and before they get on board but naturally. Similarly, there is also the risk of false this is unlikely to be a viable option at major hubs negatives, with asymptomatic carriers of the virus due to weight of numbers. A further option would failing to trigger an alert. be to train special sniffer dogs to detect ill travellers; Several groups have warned of the problems that canines have been shown to be remarkably may arise if an individual arrives at an airport feeling effective at such work. However, the amount of time perfectly healthy, only to be told that they are not needed to put such a scheme in place also probably allowed to fly. This could lead to heated arguments renders it unworkable.

JULY 2020 15 Recent months, however, have seen the subject Recent months, however, accounts for 50% of theFiltered, recirculated air airflow in an airliner also helps limit the The also give some protection high seat backs The someone sitting beside, behind Potentially, source of cross- are a prime potential Toilets A safer cabin A potential foretaste of things to come is the news that Emirates Airline intends to start carrying an additional cabin crew member whose primary task will be to clean the toilets every 45 minutes. as seatback IFEas seatback screens (in-flight entertainment) an unappetising are often home to and tray tables, as bugs, such potentially illness-inducing mixture of e-coli and salmonella. agenda. Carriers haverise to the top of the marketing enhanced cleaning regimesbeen at pains to stress and the virtues of onboard HEPA (high-efficiency that deliver the standard of airparticulate air) filters in hospital operating theatres.quality normally found being brought cabin, with the rest air in an airliner’s is completely air in an airliner in from outside. The minutes, which around every three to four changed with standards in buildings.compares very favourably air with spread of any virus by being ‘top-down’, at floor level, moving vertically and being extracted in athus limiting the horizontal spread of the virus can be improved further feature breath. This person’s by passengers turning on the air vents above their accentuates the downward flow. seats, which to passengers fore and aft of anyone who is Hodkinson made However, unknowingly infectious. rule’ for social distancingpoint that the ‘two-metre the cough,applied to people breathing normally: “If you further.” that can go much you and there or even in front of you could infect droplet,were also questions as to where respiratory settle,or potentially aerosol, spread viruses could was also the problem of passing he noted. There passengers to and from the toilet. infectious said theycontamination; several airlines have already – anotherwill not allow queues to form for the toilets lead topotentially problematical situation that could flare-ups with cabin crew.

Delta Honeywell Traditionally, airlines have tended not to raise the Traditionally, topic of cabin cleanliness – why do so unless you are suggesting there is a problem? – despite several studies having shown that many cabin surfaces, such A fresher, cleaner flight! A fresher, term – toGood hygiene is likely – at least in the short become a major selling point for airlines. Standards high onof cabin cleanliness have tended not to be the agenda for many carriers, as any passenger who has discovered biscuit crumbs on their seat or used can testify, pocket into the seatback tissues stuffed but this may change.

AIR TRANSPORT Air travel post-Covid-19

recently established a ‘global cleanliness’ division in their words, ‘is which dedicated to innovating and evolving our already- high cleanliness standards.’ Above lower: Honeywell’s System. aero UV Treatment Above upper: Delta Airlines AEROSPACE Airlines have scrambled to cope with the initial effects of Coronavirus. 16 disinfection procedurewascarriedoutandsigned cleanliness log,notingwhenadeepcleanor maintenance log,each shouldnowhavea Just aseverycommercialairlinerhada Incorporating cleaningschedules regulators withspotchecks.” nature,” hesaid.“Unlessit’s rigidlyenforcedbythe a pointechoed byBuckland. “It’s onlyhuman once memoryofthepandemicstartedtofade, disinfection, thatattentiontodetailwouldslide are currentlyplacinggreatemphasisoncabin keep theircabininteriorssafe. disappear asairlinesmakeintensifiedeffortsto That problemislikelytoa newproductonboard. relevant airlineofficialwhohastheauthoritytoget handling. This canmakeitdifficulttolocatethe as engineering,in-flightservicesandground- the remitsofdifferent airlinedepartments,such been thatcabincleaningtendstofallbetween ‘wanting deliverytoday’. daily andSahnifoundhimselffieldingphonecalls of thepandemic,productionleaptto5,000litres litres ofitseponymousproductaday. At theheight months ago,Virus-Guard wasproducingjustfive and virusesforupto10days,hasrocketed. Afew both bacteriaproduct, which thefirmsays kills 30 minutes. aircraftinaround all cabinsurfacesinawidebody that canproduceadisinfectant mistthatcancover of 200-plusaircraft,despitetheadvent‘foggers’ that itwas“tootroublesome”todisinfect hisfleet ofonemajorAsianairlinetoldhim that theCEO ofTurkey-basedSahni, CEO Virus-Guard, reported route butsomehaveremainedresistant.Alex the enhancedcleaningregimeithadputinplace. Airways producedavideoextensively describing the worstofpandemic,forexample, Etihad Duringencourage skittishtravellersback onboard. cleaning regimesovercomingmonths,inorderto However, Sahnifeared that,while airlines A majorproblemforSahniinrecentyearshas More generally, however, demandforSahni’s Many otherairlineshavegonedownasimilar Airlines maystresstheirnew, morerigorous, Buckland. not beconfinedtothepassengercabin,said log’s accuracy, andthatlevelofcleanlinessshould by anofficialwhowouldbeheldtoaccountforthe are beingcleanedproperlybycontractorsduring Flight OperationsGroupreportedthat:“The loos how filthyflightdecks were.” for quitealotofmycareer, beingquitedismayedat complaints thatthisisnotbeingdone.“Iremember, Aviation, Buckland said,therehavebeenmany changes.” AccordingtotheToulouse Academyof will havetobethoroughlyclea=nedbetweencrew DLR Heathrow Airport One Airbus pilot and member of the RAeS One AirbuspilotandmemberoftheRAeS

“At averybasiclevel,theflightdecks airflow in aircraft cabins. airflow inaircraftcabins. measuring thecirculationof Germany’s is DLR thermal screening. Heathrow Airportistrailing JULY 2020 17 18 AEROSPACE Air travelpost-Covid-19 TRANSPORT AIR

scientific data on theriskoftransmission reached onpassengeracceptability. operational measuresuntilsome consensusis believes thatthereislikelytobe aplethoraof AirTransportand amemberoftheRAeS Group, aviation consultancy, AlanStratfordandAssociates with each another. cabin materials,forexample, orreactadversely all productsusedfordisinfection donotdegrade their cabinsclean.There isaneedtoensurethat website, advisingairlinesonthebestwaystokeep Association (IATA) hassetupanewsectiononits three tofourhours.” to someextent, becausedeepcleaningmayneed that “We’re goingtohavedisrupt theschedules turnround attheirdestination.That meant,hesaid, over a24-hourcycle,withperhapsonlytwo-hour less timeonthegroundthanshort-haulcarriers operated throughthenightandironicallyoftenhad cleaning procedures. groundcrews thechance tocarryoutdeep- the groundforalongerperiodovernight,giving sectors, althoughtheiraircrafttendedtobeon to carryoutanymeaningfulcleaningbetween 30 minutesbetweenflights–wouldbeunable carriers thatreliedonturnroundsofaslittle to deep-cleaningordisinfecting aircraft. haul operatorswouldfaceproblemswhenitcame and mustbecleanedbytheengineers.” elements ofthepilotinterface)areofflimitstous provided. (However)someareas(egcertain of thepilotinterfaceusingvariousmaterials too, wetendtodoourownthoroughcleaning turnarounds. Althoughtheycleantheflightdeck US Govt “Given thatthere isonlylimitedavailable Peter Forbes, Directorofthe specialist UK With thisinmind,theInternationalAirTransport Long-haul carriers,bycontrast,frequently Short-haul airlines–particularlylow-cost short-haulandlong- Buckland addedthatboth passenger’s discretion. some, includingBritishAirways,leavethistothe fairly widespreadamongstmostEuropeanairlines, the compulsorywearingoffacemasksisnow they thinkwillmakepassengersfeel safe. While free tochoose theappropriatemeasureswhich Covid-19 duringflight,airlineshavelargelybeen having extended inrecentyearsfrompassports, valuables close tothem,withtheirlistofvaluables baggage carousel. swiftly withouthavingtowaitfor theircasesata charges andvaluebeingabletoexit anairport past decadeinordertoavoidchecked-in baggage their requirementsintoacarry-on bagoverthe unpopular, asmanytravellershavelearnedtopack the overheadlockers. other passengerswhotouch each other’s casesin in thehold,tominimiseinfection beingpassedto compelled toplacemuch oftheircarry-onbaggage recession.” particularly iftheglobaleconomymovesinto financial lossesfromreducedloadfactors, to balancethesemeasuresagainstanypossible the rear. Ultimately, however, airlineswillneed forward, whilethoseinthemiddleseatfaceto passengers intheaisleandwindowseatface so-called ‘Janus’ seatingarrangementinwhich introduce glassdividerscreensorperhapsa the mediumterm,itispossiblethatairlineswill arrangements toincreasesocialdistancing.In Lot Polish Airlines,devisingstaggered seating leaving themiddleseatfreeor, asinthecaseof configuration withmanyairlines,includingEasyjet, There arealsodiffering viewsontheseating Are yousittingsafely? People increasinglywanttokeep their Enforcing such ameasureislikelytobehighly There hasalsobeentalkofpassengersbeing AIRPORTS AIRPORTS TERMINALS. SELF CHECK-IN HANDLES AND RAILS, DOOR AS ESCALATOR TOUCHED, SUCH AREAS THAT ARE CLEANING OF TO FREQUENT WILL BEPAID ATTENTION PARTICULAR AND VISIBLE. THOROUGH ARE BOTH REGIMES THAT WITH CLEANING CONCERNS CUSTOMER RESPOND TO HAVEWILL TO this safety threat. electronics-only, containerintothecabintoremove towards allowingpassengerstotakeaseparate, major re-educationcampaignandperhapsamove luggage inthehold,thatwaslikelytorequirea hold. Ifairlinesinsistedonpassengersplacingtheir was notopenifafirestartedintheunderfloor with inthecabinbyflightattendants,thatoption smouldering smartphoneorlaptopcouldbedealt of thermalrunawayisveryhigh,”henoted.While a in thehold. placing lithiumbattery-poweredelectronicdevices risks, saidBuckland, ifthatmeans passengers devices. cash ormobilephonestoapanoplyofelectronic actual viruses,the researchers recommended that viral geneticmaterial. whilethisdiffered from the contaminated withtracesofcommon coldand‘flu half ofthetraysatHelsinki’s Vantaa airportwere and theUK’s UniversityofNottinghamfoundthat researchers fromtheFinnishInstituteofHealth carry-on bags,shoesandbelts. security traysonwhich passengersplacetheir cleanliness inrecentyearshasbeentheplastic Identity,Sovereign alifetime portableidentity.” “We’ll alsoseeadvancesinthe adoptionofSelf- passengers records,forexample,” saidO’Connor. us enhancedreconciliationanddatasharingof likely toseeblockchain technology evolve,giving “We’remeasures aroundsuch electronicIDs. seeing morecheck-in outsideofairports.” they canbeusedon-andoff-site,sowe’llstart he saidinan18Aprilblog.“Their advantageisthat fundamental capabilitiesinthistouchless journey,” “Biometrics anddigitalidentitymanagementwillbe biometrics willplayamuch greaterroleinairtravel. Andrew O’Connor, certainlybelievesthat orimmigrationprocesses. boarding handing overdocumentstoofficialsduringthe ratherthan characteristics areusedastheirID, biometric technologies, asaperson’s uniquefacial for process.Expect aboost in andboarding reducing touchpoints (literally)inthecheck- terminals. escalator rails,doorhandlesandselfcheck-in cleaning ofareasthataretouched, such as Particular attentionwillbepaidtofrequent thorough andvisible. regimes thatareboth respond tocustomerconcernswithcleaning On theground,meanwhile,airportswillhaveto The newnormalairport “If alithiumbatterygetscrushed,thechance Insisting moreluggageischecked inposes At theheightof2016winter‘fluseason, One areathathasbeencriticisedforlack of This, ofcourse,willdemandgreatersecurity SITA’s Vice President, Portfolio Management, There willbeincreasedattentionpaidto Airport. been introducedatDoha’s HamadInternational clean floorsurfaces;such machines haverecently programmed topatrolaterminalandconstantly generation ofautonomouscleaningrobots by thenext passengers. slots attheendofsecuritychannel forreuse (UV) lightasthetraysreturnfromstacking have beenmooted,includingtheuseofultra-violet contamination intheairport’s toiletsurfaces.) risk ofinfection. (Bycontrast,theyfoundnosuch before andaftersecuritychecks, tominimisethe passengers shouldcleantheirhandswithsanitiser commercial aviation industry. return tosomething approaching normalityin the delay whatalreadyappearscertain tobeaslow cause confusionamongpassengers andfurther will resultinamish-mashofregulations thatwill harmonised atthegloballevel. Failure todoso certain: regulationsmustbecoordinated and industry togetpeopleflyingagain, onethingis you’re goingtoassumetheaircraftisdirty.” aircraft andyouseegumgroundintothecarpet, foggingandwipingbutifyougetonan all about anti-microbial carpettilesputit:“Airlines cantalk based SkypaxxxInteriorRepairs,which distributes public. AsRick Lockhart, President ofFlorida- in ordertoretainconfidenceamongthetravelling has previouslybeenthecasewithsomecarriers, will havetobemaintainedatahigherlevelthan currently beingimplemented,itseemslikelythey airlines mayslipfromthehighstandardsthatare crisis. Althoughthecleaningstandardsofsome One small,beneficialresultmaycomefromthe Confidence foracleanerfuture Air India UV lightisalsobeingusedbyanew Several methodsofcleaningsecuritytrays Whatever measuresareadoptedbythe JULY 2020 19 AEROSPACE Mergers and acquisitions Boeing and Embraer jilted at the altar? Embraer

Professor KEITH HAYWARD FRAeS assesses what happens next after Boeing terminated a $4.2bn deal to acquire Embraer’s commercial aircraft division.

wo years ago, Boeing offered Embraer or are Chinese either going home or increasingly $4.2bn for an 80% share of its regional suspect as a thin end of an industrial espionage jet business. Boeing has now walked wedge. away from the preliminary agreement More positively, the Embraer product line offered citing ‘unacceptable delays’ in concluding Boeing a quick way of filling an emerging gap at the Tthe deal. For its part, Embraer has accused Boeing of bottom end of its product range. Well designed and ‘manufacturing false claims’ as a pretext for breaking currently in the midst of upgrading and modernisation, off negotiations. The Brazilians believe that Boeing’s Embraer’s E-Jet range had acquired a solid market own problems with the MAX8 and Covid-19-related and a good reputation among its customer base. Its issues and the need to cover a $19bn plus hole in its main competitor was Bombardier, now part of Airbus finances, are the real reasons for the collapse. The in a sort of junior league Boeing-Airbus duopoly. deal was also facing political opposition within Brazil The absorption of the Bombardier C-Series into the and potential anti-trust action from the EU. Airbus range as the A220 would have increased the pressure on Embraer to match the mightier resources Filling personnel and product gaps of the European consortium. Future developments in Brazil were handicapped For Boeing, the main attraction of the deal with to some extent by a shortage of capital Embraer was perhaps the people employed in one which, of course, Boeing might have of the world’s most productive and skilled aerospace brought to the deal. However, with analysts beginning workforces. They are also in the main young or at to think that in the future airlines will be downsizing least younger than the aging members of Boeing’s their fleets, Embraer’s products would have filled a US team. The aging of a generation of engineers and gap in the Boeing family. other skilled personnel has been a long-term concern Boeing has tried this before; remember the de of the US aerospace industry. Gaining access to a Havilland Canada link in the 1980s? This failed Brazilian source of new blood would have been a because Boeing could not readily cope with the quick shortcut to supplementing the domestic cadre different market and customer base requirements of incomers to the workforce, many of whom will of aeroplanes below 130 seats. Well, times are prefer employment in the ‘technology’ start-ups – a-changing and Toulouse clearly believed even before

20 AEROSPACE Boeing Covid-19 that slots in the 90-120 seat category were notwithstanding, one of the largest and fastest worth nurturing. It also had the bonus of trimming growing airliner markets. This gives Comac the kind of some of the competition to the smaller Airbuses. structural advantages that other challengers such as Embraer has lost some $100m in preparatory Japan have lacked (I have not forgotten the Russians, costs and is seeking legal redress. Is China waiting but their civil aerospace industry is still in a mess). in the wings perhaps? A tie up with Embraer could State aid, and domestic carriers dragooned be a way of short-cutting the acquisition of some of into ‘buying Chinese’ will keep Comac in business the ‘softer’ skills that the Chinese lack in terms of whatever happens elsewhere. There is the promise marketing, product support and the like that Comac is of more and a future wide-body (perhaps in struggling with to launch the C219 as a global player. collaboration with the Russians) is sitting in the wings. Not that Embraer’s harder skills would not be useful Now, whether the market has in fact turned its face either, especially its experience in satisfying US and permanently from high-capacity aircraft in favour of European regulations. A bid by the Chinese would be smaller, ultra-long haul aeroplanes including narrow a ‘fox in the hen coop’ moment for both Boeing and bodies remains to be seen. However, narrowing the Airbus, although the latter would feel the heat earlier range of a ‘family’ could play into the hands of a new as the A220 met increased competition. entrant by limiting the ability to offer a trade-off to customers across a range of products. A narrower Longer-term trends focus in developing new products may also help. Would this accelerate the long anticipated break up Innovation is the key to keeping of the Boeing-Airbus duopoly? Even only a month ahead or so into a global aviation lockdown, the impact on future air travel, the survival of a bunch of airline More subtly, the longer term affects on profitability and leasing customers and on the security hitherto and a negative market response to the virus could afforded by a mountainous backlog of orders is now erode the classic advantages of an established player looking grievous. Boeing’s problems predate when still investing heavily in R&D and innovative future Covid-19 struck. Airbus has had to cope with the products. The history of civil aerospace has seen A380 shutdown and continuing problems with the companies holding off for too long before refurbishing A400M programme. Now both have cut production, their product cycle: Douglas in the face of jet airliners furloughed workers and are talking of redundancies. in the 1950s and arguably Boeing downplaying the A two-year recovery phase may be optimistic. impact of the ‘fly-by-wire’ A320 in the 1980s. Airbus Many things in the aerospace business move and Boeing, faced the Chinese with some confidence fast, especially technology (although not as fast – even collaborating with them, recognised that as consumer electronics). Other stuff, especially the key to survival was to be faster into the next the structural aspects of world aerospace, move generation than the likes of Comac. If the downturn at a somewhat slower pace. The current Boeing- extends well beyond the mid-20s, it may be harder to Airbus duopoly was over a quarter of a century in launch new projects and to incorporate improvements the building. 2020 saw the 50th anniversary of the that push the product cycle trajectory further out for creation of Airbus Industrie, the corporate forerunner new entrants. There are of course still other factors of the present day Airbus – a government-dependent driving the need to innovate – carbon neutrality consortium, laughed at by its American competitors before mid century will not go away and may become as a loss-making political enterprise. Well, with the even more imperative as people remember the clean launch of the A320 in the 1980s, things began to skies of lockdown. But investing in the immediate change and smiles disappeared from West Coast aftermath of Covid on top of pre-existing conditions faces. The increasingly bitter transatlantic dispute might prove tricky over government subsidies also dates from around The prevalence of some form of state aid for civil THE AGING OF this time and has continued to colour the context aerospace will not go away either if the political will of the last series of product launches. Recent stays strong behind a domestic producer. WTO rules A GENERATION WTO rulings may well have limited future ‘subsidy’ might be extended or the WTO itself is stymied by the OF ENGINEERS behaviour on both sides of the pond but this will not very country that benefits most from limits on direct AND OTHER take the politics out of civil aerospace. funding for civil aerospace. Forcing China into a trading SKILLED corner may only encourage further investment and China in the wings perhaps obstacles to selling equipment to Chinese PERSONNEL HAS airlines. Of course, not everybody shares the same BEEN A LONG- Which brings us back to China. Economists talk about worldview about China; which brings us back to the TERM CONCERN the high barriers to entry in the commercial aerospace prospect of a Comac-Embraer tie-up. My guess is that OF THE US business; to move up the steep climb to a world-class the Boeing-Airbus duopoly will be hard to shift but capability, state-funded R&D or product financing is things have got just that little bit harder for both. AEROSPACE pretty well essential (or access to a well-funded closed Well, the Chinese did see a curse in ‘may you live INDUSTRY defence market). China has both and, pandemic in interesting times’.

JULY 2020 21 AIR TRANSPORT Women in aviation

Why does India lead the world in equality on the flightdeck – with the highest percentage of female commercial pilots? NEELAM MATHEWS explains how women are getting their wings. Via author Via

22 AEROSPACE h e story of women’s struggle for equality years later, on Women’s International Day, Air India belongs to no single feminist nor to any became the first airline to fly around the world with one organisation but to the collective an all-female crew. The Boeing 777 flew from New efforts of all who care about human rights.” Delhi to San Francisco over the Pacific Ocean. The Gloria Steinem crew completed a mandatory rest period before flying TMention the words ‘woman aviator’ and the name over the Atlantic back to New Delhi, completing the of Amelia Earhart generally pops up the world over. round-the-world trip. Not so much in India, which has seen its share of In 1998, a postage stamp, released to women pilots in the 1930s, with the likes of Sarla commemorate Indian women in aviation, was a Thakral, the first Indian woman to fly in 1936, as she tribute to this imperceptible force that tirelessly was engulfed by six yards of her sari in the cockpit of strides forward increasing its ilk while bridging the a Gypsy Moth. gap towards gender equality. The numbers are But closed mindsets and ‘It’s a man’s world’ telling. Already Air India has the highest percentage attitudes have prevented aviation from being a of women pilots in the world – over 15%. Budget preferred career for women. Barring inflight crew, jobs airline market leader IndiGo has around 13% of such as pilots, mechanics and air traffic controllers women pilots, up from 10% five years ago. Equal pay have traditionally been a male domain. For instance, makes the career attractive, as salaries are based when Durba Banerjee (below) set off to break on seniority and flying hours following agreements stereotypes and venture into flying a Dakota as a struck with unions. DC3 pilot in 1959 and seven While the Covid-19 crisis has years later, when looking to join virtually brought to a standstill the Indian Airlines (now merged with world’s fastest growing domestic Air India) as a commercial pilot, aviation market, it is likely to move was instead offered the post of full circle once orders for fleet a flight attendant! Life moved gather pace and skill shortages for her. With the arrival of the in the sector return. The present B737-200 series, she got herself is proving to be the right time type rated as a jet pilot to fly the to motivate and carry forward aircraft. She also flew the Airbus projects, such as those of A300. The woman of grit earned Lockheed Martin India Innovation 18,500 flying hours, paving Growth Programme that looks the way for more to follow her to encourage girls from 15- to contrails. 18 years of age to consider jobs in aviation when making career Rise of the female choices. aeronaut Mentoring the future Things are expeditiously changing as the ‘invisible force’ (women) ensures it gets its Mentoring is the new mantra in India to encourage Left: 787 pilot, Nivedita ‘space’ in the new world order. India has a ratio of girls to enter numerous fields related to aviation. A Bhasin, who recently flew 949 females to 1,000 men. There are clear signs that big effort has been made by the 50-year old (IWPA). her 787 to Guangzhou to bring back medical the number of women entering aviation are rising, as “Although we call ourselves the women pilots’ kits during the current India’s population gets younger, educated and tech organisation, our membership is open to air traffic Coronavirus crisis. savvy. Presently, the country has over 50% of its controllers, flight dispatchers, engineers, airport Within text: The 1998 population below the age of 25 and over 65% below managers, sky divers, educators, students – heck, Indian postage stamp 35 years of age. By the end of 2020, the average anyone interested in aviation is welcome,” Harjeet released to commemorate age of an Indian will be 29 years, compared to 37 for said. IWPA engages in educational, charitable and Indian women in aviation. China and 48 for Japan. scientific activities to promote aeronautical science Below: Captain Durba The young women of India are smart and and fosters aerospace education among young Banerjee. come from a culture where women held a dignified girls while granting scholarships. It also encourages position in society. “Give it to the Indian culture to aero-sport, including gliding, aero-modelling, hang- make it happen and allow them to follow such jobs,” gliding and micro light flying. Imparting training to Harpreet A De Singh President Indian Women Pilots women pilots, ground school refreshers, IWPA has Association (IWPA) and Executive Director Air India also catalogued an aviation library on women. told AEROSPACE. Harjeet says often the gender bias works Air India, the national carrier, being the only against the men too, as women are generally the airline in India for decades, set the trend when it favourite choice for cabin crew. “This gender ratio operated its first all-women crew flight in 1985 in too has to be corrected. In Air India we make sure a Fokker Friendship Flight from Kolkata to Silchar the ratio is somewhat even for women and men at in Assam, a one and a half hour jet flight. Thirty two 60:40.”

JULY 2020 23 AIR TRANSPORT Women in aviation

However, there are glaring gaps. Being the only and work, she explains. As the first pilot in Air India to female on the top of the ladder, as Chief of Safety, become a mother, the years following her first child Harjeet says: “there is a need to get women into led to Air India outlining its policy on maternity leave. top management positions that will serve as role Her daughter, who has looked up to her mom as her models to the younger generation. She says that; role model, is at 28, a Captain on the A320 at budget generally the only arena you will find a woman is the IndiGo. Human Resource division, as it is related to welfare.”

She moans that there is no director of engineering, Blue Dart operations and in technical areas. “Sometimes,” she adds, “women are their own defaulters, as they prefer to stay in their comfort zone and a pilot that could have moved into engineering could not be bothered to. As for her, she is surrounded by men in the office… I have got used to it.” During the Covid-19 crisis, she has been busy organising evacuation and medical flights, including carrying out risk assessment at airports. Her job got busier during India’s lockdown as, just in the week of 7 May, around 15,000 stranded Indians were flown back to Indian cities in 64 Air India flights from the world over.

Keeping the orange white and green flying Interestingly, Tulsi Nowlakha Mirchandaney, Managing Director and Accountable Manager for Blue Many of the pilots flying out of India during the crisis Dart Aviation, India’s only scheduled cargo airline and have been women – both young and senior – treating South Asia’s largest with a fleet of six Boeing 757 the job as ‘carrying out a duty for the nation.’ Among freighters, says the person she admires the most is these is Nivedita Bhasin, who recently flew her 787 Lee Kwan Yew, First Prime Minister of Singapore, “for to Guangzhou to bring back medical kits. “It was a his vision, independent thinking, execution capability terrifying situation initially. We did not know who was and nation building – a life of great meaning and a (Covid-19) carrier and who was not. Also at the purpose, with a rich legacy for so many.” Unlike many, beginning we had neither protective suits nor N-95 Tulsi never suffered from discrimination of being masks… But it was a humanitarian mission and we female, being brought up in a nurturing environment couldn’t say no.” with her two supporting brothers. At Blue Dart Aviation, Despite retirement closing in on her, she lives an she spearheaded First Choice, the Group’s continuous exuberant life with a passion for flying. Interestingly, improvement programme, and also initiated the CSR her husband, two children and father-in-law – programme. She has been instrumental in expanding together have nearly 100 years of flying among the company’s infrastructure across airports, and them. In 1990, she became the youngest woman in helping bring about policy changes in civil aviation civil aviation history to command a commercial jet to acknowledge the contribution of air express, aircraft at the age of 26 and, as life progressed, flew and support the distinctive requirements for the in India’s first 787 that she presently commands. sustainability of the cargo airline industry in the country. Having overcome many blockades to find her rightful place in a male-dominated line of work in the eighties, Expanding opportunity it was a struggle to find a balance between home Mentors are flourishing in India. Women in Aviation India chapter, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to Air India to women striving for careers in aviation launched four years ago as part of the US-based WAI and Lockheed Martin India, have spurred a movement Above: Tulsi Mirchandaney heads South Asia’s only to motivate Year 9 to 12 girls in schools to follow stand-alone cargo airline their dreams. Lockheed Martin, which has a woman Blue Dart Aviation. at the helm – Chairwoman, President and CEO Left: Air India’s all-women Marillyn Hewson – “has a diverse workforce in every crew celebrates the proud sense; and our objective is to substantially raise the moment before their flight percentage of women (aviation) employees in India,” in 2016, which at the time said a senior official. A typical event carried out in was the ‘world’s longest’ over 20 airports in India by WAI and LM India includes all-women operated and supported flight, from Delhi taking the schoolgirls around the airport to introduce to San Francisco. them to various aspects of aviation from design of

24 AEROSPACE Anny Divya mix is that they have had to battle against the dissent of family members to get where they are today. Shweta Singh, deputy chief flying operation inspector at India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and a former captain with Jet Airways was inspired by her father, a fighter pilot. “But he was keen on me becoming a doctor.” After a stint at dentistry which she disliked, finally she got her way and joined a flying school in Texas. A similar story of endurance and grit is of Captain Priti Sidharth Singh, a pilot with Air India Express, who married into a traditional political family

Via author Via used to seeing its women indoors rather than soaring

the terminal, air traffic control tower, fire department, Air India Express maintenance hangars, ground handling, IT, marketing, Anny Divya, LinkedIn global flight attendants, pilots and management. “The influencers and the world’s response has been awe-inspiring,” says Radha youngest female pilot to fly Bhatia, President WAI India and Chairman of the Bird the Boeing 777 inspires a group of young Indian girls. Group in India, a market leader. “We aim to empower girls with the requisite skill sets to take up aviation Right: An all female Air India Express flight crew. as a viable career option. The industry has changed radically in the past 50 years “when you found women only at counters and never in sales”, says Radha, who got into the business as soon as she got married. Events by WAI have inspired girls to think out of the box. Today, there is a storm of motivation brewing to do more to educate, train and recognise future women in aviation. “We never thought aviation had a role in every career one can think of, before this,” said a young girl attending a ‘Girls in Aviation Day’ meet at Jaipur airport who wanted to be an architect and decided now she would like to design airports. Another who dreamt of becoming an electronics engineer said she was considering designing cockpit dispays. Another looking to join the civil service said she would love to work in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation office. Impatient to move faster, Radha says much the skies. more work can and should be done. This is despite The words of Tulsi ring true when asked how she her offering scholarships at the Bird Academy that operates her business different from a man. “I think teaches aviation skills to deserving women. For the it’s more of an individual characteristic, rather than a first time in India, at the Kochi airport in South India, gender one. I tend to be disciplined, hard working and Radha has made an innovative decision where push- detailed, dream about the future and value learning. back operators and baggage and food handlers are Women are supposed to be good at multi-tasking, mainly women. “They (women) are loyal, dedicated, and I find myself doing that a lot.” straight forward and trustworthy. Also, they stick Though it might be paradoxical that a developing around longer than men.” country has the highest percentage of women pilots, India was also the second nation in the world The final Chapter – A 50/50 balance? to have had a woman prime minister in 1966, after neighbour Sri Lanka. The principle of gender equality The WAI India Chapter founded by Radha was the is enshrined in the Indian Constitution that not only way forward for women’s empowerment, she says. grants equality to women, but also empowers the Founding members of the India Chapter represent State to adopt measures of positive discrimination a diverse mix of professions related to aviation, in favour of women. That has yet to be witnessed in from pilots and cabin crew, a regulator, aerospace aviation. journalist, lawyer, activist, airport senior management, Will the gender mix in aviation ever be 50/50? “I ground handler and an MD of India’s only cargo doubt I’ll see it in my lifetime. But I certainly see more airline. A common experience among many in this and more women in the cockpit of commercial aircraft

RAeS Amy Johnson Lecture 2020, Webinar, 28 July 2020, to register your interest please contact: [email protected]

JULY 2020 25 GENERAL AVIATION Flying electric aircraft Electric flight: a pilot’s-eye view

Ole Steen Hansen

Aerobatic display pilot, LAUREN WILSON gives a pilot’s perspective on the revolution in electric flight for general aviation.

he buzz of innovation in aviation is seeing best possible view on what electric flight was really much focus placed on electric flight. With like, the comparison being direct and immediate. electric cars becoming more and more What’s more, the opportunity was available mainstream and model aircraft and UAVs to speak directly with one of the Siemens having been successfully battery-powered representatives and ask all manner of questions Tfor years, it’s only logical that the industry looks to about the motor and battery system and how it was propelling people through the skies behind new, being developed – a truly fascinating discussion that simple and silent electric motors. ultimately left me with a great deal of confidence in The potential for ‘zero’ carbon emissions will make the technology and enthusiasm for an electric future what must be one of the eco-warrior’s most hated for general aviation. hobbies much friendlier to the environment and the Setting aside the spark of innovation, it is true simplicity of pure electric drivetrains that a cold, direct comparison of the coupled with modern composite aeroplanes I flew could easily have left me airframes should ultimately mean feeling deeply disappointed rather than more efficient, faster and simpler ‘electrified’. The e-Fusion proved to be aircraft. A bonus from this would also noticeably heavier than its Rotax-powered likely be a reduction in maintenance brother, being quite nose-heavy (with costs for owners and operators with THE TAKE-OFF batteries) and feeling sort of sluggishly simplified drivetrains. The ongoing ROLL FELT underpowered as a result. The take-off operating costs of electric aircraft ALARMINGLY roll felt alarmingly long and the climb will not include reliance on expensive LONG AND rate had me nervously peering out over fossil fuels with their acquisition, the cowlings for fear of not clearing the transportation and storage costs. THE CLIMB gently rolling terrain around the airfield. A significantly lower airborne noise RATE HAD ME The power demand had to be eased footprint, consisting solely of propeller NERVOUSLY back fairly early on in the climb too, only tip noise, will yield less noise pollution PEERING OUT exacerbating the wallowy, wafty feeling and complaints around airfields. There – using maximum/take-off power for are thus many environmental and OVER THE too long would have left us with such operational advantages that make COWLINGS limited endurance that I’d have had no electric flight sound like the way of FOR FEAR OF opportunity to actually experience flying the future and it may well prove to be the thing, hence the early power back. so in time. I’m just not sure that will NOT CLEARING be any time soon for the vast majority THE GENTLY Knowledge is e-power of us (I make an exception perhaps ROLLING for gliding, with self-launching or ‘get TERRAIN I have to say I spent far longer focusing me home’ electric powered engines on the power monitoring systems than in hyper-efficient airframes being one AROUND THE probably anything else on the first flight. area of general aviation ripe for and AIRFIELD. It was a little odd having an endurance advancing with electric expansion measured in percentage – it was just like right now). my mobile phone, except that, instead of counting down to an annoying loss of social media Experiencing electric aircraft procrastination opportunities, it was telling me how long we potentially had before we became a very Back in May 2018 I joined a then very small group heavy and inefficient glider. This new level of stark of pilots at the time to experience true electric situational awareness of the ‘fuel state’ split my flight, courtesy of Hungarian aircraft manufacturer opinion somewhat – on the one hand it’s great to Magnus. I was invited out to the factory to try out two be so obviously aware of the state of a flight critical of its aircraft, the Rotax-powered Fusion 212, and system, with no confusion or ability to be forgetful its Siemens Electric-powered brother the e-Fusion granted but, on the other, I couldn’t help but think (left). Of course I jumped at the opportunity, as at that about how often I’d seen my phone get down to time there were only a tiny handful of fully electric 1% battery and thought ‘oh I’ll just send one more aeroplanes to have actually flown and the e-Fusion message’ and watched the screen go black mid was one of them. What’s more I was being offered the sentence… Knowledge of power is power isn’t it? Or chance to try it out alongside (and in fact also flying is it just an opportunity to encourage complacency? it in formation with) a conventionally-powered version Discipline will be a necessary trait of future ‘bright of the exact same airframe, which would provide the spark’ pilots for sure.

JULY 2020 27 GENERAL AVIATION Flying electric aircraft

My next flights were far less fearful experiences, Lithium batteries and fire as I by then knew exactly what to expect and could enjoy this new novelty of the electric revolution. With On the more negative side, it has to be said that one endurance increased up to an hour or beyond, the of my concerns with electric flight is fire. Around ten whole experience will be quite different again and years ago I lost the entire contents of my house to a fire caused by a lithium battery that had been left on charge in the living room. This traumatic memory, The Magnus e-Fusion. Siemens e-aircraft has now been coupled with my once-upon-a-time-back-in-the-day acquired by Rolls-Royce. background as an electronic engineer, made sure that the majority of the questions I asked the Siemens representative during my visit to Magnus were around battery stability, thermal runaway and crashworthiness. When lithium burns, it burns hot and there is no stopping it, as Boeing discovered early on in the 787’s life when its battery APUs had a series of fire

Ole Steen Hansen incidents on the ground. The thought of a thermal runaway leading to in- flight fire in a GA aeroplane is something that makes a cold shiver run down my spine. It’s fairly obvious that this is not a scenario any manufacturer wants and, as such, the stability of the battery chemistries used is just as important as the capacity they can provide. It’s no good building an aeroplane with several hours endurance if mishandling can cause the batteries to catch fire after all. Despite my sensitivity, I have no doubt that the potential fire risk posed by lithium battery systems can and will be mitigated to within parameters no worse than carrying around tanks of highly flammable avgas. These systems by necessity run with incredibly advanced monitoring and regulating circuitry that provide phenomenal and much more akin to conventional fuel management, pilot-proof safeguarding. The chances of a thermal- so long as pilots and operators take the right runaway occurring in flight I’d wager are actually far, approach. far lower than the chances of an avgas fire in a piston The e-Fusion’s handling in the cruise was not aeroplane but the concept does need consideration. wildly dissimilar to that of its conventional brother, Sadly, I need to mention that around a week after although the difference in CoG with the weight of I had been to Hungary to fly the e-Fusion it crashed, its batteries all in the nose was quite noticeable and killing the two on board and the batteries actually definitely did not improve the handling. Everything caught fire after impact, burning so hot I understand felt less responsive, almost like trying to run in water. that little was left of the airframe afterward. Had This didn’t come as a real surprise but is something NICHE it been a piston aircraft with full tanks of fuel the that would need to be addressed in future – I suspect APPLICATIONS, outcome would almost certainly have been the same there could be a real tendency for a machine in this SUCH AS but I do not feel there’s any argument to say an configuration to want to land on its nose and to also HIGH SPEED electric aeroplane provides any less of a fire risk in a have some less than desirable characteristics at crash and, in some situations, could have the potential some of the edges of the envelope, aspects I’d wager ELECTRIC AIR to create additional challenges for responding fire are common to many new electric machines where RACING AND crews. Crashworthiness and emergency responses piston powerplants have simply been replaced. AEROBATICS are something that perhaps need to be thought about I do think that perhaps the future of electric flight with fresh eyes by those planning to operate electric will be in custom-designed airframes, as there are ARE ALREADY fleets but this should not pose any real issues. distinct limitations created by trying to fit a brand SEEING new square peg into a conventionally-fuelled round ELECTRIC The benefits of electric flight hole. We will definitely see advances in efficiency AIRCRAFT BEING with airframes designed from the ground up around The flight training industry could find significant their new electric propulsion systems. New airframe DEVELOPED benefits in operating electric aircraft: noise, emission designs could open up all manner of possibilities AND HAVE A and ultimately cost reduction being areas I don’t think to get past some of the current space and weight WHOLE AIR OF anyone could argue against. Manufacturers would limitations imposed when simply bolting an electric EXCITEMENT need to focus on improving endurance to a point motor and battery ‘module’ in place of a combustion where sensible flight times could consistently and engine. AROUND THEM reliably enable lessons of over an hour at varying

28 AEROSPACE Rolls-Royce Pipistrel power demands (such as circuit sessions with multiple previously not been possible. Electric air racing could full-power climbs, or general handling sorties with be truly fantastic and, without the requirement for stalling and practice forced landings also requiring Electric dreams maximising endurance, we could see all manner of multiple full-power climbs) plus a reserve, without speed records set and broken and fantastic spectator the instructor needing to pay an inordinate amount Top left: Pipistrel sports being born. of attention to remaining battery levels. The battery achieved EASA The advantages of designing an airframe around systems also need to retain this level of performance certification for its a new powerplant technology will undoubtedly start to and not degrade too much over time and use – or at be seen most clearly in these experimental arenas too least be regularly replaced (and what will happen to all electric Velis and the advances made will no doubt ultimately trickle old batteries? Will this be the new environmental issue Electro. Top right: down into the industry proper. for the age?). Rolls-Royce is I am not sure how practical electric aircraft would Summary be for cross-country work until we start seeing flight aiming to beat the times of two to three hours plus being possible. electric aircraft I do think electric flight has a very bright future. Infrastructure investment also being needed to enable speed record with Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace and recharging or battery changes at airfields away from its ACCEL racer. with such huge focus on the development of electric home – not a problem for schools with planned cars right now we will see more and more elements agreements and airfield arrangements but what about that can and will transfer across into aviation. Right the unplanned diversion or the student who gets lost now electric flight is in its infancy and limited by its on their solo cross-country and loses track of time? Of battery technology, with flight endurance currently course, charging points would need to be standardised being too poor in most cases for much beyond short too between manufacturers – it would not be much local flights. Perhaps sightseeing or early circuit use arriving at an airfield with a recharging point training could make good current use cases for available but using the wrong connector or voltage. electric aeroplanes with their lower noise profiles. These issues all apply for individual owners too, Quickly – changeable battery packs will potentially with the current high cost of airframes and the rapid enable longer flights with hops between airfields with rate of change likely to put off many potential buyers. charge or battery stations. The infrastructure will, of Perhaps some kind of upgrade plans will start to course, require investment and standardisation, just become available, or leasing arrangements like those like the networks of electric car-charging points that seen in the automotive industry? are now becoming commonplace. Whether the general There is a plethora of issues, none of which aviation industry will stomach this kind of investment is insurmountable but will require a good deal of in what will be a very niche market over the next few investment to resolve for electric aeroplanes to years, I’m not too sure but time will no doubt tell. start becoming commonplace and will require some What though of the hybrids? Electric aeroplanes wholesale rethinking of exactly how pilots, instructors without the limitations imposed by pure battery and students will be approaching the basics of flight power? This is another topic entirely and I can’t help planning and airmanship in electrified skies. but feel hybrid-electric flight may be the area to Niche applications, such as high speed electric watch for general aviation, as well as the commercial air racing and aerobatics are already seeing electric sector. Systems with longer endurance and better aircraft being developed and have a whole air of redundancy than pure electric systems but having excitement around them that I am watching with great the advantages brought by simple electric drivetrains; interest. Short duration sport flying is an ideal testing simple automated systems, lower emissions, lower and development ground and the aerobatic world operating costs and quieter aircraft – perhaps the in particular could and will no doubt see all manner hybrid world may be the next major stepping stone. I of amazing manoeuvres being developed that have guess I need to fly a hybrid aircraft next.

Light Aircraft Design Conference 2020 – Electrifying General Aviation II 16 November 2020

JULY 2020 29 DEFENCE The UK deterrent in 2060 Forecasting extreme threats to the UK Ahead of a RAeS Weapon Systems and Technology Group Conference later this year, TIM MARSHALL FRAeS, chair of the WS&T Group, previews the long term threats that may inform the UK’s Integrated Defence, Security and Foreign Policy Review.

or the Society’s Weapon Systems and of requiring disposal. What would happen next? Technology Specialist Group (WS&T SG) What technologies and facilities does the UK the use of complex weapon systems, need to preserve/maintain in order to inform the for the defence against threats from Government of its options? At some time in the potential adversaries, is day-to-day future, the Prime Minister will be faced with the Fbusiness. A complex weapon system encompasses ‘what’s next’ question. How will they know how to many disciplines and it is the combination of these, answer it? This was an intriguing subject with some in the right measures, that provide the equipment very sensitive issues; we wanted to explore it but not capability to successfully deter or defend against get into hot water! So we went back to the drawing attack. board, to look at the reasons why the deterrent Over the past few years, the WS&T SG exists and examine the requirement from there. has explored maximising the value of weapon The National Security Strategy and Strategic systems, air defence and hypersonic speed in their Defence and Security Review 2015 stated that ‘it conferences. In conjunction with other SGs, we’ve would be irresponsible to assume that the UK will had lectures on the history of weapon development not in the foreseeable future be confronted with the and also the use of weapon-like kinetic impactors kinds of extreme threat to our security or way of life for planetary defence against near-Earth asteroids. which nuclear weapons seek to deter’. We agreed It’s a rich and fascinating mix of technologies and that freedom of operation of the deterrent could be systems; none of the SG members are experts in it hampered by a detailed definition of the extreme all, so being a part is often a great education. And threats with which the UK could be confronted. We that’s what the Society is all about, isn’t it? believed that, up to and beyond 2060, the nature of the extreme threat was likely to evolve. But how? Disposing the deterrent Who was working on this? Are all extreme threats able to be countered by a nuclear deterrent? Is During our meetings, discussions take us many there a credible alternative? Will nuclear weapons places. One such discussion took us to the year be relevant in 2060? We decided to explore the 2060. At that time, the current direction for the nature of extreme threats first, then look to see what UK’s Nuclear Deterrent will see it at the point technology was required to counter them. MoD

30 AEROSPACE Extreme Threats totheUK have similar effects. similar have can systems timing satellite on attacks Deliberate of activity. points low and high has cycle solar year Sun’s 11- the and operations satellite affect storms Solar Effects: Event Single and Weather Space space. in destruction of mass of weapons placement of the exception the with of space, weaponisation the or within activities military space space, military forces, ban not Treaty does Space Outer The laser). and (microwave directed-energy mines, space jamming, missiles/effectors, ground-based and space- denial, Space: cover: to going weare subjects the of of some summary a short here’s and programme could begin! could conference ajoint for planning Now in. join to keen were they and plans our explained and them with We met before. RUSI with We worked counter. had to there was it threats extreme the and Deterrent Nuclear UK of the future the in interested was RUSI that by RUSI, run (PONI), Issues Nuclear on ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● were: include to wedecided topics The methods. technological other or by nuclear either threat, of the implementation of the countering or deterrence the around centre will Discussion UK. the confront could that threat of extreme nature first. the in identified threats extreme the countering or deterring with willand associated examine choices technology 2021 in place take to due is series the in conference second The future. the into years 40 to up near-term, the beyond UK, the to threats extreme considering 2020 September in one first the conferences, of aseries host will RUSI and Society The threat the Considering

Directed Energy Large Terrorist Attacks Pulse Electromagnetic Biological Chemical Devices Radiological Engineering Social Space Cyber Computing Quantum Policy National            Nuclear  We already have confirmed speakers for the the for speakers confirmed have We already We knew through the SG’s links to the Project Project the to links SG’s the through We knew The first conference seeks to establish the the establish to seeks conference first The

The weaponisation of space covers satellite satellite covers of space weaponisation The , RAeSConference (Inpartnershipwiththe RoyalUnitedServicesInstitute) 17 September 2020, London challenges raised by: of assessments programme emerging conducts The threats. future counter and to respond to prepared is UK the ensure and ‘shocks’ of future chance the reduce to is This technology. and science of emerging impact security and defence potential the understands UK the that ensure to works which Disruption and Programme, Understanding catastrophic effects. have can undetected, if especially systems, of these the efficient Upsetting operation. synchronisation amongst all others, rely on precision timing for systems, financial and navigation Communication, to precise timing systems:Threats victims. other be could commerce day every and infrastructure national Critical system. computer abank’s on run aquantum-speed to aglacier than slower seem will of apickpocket slight-of-hand The cryptography. on effect adisruptive have will Computing: Quantum effect. extreme to manipulated be can news by fake caused distrust generalised and videos fake’ ‘deep around anxiety the and basis aprecision-attack on or scale large a on either hacking Human Engineering: Social advantage? an gain to used and modelled and predicted be pandemic of aglobal effect economic the Can targeted? be virus ahuman Can systems. economic and society on have can pandemic a random Chemical/Biological: facing society. modern to explore all kinds issuesopportunity of important an have to fortunate been wehave created, been has that programme educational and fascinating the ● ● ● ● NATO elevant social, legal and ethical opinion that could could that opinion ethical and legal social, elevant hanging and emergent environments of science spectrum full the across evelopments security. and defence UK on impact asignificant have technology and r c policy d    We’ll also learn about the Future Threat Threat Future the about learn We’ll also So, from the WS&T SG’s initial discussions, to to discussions, WS&T initial the SG’s from So, We all know the effect effect the know We all Speed of computation of computation Speed

JULY 2020 31 DEFENCE Testing the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat Taming the Wildcat TIM ROBINSON FRAeS takes a closer look at recent improvements to the Leonardo Wildcat multi- mission helicopter – one of which, the DAFCS (Digital Automatic Flight Control System), resulted in the company winning the RAeS Bronze Team Medal in 2019.

magine – it is a dark, stormy night with zero visibility. You are flying a small helicopter hunting submarines, hovering low over forbidding dark water invisible below and trying to stay above a specific point at 50ft. Too low, Iand the waves could pull you into the sea. Too high, and the dipping sonar skims the waves, enabling your submerged prey to escape. Meanwhile, information is streaming in over radios and through datalinks to populate your screens – overwhelming your situational awareness. It is at this point that even a highly trained pilot could come close to ‘task saturation’ – potentially resulting in mission failure, or worse still, a fatal accident. Royal Navy Royal For a small helicopter with only a crew of two, this would seem to be at the limits of human performance. However, an Anglo-Italian team of engineers has successfully introduced a quantum leap in the capability of the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat helicopter, a platform which already has many functions to maintain situational awareness with a new Digital Automatic Flight Control System (DAFCS) – an achievement which garnered the team an RAeS Bronze Medal Award in 2019.

Fifth-generation helicopter

First flying over ten years ago in November 2009, the 62 AW159 Wildcats have now been delivered to UK forces (34 to the British Army, 28 to the Royal Navy) with the RN declaring initial operating capability (IOC) in January 2015. Export customers have been the South Korean Navy (ROKN) with

eight AW159s and Philippines with two. Navy Royal

32 AEROSPACE Left: In May 2020 Royal Despite external appearances, the AW159 the mechanical control links. This four-axis autopilot Navy’s 815 Naval Air Wildcat multi-mission helicopter is a far different beast system represents a quantum leap in stability, Squadron carried out the than the original Lynx that first flew in 1971 – with flightpath control and safety – while reducing the first live firing tests of the Thales Martlet lightweight Leonardo describing it as a ‘fifth generation platform’, workload of the crew. This means the helicopter can missile from a Wildcat. thanks to its range of sensors, tactical processor and now be effectively flown hands-off like a modern open system architecture. Though it might be best airliner. known for its is anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and DAFCS allows precision hovering in all weathers, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) roles, Wildcats have 24/7, or a helicopter to enter a search pattern expanded their missions from high-end warfighting, to or a hands-off pull-up and hover in zero or poor humanitarian operations and even supporting the UK visibility. Like modern airliner autopilot panels, Government in the current Covid-19 emergency. altitude can be set by rotating – making ‘level busts’ But it is the information advantage that delivers in crowded and complex airspace a thing of the the biggest change. Leonardo describes it as ‘iPhone’ past. Another DAFCS capability adds a ‘mark on where new capabilities and functions can be added target’ button – pressed overhead the survivor, the (almost) like apps. Says Louis Wilson- aircraft automatically flys a circuit and Chalon – Marketing Manager, Leonardo transitions to a low hover into wind Helicopters UK, himself a former RN and with the survivor in the one o’clock Lynx pilot of the Wildcat’s step-change position at 50ft. This is a function in capabilities: “When Royal Navy Air extremely useful when the crew might Station Portland was in existence I POOR OLD momentarily glimpse a head (or a could launch from there and, in two periscope) bobbing above the waves. hours, achieve a good picture of what LYNX, LOVE IT Indeed, in the example of night ASW was going on in the eastern half of THOUGH I DO, that opens this feature, the system the south coast exercise areas in the IS BACK IN THE is not only sophisticated enough to Channel. Now, if a Wildcat launched from DARK AGES. YOU maintain an exact position over the sea Yeovilton, which is nowhere near the sea, (despite any wind) but also uses the by the time it’s got to Dorchester, which REALLY CAN’T radar altimeter and filtering algorithms is about 10 minutes into the flight, the COMPARE THE to even out the wave height – to ensure crew would know everything that’s going WILDCAT TO that dipping sonar stays submerged or on in the whole of the Channel from THE LYNX – ITS that a rescue hoist stays at a constant the southwest approaches to the Dover height. Straits and it probably has got the time A QUANTUM DAFCS also allows for coupled and the capacity to have a look down LEAP. navigation and approach modes – and see what’s going on in the Bay of increasing flight safety. Another safety Biscay.” Using the Wildcat’s powerful Mark Burnand feature is an automatic ‘wings-level’ Seaspray AESA radar, SAGE ESM and Chief Test Pilot, function - which will recover the aircraft Wescam EO/IR camera has thus seen Leonardo UK into wings-level flight and climbing safely tactics evolve from sea-skimming at away from terrain in the event of pilot low-level to perching at 7,000ft to survey thus helping to prevent CFIT (Controlled wide swathes of the battlespace. Flight Into Terrain) or aircraft limit exceedance. While Leonardo UK Chief Test Pilot, Mark Burnand, not an Auto-GCAS recovery system, the aircraft does himself, a former Army Lynx and Apache pilot agrees: have a low height safety feature that can prevent “The poor old Lynx, love it though I do, it is back in the inadvertant descents or continuing flight into rising dark ages. You really can’t compare the Wildcat to the terrain. Lynx – its a quantum leap”. As well as the obvious benefits of safety – there However, this massive increase in situational are other advantages for military users. It essentially awareness and sensor fusion comes at a price – that turns a two crew helicopter into a ‘three/four person’ of increasing the cognitive load on the crew – a crew – giving the pilot much more cognitive space to critical factor in a two-person platform. support the second crew member in prosecuting the primary mission, rather than focusing mainly on flying. Teaching the Wildcat new tricks This allows the crew to focus on the primary task, employing sensors or weapons – boosting the mission The capabilities of this helicopter and the amount effectiveness of this small rotary-wing platform. of data and information it can now present to its Another advantage in this as a ‘pseudo-FBW’ crew meant that in many ways it was now the system in that the mechanical control linkages are airframe and flight control system that was limiting still used – so quadruple redundancy is not needed. the platform reaching its full potential. Enter DAFCS That means that, should the dual computer DAFCS – or Digital Automatic Flight Control System. This fail (perhaps through battle damage), the Wildcat system effectively introduces a ‘pseudo fly-by-wire’ would simply revert to being an analogue hand- system into an analogue helicopter, while retaining flown helicopter and the pilot would be able to fly

JULY 2020 33 DEFENCE Testing the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat

the aircraft back to the home base, or even continue where, even if the FBW system were removed, the mission itself – albeit at a reduced level of it would generally continue on its path thanks to effectiveness. aerodynamics and stability. This makes adding a While allowing the pilot to pull max collective and ‘pseudo-FBW’ to a rotary-winged platform (especially break engine limits if needed, DAFCS also includes a a small, light one such as the 6t Wildcat) a significant power limiting function and monitors system, sensors task. and actuators – protecting the transmission and Indeed the Wildcat, unlike other helicopters that engines from over stress. This, in turn, translates into have similar systems (such as the Chinook) is a lowered maintenance costs. small, agile and highly manoeuvrable chopper that Finally – having done the hard work of adding is sensitive to pilot inputs and gusts of wind. Adding this digital system, new functions and modes can then a ‘pseudo-FBW’ to such an agile platform, now be patched in via software. Full auto-land on a key challenge is not to lose the type’s handling a moving ship, for example, says Burnand is “still a characteristics. Says Burnand: “The Wildcat has little way off, but they’re definitely things that we’re inherited the impressive control response and agility considering. Once you’ve got an aircraft which is well made famous by th various aerobatic Lynx display stabilised and where you’ve got full control over how teams over the years. This heritage allows it to land it flies, you can do things like expand those kind of safely on pitching and rolling decks in extreme capabilities. There’s auto-land and auto take-off as conditions, and operate in the mountains in extreme well. Even things like if you lose an engine during the turbulence, when a lot of other aircraft are tucked take-off there are automated profiles that the aircraft up in the hangar. Our challenge was to maintain can fly, which we have trialed and are potential future this agility when the pilot needs it but also to allow enhancements.” the aircraft to safely and effectivelly fly itself when Going digital in this way also opens the path to required, and for the system to be clear when the optionally piloted or UAV applications – something pilot was in the loop and manoeuvring the aircraft. that Leonardo has already been working on with its The pilot always gets the last vote and can overide all SW-4 Solo demonstrator. Says Wilson-Chalon of the modes of the autopilot!” He adds: “It’ll probably feel a potential of UAS rotorcraft: “The weak link in modern little bit different but I think the pilots agree that it is high-end aircraft like this is becoming the air crew.” close to what it would have been on the Lynx”. Notes Burnand: “As test pilots, we love testing Challenges the handling qualities of an aircraft. Classic envelope expansion, tuning the stability and control However, adding this system to the Wildcat was not characteristics of the aircraft is very satisfying. For without its challenges, according to the flight test these guys, that is one of the big challenges. Building team. It has to be remembered that a helicopter an aircraft from scratch is relatively straightforward. is inherently unstable itself, unlike say an A320 When you’ve got the additional constraint of trying to Leonardo Helicopters Leonardo

34 AEROSPACE recreate, digitally, the same handling qualities and add Right: Leonardo is now capability into an existing platform, with all the space conducting flight testing and everything else you’ve talked about, it’s quite a using oxygen masks connected to PPE filters challenge but hugely satisfying as well.” to protect crews from the A second challenge is that of retrofitting this Covid-19 pandemic. system into the confines of a small platform such as the Wildcat. Though the system does not take up much space or weight, integrating the two new flight control computers into the existing avionics bay involved a substantial amount of rewiring and converting analogue interfaces to digital ones. A pilot’s control unit was also added to the cockpit to enable the pilot to control the different flight modes. Finally – adding DAFCS was also done under tight timescales for the launch customer – the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). The upgrade was launched in 2013, with a first flight in 2014 and customer acceptance at the end of 2015. Despite these challenges, a major advantage of developing the DAFCS in house, says Andy Handcock, an Avionics Engineer on the team, was the ability to respond rapidly to customer requirements. “The main reason is flexibility. Because we built the software in-house, it means that we can tailor and configure the system and performance relatively Leonardo Helicopters Leonardo quickly, if there’s changes required by a customer.” systems – including the Thales Martlet and MBDA Flight testing in the age of Covid-19 Sea Venom missiles. In May, the Royal Navy and Leonardo completed flight testing of the lightweight While this leveraged work elsewhere in Leonardo Martlet missile, with a Combined Test Team of LH(UK) on automatic flight control systems, it was the first and MOD Flight Test crews carrying out a firing trial on DAFCS DO-178B Level A system to be designed, the 24 May off the coast of Wales. These weapons are developed and tested in the UK. The design phase carried on stub wings (that also provide some lift) with saw user requirements developed in conjunction with the Wildcat able to carry a staggering 20 Martlets. This test pilots and HMI experts, which then progressed gives the helicopter a lethal punch against adversaries to rig testing (‘we did as much we could in the rig’) using large numbers of small boats in ‘swarm tactics’. and finally test flights to wring out and fine-tune the Set to receive IOC in October 2020, Martlet will be system and push it to the limits. This saw the DAFCS followed by the larger Sea Venom – enabling FAA capabilities expanded though an incremental flight Wildcats to engage larger surface targets – replacing test campaign in day and night, with the ultimate the older Sea Skua missile. The Wildcat then, will be challenge of zero-visibility hover testing, with a sea a key part of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s layered defence state of 6 (12ft swells), and 50kt of natural winds. when the carrier and its strike group deploys on the Today, Leonardo is undergoing a particularly busy first cruise in 2021. period in flight testing, supporting Wildcat weapons trials, Merlin HC4/4A and the AW101 Crows Nest The future all on the go at the same time. Adding to the activity is the complication of doing it while in the middle DAFCS and future software upgrades then opens up of a major pandemic. To that end, the company has further growth potential for the already impressive introduced ‘remote working’ measures for its staff Wildcat, such as auto-land, auto take-off or automatic and also modified standard helmet and oxygen weapon release modes, tactical approaches, or RNAV masks to use industrial PPE filters connected to approach modes – enhancing safety and allowing hoses. Though test pilots will wear gloves, special this small multi-role helicopter to punch significantly attention too is being paid to cleaning switches, above its weight. DAFCS, although not yet procured buttons and controls after every flight. by the UK MoD for its Wildcats, also has the potential to boost the export sales of the AW159 despite Extra claws for the Wildcat tough competition. Not only does the system promise a leap in safety and mission effectiveness, it also As well as the DAFCS for ROKN helicopters, this year crucially offers reduced maintenance and training is also turning into a significant one for Royal Navy costs – as well as a path towards UAV-teaming and Wildcats with the addition of new anti-surface weapon an optionally-piloted future.

JULY 2020 35 AEROSPACE The digital revolution STE/YouTube

Digital aerospace A conference held at the Singapore Air Show looked at recent applications of digital data analytics and artificial intelligence for aerospace manufacturer and MRO operators and how they could be used for commercial advantage. BILL READ FRAeS reports. Dassault

36 AEROSPACE n 10 February, during the 2020 how different manufacturing processes will affect the Singapore Air Show, the Singapore properties of final designs and how they will react aerospace association A*STAR, under different environments. hosted the Singapore Aerospace Using a combination of computational fluid Technology Leadership Forum dynamics, processing and thermomechnical models, O(SATLF). Introducing the event, the CEO of A*STAR DIGITAL finite element analysis and material models, ICME Frederick Chew explained how this year’s conference SYSTEMS ARE can be used to model the effects of different was moving its focus from purely academic topics elements in the designs. The particular objectives of to industry-based topics, in particular to look at two ALSO USED virtual modelling are to better simulate and predict areas of emerging technology – the increased use DURING AN the properties of uncured resin, resin during cure, of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation in the AIRCRAFT’S composite transformation, dimensional stability and aerospace industry and also how new technology LIFE TO CREATE laminate performance, in addition to predicting the and aircraft designs could tackle the challenge of effects of different ply sequences and simulating climate change. Part 1 of this two-part conference A ‘DIGITAL manufacturing. report looks at the issue of AI and digitalisation. TWIN’ OF THE Using ICME can greatly accelerate materials PHYSICAL testing. “Previously it used to need 50 mechanical Digital revolution tests but it now takes seconds instead of months,” AIRCRAFT said Russell. However, ICME is only as good as “We live in time of exponential change,” said WHICH CAN BE the information that is put into it and there are still Naveed Hussain, VP/GM of Boeing Research and USED TO GAIN challenges to be overcome relating to the accurate Technology. He explained how digital data was INTELLIGENCE modelling of composite materials, interfaces and being used at all stages across the aerospace interactions. ICME modelling of composite materials sector, starting from design and analytics, through AND INSIGHTS also requires large amounts of data which costs manufacturing, quality, assembly, delivery, in-service, IN DATA money to collect and process. modifications and finally, in recycling and reuse. ANALYTICS Digital data is now being used in conjunction with AND DIGITAL Digital twins physical systems not only as a record of what has been done but also in digital modelling of physical MAINTENANCE. ICME also has applications in the creation of ‘digital designs before they are created which simulate twins’ in which a physical aircraft has a virtual digital how they will perform. Digital systems are also counterpart which can be used to record changes used during an aircraft’s life to create a ‘digital made to the aircraft during its lifetime, as well twin’ of the physical aircraft which can be used to as predicting future problems and modelling the gain intelligence and insights in data analytics and effects of alterations before they are made. Using digital maintenance. “To progress between needs digital twins can also speed up aircraft testing and and solutions, we need both physical systems and certification. digital system models,” he explained. He added However, Russell cautioned that achieving the how Boeing’s new T-X military trainer (designed in maximum potential of ICME/digital twins will require partnership with Saab) was created in a model-based substantial collaboration from multiple parties. environment enabled by a ‘digital thread’. “There will need to be an effective and secure However, there was still a lot of work to be means to data sharing, standardisation approach done to make the data usable. “We’re sitting on a and collaborative platforms to help unlock future lot of data but it is not standardised,” Hussain said. opportunities.” “Currently the data is not connected – it’s varied, siloed and underutilised. The digital thread is only as Transforming MRO strong as its weakest link.” Another aerospace sector taking advantage of Modelling composites digital systems is maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). David So, SVP Transformation and Innovation Digital systems are being used in a wide variety in SIA Engineering, explained how his company of applications across the aerospace industry. The Opposite upper left: is ‘building a digital workforce in MRO’. Part of conference heard from Benjamin Russell, Materials Through the use of smart Singapore Airways, SIA Engineering is involved in a Science Expert at composites manufacturer Hexel, goggles, STE engineers wide range of different activities, including airframe who explained how digital systems are being used can conduct complex maintenance and overhaul, line maintenance, to tackle some of the barriers preventing the wider tasks, such as identifying component maintenance, fleet management, engine use of such materials. In recent years, aerospace a fault with a seat and overhaul, cabin modifications, aircraft painting and ordering a new part to be manufacturers have been making increasing use of 3D printed and sent to the training. So explained how recent years have seen composites to create complex aerostructures. hangar. technical advances in newer aircraft, and the phasing Russell told delegates how integrated Opposite lower page: out of older aircraft and engines has resulted in less computational materials engineering (ICME) is Electronic design at MRO work needing to be done and longer check enabling the virtual testing of composites to predict Dassault. intervals. There has also been increasing competition

JULY 2020 37 AEROSPACE The digital revolution Siemens

Many new aircraft are now created with a virtual digital twin counterpart.

in the aftersales market from original equipment In 2000, STE began using a battery powered, manufacturers (OEMs). hand-held device called Aerobook to store SIA Engineering makes extensive use of digital information. This was upgraded in 2005 to the systems to link up all its different activities. This Aerobook 2.0 with more functions and then in 2015 is enabled through the installation of advanced to the Aerobook 3.0 which digitalised the complete infrastructure, including wi-fi coverage, all- end-to-end MRO process, including real-time weather operations, combinable smart trucks and monitoring of work orders, defects and approvals. infrastructure-based scanners. The data is co- Aerobook 3.0 is used as a support and management ordinated through a smart control centre which information systems tool by STE, suppliers and can record real time information through digital job airline customers. STE is now working on a further cards, enabling intelligent planning and tracking upgrade called Aerobook 3.0+ which will include of resources, dashboard and visualisation tools. user interface enhancement, digital signatures and Automated dashboards enable the tracking of interactive manuals. task and work completion status, material and tool Lim Tau Fuie explained how STE employees management, tracking of manpower and equipment use ‘wearable tech’ interactive goggles which used status/utilisation rate, as well as allowing data augmented reality, visual clues, voice interaction and visualisation and analytics to gain new insights and virtual manuals, to facilitate engineering assistance make data-driven decisions. and materials requests. Using Aerobook 3.0, they Using mobile and augmented reality devices, can order new parts which are taken by a forklift SIA staff can access and input real-time information autonomous mobile robot (AMR) to smart cabinet collected from a wide variety of data sources to automated storage and retrieval systems. better carry out their job functions. In addition to recording and disseminating data, the system can Putting data to work also automatically produce data-driven decisions, alerts and actions. It can also assist with aircraft STE has also created AeroStream which is used health monitoring to predict faults and improve the in predictive maintenance, health monitoring and allocation of resources. inventory optimisation. Fuie highlighted two examples of how data analytics in aircraft maintenance logs Digital journey had been able to solve problems. The first was how the maintenance data could be used to forecast The advance of digitalisation in the MRO sector the parts and materials that might be needed in was also highlighted by Lim Tau Fuie, CTO of ST the future – thus avoiding over or under ordering Engineering Aerospace (STE) who described the for inventories by using the predicted quantities of company’s digitalisation journey over the past 20 materials. The second was how text analytics had years. “In MRO whatever you do, you have to report identified discrepancies instandardised wording it,” he said. “With MRO work flow, traceability is key, used for describing defects. This has enabled a so every job has to be documented.” solution to a particular problem involving a high

38 AEROSPACE incidence of defects, which was traced to the use of a particular cleaning agent in a fuel panel.

Here come the robots

The conference speakers also consider the opportunities and challenges posed by the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in robotic systems. Left: Naveed Hussain Naveed Hussain from Boeing said that AI was being from Boeing explains increasingly used across the aerospace industry. how robots were now Through advances in machine learning, robots were being widely used for now being used for autonomous operations for autonomous operations precision assembly in manufacturing while drones for precision assembly in were being utilised for autonomous inspection. He aerospace manufacturing. explained how AI could help to boost productivity in engineering processes that were repetitive or unsafe minimising tedious or hazardous tasks. Autonomous for human operators. mobile forklifts are used to move materials around Digital systems can be used to order new hangars, while robots are used for airframe sanding MRO components which are located and collected and floor grid drilling. Lim Tau Fuie told delegates by autonomous mobile robots and transported to how using robots minimised human exposure to hangars for maintenance engineers to use. hazards and harsh environments, such as heights In the MRO industry, SIA Engineering uses and confined spaces. smart trucks to transport components, as well as STE also utilises robotic systems to inspect collaborative drones and robots to assist in detecting aircraft for defects. Previously, human inspectors had defects in aircraft inspections. STE also uses robots only identified some defects on aircraft but the AI in its facility, automating material movements and systems had found far more. By using AI, STE were STE/YouTube

Left: STE also makes full use of digital systems in its MRO work.

JULY 2020 39 AEROSPACE The digital revolution Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Secretary Ansys YouTube

able to highlight a number of different defects – 65- Above left: Digital twin interaction is of high importance.” Herve Jarry from 75% of which involved missing screws, paintwork technology is being used Thales added: “It’s not man vs machine, it’s man irregularity and dents, 25-30% were scratches, for virtual flight testing of working with machine.” new aircraft designs. stencil markings, nicks or surface corrosion and Above right: The Boeing 3-5% were issues relating to antennaes, lightning T-X Military trainer was Data storage and accessibility damage, fluid leakage or cracks. created in a model-based However, neither David So or Lim Tau Fuie environment. Another challenge is the issue of data storage and thought that aircraft inspections should rely entirely accessibility. Data systems harvest information from on machines. “The MRO industry has still got a long multiple sources, generated from platforms owned way to go with AI inspections,” remarked So. “There or operated by multiple stakeholders. Who has are problems of accountability, so we use machines ownership of this data and who should be allowed to to augment manual inspections.” Fuie agreed: “We see it? How secure is the data from being accessed use AI to supplement visual inspections. We still need or altered by third parties? For those who are to convince the safety case for automatic systems.” authorised to use the data, what standards should it follow and what format should it be in? Towards autonomous flight “We all realise that there is value in data,” said Naveed Hussain. “Some is in intellectual property Herve Jarry, CTO & VP Technical from Thales (IP), some in insights from data. There is lots of Singapore, described how AI is one of several data coming from platforms which is owned by the emerging mega trends influencing aerospace – the operators – the airlines. We need to have partnership others being big data and automation, safety and THE HUMAN- between operators and MRO providers which may security and the environment. There were big hopes MACHINE also involve the OEM.” for the future applications of AI, particularly in air INTERACTION One solution to the problem with digital data transport. Pilotless drones are already in widespread sharing was suggested by the Singapore Minister for use, some controlled by human operators and some IS OF HIGH Trade and Industry, Chan Chun Sing, in his keynote autonomously. Proposals for eVTOL (electric vertical IMPORTANCE. speech who proposed that Singapore could be take-off and landing) air taxis are talking of using AI THE PURPOSE developed as an ‘honest broker’, acting as a hub for systems for autonomous flight. Pilots of commercial OF AI IS NOT TO data sharing for engines, aircraft and operations. aircraft are already surrounded by multiple automatic “Singapore must be a safe harbour for technology and systems to assist them to fly aircraft. By 2030, Jarry REPLACE BUT talent, open for partnership with all organisations and suggested, there could be single pilot operations for TO AUGMENT institutions to promote the free flow of data in a secure passenger aircraft and, by 2035, autonomous flights. – AT LEAST way,” he said. “We need to create an environment While it was agreed that AI and digital data could NOT AT THE where intellectual property protection is paramount, be of great benefit to make decisions and help with to get rules and to keep upgrading them. If we do this complex subjects, there is some debate among the MOMENT. well, we will distinguish ourselves from others.” speakers as to how far machines could be used to Naveed Hussain The first part of the conference was summarised replace humans. “The purpose of AI is not to replace by Naveed Hussain: “We’re at a new dawn for but to augment – at least not at the moment, said VP/GM, aerospace with many different systems now Naveed Hussain from Boeing. “The human-machine Boeing converging. It’s an extremely exciting time to be in.”

A longer version of this article can be found on the Aerospace Insight blog and AEROSPACE App. President’s Conference – Digital Technologies to Enable the Future Aerospace Industry, 25 November 2020, Online

40 AEROSPACE Afterburner www.aerosociety.com

Falcon 9 first stage returns to Earth following the launch of the CRS-20 Mission. SpaceX.

42 Message from RAeS 44 Book Reviews 52 NAL e-book Service – President Complex Systems Engineering, Blue Streak, Aviation Members can access the National Aerospace and Human Factors and International Aviation Law. Library’s online e-book Service. “Three months on since the start of the lock-down in the UK, the effects of Covid-19 are continuing to have far reaching consequences across the entire 48 Library Additions 53 Black Lives Matter world-wide aerospace and aviation sectors.” Books submitted to the National Aerospace Library. The Society’s statement regarding racism and inequality. – Chief Executive 50 NAL Heritage Website 54 New Member Spotlight “Quite rightly, there has been much comment about The National Aerospace Library holds many orignal the adverse impact that Covid-19 and the resulting papers of world heritage importance. These can be recession will have on the careers and aspiration of studied in detail via the Society’s Heritage Website. 56 Corporate Partners young people.”

JULY 2020 41

Afterburner_July2020.indd 3 19/06/2020 14:51:40 Message from RAeS OUR PRESIDENT

Prof Jonathan Cooper Three months on since the start of the lock-down at the Society’s finances in detail. It is clear we are in the UK, the effects of Covid-19 are continuing to going to be facing a large deficit by the end of the have far reaching consequences across the entire current year which we must take immediate action world-wide aerospace and aviation sectors. The to reduce. There is also a lot of uncertainty about UK’s economy has shrunk dramatically, with current our income next year. Although we do have some predictions of a full recovery unlikely until 2023 reserves, we need to ensure that not only can we and the consequences, for the areas where our weather these challenges but make sure that we membership are employed and Corporate Partners are ready and able to regrow the Society and thrive function, are severe. We have seen unprecedented once things have returned to something resembling reductions in the number of flights, resulting in business as usual (and that is likely to be somewhat airlines and other companies cutting staff and different from what it was at the start of 2020). manufacturers making large reductions in the The only viable conclusion is to start immediately number of aircraft being produced. Consequently, planning to downsize the Society which, I am very the future is highly uncertain and confidence across sorry to have to tell you, is likely to result in the risk the entire sector is very low. In these difficult times, of redundancies for some of the headquarters staff. the Society has continued to maintain its offering This is very unwelcome news and not something to the membership across all areas, apart from that I ever envisaged having to write when I took accreditation visits, through a rapid and successful on the Presidency. It is the sort of difficult decision move towards the use of digital platforms and that many companies and organisations are facing. technologies. For instance, we have seen many Work is ongoing to determine what form a reduced more attendees at virtual lectures than would headquarters team might take and how we will usually have travelled to Hamilton Place and the ensure that our core delivery to our membership 1,132nd meeting of Council, which I recently remains the same. I have also asked Council to chaired, was also the first one ever to be held consider whether our vision, mission and strategic remotely which enabled the Pakistan and Australian aims align with the post-Covid world and how we can Divisions Presidents to participate. I would like to improve meeting membership needs in the future. thank all of our volunteers for their help in enabling There will be an update on the progress of these the new ways of working. developments in future editions of AEROSPACE. A major consequence of the current situation is Finally, on a different note, I was pleased to FINALLY, ON that some of the main sources of our revenue have be a signatory to the statement issued recently by A DIFFERENT suddenly stopped; for instance, we have not been the Society on Black Lives Matter (see p 53). We able to run any conferences or paying events since will not tolerate any form of racism, social injustice NOTE, I WAS the beginning of March and bookings for the use or inequality. Our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) PLEASED TO BE of Hamilton Place as a venue for external clients Working Group is increasing its efforts to support A SIGNATORY TO have ceased. These income streams are unlikely to the black and other underrepresented communities recover until well into 2021 at the earliest. Even if and generate a greater shift in our culture. We are THE STATEMENT the 2m social distancing requirement is reduced in striving to progress against the Royal Academy of ISSUED the near future, it is highly unlikely for a long time Engineering’s Diversity Progression Framework and RECENTLY BY that people are going to have the confidence to determining areas where we can improve. If any of THE SOCIETY travel to London and attend a full day’s meeting with you would be interested in joining the D&I Working 100 other attendees in the same room. Group to contribute to this important effort, then ON BLACK LIVES In light of the above state of affairs, the Finance please can you contact the Society’s Skills and MATTER Committee and Board of Trustees have been looking Careers Team on [email protected]

42 AEROSPACE

Afterburner_July2020.indd 4 19/06/2020 14:51:41 OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Sir Brian Burridge ● You will doubtless have read the President’s work tirelessly in the background such as in the remarks opposite. Sadly, given the prevailing very important Nominations Committee where circumstances in the sectors of which we are part long-serving members AVM David Couzens and and the turmoil in the broader economy, we have Air Cdre Rick Peacock-Edwards have stepped no option but to preserve our core capabilities, down. David is succeeded as chair by Prof Chris protect our future finances and give the Society Atkin. the capacity to re-emerge as a resilient and ● Now fully integrated into the virtual world, our future-proofed organisation which will grow and Publications Department has been going from flourish over the next 150 years. In the meantime, I strength-to-strength. The AEROSPACE app has feel sure that you will have sympathy with the staff received continued compliments and has seen here and recognise that they will be a somewhat over 2,000 downloads in the first month. If you distracted by the risk of redundancies over the have not already downloaded it, be sure to get it coming weeks. from your app store. Additionally, we are proud to ● Quite rightly, there has been much comment update you that both Tim Robinson (AEROSPACE about the adverse impact that Covid-19 and Editor-in-Chief) and Bill Read (AEROSPACE the resulting recession will have on the careers Deputy-Editor) have been shortlisted for four and aspiration of young people. To that end, the awards at the 2020 Aerospace Media Awards, Careers team ran its third careers webinar on 3 potentially building on last year’s successes. June, specifically focusing on pilot careers and ● In spite of the media’s relentless focus on gave really constructive advice for pilots at all Covid-19, Brexit is now back in the news and we stages of their career facing the current crisis. This have just published our second Brexit Briefing webinar, and our first two sessions, are all available Note, this time focusing on Air Power and to view for free via the Careers in Aerospace Defence. The impact on civil aviation has been website, along with session hand-outs with more most prominent in the media but the implications help. Our first virtual mentoring event also took for Air Power have received scant attention. Much place in June, led by members of the Alta Steering of the impact will depend on the approach that the Group to help women connect during lockdown UK takes to future foreign policy. With continuing and share further tips and experiences of dealing delay to the Integrated Security, Defence and with the impact of the virus on their careers: there Foreign Policy, it will be a complex task to identify will be more to come. Lockdown has also provided a number of challenges to our apprenticeship the optimum partnerships required to achieve the End Point Assessment work. Special thanks to UK Government’s vision. You can read the paper our EPA team and our volunteer members who on our website: https://www.aerosociety. have worked very closely with the Institute of com/news-expertise/policy-public-affairs/ Apprenticeships and Technical Education, Open briefing-papers/ Awards and our employers to bring assessments ● Finally, on some organisational points, the into the virtual world. This has been no mean Society will shortly become a provider of the feat, but we were delighted to complete a large CMI Chartered Manager accreditation to eligible cohort of airline apprentice assessments over May RAeS members. The Learned Society Board also and June providing hope and support to a new approved the formation of the Flight Crew Training generation of engineers in these uncertain times. Specialist Group with a remit to focus on pilot training in civil aviation. To receive updates about NOW FULLY ● Our volunteers have also been central to our ability to maintain the Society’s profile in the virtual any of the Society’s Specialist Group activities, log INTEGRATED world, contributing so readily to everything from onto your online member account and update your INTO THE webinars to public affairs. For example, we ran a communication preferences. We are also forging VIRTUAL webinar with the Washington DC Branch entitled ahead with the procurement process for a virtual WORLD, OUR ‘Aeronautical research in a post-Covid world’ with conference platform provider to be on contract NASA Associate Administrator Robert Pearce by mid-July with an array of features that will PUBLICATIONS FRAeS: registrations were over 500. Largely both enrich our online presence but also surpass DEPARTMENT stimulated by volunteers, this year we received a anything that we have traditionally been able to HAS BEEN record 81 nominations for the Society’s Honours, do with live conferences. Lastly and returning GOING FROM Medals & Awards, against the normal 30. We to the theme of young people, Council and the are also indebted to the D&I working group for Trustees have agreed to elevate the Young STRENGTH-TO- its expert and highly professional advice on our Persons Committee to full Board status and thus STRENGTH position on Black Lives Matter. Volunteers also representation at Council.

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Afterburner_July2020.indd 5 19/06/2020 14:51:41 Book Reviews COMPLEX SYSTEMS ENGINEERING Theory and Practice. Progress in Aeronautics and Astronautics series Vol 256 Edited by S Flumerfelt et al

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, VA. 2019. xviii; 282pp. Illustrated. Distributed by Transatlantic Publishers Group, 97 Greenham Road, London N10 1LN, UK. £116 [20% discount available to RAeS members on request; E [email protected]]. ISBN 978-1-62410-564-7.

Systems engineering is a relatively recent engineering discipline, becoming established during the 1950s and has a heritage closely associated with the defence and aerospace sectors. The fundamental problem addressed by systems Above: The Test Lab for the engineering throughout its history has been the Orion space capsule. development and management of whole systems in Right: Next generation tooling techniques and a highly a way that ensures coherence of the whole system skilled workforce perform and maximises benefit to stakeholders. Through together to produce the F-35 the history of systems engineering the challenges Lightning II at Lockheed addressed have grown more complex with the Martin’s mile-long factory in development of systems and, more recently, closely Fort Worth, Texas. Lockheed Martin. coupled systems of systems, intended to achieve more ambitious outcomes, and integrating wider ranges of things and actions within the bounds of single systems. The result is complexity in systems and the situations in which they are deployed, rather than just the complicatedness of the large systems which systems engineering was developed to address. During the past decade the systems engineering community has discussed the impact of the qualitative difference between complicatedness and complexity and methods of dealing with complexity have been emerging. This multi-author book contains chapters which characterise the nature and challenges presented by complex systems as they are currently The reader encountered in the system development and will find this is management environment. These chapters are a book about useful to inform readers of which of the various interpretations of complexity, out of the several in approaches the systems engineering community, the authors of to deal with this book are using. complexity The latter two-thirds of the book comprises but there is chapters explaining particular approaches to pretence that the book provides a specific method addressing aspects of complexity which have been no pretence to deal with complexity. developed. The chapter authors are contributors to that the book the subject matter of their chapters. These chapters provides a Timothy Ferris develop specific facets of complexity and discuss specific method Senior Lecturer, Centre for Systems and Technology approaches for addressing those aspects. Management, The reader will find this is a book about to deal with Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the approaches to deal with complexity but there is no complexity United Kingdom Shrivenham

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Afterburner_July2020.indd 6 19/06/2020 14:51:42 BLUE STREAK Britain’s Medium Range Ballistic Missile By J Boyes

Fonthill Media Limited, Millview House, Toadsmoor Road, Stroud GL5 2TB, UK. 2019. 240pp. Illustrated. £25. ISBN 978-1-78155-700-6.

John Boyes has written a very readable description of the genesis, evolution and ultimate demise of the Blue Streak. This was Britain’s attempt to keep up with American and Russian ballistic missile development. Potential purchasers should be aware that the book is in two major parts: only the first 60% covers Blue Streak; the second part covers Skybolt as the planned alternative once Blue Streak had been cancelled. The book starts with a description of the political and technological context, especially the fractious UK-US relationship during the 1950s and 1960s. There was recognition from the early 1950s that bombers with free-fall weapons were unlikely to be able to penetrate Soviet defences beyond 1965. The viable alternatives were stand-off missiles launched from aircraft or long-range ballistic missiles: Britain was behind the US and USSR in both technologies. There was a strong desire for any future system to be a British missile, with British warheads, under sovereign operational control. This was in contrast to the earlier Douglas Thor IRBM missiles and Project E bombs loaned to the UK under restrictive operating processes. A Blue Streak test launch. fixed launch sites and the lack of warning time to The Blue Streak project was initiated to pursue RAeS (NAL). respond to a Soviet attack. There was also likely the ballistic missile deterrent route. The UK aircraft to be inadequate supplies of concrete for silo industry was stretched at the time, so de Havilland construction, as the UK motorway programme was Propellers was selected as the lead company: in full swing. this built on its prior expertise with the Firestreak The second part of the book is itself a and Blue Jay tactical missiles. The book goes into fascinating and comprehensive description of the considerable detail on the planning for underground various Skybolt configurations and development silos for protecting Blue Streak and includes problems before it too was cancelled. However, detailed diagrams which don’t appear elsewhere. much of this discussion has been covered in Hot launching was envisaged; in this field the UK previous books (for example Vulcan’s Hammer: was well ahead of other nations and was able to Overall, V-Force Projects and Weapons since 1945 [Hikoki share knowledge with the US as a quid pro quo for this book Publications Ltd. 2011] by Chris Gibson) so it might US sharing of advances in guided missiles, rocket not be new to the reader. The book has no index, engines and electronics. Infrastructure was planned, successfully which is a strange omission, but has useful and and detailed diagrams of proposed structures at charts the rise comprehensive endnotes for each chapter. Westcott, Spadeadam and in Australia are included and fall of two Overall, this book successfully charts the in this book. There is also description of the various candidates to rise and fall of two candidates to keep Britain’s challenges for re-entry vehicles, and how they were strategic deterrent credible beyond the late 1960s. to be overcome for Blue Streak. keep Britain’s Of course, the simultaneous rapid development There is much discussion of the dialogue strategic of effective submarine-based ballistic missiles led between relevant politicians and the Service Chiefs deterrent to the ultimate demise of both these solutions in as the debates about the future of the nuclear credible favour of Polaris. deterrent ebbed and flowed. The writing was on the wall for Blue Streak by the end of the 1950s. beyond the late Dr Alistair Feltham There was clear concern about the vulnerability of 1960s CEng CPhys FInstP FRAeS

JULY 2020 45

Afterburner_July2020.indd 7 19/06/2020 14:51:43 - Book Reviews AVIATION AND HUMAN FACTORS

How to Incorporate Human Above: Grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft at Boeing Factors into the Field Field in Seattle, Washington in April 2019. SounderBruce. By J Sanchez-Alarcos Right: Turkish Airlines McDonnell Douglas CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 6000 Broken DC-10-10, TC-JAV. This aircraft crashed into a forest Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL while en-route from Paris Orly 33487-2742, USA. 2019. Distributed by Taylor to London Heathrow on 3 & Francis Group, 2 Park Square, Milton Park, March 1974 when the left rear Abingdon OX14 4RN, UK. xv; 187pp. £88.80. cargo door opened causing a rapid decompression. control cables severed, the Turkish Airlines DC-10 [20% discount available to RAeS members via The cabin floor collapsed, crashed into Ermenonville Forest outside Paris, www.crcpress.com using AKQ07 promotion code]. rupturing control runs to killing 346 passengers and crew. On p 13 the ISBN 978-0-367-24573-3. the centre engine and flying author describes the consequences of the unholy controls in the tail. alliance between the FAA and McDonnell Douglas: Steve Fitzgerald. Jose Sanchez-Alarcos’s book unpicks the unholy “A bad design in the cargo door, with potential for a alliance between regulators, manufacturers and major accident – something known even before the operators to show how safety is sacrificed on the plane started to fly passengers – was considered altar of economic efficiency. In just 187 pages, the after the first serious event as something that could author addresses such issues as the certification of be improved, not as a mandatory airworthiness designs vulnerable to single-point failure (eg 737 directive – that is, something to fix before the plane MAX), pilot de-skilling, systems opacity, interactive was allowed to fly again.” complexity, loss of safety-enhancing redundancy According to Captain Chesley Sullenberger, and creation of latent error (eg the sanctioning of regulatory capture contributed to the Boeing 737 twin-jet operations on transoceanic routes). MAX accidents. In his testimony to Congress, The author uses case studies to reveal how Sullenberger said: “We must look closely at the profit-seeking behaviour by manufacturers and certification process …. Has the [FAA] outsourced operators, lax oversight and regulatory capture Jose Sanchez- too much certification work …? Do the [FAA] create resident pathogens. In June 1972, a DC-10 Alarcos has employees and Boeing employees doing certification rear cargo door blew open, jamming some control work have the independence they need to ensure cables. Using a combination of asymmetric thrust written an safe designs?” Plus ça change? and brute force the pilots landed the aircraft. Instead important Jose Sanchez-Alarcos has written an important of requiring McDonnell Douglas to redesign the book. Anyone book. Anyone interested in safety should read it. door, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) interested in sanctioned minor fixes. In March 1974, another Dr Simon Bennett DC-10 rear cargo door blew open. This time the safety should Director, Civil Safety and Security Unit passengers and crew were not so lucky. With its read it University of Leicester

46 AEROSPACE

Afterburner_July2020.indd 8 19/06/2020 14:51:44 -

INTERNATIONAL AVIATION LAW

A Practical Guide to the lay as well as professional reader (and that includes, somewhere in the middle I suppose, those – Second edition professionals who are new to the field of aviation By R Bartsch law). It is also thorough (examples from case law are placed throughout the text and have been updated to provide recent cases where relevant) and brought Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2 Park Square, up to date with chapters updated to reflect recent Milton Park, Abingdon OX14 4RN, UK [20% developments in, of particular interest to many, discount available to RAeS members via www. international carriage by air and the accordant crcpress.com using AKQ07 promotion code]. 2018. losses which can result from this, commercial and xii; 411pp. £72.99. ISBN 978-1-138-55921-9. competition law, and environmental law. Professor RAeS members can access an e-book edition of Bartsch includes a very useful glossary of legal this title online via the National Aerospace Library’s terms at the rear of the book which will undoubtedly e-book service www.aerosociety.com/ebooks be of assistance to the lawyer as much as to the layman. In one of the quotes Professor Bartsch places in As I sit in my study and look outside and see, the epigraph to the second edition of his book for the first time in my life, a sky without aircraft on international aviation law, he quotes from a in it as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic, statement made by William Voss that “aviation law While we all I do wonder what Professor Bartsch’s views on is not just a subject for lawyers” and, while that is the future of the industry are and how it will – and perhaps debatable (for those who like to debate sit at home how long it will take to – recover from this crisis. I such philosophical and jurisprudential statements), and take stock suspect he will say that the industry, much like the it is certainly the approach which the author takes of things, I aircraft on which it is built, has weathered many throughout the text, writing in a manner and style can heartily storms and will weather this one too, in some way, that is both thorough and easily accessible. shape or form. I have not, unfortunately, had the pleasure recommend While we all sit at home and take stock of to meet Professor Bartsch but he strikes me as having things, I can heartily recommend having Professor the type of person one would very much like to Professor Bartsch’s book on your bedside table. be sat next to at dinner; someone who is both Bartsch’s entertaining and knowledgeable but who wears that Alan D Meneghetti knowledge lightly. Much like the first edition of his book on your Partner book, this edition is well-written, easily accessible bedside table RadcliffesLeBrasseur LLP

NATIONAL AEROSPACE LIBRARY

The National Aerospace Library is closed but our online services remain available so you can continue to browse the catalogue and download e-books as well as contact our expert Librarians for advice and enquiries. E [email protected] NAL www.aerosociety.com/nal Catalogue www.aerosociety.com/catalogue Film Archive www.aerosociety.com/movies e-books www.aerosociety.com/ebooks

JULY 2020 47

Afterburner_July2020.indd 9 19/06/2020 14:51:45 Library Additions BOOKS

SYMPOSIA Aircraft Structures’, ‘Low of research and innovation Dey, A Vishwakarma, O Prakash, Aerodynamic Characterization Cost Manufacturing and activities in aeronautics and A Singhal and A K Ghosh), of a Generic Wing Body Aviation in Europe – Assembly of Composite and air transport within Europe, ‘Separation Studies on a Drop Configuration using ‘Design Innovating for Growth: Hybrid Structures’, ‘Boltless especially those resulting from Tank Released from a Combat of Experiments’ and CFD/G’ Proceedings of the Seventh Assembly of Primary Aerospace the European Union’s research Aircraft Using Captive Trajectory (Vidya, K Manokaram, V K Goyal European Aeronautics Composite Structures’, framework programmes. System at NAL 1.2m Tunnel’ and V Adimurthy), ‘Conceptual Days, London, 20-22 ‘Clean Sky GRC4: Light (Nitin Khamesra, M Bikshapathi, Thermal Protection System October 2015. Edited by Helicopter Demonstrator with Recent Trends in Applied S Shanthakumari and S R Design of a Control Surface D Knorzer et al. Directorate- High Compression Engine’, Aerodynamics and Mohan), ‘Vortex Breakdown of a Wing Body Hypersonic General for Research and ‘Innovation in Tilt Rotor Design: Proceedings of due to Flaps Deflection on a Vehicle’ (K Madhusudhan Innovation, Brussels. 2017. Design: Through NICETRIP to SAROD-2007, November Delta Wing-Body’ (N Gopinath Naidu, T Sivamurugan, G V 674pp. Illustrated. NextGenCTR’, ‘AHEAD: Paving 2007, Thiruvananthapuram, and R Sridharan), ‘Integrated Rajesh Kumar, M M Patil and the Way for Next Generation Store Separation Dynamics S Swaminathan), ‘Fin Planform ‘NASA’s Environmentally India. Edited by D Koner et Aircraft and Engine’, ‘Smart al. Macmillan India Ltd, Delhi. Code for an Air-Launched Optimization for an Air-to-air Responsible Aviation (ERA) Design Systems for Low NO , Flight Vehicle’ (S Mondal, R R Flight Vehicle Configuration X 2007. 623pp. Illustrated. Project: Exploring Technological Highly Efficient Aero-Engine More, K Anandhanarayanan using Surrogate Modelling’ Feasibility, Benefits and Combustors’, ‘Integrated Development and and R Krishnamurthy), ‘CFD (S Sriram and J Umakant), Risks’, ‘SESAR: Delivering ‘CFD-Acoustic’ Computational Demonstration of Calspan’s Analysis for Hypersonic Air ‘Numerical Investigation of High-Performing Aviation for Approach to the Simulation Transonic Free-to-Roll Rig’ Intake Cover Opening Schemes’ Airflow over the Parachute-Fore Europe’, ‘European GNSS for of Open Rotors’, ‘Ultra-High (Andrew F Garrell, Jay R (S Gnanasekar, Dipankar Das Body Payload Configuration’ Aviation Present & Future’, Pressure-Ratio Aero- Nowakowski and Anthony J and V K Goyal), ‘Methodology (Amit Sachdeva and D D ‘Overview of Clean Sky Engines’, ‘Advanced Cockpit Kunecki), ‘Role of CFD in Aero- to Estimate Rotational Dynamic Khurana), ‘Estimation of Technical Programme and for Reduction of Stress and Propulsive Characterization Derivatives of Arbitrary Longitudinal Stability and Achievements to Date’, ‘The Workload’, ‘A Step Ahead to the of Missiles in DRDL’ (Debasis Configurations’ (G Dhananjaya Control Derivatives from Flight Clean Sky 2 Programme’, 2nd Generation of Integrated Chakraborty), ‘Fast Ignition Rao, Balram Panjwani and Data using Modified Delta ‘Clean Sky Smart Fixed Wing Modular Avionics’, ‘Modular of Pulse Detonation Engine’ S Swaminathan), ‘Numerical Method’ (Sanjay Singh, Ankur Aircraft: Preparation of the Electro Mechanical Actuators (Jian-Ping Wang and Yun- Study of Flow Over Gridfins’ Singhal and Ajoy Kanti Ghosh), Airbus A340-300 BLADE for the Next Generation of Feng Liu), ‘The Importance (K Vinayender, Nikhil Vijay ‘Dynamic Stability Analysis of a Natural Laminar Wing Flight Aircraft’, ‘Electrical Power of Transition Modelling in the Shende, P Theerthamalai and Parafoil-Payload System using Test Demonstrator’, ‘Anti-Icing Distribution Centre: Enhancing Prediction of Low-Speed flow N Balakrishnan), ‘Isothermal Analytically Derived Stability Coatings Designed to Decrease Electrical Test Bench Evaluation over a UCAV Configuration’ (M Wall Heat Flux Evaluation Derivative’ (N K Peyada and A Ice Adhesion on Aeronautical of More Electrical Aircraft T Arthur), ‘Aerospace Vehicle for a Hypersonic Launch K Ghosh), ‘Canard Control for Structures’, ‘Alternative Fuels Technologies’, ‘Bifunctional for Manned Missions :Design Vehicle using CERANS’ Improved Flight Performance for Aviation’, ‘Progress and Electrochromic-TOLED Devices Approach and Challenges’ (S (R Balasubramanian, K in Aerospace Vehicles’ (Ashok Perspectives of Solar Fuels’, for a New Generation of Smart Ramakrishnan), ‘Aerodynamics Anandhanarayanan and R Joshi), ‘Experimental Study ‘Noise Reduction Technologies Aircraft Windows’, ‘Global of Mixed Compression Air Krishnamurthy), ‘Numerical on Effect of Wire Tunnel for High-Lift Devices of in Flight Health Monitoring Intake’ (S Mittal and P Vivek), Simulation of Jets Interaction Geometry on Aerodynamic Future Green Regional Platform for Composite ‘Computer Models to Successful Study of a Typical Launch Characteristics of a Cone- Aircraft’, ‘WakeNet Europe Aerostructures based on Level 1 Flights’ (Shyam Vehicle for Wind Tunnel Tests Cylinder Configuration’ (A – European Coordination Advanced Vibration Methods’, Chetty), ‘The Gripen Fighter Conditions’ (Sanjoy Kumar Saha, Satyanarayana, Puneet Anand, Activities for Aircraft Wake ‘Onsite Maintenance and Aircraft Outside the Normal Dipankar Das and V K Goyal), S G Kadam, S V Ramana and Turbulence’, ‘Wake Separation Repair of Aircrafts by Integrated Flight Envelope-Design for ‘Finite Element Simulation of R K Sharma), ‘Measurement Solutions – Innovative Direct Digital Manufacturing Recovery’ (U Clareus), ‘CFD for Transition in the Wake of a of LEVCON Hinge Moment Concepts for Increased of Spare Parts’, ‘Innovations in Aircraft Design : Expectations, Stationary Circular Cylinder’ (S on a Typical Aircraft Model Capacity and Ensuring Safety’, Aircraft Architecture Trade-off’, Challenges and Opportunities’ Behara and S Mittal), ‘Hysteresis in the 1.2m Wind Tunnel’ (R ‘Civil Airspace Integration of ‘Simulation Tools for Aircraft (P Raj), ‘An Improved Method in Vortex-Induced Vibration Sharma, B Sampath Rao, Indira RPAS in Europe (CLAIRE)’, Ditching’, ‘Advanced In-Flight to Determine the Required of a Circular Cylinder in the Narayanaswamy, S R Mohan ‘Fly-By-Wire for CS23 Measurement Techniques’, Roughness Height in Transition Laminar Regime’ (T K Prasanth and D Koner), ‘Wind Tunnel Aircraft – Core Technology for ‘Towards Certifiable Hybrid Bands Used for Wind-Tunnel and S Mittal), ‘An Innovative Measurements on Powered General Aviation and RPAS’, Powertrains for Electric Aircraft’, Testing’ (D R Philpott), ‘Simple Design for Modifying Landing Model of Saras Aircraft to ‘Development of Affordable ‘Enabling Technologies for and Effective Flow Visualization Gear Doors as Air Brakes for Assess the Effect of Airframe- Turbine Propulsion for Small Air Personal Aerial Transportation Technique to Trace Vortex a Combat Aircraft’ (D Koner, Propeller Flow Interaction on Transport’, ‘EASA’s Research Systems’, ‘Paving the Way Patterns over Highly Swept Biju Uthup and K P Singh), Propeller Thrust’ (Vineet Kumar, Strategy Needs for Scientific towards High Speed Transport’, Wings at low Speeds’ (Pratap ‘Aeroelastic Stability Analysis M S Kamaleshaiah, G K Panda, Knowledge and Research ‘Evolutionary Technology K Rai, K Sudheer Kumar, M of Space Launch Vehicles : R Mukund and N Karthikeyan), Priorities’, ‘Overview of SESAR Developments towards an A Quraishi and Biju Uthup), a Comprehensive Approach’ ‘Hypersonic Aerodynamic Safety Activities’, ‘Preventing International Flight Platform ‘Experimental and Analytical (M Trikha, S Gopalakrishnan, Characteristics of Spiked Body’ Runway Incursion: How to for High-Speed Transportation’, Investigation of Cascade Fins’ D Roy Mahapatra and R (R Kalimuthu, R C Mehta and E Design a Safe Conflicting ATC ‘Airlander Civil Exploitation (A Misra, A K Ghosh and K Pandiyan), ‘Loosely Coupled Rathakrishanan), ‘Investigation Clearances System’, ‘High Project (ACEP)’, ‘LuFo – The Ghosh), ‘Prediction of Store Aeroelastic Simulations using of Flow Field Over Blunted Altitude Ice Crystals (HAIC)’, German National Research Trajectory Using a Grid Based Multi-Disciplinary Computing Delta Wing’ (B Nath, S Das ‘JediAce: Japanese-European Programme in Aeronautics’, Approach’ (D Narayan, K P Environment (MDICE)’ (A J and J K Prasad), ‘Chemically De-icing Aircraft Collaborative ‘Future Sky Preparing for the Singh, S R Mohan and R Vinod), Meganathan and S J Zhang), Reacting Hypersonic Flow Exploration’, ‘High-Performance Future of Aviation’, ‘Challenge of ‘Novel Design Approaches ‘Hybrid Algorithm for Launch over a Re-Entry Capsule’ (C High-Lift Design for Laminar Japanese Aviation Industry and for High Speed Wind Tunnel Vehicle Trajectory Optimization Unnikrishnan), ‘Numerical Wings’, ‘Active Flow-Loads EU-Japan Cooperation’, ‘EU- Models and Support Systems’ in Multidisciplinary Design Exploration of an Aerospace and Noise Control on Next China Research Cooperation (G Rajeev), ‘Experimental Framework’ (C Geethaikrishnan, Vehicle with Deflected Fins Generation Wing’, ‘Receptivity in Aeronautics Technologies Investigation of High Angle of P M Mujumdar, K Sudhakar using a Grid-Free Solver’ (K Analysis and Transition – GRAIN 2’, ‘EU-Russia Attack, Subsonic Characteristics and V Adimurthy), ‘Spherical Anandhanarayanan, Vaibhav Prediction of Three-dimensional Cooperation in Aerospace of a Cruciform Vehicle for and Truncated Spherical Shah, R Krishnamurthy Boundary-layer Flows’, ‘TFAST Research’, ‘Experiences of EU- Launch Phase Studies’ (S Configuration for Ballistic and Debasis Chakraborty), – Transition Location Effect of Russia Research Cooperation Rama, A Kamalesh and R Re-entry’ (Pankaj Priyadarshi), ‘Numerical Analysis of Shock Wave Boundary Layer Based on the Joint Engine Vasantha Kumar), ‘Longitudinal ‘Multidisciplinary Design Launcher-Plume Jet- Interaction’, ‘Developments in Noise Project ORINOCO’ are Aerodynamic Characterization Optimization of a Flexible Deflector flow’ (Vaibhav the Additive Manufacture of among the subjects discussed of a FAE Bomb with Ringtail Delta Wing using Maneuver Shah, R Balasubramanian, Aero Engine Components’, over the 80 papers included Configuration Using Wind Load Control Concepts’ (N R Krishnamurthy and D ‘Innovation for More Affordable in this wide-ranging overview Tunnel’ (A Misra, A Apparao, S Indira and M Raghu), ‘Rapid Chakraborty). For further information contact the National Aerospace Library. T +44 (0)1252 701038 or 701060 E [email protected]

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Afterburner_July2020.indd 10 19/06/2020 14:51:45 Film Archive Online

Free-to-view heritage films, documentaries and lectures from the National Aerospace Library archives. See footage of aeroplane and helicopter test flights, experience going through Croydon Airport in the 1930s and follow Charles Lindbergh as he takes off across the Atlantic. All these unique historical moments just one click away.

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Afterburner_July2020.indd 11 19/06/2020 14:51:46 NATIONAL AEROSPACE LIBRARY Heritage Website

The National Aerospace Library holds an extensive archive of material recording the evolution of Man’s attempts to conquer the dream of flight from prehistory to modern times Available to view online the original papers of world heritage importance held in the Library’s archives of a number of the major pioneers in early aviation, whose work became a series of ‘stepping stones’ which led to the evolution of powered flight and the development of the aeroplane which can be studied in detail via the National Aerospace Library Heritage Website: www.aerosociety.com/ heritage Included among the collections which can be viewed page-by-page – with close-up magnified detailed views available by clicking on the ‘Detail’ option for each image and moving one’s ‘mouse’ over the selected image – are the original Sir George Cayley notebooks, Henson’s 1842- 43 Aerial Steam Carriage drawings, Lawrence Hargrave photograph albums, Percy Pilcher drawings, Horace Short’s Notebook, the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company Ltd Minute Book No1 1910-1919 and the Aeronautical Society of Great Above: Lawrence Hargrave Britain Council Minutes from its formation in 1866 and his family. In a letter through to 1909. to George Crosland Taylor of 1 January 1895 held in Sir George Cayley’s (1773-1857) understanding the National Aerospace of the principles of heavier-than-air flight was first Library’s archives, Hargrave published in his paper ‘Aerial Navigation’ published notes: “Whilst Bayliss the over three parts in Nicholson’s Journal 1809-1810. photographer was here I had a family group & view This work was a great advance over anything of Stanwell Park taken.” that had previously been written on the subject of Hargrave refers to the New aeronautics South Wales photographer Now widely regarded as ‘The Father of Charles Bayliss (1850- Aeronautics’, Cayley evolved the idea of an aircraft 1897) who also took the much-reproduced 1894 with fixed wings, in which the principle of lift was photograph of Hargrave and separated from the propulsion system, and in which his assistant James Swaine inherent stability, as well as tail-unit control-surfaces, experimenting with four must be incorporated and you can study Cayley’s man-lifting kites, right. The original of this photograph thought processes as recorded his notebooks via is included in Lawrence Hargrave’s photograph After 1905, the Wrights did not fly again until https://aerosocietyheritage.com/ albums held in the National May 1908 when Wilbur Wright travelled to France biographies/george-cayley Aerospace Library’s archives where his demonstrations of the flight control of at Farnborough.. the Wright A revolutionised the development of RAeS (NAL). Another of Cayley’s innovations was his invention European aviation. in 1808 of the ‘tension wheel’ – later to be The flying demonstrations of the Wright A incorporated in bicycle design – and ultimately in France resulted in a number of enquiries for it was bicycle engineers who were to solve the replicas of the Wright aircraft. On Griffith Brewer’s problem of mechanical flight. recommendation, the firm of Short Brothers was On 17 December 1903 the American Wright approached in January 1909 to construct the brothers – Wilbur (1867-1912) and Orville (1871- first six aircraft orders on behalf of the Wrights. 1948) Wright – achieved the world’s first manned, After years of experience in the manufacture of sustained, controlled, powered flight in a heavier- balloons, the new partnership of Short Brothers was than-air machine with Orville Wright at the controls registered at Battersea in November 1908, with its of the Wright Flyer. initial capital subscribed in equal shares by the three

50 AEROSPACE

Afterburner_July2020.indd 12 19/06/2020 14:51:48 brothers – Horace Leonard (1872-1917), Albert Eustace (1875-1932) and Hugh Oswald (1883- 1969). Again, on Brewer’s intervention, Shorts bought a tract of marshland between Leysdown and Shellness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent and erected a factory to build the Wright aircraft. The production order for the first six Short- Wright biplanes was distributed as follows, all the gentlemen concerned being members of the Aero Club of the United Kingdom and of the the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain (with the exception of Egerton): Short-Wright No.1 – Hon C S Rolls; No.2 – Alec Ogilvie; No.3 – Francis K McLean; No.4 – Hon Maurice Egerton; No.5 – Percy Above: The Hon Charles R Grace (and flown by Cecil S Grace); No.6 – Hon Stewart Rolls (1877-1910) C S Rolls; this aircraft was later purchased by flying a Short-Wright Model Ogilvie from the executors of Rolls’ estate. A biplane on 21 December 1909. The construction of the Short-Wright biplanes Right: A page from Horace was based upon a series of detailed sketches Short’s notebook containing of the Wright A at Pau in February 1909. These his detailed sketches of were made on graph-lined paper by Horace Short, the Wright A made at Pau, and are in a notebook which is in the care of the France, in February 1909. RAeS (NAL). National Aerospace Library and which can be viewed page-by-page via https://aerosocietyheritage.com/collections/ horace-shorts-notebook These are just two examples of the key historical documents in the Library’s archives which have been available to view online for current and future generations of researchers. As collections are digitised further content will be added to the National Aerospace Library Heritage Website. For enquiries about the Heritage Website please contact the librarians (E [email protected]).

Right: Sir George Cayley’s drawings. Fig. 11: Lifting flapper on the flap-valve principle; Fig. 11A: A slat of the lifting flapper enlarged and Fig. 12: A propulsive flapper with hinged slats. Fig. 13: A view of a man operating a pair of double lifting flappers of a type derived from Degen. c.1849-1853. RAeS (NAL).

Left: In 1843 William Samuel Henson (1812-1888) published his design for an advanced fixed-wing monoplane configuration known as the ‘Aerial Steam Carriage’. The NAL has one the few surviving copies of the specification. RAeS (NAL).

JULY 2020 51

Afterburner_July2020.indd 13 19/06/2020 14:51:53 NATIONAL AEROSPACE LIBRARY e-book Service

Want to understand more about aerodynamic drag, fly-by-light flight control, rocket propulsion, air transport economics or aerospace management? Members of the Royal Aeronautical Society can access online the answers to such questions and many others via the National Aerospace Library’s e-book service: www.aerosociety.com/ebooks The books – which cover a wide variety of subjects within aerospace design including air transport, aerodynamics (including helicopter aerodynamics, flight dynamics and wind engineering), propulsion (including gas turbine, rocket and scramjet propulsion) and structures (including aeroelasticity and composite materials), aircraft systems, aerospace and the environment, Aerospace Library’s e-book collection of nearly 200 aviation management and maintenance among different titles. other subjects with a selection of aviation history The National Aerospace Library’s e-book service titles – can be text searched and viewed online, with is also available to the Society’s student members options to download a separate chapter or individual including the free Student Affiliates. diagram or to electronically ‘borrow’ the book for a To view the titles currently available – and which limited period. will be continually updated – enter the search term Members of the Royal Aeronautical Society can e-Book on the National Aerospace Library’s online access the e-book service via: www.aerosociety. catalogue and the most recent titles will be listed com/ebooks and then click on the highlighted first: www.aerosociety.com/catalogue ‘Create a User Account’ as a first-time user. If you encounter any problems registering an Once this task has been completed the Society Account on the e-book system do contact the member should then have access to the National librarians (E [email protected]).

RAeS Final design layout.qxd 05/07/2012 09:19 Page 1 Farnborough Friday

The cancellation of July’s Farnborough International Airshow in response Historical Group Webinar to the COVID-19 pandemic generated huge disappointment. The Airshow was to host the first Farnborough Friday: a day focussed on enabling the next generation to build a rewarding career in the broad range of industries represented at the show. SECRETS OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN Instead, Farnborough Friday will take place as part of FIA Connect on July 24. This digital event will showcase the best in science, technology, PAUL BEAVER FRAeS engineering and mathematics; giving students, apprentices, graduates and WEBINAR / 10 JULY 2020 15:00 - 16:00 young professionals consideringin partnership a career in with aerospace unprecedented access to industry, with a dedicated careers hub and a programme of Paul Beaver will examine the inspirational speakers.’ secret work which enabled the RAF to stay on top of the Battle. The key technologies and concepts included high octane fuel, changes to carburation of Fantastic images from the National Aerospace the Merlin engine, civilian repair Library Collection of the Royal Aeronautical units, radar (then called RDF) Society are now available to purchase as and integrated command & reproduction prints and giftware items. control systems. View the complete collection at: www.prints-online.com

www.aerosociety.com/events

To Register visit: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5403431554818710031

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FarnAfterburner_July2020.indd Pg.indd 2 14 19/06/202019/06/2020 14:51:56 19:06 Black Lives Matter Statement

We stand against racism and inequality.

The tragic killing of George Floyd has sparked global conversations and action against racism and injustice towards black people. We stand together in solidarity with our members, volunteers, colleagues, and communities around the world. We will not tolerate racism, social injustice, or inequality.

The Royal Aeronautical Society has taken this time to listen and consider how we can use our channels to enact positive change and address racial inequality, both within the Society and across the Aviation and Aerospace sectors.

Today, we share some of our plans:

1. W e will hold discussions across our community to better understand the qualitative experience of black people in our sector, finding ways to create safe spaces for open and honest dialogue.

2. W e will review and expand our processes for reporting racism and discrimination experienced and/or observed and determine the subsequent actions that are required to take place.

3. W e will use these ongoing discussions to accelerate the work of our Diversity and Inclusion working group, allowing us to specifically address how we can support the Black community and generate a greater shift in our culture. The RAeS is actively seeking increased membership of this working group to bring forward greater change, you can find out more about the group and apply to join here: https://www.aerosociety.com/about-us/governance/diversity-inclusion/

4. W e will extend our D&I forums to help RAeS volunteers develop our policies, procedures and activities to make them more inclusive, seeking to eliminate hidden institutional or systemic bias across our wider networks.

5. W e will work to improve the extent and ways in which we capture, analyse and use diversity data to address how we can support underrepresented communities as well as further improve our culture. This will help us to track progress against the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Progression Framework and to identify areas for further improvement.

6. We commit to being transparent in our pursuit of these actions.

Our work does not end here, and we are committed to proactively listen, learn and address inequality on an ongoing basis.

Black Lives Matter.

Sir Brian Burridge FRAeS Prof Jonathan Cooper FRAeS Lt Cdr Richard M Gearing FRAeS Chief Executive President Chair, RAeS Diversity and Royal Aeronautical Society Royal Aeronautical Society Inclusion Working Group

JULY 2020 53

Afterburner_July2020.indd 15 19/06/2020 14:51:56 NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Daniel Beechey IEng MRAeS, 28 it gives me a baseline which ensures that my Location: RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire experiences and skills are recognised throughout the world. Job Title: RAF Aerosystems Engineering Officer, currently a member of the Engineering team in the What three items would you take with A400M Service Delivery Team (SDT). you to the ISS? Lucky Panda: Having had the opportunity to visit and work in some What inspired you into aerospace? With my amazing places (Rugby tour to Canada, father being a Technician in the RAF, I grew up Deployed Armaments Officer in Las Vegas for surrounded by both aviation and engineering a multi-national exercise and Klettersteiging in throughout my childhood and it was these Neuschwanstein etc) I have managed to bring a experiences that shaped my love of engineering. small stuffed panda along for the journey. Going to The range of challenges on offer in the aerospace space would just be the next step! industry and, specifically, the opportunities that a career in the Royal Air Force has to offer lead me Brewing equipment: Though I have never done it to join up take the route I did (Welbeck/DTUS). before, I would have to attempt to brew beer in Looking forward, with the rate of technological space if not just to begin a new branch of Space developments in the field accelerating towards Pale Ales... space and cyber, I can’t foresee my interest in this Electric guitar: Having little peace and quiet field waning! at home (especially during the current times), What is the best thing about your current spending time on the Space Station would provide role? The best aspect of my current role is the an ideal opportunity to play a bit more often! diversity it offers. Operating in a small (three What’s your favourite aircraft? The aircraft that people) senior team in the Engineering Pillar of has to be closest to me is the Panavia Tornado. the Service Delivery Team, we are heavily involved My parents met when my father was on 14 Sqn, in a wide range of projects, supporting operations maintaining Tornados in RAF Bruggen and I had and the agility that demands, consulting as well the pleasure and privilege to see the Tornado out as working closely with and learning from our of service as a Junior Engineering Officer on IX(B) Commercial, Financial and Technical pillars. Add in Sqn in my previous Tour. After almost 40 years’ the travel associated with working in an industry- service, having undertaken operations in Kosovo, facing multi-national co-operative programme and Afghanistan, Iraq etc this aircraft has been truly you have a hugely dynamic and eclectic role. instrumental in keeping the UK safe. What made you join the Royal Aeronautical Who is your biggest inspiration? For me my Society? For me personally, as the only personal inspiration is my wife, Kim. Having moved In the 2018 JCR, professional body dedicated to aerospace, the house three times in three years and with two Royal Aeronautical Society is the Professional children joining us during this time she has been a our Impact Factor Institute that best reflects both my current role, constant in my life, supporting and enabling me to increased by and the roles I would be looking towards in the carry out my role wherever and whenever I need to 40.2%! future, with my focus currently towards aerospace. (even if I do get a sharp reminder when I answer In addition to the Eng Council recognised emails at weekends and evening...). I have no doubt Professional Registration, it is also the networking that I take this for granted at times, however, again opportunities that will be of interest in the future. she does quickly remind me when I step out of line! THE AERONAUTICAL What do you hope to get out of your Piece of advice for someone looking to enter membership and IEng Registration? your field? You don’t have to be an expert on every Principally my membership gives me a front seat subject. Engineering for me is about working as part JOURNAL to watch the technological and organisational of a team, matching your strengths and weaknesses developments in the aerospace industry. My with that of others, to produce an output that is IEng gives me a major step on my route to full greater than any one individual. At the same time recognition as an Engineer, providing a structure don’t just become a postbox and simply pass on Editor-in-Chief: Deputy Chairman of the Editorial Board: to further professional development as well as information; analyse, assimilate and constructively Professor Holger Babinsky FRAeS Professor Chris Atkin CEng FRAeS the opportunity to become involved in the Society challenge what you are being told to make sure you University of Cambridge, UK City, University of London, UK to a greater degree and mentor my peers. Finally, understand and concur with the assessment. Chairman of the Editorial Board: Professor Mike Graham FREng FRAeS Imperial College London, UK

Get FREE ACCESS to a sample collection at cambridge.org/aer/sc 54 AEROSPACE

Afterburner_July2020.indd 16 19/06/2020 14:51:57 40928_134x210.indd 1 18/04/2019 10:34 Membership & Professional Have you been thinking about Registration upgrading your membership or applying for Professional Registration?

We are running online webinars where you can learn Support about the Society’s membership and how to become a Professionally Registered engineer with the Engineering Council UK.

Find out more here: You can also book an appointment with the membership & registration team to discuss requirements, process, www.aerosociety.com/support your route into membership and registration or general enquires.

+44(0)20 7670 4384 [email protected] www.aerosociety.com

In the 2018 JCR, our Impact Factor increased by 40.2%! THE AERONAUTICAL JOURNAL

Editor-in-Chief: Deputy Chairman of the Editorial Board: Professor Holger Babinsky FRAeS Professor Chris Atkin CEng FRAeS University of Cambridge, UK City, University of London, UK Chairman of the Editorial Board: Professor Mike Graham FREng FRAeS Imperial College London, UK

Get FREE ACCESS to a sample collection at cambridge.org/aer/sc

Afterburner_July2020.indd 17 19/06/2020 14:51:57 40928_134x210.indd 1 18/04/2019 10:34 Elections

FELLOWS Roger Targett Edward Langley Ashwin Thomas Andrew Ley WITH REGRET Rob Abbott Dimitrios Ziakkas Man Liang Luis Alcaraz David Lindsay The RAeS announces with regret the deaths of the Pedro Camanho MEMBERS Alastair Long following members: Alexis de Pelleport Andrew Lytton Colin Lax Barnfather CEng MRAeS 82 Giovanni Di Antonio Waleed Al Shukaili Mauro Mafessoni Lloyd Dingle Nathan Arrowsmith Aaron Masters Brian Anthony Cole IEng MRAeS 62 Robert Emms Peter Aspery Thomas Morgan Michael John Gibson CB OBE FRAeS 81 Donald Erbschloe Alexander Baker Efstratios Ntantis Ronald William Hare Affiliate 89 Michael Fairbanks Lawrence Barnes Vin Parker Laurence Graham Simon Barraclough Janice Patterson Ivor Edward Moss CEng MRAeS 93 Leonard Hart-Smith Michael Bentley Marie Pennington David James Pollard CEng MRAeS 83 Robin Harvey James Boyce Laura Prazic David Holmes Bianca Capra Sarah Qureshi Robert Hopkins Kwok Kin Chan David Roberts Bhagwan Singh Negi Arnaud Mortelette Nicholas Howard Seamus Clare Michael Roberts Keshav Ooriah Jeffrey Roy Iain Hutchinson Lonell Coetzee Cam Robottom Jeancarlo Pestana Ruwini Warnakula Reginald Jones Martin Davey Selcuk Sever Aishwar Ravichandran Adithya Craig Lawson Harrison Debrah Abhishek Sharma Jordan Wade Sembukuttige Phillip Lewis Matthew Del Fabbro Pat Shek Roshan Wijayaratne Kin Liao Ricardo Diaz Gonzalez Mark Smart ASSOCIATES Antonio Licu Lachlan Doig Rebecca Smith AFFILIATES Hao Liu Phillip Downes John Tickner Hyuliya Aptula Peter Lloyd Paul Ekwere Richard Tovell Morgan Chambard Angela Dean Claire MacAleese Garry Ellingham Thanh Vu Luca Davies Gregorio Maldonado Patrick Fahey Daniel Wood Andrew Dunn STUDENT AFFILIATES Mike Miller-Smith Scott Findlay Laura Young Tristan George Shane Munroe Kamlacant Fulena Marian Zastawny Scott Lemmon Abdulrahman Alqaraan Richard Nanton Vincent Gill Callum Rae Daniel Brady Hugh O’Donovan Vijay Gopal ASSOCIATE Sanaa Rashid Kai Broughton Trehane Oliver Oleg Goushcha MEMBERS Christopher Hargreaves Faustin Ondore Romain Guicherd E-ASSOCIATES Gontse Masutha Donal O’Shea Matthew Halse Giuseppe Afentoulis Shannon Mathers Gavin Parker Robert Harrison Benjamin Crew Dominic Bailes-Brown Fynn Oppermann Donald Payen Kim Heptinstall Laura Erne Kishan Dohil Joshua Pankhania Shannon Phares Kevin Hill Mohammad Ibrahim Alba Espinosa-Rastoll Isidoros Pantelis Andrew Schofield Daniel Hughes Richard Jones Harry Gatward Ewan Roberts-Ellis Zahra Sharif Khodaei Eric Joffre Jack Lewis Argyrios Georgiou Cole Scott-Curwood Dave Smith Fatima Khan Anca-Meili Lin Georgia Godden Nishanth Sri Shiva Ross Spooner Andy Lang James Muus Ross Houlbrook Madhavan

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Capitol Technology University is a university near Washington DC that is a STEM focused and have bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees. It is a Find out more about Royal Aeronautical single site campus. It started in 1927 and has been innovator in Science, Society Corporate membership, advertising Cybersecurity and aviation subjects. We have PhD that are by research with a and sponsorship: thesis or publication. It has won national awards for its Cybersecurity Master’s E [email protected] degree, and regionally accredited by Middle states. In addition, it is ABET T +44 (0)20 7670 4346 accredited. www.aerosociety.com/corporate

56 AEROSPACE

Afterburner_July2020.indd 18 19/06/2020 14:51:58 Professional

Have you been thinking about becoming Registration a Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer or Engineering Technician? Webinars We’re running online webinars where you can learn about the Society’s membership and how to become a Professionally Registered engineer with the Engineering Council UK. Here’s what we’ll cover: » Society benefits and resources Register your interest here: » Continuing Professional Development www.aerosociety.com/regwebinars » Engineering Council Requirements » Application process and routes

+44(0)20 7670 4384 [email protected] www.aerosociety.com

Are you a Member or Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society?

Recommend someone for membership

Recognise your peers and colleagues for their outstanding aerospace experience Increase the Society’s reach and wealth of knowledge

Members get access to Continuing Professional Development and Career Services

Support for Engineers working towards CEng, IEng & EngTech Professional Registration with the Engineering Council UK

Fellows can nominate for the Fellow Grade and below and Members at the Member Grade and below. www.aerosociety.com/membernomination / [email protected]

JULY 2020 57

Afterburner_July2020.indd 19 19/06/2020 14:51:58 The Last Word Commentary from Professor Keith Hayward FRAeS

What’s new is old again

s a young air enthusiast I read Flying But while human space may be cheaper than Review with avid attention. Tales before, taxpayers still cover much of the bill for the of derring-do and new technology programme. This remains fundamentally an example filled every month’s edition. The X-15 of the Contract State, where private industry is programme and its test pilot heroes paid by government to fulfil a public mission. The combinedA both in spades: one of the alumni became system has delivered key programmes for the US the first man to walk on the Moon. Launched from government and was often an effective substitute a B-52, the rocket-powered X-15 flew to the edge for a dedicated national industry and technology of space. This may have been the logical way and policy. However, it sometimes encouraged an perhaps cheaper to access space (like the new unhealthy relationship between the state and Virgin Orbit system?). corporate America, with public and private interests However, the Cold War and JFK’s ‘within the ambiguously fused. This certainly marred some decade’ target intervened to speed up the pace, aspects of the Apollo adventure. throwing technical logic into a political dustbin. Apollo came and went, after which another shift in US space policy brought the supposedly reusable But still hard to justify? STS, or Space Shuttle. A ‘cheap’ compromise, the So where are we now? ‘New Space’ has STS cut design corners – some fatal – that left it only unquestionably reduced generally the cost of partially reusable and at a price in terms of costly putting satellites into orbit and the $6bn or so refurbishment prior to another mission. The focus NASA has spent on the new human-rated systems on Shuttle launches with satellite payloads led the is bargain basement compared to the $152bn on US to neglect conventional rockets which, after the Apollo (in today’s money) or the $70bn to develop Challenger disaster, left a gap to be filled by others and deploy the International Space Station. The new such as Ariane. SpaceX has introduced reusability approach will reduce the cost of human spaceflight into rocketry but the technology is basically the same as that which placed the first Sputnik into orbit. but a new Moon-base programme will cost between $20bn and $30bn. Although some of the leading SPACEX HAS figures of ‘New Space’ may be willing to invest New Space and the human factor personal fortunes in the business, the core financial INTRODUCED STS retirement left the US human space commitment will be via government contract. REUSABILITY programme, and the International Space Station, At the risk of being someone knowing the cost INTO dependent on Russian rockets. Increasingly of everything and the value of nothing, human space ROCKETRY politically embarrassing, this led NASA to fund is an expensive business and it will take a lot to competing systems to give the US an autonomous justify the expenditure in monetary terms. Although BUT THE capability for crewed launches. This new ‘space the involvement of SpaceX has brought a much- TECHNOLOGY race’ has been a local Derby between Boeing and needed austerity to developing new human-rated IS BASICALLY the winner, upstart SpaceX. The champions of ‘New hardware, the American ‘return to space’ is not at THAT WHICH Space’ see this as the non-bureaucratic, cost- heart a revolutionary contract delivery system. There reducing way to access and to operate in space. may be a future when human space flight is a cost- PUT THE FIRST Undoubtedly, the advent of companies such as effective activity but currently it still has a lot more SPUTNIK INTO SpaceX and Blue Origin offer a different template to in common with the days of Apollo than some would ORBIT. the top down history of the NASA-Apollo era. like to believe.

58 AEROSPACE RAeS Careers Service The RAeS Careers Team – We are here for you!

Established in 1997, The Royal Aeronautical Society Careers Team are your one-stop-shop for FREE impartial and specialist advice. While the service has lived through many crises, Covid-19 sees the industry’s biggest challenge yet and we are here to provide specific support. We have a vast range of resources and materials on careers in aerospace and aviation – from civil, military, engineering, maintenance through to pilots, cabin crew, business and operations. We are here to support anyone, whether you are new to the sector or an experienced professional looking for further development. FREE 1-2-1 careers advice available online via webinar or by phone, with impartial advice on aerospace & aviation careers routes, CV and job hunting advice. Our team are available Monday to Friday to provide specialist advice, prepare for the upturn in our sector by contacting us to arrange an appointment Annual recruitment fair dedicated to aerospace and aviation - Careers in AEROSPACE & AVIATION LIVE taking place on the 6th November 2020 (subject to the Covid-19 situation) Apply for financial support for tuition fees from Centennial Scholarship Fund

Join our first Careers Webinars The Careers Team, along with experts from the Society’s membership, are running a series of FREE online webinars this month. 6th May – How to best prepare for a career in aerospace & aviation following a crisis 13th May – Covid-19 and Career Reinvention. How to re-invent yourself, so you emerge strong and ready to make your next career move W e will be joined by some expert panelists and there will be a Q&A opportunity at the end. Sign up by contacting [email protected]

Find out more: careersinaerospace.com Get in touch: [email protected] +44 (0)20 7670 4326 @RAeSCareers Your parts have a destination We know the way

GLOBAL NETWORK OF SPECIALISTS IN AEROSPACE TRANSPORTATION

Do you have an urgent transportation challenge? We’re here for you 24 hours a day 365 days a year

Contact us now on 24/7/365 AOG Hotline: 00 8000 264 8326

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