STARTS AFTER PAGE 36 20 Twenties Aerospace’s Has Aircraft Leasing Class of 2020 Perfect Storm Gone Too Far? ™ $14.95 MARCH 9-22, 2020 BOEING’S ATTACK CONTENDER Digital Edition Copyright Notice The content contained in this digital edition (“Digital Material”), as well as its selection and arrangement, is owned by Informa. and its affiliated companies, licensors, and suppliers, and is protected by their respective copyright, trademark and other proprietary rights. 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NEITHER Informa NOR ANY THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDER OR THEIR AGENTS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY ACT, DIRECT OR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR ACCESS TO ANY DIGITAL MATERIAL, AND/OR ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN. THE 777X TAKES TO THE SKIES The world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet took its first flight, a major milestone for Boeing’s 777X built on years of development, testing and rigor. With technological advances that allow it to fly farther with less fuel and emissions, the 777X will fly passengers more comfortably and efficiently than ever before. Keeping safety at the core of everything we do, we’re building the future of flight together. boeing.com/777X #777X AVIATIONWEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY 2019Winner Winner 2016 March 9-22, 2020 . Volume 182 . Number 5 FEATURES 16 | Past the Peak The aircraft leasing sector, which long enjoyed a boom, is struggling with the fallout of its own success 20 | Crisis Mode Airlines and manufacturers brace for the unknown as COVID-19 spreads and forecasts darken 54 | Burgeoning LEO Belt Low Earth orbit is becoming more crowded and dangerous—can government and industry keep it safe and clean up space debris? 62 | 20 Twenties: Class of 2020 These outstanding aerospace students, making an impact in academia and their communities, are likely future industry leaders DEPARTMENTS 6 | Feedback 15 | Inside Business Boeing’s FARA design 8 | Who’s Where Aviation includes a tandem cockpit, hingeless 10 | First Take 68 | Classified 26 high-solidity main rotor, canted tail 12 | Up Front 69 | Contact Us rotor and pusher propulsor. 14 | Going Concerns 69 | Aerospace Calendar TECHNOLOGY 38 | Webb Space Telescope observatory 49 | Airbus Canada prepares more 23 | Airbus advances autonomy project testing enters homestretch integration, cost savings for A220 as part of future cockpit concept ROTORCRAFT UNMANNED AVIATION DEFENSE 40 | Bristow-Era merger first step in 50 | The Remote ID proposed rule 24 | U.S. Air Force plots fleet insertion offshore helicopter consolidation rattles the drone community path for “loyal wingman” BUSINESS 42 | AW609 tiltrotor approaches final 51 | Meet Howmet Aerospace, a new hurdles before commercial service 28 | Rotary-wing assets are vital for UK aerospace megasupplier carrier protection AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT FAST FIVE 29 | Vulnerabilities prompt debate on 44 | The ADS-B equipage date 52 | Maxar Technologies CEO on the Irish Air Defense approaches in Europe company’s growth plans 30 | New “Air Force Ventures” set to COMMERCIAL AVIATION VIEWPOINT transform technology strategy 46 | Boeing 737 MAX fallout’s effects on 70 | It is time for comprehensive space certification are taking shape traffic management 30 | Air Force wants to help grow U.S. advanced air mobility industry 32 | U.S. general links Chinese hyper- ON THE COVER sonic glider to nuclear program Boeing has unveiled its design for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft—the last of 33 | Boeing builds ATS assembly, but five competing teams to do so—in its bid to win one of two contracts to be awarded at the end of March. will not say where Our report by Pentagon Editor Lee Hudson and Graham Warwick, executive editor for technology, on Boeing’s clean-sheet design begins on page 26. Boeing concept. SPACE Aviation Week publishes a digital edition every week. Read it at AviationWeek.com/AWST 36 | Ukrainian engineers help China with human lunar-landing tech DIGITAL EXTRAS Access exclusive online features from articles accompanied by this icon. AviationWeek.com/AWST AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/MARCH 9-22, 2020 3 Editor-In-Chief Joseph C. Anselmo [email protected] Executive Editors Jen DiMascio (Defense and Space) [email protected] Jens Flottau (Commercial Aviation) [email protected] Graham Warwick (Technology) [email protected] Editors Lindsay Bjerregaard, Sean Broderick, Michael Bruno, Bill Carey, Thierry Dubois, William Garvey, Ben Goldstein, Lee Hudson, Irene Klotz, Helen Massy- Beresford, Jefferson Morris, Guy Norris, Tony Osborne, Bradley Perrett, James Pozzi, Adrian Schofield, Lee Ann Shay, Steve Trimble Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor Fred George Director, Editorial and Online Production Michael O. 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Anselmo [email protected] Executive Editors Jen DiMascio (Defense and Space) [email protected] Jens Flottau (Commercial Aviation) [email protected] SOLVE Graham Warwick (Technology) [email protected] Editors Lindsay Bjerregaard, Sean Broderick, Michael Bruno, Bill Carey, Thierry Dubois, William Garvey, Ben Goldstein, Lee Hudson, Irene Klotz, Helen Massy- Beresford, Jefferson Morris, Guy Norris, Tony Osborne, TOMORROW’S Bradley Perrett, James Pozzi, Adrian Schofield, Lee Ann Shay, Steve Trimble Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor Fred George Director, Editorial and Online Production Michael O. Lavitt Associate Managing Editor Andrea Hollowell Art Director Lisa Caputo SKY Artists Thomas De Pierro, Rosa Pineda, Colin Throm Copy Editors Jack Freifelder, Arturo Mora, Natalia Pelayo, Andy Savoie Production Editors Audra Avizienis, Theresa Petruso Contributing Photographer Joseph Pries Director, Digital Content Strategy Rupa Haria Content Marketing Manager Rija