AEROSPACE December 2017 FLIGHT TESTING THE AIRLANDER 10 THE FUTURE OF PILOT TRAINING AERO VODOCHODY BOUNCES BACK www.aerosociety.com December 2017 Volume 44 Number 12 Volume AIRFIELDS UNDER THREAT IS THE UK TAKING GENERAL AVIATION FOR GRANTED? Royal Aeronautical Society Royal Aeronautical U se A th RE GATE8 - THE BRAND OF CHOICE FOR FREQUENT FLYERS, CREW AND PILOTS e 2 D c E o LI up 0 GH o T n ED ‘R % T A O ES OF ’ a FE t w O R ww .G F AT E8 Perfect for holiday & Lu F gg ag business travel via train & plane e.c SIZE om MATTERS Cabin Approved bags • GATE8 is the UK’s leading BRAND for cabin approved bags • GATE8 is the world’s most functional luggage brand (with unique 2-in-1 designed bags) • Trusted & tested by airline pilots & cabin crew • Trusted & tested by sales & field teams in leading corporations BALLISTIC . NYLON T S Advanced Nylon A F L GUARANTEED E V A for 5 years R T . 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Contents Airport Shoreham Airlander Correspondence on all aerospace matters is welcome at: The Editor, AEROSPACE, No.4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK [email protected] Comment Regulars 4 Radome 12 Transmission The latest aviation and Your letters, emails, tweets aeronautical intelligence, and feedback. analysis and comment. 58 The Last Word All change at the Ministry 10 Antenna Keith Hayward argues Howard Wheeldon asks if the the case for unmanned Bombardier CSeries is living rather than manned space Allies of the UK awaiting signs of strategic direction may have to wait a little on borrowed time? missions. longer after the shock resignation of the Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Michael Fallon, last month following allegations of sexual impropriety now rocking Westminster. Whatever the truth of these allegations, there is no doubt that Sir Michael has been a steadying hand at the UK MoD over the past three Features CAE years earning respect. He was also vocal in defending the forces from additional Pilatus cuts and had won a 0.5% increase from the Treasury – a pledge which now maybe in jeopardy. His replacement, the Government Chief Whip (for non-UK readers a combination of rabble rouser, party spymaster and persuader) Gavin Williamson inherits the Ministry at a critical time, with Main Building in the final throes of a Defence Review in all but name – and facing hard choices about budgetary priorities with the MoD aiming to find £20bn in efficiency savings. 28 As well as this challenge, which threatens to undermine the UK’s 2% of GDP 18 Training for the new to defence NATO commitment, his in-tray also is full with questions over Navy Ready, SET, go! millennium cuts, Trident renewal, Russian assertiveness, an ongoing jihadi threat as Islamic New commercial service A report on the RAeS annual State collapses, as well as a UK political leadership paralysis caused by Brexit opportunities for single- flight training conference. negotiations. Relations with the UK’s closest ally, a constant backdrop since engined turboprops. 32 Future aerospace 9/11, are also under extra scrutiny as President Trump conducts ‘diplomacy workplace by Twitter’ with the world holding its collective breath. Williamson, with no The RAeS Young Persons’ ministerial experience, has thus taken over an organisation with a £40bn annual Conference looks forward to budget, personnel engaged on global operations and thus will have a steep 20 technologies of the future. learning curve ahead to get to grips with the MoD’s ‘closest alligator to the boat’. Lufthansa Technik Detractors, of course, may point to his lack of military background in taking 36 up this role, however, it may be that no previous affiliation may in fact be an Alan Warnes advantage, if it does come to the stage where service sacred cows need to be sacrificed on the altar of a coherent and workable future defence budget. Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief Teaching MRO new tricks How the MRO industry is Aero Vodochody on the rise again [email protected] increasing efficiency and NEWS IN BRIEF reducing costs using new The past and future prospects technology and innovative of the Czech Aero Vodochody Editor-in-Chief AEROSPACE is published by the Royal 2017 AEROSPACE subscription solutions. L-39 jet trainer. Tim Robinson Aeronautical Society (RAeS). rates: Non-members, £160 +44 (0)20 7670 4353 Chief Executive Please send your order to: [email protected] Simon C Luxmoore Chris Male, RAeS, No4 Hamilton Place, Deputy Editor Advertising London W1J 7BQ, UK. 41 Afterburner Bill Read Simon Levy +44 (0)20 7670 4352 +44 (0)20 7670 4351 +44 (0)20 7670 4346 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Any member not requiring a print Publications Manager Unless specifically attributed, no version of this magazine, please 42 Message from our President Chris Male contact: [email protected] material in AEROSPACE shall be taken 43 Message from our +44 (0)20 7670 4352 to represent the opinion of the RAeS. USA: Periodical postage paid at [email protected] Chief Executive Reproduction of material used in this Champlain New York and additional Production Editor offices. Online publication is not permitted without the 44 Book Reviews Wayne J Davis written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. Postmaster: Send address changes Additional features and content +44 (0)20 7670 4354 to IMS of New York, PO Box 1518, 47 Library Additions [email protected] Printed by Buxton Press Limited, are available to view online on Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA. 48 New 2018 awards criteria www.media.aerosociety.com/ Book Review Editor SK17 6AE, UK aerospace-insight Brian Riddle 49 The Cody maquette ISSN 2052-451X Including: Dubai Air Show preview, Editorial Office Distributed by Royal Mail 50 NAL Sound Archive Turbulence in the Gulf, Should drone pilots Royal Aeronautical Society get medals?, In the November issue of No.4 Hamilton Place 52 Diary AEROSPACE, Training for the new London W1J 7BQ, UK 55 Corporate Partners millennium, Out of Africa, Airbus +44 (0)20 7670 4300 [email protected] 56 RAeS Elections swoops in to save CSeries, Soaring dreams. www.aerosociety.com 57 50-year memberships @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com DECEMBER 2017 13 Radome INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT Docking pole The Adaptable UAV would launch and land vertically using a gyro- stabilised docking pole – able to be mounted on a vehicle, ship or subma- rine. BAE say this pole would stabilise the UAV in high-winds and allow safe launch and recovery even when the vehicle is moving. DEFENCE BAE’s hybrid drones BAE Systems has revealed a new concept for a hybrid VTOL UAV that combines fixed- wing and rotary-wing configuration. The ‘Adaptable’ UAV, developed in conjunction with students studying Autonomous Vehicle Dynamics & Control from Cranfield University uses an innovative launch and recovery system where the UAV, after converting to vertical flight, docks on a vertical pole. This vertical pole allows multiple air vehicles to be stacked and BAE Systems BAE carried by a tank, armoured vehicle or ship. 4 AEROSPACE / DECEMBER 2017 Swarm tactics With a swarm of Adaptable UAVs equipped with a variety of sensors and weapons, BAE envisage that this concept of highly autonomous drones working together could be useful in tackling future advanced air defence systems and complex urban battlespaces. Transforming flight The blade-shaped UAV features two propel- lers on each wing with one able to rotate fully forward or backward for either horizontal or vertical flight. – optimising the UAVs range and endurance. BAE say the Adaptable UAVs would use “adaptive flight control and Rapid response advanced navigation and guidance software.” As well as the pole launch and recovery system,CGI video from BAE of the Adaptable UAV shows it being air-dropped by parachute from a stealth aircraft, with multiple UAVs being disgorged from a pod while drifting to the ground. @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com DECEMBER 2017 5 Radome AEROSPACE DEFENCE US-based Vanilla Aircraft has announced that its VA001 UAV has set a new record Northrop Grumman pulls for the longest unmanned internal combustion engine flight by staying airborne for more than five days. The diesel-powered, sub-500kg UAV landed at NASA Wallops out of MQ-25 contest Flight Facility in Virginia, on 23 October after a flight lasting 121hr and 24min. The aircraft, with a small sensor package, also landed with three days of fuel remaining Northrop Grumman has to concepts for an – and has a planned maximum endurance of ten days. withdrawn from the US unmanned long-range Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray strike/ISR platform, has competition for a carrier- been de-scoped to focus based unmanned aerial on an aerial tanker.