2014 - 12 - 16 Flight Int - No 5469

OPEN TO QUESTION
SO HOW MUCH OF
A TOTAL AVIATION
PERSON ARE YOU?
FESTIVE QUIZ P38
BIG BUSINESS
RAIDER DELAYED
Airbus and Boeing VIP

airliners still rule in the
Middle Easts mega
spending market 18
Prudent Sikorsky puts

back first sortie of its
coaxial, rigid-rotor S-97
prototype to 2015 23
FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL
16 DECEMBER 2014-5 JANUARY 2015
REVIEW OF 2014
A YEAR IN THE
LIFE OF FLIGHT
From service entries to travails for CSeries
and F-35, comet landing and 777 mysteries
3.40
5 1
770015 371266
FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL
VOLUME 186 NUMBER 5469
NEWS
FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL
REVIEW OF 2014
A YEAR IN THE
LIFE OF FLIGHT
From service entries to travails for CSeries
and F-35, comet landing and 777 mysteries
3.40
5 1
770015 371266
BillyPix
COVER IMAGE
Senior Designer Lauren
Mills created our cover by
using some of the iconic
aviation images of 2014.
See our review of the years
top 25 stories: P26
BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Our Flight Daily News team:
(left to right) Murdo Morrison,
Laura Wood, Dominic Perry,
Kate Sarsfield and Alexis
Rendell were in Dubai to
cover the Middle East
Business Aviation show.
Check out the news in our
Show Report (P18)
7
8
9
THIS WEEK
Fighter analysis report could spur Canadian
dogfight
Boeing makes second 747-8 rate cut.
Qatar replays waiting game with first A350-900
NHV embraces arrival of first EC175s.
European sign-off paves way for Avanti Evo delivery
Spirit sells off Gulfstream wing work.
Re-engined A320neo set for November delivery
AIR TRANSPORT
10 Aviation players gather to create Single European
Sky
11 Bregier bullish about A380 prospects.
Roubles decline unnerves MC-21s engine
maker
12 LAM E190 inquiry points to act of sabotage by
captain
13 FAA firm on rest rules for cargo pilots.
ANZ firms up commitments for two more 787-9s
DEFENCE
14 Airbus lands Anglo-French support deal for
A400M.
Seahawk flies towards order with Indian navy
15 Budget boost inbound for US services.
Dutch request to put Raven to roost
16 Japans Chinook programme nears 100th airframe
mark.
Meteor links up for Typhoon testing
747-8 output slows as cargo sector rebound stalls P7
GENERAL AVIATION
22 Final bid nears to wipe out islands rodents.
Proposed Jabiru restrictions draw fire
NEWS FOCUS
21 Taking control of UAS threats
23 Waiting for the Raiders rise
25 Search for the sweet spots
COVER STORY
26 Most memorable moments of 2014 From the
CSeries grounding, through the losses of two
Malaysia Airlines 777s to the A350 delivery, we
recall the big stories of the past 12 months
FEATURES
38 UNCLE ROGERS Festive quiz Search for the
answers to our multiple choice and photo
identification conundrums
REGULARS
5
50
52
55
59
Comment
Letters
Classied
Jobs
Working Week
Rex Features
MEBA SHOW REPORT

18 Hangar8 reverses into rival to form new charter
giant.
Softex Aero courts new investors in show debut
19 Boeing makes Comlux breakthrough.
20 Emirates eyes expansion of foray into executive
charter.
XJet marks the spot for further FBOs
AirTeamImages
RAIDER DELAYED
Prudent Sikorsky puts
back first sortie of its
coaxial, rigid-rotor S-97
prototype to 2015 23
Bombardier, Rex Features, Embraer, Airbus, Boeing, Dassault
OPEN TO QUESTION BIG BUSINESS

Airbus and Boeing VIP
SO HOW MUCH OF
airliners still rule in the
A TOTAL AVIATION
PERSON ARE YOU? Middle Easts mega
spending market 18
FESTIVE QUIZ P38
French air force, Sikorsky
NEXT ISSUE FORECASTS

After the festive break, our
first issue of the year 6-12
January has our outlook for
the industry in 2015
Anglo-French pact lends A400M support P14. Sikorsky delays rst ight of S-97 coaxial rigid-rotor 23
Download the new Commercial Engines Report
Download The Engine Directory.
now updated for 2014 with enhanced data and in-depth market analysis
ightglobal.com/ComEngDirectory
LJKWJOREDOFRPFRPPHQJLQHV
flightglobal.com
16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 3
CONTENTS
IMAGE OF
THE WEEK
A Grumman C-2A Greyhound
from the US Navys VRC-30
Fleet Logistics Support
Squadron moves towards a
catapult aboard the aircraft
carrier USS Carl Vinson in
early December. Our MiliCAS
database records the USN as
having an active eet of 35
Greyhounds, with an average
age of almost 27 years.
View more great aviation shots
online and in our weekly tablet
edition:
US Navy
ightglobal.com/
ight-international
THE WEEK IN NUMBERS
3.5%
QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Last week, we asked: 747-400. You said:
Flightglobal dashboard
Delta Air Lines expected fourth-quarter seat capacity

increase; cost per available seat mile, ex-fuel, will rise 1%
$820bn
Performing
a useful
niche role
eighties
relic
TOTAL
VOTES:
flightglobal.com
The value of around 5,300 new aircraft needed in China

by 2033, according to Airbuss latest market forecast
21
32%
44%
Outdated
389
24%
Still queen
of the skies
Flightglobal dashboard
The number of countries whose airlines are banned from

European airspace, now that Libya made the blacklist
This week, we ask: Future for the A380?

Best days are ahead
Needs new engine Production will peter out by 2020
Vote at ightglobal.com/poll
Flightglobals premium news and data service delivers breaking air transport stories with
profiles, schedules, and fleet, financial and traffic information ightglobal.com/dashboard
4 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015
flightglobal.com
COMMENT
Nowhere to hide?
The potential for small commercial UAVs to perform important tasks previously carried out more
expensively by manned helicopters or light aircraft is impressive, but careful regulation is needed
ivilian unmanned air vehicles usually very small

ones are already big business, and the industry is
growing apace. For that reason, not only the aviation
industry but also society as a whole have to decide how
best to take advantage of the advances these aircraft can
bring, but also contain their potential misuse or abuse.
The European Union is preparing to do just that, and
two studies it has commissioned on the regulation of
what it calls remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) have
just been published. The European Commission wants
to see Europes RPAS industry ourish, but while also
protecting aviation and ordinary peoples interests.
If RPAS operations are carried out responsibly by
businesses and individuals who are aware of already
existing rules limiting their operation, then traditional
aviation has little to worry about. An Airbus A320 on
nal approach to London Heathrow in July may have
experienced a high-risk near miss with an unidentied
The Commission wants RPAS

to ourish, while protecting
aviation and ordinary people
UAV, but that has not been a typical experience for the
airlines or military, who also occasionally suffer near
misses with general aviation aircraft or gliders.
The studies ag up as signicant the low barriers to
entry for those who want to operate RPAS. Those barriers are low because the aircraft are mostly small and
highly affordable, so individuals can and will buy
them for private use. The difference between a UAV
and a remotely controlled model aircraft is that the latter is operated within visual line of sight purely for the
Rex Features
Manned surveillance is showing its age
delight of manoeuvring a little aeroplane cleverly,

whereas the former has a payload and a purpose. Usually this is photography or surveillance, which can be
done for leisure or commercially.
In order that operators can be held to account for
their RPAS activities, the reports recommend that their
aircraft should be marked with a re-proof plate identifying the individual machine by serial number, and
that would-be users should also be registered.
Because surveillance is the main purpose of most of
the RPAS already operating, and that seems likely to
remain true, the issues of privacy and the guardianship
of data are vital. Already, police forces use UAVs to
monitor festivals, protests and unsocial behaviour, and
to track wrongdoers, so the use of this data must be circumscribed. Existing law should be able to take care of
that, but the proliferation of the new types of personal
information gathered and its potential use must be
examined to see whether it is leading society into a
dangerous place.
See Air Transport P12, News Focus P21
Sound business or first-class folly?

ow elastic is an airline brand? Two of the big three
Gulf airlines have built on their reputations for innovative customer service with VIP charter spin-offs to
tap a market beyond their top-end scheduled products.
Qatar Airways is growing its Qatar Executive eet of
Bombardiers with Gulfstreams. Emirates may expand
its charter offering, launched last year with an Airbus
A319 tted with 10 self-contained berths, a dining
room and shower/spa. Such ventures would appear, on
the surface, sensible, allowing airlines to target customers who can afford the privacy, comfort and exibility
that even rst-class airline tickets cannot provide, and
who otherwise would be lost to the brand.
But other carriers looking to leap into this segment
Relive MEBA with news, images

and a trio of Flight Daily News
publications by going online at:
ightglobal.com/MEBA
flightglobal.com
beware. Fifty years ago, Pan Am set up a US-based

business jet venture with Dassault to operate its new
Falcon 20 business jet. As with similar schemes by
other airlines since, it was not successful.
The Middle East, with its close-knit, wealthy families, is one market where the concept can work. The
global hub status of Doha and Dubai also helps Qatar
Airways and Emirates push their products into regions
such as Africa, China, India and Russia, where the
blend of brand and luxury appeals to upmarket clients.
As is often the case, their peculiar circumstances
mean the Gulfs big carriers can get around the laws of
business that make such ventures reckless elsewhere.
See Show Report P20
THIS WEEK
Keep up with the latest news from the

cutting edge of the defence industry
ightglobal.com/defence
BRIEFING
TRAINING European regulators are urging international aviation
authorities to check the credentials of maintenance engineers who
trained at a Greek aviation school that is under investigation following examination-fraud allegations. EASA says that in February 2014,
the Greek civil aviation authority revoked Hellenic Aviation Training
Academys Part 147 maintenance training organisation approval,
alleging that cheating had taken place during exams held within
certain training modules.
CAT IIIB APPROVAL FOR A350-900 LANDING SYSTEM

OPERATIONS Airbus has secured Category IIIb approach certification for the A350-900s automatic landing system. Category IIIb approaches are conducted in the most demanding weather, with no
restriction on decision height and runway visibility down to 75m. The
approval enables the aircraft to operate in all conditions, says
A350 programme chief Didier Evrard.
PROBE INTO BELAIR SHORT-RUNWAY DEPARTURE

SAFETY Swiss investigators are looking into an incident in which an
Airbus A320 took off from Basel with an incorrect thrust setting for
the short-runway departure. The aircraft (HB-IOP) was being operated
by Belair, part-owned by Air Berlin Group, for the 6 October service to
the Tunisian destination of Djerba. French investigation authority
BEA, citing preliminary data from its Swiss counterparts, states that
the aircraft used a full-runway thrust setting, despite departing from
an intersection.
AMERICAN TO TAKE FIRST 787-8 IN FIRST QUARTER

INTRODUCTION American Airlines plans to take delivery of its first
Boeing 787-8 in the first quarter of 2015 an at-least two month
delay from previous expectations of a November delivery. As with
any first delivery of a new fleet type, there are a number of things
that have to be co-ordinated before it is introduced, to ensure we
deliver a state-of-the-art product for our employees and customers,
the Fort Worth-based carrier says.
DASSAULT WALLAN DEAL ADDS TO 5X BACKLOG

ORDER Dassault added to its backlog for the large-cabin, long-range
5X at the MEBA business aviation show in Dubai, sealing a deal with
Saudi Arabian operator Wallan Aviation for a single example of the
developmental twinjet. To be delivered in 2018, the new Snecma
Silvercrest-powered aircraft will be operated by Wallan for its own use
and for third-party charter. It has previously operated Falcon 900EX
and 900LX aircraft.
AMAC PREPARES TO OPEN FOURTH BASEL HANGAR

EXPANSION Swiss maintenance and interiors specialist AMAC is
preparing to open a fourth hangar at its main facility in Basel,
Switzerland, and expand its operation in Turkey. The company was
set to receive its latest widebody, a green Boeing 777, shortly after
the MEBA show in Dubai from 8-10 December. The completion, for
an African head of state, is expected to take 18 months.
THREE DIE IN FIRST PHENOM 100 FATAL CRASH

ACCIDENT At least three people were killed on 8 December in the
first fatal accident involving an Embraer Phenom 100, while it appeared to be on the final approach path to an airport in Maryland.
The light jet crashed into a house and damaged two properties.
Lockheed Martin
EASA WARNING OVER GREEK AVIATION SCHOOL
For now, the Harper administration still intends to buy 65 F-35s

EVALUATION DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC
Fighter analysis
report could spur
Canadian dogght
Contentious assessment concludes other types could
perform just as well as Lockheed Martins flagship type
Canadian government report
suggests that other combat
aircraft are just as capable as the
Lockheed Martin F-35A at fullling the nations most likely mission needs potentially opening
the door to a competitive acquisition process to replace a eet of
77 Boeing CF-18 Hornets.
Four types the F-35, Boeing
F/A-18E/F
Super
Hornet,
Dassault Rafale and Euroghter
Typhoon were compared in the
report, entitled the Evaluation of
Options for the Replacement of
the CF-18 Fighter Fleet.
Each aircraft was assessed on its
ability to carry out six mission sets.
These included the defence of Canadian airspace, supporting an international event such as the
Olympics in Canada, responding
to a terrorist attack, peace enforcement, humanitarian disaster relief
and state-on-state war ghting.
All the aircraft were deemed
low-risk candidates to perform
each of the missions up to 2030
and beyond, except in ghting another peer nation. In that category,
all the types were deemed as higher risk beyond 2030, and none
distinguished itself. However, the
report notes: The mission-needs
analysis undertaken as part of the
evaluation of options makes clear
that Canadian engagement in
future state-on-state conicts will
be highly unlikely.
More likely, it says, is that Canada would join in on coalition

military actions, not representing
clearly dened state-on-state
warfare or explicitly humanitarian assistance missions but rather,
as in the case of Libya or Kosovo,
something in between.
For now, the Harper administration still intends to buy 65
F-35s beginning in 2020. Its third
annual report on the cost of potentially replacing its eet of
CF-18s with the type assumes an
average per-unit cost of C$88.9
million ($77.1 million) over the
period of acquisition. That tallies
up to a total of C$45.8 billion
over the life cycle of the eet a
C$141 million increase over the
estimate in its 2013 report.
The analysis assumes that Canada will lose 11 F-35As over the
eets expected 30-year service
life due to normal attrition. The
cost to replace these lost aircraft
could be in the order of C$1 billion, the report says.
However, the government has
so far only set aside C$76 million
for programme contingencies,
which it describes as low for a
project of this scope and size.
This factor could potentially
force Ottawa to lower the number of F-35s it purchases, the
report suggests, which could affect the US-led programmes
overall cost.
flightglobal.com
THIS WEEK
European sign-off
paves way for Avanti
Evo delivery
THIS WEEK PAGE 8
MANUFACTURING STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
Boeing makes second 747-8 rate cut

Airframer will lower output to 15.6 aircraft annually as near-term cargo market recovery is not as robust as expected
oeing has decided to lower
its output of the 747-8 to 15.6
aircraft per year starting in September 2015, due to a slower than
forecast recovery cycle in the
cargo market.
Annual production will drop
by 2.4 units from 18, Boeing says,
with its monthly rate to fall from
1.5 aircraft to 1.3.
We are making this minor
adjustment because the near-term
recovery in the cargo market has
not been as robust as expected,
the company says. We continue
to believe in the long-term
strength of the freighter market,
and the 747-8 is uniquely positioned to capture this demand.
The announcement comes 14
months after Boeing lowered output from 21 747-8s per year to 18.
At that time, some of the airframers suppliers, such as LMI Aerospace, told analysts it would be
contractually difcult for Boeing
to reduce the rate to below 1.5 per
month. Boeing executives, however, said further production rate
AirTeamImages
The company has 39 of the model remaining in its backlog; enough for about 28 months of work
cuts were possible if demand did
not improve.
By mid-December, Boeing had
added orders for two 747-8s in
2014, balancing two aircraft cancelled by other customers. The
company has 39 of the model remaining in its backlog enough
for about 28 months at planned
production rates.
In October, IATA released a
ve-year air cargo forecast predicting annual growth averaging
about 4% through 2018. This

would fall slightly short of the
5% gure cited by Boeing as necessary to stimulate demand for
buying new freighters.
Demand for the passenger-carrying version of the aircraft has
failed to pick up the slack. In
July, Boeing revealed proposed
design changes that could allow
the 747-8 Intercontinental to y
from Asia to the US East Coast, or
from the Middle East to the US
West Coast non-stop. However,

the 747-8I faces tough competition from Boeings own product
line-up.
By 2020, the company plans to
start delivering the 777-9X with a
similar passenger capacity and
even better fuel efciency than
the 777-300ER. In September,
Boeings top salesman in Africa
said the 777-300ER already offers
better fuel efciency on a seatmile basis than the 747-8I. Q
DELIVERY MAX KINGSLEY-JONES & DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Qatar replays waiting game with first A350-900

he last-minute postponement
of the rst A350-900 delivery
to Qatar Airways came after Airbus was overly optimistic with
the interval it allowed for the acceptance process. But as Flight
International went to press, the
manufacturer remained condent that the handover could still
be completed as planned before
the end of 2014.
Airbus says the delivery was
held up by minor technical
matters requiring a small
amount of additional testing before Qatar Airways will agree to
accept the aircraft.
Handover of the carriers rst
of 80 A350s had been due to take
place on 13 December in Toulouse, following a formal transfer
from Airbuss industrial division
to its delivery centre 10 days ear-
flightglobal.com
Qatar Airways
Several additional ights

are needed before delivery
lier. The milestone was then to

have been marked at a ceremony
in Doha on 15 December, to be attended by Qatar Airways chief
executives Akbar Al Baker.
A350 programme chief Didier
Evrard, speaking at an investor
forum in London on 10 December, said the interval between
hand-over from the Airbus production arm to the delivery cen-
tre was normal, but that it was a

little optimistic for the rst example of a new aircraft.
Airbus Group chief executive
Tom Enders played down the
delay, saying that the aircraft is
on the tarmac, ready to be delivered. However, Evrard conrmed
that with three ights conducted,
the company would have to do
two or three more to validate its
testing and to ensure that its customer is satised with the aircraft.
Evrard says he has a high level of
condence that the aircraft will
be delivered by the end of 2014.
Qatar says only that the planned
handover has been postponed
until further notice. The airline,
which has placed orders for 43
A350-900s, plus 37 of the
stretched -1000 variant, was planning to debut the type on services
from Doha to Frankfurt in midJanuary, and to have eight in its
eet before the end of 2015.
In June 2014, Qatar Airways
also delayed the acceptance of its
rst A380s, citing contract wrangles which Al Baker blamed on
issues with the interior and the
exterior of the aircraft. The carrier placed the superjumbo into
revenue service in October. Q
THIS WEEK
Read all the latest news about

rotorcraft design and delivery at
ightglobal.com/helicopters
CERTIFICATION KATE SARSFIELD DUBAI
iaggio Aerospace has secured

European certication for its
Avanti Evo, less than seven
months after the third-generation
P180 twin-pusher was introduced.
The rst two aircraft will be
delivered to Indian customers before the end of the month, while
the rst European owners will
have their aircraft in January,
chief executive Carlo Logli said
during the 8-10 December Middle
East Business Aviation show in
Dubai. Indian certication is imminent, and US approval is expected early next year, he adds.
An upgrade to the Avanti II,
the $7.4 million Evo has better
performance than its predecessor,
with winglets, redesigned engine
nacelles, a reshaped front wing
and ve-bladed composite scimitar propellers.
Piaggio Aerospace a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi state-owned investment arm Mubadala has se-
cured 16 orders and 48 options

for the seven-seat aircraft, mainly
from US-based customers.
We expect to sell 100 Evos a
year over the next ve years,
Logli predicts. The company
plans to produce 10 of the aircraft
in 2015, then 16 the following
year. We will increase the production numbers until we reach
our 100-unit delivery target,
says Logli.
See Show Report P18
Piaggio Aerospace
European sign-off paves way for Avanti Evo delivery
An initial two new-generation

P180s will be heading for India
PROGRAMME DOMINIC PERRY MARIGNANE
NHV embraces arrival of rst EC175s

irbus Helicopters has delivered its rst two EC175s to
Belgian operator Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen (NHV), as it
looks to close a two-year programme delay for the type.
Handed over on 11 December
at the airframer's Marignane headquarters in France, aircraft MSN2
and MSN4 will be used for oil
and gas offshore transportation.
NHV chief executive Eric Van
Hal says he is proud to be the
rst operator of the 7.5t type. The
Ostend-headquartered company
will put its rst of 16 of the type
into service during the week
starting 15 December, with commercial ights from Den Helder.
Van Hal says the type will help
the company to accelerate its
growth. It plans to open a base in
Aberdeen, Scotland, in 2015
using the EC175, which it says is
ideally suited to about 80% of
missions conducted from the site.

We are in touch with a lot of customers and they are seeking a
exible operator that can quickly
position aircraft that are cheaper
than the EC225 and [Sikorsky]
S-92, he says.
NHV will take delivery of its
next six aircraft in 2015, followed
by two in 2016 and the remainder
in 2017.
Airbus Helicopters has so far
built four production-standard
EC175s, including one ight-test
model, and has another 18 on its
assembly line. Most are being
produced in the offshore variant,
although one will be used for
VIP transportation.
The next recipient is likely to
be Russian operator UTair, with
negotiations continuing on
whether to deliver aircraft MSN3
before the end of 2014. None of
its pilots have received training
Anthony Pecchi/Airbus Helicopters
Belgian operator eyes planned Scottish base for type as Airbus Helicopters delivers initial examples after two-year delay
The majority of the EC175s being built are in the offshore variant
from the manufacturer yet, but a
number of its technicians have
been type-rated on the Pratt &
Whitney Canada PT6-powered
super-medium twin. Hli-Union
is due to take its initial delivery
ROTORCRAFT
Navalised HAD Block 2 Tigers add bite to French army eet

The French army has taken delivery
of its first two upgraded Tiger attack
helicopters in the HAD Block 2 configuration. The navalised aircraft
were qualified by Frances DGA defence procurement agency on 21
November and transferred on 10
December, Airbus Helicopters says.
The Block 2 configuration offers

improved targeting for rockets, extra
combat fuel tanks for longer endurance, an extended flight envelope in
which Lockheed Martin AGM-114
Hellfire and Rafael Spike air-to-surface
missiles can be fired and new digital
communications equipment.
Frances HAD Block 2 aircraft will

be assigned to its 1st Army Combat
Helicopter Regiment at PhalsbourgBourscheid air base. The unit already operates Block 1-standard
Tigers, and has been deployed to
the Central African Republic, Airbus
Helicopters says.
during 2015, with aircraft MSN5

yet to be rolled out.
Presently each helicopter takes
around 12 months to complete,
but this should drop to ve once
the company ramps up to a rate of
30 per annum within three years.
Airbus has a claimed backlog
for 64 EC175s, with just 13 added
in the last two years. Two-thirds of
the commitments are rm orders.
Guillaume Faury, Airbus Helicopters chief executive, says that
although orders have been slow
to come, more deals are anticipated, potentially before yearend. First delivery and entry
into service are important milestones for customers, he notes.
flightglobal.com
THIS WEEK
Aviation players
gather to create
Single European Sky
THIS WEEK P10
PRODUCTION STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
Spirit sells off Gulfstream wing work

pirit AeroSystems has closed
the book on a nancially
painful, six-year foray into the
business jet market, by reaching
an agreement with Triumph
Group to take over wing assembly work in Tulsa, Oklahoma for
Gulfstream G650s and G280s.
Wichita-based Spirit had been
seeking a buyer for the Gulfstream wing work packages since
reporting more than $1 billion in
write-downs on both projects
since 2012.
We are taking a
pause in the process
to evaluate the
remaining work
LARRY LAWSON
Chief executive, Spirit Aerosystems
After launching into the business jet market following its 2005
divestment from Boeing, the
transaction with Triumph gives
Spirit even less to show for its effort. The terms of the agreement
require it to pay $160 million to

Triumph to take over the projects
inside the Tulsa facility, while it
will report another forward loss of
between $205 million and $235
million. This will be mitigated by
a tax benet of $220-230 million,
Spirit says, if the transaction closes as expected by 1 January.
Spirit chief executive Larry
Lawson, who replaced former
chief executive Jeff Turner in the
wake of the forward losses on
Gulfstream and other programmes, says the transaction
offers compelling positives for
both companies.
Triumph does not expect the
wing assemblies to become protable for three more years, but it reestablishes the company as a key
Gulfstream supplier. Triumph
Aerostructures, formerly Vought
Aerospace, had supplied wings
for the G450 and G550 before losing bids to Spirit to perform the
work on the G280 and G650. Gulfstream has decided to internally
build the wings for its recently announced G500 and G600 jets. At
the time of Spirits selection, the
Gulfstream
Aerostructures manufacturer hands business jet packages to Triumph Group to focus on commercial, military sectors
Involvement in the G650 project contributed to a $1 billion loss

deals were viewed as landmark
victories in Turners strategy to diversify the company away from
reliance on only Boeing as a customer. This strategy also led Spirit
to win major aerostructures packages on the Airbus A350 and
Sikorsky CH-53K, as well as the
Boeing 787. The A350 and 787
programmes have also yielded
forward losses for the company.
Lawson, formerly chief executive of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, has decided to steer Spirit
away from the business jet market,
to focus on commercial transports
and military programmes. Spirit

still owns the production facilities in Tulsa, which also produce
wing components for programmes such as the 787.
We are taking a pause in the
process to evaluate the remaining
work, says Lawson. There are a
number of factors to take into
consideration, including exploring our options within the community and with other constituents who have approached us.
We wont rush the evaluation and
will provide an update as soon as
we are ready.
WIDEBODIES DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Re-engined A320neo set for November delivery

irbus chief executive Fabrice
Brgier has provided an
update on the airframerss expected target for delivery of the
rst re-engined A320neo.
Speaking at a investor forum
in London on 10 December,
Brgier said the aircraft is on
track for certication and handover in a little bit less than one
years time.
The rst example will probably be delivered in November
2015, he adds.
Brgier describes the aircrafts
ight-test campaign to date as
having been remarkable, with
close to 200h accumulated by a
single airframe.
The test aircraft rst own
from Toulouse on 25 September
flightglobal.com
Airbus
Flight-test campaign has accumulated 200h on a single airframe

is powered by Pratt & Whitney
PW1100G geared turbofan engines; the same powerplant
which will feature on the initial
delivery. The type will also be
produced with CFM International Leap-1A engines.
While the risk associated with

the A320neo development is
relatively limited, Brgier
stresses: we need to make it
work.
Airbus had booked orders for
3,362 A320neo-family aircraft by
5 December, including 102 former A320 orders converted by six

buyers, says chief operating ofcer for customers John Leahy.
The airframer had promised a
15% fuel-burn advantage over
the current production-standard
A320, and Brgier states that Airbus will increase this to 20% before 2020 and closer to 25%
on the A321neo.
Leahy says the fuel-burn per
seat will be improved through
higher-density cabin options
being introduced for the family,
and via a 2% performance enhancement for the P&W engine
from 2019.
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and fleet information sign up at
ightglobal.com/dashboard
AIR TRANSPORT
For up-to-the-minute air transport news,

network and fleet information sign up at
OUTLOOK GRAHAM DUNN LONDON
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MICHAEL GUBISCH LONDON
Airlines on track
for record profits,
but oil still a risk
Aviation players gather to

create Single European Sky
ower oil prices are providing

the backdrop for airlines to
deliver their strongest-ever net
prot performances this year and
next, but uncertainty over how
long oil prices will remain low
and continuing geopolitical issues mean that risks remain in
the operating environment.
IATA last week lifted its industry prot forecast for 2014 by almost $2 billion to $19.9 billion. In
its rst take on 2015, the airline
body outlined expectations that
net prots will grow to $25 billion.
Alliance of airlines, airports and ANSPs will work on ways to modernise continents ATM
IATA lifted its industry

prot forecast for
2014 to $19.9 billion
Absolute numbers, however,
hide fragile nances. While $19.9
billion beats the previous prot
record of $17.3 billion in 2010, a
net margin of 2.9% will be only
the third-best of the past decade.
In 2015, margins should improve
to about 3.2%, as revenues increase 4% to $783 billion.
Its getting better, says IATA
chief economist Brian Pearce.
The fall in oil prices is going to
mean better times for passengers,
shippers and also investors.
However, much rides on the
price of crude oil which is closely tracked by jet fuel. The benchmark Brent Crude price opened
2009 at a post-crisis low of $40 per
barrel, before rising steadily to
$120 in early 2011 a level it
more or less held until this autumn, when rising supplies and
fears over a global economic slowdown saw it begin a plunge that
last week took it below $65.
Some forecasters anticipate
prices of $50 or less. But Bank of
America Merrill Lynch economists reckon the fall is mostly
driven by oversupply, and market balance will prevail around
mid-year to see Brent average
around $77 for 2015 but close
the year at about $90. Q
Modernisation will add 400 million to Europes GDP
Rex Features
partnership of European airlines, air navigation service

providers and airports has been
convened to implement measures for the modernisation of the
continents air trafc management system under the Single
European Sky initiative.
The SESAR Deployment Alliance, assembled by the European
Commission, includes representatives from Air France-KLM,
EasyJet, IAG and Lufthansa Group,
plus 11 ANSPs and 25 airports.
Participants are to act as a deployment manager to ensure
new technologies and solutions
that have already been tested and
validated through the SESAR [Single European Sky ATM Research]
joint undertaking are delivered
into everyday operations across
Europe, the Commission says.
Funding of up to 3 billion ($3.7
billion) is to be made available to

implement the changes.
The EU established the SES research initiative in 2007 to develop technologies and processes for
more efcient ATM in the blocs
fragmented airspace. The initiative is scheduled to end in 2016.
Europes airspace structure is
inefcient and costs more to operate than those of equivalent regions around the world, the
Commission argues.
The EU expects modernisation

of the continents ageing ATM
system to add over 400 million to the regions GDP.
It will also create around
300,000 additional jobs and cut
carbon dioxide emissions by 50
million tonnes.
Massimo Garbini former
chief executive of ENAV, Italys
ANSP has been appointed
managing director of the SESAR
Deployment Alliance. Q
CONVERSIONS
MICHAEL GUBISCH LONDON
PROGRAMME MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE
MRJ on track for maiden ight EgyptAir named

itsubishi Aircraft has com- the aircrafts Pratt & Whitney
M
pleted the wing-body join of PW1200G engines, electromag- for A330 P2F
it its second ight test MRJ, and netic interference tests and secusays its regional jet programme is rity and taxi checks.
launch customer
on track for a maiden ight in the
second quarter of 2015.
Mitsubishi, which rolled out
its rst ight test aircraft in October, is now conducting functional
and performance tests on the aircrafts various systems. Other
tests it will have to accomplish
before rst ight include testing
Final assembly of the second

ight test aircraft has largely been
completed, except for the mounting of the engines, Mitsubishi
says.
It adds that the fuselage of the
third ight test aircraft has also
been fused, with the wing-body
join to be completed soon. Q
The first flight test twinjet rolled out of assembly in October
gyptAir Cargo has signed up

as launch customer for the
Airbus
A330
passenger-tofreighter conversion programme,
ordering the modication of two
-200s from its passenger eet.
Singapores ST Aerospace is
engineering the modication programme in partnership with Airbus, while the conversion will be
carried out by Airbus Group subsidiary Elbe Flugzeugwerke
(EFW) in Dresden, Germany.
A nal design freeze will be
reached very soon, EFW says.
Work on the rst aircraft, an
A330-300, is to begin in 2017,
with the A330-200 due to follow
in mid-2018.
The carrier plans to build up
Cairo as a cargo hub. Q
Mitsubishi Aircraft
flightglobal.com
AIR TRANSPORT
LAM E190 inquiry

keeps sabotage
suspicion alive
AIR TRANSPORT P12
PROGRAMME TOM ZAITSEV MOSCOW
Roubles decline unnerves MC-21s engine maker

viadvigatel has expressed
concern about the cost impact of the Russian roubles depreciation on its development of
the PD-14 alternative powerplant
for the Irkut MC-21 twinjet.
While the PD-14s design is
based solely on domestic technologies, modernisation of facilities for the certication campaign
and serial production requires
purchasing advanced technological equipment and tools from
Western manufacturers - and a
total programme investment of
Rb85 billion ($1.5 billion) accord-
Irkut
The Irkut twinjet will be powered by Aviadvigatels PD-14 turbofan

ing to chief designer Alexander
Inozemtsev.
But the roubles sharp devaluation both against the dollar and
the euro cannot but affect this activity and unnerve us.
Over the past two years, weve

worked out retooling schemes for
each of the plants selected as a
supplier for the PD-14 programme, he adds. To date, Western economic sanctions [on Rus-
sia] have not impacted them, yet

the rouble exchange rate has become an especially acute issue.
Over the past six months, the
Russian currency has depreciated
by 60% in dollar terms and 44%
against the euro.
Aviadvigatel's currency concerns may not impact the MC-21
programme signicantly, however. The principle engine offer,
which will power aircraft for export customers, is Pratt & Whitney's PW1400G geared turbofan,
a variant of the PW1500G as used
on Bombardier's CSeries. Q
PRODUCTION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Bregier bullish about A380 prospects

However, finance chief suggests flat earnings over coming years could prompt Toulouse to consider halting programme
chief nancial ofcer Harald Wilhelm, who hinted at an outside
chance of halting the programme
instead of upgrading the aircraft.
The A380, said Wilhelm, will
break even at production level next
year and, given the efforts of reducing xed and recurring costs, will
stay at break-even in 2016-17, with
at earnings in 2018 keeping the
programme close to the breakeven with the current product.
He added: If we would do
something on the product, or
even if we would discontinue the
product, thats what it means.
Production is expected
to break even in 2015
Airbus
irbus chief executive Fabrice

Bregier has robustly defended
the prospects for the A380, insisting that the aircraft will eventually
be re-engined and that a stretched
variant will be developed.
Speaking during an investor
forum in London, Bregier sought
to inject condence in the programme in the wake of an Airbus
nancial outlook which indicated the A380, on a production
basis, would still be breaking
even around 2018.
Bregiers upbeat prognosis followed a more sombre outlook from
Wilhelm did not elaborate on

the remarks, but his nancial projections showed the A380s con-
SALES
Delta A330neo and A350 deal tops good month for Airbus
Airbus recorded three orders covering 120 A320-family jets during
November, when it also booked its
first firm agreements for the re-engined A330neo.
The single-aisle orders comprise
45 A320neo jets, 57 regular A320s,
10 A321s and eight A319s.
While the agreements are attributed to undisclosed customers,
Chinas state aviation supply firm
recently agreed to take 70 A320family aircraft, while Chinese lessor
CALC signed a preliminary deal for
100 including 74 A320neos.
flightglobal.com
US carrier JetBlue Airways has

increased its orders for the
A321neo by 15, to a total of 45,
through a series of conversions and
cancellations of previous orders
although its overall net orders remain unchanged.
Airbus secured orders for 179 single-aisle jets over the month, with
deals from Azul, Frontier Airlines and
lessor CIT accounting for the balance.
CIT firmed its order for 15 re-engined A330-900s, but the lessor appears to have trimmed its backlog for
the A350-900 by one, to 14 aircraft.
Delta Air Lines gave Airbus its

most significant agreement for the
month, signing for 25 A330-900s
and 25 A350-900s.
Air Mauritiuss order for four
A350s rounded off the airframers
long-haul activity.
Airbus has accumulated 1,328
gross orders over the first 11 months
of the year, with 1,031 net orders
after adjustments and cancellations.
The manufacturers delivery level
has reached 554 aircraft, eight fewer than the total at the same point
in 2013. Q
tribution towards earnings at odds

with those from the A320neo,
A330neo and A350 programmes.
He said the A320 and A330 programmes would be rather stable
in 2015, and he expects a volume
and price pressure impact from
the A330 in 2016, before ramp-up
of the re-engined A320neo and
A330neo programmes drive a recovery from 2017 onwards.
Speaking earlier, group chief
Tom Enders said Airbus would
need to make a decision, at some
point, on upgrading the A380
pointing out that the design was
effectively 15 years old.
While more than 300 have been
ordered, sales of the type have
been uneven, with around half of
the orders booked by Emirates,
the carrier pushing hardest for
modernisation of the aircraft. Q
AIR TRANSPORT
AIRPROX KERRY REALS LONDON
EASA to probe
military/civilian
near-collisions
uropean regulators are to investigate a series of mid-air
near-misses between military jets
and passenger aircraft.
EASA which is responding to
a request from the European Commission does not specify the incidents in question, but says they
occurred over the sea at the border of the EU. The investigation
intends to identify the causes of
the near-collisions and provide
recommendations on how such
incidents can be avoided.
EASA will deliver its ndings
to the Commission in March
2015.
We will consult civil and military bodies in order to gather the
necessary information to complete our analysis, says EASA
executive director Patrick Ky. Q
For up-to-the-minute air transport news,

network and fleet information sign up at
Flightglobals Ascend Fleets

database shows the carrier
as still operating two E190s
SAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW

LONDON
Heathrow UAV
airprox under
investigation
K safety authorities are investigating an airprox incident
between an Airbus A320-family
jet and an unmanned air vehicle
west of London Heathrow.
The incident, which occurred
on 22 July, has been classied by
the UK Airprox Board as creating
a serious risk of collision the
strongest category investigators
can assign. The incident took
place at a height of 700ft, west of
the threshold of runway 09L.
Heathrow was conducting
landing operations on 09L at the
time of the incident, which took
place in daylight. Meteorological
data for the airport shows weather conditions were good.
The Airprox Board has yet to
issue a detailed report into the incident. It has not identied the
operator involved and simply
lists the intruding aircraft as an
unspecied UAV. Q
See News Focus P21
Hansueli Krapf/Wikimedia Commons
REPORT DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
LAM E190 inquiry points to

act of sabotage by captain
Investigators say pilot left alone in cockpit disengaged systems before fatal Namibia crash
he absence of routine alarms
has led investigators to conclude that an Embraer 190 captain, left alone in the cockpit, deliberately disengaged multiple
systems before the aircraft
crashed in Namibia.
The LAM Mozambique E190
was cruising at 38,000ft on 29 November 2013 when cockpit-voice
recordings picked up the sound of
the altitude pre-select being dialled to 4,288ft, then to 1,888ft
and again to 592ft. Shortly afterwards the autothrottle was disengaged and one of the air conditioning packs was deactivated.
Neither event generated a caution alarm, and the Namibian
transport ministry says, in an interim statement on the crash, that
this indicates the actions were
intentional. Similarly, the aircrafts mode was subsequently
switched from altitude hold to
ight level change without any
evidence of a failure of the ight
management system.
Therefore, it is possible to
infer that these transitions were
manually commanded, the inquiry states. The captain was left
alone after the rst ofcer left for
the lavatory.
The autothrottle was manually
re-engaged and because the Embraer had been directed to follow a
ight level change to the lower altitude the thrust levers automatically retarded. The autothrottle
was then disengaged once more.
Flight data recorder information shows that the jet departed

its assigned altitude and began a
rapid straight-line descent that
lasted 6min 42s before Namibian
radar lost contact.
The aircraft struck the ground
15s later.
Some 20s after the jet left its
cruising altitude the thrust levers
were advanced, then 9s later they
retarded back to idle. During the
descent, the ight data recorder
continued to capture the activation of a number of other systems.
Recordings revealed
repeated banging,
attributed to demands
to enter the ightdeck
Nearly 2min into the descent
the speed brakes were manually
activated, deploying the spoilers.
The speed brake handle stayed in
this position.
The aircraft began descending
rapidly, at up to 10,600ft/min,
and its varying pitch reached
some 10 nose-down on occasion.
The desired speed was
manually adjusted several
times, the inquiry says, and the
diving Embraers airspeed increased reaching some 330kt
(611km/h) at times triggering
overspeed warnings. Bleed pressure dropped to near-zero, again
with no caution alarm, indicating

that both bleeds were disengaged
intentionally. As the aircraft descended through 17,000ft, a master caution warning was activated
for 6s. It was not yet possible to
correlate this message with any
abnormal system behaviour, the
inquiry states.
Namibian air trafc control
lost contact with the Embraer at
6,600ft. Twelve seconds later, the
rst ground-proximity alerts
were activated at 5,150ft, when
the aircraft was 2,010ft above terrain. The aircraft crashed in
Bwabwata national park, and
none of the six crew members or
27 passengers survived.
Investigators have not drawn
any conclusions from the recorded information, but there is little
in the interim statement to counter early suspicions that the ight
was sabotaged by the captain.
No distress call was made by
the crew, which had been in
radio contact with Gaborone controllers before the sudden descent at the EXEDU waypoint.
The Namibian inquiry states
that no mechanical faults were
detected, and that the rst ofcer left the cockpit minutes before
the crash. Recordings revealed
repeated banging, it conrms,
attributed to demands to enter
the ightdeck. Q
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views on aviation safety issues:
ightglobal.com/learmount
flightglobal.com
AIR TRANSPORT
Airbus lands
Anglo-French
A400M support deal
DEFENCE P14
ORDERS ELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE
ANZ firms up commitments for two more 787-9s

ir New Zealand (ANZ) will
exercise options on two
Boeing 787-9s, taking its total
commitment for the type to 12.
ANZ chief executive Christopher Luxon says that the investment in the new aircraft, which
will be delivered in late 2017 and
the second half of 2018, has been
made possible due to the carriers
strong commercial performance.
Air New Zealand is very committed to the 787-9, he says.
The aircraft is a key component
in our growth strategy. These
new aircraft will provide us with
additional exibility as we move
forward with our growth plans.
database shows that the airline
Rex Features
Strong commercial
results have fuelled
fleet expansion
has three of the type in service,
and seven more on rm order.
After the two options are rmed,
it will still have six more 787 options remaining.
ANZs 787s y from Auckland

to Perth, Shanghai and Tokyo.
The airline is also planning to deploy the type on services to Honolulu and Tahiti in 2015.
The entry into service programme has gone very smoothly

and weve been incredibly
pleased with the aircrafts performance, Luxon adds. Q
GUIDELINES JON HEMMERDINGER WASHINGTON DC
FAA rm on rest rules for cargo pilots

Despite opposition from unions, regulator says new requirements will not be extended to flightcrew on freighter aircraft
he US Federal Aviation Administration has reiterated its
opposition to altering new pilot
rest requirements, despite calls
by pilot groups for the rules to
apply to all-cargo airlines.
In a new analysis released on 8
December and subsequently published in the Federal Register, the
FAA again determined that the nancial benets the rule would
bring to all-cargo airlines would
not outweigh the costs. Because
the results of the analysis continue
to indicate that the costs of mandating all-cargo operation compliance with the new ight duty and
rest rule signicantly outweigh the
benets, the FAA has determined

that no revisions to the nal rule
are warranted, it says.
In new rules that took effect on
4 January 2014, the FAA set new
duty-time requirements for pilots
of passenger airlines, but did not
change rest rules for pilots of allcargo operators. The rules require
passenger pilots to have at least
10h of rest before a ight, up from
2h, and prohibit pilots ight time
from exceeding either 8h or 9h,
depending on when the duty periods begins.
In addition, the rules limit pilots total ight duty period to between 9h and 14h, depending on
NTSB
A UPS crash prompted ALPA to call for updated regulations

flightglobal.com
the duty start time and ight segments own.

Called FAR 117, the rules were
largely a response by regulators
to the 2009 crash of Colgan Air
ight 3407 near Buffalo.
The FAAs latest analysis estimates that applying the rules to
cargo-only operators would provide a benet of between $3 million and $10 million over 10 years,
down from a previous estimate of
$5 million to $31 million. However, the analysis says the rules
would cost cargo operators $452
million over 10 years, down from
an earlier estimate of $550 million.
By comparison, it says the
rules will cost passenger carriers
$462 million, but provide between $401 and $757 million in
nancial benets.
The analysis released in Decemer is the second such study by
the FAA, conducted after the
agency discovered errors with its
rst activity. The FAA has been
facing a legal challenge from the
Independent Pilots Association
(IPA), which represents UPS pilots and has been urging the agen-
cy to apply the same duty-time

rules to cargo and passenger airlines. We are disappointed but
not surprised that the FAA has
chosen to continue a carve-out
for cargo pilots, IPA tells Flight
International, adding: This action by the FAA will force us to
resume our lawsuit to seek relief
from the carve-out in the courts.
The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) also
supports applying the rules to
cargo carriers, but did not immediately comment.
ALPA and IPA renewed calls for
new cargo pilot rest requirements
following the 14 August 2013
crash of a UPS Airbus A300-600
freighter near Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International airport.
In an accident report released
in September 2014, the NTSB attributed the UPS crash primarily
to the captains decision to continue an unstable approach. The
report also noted, however, lapses in crew resource management,
communication problems between the crew and a dispatcher
and evidence of fatigue. Q
DEFENCE
Seahawk flies
towards order
with Indian navy
ndia has selected Sikorskys
S-70B Seahawk for its long-running multi-role helicopter (MRH)
requirement, having recently eliminated NH Industries rival NH90
from contention for the deal.
Negotiations will now begin
to procure 16 S-70B Seahawk
helicopters, with an option for
eight additional aircraft, along
with a complete logistics support
and training programme, says
Sikorsky. The aircraft will be
equipped for anti-submarine and
anti-surface warfare roles, serving
both from warships and land
bases. Installed mission equipment will include a 360 maritime search radar, air-to-surface
missiles, sonar and torpedoes,.
database records the Indian navy
as currently operating an aged
eet of 27 Westland Sea Kings.
In an interview with Flight International in November, the
president of Sikorskys defence
business, Sam Mehta, said the
company's offer to India would
be similar to the teaming model
used in its sale of 109 S-70s to
Turkey; in that India will have a
broad remit to integrate locallydeveloped systems aboard the
helicopter.
Sikorsky is also interested in
New Delhis follow-on naval
MRH competition, which is to
cover more than 120 additional
maritime rotorcraft. Q
MRO CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
Airbus lands Anglo-French

support deal for A400M
Bilateral pact to encompass initial maintenance activities, plus spare parts pooling
ith a combined six of the
aircraft being own by their
air forces, the defence ministries
of France and the UK have signed
a contract covering collaborative
in-service support arrangements
for the Airbus A400M Atlas tactical transport.
Announced by the nations on
8 December, the development
covers initial maintenance support of the airlifter, in addition to
spare parts pooling and the establishment of maintenance engineering services to the benet of
both air forces, the nations say
in a joint statement. The contract
has been placed with Airbus Defence & Space via Europes
OCCAR procurement agency.
The UKs Defence Equipment
& Support organisation values its
two-year contract as being worth
175 million ($274 million).
France has not disclosed the size
of its award, but its DGA defence
procurement body says the arrangement will run from the end
of a national introduction to service support arrangement with
Airbus in early February 2015
until September 2016.
Airbus had by mid-December
delivered ve of the 50 A400Ms
on order for the French air force,
while the Royal Air Forces rst of
22 Atlas transports arrived at its
Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire
French air force
ROTORCRAFT
GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE
To get more defence sector coverage,

subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter:
ightglobal.com/defencenewsletter
Five of the 50 aircraft on order for France have been delivered

in mid-November. The intention
is to further expand on early collaboration activities, where feasible and value for money, says
DGA chief executive Laurent Collet-Billon, who adds that such
agreements could potentially be
made open to other European operators of the A400M.
The type is also on order for
Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg,
Spain and Turkey. Ankara has already received its rst example,
while Berlin was also poised to
Such agreements
could potentially be
made open to other
European operators
of the airlifter
take delivery of its lead aircraft

before year-end.
Welcoming the award, Airbus
describes its new deal with France
and the UK as providing a solid
foundation for the A400Ms entry
into service with the nations.
Separately, Rolls-Royce in
early December announced an
18 million investment in support infrastructure for the
A400Ms Europrop International
TP400-D6 turboprop engines at
its Bristol site in southwest
England. To include adapting an
existing testbed to allow the
TP400 to be run while off the
wing, the maintenance, repair
and overhaul facility will initially be used to support engines
in service with the RAF, the
company says. Q
ACQUISITIONS
Bangladesh receives rst K-8 trainers
AirTeamImages
The Bangladesh air force has taken delivery of its first Hongdu K-8 jet
trainers, which are replacing 11 Cessna T-37s in operational use.
Flightglobals MiliCAS database records the nation as having ordered
nine of the single-engined type, with an initial batch of four including
aircraft 14321, pictured landing in Dhaka on 2 December having
arrived recently. Bangladesh will also introduce 16 Yak-130 advanced
jet trainers on order from Russias Irkut. To be used in combination
with the K-8, the type will prepare pilots to operate a frontline fleet of
Chengdu J-7 and RAC MiG-29 fighters. For more fleet information,
download our free World Air Forces directory: ightglobal.com/waf
flightglobal.com
DEFENCE
Japans Chinook
programme nears
100th airframe mark
DEFENCE P16
UNMANNED SYSTEMS BETH STEVENSON LONDON
REQUIREMENT
Dutch request to put Raven to roost
Israel seeking
personal UAS
he Royal Netherlands Army

expects to issue a request for
proposals in early 2015 for the replacement of its AeroVironment
RQ-11 Raven unmanned air
systems.
Lt Col Pieter Mink, senior UAS
adviser to the commander of the
army, says the services current
Raven support contract is due to
end in 2015, and it also has
identied three distinct user
groups that would benet from
different capabilities of a small
unmanned air vehicle.
Special forces personnel and
marines require a limited endurance of about 1h, while reconnaissance users require a midrange operating time, and those
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army

currently operates the RQ-11
conducting national operations
need an endurance of more than
3h, Mink told IQPCs UAS Training and Simulation conference in
London on 10 December. A family of systems is likely to be required to replace the 25 Raven

systems in service, with requirements to include an integrated
electro-optical/infrared sensor.
The army hopes to introduce
the equipment by the end of
2015, with its acquisition also to
include one xed-base and one
deployable simulator.
The army is also in the concept
phase of developing a micro,
apping-wing UAV with the
Netherlands Delft University of
Technology. The system is based
on the DelFly Micro UAV. Q
Read more news from the
unmanned air system sector:
ightglobal.com/UAV
srael wants to acquire a socalled personal UAS for its

infantry personnel, with the
types introduction to allow almost every ghting soldier to
look beyond the hill and receive data for immediate use.
A request for information is
still being prepared, but is expected to seek a system weighing
1-1.5kg (2.2-3.3lb), including a
day or night sensor payload, with
a ight endurance of 15min.
The requirement is linked to
the Israel Defence Forces Digital
Army programme, which aims
to network the future battleeld
using equipment carried by individual soldiers. Q
FUNDING DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC
Budget boost inbound for US services

Development and acquisition programmes set to profit as Congress agrees $1.1 trillion proposal for fiscal year 2015
ilitary aviation ofcials and
defence contractors could
enter the new year in high spirits
if a $1.1 trillion scal year 2015
budget is approved as agreed on
10 December by both houses of
the US Congress.
Under the proposal, the Department of Defense would receive
$93.8 billion in procurement
funding, including $31.9 billion
for aircraft purchases by the air
force, army and navy.
Congress has authorised the
purchase of 38 Lockheed Martin
F-35 Lightning IIs for the US services nine more than were
funded in FY2014, and four more
than President Barack Obamas
administration had requested.
The order would fund two
additional F-35As for the US Air
Force, for $224 million, and two
F-35Cs for the US Navy worth
$255 million.
The USN will also receive
authorisation to purchase 15
Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft for $1.46 billion.
The aircraft were not included in
the services 2015 budget request,
flightglobal.com
The USN will receive

authorisation to purchase
15 more EA-18G Growlers
but had topped its list of
unfunded priorities.
While it would reward the
navy, the bill denies the US Air
Force authority to retire its
Fairchild Republic A-10 groundattack aircraft, by funding the
eets maintenance at over $337
million. The retirement plan,
which has been pitched as a costsaving measure, has been met with
strenuous opposition on Capitol
Hill, where lawmakers have been
promising to preserve the A-10.
The USAF will, however, secure $100 million for its new combat rescue helicopter programme,
to help pay down the identied

shortfall in scal years 2016 and
2017, a summary of the bill says.
The service will also net $102 million for a single Lockheed Martin
MC-130J special operations tactical transport, and $90.5 million to
fund continued operation of the
31-aircraft eet of Boeing E-3 airborne warning and control system
aircraft.
Development programmes are
also to benet from the FY2015
allocation. The USAFs three primary modernisation efforts the
F-35, long-range strike bomber
and Boeing KC-46 tanker all
were granted full funding for

FY2015. The USNs unmanned
carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike project will
also receive full funding.
The armys aviation branch will
receive an extra $341 million to
modernise up to 12 additional
Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and nine Sikorsky UH-60
Black Hawks. But the bill limits
the transfer of Apaches from the
national guard to active units a
key element of the armys aviation
restructuring plan until enactment of the 2015 National Defense
Authorization Act. Q
Boeing
DEFENCE
For more in-depth coverage of the

global rotorcraft sector, go online to
MILESTONE DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC
PRODUCTION
DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC
Japans Chinook programme

nears 100th airframe mark
Lightning-fast
manufacturing
method lauded
Boeing applauds exemplary 30-year working relationship with Kawasaki Heavy Industries
oeing is set to deliver the fuselage and cabin components for Japans 100th CH-47
Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, for
in-country completion by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI),
under a partnership that has already lasted for 30 years.
For both Boeing and KHI, performance has been exemplary,
says Leland Wight, Boeings H-47
international programme manager.
I dont think weve ever delivered
anything late through this entire
programme. Thats something to
be heralded. Typically we would
struggle to bridge our business
practices and our cultures.
Under the arrangement, Boeing provides major fuselage components, transmissions, shafts
and rotor blades from its factory
outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. KHI performs cockpit and
nal aircraft assembly, populates
the aircraft with national-specic
avionics and mission equipment
and then tests each aircraft prior
AirTeamImages
Tokyos air force and army fly 16 and 58 of the type, respectively
to delivery to the Japanese defence ministry.
So far, KHI has delivered 95
Chinooks to the air force and
army, and the next nine examples are in various stages of production in the USA and Japan.
The programmes 100th aircraft
will be delivered in mid-2016.
Japan has the second-largest
operational eet of Chinooks
after the US Army, and has taken
delivery of an average of three per
year since 1984. Flightglobals
Ascend Fleets database records
its air force and army as currently

operating 16 and 58 of the type,
respectively.
Powered
by
Honeywell T55-714A engines, its
latest CH-47JA+ examples have
the long-range fuel tanks that
come as standard on the US Armys CH-47F model.
Some parts are the same, but I
wouldnt call it an F-model, says
Alan Aleixo, Boeings H-47
programme manager for Japan.
We are continuing to work with
them to convert their eet to full
F-models. Q
PAYLOAD CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
Meteor links up for Typhoon testing

Conducted in November over the
UK Ministry of Defences Hebrides ring range, the activity also
tested the interface of the missile
with the weapon system for both
pre-launch priming and postlaunch datalink functions between the missile and the radar.
Additional ring trials to be
conducted through 2017 will
A development
Eurofighter was used
for the live-firing trials
BAE Systems
resh live-ring trials with

MBDAs Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile have
been conducted in the UK using a
development example of the
Euroghter Typhoon.
The trials further developed
and tested the integration of the
missile with the [Typhoon] weapon system, BAE Systems says.
fully expand the launch envelope and weapon system integration with the Euroghter platform, BAE says.
The missile is being added as
part of a Phase 2 Enhancements
package for the type, and is also
being offered to potential export
customers.
The UK Royal Air Force is expected to introduce the Meteor
into operational service with its
Typhoons from 2018, with the
weapon also to arm Euroghters
own by Germany, Italy and
Spain. MBDAs six-nation production contract for the missile
also includes deliveries for
French air force and navy
Dassault Rafales and Swedish air
force Saab Gripen C/Ds. Q
he US Ofce of Naval Research (ONR) has received a

national manufacturing award
for developing an improved
method of producing canopies
for the Lockheed Martin F-35 that
could save the Department of
Defense $125 million over the life
of the programme.
GKN Aerospace Transparency
Systems plans to begin building
canopies using the automated
thermoforming process in May,
following a $1.3 million development activity conducted by the
ONR since 2011.
The process could

save $125 million
over the life of
the programme
The existing canopy manufacturing process requires loading
an acrylic shell into a forming
tool, which is then inserted into a
93.3C (200F) oven. The canopy
forms within the mold over six
days, during which time workers regularly enter the oven to
make observations and manually
adjust positioning clamps to control the forming process, the
ONR says. Its new method involves using cameras and clamps
that adjust automatically to maintain a uniform canopy shape, removing the need for workers to
enter the oven. The improved
process also takes only two to
three days to complete, it adds.
Lockheed has also previously
opted to employ 3D printing rather than forging to manufacture the
bowframe that crosses the F-35s
canopy. The switch could save
more than $31 million, it says.
The company and its industry
partners in 2014 launched a
Blueprint to Affordability programme, which is aimed at
streamlining production activities
and reducing manufacturing costs
for the fth-generation type. Q
flightglobal.com
SHOW
REPORT
Missed MEBA? Catch up with the latest

news and analysis on our landing page
ightglobal.com/MEBA
MEBA 2014
BillyPix
The Middle East business aviation market is all about

heavy metal, and the big jets of Boeing and Airbus
dominated both the news and the static display at the
MEBA show in Dubai on 8-10 December, where investment in local infrastructure and a major merger in the
charter and aircraft management sector were also
making the headlines. Murdo Morrison, Dominic Perry
and Kate Sarsfield report. Photography by BillyPix.
Marwan Khalek will remain as group chief executive
BillyPix
MERGER
DEVELOPMENT
Softex Aero courts new

investors in show debut
ne of the least-known names
in business and general aviation manufacturing made its
debut at MEBA in the hope of attracting investment to bring its
aircraft to market.
Softex Aero, a privately-owned
Ukrainian company, is developing a total of eight new aircraft,
including both rotary- and xedwing types.
These include a 10-seat, multirole twin-engined turboprop
called the V-28, a four-seat piston
twin known as the V-24 which
was on display in the static park
and a two-seat light single-
Takeover will see merged business adopt Gama name in

move its boss describes as a necessary consolidation
The V-24 four-seat piston twin was on display in the static park
he founder of Gama Aviation

says its merger with UK rival
Hangar8 announced as day one
of MEBA came to an end is part
of a necessary consolidation in
the industry and will produce a
stronger player with a growing
global footprint.
Marwan Khalek will remain as
group chief executive of the combined company, which will adopt
the Farnborough-based Gama
Aviation name. His counterpart at
Hangar8, Dustin Dryden, will become executive director.
Speaking at the show, Khalek
said: Although things are reasonably healthy again [after the
post-2008 downturn], it is a market that is highly fragmented and
needs consolidating.
The merger with stock marketlisted Hangar8 which must be
formally approved by the companys shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting on 5 January is ofcially a reverse
takeover of privately-owned
Gama, with new shares being issued in the expanded Hangar8 to
engined helicopter, the V-22.

Softex has also commenced ight
tests of its new V-52 light twin
helicopter.
Ten-year old Softexs rst goal
is to secure enough investment to
expand its manufacturing and research and development facility
in Brovary, northern Ukraine.
We would also like to set up
an assembly line for the V-24 and
V-52 in China and the USA, says
Softex vice-president Majid Hamidain. He accepts that securing
investment could prove a challenge for a relatively unknown
manufacturer. Q
BillyPix
Hangar8 reverses
into rival to form
new charter giant
fund the acquisition. It will require some rationalisation as the
management teams are amalgamated, however, Khalek adds:
Fundamentally this is not about
cost savings. We have complementary offerings.
Oxford airport-based Hangar8
is chiey an aircraft management
and charter provider, which has
recently branched out into the
African market with a base in
Nigeria. It manages a eet of 50
aircraft.
Gama founded in 1983 has
a wider portfolio, with an
80-strong management and charter eet and a string of xed-base
operations in the UK and USA.
Last year the company opened
a FBO and base maintenance facility in Sharjah. Q
This is not about

cost savings. We
have complementary
offerings
MARWAN KHALEK
Founder, Gama Aviation
flightglobal.com
MEBA 2014
Emirates eyes
expansion into
executive charter
SHOW REPORT
SHOW REPORT P20

ORDER
Boeing makes Comlux breakthrough

Longtime ACJ charter operator defects with deal for two 737 Max 8s, but insists door still remains open to Airbus
omlux Aviation, one the
largest owners and operators
of the Airbus ACJ320 VIP narrowbody airliner family, has defected to the European airframers
arch rival and placed its rst
order with Boeing since launching operations over 11 years ago.
The Swiss company announced at the show the acquisition of two BBJ Max 8s a corporate version of the re-engined 737
Max 8 in a deal that was too
good [to] turn down, says Comlux president and chief executive
Richard Gaona.
He stresses, however, that the
door still remains open to Airbus, even though the airframer
has yet to ofcially launch its
challenger to the BBJ Max series
an ACJ320neo family. The rst
examples of the re-engined A320
are scheduled to enter airline service next year.
The BBJ Max 8 is a perfect addition to the Comlux eet, says
Gaona. We are impressed with
the aircrafts 6,000nm [11,100km]
range and its low cabin altitude,
which makes long-range ights
far more comfortable for our
passengers.
Boeing is scheduled to deliver
the two aircraft in 2019 and 2020
to Comlux America the companys US completions centre in Indianapolis. Outtting is expected
to take around a year for each.
The Max 8s will replace Comluxs ACJ320 and one of its three
BillyPix
Jim Soleo is leading the firms charge into widebody MRO

ACJ319s. The company says it
will be looking to replace the two
remaining ACJs within the next
few years. We dont keep aircraft
that are more than ve years old,
Gaona says.
Comlux is the third customer
for the BBJ Max 8 since the model
was launched in April. The identity of the other position holders
has not been disclosed.
MEBA also marked the signing
of Comlux Americas rst widebody completions contract.
Jim Soleo, Comlux Americas
chief executive, says the rm was
persuaded to move into the
widebody maintenance, repair
and overhaul arena following a
fall in demand for single-aisle
The BBJ Max 8 is a

perfect addition to
the Comlux eet. We
are impressed with
the aircrafts range
RICHARD GAONA
President and chief executive, Comlux
completions.
Since
2010,
Comlux has completed and refurbished ten narrowbodies across
the ACJ and BBJ families,
according to Soleo.
The narrowbody market has
slowed down signicantly. Not
only are Boeing and Airbus selling fewer aircraft than they used
to, but the competition for these

completions contracts is erce. In
order to remain competitive and
consistent we had to get into
widebodies, he says.
Meanwhile, Airbus has given
the strongest hint yet that it could
launch a re-engined version of its
airliner-derived ACJ320 family as
early as next year.
The airframer has been coy on
the future of its ACJ narrowbodies since the launch of the commercial Neo variant in late 2010.
Speaking at a pre-MEBA press
conference, Airbus Corporate Jets
president Benoit Defforge said:
We are actively working on it
and talking about it with our customers. When pressed on a
launch date for the aircraft, Defforge offered: We need something to announce in 2015.
Airbus Corporate Jets marketing director David Velupillai says
there has been no urgency to
launch the ACJ320neo, as corporate customers typically want to
receive their aircraft within a year
of placing an order.
Airbuss priority, he says, is
gaining certication for the commercial variant next year.
Velupillai believes that the
main selling point of the
A320neo the fuel burn improvement provided by the aircrafts new CFM Leap-1A or Pratt
& Whitney PW1100G engines
is not a priority for corporate
owners. Q
SUCCESSION
Boeing Business Jets president

Capt Steve Taylor handed over the
reins of the organisations top job to
his replacement David Longridge
while at MEBA.
Taylor is bowing out on a high,
after orders this year hit double figures for the first time since 2008.
We have secured 13 orders in
2014 five BBJ 737s, four BBJ Max
8s, three BBJ 777s and one BBJ
787 which is a major achievement
flightglobal.com
given the market conditions, says

Taylor, who is leaving to become
chief pilot for Boeing Commercial
Airplanes.
Its a big change to leave the VIP
world, but my new job will take me
back to flying, which I am very excited about, he says.
Longridge, for his part, is a longtime Boeing veteran who began
working at the Seattle airframer 22
years ago as an engineer. Q
Boeing
Taylor hands over with BBJ on a high
The business has notched up 13 commitments this year

MEBA 2014
For all the latest news from across the

global business aviation commuity, visit
ightglobal.com/bizav
SHOW REPORT
EXPANSION
INVESTMENT
XJet marks the spot for further FBOs
Completions
come home as
Falcon digs in
S FBO operator XJet is taking

its membership model to the
Gulf with two new facilities due
to open in 2015 one in Saudi
Arabias oil capital Dammam and
one at Dubai World Central.
The Denver-based company
says it has a ve-year licence of
exclusivity to operate in the
eastern Saudi city. It plans to
begin construction during 2015
and to use a temporary building
in the meantime.
XJet had already revealed
plans for its Dubai development

in 2008, with opening a year
later, but has now nally completed the formalities that will
allow it to begin construction of
the four-hangar FBO and launch
in time for the Dubai air show in
November 2015, says president
Josh Stewart. There will be two
hangars initially, with two more
to follow in phase two of the
project.
XJet, which is moving its global headquarters from Colorado to
DWC, has also just taken over the

former Diamond hangar at Londons Stansted airport in a multiyear lease deal, and intends expanding to Pariss Le Bourget
airport shortly.
The company launched its
seven-star membership scheme
with its hangar at Denvers Centennial Airport in 2007. Unlike rivals
such as Jet Aviation and ExecuJet,
XJet does not offer maintenance or
aircraft management. Members
pay an annual fee per aircraft.
bu Dhabi-based Falcon Aviation Services (FAS) broke

ground during the show on the
Middle Easts rst VIP aircraft completion centre, which it expects to
be open for business in 2016.
The business aviation services
provider hopes to capitalise on
the regions position as the biggest market for VIP widebody
and narrowbody airliners.
The Middle East is home to a
large and expanding population
of business aircraft, says Captain
Mahmoud Ismael, chief operating
ofcer of Al Bateen Executive airport-headquartered FAS which
has a growing eet of 30 xedwing aircraft and helicopters.
FLEET
Emirates eyes expansion of

foray into executive charter
Over the next few

years there will be a
number of [green]
aircraft coming on
the market
Dubai carrier considers adding to single A319 after service hits benchmarks in first year
mirates says it will decide in
2015 whether to expand its
Emirates Executive offering with
further aircraft, one year after the
airline launched its high-end
charter service with a single Airbus A319.
The Dubai carrier made its
debut on the MEBA static, exhibiting the A319, which includes
10 suites an enhancement of
the airlines rst-class product
with a forward lounge and dining area, and a shower and spa at
the rear.
Emirates divisional senior
vice-president for planning, aeropolitical and industry affairs,
Adnan Kazim, says that, although the airline has been testing the water with the Emirates
brand in this market, the rst 12
months were extremely successful, with 450h own.
The airliness first executive

A319 includes 10 suites
BillyPix
MAHMOUD ISMAEL
Chief operating ofcer, FAS
We have gained a lot of

knowledge and are looking at
whether we can extend with the
same size of aircraft or perhaps
something smaller, he says. It
might be next year or the year
after that, but we are moving
positively and hitting our benchmarks. Next year will be a good
year to determine what we do.
Emirates Gulf rival Qatar Airways has been operating its own
executive charter service for several years with Bombardier jets. It
also has 10 Gulfstream G650ERs
and G500s on order.
Kazim says the A319 has been
attracting custom from beyond the
Middle East, including from
India, China, Russia and Africa.
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MEBA: WE HAD IT COVERED

M
Y can catch up with all our coverage from MEBA on our landing
You
p
page, ightglobal.com/MEBA, where you can also view how we
re
reported the show each day in Flight Daily News. The three publiccations handed out to attendees every morning by our team of
re
red-flight suited distributors include our Hall Highlights picture
sspreads as well as some stunning photography from the stands
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and static by BillyPix.
d 1
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Over the next few years there

will be a number of [green] aircraft coming on the market while
others will be coming up for refurbishment, says Ismael.
FASs rst completions project
is expected to be a companyowned VIP-congured Bombardier CSeries. It became the rst
UAE-based customer for the indevelopment regional airliner
earlier this year, after placing an
order for two of the twin jets.
Ismael says the completions
facility is a natural extension to
FASs thriving MRO business.
The eight year-old company supports a number of aircraft models
including types from the Embraer
and Airbus Helicopters stables.
The Dubai World Centralbased completion centre is also a
major coup for the Middle East.
Until now, the industry has been
dominated by a handful of companies in Europe and the USA.
-FA.ind
Launch
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FrontCo
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International 16 December 2014-5 January 2015
flightglobal.com
NEWS FOCUS
Final attack nears

in effort to wipe out
islands rodents
GENERAL AVIATION P22
ANALYSIS DAVID LEARMOUNT LONDON
Taking control of UAS threats

The rapid proliferation of RPAS operations has seen European regulators racing to bring the sector under surveillance
onrmation by the UK authorities that an unidentied

unmanned air system was involved in a near collision with an
Airbus A320-family aircraft on
approach to London Heathrow
airport's runway 09L in July has
put the issue of regulating such
equipment in the spotlight, at a
time when another European
country has reported a 350%
year-on-year increase in the
number of operators.
A pair of timely European Commission studies on the issue have
just reviewed all aspects of regulating the sector, acknowledging
that while the civil part of the
UAS industry may be in its infancy today, it is growing fast. As a
result, it has made it clear that it
wants manufacturers and operators to have unambiguous guidelines to ensure their success in a
promising global marketplace.
The rst of the Commissions
studies drily entitled Third
Party Liability and Insurance Requirements of RPAS (remotely
piloted air systems) observes:
Due to low barriers to entry in
the RPAS sector, there is a risk
that (in contrast to the manned
aviation sector) there could be a
signicant number of uninsured
and illegal operations.
If the RPAS sector grows as
projected, there could be a need
for considerably increased action
by national authorities to enforce
the existing insurance rules, as
well as other regulatory requirements. However, it predicts that
third-party liability claims will
mainly affect RPAS operators,
rather than manufacturers.
The phrase low barriers to
entry refers to the fact that many
UAS are small, lightweight and
low-cost designs, which makes
them attractive to amateur
operators, as well as businesses.
A particularly common format
for RPAS is the quadcopter, but
an unmanned air vehicle, unlike
cessing and storing data related to

people and their property. Police already use UAVs, the report
observes, to monitor crowds at
events such as festivals, protests
and sporting events, prevent antisocial behaviour, detect marijuana cultivation and support pursuits and operations.
flightglobal.com
Rex Features
Quadcopters are an increasingly popular choice for amateur aviators

a remotely-controlled model aircraft own purely as a leisure
activity, is normally used to carry
a payload.
Most commonly, this is a camera or a video camera, possibly
with a wireless data link to the
ground, enabling real-time surveillance to be carried out cheaply. This prompted the second report,
entitled
Privacy,
Data-Protection and Ethical
Risks in Civil RPAS Operations.
PROPER AIRCRAFT
Some regulation already exists
for remotely-piloted ying machines. The RPAS industrys own
opinion is that its products
should be considered as proper
aircraft, and that model aircraft
used in visual line of sight exclusively for recreational purposes,
and ying toys, should not be
considered RPAS.
EASAs responsibility does
not extend to UAVs with an
operating mass of less than
150kg (330lb). National authorities are therefore responsible for

regulating smaller devices;
which, according to both reports, covers almost the entire
civil market at present.
Civilian RPAS come in a variety of formats, but there are two
broad categories: xed-wing and
rotary-wing, the insurance report says. Our research shows
that, in Europe, most light and
ultra-light RPAS are rotary wings,
with either four, six or eight sets
of wings. It also appears that most
of the RPAS operated are of the
very light category (below 7kg).
It classes light UAS as weighing
less than 25kg.
Information protection will
also be a big issue, because RPAS
are already being used by police
to monitor people, their location
and their behaviour. The Commission says codes of practice are
needed to assist in the enforcement of the obligations of RPAS
operators who are collecting, pro-
RESPONSIBILITIES
Most laws that apply to UAV operators are not aviation laws, but
dene the responsibility of the
operator not to endanger people
going about their lives. The insurance study recommends that national authorities should take
measures to improve awareness
amongst RPAS operators of the
existing regulatory requirements
that apply to them. It adds:
This would be facilitated by introducing a requirement to record
sales and imports of RPAS and
model aircraft within the EU.
The problem for claimants will
be to identify the operator, so the
report recommends: Member
States should require RPAS to be
tted with a re-proof plate identifying the operator and/or the
manufacturer, and this should
include a serial number.
According to the report, there
are currently 212 RPAS operators
in the UK, mostly engaged in aerial lming and photography. The
French aviation authority estimates that the nation has 438 operators, with the French association
of
operators
and
manufacturers saying this number has increased by 350% in the
last year.
Some 83% of French users are
in the media sector (broadcast,
communications and events),
while the rest are in construction,
agriculture and inspections. Less
than 10% of their aircraft weigh
more than 4kg. Q
For more about the unmanned
air system sector, go online at:
ightglobal.com/UAV
GENERAL AVIATION
For more coverage about the business

aviation sector go online at:
ightglobal.com/bizav
TEST KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
SPECIAL MISSIONS KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
Metal Master
readies Flaris jet
for first flight
Final attack nears in effort

to wipe out islands rodents
olish engineering company

Metal Master is planning to
y its rst Flaris LAR-1 ultra-light
jet before the end of 2014.
The Podgorzyn-based company had originally hoped to begin
ight testing in mid-year.
We are slightly delayed, but
when plans are so optimistic and
the work is huge, it is not unusual
for this to happen, the airframer
says. The main message is that
we are going forward and maiden
ight should take place this year.
The rst prototype, MSN1, is
currently undergoing static and
non-destructive load testing in
Warsaw, while MSN2 the rst
ying prototype is being readied for its rst ight. A Pratt &
Whitney Canada PW610 turbofan
is believed to be powering MSN2,
although Metal Master has yet to
disclose its nal choice of engine
for the 1.5 million ($1.8 million)
aircraft.
The initial LAR-1 prototypes
will be equipped with Garmin
G600 avionics, although customers will eventually be offered a
choice of Garmin ightdecks up
to the G3000 touchscreen-integrated glass cockpit.
Three more test aircraft are
currently under construction,
two of which will be dedicated to
the European CS-23 certication
campaign.
Approval is not expected until
three years after [the LAR-1s]
maiden ight, so in order to get
the aircraft into customer hands,
Metal Master plans to validate
the aircraft initially under the
Polish civil aviation authoritys
S-1 experimental aircraft designation. Deliveries are scheduled to
begin in 2016.
The four-seat LAR-1 features
semi-elliptical, detachable wings
and a safety parachute system in
the nose of the aircraft.
The carbonbre type is projected
to have a maximum take-off weight
of 1,500kg (3,300lb), a cruise speed
of 380kt (700km/h) and a range of
1,730nm (3,200km). Q
Three helicopters will set out 95t of rat poison on British seabird habitat South Georgia
n international effort to rid a
southern Atlantic island of
millions of rats and mice by using
a trio of helicopters is preparing
for its third and nal mission.
An 18-strong team led by a
Scottish charity, the South Georgia Heritage Trust, will depart
from the Falkland Islands on 15
January heading for the British
overseas territory of South Georgia home to one of the worlds
most important seabird habitats.
Flight operations are scheduled
to begin a month later.
The 7.5 million ($11.8 million) Habitat Restoration Project
is the largest rodent eradication
programme of its kind. It aims to
reverse the ecological destruction
wrought by invasive rats and
mice that were introduced inadvertently by sealers and whalers
to this wildlife oasis over the last
200 years, says project director
Tony Martin. The rodents prey
on nests, eating the eggs and
chicks of many native birds, and
have spread right across the is-
Airbus Helicopters Bo105s

are used in the $12 million
eradication project
land because the glaciers are receding at an extraordinary pace,
he continues.
Three 30-year-old Airbus Helicopters Bo105s will spread 95t of
rat poison across a 364km2
stretch of island using GPS tracking systems to keep an accurate
record of bait coverage. The airborne operation is expected to
last until the end of April.
The light twin-engined helicopters are expected to y around
450h, distributing 260 bait pods
from about eight forward operat-
ing bases that will be established

on the island, says Martin.
Two previous missions, in 2011
and 2013, expunged rodents from
nearly two-thirds of South Georgia equivalent to 705km2.
The nal challenge is to complete the baiting of the entire island during the brief sub-Antarctic summer months, and this will
be followed by two further years
of monitoring.
It is a man-made problem, but
we have a solution in our grasp,
says Martin. Q
REGULATION
Proposed Jabiru restrictions draw fire

he industry body representing Australas light sport aircraft
sectors,
Recreational
Aviation Australia (RA-Aus), has
accused the Civil Aviation Safety
Authority of misconduct in its
treatment of local manufacturer
Jabiru Aircraft over proposed
limitations on aircraft equipped
with Jabiru engines because of
reliability issues.
Bundaberg, Queensland-based
Jabiru manufactures four-cylinder 2,200cc and six-cylinder
3,300cc engines which are tted
to more than 1,000 aircraft operating in Australia, including its
own range of light aircraft.
In a consultation draft published
in November, CASA proposed to
limit the operation of Jabirupowered aircraft in response to an

extraordinary high rate of partial
and complete Jabiru engine
failures, due to several failure
modes. The restrictions include
operating under visual ight rule
conditions and staying clear of
populous areas, as well as prohibiting use for passenger carriage and
solo operations by student pilots.
CASA says the proposal is
precautionary and no conclusive
determination has been made
about the integrity of Jabiru
engines.
RA-Aus expresses concern
over CASAs actions and accuses
the regulator of causing irreparable damage to the already fragile
Australian aviation industry.

CASA has embarked on a
destructive path that threatens
the existence of Jabiru and associated businesses, it says.
RA-Aus says CASA has provided no specic failure data relating
to the engines, other than to suggest an increasing rate of failures.
Jabiru has called for CASAs
operational limitation proposal
to be withdrawn immediately.
The manufacturer says data provided to CASA indicates 40 engine incidents in 2014, including
12 in-ight stoppages that required forced landings with no
serious injuries or fatalities, out
of nearly 41,800 ying hours and
92,700 ights in Australia. Q
flightglobal.com
Tony Martin
NEWS FOCUS
Ascend assesses
widebody demand
over next 20 years
NEWS FOCUS P25
PROGRAMME DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC
Waiting for the Raiders rise

First flight of coaxial rigid-rotor S-97 delayed until early 2015, as Sikorsky waits to power up ground-based testing phase
ikorsky has chosen prudence

over spectacle and delayed
the rst ight of its S-97 Raider
prototype until 2015.
The company, which has invested more than $150 million of
internal funding to develop the
coaxial rigid-rotor vertical-lift
platform, originally planned for it
to y before the end of 2014. It
slipped its schedule, however, as
ground testing in preparation for
the aircrafts maiden ight has yet
to be concluded.
Doug Shidler, who headed the
Raider project before taking the
helm of the companys joint multi-role technology demonstration
(JMR-TD) effort for the US Army,
tells Flight International that
there are no particular issues
holding the programme back.
We are going through several
lab ground tests right now and
we are planning to get into aircraft ground run in the next couple of weeks, he said in early
December. As with any development programme and rst-oftype, there are discoveries. We
havent had too much discovery;
nothing that is insurmountable.
Were making some really good
progress in getting the aircraft set
for doing its ground runs.
UNIQUE
The Raider will use its coaxial rotors for vertical lift and a tail propeller to provide forward thrust.
This combination allows for ight
characteristics that are physically
impossible for existing rotorcraft
designs. There is no programme of
record within the US military for
the S-97, but the army has been
monitoring the development effort as it looks to eventually replace its ageing eet of rotorcraft.
A transmission system testbed
is being built in parallel with the
Raider, of which there will be two
ying prototypes. The rst is designed specically for the ight
test phase, while the second will
flightglobal.com
Sikorsky
The helicopters novel propulsion and lift congurations have presented unique challenges to the manufacturer
be a demonstration asset that will
travel and be own for prospective customers.
The fuselage for Raider II is
now complete, and the remaining
parts have been manufactured
and delivered. Construction of
the second aircraft will begin in
early 2015, Shidler says.
Ground runs with the rst aircraft are scheduled to begin during December, and data gathered
while it remains tethered to the
ground will be used to inform
ight testing, which should begin
in early 2015.
It is not any one particular
thing or any issue, Shidler says
of the delay. Its the nature of
development and pulling the
rst of type together. Were not
rushing it, we are making sure
we do it in a very judicious fashion to make sure we are getting
into the air safely.
US Army ofcials desire helicopters that can y higher, faster
and farther than current designs.
The Raider is being billed by
Sikorsky as a potential armed
aerial scout, or as suitable for use
with special operations forces.
The Raider has been designed
to y at a maximum weight of
more than 4,990kg (11,000lb), enabling it operate with its crew,

plus up to six soldiers. In an unarmed conguration it will y at
up to perhaps 270kt (500km/h),
but S-97 chief engineer Andy
Bernhard will not specify how fast
the company intends to y it during testing. With external weapons mounted, the rotorcraft is expected to achieve at least 220kt.
PRACTICAL
Raider was announced, designed
and built within four years, bringing Sikorskys experiences and
technology from the X2 concept
demonstrator into a practical aircraft that can demonstrate realworld mission capabilities.
In partnership with Boeing,
Sikorsky plans to scale up the
Raiders compound, rigid coaxial
rotor conguration into a platform that will satisfy the US Armys requirement for the JMR-TD
programme. This effort will validate technologies for the services
eventual future vertical lift platform, which is seeking three
classes of helicopter medium,
then light and heavy to eventually replace its current verticallift aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing
have dubbed their JMR demonstrator the SB-1 Deant.

Sikorsky has built y-by-wire
aircraft before and gained experience with coaxial rotors with the
X2. But as a clean-sheet design
with novel propulsion and lift
congurations, the Raider has presented unique challenges, says
Steve Engebretson, director of
military programme marketing.
The amount of data we have
on this conguration is relatively
limited, he says. To quote one
of our test pilots, were going to
learn something from the aircraft
from the rst time he picks it up
off the ground. Every time we
spin this rotor, we are probably
going to learn something new
about how it operates.
When Raider does get airborne,
Sikorsky plans to dive directly into
substantive testing, says Shidler,
who notes the rst ight is planned
to last about 1h. We dont want to
just pick the wheels off the ground
and get the glamour shot and put
them back down again, he says.
Were all about making sure we
have productive ight testing. Q
To find more coverage of the
global rotorcraft sector, visit
NEWS FOCUS
25 most memorable
moments of 2014
RETROSPECTIVE P26
FORECAST RICHARD EVANS LONDON
Search for the sweet spots

Our last of three articles on Ascends vision for the global fleet looks at demand for widebodies over the next 20 years
he widebody segment remains

the last unchallenged duopoly
in commercial aircraft markets
today. Ascends latest Flightglobal
Fleet Forecast predicts that almost
50% of the overall value of new
aircraft deliveries (either passenger or new-build freighter aircraft)
over the next 20 years will be delivered into this sector.
With product strategies covering
markets for 250 seats and above,
Airbus and Boeing will continue to
exploit this segment and deliver
around 7,000 passenger and 800
freighter aircraft through 2033,
worth almost $1,250 billion in todays delivery dollars.
PRODUCT OPPORTUNITY
The market is expected to gravitate towards the 300- and 350seat sectors, where Airbuss
A350-900 and -1000, A330-300
and newly launched A330900neo, and Boeings 787-9/10
and 777X families are focused.
More than 60% of delivery
value will be seen in these sectors.
While the majority of widebody
aircraft in production or development today target 8,000nm
(14,800km) design range, the recent launch of the A330neo family
is evidence of the opportunity that
exists in this sector for a product
whose performance is optimised
towards shorter-range sectors.
Boeing
The 300- to 350-seat segment will dominate widebody market

For example, according to
Flightglobals Innovata airline
schedules database, more than
60% of todays widebody passenger ights are own on routes of
less than 3,000nm range. It is in
this segment where a potential
challenge to the duopoly could
arise in the longer term, with the
market opportunity in Asia-Pacific and China in the latter part of
the forecast being large enough to
perhaps justify a market entrant
from a new original equipment
manufacturer such as Comac.
The 200- and 250-seat sectors
are difcult to predict. Many airlines have shifted eets upwards
in size from 767s, A300s and
A330-200s into larger aircraft over
the last decade, driven by the
need to minimise unit costs. Nev-
ertheless, in pure demand terms

there remains a large potential
need for aircraft in the 787-8 and
A330-800neo size bracket, or even
smaller. This may encourage
product developments at some
point in the next decade.
The very large aircraft sector is
expected to remain a relatively
niche segment. Deliveries of
nearly 650 A380s and 747-8s are
expected for both passenger and
cargo use over the next 20 years,
although this probably implies
some product improvements.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Asia-Pacic is expected to present the
largest market opportunity, with
almost 30% of delivery value
over the forecast period, increasing to 40% if Chinas deliveries
are also included.
An important, but sometimes

overlooked sector of the widebody market is the passenger-tofreighter (P2F) conversion business. Although air freight
markets have been moribund
over the past couple of years,
there are encouraging signs of
growth returning to the market,
with IATAs August 2014 gures
indicating year-to-date growth
over 2013 of 4.5%.
Although there are signs of a
shift towards more trafc being
carried in the bellies of passenger
aircraft, as already noted, demand for new widebody freighter
aircraft is expected to total 800
aircraft. In addition, a further 540
passenger twin-aisle aircraft are
expected to be converted to cargo
usage over the period of the forecast. This includes further conversions of current types such as
the 767-300ER and A300-600, but
is largely dependent on the successful launch of P2F programmes for the A330 and 777.
Overall, passenger and cargo
widebody markets are expected to
continue to drive half the market
value over the next 20 years, with
Airbus and Boeing continuing their
dominance of the sector. The threat
of a new entrant exists, but the
barriers to entry are signicant.
Richard Evans is senior
consultant at Ascend
REGIONAL AIRLINER DELIVERIES 2014-2033
DOWNLOAD A FLEET FORECAST TASTER

350 seaters
35%
Freighters
10%
Large
10%
300 seaters
29%
SOURCE: Flightglobal Fleet Forecast
flightglobal.com
250 seaters
12%
200 seaters
4%
Flightglobals consultancy division Ascend has launched

d
its 2014 long-term forecast report for the commercial
aviation sector. The Flightglobal Fleet Forecast is available by subscription only and predicts the delivery of
36,860 commercial jets and turboprops over the next
20 years, worth almost $2.6 trillion.
liver-r
The report includes information such as predicted deliveries by the major manufacturers, an annual breakdown off new fleets
and an in-depth commentary covering key industry drivers such as
traffic growth, oil prices and aircraft financing.
To download a sample document and find out how to subscribe
to the forecast, visit ightglobal.com/eetforecast
25
COVER STORY
MOST MEMORABLE
MOMENTS OF 2014
Boeing
From the CSeries grounding, through the losses of two Malaysia Airlines 777s in very
different circumstances to the A350 delivery, we recall the big stories of the past 12 months
787-9 DELIVERED
Boeing finalised design of the stretched,
290-seat-class 787-9 in September 2010. The
first aircraft flew on 17 September 2013, and was
delivered, as scheduled, to launch customer Air
New Zealand on 8 July.
The clockwork-like execution of the 787-9
stands in sharp contrast to the drama and surprises that hijacked the development and testing
schedule of the 787-8. Still, the legacy of the 787-8
left its mark on the 787-9, which was originally

scheduled to enter service in 2010.
In many ways, the 787-9 is the redemption
story of the 787 programme. It was designed
under a process that was overhauled after the
787-8 breakdowns. It also carries many of the
design and reliability improvements that were
learned only after many hard lessons on the
787-8 in service.
The 787-9 also incorporates a new technology

with a hybrid laminar flow control system, which is
designed to make the non-lifting vertical tail practically invisible to drag-inducing airflow.
But the congratulatory mood can only last so
long. Boeing now faces the challenge of ramping
up production of the 787-9 within a fast-moving
assembly process, while not causing any new delays to the programme.
flightglobal.com
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Bombardier
RESTRUCTURE FOR
BOMBARDIER AFTER
CSERIES GROUNDING
Bombardiers woes were epitomised by a 100-day
hiatus of CSeries flight tests beginning on 29 May.
The delay was caused by a design flaw in the
lubrication system for the low-pressure turbine of
the Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan,
which was fixed by mid-September.
Amid the CSeries test fleet grounding,
Bombardier rebuilt the corporate structure of its
aerospace division. The company split into three
standalone units for commercial aircraft, business
jets and aerostructures and engineering services.
While rumours spread of an imminent acquisition, the CSeries test programme got back to
business. The maturity of the fly-by-wire system
had been an issue since first flight in September
2013. During the pause, Bombardier completed
development of the normal mode of the fly-by-wire
control system. By early October 2014, the
CSeries programme was finally cleared to activate
normal mode-enabled test points.
The Pentagons plan was simple:

retire the Fairchild Republic A-10
fleet and transfer the $3.5 billion
savings to the Lockheed Martin
F-35 programme.
For a few months, it seemed like
the plan was supported. The powerful House Armed Services
Committee voted to endorse the
A-10 fleet retirement. It is rare for
the full membership of the House of
Representatives to overrule the
armed services panel, but this time
it happened.
The House voted to restore funding for the A-10, leaving the fleets
Airbus
US DEFENCE CUTS
fate in the hands of the Senate.
It also complicated the
Pentagons plans. Not only was
there a new, $3.5 billion hole in the
long-term operating budget, with
even more severe cuts looming
ahead, there was also a practical
question. The US Air Force had
planned to transfer experienced
A-10 maintainers to the F-35A programme starting in 2016, as A-10
units were disintegrated. With A-10s
still flying beyond 2016, however,
the F-35A programme risked a new
delay as the USAF scrambled to find
qualified maintainers.
A350-900 ARRIVES AT LAST
Rex Features
There was a time that the market

believed Airbus had no answer to
the Boeing 787.
With the date of delivery of the
first A350-900 to Qatar Airways to
be finalised as we closed for press,
there can be no doubt that Airbus
will remain a market force in the
medium widebody segment for
decades.
The A350 arrives in the market
very different from how Airbus originally envisaged the aircraft, which
was unveiled in 2005 as an A330200 with new wings, engines and
cockpit but alas the same fuselage. Airbus quickly realised its
error thanks to a storm of protest
flightglobal.com
by angry customers and refashioned the A350 into the Extra Wide
Body (XWB) family.
Now endowed with a marketfriendly cross section, Airbus chased
the same market as the 787 with a
very different design philosophy, eschewing the single-piece composite
barrels and bleedless systems architecture of its competitor.
That approach helped the A350
speed through the flight test
phase on schedule in 14 months,
with certification by the European
Aviation Safety Agency granted in
September, followed by the
Federal Aviation Administrations
nod in November.
COVER STORY
EMBRAERS LEGACY 500 CERTIFICATED

the first aircraft in its class to offer fly-by-wire technology. The eight-passenger aircraft is designed
as a usurper to traditional midsize models such
as the Cessna Citation Sovereign+ but also to
the super-midsize players, including the
Bombardier Challenger 350, thanks to its 1.83m
(6ft) high stand-up cabin and 3,130nm

(5,800km) range. Embraer will now be hoping to
usher in a new era for the superlight business jet
class late next year with the introduction of its
Legacy 450, which also features fly-by-wire-technology and a stand-up cabin.
Embraer
Embraers ambition to become a major player in

the business aviation market took a huge leap
forward in October when its all-new Legacy 500
twinjet finally entered service after a six-year development and certification effort. The eagerly
anticipated business jet launched in 2008 is
DELTA ORDERS THE A350
Airbus
Since March, Delta Air Lines had solicited for new

aircraft to replace 16 Boeing 747-400s largely
flying to Asia and most of its 58 767-300s flying
across the Atlantic.
The incumbency advantage seemed to favour a
Boeing bid with the 787-9, perhaps augmented by
a number of end-of-line 777-300ERs.
But Delta despite a long history of supporting
Boeing had shown more open-mindedness
since its acquisition of Northwest Airlines in
2008, having ordered 10 A330-300s and 30
A321s in 2013.
In the end, Boeings offer proved insufficient.
Thanks possibly to a major order cancellation of
the A350 aircraft by Emirates earlier this year,
Airbus could offer Delta more production slots in
the short term than Boeing. It could also offer the
A350-900 with optimised performance on long,
trans-Pacific routes and A330-900neos that were
optimised to fly on shorter transatlantic trips.
As a result, Airbus gains a significant new partner in the US market, adding to an already strong
relationship with American Airlines.
flightglobal.com
Rex Features
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
MITSUBISHI REGIONAL JET ROLLED OUT

the worlds type certificate holders
of commercial aircraft.
After a two-year delay in the development phase, flight testing is scheduled to start in 2015. First delivery of
the Pratt & Whitney PW1200Gpowered MRJ90 is in 2017, or one
year ahead of Embraers E190 E2.
Mitsubishi Aircraft needs several
hundred sales to break even on the
project, which can ensure that Japan
remains a viable aircraft manufacturer. So far, the order book stands
at 191 firm.
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MH370
Mitsubishi Aircraft
An aircraft roll-out is a cheap milestone compared with the drama of a

first flight and the achievement of
airworthiness certification.
In a place like Japan, however,
which has not rolled out a new commercial transport in 52 years, such
a milestone is a historic event.
The Mitsubishi Regional Jet rolled
into a hangar in Nagoya, Japan, on
18 October, to the sounds of traditional drums and a childrens choir,
rekindling the national industrys
ambition to return to the ranks of
In an age of satellite communications and sophisticated onboard

avionics, it was not supposed to
happen. On 8 March, a Malaysia
Airlines Boeing 777-200ER enroute from Kuala Lumpur to
Beijing and carrying 239 passengers and crew literally vanished
into thin air shortly after take-off.
Clues pointed to a sudden diversion as a result of a possible onboard hijacking by one or both of
the pilots or someone else on
board. But without any claims of

responsibility or mobile phone
messages from passengers, as
there was on 9/11, and with no
crash site or wreckage found despite extensive searches from the
Gulf of Thailand to the southern
Indian Ocean off western
Australia, it looks likely to become
one of aviations biggest mysteries. In a cruel twist, it was the first
of two 777 losses suffered by
Malaysia Airlines during the year.
BOEING LAUNCHES 737 MAX 200

737-800 owned a nine-seat advantage over the
maximum capacity of the rival Airbus A320, it
did not seem like a priority.
Then, Airbus changed the conversation, unveiling plans for a 189-seat version of the
A320ceo and A320neo on 3 July.
Less than two weeks later, Boeing responded
by announcing the 737 Max 200 on the eve of
the Farnborough air show. Predictably, Ryanair

signed an order for 100 of the 737 Max 8-derived aircraft less than two months later.
Equipped with a mid-aft exit complex that is
borrowed from the 737-900ER, the 737 Max
200 restores Boeings seat-count advantage
right at the meaty heart of a booming narrowbody market.
Boeing
For years, several prominent Boeing customers

led by the outspoken Ryanair chief executive
Michael OLeary publicly begged the manufacturer to add 11 seats to the maximum capacity
of the 737-800, which is rated to carry up to
189 passengers in a one-class configuration.
If Boeing was privately reassuring customers,
its executives were not budging publicly. As the
flightglobal.com
COVER STORY
AIRBUS HITS BACK WITH A330NEO

IN WIDEBODY WAR
seemed to coalesce around the idea of
re-engining the A330-200.
Airbus offered a re-engined version of
a 20-year-old, successful airframe. For
Rolls-Royce, it was an opportunity to capitalise on its investment in the Trent XWB
engine technology. GE Aviation, preferred
to sit out the competition, to focus on
developing its share of the CFM
International Leap-1A and the Passport
and GE9X engines.
Solar Impulse
Airbus
What was Airbus going to do about the

A350-800? That question has reverberated throughout the industry virtually
since the type was unveiled as the smallest of the three A350XWB variants in
2006. The market was not only slow to
embrace the little sister of the A350900, it had started rejecting the few orders the type had claimed.
Clearly, Airbus would have to do something, and by late 2013 the consensus
SOLAR IMPULSE SPARKS ROUND-THE-WORLD AMBITION

After notching up milestones ranging from flying
through the night to crossing the USA, the
Payerne, Switzerland-based Solar Impulse project
moved a step closer to a multilegged circumnavigation in 2015 with the maiden flight of a second, larger aircraft capable of flying far enough to
cross oceans.
Solar Impulse 2 is a wonder of engineering.
With the help of partners such as power and au-
tomation specialist ABB, design software house

Dassault Systmes and Bayer MaterialScience,
the team has created a machine with the wingspan of a Boeing 747 but the mass about 2.3t
of a small car.
Project leaders Bertrand Piccard and Andr
Borschberg are both accomplished aviators Borschberg flew jets in the Swiss air force for 20
years and does aerobatics in his spare time, and
Piccard is a veteran of the 1999 Breitling

Orbiter round-the-world balloon flight but either will tell you that the project is not, at root,
about aviation. Rather, it is about energy, using
an inspirational platform to demonstrate that
mankind can, if it chooses to do so, meet its
formidable environmental challenges with technology that is essentially available today. Lets
all hope theyre right.
flightglobal.com
Rex Features
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
COMET CHASER
PROBES ORIGINS
OF SOLAR SYSTEM
Rex Features
As if flying for 10 years and 6.4 billion

km (4.0 billion miles) to a 6 August rendezvous with a comet hurtling towards
the Sun wasnt spectacular enough,
ESA marked up another first by sending
a small probe to land on the surface
of 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko. In
the event, the lander, Philae, touched
down more or less exactly on the spot
chosen by ESA.
But the failure of a grappling mechanism designed to secure Philae to a minimal gravity space rock barely 4km
across left it to bounce twice and come
to rest with one of four feet in the air
and its solar panels in the shade. Not
knowing where Philae was or how activating any mechanical systems would
affect its possibly precarious balance,
ground control faced agonising choices
as it sought to make the most of about
two days of battery power. In the end,
Philae and its masters in Darmstadt and
Cologne got through most of its primary
science mission and relayed the data
home via Rosetta, which continues to
track, and study, 67P. Stellar stuff.
EADS TRANSFORMS
ITSELF INTO AIRBUS
On 1 January, one of the industrys biggest
corporate rebrandings since the creation of
EADS itself 10 years previously began when
the European group adopted the name of its
biggest subsidiary, Airbus. The cumbersome
European Aeronautic Defence and Space
had always been a terrible moniker but reverting to Airbus Group has caused confusion. While the commercial aircraft business
remains Airbus, Eurocopter has become
Airbus Helicopters with the newly-named
Cassidian defence unit merged with the
Astrium space business into, simply, Airbus
Defence and Space. While once EADS bosses had wanted to broaden its portfolio from
reliance on its civil aircraft activities, falling
government defence and space budgets and
the worlds seemingly growing appetite for
its commercial jets led to an acceptance
that it made sense to fall into line behind its
globally recognised brand. Even the groups
twin headquarters in Paris and Munich reflecting the original Franco-German EADS
alliance were shut, with Tom Enders and
his team moving to Toulouse.
flightglobal.com
MH17 SHOOT-DOWN
Tensions between the West and Russia were already heightened after Moscows annexation of
the Crimea and support for a separatist movement
in eastern Ukraine, following the overthrow of the
president and disputed elections in Kiev earlier in
the year. A bloody civil conflict began and, on 17
July, 298 passengers and crew on board a
Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER flying over
the Donetsk region joined its list of victims when a
ground-to-air missile suspected to have been
Russian-supplied hit the airliner and caused it to
break up in mid-air. Apart from being the second

777 loss for Malaysia Airlines this year, the event
sparked a row over access to the crash site for
investigators and a debate in the industry over
how to establish a system for warning airlines of
the risks of flying over conflict areas. A new cold
war has also nudged closer as the Putin government wounded by sanctions has begun shows
of airborne military strength on its western borders, and NATO has responded by carrying out exercises in the Baltics.
Gulfstream
COVER STORY
NEW ARRIVALS IN LARGE-CABIN BUSINESS AVIATION SEGMENT

Dassault and Gulfstream upped the ante in the
increasingly crowded large-cabin, long-range sector
with the launch in May and October respectively of
the Falcon 8X and G650ER/G500/G600 trio.
The 8X is a stretched and longer-legged version
of the 7X and sits at the helm of Dassaults sixstrong high-end Falcon business jet family, whose
entry-level product is the 3,350nm-range
(6,200km) super-midsize 2000S. The flagship trijet
has a range of 6,450nm (11,950 km) compared
with 5,950nm for the 7X more powerful Pratt &

Whitney Canada PW307D engines and a redesigned ultra-efficient wing derived from its stablemate. First flight is scheduled for early next year,
leading to certification and service entry in 2016.
Gulfstream doubled its offering at the top end of
the business jet sector with the launch of three new
models. The flagship G650ER which entered service last month is a longer-legged version of the
two-year-old G650. It boasts a range of 7,500nm
more than any other traditional business aircraft

in service today. The General Dynamics subsidiary
also unmasked its secretive P42 project which
turned out to be two clean-sheet business jets.
The G500 and G600 are positioned in the
Gulfstream product line above the G450 and
G550. The high-speed duo will be the launch applications for Pratt & Whitney Canadas PW800
turbofan, marking Gulfstreams departure from its
long-time engine supplier, Rolls-Royce.
It will not enter full operational capability until the 2020s, but the naming of the UK Royal Navys HMS
Queen Elizabeth at Rosyth dockyard
on 4 July marked a significant milestone in a long process that will see
the country regain an airborne capability at sea following the retirement
of its last 22,000t Invincible class
carrier, HMS Illustrious, this year.
One of two 65,000t vessels commissioned from the BAE Systems-
Embraer
UK UNVEILS NEW AIRCRAFT CARRIER

and Thales-led Aircraft Carrier
Alliance, HMS Queen Elizabeth will
be able to mount sustained operations with an embarked air wing of
up to 40 aircraft, including the navys
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HM2
multirole rotorcraft and its Merlin
HC4 amphibious support helicopters. Up to 24 Lockheed Martin
F-35Bs can be accommodated on
the flightdeck. The vessel is due to
begin sea trials in 2016.
EMBRAER ROLLS OUT THE KC-390
Aircraft Carrier Alliance
Rolling out all-new aircraft has become an almost yearly exercise in

Brazil. The past decade has seen
the debut of four different E-Jets,
two Phenom-series jets, the
Lineage 1000, a new early-warning
version of the ERJ-145 and three
types of Legacy models.
Added to this bulging portfolio
on 21 October is perhaps the
most ambitious of all of Embraers
recent projects: the KC-390 tanker-transport.
In front of a global audience
assembled amid the endless sug-
ar cane fields surrounding

Embraers flight test centre in
Gavio Peixoto, the first fully-assembled KC-390 rolled out of the
factory five months after the
Brazilian air force signed an order
for 28 aircraft.
So far, the KC-390 has stayed
on track, but Embraer still has
much to prove. Getting the KC-390
through an aggressive flight test
schedule in 2015 is only one challenge. It then enters a global market to confront the Lockheed
Martin C-130J.
flightglobal.com
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Sukhois T-50 has lived an unusually public life for a Russian stealth fighter since
it was publicly unveiled in January 2010.
In June 2014, it experienced an unusually public mishap. A fire erupted over
the right engine intake as a T-50 landed
at the Zhukovsky test centre near
Moscow. Sukhoi briefly posted pictures
showing the damaged fighter on its web
site, but then removed the images.
It was the first known malfunction
within the PAK FA development programme since an engine stall on a
takeoff roll at the MAKS 2011 air show.
Until the engine fire, the T-50 programme appeared to be making steady
progress. Sukhoi established a commission to investigate the incident, but to
date no findings have been disclosed. The
Russian air force expects to take delivery
of the first operational T-50s in 2016.
United Aircraft
RUSSIAS PAK-FA
CATCHES FIRE
VIRGIN GALACTIC SPACE HOPES DASHED ON FLOOR OF MOJAVE DESERT

Six weeks later, SpaceShipTwo crashed into the
Mojave desert, killing one of its test pilots and
severely injuring the other. The craft, air-launched
from about 45,000ft from its dedicated carrier
aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo, initiated rocket-powered
flight to test a new propellant but broke up seconds later. The NTSB is still investigating, but early findings ruled out a rocket explosion and
pointed squarely at unintentional activation of a
mechanism that swings the empennage upwards,

out of the airflow meant to slow the craft and
control it, like a badminton shuttle, during the early stages of re-entry.
Meanwhile, SpaceShipTwo is grounded, having
flown no higher in previous tests than about
70,000ft. At 300,000ft-plus and with serious
question marks hanging over safety and risk appetite, space remains a very long way away.
Rex Features
In September, Virgin Galactic boss Richard

Branson appeared on David Lettermans late night
talk show and told millions of US television viewers the company would open the era of commercial flights to suborbital space in February or
March 2015. He even held open the possibility
that the oft-delayed first test flight beyond the
100km (62 miles) altitude line dividing Earth from
space could happen in 2014.
flightglobal.com
CFM
COVER STORY
CFMS LEAP TAKES FLIGHT

tion of the Leap-1A for the Airbus A320neo. The
engines are identical except for installation
hardware differences. The first Leap-1A test
engine is being installed on a Boeing 747-400.
CFM has been optimising the ground and
flight test schedule to keep certification milestones on track despite a five-month slip for
the start of flight testing. The Leap-1A engine
certification is expected in 2015.
Rex Features
GEs flying testbed a Boeing 747-100 had

been flying for four years when the CFM
International joint venture was formed in 1974.
On 6 October, that aircraft marked the 40th
anniversary of the partnership between GE
and Snecma, hosting first flight of the Leap
series of engines in Victorville, California.
The first flight involved the Leap-1C for the
Comac C919, but the flights support certifica-
F-35 FAILS TO SHOW UP AT FARNBOROUGH

Japan to buy 100 more F-35s after the 42 ordered.
But the F-35s most memorable moment of
2014 came on the aviation industrys biggest
stage at the Farnborough air show. Unfortunately,
it was for all the wrong reasons.
Three weeks before, an engine failure on a routine take-off by an F-35A suddenly cast doubt on
the highly anticipated debut of the short take-off
Rex Features
Lockheed Martin can claim many great successes

for the F-35 programme in 2014. The F-35C operated from an aircraft carrier for the first time in a
critical series of tests. The eighth lot of the low-rate
initial production contract was signed, with a
steady reduction in price per unit. And it made progress on the export front, finalising a deal with
South Korea and gaining a commitment from
and vertical landing F-35B. In the lead-up to the

airshow, the F-35B also missed scheduled appearances at the 4 July christening of the HMS Queen
Elizabeth and the Royal International Air Tattoo.
Despite slim odds of a reversal, the US Marine
Corps kept Farnborough watchers waiting until the
second day of the show before confirming that the
F-35B would not make it.
J-31 MAKES APPEARANCE AT ZHUHAI

The AVIC J-31 stealth fighter made its debut at the Zhuhai air show. With US president Barack
Obama in Beijing for the Asia-Pacific Summit, a prototype made sooty contrails in the sky.
The show of force capped a five-year burst of activity by Chinese aerospace companies.
Also attending the show in early November was the AVIC Y-20, a jet-powered transport similar
in size to the Boeing C-17. The AVIC J-20 stealth fighter was not sighted, but its presence
was palpable as Chinese industry flexed its new line-up of powerful capabilities.
The J-31s debut also showed the limits of Chinas reach in the military aircraft market.
The J-31 will be exported with Russian-made RD-93 engines adapted from the MiG-29.
Assuming Russia will approve the engine transfers, the J-31s most likely customers
Pakistan, Iran and Egypt are on nobodys list of the worlds most reliable arms buyers.
flightglobal.com
AIRBUS AND BOEING

UP MONTHLY
PRODUCTION RATES
Airbus
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
It was supposed to be a quiet year for

commercial aircraft orders. Despite
several years of record annual orders
races, the market in 2014 was still hungry for more, signing up for 2,305 firm
orders combined from Airbus and
Boeing by 2 December. That puts 2014
third on the list of all-time annual order
records, behind only 2007 and 2013.
That sales performance only put
pressure on a combined order backlog
of more than 11,000 aircraft, with
Airbus and Boeing capable of delivering
only about 1,400 aircraft a year.
Airbus and Boeing continued to raise
output. By 2018 or 2019, planned increases by both will raise combined
deliveries to about 2,000 aircraft a year.
With oil prices sagging and non-US and
UK economies facing sluggish growth
or recession, many analysts wonder
how long the boom sales era will last.
Saab
BEECHCRAFT AND CESSNA UNITE

UNDER TEXTRON AVIATION
Two of the most venerable brands
in the business and general aviation industry Cessna and
Beechcraft - were brought together
under the same corporate umbrella
in March following the formation of
Textron Aviation.
The launch was preceded by the
$1.4 billion acquisition in
December 2013 of Beechcraft, by
US aerospace company and
Cessna owner Textron.
The 85-year old airframer had
undergone years of financial and
organisational turmoil prior to its

sale, during which time it had filed
for bankruptcy, flirted with a
Chinese take-over, and shed the
historical Hawker business jet production lines.
The newly created Textron
Aviation unit comprises the broadest range of aircraft on the market
including the TTx high-performance
piston single, the King Air family of
twin engine turboprops and the
Citation line of light and mediumsized business jets.
SWITZERLAND REJECTS GRIPEN
flightglobal.com
Cessna
People power defeated a significant export deal for Saabs Gripen E

fighter in Switzerland. In a referendum on 18 May, voters narrowly decided against allowing funds for the purchase of 22 aircraft. Although
there were warnings from Swiss politicians that such a result would
cause a security gap for the landlocked nation, the Swedish manufacturer appeared to accept that the deal was dead. Bern was due to decommission its main air defence assets, Boeing F/A-18s, in 2025.
Saab can console itself with the fact that it has won significant export
business, including with Brazil. In November, Saab signed a contract for
36 Gripen NGs out of what the Brasilia government said would be a requirement for 108 of the aircraft.
FESTIVE QUIZ
Im jetting off for

some winter sun
Rex Features
Im in my element
right here, thanks!
Answers on page 50
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
For many, the holiday season is about family and friends, contemplation of the good
things that have come our way during the year, a well-deserved rest from our labours,
recovery from Black Friday, food, booze and even spiritual celebration. But if youve
had enough of all that stuff, why not do something truly fullling and have a go at
Uncle Rogers Festive Quiz? Multiple choice and photo identication, with answers at
the back or, if you prefer, you can take the challenge online at ightglobal.com/quiz14
AIR TRANSPORT
1. What new technology for a commercial airliner was introduced by Boeing on the 787-9?
a. Adaptive bypass ratio engines
b. Hybrid laminar flow control
c. Aero-elastic wings
d. Automated speech recognition for cockpit
commands
2. Which new aircraft concept did NOT emerge
from either Airbus or Boeing in 2014?
a. A321neoLR
b. 737 Max 200
c. A330-800
d. 757 Max
7. Which US carrier ordered 50 Airbus A350s?

a. Delta Air Lines
b. United Airlines
c. American Airlines
d. JetBlue Airways
8. In April, Mesa Air Lines agreed to buy four
regional aircraft from a mothballed Alitalia
eet. What type were they?
a. Sukhoi Superjet 100
b. Embraer ERJ 145
c. Bombardier CRJ900
d. ATR 72
3. How many ight hours had been amassed

by four Bombardier CS100s from rst ight
on 16 September 2013 to a grounding
caused by an engine failure on 29 May
2014?
a. About 300
b. Nearly 2,400
c. Slightly more than 600
d. Less than 100
4. Which country would have been the site of a
Dash 8 Q400 assembly plant if negotiations
with Bombardier had not failed?
a. China
b. Brazil
c. Russia
d. USA
5. What Asia-Pacic carrier operates the

worlds longest route?
a. Singapore Airlines: SIN-JFK
b. Cathay Pacific: HKG-LHR
c. All Nippon Airways: NRT-ATL
d. Qantas Airways: DFW-SYD
flightglobal.com
Max Kingsley-Jones/Flightglobal
6. Which Russian air defence system was identied by US ofcials as the source of an alleged missile attack that caused Malaysia
Airlines ight MH17 to crash in Ukraine on
17 July?
a. Tor-M1
b. S-300
c. Patriot
d. Buk
FESTIVE QUIZ
9. In its investigation of the 2013 battery re

on a Japan Airlines 787 at Bostons Logan
airport, the US NTSB raised quality control
concerns about which Japanese supplier to
Boeing?
a. Mitsubishi
b. Takamatsu
c. Panasonic
d. GS Yuasa
10. Which Middle Eastern carrier is taking a

49% stake in Alitalia as part of a bid to save
the troubled Italian ag carrier?
a. Emirates
b. Gulf Air
c. Etihad
d. Royal Jordanian Airlines
DEFENCE
1. Which aircraft did the US military NOT attempt to retire in 2014?
a. U-2S
b. A-10
c. B-52
d. OH-58
2. Before a series of development delays and
budget cutbacks arose, how many F-35s of
all variants was Lockheed Martin expected
to deliver in 2014 under a 2007 procurement plan?
a. 27
b. 63
c. 118
d. 205
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
3. Which rotorcraft conguration was NOT

considered as part of the competition for
the US Armys future vertical lift programme?
a. Stop/fold rotor
b. Compound rigid coaxial rotor
c. Optimum speed tiltrotor
d. Coaxial main rotor/dual ducted fan
4. A pair of Lockheed Martin F-35Cs made the
types historic rst visit to the deck of an
aircraft carrier. Which US Navy vessel did
they operate from?
a. George HW Bush
b. Nimitz
c. Ronald Reagan
d. Theodore Roosevelt
5. The Swiss public blocked the planned purchase of a new ghter for the nations air
force in a close-run referendum vote. Which
type did the people of Bern spurn?
a. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
b. Dassault Rafale
c. Eurofighter Typhoon
d. Saab Gripen
6. Which Middle Eastern nations air force is
the rst to eld a gunship variant of the
Airbus Military CN235?
a. Jordan
b. Saudi Arabia
c. United Arab Emirates
d. Yemen
7. The UK has deployed its rst Boeing RC135W Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft operationally. What is the types home base?
a. Brize Norton
b. Coningsby
c. Mildenhall
d. Waddington
8. Textron AirLand brought its new aircraft to
the UK just months after the types debut
ight. What is it called?
a. Cobra
b. Mantis
c. Scorpion
d. Viper
9. What Chinese ghter made its debut at this
years Zhuhai air show?
a. J-20
b. J-31
c. JF-17
d. J-10
10. Which nation is South Koreas partner on
the KFX indigenous ghter programme?
a. Turkey
b. India
c. United States
d. Indonesia
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
ENGINES
1. Which engine component was blamed for a
re that erupted within a Lockheed Martin
F-35A in June at Eglin AFB?
a. Low-pressure turbine
b. Integrally bladed rotor
c. Fan-drive gear system
d. 3D-printed fuel nozzle
2. What engine selected to power the Comac
C919 entered ight testing in October?
a. Leap-1B
b. CJ1000
c. PW1900G
d. Leap-1C
K
An upside down
Delta is a V,
if that helps
3. What is the key technology proposed for the

next-generation engine funded by the US Air
Force Research Laboratorys AETP programme to power new bombers and ghters?
a. Adaptive bypass fan
b. Scramjet
c. Pulse-detonation
d. Combined cycle rocket ramjet
BUSINESS AVIATION
1. By how many nautical miles did Gulfstream
increase the range of the G650 with the
newly-launched G650ER variant?
a. 250
b. 500
c. 1,000
d. 2,000
2. Which engine company lost a bid to power
the Gulfstream G500 and G600 despite
owning a half-century-long, exclusive partnership with the Savannah-based manufacturer?
a. Pratt & Whitney
b. General Electric
c. Pratt & Whitney Canada
d. Rolls-Royce
3. Into which business jet sector was

Dassaults Falcon 8X launched in May
a. Midsize
b. Super-midsize
c. Large-cabin
d. Ultra-long-range
4. Which all-new light business jet was rolledout in August?
a. Cessna CJ3+
b. Pilatus PC-24
c. Bombardier Learjet 70
d. HondaJet
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
5. Which struggling turboprop programme was

snapped up by Malaysian company Aspirasi
Pertiwi
a. Kestrel
b. Quest Kodiak
c. Evektor EV-55 Outback
d. Daher-Socata TBM 900
6. Which member of the Bombardier product
line is nally getting an upgrade?
a. Global 6000
b. Challenger 350
c. Global 5000
d. Challenger 605
OPERATIONS AND SAFETY

1. Which factor is accepted as the biggest
single contributor to todays improved airline safety gures?
a. Better air traffic management
b. Improved flightdeck crew resource management
c. More reliable aero engines
d. More advanced avionics systems technology
2. What is the most common reason for
Western-built jet airliners to have crashed
fatally following an event in the cruise phase
of ight (like MH370)?
a. Sabotage
b. Shot-down
c. Hijacking
d. Fire
Rex Features, Max Kingsley-Jones/Flightglobal
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
Q
3. Under what circumstances would timebased (rather than distance-based) separation on nal approach have the potential to
improve the landing rate at a busy airport?
a. In poor visibility
b. In high crosswind
c. In high headwind
d. In windshear conditions
4. What is the common aerodynamic principle
that explains subsonic lift?
a. Boyles Law
b. Newtons Second Law
c. Bernoullis theorem
d. Venturi effect
5. What sequence would a pilot expect to experience if an aircraft encountered a downburst-generated windshear on nal
approach?
a. Sudden airspeed drop, then airspeed increase, then another airspeed drop
b. Sudden airspeed increase, then airspeed
drop, then further airspeed drop
c. Sudden airspeed increase, then another increase, then airspeed drop
d. Sudden airspeed drop, then further airspeed
drop
6. Which communication system has provided

the only clues regarding the whereabouts
and ight data of Malaysia Airlines ight
370 after it disappeared from Malaysia air
trafc control secondary radar on 8 March?
a. Inmarsat
b. ACARS
c. VHF
d. Iridium
HISTORY
1. Which Sikorsky helicopter marked the 75th
anniversary of its rst ight in September?
a. UH-60
b. X2
c. VS-300
d. S-76
3. 1 January 2014 marked the centenary of

which aviation rst?
a. Solo flight by a woman
b. Wing walk
c. Scheduled flight with paying passengers
d. Cross-Channel airmail flight
2. Which seminal aviation technology was

demonstrated for the rst time by Lawrence
Sperry near Paris in June 1914?
a. GPS
b. Autopilot
c. Jet propulsion
d. Radar
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
4. How did the German airship Graf Zeppelin

make history 85 years ago, in August
1929?
a. Flew around the world
b. Hosted an airborne musical performance
c. Bombed an enemy position
d. Took aerial photos of Antarctica
5. Which aviation organisation turned 70 years

old in 2014?
a. Federal Aviation Administration
b. Civil Aviation Authority
c. International Civil Aviation Organisation
d. International Air Transport Association
2. The European Space Agency notched up

two rsts when its Rosetta spacecraft rendezvoused with a comet and its Philae
lander touched down on that celestial body.
In history, what was Philae?
a.
b.
c.
d.
An Egyptian obelisk with inscriptions that

helped decipher the Rosetta stone
The ancient Egyptian god of the cosmos
The Dutch astronomer who first charted a
comets path around the Sun
Galileos dog
3. Which European spacecraft is being adapted as the service module for NASAs crewcapable Orion deep space programme?
a. BepiColombo
b. Automated Transfer Vehicle
c. IXV (Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle)
d. Ariane 5
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
flightglobal.com
Rex Features, Max Kingsley-Jones/Flightglobal
SPACEFLIGHT
1. When tensions over Ukraine led Russia to
end exports of the RD-180 motors which
power the Atlas V rocket, the US Air Force
called for an all-American replacement.
Which company launches the Atlas V?
a. SpaceX
b. ATK
c. United Launch Alliance
d. Orbital Sciences
Chocks away
and tug the
reins!
When Orbital Sciences Antares rocket was

destroyed in a reball seconds after launch
in October, what payload was lost?
Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission
NASA Solar Probe
International Space Station supplies
Not known US government classified
5. In July, Russia completed the rst test ight

of what rocket that will eventually replace
its oft-own but prone-to-disaster Proton-M?
a. Astrakhan
b. Angara
c. Gagarin
d. Vostok
6. NASAs Orion capsule made its maiden ight
on 5 December, carrying test dummies rather than astronauts. How many astronauts
can Orion seat on a deep space mission?
a. Four
b. Five
c. Six
d. Seven
Answers on page 50
100 YEARS AGO
FLIGHT
DURING
WARTIME
Editor and founder Stanley Spooner

does his best to be upbeat in his
editorial comment and review of the
year. What a memorable year it
has been, he notes, with some
understatement. In the design
and construction of aeroplanes,
the performances achieved on
them in the way of speed, altitude
and duration ights, it will be found
that very marked progress has
been made, he writes. While,
when we come to the practical use
of aircraft, the purposes to which
they have been put since the outbreak of the present ghastly war,
has in some respects almost exceeded what in the pages of Flight
has been so consistenly foretold
would be accomplished.
Humankind might be descending
into its bloodiest conict to date,
but for Spooner, one of the great

events of the year has been the
Aero Show in Olympia in March,
where one of the trends was the
increasing use of steel in place of
wood in the building of aeroplanes..
He adds, in a comment that shows
perhaps how unexpectedly Europe
was subsumed by total war, that
two other Aero Shows were to
have been held during the year
in Berlin in October and in Paris
in November.
Spooner goes on to relate that
in the nal summer of peace, a
WL Brock, on a Marane-Saulnier
monoplane, completed a trio of
notable victories in aerial races,
including a trip from London to
Manchester and back, with the
pilot completing the 324 miles
in 4h, 42min and 26sec.
Even 100 years ago, a

photograph was worth 1,000
words. Flight put together
some reminiscences of the
past season, including ICH
Pixton flying his Sopwith
Scout at Brooklands; the
start of a race at Shoreham,

Army airship Beta over St
Martins Church in London as
seen from Flights office window, and Garros finishing
second in the London-ParisLondon race
flightglobal.com
RETROSPECTIVE
For this festive issue, we decided to take a look at what Flight The First
Aero Weekly in the World was reporting in our 25 December issue of
1914, when the edgling, underfunded industry was about to make a
major and costly in terms of human life advance as the military
demands of the First World War drove technology MURDO MORRISON LONDON
Just as today, Flight was at the

forefront of putting technological developments into context.
W Reginald Daintys article
Radio-Telegraphic Apparatus
for Aircraft describes some of
the products installed by
Marconi in a Morane-Saulnier
monoplane and in use by the
French army and navy.
Wireless telegraphy, says
the author, has one great
advantage over other forms of
communication between
aircraft and the ground and
between aircraft and other aircraftin that it is possible to
maintain communication over
flightglobal.com
much longer distances, say, up

to about 200 kilometres during
the day and to a still greater
distance during the night.
He describes the construction
of one wireless set. The aerial
consists of a bronze cable about
1mm in diameter, ballasted at its
extremity by means of a weight
in the form of a spindle, which
ensures that the cable will unroll
and provides sufcient tension.
This aerial is allowed to trail in
the air, and owing to the speed of
the aeroplane assumes a nearly
horizontal position, thus offering
quite a negligible resistance to
the air during ight.
Eddies was Flights column on training schools, many of whose students would inevitably be going on
to combat duties over the Western
front. The page relates some of the
equipment going into operation,
and the progress of courses.
Of the other firms whose fate
has been hanging in the balance,
the Ruffy school is already in full
swing, reports the columns editor,
several of the pupils having commenced their course of tuition,
under the instruction of the James
brothers. The 60hp Gnome-engined

Caudron biplane of this school is
fitted with dual controls, and the
pupils are taken up to a sufficiently
safe altitude (about 1,000ft or so)
and are allowed to take control for
a short while in order to get the
feel of the machine. When they
have, in this manner, become accustomed to the controls, they are
sent out on the 45hp Anzaniengined biplane built by the James
brothers, on which they complete
their course of training.
TRIJETS
Clockwise from top left: Continental DC-10, World Airways and KLM MD-11s, Northwest, Canadian, Biman, Varig DC-10s, and LTU MD-11
POWER OF THREE
The era of the DC-10 and
MD-11 as passenger
airliners ended this year.
We examine the legacy of
these trijets in the market
JAMES MELLON LONDON
ll long-haul journeys on a passenger

jet these days will be on a type that
has two, or occasionally four,
engines. This year marked the end
of the era of the three-engine airliner and,
with it, the presence in the ight schedules of
a once powerful manufacturer. In a remarkable coincidence, the nal scheduled passenger services of both the McDonnell Douglas
DC-10 and its successor, the MD-11, took
place in 2014, with Biman Bangladesh and
KLM, respectively, retiring their last examples.
The trijet had its origins in 1966, when a
tender from American Airlines pitted the

California airframer against Lockheed for the
creation of a new widebody jet. The carrier required an aircraft that was smaller than the
Boeing 747 but could still operate long haul
from shorter runways. Both manufacturers
developed aircraft that seated up to 400
passengers, with the engines congured in the
same way: one under each wing and a third
mounted in the tail.
The Lockheed L1011 TriStar, the DC-10
and the MD-11 are the only three widebodies
with three engines. Apart from the Airbus
A340, similarly sized widebodies developed
since have needed just two, as engine performance has improved to give higher thrust ratings. McDonnell Douglas not only pipped
Lockheed to the American order, but the
DC-10 also beat the TriStar into service, with
American and United Airlines operating the
aircraft from August 1971.
Chris Seymour, head of market analysis at
Flightglobals Ascend consultancy, believes
the DC-10 enjoyed the better reception
because it was more suited to the needs of the
industry at the time. It found a ready market

for airlines wanting a smaller aircraft to
complement the 747 or where the DC-10 was
a better-sized replacement for their DC-8s or
707s. It outsold its rival L1011 TriStar by
almost two to one, he says.
ROUGH START
However, the early years in service of the trijet
were troubled. A malfunction in the design of
a new cargo door mechanism (which opened
outwards to free more hold space) resulted in
two major accidents when the door opened
mid-ight. Changes were made to the design
following a Federal Aviation Administration
airworthiness directive. The crash of American 191 (where the number one engine separated from the wing) resulted in the grounding
of all DC-10s for a few weeks in 1979.
Although several other high-prole accidents during the 1970s and 1980s continued
to mar the types reputation, the DC-10
achieved good sales. Of the 446 examples
built, 374 were originally passenger, combi or
quick-change aircraft, equating to 84% of the
flightglobal.com
James Mellon/Tony Best
RETROSPECTIVE
total production run. Of these, 236 (53%) continued as passenger or quick-change variants
until their operational lives ended, one way or
another.
As McDonnell Douglas looked to create the
next generation of widebody, it settled on a
strategy of rening and evolving the DC-10
into a new aircraft. It was a process that began
in 1976, long before the nal DC-10 was
produced in 1989. After a number of potential
designs were conceived over several years
and with the development programme
coming to a halt twice the MD-11 was
launched in 1986.
An estimated 2.7 billion people

have own on the DC-10 and
MD-11 over the past 43 years
some 53 new deliveries and 121 full conversions almost the entire passenger eet.
FREIGHTER FINALE
Ultimately, 200 MD-11s were produced, with
144 beginning life as passenger, combi or quickchange aircraft. Only 18 have survived their
operational lives as passenger jets, just 9% of
the production run. However, cargo variants of
both types remain in service. The DC-10s
longevity has been helped by the MD-10 conversion programme, where, among other
changes, cockpit systems were upgraded with
the same equipment as the MD-11s ightdeck.
This has been of major benet to FedEx, as
the largest operator, with 61 MD-10Fs in service. Its eet of 60 MD-11Fs will also continue
to operate for several more years. Indeed, all 10
of KLMs passenger MD-11s are being scrapped
for spares, helping to keep the remaining cargo
aircraft ying. But even at FedEx, both types are
gradually diminishing in number.
While the DC-10 and MD-11 have suffered
from negative factors, their signicance should
not be underestimated. Ascend head of consultancy Rob Morris estimates 2.7 billion people
have own on both types over the past 43 years.
Although they will leave mixed feelings in the
minds of many, there is no doubt these aircraft
have been instrumental in helping develop
long-haul air travel.
James Mellon/Tony Best
The new, larger aircraft featured a fuselage

stretched by 5.66m (18ft 6in), and following
research conducted with NASA into wing
technology the MD-11 became the rst commercial airliner to be equipped with winglets,
an innovation that has been used on many
types since. An advanced glass cockpit was
also installed that required only two ightcrew to operate, removing the requirement for
the DC-10s ight engineer.
Initially, prospects for the new-generation

type appeared strong, with a healthy number
of orders and options placed at the time of
launch for both passenger and cargo variants.
But once the rst examples had been
delivered, it transpired that the aircraft was
not reaching its projected range and fuel burn
targets. McDonnell Douglas attempted to address these issues with a package of
improvements designed to reduce drag and
increase range.
However, these efforts were not enough to
prevent some operators losing faith in the
type, with the biggest blow coming from
Singapore Airlines, which in August 1991
cancelled its order for up to 20 aircraft. While
its record was better than its predecessors, the
MD-11 suffered some blemishes to its safety
record. Two of the nine examples written off
over time were passenger aircraft, the worst
case being that of Swissair 111 in 1998 where
all 229 occupants perished.
Seymour says the MD-11 was never able to
replicate the success of its predecessor. Early
shortfalls in its payload range targets and intense competition from the all-new Airbus
A340 and Boeing 777-200ER impacted its
passenger market and led to only nine years of
deliveries, he says. Cargo conversions
began a mere ve years after service entry. It
has, however, fared better as a freighter, with
flightglobal.com
LETTERS
INTERNATIONAL
We welcome your letters on

any aspect of the aerospace
industry.
Please write to: The Editor,
Flight International, Quadrant
House, The Quadrant, Sutton,
Surrey SM2 5AS, UK.
Or email ight.international@
ightglobal.com
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on flightglobal.com
must be no longer than 250 words.
Why crash must

not halt progress
Regarding the present frame of
mind surrounding possible space
tourism in general and Virgin Galactic in particular, perhaps a reality check is in order?
Many years ago, my father saw
Mr Rolls crash, far away in time,
but not so far geographically. The
Air France 447 loss in the Atlantic has not called a halt to air
transport, though it should have
caused a crisis of condence.
Neither of these accidents has
called the future of aviation into
question and SpaceShipTwos
equally tragic crash should and
will not halt progress in reaching
towards space.
A test pilot for reasons unknown appears to have initiated a
control outside of operational parameters, causing an unexpected
and catastrophic response. The
why has to be identied and an
improved mechanism designed.
The path of experimental and
developmental aviation has been
paved with accidents, each despite the inevitable sadness
added to the store of knowledge
just as much and sometimes
more than the routine testing.
ACCIDENTS
FESTIVE QUIZ ANSWERS
Prop piercing far from unusual
AIR TRANSPORT
With reference to your article

Prop pierced Q400 fuselage
(Flight International, 18-24
November), the final remark
from Bombardier suggests it is
indeed unusual for a propeller
to pierce the passenger cabin.
A report by the Danish AAIB
of a Q400 accident at Aalborg The latest Q400 incident
in September 2007 shows it
is not that unusual if the engine is running during a landing gear
collapse. In this case, because of a corrosion induced undercarriage component failure, the right main gear would not lock down.
When the aircraft landed, the right gear collapsed and the propeller
blades hit the ground, causing three of the six blades to separate
and badly damaging the rest.
Two blades entered the cabin, one wedged in the fuselage at row
7, seat F. The other entered the cabin through the window at row 8.
There were minor injuries to a passenger seated in the aisle seat
8C. Fortunately, although the flight was fairly full, there had been
room for the crew to relocate all passengers seated in rows 6, 7
and 8 in seats D and F, before landing.
An accident three days later at Vilnius (same cause) was also a
prepared emergency, but in this case the crew shut down the right
hand engine during final approach.
SAS grounded its entire fleet of Q400s a few hours before the
Scandinavian CAA withdrew their airworthiness certificate.
Eventually they were all removed from the SAS fleet.
Frank Kristensen
Chief accident investigator (retired), SAS
Let us not forget that those engaging in test ying are aware
they run a certain risk and should
be saluted for their courage and
appropriately mourned if they
pay the price. If this single event
were to cause even a pause in aerospace development it would be
both a tragic waste of effort and a
condemnation of humanitys supposed pioneering instinct.
Richard Chandless
Crches sur Sane, France
With A380 Airbus

can compete
I agree with the letter from Craig
Smith in support of the Airbus
1. b
2. d
3. a
4. c
5. d
6. d
7. a
8. c
9. d
10. c
Rex Features
FLIGHT
flight.international@flightglobal.com
A380 (Flight International, 25

November-1 December).
Before the A380, Airbus salesmen had to go into the main carriers and say: I can give you an
A319, A320, A330 or A340. But
when Boeing came in they could
offer equivalents for all these,
plus the 747.
However, with the A380,
Airbus can deal on an equal
basis with the competition, and
the A350 ts in nicely against
the 777 and 787.
Boeing are keeping the 747-8
as the nearest they can get to an
A380. They are not daft.
WD Barbut
London, UK
DEFENCE
1. c
2. c
3. a
4. b
5. d
6. a
7. d
8. c
4. c
5. b
6. a
9. b
10. d
ENGINES
1. b
2. d
3. a
HISTORY
BUSINESS
AVIATION
1. b
2. d
3. d
4. b
5. c
6. d
1. c
2. b
3. c
4. a
5. c
SPACEFLIGHT
OPERATIONS
AND SAFETY
1. c
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. b
6. a
1. d
2. a
3. c
PHOTOGRAPHS
A. Airbus A350-900
B. Apache, British Army
C. Beechcraft AT-6
D. ATR 72
E. Beechcraft Starship 2000
F. Avro Vulcan B2
G. Boeing 787-9
H. Boeing AV-8B Harrier II
I. Boeing 727-100 and 727-200
J. Boeing 747-8F
K. Boeing 757-300
L. Bombardier CRJ900
M. DeHavilland DH110
N. DeHavilland DH112
O. Embraer E195ER
P. Boeing F/A-18, Canadian
Q. Airbus A350-900 ightdeck
R. Boeing 727 ightdeck
S. Folland Gnat T1
T. Hawker Hunters
U. LearAvia Lear Fan 2100
V. Lockheed L049 Constellation
W. Lockheed L1011-1 TriStar
X. McDonnell Douglas Phantom F-4M FGR2
Y. McDonnell Douglas DC-10-401
Z. Santa
Wrong trainer
You report (Flight International,
4-10 November) that two turboprop training aircraft have been
chosen by the UK Ministry of Defence: the Grob G120TP and the
Beechcraft T-6 Texan II.
The choice of the Grob is natural, being a two-seat side-by-side
primary trainer.
But surely the next trainer in
line should be a turbofan such as
the [Alenia Aermacchi] M-345
basic trainer? That would lead
into the BAE Systems Hawk
advanced trainer.
Albert Gorton
Harpole, Northants, UK
Build your career

7U\)OLJKWJOREDO7UDLQLQJVQHZVLWHIRUWKHIDVWHVW
URXWHWREXLOGLQJ\RXUDHURVSDFHDQGDYLDWLRQFDUHHU
Training courses to take you there

ZZZLJKWJOREDOFRPWUDLQLQJ
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WORKING WEEK
WORK EXPERIENCE OLIVER KING
A platform for aviation innovation

Tell us about your career to date
I started off as an accountant, but
have spent the last 13 years in
commercial aviation. The bulk of
my aviation career was with British Airways, where I worked in
locations such as Tokyo, Sydney,
Miami and London. I was head
of global distribution, nance director for Asia-Pacic and general manager in Latin America
(also known internally as manager, sunshine and beaches). I then
joined Avinode in 2011 as managing director.
Why did you decide to pursue a
career in the aviation industry?
Ive always been interested in
transport, but it was originally the
shipping industry that intrigued
me most. However, when the
time came that industry was experiencing a big dip, so I looked
for other opportunities instead. I
joined British Airways and the
rest is history. Looking back, Im
glad that happened when it did,
as aviation is a great sector its
taken me around the world with
some very interesting jobs.
What exactly does your
day-to-day job involve?
I have global responsibility for
running the Avinode Marketplace, ensuring the system is
operating on a daily basis and
functioning for users worldwide.
Im also responsible for looking
after customers from the commercial and product development side. Product development
is key when you realise we are
building a system that didnt
exist 10 years ago. Were trying to
help the charter industry grow,
Avinode
As managing director of Avinode, Oliver King oversees the companys Avinode Marketplace a
tool for buying and selling air charter online, with more than 6,000 professionals logging on daily
King was once manager, sunshine and beaches at British Airways

so we think in terms of what do
we need to do to build this product which will result in growth
for both us and the industry?
In which regions is the charter
market strongest and why?
The USA has had a great year,
with year-on-year growth of 3%.
September 2014 saw that growth
jump to 8%. This is the market
where charter is growing most
strongly since the global nancial crisis. The USA is leading
the economic rebound in charter
globally, which is important
given that it is the worlds biggest
charter market.
Which regions are still
struggling?
Eastern Europe is really strug-
gling, but thats not surprising

when you consider the halo effect of whats been happening in
Ukraine and the ongoing sanctions against Russia.
What are your plans for Avinode
over the coming ve years?
We have a simple mission to
make air charter accessible to all.
We are trying to build a
reservation/global distribution
platform the industry can use to
enable customers to plan, book
and manage their ights
electronically. The industry is
characterised by paper-pushing,
so Avinode is working with trade
bodies, brokers and operators
who can see the industry needs to
become more like booking a com-
mercial ight. This is the changing face of the charter industry, in

which we play a key role.
What do you enjoy most about
your job?
Im the oldest employee (though
still only in my mid-forties) and
what I enjoy most is working
with people who know so much
about cutting-edge technology.
Thinking about how we can use
that technology means I learn
something new every day. It
makes me excited about the
things Avinode could do.
What are your least favourite
aspects of the role?
Running a technology company
involves a lot of planning and
development. You want to deliver the technology faster than you
can in reality. Its frustrating
when you can see what you want
and how to do it, yet its complicated and takes time.
What do you do in your free
time to relax?
Im a keen sailor and enjoy
nothing more than being on the
water, where all Im concerned
about is where the wind is coming from. I love sailing off the
west coast of Sweden between
May and September. Outside of
that, its just a little bit cold... Q
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ightglobal.com/jobs
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ightglobal.com
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16 DECEMBER 2014-5 JANUARY 2015

VOLUME 186 NUMBER 5469

16 DECEMBER 2014-5 JANUARY 2015

16 DECEMBER 2014-5 JANUARY 2015

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