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Magazine Issue

Aviation Week & Space Technology, July 6, 2015

VOL. 177 NO. 26 July 06, 2015

Pluto Encounter

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New Horizons Closing In For A Fast Pluto Flyby

Jul 01, 2015
Scientists hope the New Horizons Pluto probe will turn a lifetime of preparation into a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse of the most remote object ever visited by humans.
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Pluto Flyby Will Open New Solar System Zone

Jul 02, 2015
New Horizons probe flyby of Pluto, almost 15 years in the making, had to overcome both technical and bureaucratic challenges.
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New Horizons Probe’s Long Route To Pluto

Jul 02, 2015
New Horizons has a long trajectory and it is not over yet.
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Pluto Science Suite Is State Of The Art

Jul 02, 2015
The spacecraft is in the midst of taking “hundreds” of images and science measurements, “about half” of them programmed for the day that surrounds closest approach to Pluto at 7:49:57 a.m. EDT, according to Leslie Young, the deputy project scientist and Pluto-encounter planning lead.
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Meet The New Horizons Instruments

Jul 01, 2015
The spacecraft is fitted out with a payload package of small but powerful instruments, which will have one quick shot to do their job before flying past Pluto.
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Staying Connected At 3 Billion Miles Is Not Easy

Jul 02, 2015
New Horizons expects successful transmission of data collected at Pluto back to Earth, but space debris could create problems.

First Take

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First Take (July 6, 2015)

Jul 02, 2015
DEFENSE A Lockheed Martin F-35B dropped the U.K.’s Raytheon Paveway IV precision-guided bomb for the first time on June 12, two inert 500-lb. munitions being released from the aircraft’s weapons bay. On June 23, the first F-35B ski-jump launch was conducted at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. U.K. Queen Elizabeth-class carriers will be equipped with ski-jump ramps.

Innovation

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Airbus CEO Urges Aerospace To Embrace Silicon Valley

Jul 02, 2015
Could the end of the aerospace industry as we know it emerge from a Silicon Valley startup? Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders says the industry needs to work with the tech sector to be ready for disruptors.
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Scaled Composites Continues Rutan’s Innovation Culture

Jul 02, 2015
When massive Stratolaunch program begins to wind down, Scaled Composites promises a return to the Rutan days of smaller, fast-paced projects that result in flight testing of aviation breakthroughs.
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Are Aerial Refueling, Intermodal Transport The Future For Airlines?

Jul 02, 2015
Will air transport ever change to embrace ideas such as aerial refueling and seamless rail-to-air transfers? Researchers try to make the case for advanced concepts.
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Ever-Bigger Engines Challenge Conventional Airliner Designs

Jul 06, 2015
Gull wings, engines above the wing or embedded in the tail—all options gaining increased consideration for future fuel-efficient commercial aircraft.
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Stratospheric Vantage Point Attracts Creative Thinking On UAVs

Jul 02, 2015
From kite surfing in the stratosphere to tethered heavy-lifters, unmanned aircraft are enabling out-of-the-box thinking.
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Semibouyant Aircraft Could Explore Venus’s Upper Atmosphere

Jul 02, 2015
The concept for low-energy planetary entry is described as similar to “throwing an air mattress into the atmosphere.”

Space

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Satellite Operators Hope to Sustain Three Viable Launch Options

Jul 02, 2015
With Proton and Falcon 9 sidelined and Ariane 5 booked into 2017, commercial fleet operators question how much longer the status quo can continue.
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Launch Failure Rocks SpaceX Advance

Jul 01, 2015
Failure of the SpaceX Falcon 9 cargo mission is a setback for the company, though the severity of the consequences has yet to be determined.

Technology

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NASA Studies Solutions To Silicon Valley’s Traffic Gridlock

Jul 01, 2015
If you face a 200-mi.-plus commute to work and back because of congested roads, what would it take for on-demand aviation to provide an answer? NASA aims to find out.
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Northrop Tests Open-architecture Upgrade On Global Hawk

Jun 29, 2015
Northrop Grumman takes the oldest Global Hawk flying and shows it can be upgraded to take new payloads using an open system architecture, paving the way to refreshing technology in production aircraft.
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The Week In Technology, June 29-July 3, 2015

Jun 29, 2015
Testing combined aircraft tug/passenger bus; volcanic ash ingestion engine tests planned; X-56 continues anti-flutter research; BA reducing A320 noise; Darpa looks for non-GPS weapon seeker.

Commercial Aviation

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Emirates’ Clark Says ‘Enough Is Enough’

Jul 02, 2015
Lengthy report from Emirates Airline takes on accusations about government subsidies.
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Jetstar’s Hong Kong Rebuff Highlights Liberalization Limits

Jul 02, 2015
Hong Kong authorities’ denial of a license for a proposed Jetstar franchise is a setback to the trend of low-cost carriers setting up joint ventures across Asia.
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Downturn Has Aeroflot Pulling Some Aircraft From Service

Jun 30, 2015
Russia’s biggest international carrier, the Aeroflot Group, is downsizing its fleet and possibly restructuring its subsidiaries, after a downturn caused in part by Western sanctions.
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Affiliate Growing Pains Put Heat On AirAsia

Jun 30, 2015
AirAsia’s expanding geographic reach is causing some problems, as the financial challenges of its overseas affiliates burden the parent company.
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With 787s Arriving, Air Canada Prepares For International Expansion

Jun 30, 2015
Air Canada has turned around its financial performance—now it is ready for major long-haul growth, including adding to its fleet.

Business

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The McNerney Legacy: A Bumpy Ride, But Stellar Growth

Jun 30, 2015
As outgoing CEO Jim McNerney gets ready to hand-off Boeing’s reins, can he claim his legacy as bringing back the giant’s “swagger?”

Defense

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Controversy Flares Over F-35 Air Combat Report

Jul 02, 2015
F-35 team downplays combat maneuvering test results. But is it time to write off the importance of classic performance parameters?
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Advanced Electro-Optical System A Priority For F-35 Block 4

Jul 02, 2015
Key F-35 targeting system is playing catch-up with the competition—before it has even entered service—due to development delays.
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South Korea Launches LCH-LAH Helicopter; Airbus Contributes

Jul 02, 2015
KAI, South Korean partners, Airbus and the industry ministry will pay to develop the LCH civil rotorcraft from the Airbus H155. The defense ministry will pay to develop the LAH from the LCH.

Up Front

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Opinion: McNerney’s Reputation Will Only Grow

Jul 02, 2015
Like former U.S. President Harry Truman, he made bold and consequential decisions that damaged his popularity but positioned his organization for long-term success.

Going Concerns

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Global A&D Suppliers Continue Flocking To U.S.

Jul 02, 2015
Despite some naysayers in the U.S. A&D sector, most suppliers from overseas view the U.S. as a vibrant market where capitalism at its finest plays out.

Airline Intel

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Opinion: TAP Portugal Interest In A330neo Illustrates Fleet Planning Ironies

Jul 01, 2015
Airlines change fleet plans all the time—but four current cases reveal deeper industry trends.

Commander's Intent

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Opinion: JSF Push Blurs Lines Between Predecessors, Competitor

Jul 02, 2015
Service leaders are right to say that the F-35 is better than the aircraft they have today. But that’s not the whole story.

In Orbit

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Long Lag In Exploring Pluto Is Par For Planets

Jul 01, 2015
Scientists involved in exploration of the Pluto system have to take the long view, after waiting almost a decade just to get there.

Washington Outlook

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Congress Ends Future Ex-Im Bank Assistance, For Now

Jul 02, 2015
Lapse in Ex-Im bank assistance could hurt Boeing in the long term, and the general aviation community sooner; Former NASA chief provides another perspective on SpaceX’s commercial viability.

Viewpoint

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Opinion: Parsing The Pentagon-Industry Disconnect

Jul 02, 2015
Why priorities of the Pentagon and its key contractors are not lining up.

Feedback

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Letters From Our Readers (July 6, 2015)

Jul 02, 2015
USAF's bomber pursuit; China's pursuit of stovl stealth aircraft; bogus blades draw comment

Who's Where

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New Positions, Promotions, Honors And Elections (July 6, 2015)

Jul 02, 2015
Frank Wilson has Worner been named CEO of ControlCam, a Jacksonville, Florida-based aerial imaging business specializing in high-resolution and geo-referenced imagery. He was previously senior vice president and general manager of the Defense and Security Business unit of iRobot, and as a vice president and general manager of several businesses at BAE Systems.

Aerospace Calendar

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Conferences & Exhibitions (July 6, 2015)

Jul 02, 2015
Oct. 13-15—MRO Europe, London. Nov. 3-5—MRO Asia, Singapore. Nov. 3-5—AerospaceDefenseChain, Scottsdale, Arizona. Jan. 21-22, 2016—MRO Latin America, Lima, Peru. Feb. 3-4, 2016—MRO Middle East, Dubai. March 3, 2016—Laureates, Washington.