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Magazine Issue

Aviation Week & Space Technology, September 28, 2015

VOL. 177 NO. 38 September 28, 2015

Defense

article

Budget Threats Return To Haunt F-35 Ramp-up

Sep 29, 2015
The international block-buy plan for the F-35 depends very much on the outcome of U.S. budget issues.
article

Boeing’s KC-46 Tanker Design Problems: A Rare Peek

Sep 30, 2015
As Boeing works to repair deficiencies in the KC-46 tanker’s fuel management system design, U.S. Air Force officials are undergoing a major review of the project’s master plan.
article

The Week In Defense, Sept. 24-Oct. 1, 2015

Sep 24, 2015
The U.K.’s mini UAVs; GA-ASI trains UAV pilots; F-35 avionics; Japanese missile defense; and a sole-source U.S. contract.

First Take

article

First Take (Sept. 28, 2015)

Sep 25, 2015
Lockheed Martin rolled out Norway’s first F-35A on Sept. 23, as an Oslo defense ministry report, leaked ahead of a parliamentary debate early in 2016, recommended sticking with procurement of 52 aircraft.

Unmanned Systems

article

New Chinese UAVs Could Support Anti-Carrier Missile

Sep 28, 2015
Rival Chinese companies produce Global Hawk-size prototypes. But it’s not likely to mean competition between them.

Export Credit Winners & Losers

article

Lack Of U.S. Export Financing Impacts U.S. Space Sector

Sep 25, 2015
The closure of Ex-Im leaves only one U.S. spacecraft builder able to obtain export financing: Palo Alto-based Space Systems/Loral, whose Canadian parent company can tap financial backing from Export Development Canada, even if construction of the satellite is performed in the U.S.
article

Europeans Could Save U.S. Aerospace Companies

Oct 01, 2015
A new U.S. report names Airbus and France as potentially rich targets for small manufacturers looking to goose exports.

Airlines in Mexico

article

Venerable Aeromexico’s Savvy Growth Strategy

Sep 25, 2015
Mexican low-cost carrier bolsters its routes with Sukhoi SSJ100s.
article

Superjet Key to Interjet’s Regional Expansion

Sep 25, 2015
Mexican legacy carrier enhances its global reach, updates infrastructure and eyes partnerships.
article

Mexican LCCs Target Luxury Bus Traffic

Sep 22, 2015
Low-cost carriers in Mexico are already outpacing legacy airlines, but want to grow the overall market by enticing bus passengers to fly and save time, at competitive fares.

Technology

article

Airbus-backed Perlan 2 Glider Aims For Record Altitude

Sep 24, 2015
Team hopes stratospheric mountain waves and polar night jet stream will combine to propel Perlan 2 glider into the stratosphere and a record altitude for sustained level flight of 90,000 ft.
article

DeltaTechOps To Test Anti-erosion Fan Coating For JT8Ds

Sep 21, 2015
JT8D engines powering MD-88s suffer the worst fan-blade erosion of any engine in Delta’s fleet. FAA research program will support tests of an anti-erosion coating.
article

UTC Unit Advances Low-drag Nacelle For Future Airliners

Oct 02, 2015
As fans get bigger to reduce fuel consumption, so do nacelles, and new designs are needed to reduce drag and weight. Enter UTC Aerospace Systems’ ecoIPS “shrink-wrap” nacelle for future airliners.
article

The Week in Technology, Sept. 21-25, 2015

Sep 21, 2015
XTI’s VTOL TriFan appeals to crowdfunders; game-changing demos at AFRL; fast-formable composite parts; how UAS can help in a crisis; more unmanned news.

Commercial Aviation

article

Lion’s Share Of China A330s Earmarked For Hainan Airlines

Sep 22, 2015
Among Chinese carriers, Hainan Airlines is the most eager to try long, thin international routes. The government has decided the airline has the most use for the A330s in a bulk order placed in June.
article

European Court Decision Will Cost Airlines, Help Passengers

Sep 22, 2015
The ruling makes it easier for carriers to be successfully sued over flight cancellations and suppliers over defective parts.
article

WestJet Prepares To Fly 767s to Europe, But Will It Succeed?

Oct 06, 2015
No longer content with Boeing 737s, WestJet is preparing to fly 767s to Europe. And if all goes well, WestJet could soon place its first real order for long-haul aircraft.

Space

article

Long March 6 First Flight Demonstrates Key Engine

Sep 23, 2015
The technical centerpiece of China’s new launchers, the YF-100 engine, has now flown in the smallest member of the family, Long March 6. The rapid-response solid-propellant launcher Long March 11, meanwhile, should fly imminently.
article

NASA’s Cassini Finds New Ocean On Saturn’s Moon Enceladus

Sep 23, 2015
Enceladus is home to a global subsurface ocean that sprays plumes of ice from its south pole.

Up Front

article

Opinion: Game Over In The Space Sector

Oct 02, 2015
A paradigm shift is underway, whereby historical players from the old military-industrial complex are bound to become marginalized and lose out to the new players of the digital economy.

Going Concerns

article

ULA-Aerojet Rocketdyne Bid Signals Arrival Of Disrupters

Sep 22, 2015
SpaceX and other new players in the A&D field may change the way heritage providers do business.

Airline Intel

article

Why Boeing Cannot Decide Now On 757 Successor

Sep 25, 2015
While Airbus focuses on A320neo to address middle-of-the-market for commercial aircraft, options for Boeing are less clear and will take time to sort out.

Commander's Intent

article

Opinion: European Upgrades Change Fighter Business

Sep 24, 2015
Remember when the F-35 was going to be the only Western fighter in production after 2020? That’s not how it looks today.

In Orbit

article

How To Work In Space For A Year Without Going Crazy

Sep 23, 2015
Scott Kelly has some tricks for enduring his year-long stay on the space station.

Washington Outlook

article

Deadline Time, Commercial Space Budgeting and Carrier Delays

Sep 25, 2015
Without a new spending bill by Sept. 30, the U.S. government could be forced to shut down.

Viewpoint

article

Viewpoint: Who’s Missing The Mark On Emissions?

Sep 22, 2015
Four industry groups say Aviation Week was wrong in predicting that ICAO’s 2020 fuel-burn goals will be missed.

Feedback

article

Letters From Our Readers (Sept. 28, 2015)

Sep 25, 2015
Spacecraft-to-spacecraft beamed power is a decades-old theory; space dreams remain alive; weight penalties for traveling public recommended; KC-767 delays questioned

Who's Where

article

New Positions, Promotions, Honors And Elections (Sept. 28, 2015)

Sep 25, 2015
Brian Durrence has been named vice president of engineering, Bill Skinner vice president, treasurer and financial planning, Kimberly Benson vice president, corporate controller, and Sheryl Bunton chief information officer (CIO) at Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.

Aerospace Calendar

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Conferences & Exhibitions (Sept. 28, 2015)

Sep 25, 2015
Oct. 6-7—SpeedNews 20th Annual Business & General Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference. Los Angeles. Oct. 13-15—MRO Europe. London. Nov. 3-5—MRO Asia-Pacific. Singapore. Nov. 3-5—AerospaceDefenseChain. Scottsdale, Arizona. Jan. 21-22, 2016—MRO Latin America. Lima, Peru. Feb. 3-4, 2016—MRO Middle East. Dubai. Feb 15, 2016—ATW’s Airline Industry Achievement Awards. Singapore.March 3, 2016—Aviation Week Laureate Awards. Washington.
article

Aerospace Calendar (Sept. 28, 2015)

Sep 25, 2015
Oct. 4-6—ISTAT Europe 2015. Hilton Prague. Prague. See istat.org/p/cm/ld/fid=49 Oct. 4-7—2015 ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition. Long Beach Convention Center. Long Beach, California. See annual.aci-na.org