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Magazine Issue

Aviation Week & Space Technology, December 7, 2015

VOL. 177 NO. 48 December 07, 2015

Up Front

article

Opinion: Pratt Geared Turbofan Blazes Trail Of Disruption

Dec 04, 2015
The aircraft industry should enjoy the remarkable wave of disruption starting with the A320neo’s arrival. But after this wave, our industry risks stagnation.

First Take

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First Take (Dec. 7, 2015)

Dec 04, 2015
COMMERCIAL AVIATION Airbus hopes to deliver the first A320neo to launch customer Qatar Airways by year-end following joint European and U.S. type certification of the initial Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered variant on Nov. 24. Approval follows a 350-flight, 1,070-hr. test program including 300 hr. in airline-like operations (page 13).

Safety

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AirAsia Crash: Are Regulators Moving Too Slowly On Upset Recovery?

Dec 07, 2015
Upset prevention and recovery training is not being initiated quickly enough, according to Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee.

Commercial Aviation

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Air China, Hainan Airlines Expand At Shanghai

Dec 01, 2015
While the Chinese air transportation industry wonders whether the government will merge major carriers, China Eastern’s rivals keep building up at Shanghai.
article

Garuda Plans New Orders, Cautious Fleet Growth

Dec 01, 2015
The airline is finalizing a 10-year blueprint that will include either 787s or A350s, but may defer some other orders.
article

Tianjin Airlines’ Shift To Widebody Aircraft Begins In 2016

Dec 03, 2015
The expansion of Tianjin Airlines, Airbus’s commitment to set up an A330 completion center in China, and the country’s bulk orders for the Airbus widebody aircraft are connected. The common element is the Tianjin city government.

100 Years of Aviation Week

article

Milestones And Masters Of Propulsion Technology

Dec 04, 2015
Ever since the birth of the Aviation era at the turn of the 19th-century, the quest for sustainable propulsion has been a key drive. We sample the highlights.
article

A Guide To Propulsion Throughout The Century

Dec 04, 2015
Step-change process of engine development enabled leaps of faith to become hard-core reality.
article

Gas Turbine Engine Pioneers

Dec 04, 2015
Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain were major contributors to the creation of gas turbine engine-powered aircraft and the world of airpower we know today.

Military Satcom

article

Can the Pentagon's Satcom Constellation Keep Up?

Dec 09, 2015
Pentagon thinkers consider a life beyond Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) and Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) systems as reliance on and vulnerability to satcom systems grows.

Space

article

Virgin Galactic Reveals Boeing 747 For LauncherOne

Dec 03, 2015
The modified passenger 747-400 will be used to carry the space company’s LauncherOne vehicle to 35,000-40,000-ft. altitude from which it will be air-dropped and launched into orbit.
article

'New Space' Pioneers Pursue Passion Over Profitmaking

Dec 04, 2015
The new business should bring XCOR co-founder Jeff Greason closer to the passion he has carried since he left the computer industry as an Intel executive to join the old Rotary Rocket startup.
article

Europeans Meet Milestone In Orion ESM Development

Dec 02, 2015
In November, ESA handed NASA the first tangible evidence of its contribution to the Orion development, a structural test article of the European Service Module (ESM) that in the coming months will undergo rigorous environmental trials.

Defense

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Netherlands Preparing For F-35 Introduction

Dec 08, 2015
Netherlands air force is planning a “fast and furious” transition to the F-35.
article

New UAS, Tanker Capabilities Coming To Netherlands

Dec 03, 2015
With the MALE UAV and A330 MRTTs assured, Netherlands has an early reason to celebrate the holidays.
article

Russian Deployment Of S-400 Complicates Syrian Operations

Dec 03, 2015
Russia’s positioning of a S-400 air defense system creates headache for air planners fighting the Islamic State group.
article

The Week In Defense, Dec. 3-10, 2015

Dec 03, 2015
Poland may upend tenders for Raytheon’s Patriot, Airbus helo; KRET to upgrade Tupolev Tu-160 bomber avionics; U.S. Navy wraps up Fire Scout assessment, demos targeting comms integrated among multiple aircraft.

Business

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Analysts Question Bombardier’s C Series Ramp-Up Plans

Dec 07, 2015
Bombardier says its current orderbook supports plans to increase C Series production to as many as 120 a year by 2020. Analysts are not convinced.
article

Increasingly Complex A&D Projects Create New Management Challenges

Dec 04, 2015
Inability to change is the weak link in program performance across aerospace and defense.

Technology

article

Lockheed Moves Closer To Launching Commercial Airship

Nov 30, 2015
Approval of certification plan takes Lockheed Martin a step closer to launching development of a commercial hybrid airship for cargo transport to remote locations.
article

MROs Need To Invest In Repairs For Advanced Aircraft

Dec 16, 2015
With a rapid ramp-up of new aircraft using new materials, MRO providers need to increase R&D to develop repairs.
article

The Week in Technology, Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2015

Nov 30, 2015
Indra’s unmanned Tecnam P2006T; open-access FMS; ULA offers cubesat rides; renewable diesel leader backs Boeing; Arevo’s robot prints in true 3-D.

Going Concerns

article

Headline-grabbing Developments Aside, Space Is A Content Business

Dec 02, 2015
A look at the space business shows the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Airline Intel

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Why HNA’s Azul Investment Looks Strange, But Is Significant

Dec 03, 2015
HNA is the parent of Hainan Airlines and several other carriers in China. It is also the largest private airline group in what many believe will soon be the world’s largest single air transport market. Therefore any HNA acquisitions need to be taken seriously.

Commander's Intent

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Opinion: U.K. Defense Planners Deliver More ‘Hurry Up and Wait’ Decisions

Dec 07, 2015
Britain’s defense review put a few surprises under the tree for industries and operators.

In Orbit

article

Tiny Sensors Studied For Worldwide Wildfire Watch

Dec 02, 2015
The FireSat system will result in revisit times about every 15 min., which begins to approach the warning an experienced firewatcher in a tower can provide firefighters by scanning forest treetops for smoke.

Washington Outlook

article

Where Will The Axe Fall?

Dec 04, 2015
Pentagon girding for reductions to modernization plans in 2017.

Viewpoint

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Opinion: Why Aftermarket Demand Is Not Tracking Airline Capacity

Dec 02, 2015
Aerospace suppliers would be wise to tune into the “Delta Effect” and the other factors currently impeding aftermarket growth.
article

Opinion: How Suppliers Can Help U.S. Regain A&D Edge

Dec 04, 2015
If the U.S. is to maintain its technical advantage in aerospace and defense, it must move to actively integrate the technology and aerospace industries at the supply chain/service provider level.

Feedback

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Letters From Our Readers (Dec. 7, 2015)

Dec 04, 2015
Dearth of AW609 accident coverage noted; skepticism regarding interdependency of P-8A systems; hidden costs of Long-Range Strike Bomber; investment more in hypersonic research; uneven competition has felled many airlines, big and small

Who's Where

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New Positions, Promotions, Honors And Elections (Dec. 7, 2015)

Dec 04, 2015
Eurofighter has chosen Volker Paltzo (see photo) as its next chief executive officer. Paltzo will take over Jan. 1, 2016, from Alberto Gutierrez, who will now head the Airbus Defense and Space Eurofighter program. Paltzo is currently CEO of Atlas Elektronik based in Bremen, Germany, and was chief operating officer for capabilities at Eurofighter in 2009-11.

Aerospace Calendar

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Aerospace Calendar (Dec. 7, 2015)

Dec 04, 2015
Jan. 4-8—AAIA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference. Manchester Grand Hyatt. San Diego. See aiaa-scitech.org/SDM Feb. 2-4—The Unmanned Systems Conference and Exposition. World Forum. The Hague, Netherlands. See tusexpo.com