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Magazine Issue

Aviation Week & Space Technology, February 29, 2016

VOL. 178 NO. 9 February 29, 2016

Rotorcraft

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Bell Relentless For New Markets As 525 Assembly Line Cranks

Feb 26, 2016
Bell’s 525 Relentless is second-to-none for safety and mission optimization, but will the market respond with firm orders?
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Switzerland’s Rega Pits Technology Against Alpine Elements

Feb 25, 2016
A network of low-level IFR routes and anti-icing-equipped helicopters may represent the future of air ambulance operations.
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Airbus Quietly Resolving H225 Availability

Mar 11, 2016
Comfort and availability concerns will be addressed in the H225 upgrade program.
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Crucial Year For New Entrants In Rotorcraft Market

Feb 26, 2016
Several new helicopter models will enter an increasingly crowded market during 2016.
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Oil Industry Softening Affects OEMs, Operators

Feb 26, 2016
Upgrade programs feel the impact as demand for oil and gas helicopters falls away.

First Take

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First Take (Feb. 29, 2016)

Feb 26, 2016
COMMERCIAL AVIATION Embraer rolled out the first E190-E2 on Feb. 25, revealing it is boosting the range and performance of the E195-E2, largest of its second-generation E-Jets, by increasing wingspan and maximum takeoff weight. The 88-seat E170-E2, 160-seat E190-E2 and 132-seat E195-E2 now each have different wings. The E190-E2 is to enter service in 2018, the E195-E2 in 2019 and E170-E2 in 2020.

Launch Vehicles

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Europe’s Next Satellite Launcher May Emulate Falcon 9

Feb 24, 2016
European officials acknowledge the competitive threat a reflyable Falcon 9 may pose, they seem less interested in reusable launchers than in mimicking a more mundane aspect of the SpaceX business model—volume production of a common engine.
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EU Backs Reusable Smallsat Launcher Project

Feb 24, 2016
The French-led project helps to address the increasing demand for small-satellite launch, and the dearth of options for meeting it.

Technology

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NASA Studies Early Option For Hybrid-Electric Airliners

Feb 22, 2016
Rolls-Royce Liberty Works and United Technologies Research Center are assessing whether parallel hybrid turbine-electric propulsion could provide fuel and emissions savings in otherwise conventional single-aisle airliners.
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Electric Propulsion Poses New Challenges for Aviation

Feb 22, 2016
From battery weight and cost to motor cooling and electric arcing, a long list of issues must be tackled to make electric propulsion a reality for large aircraft.
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The Week In Technology, Feb. 22-26, 2016

Feb 22, 2016
Pipistrel tests hybrid electric; Russia flies tiltrotor UAV; coatings for smoother flying; Airbus in Singapore delivery-UAV trial; structure says where it hurts.

Commercial Aviation

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First New-Generation Embraer E190-E2 Rolls Out

Feb 26, 2016
The first of Embraer’s new generation “E2” series of airliners, the E190-E2, was unveiled on Feb. 25 at the company’s facility in Brazil.
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Singapore Launches Trent XWB Performance Upgrade

Feb 23, 2016
Rolls-Royce is set to begin flight tests of its Trent 1000 TEN engine as it steps up XWB production for the Airbus A350.
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Boeing Predicts Smaller Orders Will Drive Asia Growth

Feb 23, 2016
Demand outlook remains strong in Asia-Pacific, based on incremental rather than big orders.
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ICAO Li-Ion Cargo Ban Divides Battery And Aviation Industries

Feb 26, 2016
New rules will in theory make passenger flights safer—assuming battery makers and shippers follow the rules.
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GE Assembles First 777X Engine

Feb 23, 2016
GE readies for test runs of its new GE9X, which will be the largest turbofan engine ever produced in terms of physical dimensions.

Business

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Honeywell, United Technologies Merger Not Dead Yet

Feb 25, 2016
Why a merger of relative equals—with Honeywell on top in the end, according to numerous reports—and why now?
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Aerospace Industry Calls For Unity As Britain Ponders EU Exit

Feb 26, 2016
Airlines warn a British exit from the EU could hit travelers in their wallets.
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Big Challenge For Airbus Group: Delivering On Commitments

Feb 26, 2016
The order backlog for Airbus Group has never been so large. Program execution is now key.

Defense

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Canberra’s Defense White Paper Unveils New Capabilities

Feb 26, 2016
Australia is acting like a country increasingly worried about its security but willing to pay to do something about it—including drawing even closer to its ally the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region.
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Raytheon Pushes T-100 As An Option For T-X

Feb 25, 2016
Raytheon/Finmeccanica say what differentiates their candidate for the USAF T-X award is that it is operational, low-risk, affordable and safe, unlike the clean-sheet designs of their competitors.
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The Week In Defense, Feb. 25-March 3, 2016

Feb 25, 2016
Increasing weapons exports; Canada may consider F-35 after all; F-35A operational tests; Minuteman III flies.

20 Twenties

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Tomorrow’s Engineering Leaders: The 20 Twenties

Feb 29, 2016
The 2016 20 outstanding university students exhibit many of the same characteristics of those who launched the aerospace and defense industry a century ago: fearless enthusiasm, curiosity, engineering capability and concern about the world beyond themselves.

Up Front

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Opinion: How Sustainable Are Rubio And Cruz Defense Plans?

Feb 25, 2016
Both plans appear to be extremely bullish for defense, but rapid spending increases may prove difficult for some parts of industry to digest.

Going Concerns

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Lawsuits, Bid Protests Fly Despite the Odds

Feb 24, 2016
Washington will always be home to protests, even if most don’t amount to anything.

Airline Intel

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Opinion: Government Support For Aircraft Manufacturers Is Growing

Feb 26, 2016
Canada’s backing of Bombardier shows governments are willing to do what it takes in the aerospace arena to keep home-grown champions in the game.

Commander's Intent

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Opinion: Defining The Next Fighter

Feb 25, 2016
Thinking about the next fighter as an airplane first and foremost is a strategic mistake.

In Orbit

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Fire Experiment Will Extend Next Cygnus Flight

Feb 24, 2016
NASA's fire-safety experiments on Cygnus could pave the way for future commercial free-flyers to extend space station research.

Washington Outlook

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Guns vs. Deficit | Micro-UAS Rules | Stymied Sales

Feb 26, 2016
Lawmakers draw battle lines on defense budget; FAA creates rulemaking committee for micro UAVs; Foreign Military Sales process remains slow; Culberson makes another attempt to allow the NASA administrator to serve 10 years.

Feedback

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Letters From Our Readers (Feb. 29, 2016)

Feb 26, 2016
Positing that science & technology enables strategy; lamenting and debating fate of JSF; questioning Navy's "new" approach to surface warfare.

Who's Where

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New Positions, Promotions, Honors And Elections (Feb. 29, 2016)

Feb 26, 2016
Aircelle has named Philippe Couteaux (see photo) vice president-strategy/customer support and services, overseeing nacelle system development and production. Rubin Siddique (see photo) has been appointed CEO of Lufthansa Technical Training. He succeeds Andreas Kaden, who is retiring.

Aerospace Calendar

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Aerospace Calendar And Aviation Week Events (Feb. 29, 2016)

Feb 26, 2016
March 5-12—IEEE Aerospace Conference. Yellowstone Conference Center. Big Sky, Montana. See aeroconf.org March 7—Global Aerospace Summit 2016. Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. Abu Dhabi. See aia-aerospace.org/news/global_aerospace_summit_2016/