Boeing, now formally offering radio-frequency identification (RFID) to keep parts records on aircraft already in service, is looking at introducing the technology as factory standard on commercial and military aircraft. The company expects the FAA to certify the system by the end of the year, says Program Manager Phil Coop.

BEIJING — The South Korean government is negotiating export sales of the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Surion utility helicopter with two foreign governments, industry officials say. One of those governments is quite possibly that of Indonesia, a country with which South Korea has a rapidly deepening military-industrial relationship. The prospective deals appear to be entirely political. One industry source says no competitors are involved. The number of aircraft that would be covered by the orders is unknown.

China's effort to develop its aviation propulsion industry appears to be increasingly ambitious, with two new engine projects coming to light, including a second high-bypass turbofan of around 30,000-lb. thrust, aimed at military use. While the push is broad, the prospects for success still look distant. Industry officials emphasize that independent engine development remains extremely challenging for the various subsidiaries of Avic that are involved. “It is not any one aspect of technology,” says one. “For us, it is all hard.”