Paris Air Show 2015: Aircraft To Watch

Graham Warwick

PAC JF-17 Thunder

Aldo Bidini/Wikimedia Commons

In service since 2010, Pakistan’s JF-17 lightweight fighter has been developed jointly by China’s Chengdu Aircraft and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, which produces the aircraft at its Kamra factory.

Diamond DA50-JP7

Diamond Aircraft

Austrian manufacturer Diamond Aircraft’s single-turbine DA50-JP7 has been in flight tests since January, powered by a Ukrainian AI-450S turboprop. Certification is expected by mid-2016.

Diamond DA62

Diamond Aircraft

A bigger version of Diamond’s DA42, and the manufacturer’s largest aircraft, the DA62 received European certification in April. Power comes from a pair of Austro Engine AE330 turbo-diesels.

Boeing P-8A Poseidon

Boeing

To be part of the U.S. Defense Department’s static display, the Navy’s Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has been sold to India, selected by Australia and is being proposed to the UK.

Turkish Aerospace Industries Anka

Turkish Aerospace Industries

TAI is developing the indigenous Anka medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft for the Turkish air force, with the production Anka S scheduled to enter service in early 2017.

Turkish Aerospace Industries T129 ATAK

Turkish Aerospace Industries

Developed by TAI from the AgustaWestland A129 attack helicopter, the T129 is in production for the Turkish army, and the companies are pursuing export orders, including in Poland.

Sagem Patroller

Sagem

Developed by Safran company Sagem, the Patroller is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft based on the Stemme S-15 motor glider.

Iomax S2R-660 Archangel

Iomax

The Archangel is a turboprop-powered border-patrol, surveillance and counter-insurgency aircraft developed by North Carolina-based Iomax based on the Thrush S2R-660 agricultural aircraft.

Bombardier CS300

Bombardier

The first flight-test aircraft for the 135-seat CS300 version of Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft is scheduled to participate in the flying display, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofans.

Bombardier CS100

Bombardier

Bombardier’s all-new CSeries narrowbody airliner will finally make its international air show debut at Paris, with the 110-seat CS100 on static display and 135-seat CS300 flying daily.

Bell 429 WLG

Bell Helicopter

Following its first sale into the region late in 2014, Bell Helicopter is targeting the European market with the 429WLG version of its light twin, with wheeled landing gear for higher speed.

Airbus H145M

Airbus

Airbus Helicopters’ militarized H145M received European certification in May, clearing the way for military type approval and first deliveries to the Germany army by year end.

Dassault Flamant

Matthias Kabel/Wikimedia Commons

Harking back to an earlier era of French aviation, Amicale de Avions Anciens d'Albert will fly a pair of Dassault Flamant light military transports, an MD.311 from 1950 and an MD.312 from 1952.

Airbus E-Fan

Airbus

Airbus’s E-Fan electric-powered aircraft demonstrator returns to Paris having flown in 2014, as the manufacturer progresses with plans to produce the two-seat E-Fan 2.0 in Pau, south-west France, beginning by 2018.

Airbus A350

Airbus S.A.S.

In 2013, Airbus flew the first A350 over the Paris air show on only its third test fight. This year, an A350 of launch customer Qatar Airways will be on static display while a test aircraft will fly daily.

Dassault Rafale C

R. Nicolas-Nelson/French Air Force

No newcomer to the Paris show, Dassault’s Rafale multi-role fighter will make its first appearance since breaking its decades-long export drought by taking 84 orders from three customers in as many months.

Airbus A400M

Airbus Defence and Space

Airbus’s A400M military airlifter is scheduled to be at Paris, but may have to sit out another airshow in the static display if flight restrictions resulting from the May 9 crash near Seville are not lifted.

Textron AirLand Scorpion

Textron AirLand

Textron AirLand’s Scorpion will be on static display as the joint venture works to secure a launch customer for the private-venture surveillance/light-attack aircraft, first flown late in 2013.

Antonov An-178

Antonov

Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov’s An-178 military airlifter first flew on May 7. A scaled-up development of the An-148 regional jet, the aircraft is intended to replace the An-12 and other older transports.

Airbus H160

Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters all-new H160 medium twin began ground runs on May 28 in Marignane, France. Powered by Turbomeca Arrano 1As, the 12-seat H160 is targeted for service entry in 2018.

We look at the military and commercial aircraft to watch at the 51st biennial Paris Air Show, which will be held at Le Bourget from June 15-21.