Aviation Week & Space Technology

Why replace what still works? This ejection-seat company still relies on vintage warbirds to test its products.

DARPA's plan to partner with Space Systems/Loral for repair in space and leave a commercial capability in place under challenge.

Ejection seats have evolved along with the aircraft they serve. Here is a brief history of the changes time and technology have wrought.

In this week’s Washington Outlook: the president meets with airline executives, generals describe a budget crisis without admitting failure, the battle for heavy-launch business and an argument for commercialized space-traffic control.

Fly-by-wire control system issues challenged F-15SA service entry.

Helicopter engine manufacturer Safran studies hybrid power systems as a way to reduce turbine engine size and fuel burn.

ATR prepares for dip caused by stronger dollar and lower fuel prices that favor the used-jet market.

In this week’s roundup, Malaysia’s coast guard will own UAVs, Belgium joins U.S. space situational awareness efforts, U.S. Navy to buy one fewer MQ-4 Triton and a South Korean Foreign Military Sale for Raytheon missiles.

A propeller-driven AEW indicated by a mockup would probably need catapults, which would be hard to justify unless China plans several carriers with catapults.

The AW159 Wildcat looks well-placed to win the order for 12 helicopters, which could lead to contracts for a further 42.

A passionate believer in the potential for the convergence of electric propulsion and vertical flight to usher in a new era of aviation moves from NASA to ride-hailing giant Uber.

Airline profits may ease as fuel costs rise, the business jet market is likely to get “less bad,” and signs bode well for defense sector growth.

Introducing new, lighter helmet posed challenges for manufacturer Martin-Baker’s F-35 ejection seats.

China Southern Airlines will eventually base 200 aircraft at the new airport being built in Beijing’s southern suburbs.

Data from the Geostationary Carbon Cycle Observatory also is expected to help researchers aid governments in meeting carbon-reduction goals as well as farmers.

The supersized Raytheon/MHI Standard Missile-3 Block 2A is on track for deployment in 2018 following a successful intercept test.

JAXA’s mission to de-orbit space debris hits a hurdle when a 700-m cable fails to deploy.

European Union-wide regulation would establish common rules for growing the civil unmanned-aircraft market in member countries.

Kratos has two armed combat drones and a number of secret projects under development for the Pentagon. Its newest design could reach China from Guam.

UTC Aerospace Systems struggled to recover from the setback of losing the F-35 ejection seat competition to Martin-Baker, but with the first customers in hand for its latest ACES 5 the company is targeting domestic and international opportunities.

The Pentagon wants an unmanned refueling capability to extend the range of the carrier air wing.

Once installed, the FAA’s NAS Voice System will allow controllers anywhere to communicate with pilots everywhere.

Braathens Regional Airlines has wanted since 2015 to prove that IATA’s goal of halving emissions by 2050 is attainable in 2025.

Bye battery and solar electrics; Clean laminar flow tests; Airbus composite center wing-box; Otherlab paper UAV; GNSS boost.

As fighters become more advanced and expensive, the number of aircraft produced and ordered continues to fall, so Martin-Baker wants to broaden out the market and its capabilities.