Aviation Week & Space Technology

There is little sign that weak demand will improve soon for older widebody aircraft such as the Boeing 777, 747-8 and Airbus A380.

The world has a sudden twin-aisle overcapacity problem: Orders have fallen precipitously, and the number of parked twin-aisles is rising.

After the U.S. presidential election, almost everyone will want to repatriate overseas money for use in rebuilding America’s infrastructure, including aviation.

In this week’s roundup: Turkey adds to F-35 fighter request; U.S. black budget ticks up; IAI wins key Asian cyber security contract; and UK extends its Sentinel ISTAR aircraft life.

Keep NASA pointed toward Mars, bring China into the fold and don’t let climate-change deniers kill Earth science.

Nuclear weapons captured the interest of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and the issue of how to counter Russian and Chinese weapons will be at the forefront of the whoever wins the presidency. Aviation Week & Space Technology editors discuss some of those pending issues: programs to upgrade nuclear ICBMS, cruise missiles and bomber aircraft—and how to afford it all.

New NASA facility will simulate SLS launch loads, while planners study flight tests for secondary payloads.

Two years after a fatal SpaceShipTwo crash, Virgin Galactic looks to move forward, confident about upcoming glide tests with an improved rocket motor.

Virgin Galactic test pilots have developed procedures that greatly improve takeoff and balanced field length performance of the WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft.

Using rockets over and over like airplanes can hold down launch costs, but it will take a lot of launches to overcome the cost and weight penalties.

Too many airlines have a vested interest in keeping current ownership and control regulations in place. If they succeed, it will mark a major missed opportunity.

The combined company will be a super supplier of buyer-furnished equipment poised to ride the wave of aircraft interior retrofits.

Rolls-Royce’s power gearbox and ceramic matrix composites work are part of a plan that will culminate in the UltraFan, an engine aimed at future airliners for 2025 onward.

With Brazilian upgrades under its belt, Helibras looks for more work in Latin America.

Air Force Materiel Command still has concerns about the quality of Northrop’s maintenance work on the aging J-Stars jets and may need to expand safety inspections to the entire fleet.

Zee’s electric VTOL aircraft is spotted; Boeing’s commercial tiltrotor is patented; Japan’s Fquroh is quieter; NASA’s NEAT is tested.

The Boeing 777X folding wingtip is designed for reliability and simplicity, with no moving parts or even wingtip lights beyond the hinge line.

Wholesale changes put in place by Boeing for 777X production have strategic implications for the company’s future effectiveness.

Boeing’s first 777X full-size composite wing skin test panel is being built as its robotic fuselage line picks up speed.

Aviation Week editors recently saw a demonstration of the folding wingtip at Boeing’s plant in Everett, Washington. The target time for extending and/or retracting the wingtip is 20 sec. Watch and listen closely when it reaches the selected position to hear the locking mechanisms engage.

Despite potential schedule and cost growth, the service is “comfortable” that Northrop’s B-21 will meet the technical requirements at a reasonable price.

New runway condition code could avoid overruns like 2005 accident involving Southwest Airlines 737 at Chicago Midway, answering NTSB recommendations.

The Pentagon is updating its nuclear triad as Russia and China prepare to field nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicles and maneuverable warheads.

At Priester Aviation, it’s all in the family.

In this week’s Washington Outlook: companies create new ways to contain potential battery fires; the hunt for new space policy champions; and a recommendation for changing remote-sensing regulations.