Aviation Week & Space Technology

Promise of gelled fuel discussed; merits of AoA on commercial aircraft weighed; A380 commentary debated

Feb. 9-10—Microelectronics Reliability and Qualification Working Meeting. The Aerospace Corp. El Segundo, California. See cvent.com/d/5fq8yp Feb. 9-11—PNAA’s 15th Annual Aerospace Manufacturing Conference. Lynnwood Convention Center. Lynnwood, Washington. See pnaa.net/events/annual-conference/2016-conference

Robert Leduc has been appointed president of Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines, a United Technologies unit headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut. Leduc had been president of Sikorsky prior to its sale. He will succeed Paul Adams, who is retiring.

Testing for the Air Mobility Command’s high-priority aircraft will follow the KC-46A refueling trials now underway.

Boeing is still on the hunt for a launch application for its unconventional Blended Wing Body concept, bolstered by positive results from more than two decades of testing at some of the U.S.’s premier research facilities.

Airbus’s first helicopter rideshare trial with Uber is quickly grounded, but the partners vow to continue.

DEFENSE The first fuel transfer from a Boeing KC-46A tanker to a receiver aircraft was completed on Jan. 24, a key step toward approval of low-rate initial production. EMD-2, the first fully configured test aircraft, boom-refueled an F-16C and in coming weeks will transfer fuel to a C-17, A-10, F/A-18 and AV-8B (page 32).

The Arizona senator accuses United Launch Alliance of “manipulative extortion” on RD-180 engines; cargo carriers fight FAA fuel tank AD; NASA ponders how to use funding windfall; U.S. nuclear weapons seem here to stay.

Iran promises to order hundreds of commercial aircraft, and Western industry officials evaluate market prospects, but major obstacles remain.

Lockheed Martin parlays urgent need for air-launched long-range anti-ship missile into a chance to compete to arm U.S. Navy’s surface vessels.

New rules designed to guard against Boeing 757F fuel tank explosions offer no significant safety benefit, cargo industry says.

Falcon 9 Upgrade is certified; F-35 tests AIM-9X; new Russian transporter in production; Pakistan’s cruise missile test.

The Pentagon’s weapons-test watchdog and the F-35 program leaders are at loggerheads. Don’t expect it to change any time soon.

As the success of the A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX demonstrates, perfect timing is important for new aircraft programs.

Germany wants to find partners for a combat aircraft to replace the Tornado, but are its neighbors willing?

U.S. space and defense agencies are helping to fund lightweight optics in a project that could produce a hundredfold reduction in the size, weight and power consumption of remote-sensing telescopes.

NASA’s electric-propulsion X-plane program shows signs the agency is getting back to its aeronautical research roots in “learning by doing”.

Election year windfall funding for NASA will allow work on the Orion crew capsule to proceed more quickly than expected.

Back-to-back landing tests mark rapid pace of private space sector achievements.

While major disruptions have been avoided during the A350’s first year in service, Airbus and airlines continue to put a lot of effort into improving dispatch reliability.

Copa Airlines has some core strengths, but currency conflicts of many of its prime destinations are taking a toll on the airline’s bottom line.

Chinese demand for training helicopters probably explains much of Avic’s specific interest in the Mil Mi-34. Chinese helicopter operations are expanding fast, challenging schools to train enough pilots.

The world’s leading turboprop manufacturer saw a bumper year in 2015. But with softening markets in Asia and Latin America, and fuel prices hovering around $30 per barrel, Franco-Italian joint venture ATR is seeking new opportunities

Aeroflot, Russia’s largest airline, is merging three airlines that will cover leisure and some business routes for the group. The bankruptcy of Transaero has left Aeroflot in an enviable position.

Unmanned aircraft in the news: UAV lands on car; Coyote prowls hurricanes; Black Hawk gives UGV a ride; DHL’s delivery drone evolves; Caterpillar teams up.