Aviation Week & Space Technology

As the 757 ecoDemonstrator program ends, Boeing studies options for what comes next.

Russia’s low-drag, low-noise airliner; Google undeterred by solar UAV crash; Europe to take down space debris; university research: modeling vortices, deterring birds, quieter honeycomb, sound-wave inspections.

Boeing CEO talks with Aviation Week editors about the state of his company and his legacy.

Ahead of the Paris air show, our editors interviewed the CEOs of four big aerospace companies: Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer. In the latest

Add loiter time to CAS debate; keep Viewpoint exchanges civil; questioning tanker requirement facts; decrying costs of U.S. bombers

Based on enormous backlogs, Airbus and Boeing are ramping up production of key programs. But some analysts begin to warn about overcapacity in major markets that could affect future deliveries.

See Aviation Week’s reports from Le Bourget, 1953-2013.

Analysts warn that overcapacity might soon become a serious issue for airlines again, particularly in the U.S. and Europe.

Chinese flight delays are worsening. Only 68.4% of scheduled flights were on time last year—the third straight year of declining performance—demonstrating that palliatives, such as opening temporary airways, are not coping with industry growth.

The Long-Range Strike Bomber program will not be the seismic event for defense manufacturers that many analysts are predicting.

Transpacific expansion and an extensive airport lounge renovation project are in play at Air New Zealand.

Heathrow managers use simulation to increase airport capacity.

Delay from wiring harness debacle ripples through the KC-46A tanker testing plan.

Federal spending cuts and declines in stock value signal a rocky road for the government IT and services providers.

New manager Christoph Mueller ushering in big changes to revive fortunes of Malaysia Airlines, viewing it as a startup opportunity.

Before the RFP was even issued, USAF incurred a possible Procurement Integrity Act violation in the EELV competition.

COMMERCIAL AVIATION Sierra Nevada Corp. has teamed with Turkish engineering firm STM to restart production of Dornier 328 turboprop and 328Jet regional airliners. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ankara government to build the aircraft in Turkey and develop the 60-70-passenger turboprop TR628 and turbofan-powered TRJ628.

A&D should use production windfall to invest in innovative processes.

Other countries’ efforts led to more financial stability, technological nimbleness and responsiveness to airspace users.

Eileen Drake has been named CEO and president of Aerojet Rocketdyne and a member of the board of directors. She succeeds Scott Seymour, who retired after five years in those positions. Drake joined the company in March as COO. She was president of Pratt & Whitney Aeropower’s auxiliary power unit and small turbojet propulsion business. Her experience includes seven years as a U.S. Army aviator and as airfield commander of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

A number of new and potential partners are helping CNES expand the range and scope of its mission in space.

A full static ramp and crowded exhibition halls at the annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition this year belied the financial woes of much of Europe.

Fighters are weapon platforms, and adding new or better weapons is essential if an operator is to make best use of the massive initial investment in the airplane. The choice of weapons has never been wider, reflecting different national approaches to mission requirements, but as we see in the following pages, the high cost of integrating missiles means that not everything is available on every aircraft.

MAX 737 production is underway at Boeing, along with enhancements to assembly efficiency.

With commercial aircraft output continuing to rise and military aircraft production set to increase, Aviation Week looks at the pressures facing the global aerospace industry.