Aviation Week & Space Technology

House to fund some Navy unfunded priorities, Virginia lawmaker keeps an eye on Uclass, more support for taking ATC out of FAA and aerospace companies collaborate with government space plans.

TPC rankings are the result of a composite scoring of four equally weighted performance categories that place significant emphasis on operating excellence.

DEFENSE The U.S. Navy’s Northrop Grumman X-47B accomplished the first autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aircraft on April 22. Flying behind an Omega Boeing K-707 tanker off the U.S. East Coast, the probe-equipped unmanned combat air system demonstrator autonomously engaged the deployed drogue and took on 4,000 lb. of fuel. The test concluded the planned X-47B demo program.

Byron Callan ​ Director Capital Alpha Partners Tom Captain Vice Chairman, Global A&D Sector Leader Deloitte Antoine Gelain ​ Managing Director Paragon European Partners Steven Grundman ​ Principal, Grundman Advisory Lund Fellow at the Atlantic Council Harlan Irvine Principal Deloitte

​Brian Hunter has been named vice president-sales and marketing for Ametek Singapore. He was head of the Asia Pacific Comprehensive Accessory Repair and Exchange program of UTC Aerospace Systems. Steve Hasker has been appointed to the board of directors of Los Angeles-based Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. He is global president at Nielsen N.V. and was its president for global products.

BAE may not be leading the pack of its TPC peers, but it is managing its business portfolio and it is a leading performer for the Pentagon.

Are some A&D companies becoming too good at business? Many are acting like well-oiled corporations, doing all the right things for their owners and executives—but maybe not for the nations they serve.

Although Airbus cites a market for an upgraded A330, the manufacturer seems to be overly optimistic about its chances of success.

NASA is spending a little money to see if cargo carriers for the ISS can be “evolved” into crew habitats for deep-space exploration.

Ground testing has revealed a bug in the MRJ’s software, and some airframe changes are needed, too. Mitsubishi Aircraft plans to offset the delay by testing more aircraft in the sunny U.S.

Be sympathetic but realistic about A-10 retirement; Caution about cockpit access and terrorism; Mode of cleaning up anticipated smallsat space debris; Gentle gibe at slow-speed aircraft

Recent analysis indicates North America led other regions for major MRO investments in 2012-13, and the momentum appears to be accelerating.

We have seen some incredible leaps forward in technical innovation. We also have seen some incredible leaps backward in other areas.

An unexpected threat to European air traffic is being posed by uncooperative military aircraft flying in busy international airspace.

As NATO and Russia are stepping up air patrols in and around Eastern Europe – including an increasing amount of flights with transponders turned off – aviation safety officials are scrambling to keep the skies safe for commercial airlines.

Swarms of cooperating small UAVs offer the potential to counter hostile defenses at lower cost than conventional weapon systems.

Recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar has varied consequences for U.S. and European airlines and airframers

Why “big data” is about to go from buzz-phrase to business-driver in airline maintenance

As the wheels come off India’s plans to build Rafales, Brazil’s Gripen program moves carefully forward.

While new requirements like that might seem onerous, remember that the whole technology push represents an opportunity to industry.

Poland has taken the next step toward modernizing its armed forces, but its selections may have wider effects.

Four years after the first Sbirs GEO launch, USAF pushes to get more infrared data to users in the field.

Given budget pressures, space industry increasingly using additive manufacturing to make components more flexibly and at lower cost

Allegiant Air’s pilots formed a union in 2012, but they still have no contract.

Aviation Week's Managing Editor, Commercial Aviation, Jens Flottau takes us on a flight in Drukair’s latest Airbus A319 as it navigates close to mountains en route to Paro Airport, Bhutan.