Aerospace

Structural testing of a critical element of Aurora’s D8 concept composite “double-bubble” fuselage shows the unique Y-joint design has the required strength.

Afriqiyah is seeking the return of its two A320-200s currently leased out to Lithuanian ACMI/charter specialist Small Planet Airlines, reports ch-aviation.

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has informed all stakeholders that 23 African States has launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) at the side-lines of the 30th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly, that took place from 25 – 28 January 2018 at the Africa Union Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Airlines Group has launched a direct freighter flight from Bahir Dar to Liege, one of the largest Ethiopian flower importer destinations, carrying 45 tons of flowers on January 24, 2018.

Folding wings in flight; China’s hypersonic biplane; X-57 motor progress; Europe’s radical thinking; Vahana eVTOL slips.

Quadrotor, helicopter and tiltwing designs will help steer NASA research toward key technology challenge areas for future urban air transport systems.

Super Puma replacement may be rescoped for multirole mission as commercial market tumbles.

Vertical-lift OEMs warn that the best helicopter safety standards and production processes will be inadequate to ensure success of urban eVTOL air taxi market.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts a trebling in the size of Angola's air transport market to 7.1 million passengers a year by 2036 at the present forecast annual growth rate of 6.7 per cent.

The Zimbabwean government is open to all forms of partnership with Air Zimbabwe and is even prepared to waive a cap on 49% foreign ownership to entice investors to the ailing state-owned carrier, reports ch-aviation.

The Algerian government has opened the country's air freight sector up to local private operators, reports ch-aviation.

AviaDev, the African aviation development conference, will take place in Cape Town in June 2018.

Airbus Helicopters prepares to launch a drone-based urban package-delivery trial service developed with partners in Singapore.

Are London and Paris balking at the high costs associated with the UCAV demonstrator’s development?

European Union planning demonstration of unmanned technologies, including naval UAVs.

Egyptair has awarded a new cargo and mail handling contract to Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) in Amsterdam and Brussels, extending its relationship with WFS at both airports.

Systems Technology demos a machine-learning approach to maneuvering UAVs on carrier decks by recognizing the same gestures used to direct human pilots.

The federal deficit and interest rates threaten to constrain the Pentagon’s budget.

Boeing leverages X-43, X-51 and XB-70 design legacy to challenge Lockheed Martin for future hypersonic strike/reconnaissance role.

AirSpaceX eVTOL design taps electric vehicle tech; Zephyr stratospheric UAV for civil use; beefing up AUDS’ combat counter-UAS; reusable hypersonics study.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts a trebling in the size of Angola’s air transport market to 7.1 million passengers a year by 2036 at the present forecast annual growth rate of 6.7 per cent.

Aurora Flight Sciences demonstrates resupply at the touch of a button by unmanned helicopter under the Office of Naval Research’s Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System program. Photo: John F. Williams/U.S. Navy

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Four start-up carriers have applied to the Comorian government for operating licences involving both domestic and international services, ch-aviation.

Airbus, Boeing and their peers are trying to avoid the aerospace equivalent of a “midlife crisis.”