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June 18, 2009

Show boosts aerospace’s stock but hard times may still linger

By Charles Alcock

If you can imagine the Paris Air Show as a stock market then what it has enjoyed this week is a nothing less than a rally–and a very welcome one at that. The world’s aerospace industry arrived here at Le Bourget on Monday morning in a torrential downpour of rain that seemed to symbolize its torrid fortunes over the past year. It will go home over the weekend, slightly sun burned and basking in more

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Partners brace to bite bullet on A400M costs

By Chris Pocock

Airbus has presented “a realistic development and production schedule” to the A400M partner nations, CEO Tom Enders said here in Paris on Tuesday. Ahead of next week’s meeting in Seville with the defense ministers, Airbus won’t answer detailed questions about the plan in public. But they seem to have convinced one customer already: French defense minister Herve Morin said here yesterday th more

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TP400 nears Fadec trials, certification

By Thierry Dubois

Engine consortium Europrop International (EPI) is now just 300 test hours away from certification of its 11,000-shp TP400 turboprop for the Airbus A400M military transport. According to technical director Karsten Muehlenfeld, the final software of the full authority digital engine control (Fadec) is to be delivered to the Toulouse iron bird late this month, allowing flight trials to at last begin. more

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Hermes 90 targets U.S. forces

By David Donald

Hermes 90, the latest member of Elbit’s UAV family, is on show here at Paris for the first time. Its appearance comes shortly after the creation of a joint venture between the Israeli company and General Dynamics to promote the sale of unmanned air systems into the U.S., which Elbit now considers a “home” market. Based at Fort Mill, South Carolina, UAS Dynamics LLC marks the return of the Ge more

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Jet Republic goes green with Bombardier

New private jet fractional ownership partner Jet Republic yesterday joined Bombardier Aerospace’s Offset Program for its initial fleet of 25 Learjet 60XRs that are set to be delivered over the next two years, starting in October. Jet Republic could eventually take delivery of up to 110 Learjet 60XRs if it exercises all of its options. Through the Bombardier Carbon Offset Program, Jet Republic an more

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Product life cycle is key to end project chaos

By Ian Sheppard

Managing aircraft programs is a complex process that should not be underestimated. This is one of the clearest messages to have emerged in recent years and is evidenced when one considers  the 787 supplier issues, A380 wiring problems and A400M delays. It costs the industry vast sums of time and money.
However, a mini-revolution aimed at eliminating or alleviating these types of proble more

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Airbus offshoot starts aircraft dismantling business in Tarbes

By Thierry Dubois

Tarmac Aerosave–an Airbus joint venture with waste treatment specialist Sita, engine maker Snecma, engineering firm Aeroconseil, maintenance company Equip’Aero and spare parts specialist TASC Aviation–has begun aircraft dismantling operations in Tarbes, southwest France. In February, Tarmac moved into its new 97,000-sq-ft facilities, which include a hangar able to house an A380 and storage a more

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Quick-fit anti-missile unit offers protection for helos

By David Donald

Ruag Aerospace and Saab Avitronics are launching a low-cost protection system for helicopters that can be rapidly installed to provide a range of protective features on a per-mission basis. The plug-on device (POD) is an integrated, self-contained unit offering high levels of protection against man-portable and other low-level missile threats.
POD can be mounted on available hardpoints in more

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GE to test open-rotor fan engine

GE Aviation and NASA are to ground test five sets of new subscale blades for open-rotor engines at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The tests will focus on acoustics and efficiency of a two-stage counter-rotating fan. The two partners have high expectations that new analysis tools will add to their understanding of the fan’s aerodynamics.
Testing will start this summer a more

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Tanker protagonists square off for round three of U.S. bid

By Chris Polcock

Battle lines were drawn here this week for round three of the Great Tanker War. Conflict is likely to break out next month, when the Pentagon is expected to issue a new draft request for proposals (RFP) for the KC-X program. Boeing said that it may now offer a tanker version of the 777. EADS and Northrop Grumman officials said that their KC-45 proposal based on the Airbus A330 tanker won round-two more

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