FLIGHTINTERNATIONAL

REVIEW OF 2014

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF FLIGHTFrom service entries to travails for CSeries and F-35, comet landing and 777 mysteries

RAIDER DELAYED Prudent Sikorsky puts back first sortie of its coaxial, rigid-rotor S-97 prototype to 2015 23

BIG BUSINESS Airbus and Boeing VIP airliners still rule in the Middle Easts mega spending market 18

OPEN TO QUESTIONSO HOW MUCH OF A TOTAL AVIATION PERSON ARE YOU? FESTIVE QUIZ P38

16 DECEMBER 2014-5 JANUARY 2015

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16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 3flightglobal.com

FLIGHTINTERNATIONAL

16 DECEMBER 2014-5 JANUARY 2015VOLUME 186 NUMBER 5469

FLIGHTINTERNATIONAL

REVIEW OF 2014

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF FLIGHTFrom service entries to travails for CSeries and F-35, comet landing and 777 mysteries

RAIDER DELAYED Prudent Sikorsky puts back first sortie of its coaxial, rigid-rotor S-97 prototype to 2015 23

BIG BUSINESS Airbus and Boeing VIP airliners still rule in the Middle Easts mega spending market 18

OPEN TO QUESTIONSO HOW MUCH OF A TOTAL AVIATION PERSON ARE YOU? FESTIVE QUIZ P38

16 DECEMBER 2014-5 JANUARY 2015

9 7 7 0 0 1 5 3 7 1 2 6 6

5 13.40

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COVER IMAGESenior Designer Lauren Mills created our cover by using some of the iconic aviation images of 2014. See our review of the years top 25 stories: P26

BEHIND THE HEADLINES Our Flight Daily News team: (left to right) Murdo Morrison, Laura Wood, Dominic Perry, Kate Sarsfield and Alexis Rendell were in Dubai to cover the Middle East Business Aviation show. Check out the news in our Show Report (P18)

NEXT ISSUE FORECASTS After the festive break, our first issue of the year 6-12 January has our outlook for the industry in 2015 Fre

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Anglo-French pact lends A400M support P14. Sikorsky delays rst ight of S-97 coaxial rigid-rotor 23

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747-8 output slows as cargo sector rebound stalls P7

GENERAL AVIATION 22 Final bid nears to wipe out islands rodents. Proposed Jabiru restrictions draw fire

NEWS FOCUS 21 Taking control of UAS threats 23 Waiting for the Raiders rise25 Search for the sweet spots

COVER STORY26 Most memorable moments of 2014 From the

CSeries grounding, through the losses of two Malaysia Airlines 777s to the A350 delivery, we recall the big stories of the past 12 months

FEATURES38 UNCLE ROGERS Festive quiz Search for the

answers to our multiple choice and photo identification conundrums

REGULARS5 Comment 50 Letters52 Classied 55 Jobs 59 Working Week

NEWS THIS WEEK 6 Fighter analysis report could spur Canadian

dogfight7 Boeing makes second 747-8 rate cut. Qatar replays waiting game with first A350-9008 NHV embraces arrival of first EC175s. European sign-off paves way for Avanti Evo delivery9 Spirit sells off Gulfstream wing work. Re-engined A320neo set for November delivery

AIR TRANSPORT 10 Aviation players gather to create Single European

Sky11 Bregier bullish about A380 prospects. Roubles decline unnerves MC-21s engine

maker12 LAM E190 inquiry points to act of sabotage by

captain13 FAA firm on rest rules for cargo pilots. ANZ firms up commitments for two more 787-9s

DEFENCE 14 Airbus lands Anglo-French support deal for

A400M. Seahawk flies towards order with Indian navy15 Budget boost inbound for US services. Dutch request to put Raven to roost16 Japans Chinook programme nears 100th airframe

mark. Meteor links up for Typhoon testing

MEBA SHOW REPORT 18 Hangar8 reverses into rival to form new charter

giant. Softex Aero courts new investors in show debut19 Boeing makes Comlux breakthrough.20 Emirates eyes expansion of foray into executive

charter. XJet marks the spot for further FBOs

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Download The Engine Directory.ightglobal.com/ComEngDirectory

Download the new Commercial Engines Reportnow updated for 2014 with enhanced data and in-depth market analysis

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flightglobal.com4 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

CONTENTS

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

ightglobal.com/ight-international

Vote at ightglobal.com/poll

Flightglobals premium news and data service delivers breaking air transport stories with profiles, schedules, and fleet, financial and traffic information ightglobal.com/dashboard

THE WEEK IN NUMBERSLast week, we asked: 747-400. You said:

Outdated eighties relic

Still queen of the skies

Performing a useful niche role

32%

24%

44%

This week, we ask: Future for the A380? Best days are ahead

Needs new engine Production will peter out by 2020

US

Nav

yFlightglobal dashboard

The number of countries whose airlines are banned from European airspace, now that Libya made the blacklist

21The value of around 5,300 new aircraft needed in China by 2033, according to Airbuss latest market forecast

$820bn flightglobal.com

Flightglobal dashboard

Delta Air Lines expected fourth-quarter seat capacity increase; cost per available seat mile, ex-fuel, will rise 1%

3.5%

IMAGE OF THE WEEK A Grumman C-2A Greyhound from the US Navys VRC-30 Fleet Logistics Support Squadron moves towards a catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in early December. Our MiliCAS database records the USN as having an active eet of 35 Greyhounds, with an average age of almost 27 years.

View more great aviation shots online and in our weekly tablet edition:

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COMMENT

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See Show Report P20

How elastic is an airline brand? Two of the big three Gulf airlines have built on their reputations for in-novative customer service with VIP charter spin-offs to tap a market beyond their top-end scheduled products.

Qatar Airways is growing its Qatar Executive eet of Bombardiers with Gulfstreams. Emirates may expand its charter offering, launched last year with an Airbus A319 tted with 10 self-contained berths, a dining room and shower/spa. Such ventures would appear, on the surface, sensible, allowing airlines to target custom-ers who can afford the privacy, comfort and exibility that even rst-class airline tickets cannot provide, and who otherwise would be lost to the brand.

But other carriers looking to leap into this segment

beware. Fifty years ago, Pan Am set up a US-based business jet venture with Dassault to operate its new Falcon 20 business jet. As with similar schemes by other airlines since, it was not successful.

The Middle East, with its close-knit, wealthy fami-lies, is one market where the concept can work. The global hub status of Doha and Dubai also helps Qatar Airways and Emirates push their products into regions such as Africa, China, India and Russia, where the blend of brand and luxury appeals to upmarket clients.

As is often the case, their peculiar circumstances mean the Gulfs big carriers can get around the laws of business that make such ventures reckless elsewhere.

Sound business or first-class folly?

Nowhere to hide?The potential for small commercial UAVs to perform important tasks previously carried out more expensively by manned helicopters or light aircraft is impressive, but careful regulation is needed

Civilian unmanned air vehicles usually very small ones are already big business, and the industry is growing apace. For that reason, not only the aviation industry but also society as a whole have to decide how best to take advantage of the advances these aircraft can bring, but also contain their potential misuse or abuse.

The European Union is preparing to do just that, and two studies it has commissioned on the regulation of what it calls remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) have just been published. The European Commission wants to see Europes RPAS industry ourish, but while also protecting aviation and ordinary peoples interests.

If RPAS operations are carried out responsibly by businesses and individuals who are aware of already existing rules limiting their operation, then traditional aviation has little to worry about. An Airbus A320 on nal approach to London Heathrow in July may have experienced a high-risk near miss with an unidentied

UAV, but that has not been a typical experience for the airlines or military, who also occasionally suffer near misses with general aviation aircraft or gliders.

The studies ag up as signicant the low barriers to entry for those who want to operate RPAS. Those bar-riers are low because the aircraft are mostly small and highly affordable, so individuals can and will buy them for private use. The difference between a UAV and a remotely controlled model aircraft is that the lat-ter is operated within visual line of sight purely for the

delight of manoeuvring a little aeroplane cleverly, whereas the former has a payload and a purpose. Usu-ally this is photography or surveillance, which can be done for leisure or commercially.

In order that operators can be held to account for their RPAS activities, the reports recommend that their aircraft should be marked with a re-proof plate identi-fying the individual machine by serial number, and that would-be users should also be registered.

Because surveillance is the main purpose of most of the RPAS already operating, and that seems likely to remain true, the issues of privacy and the guardianship of data are vital. Already, police forces use UAVs to monitor festivals, protests and unsocial behaviour, and to track wrongdoers, so the use of this data must be cir-cumscribed. Existing law should be able to take care of that, but the proliferation of the new types of personal information gathered and its potential use must be examined to see whether it is leading society into a dangerous place.

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Manned surveillance is showing its age

The Commission wants RPASto ourish, while protectingaviation and ordinary people

See Air Transport P12, News Focus P21

Relive MEBA with news, images and a trio of Flight Daily News publications by going online at:ightglobal.com/MEBA

THIS WEEK

flightglobal.com6 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

Keep up with the latest news from the cutting edge of the defence industry ightglobal.com/defence

EASA WARNING OVER GREEK AVIATION SCHOOLTRAINING European regulators are urging international aviation authorities to check the credentials of maintenance engineers who trained at a Greek aviation school that is under investigation follow-ing examination-fraud allegations. EASA says that in February 2014, the Greek civil aviation authority revoked Hellenic Aviation Training Academys Part 147 maintenance training organisation approval, alleging that cheating had taken place during exams held within certain training modules.

CAT IIIB APPROVAL FOR A350-900 LANDING SYSTEM OPERATIONS Airbus has secured Category IIIb approach certifica-tion for the A350-900s automatic landing system. Category IIIb ap-proaches are conducted in the most demanding weather, with no restriction on decision height and runway visibility down to 75m. The approval enables the aircraft to operate in all conditions, says A350 programme chief Didier Evrard.

PROBE INTO BELAIR SHORT-RUNWAY DEPARTURESAFETY Swiss investigators are looking into an incident in which an Airbus A320 took off from Basel with an incorrect thrust setting for the short-runway departure. The aircraft (HB-IOP) was being operated by Belair, part-owned by Air Berlin Group, for the 6 October service to the Tunisian destination of Djerba. French investigation authority BEA, citing preliminary data from its Swiss counterparts, states that the aircraft used a full-runway thrust setting, despite departing from an intersection.

AMERICAN TO TAKE FIRST 787-8 IN FIRST QUARTERINTRODUCTION American Airlines plans to take delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 in the first quarter of 2015 an at-least two month delay from previous expectations of a November delivery. As with any first delivery of a new fleet type, there are a number of things that have to be co-ordinated before it is introduced, to ensure we deliver a state-of-the-art product for our employees and customers, the Fort Worth-based carrier says.

DASSAULT WALLAN DEAL ADDS TO 5X BACKLOGORDER Dassault added to its backlog for the large-cabin, long-range 5X at the MEBA business aviation show in Dubai, sealing a deal with Saudi Arabian operator Wallan Aviation for a single example of the developmental twinjet. To be delivered in 2018, the new Snecma Silvercrest-powered aircraft will be operated by Wallan for its own use and for third-party charter. It has previously operated Falcon 900EX and 900LX aircraft.

AMAC PREPARES TO OPEN FOURTH BASEL HANGAREXPANSION Swiss maintenance and interiors specialist AMAC is preparing to open a fourth hangar at its main facility in Basel, Switzerland, and expand its operation in Turkey. The company was set to receive its latest widebody, a green Boeing 777, shortly after the MEBA show in Dubai from 8-10 December. The completion, for an African head of state, is expected to take 18 months.

THREE DIE IN FIRST PHENOM 100 FATAL CRASHACCIDENT At least three people were killed on 8 December in the first fatal accident involving an Embraer Phenom 100, while it ap-peared to be on the final approach path to an airport in Maryland.The light jet crashed into a house and damaged two properties.

BRIEFING

A Canadian government report suggests that other combat aircraft are just as capable as the Lockheed Martin F-35A at fulll-ing the nations most likely mis-sion needs potentially opening the door to a competitive acquisi-tion process to replace a eet of 77 Boeing CF-18 Hornets.

Four types the F-35, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale and Euroghter Typhoon were compared in the report, entitled the Evaluation of Options for the Replacement of the CF-18 Fighter Fleet.

Each aircraft was assessed on its ability to carry out six mission sets. These included the defence of Ca-nadian airspace, supporting an in-ternational event such as the Olympics in Canada, responding to a terrorist attack, peace enforce-ment, humanitarian disaster relief and state-on-state war ghting.

All the aircraft were deemed low-risk candidates to perform each of the missions up to 2030 and beyond, except in ghting an-other peer nation. In that category, all the types were deemed as high-er risk beyond 2030, and none distinguished itself. However, the report notes: The mission-needs analysis undertaken as part of the evaluation of options makes clear that Canadian engagement in future state-on-state conicts will be highly unlikely.

More likely, it says, is that Can-ada would join in on coalition military actions, not representing clearly dened state-on-state warfare or explicitly humanitari-an assistance missions but rather, as in the case of Libya or Kosovo, something in between.

For now, the Harper adminis-tration still intends to buy 65 F-35s beginning in 2020. Its third annual report on the cost of po-tentially replacing its eet of CF-18s with the type assumes an average per-unit cost of C$88.9 million ($77.1 million) over the period of acquisition. That tallies up to a total of C$45.8 billion over the life cycle of the eet a C$141 million increase over the estimate in its 2013 report.

The analysis assumes that Can-ada will lose 11 F-35As over the eets expected 30-year service life due to normal attrition. The cost to replace these lost aircraft could be in the order of C$1 bil-lion, the report says.

However, the government has so far only set aside C$76 million for programme contingencies, which it describes as low for a project of this scope and size. This factor could potentially force Ottawa to lower the num-ber of F-35s it purchases, the report suggests, which could af-fect the US-led programmes overall cost.

For now, the Harper administration still intends to buy 65 F-35s

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EVALUATION DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC

Fighter analysis report could spur Canadian dogghtContentious assessment concludes other types could perform just as well as Lockheed Martins flagship type

THIS WEEK

16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 7flightglobal.com

European sign-off paves way for Avanti Evo delivery THIS WEEK PAGE 8

MANUFACTURING STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC

Boeing makes second 747-8 rate cutAirframer will lower output to 15.6 aircraft annually as near-term cargo market recovery is not as robust as expected

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Qatar replays waiting game with first A350-900DELIVERY MAX KINGSLEY-JONES & DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

The last-minute postponement of the rst A350-900 delivery to Qatar Airways came after Air-bus was overly optimistic with the interval it allowed for the ac-ceptance process. But as Flight International went to press, the manufacturer remained con-dent that the handover could still be completed as planned before the end of 2014.

Airbus says the delivery was held up by minor technical matters requiring a small amount of additional testing be-fore Qatar Airways will agree to accept the aircraft.

Handover of the carriers rst of 80 A350s had been due to take place on 13 December in Tou-louse, following a formal transfer from Airbuss industrial division to its delivery centre 10 days ear-

Boeing has decided to lower its output of the 747-8 to 15.6 aircraft per year starting in Sep-tember 2015, due to a slower than forecast recovery cycle in the cargo market.

Annual production will drop by 2.4 units from 18, Boeing says, with its monthly rate to fall from 1.5 aircraft to 1.3.

We are making this minor adjustment because the near-term recovery in the cargo market has not been as robust as expected, the company says. We continue to believe in the long-term strength of the freighter market, and the 747-8 is uniquely posi-tioned to capture this demand.

The announcement comes 14 months after Boeing lowered out-put from 21 747-8s per year to 18. At that time, some of the airfram-ers suppliers, such as LMI Aero-space, told analysts it would be contractually difcult for Boeing to reduce the rate to below 1.5 per month. Boeing executives, how-ever, said further production rate

lier. The milestone was then to have been marked at a ceremony in Doha on 15 December, to be at-tended by Qatar Airways chief executives Akbar Al Baker.

A350 programme chief Didier Evrard, speaking at an investor forum in London on 10 Decem-ber, said the interval between hand-over from the Airbus pro-duction arm to the delivery cen-

tre was normal, but that it was a little optimistic for the rst ex-ample of a new aircraft.

Airbus Group chief executive Tom Enders played down the delay, saying that the aircraft is on the tarmac, ready to be deliv-ered. However, Evrard conrmed that with three ights conducted, the company would have to do two or three more to validate its

testing and to ensure that its cus-tomer is satised with the aircraft. Evrard says he has a high level of condence that the aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2014.

Qatar says only that the planned handover has been postponed until further notice. The airline, which has placed orders for 43 A350-900s, plus 37 of the stretched -1000 variant, was plan-ning to debut the type on services from Doha to Frankfurt in mid-January, and to have eight in its eet before the end of 2015.

In June 2014, Qatar Airways also delayed the acceptance of its rst A380s, citing contract wran-gles which Al Baker blamed on issues with the interior and the exterior of the aircraft. The car-rier placed the superjumbo into revenue service in October. Q

cuts were possible if demand did not improve.

By mid-December, Boeing had added orders for two 747-8s in 2014, balancing two aircraft can-celled by other customers. The company has 39 of the model re-maining in its backlog enough for about 28 months at planned production rates.

In October, IATA released a ve-year air cargo forecast pre-dicting annual growth averaging

about 4% through 2018. This would fall slightly short of the 5% gure cited by Boeing as nec-essary to stimulate demand for buying new freighters.

Demand for the passenger-car-rying version of the aircraft has failed to pick up the slack. In July, Boeing revealed proposed design changes that could allow the 747-8 Intercontinental to y from Asia to the US East Coast, or from the Middle East to the US

West Coast non-stop. However, the 747-8I faces tough competi-tion from Boeings own product line-up.

By 2020, the company plans to start delivering the 777-9X with a similar passenger capacity and even better fuel efciency than the 777-300ER. In September, Boeings top salesman in Africa said the 777-300ER already offers better fuel efciency on a seat-mile basis than the 747-8I. Q

Several additional ights are needed before delivery

THIS WEEK

flightglobal.com8 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

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Airbus Helicopters has deliv-ered its rst two EC175s to Belgian operator Noordzee He-likopters Vlaanderen (NHV), as it looks to close a two-year pro-gramme delay for the type.

Handed over on 11 December at the airframer's Marignane head-quarters in France, aircraft MSN2 and MSN4 will be used for oil and gas offshore transportation.

NHV chief executive Eric Van Hal says he is proud to be the rst operator of the 7.5t type. The Ostend-headquartered company will put its rst of 16 of the type into service during the week starting 15 December, with com-mercial ights from Den Helder.

Van Hal says the type will help the company to accelerate its growth. It plans to open a base in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 2015 using the EC175, which it says is ideally suited to about 80% of

ROTORCRAFT

Navalised HAD Block 2 Tigers add bite to French army eetThe French army has taken delivery of its first two upgraded Tiger attack helicopters in the HAD Block 2 con-figuration. The navalised aircraft were qualified by Frances DGA de-fence procurement agency on 21 November and transferred on 10 December, Airbus Helicopters says.

The Block 2 configuration offers improved targeting for rockets, extra combat fuel tanks for longer endur-ance, an extended flight envelope in which Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire and Rafael Spike air-to-surface missiles can be fired and new digital communications equipment.

Frances HAD Block 2 aircraft will be assigned to its 1st Army Combat Helicopter Regiment at Phalsbourg-Bourscheid air base. The unit al-ready operates Block 1-standard Tigers, and has been deployed to the Central African Republic, Airbus Helicopters says.

PROGRAMME DOMINIC PERRY MARIGNANE

NHV embraces arrival of rst EC175sBelgian operator eyes planned Scottish base for type as Airbus Helicopters delivers initial examples after two-year delay

Piaggio Aerospace has secured European certication for its Avanti Evo, less than seven months after the third-generation P180 twin-pusher was introduced.

The rst two aircraft will be delivered to Indian customers be-fore the end of the month, while the rst European owners will have their aircraft in January, chief executive Carlo Logli said during the 8-10 December Middle East Business Aviation show in

Dubai. Indian certication is im-minent, and US approval is ex-pected early next year, he adds.

An upgrade to the Avanti II, the $7.4 million Evo has better performance than its predecessor, with winglets, redesigned engine nacelles, a reshaped front wing and ve-bladed composite scimi-tar propellers.

Piaggio Aerospace a subsidi-ary of Abu Dhabi state-owned in-vestment arm Mubadala has se-

cured 16 orders and 48 options for the seven-seat aircraft, mainly from US-based customers.

We expect to sell 100 Evos a year over the next ve years, Logli predicts. The company plans to produce 10 of the aircraft in 2015, then 16 the following year. We will increase the pro-duction numbers until we reach our 100-unit delivery target, says Logli. See Show Report P18

European sign-off paves way for Avanti Evo deliveryCERTIFICATION KATE SARSFIELD DUBAI

An initial two new-generation P180s will be heading for India

The majority of the EC175s being built are in the offshore variant

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missions conducted from the site. We are in touch with a lot of cus-tomers and they are seeking a exible operator that can quickly position aircraft that are cheaper than the EC225 and [Sikorsky] S-92, he says.

NHV will take delivery of its next six aircraft in 2015, followed by two in 2016 and the remainder in 2017.

Airbus Helicopters has so far built four production-standard EC175s, including one ight-test model, and has another 18 on its assembly line. Most are being produced in the offshore variant, although one will be used for VIP transportation.

The next recipient is likely to be Russian operator UTair, with negotiations continuing on whether to deliver aircraft MSN3 before the end of 2014. None of its pilots have received training

from the manufacturer yet, but a number of its technicians have been type-rated on the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-powered super-medium twin. Hli-Union is due to take its initial delivery

during 2015, with aircraft MSN5 yet to be rolled out.

Presently each helicopter takes around 12 months to complete, but this should drop to ve once the company ramps up to a rate of 30 per annum within three years.

Airbus has a claimed backlog for 64 EC175s, with just 13 added in the last two years. Two-thirds of the commitments are rm orders.

Guillaume Faury, Airbus Heli-copters chief executive, says that although orders have been slow to come, more deals are antici-pated, potentially before year-end. First delivery and entry into service are important mile-stones for customers, he notes.

THIS WEEK

16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 9flightglobal.com

Aviation players gather to create Single European SkyTHIS WEEK P10

PRODUCTION STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC

Spirit sells off Gulfstream wing workAerostructures manufacturer hands business jet packages to Triumph Group to focus on commercial, military sectors

Re-engined A320neo set for November deliveryWIDEBODIES DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

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Flight-test campaign has accumulated 200h on a single airframe

Involvement in the G650 project contributed to a $1 billion loss

For up-to-the-minute network and fleet information sign up at ightglobal.com/dashboard

Airbus chief executive Fabrice Brgier has provided an update on the airframerss ex-pected target for delivery of the rst re-engined A320neo.

Speaking at a investor forum in London on 10 December, Brgier said the aircraft is on track for certication and hand-over in a little bit less than one years time.

The rst example will proba-bly be delivered in November 2015, he adds.

Brgier describes the aircrafts ight-test campaign to date as having been remarkable, with close to 200h accumulated by a single airframe.

The test aircraft rst own from Toulouse on 25 September

Spirit AeroSystems has closed the book on a nancially painful, six-year foray into the business jet market, by reaching an agreement with Triumph Group to take over wing assem-bly work in Tulsa, Oklahoma for Gulfstream G650s and G280s.

Wichita-based Spirit had been seeking a buyer for the Gulf-stream wing work packages since reporting more than $1 billion in write-downs on both projects since 2012.

After launching into the busi-ness jet market following its 2005 divestment from Boeing, the transaction with Triumph gives Spirit even less to show for its ef-fort. The terms of the agreement

is powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofan en-gines; the same powerplant which will feature on the initial delivery. The type will also be produced with CFM Internation-al Leap-1A engines.

While the risk associated with the A320neo development is relatively limited, Brgier stresses: we need to make it work.

Airbus had booked orders for 3,362 A320neo-family aircraft by

5 December, including 102 for-mer A320 orders converted by six buyers, says chief operating ofc-er for customers John Leahy.

The airframer had promised a 15% fuel-burn advantage over the current production-standard A320, and Brgier states that Air-bus will increase this to 20% be-fore 2020 and closer to 25% on the A321neo.

Leahy says the fuel-burn per seat will be improved through higher-density cabin options being introduced for the family, and via a 2% performance en-hancement for the P&W engine from 2019.

require it to pay $160 million to Triumph to take over the projects inside the Tulsa facility, while it will report another forward loss of between $205 million and $235 million. This will be mitigated by a tax benet of $220-230 million, Spirit says, if the transaction clos-es as expected by 1 January.

Spirit chief executive Larry Lawson, who replaced former chief executive Jeff Turner in the wake of the forward losses on Gulfstream and other pro-grammes, says the transaction offers compelling positives for both companies.

Triumph does not expect the wing assemblies to become prot-able for three more years, but it re-establishes the company as a key Gulfstream supplier. Triumph Aerostructures, formerly Vought Aerospace, had supplied wings for the G450 and G550 before los-ing bids to Spirit to perform the work on the G280 and G650. Gulf-stream has decided to internally build the wings for its recently an-nounced G500 and G600 jets. At the time of Spirits selection, the

deals were viewed as landmark victories in Turners strategy to di-versify the company away from reliance on only Boeing as a cus-tomer. This strategy also led Spirit to win major aerostructures pack-ages on the Airbus A350 and Sikorsky CH-53K, as well as the Boeing 787. The A350 and 787 programmes have also yielded forward losses for the company.

Lawson, formerly chief execu-tive of Lockheed Martin Aero-nautics, has decided to steer Spirit away from the business jet market, to focus on commercial transports

and military programmes. Spirit still owns the production facili-ties in Tulsa, which also produce wing components for pro-grammes such as the 787.

We are taking a pause in the process to evaluate the remaining work, says Lawson. There are a number of factors to take into consideration, including explor-ing our options within the com-munity and with other constitu-ents who have approached us. We wont rush the evaluation and will provide an update as soon as we are ready.

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We are taking apause in the processto evaluate theremaining workLARRY LAWSON Chief executive, Spirit Aerosystems

AIR TRANSPORT

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OUTLOOK GRAHAM DUNN LONDON

Airlines on track for record profits, but oil still a risk

Lower oil prices are providing the backdrop for airlines to deliver their strongest-ever net prot performances this year and next, but uncertainty over how long oil prices will remain low and continuing geopolitical is-sues mean that risks remain in the operating environment.

IATA last week lifted its indus-try prot forecast for 2014 by al-most $2 billion to $19.9 billion. In its rst take on 2015, the airline body outlined expectations that net prots will grow to $25 billion.

Absolute numbers, however, hide fragile nances. While $19.9 billion beats the previous prot record of $17.3 billion in 2010, a net margin of 2.9% will be only the third-best of the past decade. In 2015, margins should improve to about 3.2%, as revenues in-crease 4% to $783 billion.

Its getting better, says IATA chief economist Brian Pearce. The fall in oil prices is going to mean better times for passengers, shippers and also investors.

However, much rides on the price of crude oil which is close-ly tracked by jet fuel. The bench-mark Brent Crude price opened 2009 at a post-crisis low of $40 per barrel, before rising steadily to $120 in early 2011 a level it more or less held until this au-tumn, when rising supplies and fears over a global economic slow-down saw it begin a plunge that last week took it below $65.

Some forecasters anticipate prices of $50 or less. But Bank of America Merrill Lynch econo-mists reckon the fall is mostly driven by oversupply, and mar-ket balance will prevail around mid-year to see Brent average around $77 for 2015 but close the year at about $90. Q

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MICHAEL GUBISCH LONDON

Aviation players gather to create Single European SkyAlliance of airlines, airports and ANSPs will work on ways to modernise continents ATM

Mitsubishi Aircraft has com-pleted the wing-body join of it its second ight test MRJ, and says its regional jet programme is on track for a maiden ight in the second quarter of 2015.

Mitsubishi, which rolled out its rst ight test aircraft in Octo-ber, is now conducting functional and performance tests on the air-crafts various systems. Other tests it will have to accomplish before rst ight include testing

the aircrafts Pratt & Whitney PW1200G engines, electromag-netic interference tests and secu-rity and taxi checks.

Final assembly of the second ight test aircraft has largely been completed, except for the mount-ing of the engines, Mitsubishi says.

It adds that the fuselage of the third ight test aircraft has also been fused, with the wing-body join to be completed soon. Q

PROGRAMME MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE

MRJ on track for maiden ight

EgyptAir Cargo has signed up as launch customer for the Airbus A330 passenger-to-freighter conversion programme, ordering the modication of two -200s from its passenger eet.

Singapores ST Aerospace is engineering the modication pro-gramme in partnership with Air-bus, while the conversion will be carried out by Airbus Group sub-sidiary Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) in Dresden, Germany.

A nal design freeze will be reached very soon, EFW says. Work on the rst aircraft, an A330-300, is to begin in 2017, with the A330-200 due to follow in mid-2018.

The carrier plans to build up Cairo as a cargo hub. Q

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The first flight test twinjet rolled out of assembly in October

A partnership of European air-lines, air navigation service providers and airports has been convened to implement meas-ures for the modernisation of the continents air trafc manage-ment system under the Single European Sky initiative.

The SESAR Deployment Alli-ance, assembled by the European Commission, includes representa-tives from Air France-KLM, EasyJet, IAG and Lufthansa Group, plus 11 ANSPs and 25 airports.

Participants are to act as a de-ployment manager to ensure new technologies and solutions that have already been tested and validated through the SESAR [Sin-gle European Sky ATM Research] joint undertaking are delivered into everyday operations across Europe, the Commission says. Funding of up to 3 billion ($3.7

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Modernisation will add 400 million to Europes GDP

billion) is to be made available to implement the changes.

The EU established the SES re-search initiative in 2007 to devel-op technologies and processes for more efcient ATM in the blocs fragmented airspace. The initia-tive is scheduled to end in 2016.

Europes airspace structure is inefcient and costs more to op-erate than those of equivalent re-gions around the world, the Commission argues.

The EU expects modernisation of the continents ageing ATM system to add over 400 mil-lion to the regions GDP.

It will also create around 300,000 additional jobs and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 50 million tonnes.

Massimo Garbini former chief executive of ENAV, Italys ANSP has been appointed managing director of the SESAR Deployment Alliance. Q

IATA lifted its industryprot forecast for2014 to $19.9 billion

CONVERSIONS MICHAEL GUBISCH LONDON

EgyptAir named for A330 P2F launch customer

AIR TRANSPORT

16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 11flightglobal.com

LAM E190 inquiry keeps sabotage suspicion aliveAIR TRANSPORT P12

Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier has robustly defended the prospects for the A380, insist-ing that the aircraft will eventually be re-engined and that a stretched variant will be developed.

Speaking during an investor forum in London, Bregier sought to inject condence in the pro-gramme in the wake of an Airbus nancial outlook which indicat-ed the A380, on a production basis, would still be breaking even around 2018.

Bregiers upbeat prognosis fol-lowed a more sombre outlook from

chief nancial ofcer Harald Wil-helm, who hinted at an outside chance of halting the programme instead of upgrading the aircraft. The A380, said Wilhelm, will break even at production level next year and, given the efforts of reduc-ing xed and recurring costs, will stay at break-even in 2016-17, with at earnings in 2018 keeping the programme close to the break-even with the current product.

He added: If we would do something on the product, or even if we would discontinue the product, thats what it means.

Wilhelm did not elaborate on the remarks, but his nancial pro-jections showed the A380s con-

tribution towards earnings at odds with those from the A320neo, A330neo and A350 programmes. He said the A320 and A330 pro-grammes would be rather stable in 2015, and he expects a volume and price pressure impact from the A330 in 2016, before ramp-up of the re-engined A320neo and A330neo programmes drive a re-covery from 2017 onwards.

Speaking earlier, group chief Tom Enders said Airbus would need to make a decision, at some point, on upgrading the A380 pointing out that the design was effectively 15 years old.

While more than 300 have been ordered, sales of the type have been uneven, with around half of the orders booked by Emirates, the carrier pushing hardest for modernisation of the aircraft. Q

Aviadvigatel has expressed concern about the cost im-pact of the Russian roubles de-preciation on its development of the PD-14 alternative powerplant for the Irkut MC-21 twinjet.

While the PD-14s design is based solely on domestic tech-nologies, modernisation of facili-ties for the certication campaign and serial production requires purchasing advanced technologi-cal equipment and tools from Western manufacturers - and a total programme investment of Rb85 billion ($1.5 billion) accord-

ing to chief designer Alexander Inozemtsev.

But the roubles sharp devalu-ation both against the dollar and the euro cannot but affect this ac-tivity and unnerve us.

Over the past two years, weve worked out retooling schemes for each of the plants selected as a supplier for the PD-14 pro-gramme, he adds. To date, West-ern economic sanctions [on Rus-

sia] have not impacted them, yet the rouble exchange rate has be-come an especially acute issue.

Over the past six months, the Russian currency has depreciated by 60% in dollar terms and 44% against the euro.

Aviadvigatel's currency con-cerns may not impact the MC-21 programme signicantly, howev-er. The principle engine offer, which will power aircraft for ex-port customers, is Pratt & Whit-ney's PW1400G geared turbofan, a variant of the PW1500G as used on Bombardier's CSeries. Q

Roubles decline unnerves MC-21s engine makerPROGRAMME TOM ZAITSEV MOSCOW

Airbus recorded three orders cover-ing 120 A320-family jets during November, when it also booked its first firm agreements for the re-en-gined A330neo.

The single-aisle orders comprise 45 A320neo jets, 57 regular A320s, 10 A321s and eight A319s.

While the agreements are attrib-uted to undisclosed customers, Chinas state aviation supply firm recently agreed to take 70 A320-family aircraft, while Chinese lessor CALC signed a preliminary deal for 100 including 74 A320neos.

US carrier JetBlue Airways has increased its orders for the A321neo by 15, to a total of 45, through a series of conversions and cancellations of previous orders although its overall net orders re-main unchanged.

Airbus secured orders for 179 sin-gle-aisle jets over the month, with deals from Azul, Frontier Airlines and lessor CIT accounting for the balance.

CIT firmed its order for 15 re-en-gined A330-900s, but the lessor ap-pears to have trimmed its backlog for the A350-900 by one, to 14 aircraft.

Delta Air Lines gave Airbus its most significant agreement for the month, signing for 25 A330-900s and 25 A350-900s.

Air Mauritiuss order for four A350s rounded off the airframers long-haul activity.

Airbus has accumulated 1,328 gross orders over the first 11 months of the year, with 1,031 net orders after adjustments and cancellations.

The manufacturers delivery level has reached 554 aircraft, eight few-er than the total at the same point in 2013. Q

SALES

Delta A330neo and A350 deal tops good month for Airbus

PRODUCTION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

Bregier bullish about A380 prospectsHowever, finance chief suggests flat earnings over coming years could prompt Toulouse to consider halting programme

The Irkut twinjet will be powered by Aviadvigatels PD-14 turbofan

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Production is expected to break even in 2015

AIR TRANSPORT

flightglobal.com12 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

For up-to-the-minute air transport news, network and fleet information sign up at ightglobal.com/dashboard

REPORT DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

LAM E190 inquiry points to act of sabotage by captainInvestigators say pilot left alone in cockpit disengaged systems before fatal Namibia crash

AIRPROX KERRY REALS LONDON

EASA to probe military/civilian near-collisions

SAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

Heathrow UAV airprox under investigation

The absence of routine alarms has led investigators to con-clude that an Embraer 190 cap-tain, left alone in the cockpit, de-liberately disengaged multiple systems before the aircraft crashed in Namibia.

The LAM Mozambique E190 was cruising at 38,000ft on 29 No-vember 2013 when cockpit-voice recordings picked up the sound of the altitude pre-select being di-alled to 4,288ft, then to 1,888ft and again to 592ft. Shortly after-wards the autothrottle was disen-gaged and one of the air condi-tioning packs was deactivated.

Neither event generated a cau-tion alarm, and the Namibian transport ministry says, in an in-terim statement on the crash, that this indicates the actions were intentional. Similarly, the air-crafts mode was subsequently switched from altitude hold to ight level change without any evidence of a failure of the ight management system.

Therefore, it is possible to infer that these transitions were manually commanded, the in-quiry states. The captain was left alone after the rst ofcer left for the lavatory.

The autothrottle was manually re-engaged and because the Em-braer had been directed to follow a ight level change to the lower al-titude the thrust levers automati-cally retarded. The autothrottle was then disengaged once more.

Flight data recorder informa-tion shows that the jet departed its assigned altitude and began a rapid straight-line descent that lasted 6min 42s before Namibian radar lost contact.

The aircraft struck the ground 15s later.

Some 20s after the jet left its cruising altitude the thrust levers were advanced, then 9s later they retarded back to idle. During the descent, the ight data recorder continued to capture the activa-tion of a number of other systems.

Nearly 2min into the descent the speed brakes were manually activated, deploying the spoilers. The speed brake handle stayed in this position.

The aircraft began descending rapidly, at up to 10,600ft/min, and its varying pitch reached some 10 nose-down on occasion.

The desired speed was manually adjusted several times, the inquiry says, and the diving Embraers airspeed in-creased reaching some 330kt (611km/h) at times triggering overspeed warnings. Bleed pres-sure dropped to near-zero, again

with no caution alarm, indicating that both bleeds were disengaged intentionally. As the aircraft de-scended through 17,000ft, a mas-ter caution warning was activated for 6s. It was not yet possible to correlate this message with any abnormal system behaviour, the inquiry states.

Namibian air trafc control lost contact with the Embraer at 6,600ft. Twelve seconds later, the rst ground-proximity alerts were activated at 5,150ft, when the aircraft was 2,010ft above ter-rain. The aircraft crashed in Bwabwata national park, and none of the six crew members or 27 passengers survived.

Investigators have not drawn any conclusions from the record-ed information, but there is little in the interim statement to coun-ter early suspicions that the ight was sabotaged by the captain.

No distress call was made by the crew, which had been in radio contact with Gaborone con-trollers before the sudden de-scent at the EXEDU waypoint.

The Namibian inquiry states that no mechanical faults were detected, and that the rst ofc-er left the cockpit minutes before the crash. Recordings revealed repeated banging, it conrms, attributed to demands to enter the ightdeck. Q

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UK safety authorities are inves-tigating an airprox incident between an Airbus A320-family jet and an unmanned air vehicle west of London Heathrow.

The incident, which occurred on 22 July, has been classied by the UK Airprox Board as creating a serious risk of collision the strongest category investigators can assign. The incident took place at a height of 700ft, west of the threshold of runway 09L.

Heathrow was conducting landing operations on 09L at the time of the incident, which took place in daylight. Meteorological data for the airport shows weath-er conditions were good.

The Airprox Board has yet to issue a detailed report into the in-cident. It has not identied the operator involved and simply lists the intruding aircraft as an unspecied UAV. QSee News Focus P21

European regulators are to in-vestigate a series of mid-air near-misses between military jets and passenger aircraft.

EASA which is responding to a request from the European Com-mission does not specify the in-cidents in question, but says they occurred over the sea at the bor-der of the EU. The investigation intends to identify the causes of the near-collisions and provide recommendations on how such incidents can be avoided.

EASA will deliver its ndings to the Commission in March 2015.

We will consult civil and mili-tary bodies in order to gather the necessary information to com-plete our analysis, says EASA executive director Patrick Ky. Q

Flightglobals Ascend Fleets database shows the carrier as still operating two E190s

David Learmount offers his views on aviation safety issues: ightglobal.com/learmount

AIR TRANSPORT

16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 13flightglobal.com

Airbus lands Anglo-French A400M support dealDEFENCE P14

GUIDELINES JON HEMMERDINGER WASHINGTON DC

FAA rm on rest rules for cargo pilotsDespite opposition from unions, regulator says new requirements will not be extended to flightcrew on freighter aircraft

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Strong commercial results have fuelled fleet expansion

Air New Zealand (ANZ) will exercise options on two Boeing 787-9s, taking its total commitment for the type to 12.

ANZ chief executive Christo-pher Luxon says that the invest-ment in the new aircraft, which will be delivered in late 2017 and the second half of 2018, has been made possible due to the carriers strong commercial performance. Air New Zealand is very com-mitted to the 787-9, he says. The aircraft is a key component in our growth strategy. These new aircraft will provide us with additional exibility as we move forward with our growth plans.

Flightglobals Ascend Fleets database shows that the airline

ANZ firms up commitments for two more 787-9sORDERS ELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE

has three of the type in service, and seven more on rm order. After the two options are rmed, it will still have six more 787 op-tions remaining.

ANZs 787s y from Auckland to Perth, Shanghai and Tokyo. The airline is also planning to de-ploy the type on services to Hon-olulu and Tahiti in 2015.

The entry into service pro-gramme has gone very smoothly and weve been incredibly pleased with the aircrafts perfor-mance, Luxon adds. Q

The US Federal Aviation Ad-ministration has reiterated its opposition to altering new pilot rest requirements, despite calls by pilot groups for the rules to apply to all-cargo airlines.

In a new analysis released on 8 December and subsequently pub-lished in the Federal Register, the FAA again determined that the -nancial benets the rule would bring to all-cargo airlines would not outweigh the costs. Because the results of the analysis continue to indicate that the costs of man-dating all-cargo operation compli-ance with the new ight duty and rest rule signicantly outweigh the

benets, the FAA has determined that no revisions to the nal rule are warranted, it says.

In new rules that took effect on 4 January 2014, the FAA set new duty-time requirements for pilots of passenger airlines, but did not change rest rules for pilots of all-cargo operators. The rules require passenger pilots to have at least 10h of rest before a ight, up from 2h, and prohibit pilots ight time from exceeding either 8h or 9h, depending on when the duty pe-riods begins.

In addition, the rules limit pi-lots total ight duty period to be-tween 9h and 14h, depending on

the duty start time and ight seg-ments own.

Called FAR 117, the rules were largely a response by regulators to the 2009 crash of Colgan Air ight 3407 near Buffalo.

The FAAs latest analysis esti-mates that applying the rules to cargo-only operators would pro-vide a benet of between $3 mil-lion and $10 million over 10 years, down from a previous estimate of $5 million to $31 million. Howev-er, the analysis says the rules would cost cargo operators $452 million over 10 years, down from an earlier estimate of $550 million.

By comparison, it says the rules will cost passenger carriers $462 million, but provide be-tween $401 and $757 million in nancial benets.

The analysis released in Dece-mer is the second such study by the FAA, conducted after the agency discovered errors with its rst activity. The FAA has been facing a legal challenge from the Independent Pilots Association (IPA), which represents UPS pi-lots and has been urging the agen-

cy to apply the same duty-time rules to cargo and passenger air-lines. We are disappointed but not surprised that the FAA has chosen to continue a carve-out for cargo pilots, IPA tells Flight International, adding: This ac-tion by the FAA will force us to resume our lawsuit to seek relief from the carve-out in the courts.

The Air Line Pilots Associa-tion, International (ALPA) also supports applying the rules to cargo carriers, but did not imme-diately comment.

ALPA and IPA renewed calls for new cargo pilot rest requirements following the 14 August 2013 crash of a UPS Airbus A300-600 freighter near Birmingham-Shut-tlesworth International airport.

In an accident report released in September 2014, the NTSB at-tributed the UPS crash primarily to the captains decision to con-tinue an unstable approach. The report also noted, however, laps-es in crew resource management, communication problems be-tween the crew and a dispatcher and evidence of fatigue. Q

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A UPS crash prompted ALPA to call for updated regulations

DEFENCE

flightglobal.com14 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

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With a combined six of the aircraft being own by their air forces, the defence ministries of France and the UK have signed a contract covering collaborative in-service support arrangements for the Airbus A400M Atlas tacti-cal transport.

Announced by the nations on 8 December, the development covers initial maintenance sup-port of the airlifter, in addition to spare parts pooling and the es-tablishment of maintenance engi-neering services to the benet of both air forces, the nations say in a joint statement. The contract has been placed with Airbus De-fence & Space via Europes OCCAR procurement agency.

The UKs Defence Equipment & Support organisation values its two-year contract as being worth 175 million ($274 million). France has not disclosed the size of its award, but its DGA defence procurement body says the ar-rangement will run from the end of a national introduction to ser-vice support arrangement with Airbus in early February 2015 until September 2016.

Airbus had by mid-December delivered ve of the 50 A400Ms on order for the French air force, while the Royal Air Forces rst of 22 Atlas transports arrived at its Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire

India has selected Sikorskys S-70B Seahawk for its long-run-ning multi-role helicopter (MRH) requirement, having recently elim-inated NH Industries rival NH90 from contention for the deal.

Negotiations will now begin to procure 16 S-70B Seahawk helicopters, with an option for eight additional aircraft, along with a complete logistics support and training programme, says Sikorsky. The aircraft will be equipped for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare roles, serving both from warships and land bases. Installed mission equip-ment will include a 360 mari-time search radar, air-to-surface missiles, sonar and torpedoes,.

Flightglobals Ascend Fleets database records the Indian navy as currently operating an aged eet of 27 Westland Sea Kings.

In an interview with Flight In-ternational in November, the president of Sikorskys defence business, Sam Mehta, said the company's offer to India would be similar to the teaming model used in its sale of 109 S-70s to Turkey; in that India will have a broad remit to integrate locally-developed systems aboard the helicopter.

Sikorsky is also interested in New Delhis follow-on naval MRH competition, which is to cover more than 120 additional maritime rotorcraft. Q

MRO CRAIG HOYLE LONDON

Airbus lands Anglo-French support deal for A400MBilateral pact to encompass initial maintenance activities, plus spare parts pooling

ROTORCRAFT GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE

Seahawk flies towards order with Indian navy

ACQUISITIONS

Bangladesh receives rst K-8 trainersThe Bangladesh air force has taken delivery of its first Hongdu K-8 jet trainers, which are replacing 11 Cessna T-37s in operational use. Flightglobals MiliCAS database records the nation as having ordered nine of the single-engined type, with an initial batch of four including aircraft 14321, pictured landing in Dhaka on 2 December having arrived recently. Bangladesh will also introduce 16 Yak-130 advanced jet trainers on order from Russias Irkut. To be used in combination with the K-8, the type will prepare pilots to operate a frontline fleet of Chengdu J-7 and RAC MiG-29 fighters. For more fleet information, download our free World Air Forces directory: ightglobal.com/waf

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in mid-November. The intention is to further expand on early col-laboration activities, where feasi-ble and value for money, says DGA chief executive Laurent Col-let-Billon, who adds that such agreements could potentially be made open to other European op-erators of the A400M.

The type is also on order for Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey. Ankara has al-ready received its rst example, while Berlin was also poised to

take delivery of its lead aircraft before year-end.

Welcoming the award, Airbus describes its new deal with France and the UK as providing a solid foundation for the A400Ms entry into service with the nations.

Separately, Rolls-Royce in early December announced an 18 million investment in sup-port infrastructure for the A400Ms Europrop International TP400-D6 turboprop engines at its Bristol site in southwest England. To include adapting an existing testbed to allow the TP400 to be run while off the wing, the maintenance, repair and overhaul facility will ini-tially be used to support engines in service with the RAF, the company says. Q

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Five of the 50 aircraft on order for France have been delivered

Such agreementscould potentially be made open to otherEuropean operatorsof the airlifter

DEFENCE

16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 15flightglobal.com

Japans Chinook programme nears 100th airframe markDEFENCE P16

Israel wants to acquire a so-called personal UAS for its infantry personnel, with the types introduction to allow al-most every ghting soldier to look beyond the hill and re-ceive data for immediate use.

A request for information is still being prepared, but is ex-pected to seek a system weighing 1-1.5kg (2.2-3.3lb), including a day or night sensor payload, with a ight endurance of 15min.

The requirement is linked to the Israel Defence Forces Digital Army programme, which aims to network the future battleeld using equipment carried by indi-vidual soldiers. Q

REQUIREMENT

Israel seeking personal UAS

The Royal Netherlands Army expects to issue a request for proposals in early 2015 for the re-placement of its AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven unmanned air systems.

Lt Col Pieter Mink, senior UAS adviser to the commander of the army, says the services current Raven support contract is due to end in 2015, and it also has identied three distinct user groups that would benet from different capabilities of a small unmanned air vehicle.

Special forces personnel and marines require a limited endur-ance of about 1h, while recon-naissance users require a mid-range operating time, and those

Dutch request to put Raven to roostUNMANNED SYSTEMS BETH STEVENSON LONDON

conducting national operations need an endurance of more than 3h, Mink told IQPCs UAS Train-ing and Simulation conference in

London on 10 December. A fam-ily of systems is likely to be re-quired to replace the 25 Raven systems in service, with require-ments to include an integrated electro-optical/infrared sensor.

The army hopes to introduce the equipment by the end of 2015, with its acquisition also to include one xed-base and one deployable simulator.

The army is also in the concept phase of developing a micro, apping-wing UAV with the Netherlands Delft University of Technology. The system is based on the DelFly Micro UAV. Q

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FUNDING DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC

Budget boost inbound for US servicesDevelopment and acquisition programmes set to profit as Congress agrees $1.1 trillion proposal for fiscal year 2015

Military aviation ofcials and defence contractors could enter the new year in high spirits if a $1.1 trillion scal year 2015 budget is approved as agreed on 10 December by both houses of the US Congress.

Under the proposal, the Depart-ment of Defense would receive $93.8 billion in procurement funding, including $31.9 billion for aircraft purchases by the air force, army and navy.

Congress has authorised the purchase of 38 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs for the US ser-vices nine more than were funded in FY2014, and four more than President Barack Obamas administration had requested.

The order would fund two additional F-35As for the US Air Force, for $224 million, and two F-35Cs for the US Navy worth $255 million.

The USN will also receive authorisation to purchase 15 Boeing EA-18G Growler electron-ic attack aircraft for $1.46 billion. The aircraft were not included in the services 2015 budget request,

but had topped its list of unfunded priorities.

While it would reward the navy, the bill denies the US Air Force authority to retire its Fairchild Republic A-10 ground-attack aircraft, by funding the eets maintenance at over $337 million. The retirement plan, which has been pitched as a cost-saving measure, has been met with strenuous opposition on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have been promising to preserve the A-10.

The USAF will, however, se-cure $100 million for its new com-bat rescue helicopter programme,

to help pay down the identied shortfall in scal years 2016 and 2017, a summary of the bill says. The service will also net $102 mil-lion for a single Lockheed Martin MC-130J special operations tacti-cal transport, and $90.5 million to fund continued operation of the 31-aircraft eet of Boeing E-3 air-borne warning and control system aircraft.

Development programmes are also to benet from the FY2015 allocation. The USAFs three pri-mary modernisation efforts the F-35, long-range strike bomber and Boeing KC-46 tanker all

were granted full funding for FY2015. The USNs unmanned carrier-launched airborne sur-veillance and strike project will also receive full funding.

The armys aviation branch will receive an extra $341 million to modernise up to 12 additional Boeing AH-64 Apache attack heli-copters and nine Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks. But the bill limits the transfer of Apaches from the national guard to active units a key element of the armys aviation restructuring plan until enact-ment of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. Q

Boei

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The USN will receive authorisation to purchase 15 more EA-18G Growlers

Read more news from the unmanned air system sector: ightglobal.com/UAV

The Royal Netherlands Army currently operates the RQ-11

DEFENCE

flightglobal.com16 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

For more in-depth coverage of the global rotorcraft sector, go online toightglobal.com/helicopters

Boeing is set to deliver the fu-selage and cabin compo-nents for Japans 100th CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, for in-country completion by Kawa-saki Heavy Industries (KHI), under a partnership that has al-ready lasted for 30 years.

For both Boeing and KHI, per-formance has been exemplary, says Leland Wight, Boeings H-47 international programme manager. I dont think weve ever delivered anything late through this entire programme. Thats something to be heralded. Typically we would struggle to bridge our business practices and our cultures.

Under the arrangement, Boe-ing provides major fuselage com-ponents, transmissions, shafts and rotor blades from its factory outside Philadelphia, Pennsylva-nia. KHI performs cockpit and nal aircraft assembly, populates the aircraft with national-specic avionics and mission equipment and then tests each aircraft prior

F resh live-ring trials with MBDAs Meteor beyond-visu-al-range air-to-air missile have been conducted in the UK using a development example of the Euroghter Typhoon.

The trials further developed and tested the integration of the missile with the [Typhoon] weap-on system, BAE Systems says.

The US Ofce of Naval Re-search (ONR) has received a national manufacturing award for developing an improved method of producing canopies for the Lockheed Martin F-35 that could save the Department of Defense $125 million over the life of the programme.

GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems plans to begin building canopies using the automated thermoforming process in May, following a $1.3 million develop-ment activity conducted by the ONR since 2011.

The existing canopy manufac-turing process requires loading an acrylic shell into a forming tool, which is then inserted into a 93.3C (200F) oven. The canopy forms within the mold over six days, during which time work-ers regularly enter the oven to make observations and manually adjust positioning clamps to con-trol the forming process, the ONR says. Its new method in-volves using cameras and clamps that adjust automatically to main-tain a uniform canopy shape, re-moving the need for workers to enter the oven. The improved process also takes only two to three days to complete, it adds.

Lockheed has also previously opted to employ 3D printing rath-er than forging to manufacture the bowframe that crosses the F-35s canopy. The switch could save more than $31 million, it says. The company and its industry partners in 2014 launched a Blueprint to Affordability pro-gramme, which is aimed at streamlining production activities and reducing manufacturing costs for the fth-generation type. Q

Tokyos air force and army fly 16 and 58 of the type, respectively

A development Eurofighter was used

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Conducted in November over the UK Ministry of Defences Hebri-des ring range, the activity also tested the interface of the missile with the weapon system for both pre-launch priming and post-launch datalink functions be-tween the missile and the radar.

Additional ring trials to be conducted through 2017 will

PRODUCTION DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC

Lightning-fast manufacturing method lauded

The process couldsave $125 millionover the life of the programme

Meteor links up for Typhoon testingPAYLOAD CRAIG HOYLE LONDON

MILESTONE DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC

Japans Chinook programme nears 100th airframe markBoeing applauds exemplary 30-year working relationship with Kawasaki Heavy Industries

to delivery to the Japanese de-fence ministry.

So far, KHI has delivered 95 Chinooks to the air force and army, and the next nine exam-ples are in various stages of pro-duction in the USA and Japan. The programmes 100th aircraft will be delivered in mid-2016.

Japan has the second-largest operational eet of Chinooks after the US Army, and has taken delivery of an average of three per year since 1984. Flightglobals Ascend Fleets database records

its air force and army as currently operating 16 and 58 of the type, respectively. Powered by Honeywell T55-714A engines, its latest CH-47JA+ examples have the long-range fuel tanks that come as standard on the US Ar-mys CH-47F model.

Some parts are the same, but I wouldnt call it an F-model, says Alan Aleixo, Boeings H-47 programme manager for Japan. We are continuing to work with them to convert their eet to full F-models. Q

fully expand the launch enve-lope and weapon system integra-tion with the Euroghter plat-form, BAE says.

The missile is being added as part of a Phase 2 Enhancements package for the type, and is also being offered to potential export customers.

The UK Royal Air Force is ex-pected to introduce the Meteor into operational service with its Typhoons from 2018, with the weapon also to arm Euroghters own by Germany, Italy and Spain. MBDAs six-nation pro-duction contract for the missile also includes deliveries for French air force and navy Dassault Rafales and Swedish air force Saab Gripen C/Ds. Q

SHOW REPORT

flightglobal.com18 | Flight International | 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

Billy

Pix

The Middle East business aviation market is all about heavy metal, and the big jets of Boeing and Airbus dominated both the news and the static display at the MEBA show in Dubai on 8-10 December, where invest-ment in local infrastructure and a major merger in the charter and aircraft management sector were also making the headlines. Murdo Morrison, Dominic Perry and Kate Sarsfield report. Photography by BillyPix.

Missed MEBA? Catch up with the latest news and analysis on our landing page ightglobal.com/MEBA

Billy

Pix

Marwan Khalek will remain as group chief executive

DEVELOPMENT

Softex Aero courts new investors in show debut

MEBA 2014

One of the least-known names in business and general avia-tion manufacturing made its debut at MEBA in the hope of at-tracting investment to bring its aircraft to market.

Softex Aero, a privately-owned Ukrainian company, is develop-ing a total of eight new aircraft, including both rotary- and xed-wing types.

These include a 10-seat, multi-role twin-engined turboprop called the V-28, a four-seat piston twin known as the V-24 which was on display in the static park and a two-seat light single-

engined helicopter, the V-22. Softex has also commenced ight tests of its new V-52 light twin helicopter.

Ten-year old Softexs rst goal is to secure enough investment to expand its manufacturing and re-search and development facility in Brovary, northern Ukraine.

We would also like to set up an assembly line for the V-24 and V-52 in China and the USA, says Softex vice-president Majid Ham-idain. He accepts that securing investment could prove a chal-lenge for a relatively unknown manufacturer. Q

The founder of Gama Aviation says its merger with UK rival Hangar8 announced as day one of MEBA came to an end is part of a necessary consolidation in the industry and will produce a stronger player with a growing global footprint.

Marwan Khalek will remain as group chief executive of the com-bined company, which will adopt the Farnborough-based Gama Aviation name. His counterpart at Hangar8, Dustin Dryden, will be-come executive director.

Speaking at the show, Khalek said: Although things are rea-sonably healthy again [after the post-2008 downturn], it is a mar-ket that is highly fragmented and needs consolidating.

The merger with stock market-listed Hangar8 which must be formally approved by the compa-nys shareholders at an extraordi-nary general meeting on 5 Janu-ary is ofcially a reverse takeover of privately-owned Gama, with new shares being is-sued in the expanded Hangar8 to

MERGER

Hangar8 reverses into rival to form new charter giant Takeover will see merged business adopt Gama name in move its boss describes as a necessary consolidation

Billy

Pix

The V-24 four-seat piston twin was on display in the static park

This is not aboutcost savings. We have complementaryofferingsMARWAN KHALEK Founder, Gama Aviation

fund the acquisition. It will re-quire some rationalisation as the management teams are amalga-mated, however, Khalek adds: Fundamentally this is not about cost savings. We have comple-mentary offerings.

Oxford airport-based Hangar8 is chiey an aircraft management and charter provider, which has recently branched out into the African market with a base in Nigeria. It manages a eet of 50 aircraft.

Gama founded in 1983 has a wider portfolio, with an 80-strong management and char-ter eet and a string of xed-base operations in the UK and USA.

Last year the company opened a FBO and base maintenance fa-cility in Sharjah. Q

16 December 2014-5 January 2015 | Flight International | 19flightglobal.com

MEBA 2014SHOW REPORT

Emirates eyes expansion into executive charterSHOW REPORT P20

ORDER

Boeing makes Comlux breakthroughLongtime ACJ charter operator defects with deal for two 737 Max 8s, but insists door still remains open to Airbus

Billy

Pix

Jim Soleo is leading the firms charge into widebody MRO

Boei

ng

The business has notched up 13 commitments this year

Comlux Aviation, one the largest owners and operators of the Airbus ACJ320 VIP nar-rowbody airliner family, has de-fected to the European airframers arch rival and placed its rst order with Boeing since launch-ing operations over 11 years ago.

The Swiss company an-nounced at the show the acquisi-tion of two BBJ Max 8s a corpo-rate version of the re-engined 737 Max 8 in a deal that was too good [to] turn down, says Com-lux president and chief executive Richard Gaona.

He stresses, however, that the door still remains open to Air-bus, even though the airframer has yet to ofcially launch its challenger to the BBJ Max series an ACJ320neo family. The rst examples of the re-engined A320 are scheduled to enter airline ser-vice next year.

The BBJ Max 8 is a perfect ad-dition to the Comlux eet, says Gaona. We are impressed with the aircrafts 6,000nm [11,100km] range and its low cabin altitude, which makes long-range ights far more comfortable for our passengers.

Boeing is scheduled to deliver the two aircraft in 2019 and 2020 to Comlux America the compa-nys US completions centre in In-dianapolis. Outtting is expected to take around a year for each.

The Max 8s will replace Com-luxs ACJ320 and one of its three

ACJ319s. The company says it will be looking to replace the two remaining ACJs within the next few years. We dont keep aircraft that are more than ve years old, Gaona says.

Comlux is the third customer for the BBJ Max 8 since the model was launched in April. The iden-tity of the other position holders has not been disclosed.

MEBA also marked the signing of Comlux Americas rst wide-body completions contract.

Jim Soleo, Comlux Americas chief executive, says the rm was persuaded to move into the widebody maintenance, repair and overhaul arena following a fall in demand for single-aisle

completions. Since 2010, Comlux has completed and refur-bished ten narrowbodies across the ACJ and BBJ families, according to Soleo.

The narrowbody market has slowed down signicantly. Not only are Boeing and Airbus sell-ing fewer aircraft than they used

to, but the competition for these completions contracts is erce. In order to remain competitive and consistent we had to get into widebodies, he says.

Meanwhile, Airbus has given the strongest hint yet that it could launch a re-engined version of its airliner-derived ACJ320 family as early as next year.

The airframer has been coy on the future of its ACJ narrowbod-ies since the launch of the com-mercial Neo variant in late 2010.

Speaking at a pre-MEBA press conference, Airbus Corporate Jets president Benoit Defforge said: We are actively working on it and talking about it with our cus-tomers. When pressed on a launch date for the aircraft, Def-forge offered: We need some-thing to announce in 2015.

Airbus Corporate Jets market-ing director David Velupillai says there has been no urgency to launch the ACJ320neo, as corpo-rate customers typically want to receive their aircraft within a year of placing an order.

Airbuss priority, he says, is gaining certication for the com-mercial variant next year.

Velupillai believes that the main selling point of the A320neo the fuel burn im-provement provided by the air-crafts new CFM Leap-1A or Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines is not a priority for corporate owners. Q

SUCCESSION

Taylor hands over with BBJ on a highBoeing Business Jets president Capt Steve Taylor handed over the reins of the organisations top job to his replacement David Longridge while at MEBA.

Taylor is bowing out on a high, after orders this year hit double fig-ures for the first time since 2008.

We have secured 13 orders in 2014 five BBJ 737s, four BBJ Max 8s, three BBJ 777s and one BBJ 787 which is a major achievement

given the market conditions, says Taylor, who is leaving to become chief pilot for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Its a big change to leave the VIP world, but my new job will take me back to flying, which I am very ex-cited about, he says.

Longridge, for his part, is a long-time Boeing veteran who began working at the Seattle airframer 22 years ago as an engineer. Q

The BBJ Max 8 is aperfect addition tothe Comlux eet. We are impressed with the aircrafts rangeRICHARD GAONA President and chief executive, Comlux

flightglobal.com20 | Flight International 16 December 2014-5 January 2015

For all the latest news from across the global business aviation commuity, visit ightglobal.com/bizav

MEBA 2014SHOW REPORT

Emirates says it will decide in 2015 whether to expand its Emirates Executive offering with further aircraft, one year after the airline launched its high-end charter service with a single Air-bus A319.

The Dubai carrier made its debut on the MEBA static, exhib-iting the A319, which includes 10 suites an enhancement of the airlines rst-class product with a forward lounge and din-ing area, and a shower and spa at the rear.

Emirates divisional senior vice-president for planning, aer-opolitical and industry affairs, Adnan Kazim, says that, al-though the airline has been test-ing the water with the Emirates brand in this market, the rst 12 months were extremely success-ful, with 450h own.

We have gained a lot of knowledge and are looking at whether we can extend with the same size of aircraft or perhaps something smaller, he says. It might be next year or the year after that, but we are moving positively and hitting our bench-marks. Next year will be a good year to determine what we do.

Emirates Gulf rival Qatar Air-ways has been operating its own executive charter service for sev-eral years with Bombardier jets. It also has 10 Gulfstream G650ERs and G500s on order.

Kazim says the A319 has been attracting custom from beyond the Middle East, including from India, China, Russia and Africa.

Abu Dhabi-based Falcon Avia-tion Services (FAS) broke ground during the show on the Middle Easts rst VIP aircraft com-pletion centre, which it expects to be open for business in 2016.

The business aviation services provider hopes to capitalise on the regions position as the big-gest market for VIP widebody and narrowbody airliners.

The Middle East is home to a large and expanding population of business aircraft, says Captain Mahmoud Ismael, chief operating ofcer of Al Bateen Executive air-port-headquartered FAS which has a growing eet of 30 xed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

Over the next few years there will be a number of [green] air-craft coming on the market while others will be coming up for re-furbishment, says Ismael.

FASs rst completions project is expected to be a company-owned VIP-congured Bombar-dier CSeries. It became the rst UAE-based customer for the in-development regional airliner earlier this year, after placing an order for two of the twin jets.

Ismael says the completions facility is a natural extension to FASs thriving MRO business. The eight year-old company sup-ports a number of aircraft models including types from the Embraer and Airbus Helicopters stables.

The Dubai World Central-based completion centre is also a major coup for the Middle East. Until now, the industry has been dominated by a handful of com-panies in Europe and the USA.

US FBO operator XJet is taking its membership model to the Gulf with two new facilities due to open in 2015 one in Saudi Arabias oil capital Dammam and one at Dubai World Central.

The Denver-based company says it has a ve-year licence of exclusivity to operate in the eastern Saudi city. It plans to begin construction during 2015 and to use a temporary building in the meantime.

XJet had already revealed

plans for its Dubai development in 2008, with opening a year later, but has now nally com-pleted the formalities that will allow it to begin construction of the four-hangar FBO and launch in time for the Dubai air show in November 2015, says president Josh Stewart. There will be two hangars initially, with two more to follow in phase two of the project.

XJet, which is moving its glob-al headquarters from Colorado to

DWC, has also just taken over the former Diamond hangar at Lon-dons Stansted airport in a multi-year lease deal, and intends ex-panding to Pariss Le Bourget airport shortly.

The company launched its seven-star membership scheme with its hangar at Denvers Centen-nial Airport in 2007. Unlike rivals such as Jet Aviation and ExecuJet, XJet does not offer maintenance or aircraft management. Members pay an annual fee per aircraft.

INVESTMENT

Completions come home as Falcon digs in

XJet marks the spot for further FBOsEXPANSION

Over the next few years there will be a number of [green] aircraft coming on the marketMAHMOUD ISMAELChief operating ofcer, FAS

The airliness first executive A319 includes 10 suites

FLEET

Emirates eyes expansion of foray into executive charter Dubai carrier considers adding to single A319 after service hits benchmarks in first year

MEBA: WE HAD IT COVEREDYou can catch up with all our coverage from MEBA on our landing page, ightglobal.com/MEBA, where you can also view how we reported the show each day in Flight Daily News. The three publi-cations handed out to attendees every morning by our team of red-flight suited distributors include our Hall Highlights picture spreads as well as some stunning photography from the stands and static by BillyPix.

JET SET:

Airbus hints at

2015 launch for

new ACJ model

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chiefly the fuel burn

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take-off

weight (MTOW) opti

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sharklet-equipped A

CJ319.

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choose

between the new 77

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the baseline 76.5t.

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increases by 350nm

(650km).

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n ACJ319

at the show operate

d by Austrian

business aviation se

rvices

company MJet.

By KATE SARSFIELD

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