A BIOSHOCK TO AVIATION - Royal Aeronautical Society
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April 2020
AEROSPACE
END OF AN ERA FOR
THE FIGHTER PILOT?
SPACEFLIGHT IN 2020
KING AIRS TO THE
RESCUE
www.aerosociety.com
April 2020
Volume 47 Number 4
A BIOSHOCK TO AVIATION
COVID-19: THE GLOBAL AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
Royal Aeronautical Society
FACES ITS TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YET
APRIL 2020 AEROSPACE COVER FINAL.indd 1 23/03/2020 12:55
@ROYAL
AIRFORCE
Brought to you by In partnership with Sponsored by
�AIR&SPACE ��LEONARDO NORTHROP-, LOCKHEEDM�
ER ASSOCIATION GRUMMAN I
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Correspondence on all aerospace matters is welcome at: The Editor, AEROSPACE, No.4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK publications@aerosociety.com
Volume 47 Number 4
April 2020
EDITORIAL Contents
A flock of ‘Black Swans’ Regulars
4 Radome 12 Transmission
Just how resilient is global aerospace and aviation to external shocks and The latest aviation and Your letters, emails, tweets
aeronautical intelligence, and social media feedback.
disruption? We may be about to find out. So far it has coped with ‘Black analysis and comment.
Swan’ events of the 1991 Gulf War, 9/11, SARS, the 2008 financial crisis 58 The Last Word
and the Icelandic volcano. Each time, passenger growth dipped but then 11 Pushing the Envelope Keith Hayward considers
quickly recovered as the insatiable demand for air travel returned even Rob Coppinger on how the the wider implications for
5G telecommunications the aerospace industry in
stronger than before. Today, however, the engines that power the global revolution can benefit the the wake of the Coronavirus
aviation industry seem to have ingested several Black Swans at once leading aerospace industry. outbreak.
to fears that the entire sector could stall. Aviation was already struggling with
Boeing’s 737 MAX crisis – which sees one half of the mega-duopoly in limbo Features
as its single-aisle line is grounded for over 12 months. Meanwhile concerns
Korean Air
over climate change and ‘flight shaming’ were gaining ground among
consumers. Last month, came the news that the UK will leave EASA –
something that had previously only been envisaged in ‘worst-case’ scenarios. 14
In normal times, each of these ‘Black Swans’ would be headline news but 32
all are now overshadowed by the biggest and most significant Swan – the
global Coronavirus pandemic, which has led to grounded fleets, closed Bioshock to aviation –
what next? The show must go on
borders and passenger demand going off a cliff edge – in an unprecedented What is the impact on the A report from the 2020
crisis in aviation’s history. Flight schedules now look like something from the aerospace industry of the Singapore Air Show.
1960s and the dawn of the jet age. That aviation will eventually come back is Coronavirus pandemic?
not in question but in what form? Civil aviation is the lifeblood of the world’s 20 Breaking through the
globalised economy, the sinews of commerce and a sector that has lifted HUD glass ceiling
the horizons of millions of people around the world. If anything, this crisis is Does the Chief of an Air
demonstrating that, however high-resolution a screen, or fast the bandwidth, Force necessarily need to be 36
a pilot?
people crave face-to-face contact.
2Excel Aviation
36 Wings of change
Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief 25 The RAeS Global
Megatrends conference
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com
looks at the longer-term
future of aerospace.
Firefly Aerospace
Editor-in-Chief Editorial Office 2020 AEROSPACE subscription
Tim Robinson Royal Aeronautical Society rates: Non-members, £180 King Airs to the rescue
+44 (0)20 7670 4353 No.4 Hamilton Place Two new customised King
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com London W1J 7BQ, UK
+44 (0)20 7670 4300
Please send your order to:
Wayne J Davis, RAeS, No.4 Hamilton Air 200s have enhanced the
UK Coastguard’s maritime
38
Deputy Editor Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK.
publications@aerosociety.com +44 (0)20 7670 4354 mission capability.
Bill Read
+44 (0)20 7670 4351 www.aerosociety.com aerosubs@aerosociety.com
bill.read@aerosociety.com AEROSPACE is published by the Royal Any member not requiring a print
28 Space debris Space 2020 – a look
Aeronautical Society (RAeS). version of this magazine should
Production Manager
contact: membership@aerosociety.com Can we solve the ahead
Wayne J Davis Chief Executive
Sir Brian Burridge CBE FRAeS USA: Periodical postage paid at environmental crisis of The RAeS Space Group
+44 (0)20 7670 4354
wayne.davis@aerosociety.com Advertising Champlain New York and additional space? previews the space missions
+44 (0)20 7670 4346 offices. planned for this year.
Publications Executive
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Chris Male
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Unless specifically attributed, no
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Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA. Afterburner
Publications Executive to represent the opinion of the RAeS. ISSN 2052-451X 42 Message from our President
Annabel Hallam Reproduction of material used in this
+44 (0)20 7670 4361 publication is not permitted without the 43 Message from our Chief Executive
annabel.hallam@aerosociety.com written consent of the Editor-in-Chief.
44 Book Reviews
Book Review Editor Printed by Buxton Press Limited,
Brian Riddle Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire 48 Library Additions
SK17 6AE, UK
brian.riddle@aerosociety.com 50 NAL Sound Archive
Distributed by Royal Mail
52 Society news
Additional content is available to view online at: www.aerosociety.com/aerospaceinsight 54 Obituary
Including: New Member Spotlight – Shumit Das, NATO’s new capability acquisition programme, Can 55 Paris Branch
the UK join the hypersonics race?, Covid 19 - a pandemic hits aviation, King Air 200s add mission 56 New Members Spotlight
Online capability to UK Coast Guard, Should CAS be a pilot?, Space missions for 2020.
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com APRIL 2020 13
Blueprint
INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT
Quieter tail rotor
The shrouded tail rotor design has been
redefined to optimise the noise signature, as
well as to improve the service life and ease of
maintenance.
Larger cabin
The rear cabin has been enlarged to give an
additional seat – allowing for eight
passengers plus a single pilot. Part of the fuel
cells have been relocated from the rear cabin
wall to the cabin floor.
W
GENERAL AVIATION
SH09 design tweaked
Switzerland's Kopter, which in January, announced it would be acquired by Leonardo, has
revealed final design features to its SH09 single-engined light helicopter. The tweaks come
from lessons learned from the flight testing of its P3 prototype. The company expects to
assemble its first production SH09 later this year. The SH09 will be manufactured in Lafayette,
Louisiana, US, as well as a new facility in Mollis, Switzerland. Deliveries are set to begin in
Kopter
2021, with the company saying that it has orders for more than 70 helicopters.
4 AEROSPACE
Optimised main rotor SH09 specifications
Crew/passengers 5-9
The main rotor mast has been elongated to
Range 430nm
improve handling qualities, while the blade
Max cruise speed 140kt
shape has been optimised to enhance
MTOW 6,283lb
performance. The architecture features
inter-blade elastomeric dampers and external
flight control lines to ease maintenance.
Glass cockpit
The SH09 features a Garmin
G3000H glass-cockpit with two
12in touch-screen displays. The
avionics suite has the capability
to integrate a four-axis autopilot
to allow for IFR operations.
Skids updated
Landing skids have been updated with a
modified geometry and a simpler attachment
to the fuselage.
APRIL 2020 5
Radome
COVID-19
DEFENCE AEROSPACE
Military exercises curtailed Farnborough cancelled
Military exercises and has also been cancelled.
routine operations are International exercises in
now being affected by Morocco, South Korea
Farnborough International
the Coronavirus outbreak. and Israel have also been
On 11 March, NATO cancelled or scaled back.
closed the Norway- Meanwhile, air
based exercise Cold forces have been busy in
Response, which would transporting vital medical
have involved 15,000 supplies, including virus On 20 March, Farnborough International Air Show announced that this year's global
troops. NATO's tactical air testing kits, patients from aerospace trade exhibition and air show, set for 20-24 July, would now be cancelled
warfare exercise, Frisian worst affected areas to due to the Coronavirus. The organisers say the show will return in 2022. The move
Flag, set to take place ones with more capacity, came on the same day that the Royal International Air Tattoo reached a similar decision
in The Netherlands from as well as helping and cancelled its 2020 air show. Other trade shows and exhibitions cancelled or
23 March - 4 April and repatriate tourists stuck postponed include AERO Friedrichshafen, ILA Berlin, EBACE and the Hamburg
involving around 50 aircraft overseas. Aircraft Interiors show as well as Cosford and Yeovilton air displays.
AIR TRANSPORT SPACEFLIGHT
COVID-19: airlines go into full ESA closes spaceport,
lockdown mode NASA halts work on SLS
As AEROSPACE goes On 16 March the home working. In the US,
to press in mid-March, European Space Agency NASA has yet to cancel
the world's airlines (ESA) announced that launches, including the
have begun cancelling all launches from its first SpaceX Crewed
services and grounding spaceport in French Dragon mission in May
fleets as the COVID-19 Guiana, South America, but has instituted remote
ICAO
pandemic has closed were suspended working plans for its
international borders and load factors have plummented. In the US, United has indefinitely due to the employees. It has also
reduced its international services by 95%, while in Europe, budget carrier Ryanair is Coronavirus pandemic. suspended all production
to ground almost its entire fleet after 24 March. In Australia, flag carrier Qantas has Meanwhile, the Agency and testing work on the
cut all international flights and stood down 20,000 of its staff, while Cathay Pacific is has shifted the majority Space Launch System
to reduce its flights by 96% over April and May. IATA now estimates that the world's of its personnel at its (SLS) rocket at two
airlines are facing losses of $252bn. In the UK, Airlines UK is pressing the Government ESOC mission control facilities in Louisiana and
for an emergency £7.5bn cash injection. (See ‘A bioshock to aviation’ p 14). centre in Germany to Mississippi.
NEWS IN BRIEF
on 14 March. The lightly and MiG 29s as part of all components of the together to manufacture
Boeing has requested a loaded aircraft was its training with the US Air spacecraft fit for the Mars additional medical
$60bn bailout, including supposed to make a stop Force. adventure need more time ventilators for the UK
loan guarantees, from over at Los Angeles but, to complete’, according National Health Service
the US Government, because of the US ban on The European Space to ESA. for the Coronavirus
to protect itself and international flights, made Agency (ESA) and pandemic. Led by Meggitt,
the 2.5million jobs and the non-stop flight in 16 Russia’s Roscosmos US aircraft manufacturer which already produces
17,000 companies in its hours. have announced that the Textron is to lay off 7,000 oxygen systems for
wider supply chain during Exomars mission launch workers for four weeks due aircraft, GKN, Airbus,
the Coronavirus crisis. US flight training has now been delayed to the Coronavirus. Most of Thales and Renishaw from
contractor Air USA until 2022. The mission, to the layoffs will come from the aerospace industry
An Air Tahiti Nui Boeing is reported to have land the European rover the company's factory in together with McClaren
787 Dreamliner has set bought 46 former Royal Rosalind Franklin on the Wichita, Kansas. and Nissan from the
a new record for the Australian Air Force Red Planet, was originally automotive sector. The
world's longest airline (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornets. intended to be launched A consortium of UK aim is to produce an initial
flight after flying 9,765 Air USA already operates this summer. However, aerospace and automotive 5,000 ventilators followed
miles from Tahiti to Paris BAE Hawks, Alpha Jets ‘tests necessary to make companies is to work by an additional 30,000.
6 AEROSPACE
DEFENCE AIR TRANSPORT
Boeing reveals FARA contender Regional airlines go
under in US, UK
On 4 March, cash- to the Coronavirus
stricken UK regional airline outbreak. Meanwhile, in
Flybe collapsed, with its the US, regional carrier
aircraft impounded and Minneapolis-based
the company going into Compass Airlines, which
administration late in flies feeder services
the evening. The airline, for American Airlines
Boeing
which employed over and Delta Air Lines as
Boeing has revealed its entry for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft 2,000 workers, had American Eagle will close
(FARA) programme to replace OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scout helicopters and some AH-64 previously warned that down on 7 April. In St
Apaches. Powered by a single General Electric T901 engine, the as yet unnamed Boeing it needed a Government Louis, regional airline Trans
Future High-Speed Armed Scout Helicopter is fitted with a single six-bladed main rotor, four- loan of £100m to keep States, Airlines will also
bladed tail rotor and four-bladed pusher prop. The helicopter will have a modular cockpit operating, amid a slump cease flight operations on
with a reconfigurable large area display and a pilot-optional autonomous capability. in flight bookings due 1 April.
AEROSPACE GENERAL AVIATION
UK to leave EASA, says Hybrid-electric VoltAero Cassio
Minister begins flight tests
UK Transport Minister powers would revert
Grant Shapps MP has back to the UK in a
revealed that Britain gradual way – with the
is to leave EASA fully aim of the UK developing
after Brexit at the end of its own certification and
2020 – with civil aviation standards. Meanwhile,
VoltAero
regulatory powers UK aerospace and
reverting back to the defence trade body
national CAA. ADS had previously France’s VoltAero has said it has began flight tests with its hybrid-electric powered
Speaking to US trade estimated that it would Cassio prototype from its HQ in Royan-Médis Aérodrome, France. The aircraft is based
publication Aviation take 5-10 years and 300 on a modified pusher-puller Cessna 337 with two Safran electric engines replacing
Week, in Washington staff for the UK to regain the forward piston engine. Formed by ex-Airbus CTO Jean Boti, the current testing is
DC on 6 March Shapps its responsibilities and focused on a powertrain for a six-seat version of the aircraft, which will be followed by
said that regulatory oversight. validation of aerodynamics and configurations for four and nine-seat variants.
Air National Guard. The
US carrier Silver Airways is 500 F-35s delivered so Babcock’s Offshore UAV manufacturer UMS Russian flag carrier
to introduce four new ATR- far comprise 354 F-35As, business has won a new Skeldar has launched Aeroflot has taken delivery
600 regional turboprops 108 STOVL F-35Bs five-year shared contract a new V-150 VTOL of the first of an eventual
into its Caribbean and 38 carrier-capable with three oil and gas platform to support 22 Airbus A350-900s.
operation this year. The F-35Cs. operators for helicopter tactical operations
first aircraft, an ATR 72- transport in the North including military Bell and a Sikorsky-
600, began flying in March A prototype of SpaceX’s Sea. The contract will missions, surveillance, Boeing team are to go to
which will be followed Starship spacecraft was initially see Babcock police and emergency the next stage of the US
by three ATR 42-600s in damaged on 28 February operate over 100 response and homeland Army's Future Long Range
April, June and July. when a stainless steel helicopter flights each security. The V-150 can Air Assault (FLRAA)
tank was blown off the month from Sumburgh carry multiple payloads in programme. Bell will offer
On 3 March, Lockheed test stand in Boca Chica, in Shetland, on behalf two payload bays (30kg its V-280 Valor tiltrotor
Martin delivered the Texas, during a pressure of CNR International, and 12kg) and be fitted while Sikorsky-Boeing
500th F-35 Lightning II. test. The incident is not EnQuest and TAQA. with a variety of different will compete with the
The aircraft, a F35A was expected to delay the Flights are expected to sensors depending on the compound helicopter
delivered to the Vermont Starship test programme. begin in July. type of mission. SB-1 Defiant.
APRIL 2020 7
Radome
GENERAL AVIATION SPACEFLIGHT
Piaggio up for sale Satellite docking milestone
Bankrupt Italian Hammerhead, as well On 3 March,
aerospace company as the design and Northrop
Piaggio Aerospace manufacture of aircraft Grumman’s
is being offered for engines. The move comes subsidiary
sale, with a deadline after the company was put SpaceLogistics
of 3 April for potential into receivership after the docked its
bidders. Currently then owner, Abu Dhabi's mission extension
under ‘extraordinary Mubadala, withdrew. vehicle (MEV-1)
Northrop Grumman
administration’, Villanova Piaggio says that it has with commercial
d'Albenga-based Piaggio some $490m in its order communications
Aero Industries and backlog, with an equal satellite Intelsat
Piaggio Aviation are amount of deals pending. 901 (IS-901). The
responsible for the P.180 The sale will be subject to manoeuvre was the
Avanti twin-turboprop approval from the Italian first time that two commercial satellites have docked in orbit. MEV-1 will remain with IS-
business aircraft, a Ministry of Economic 901 for the next five years, using its thrusters and fuel to maintain the satellite’s position.
UAV variant, the P1HH Development. A second mission extension vehicle is expected to be launched later this year.
AEROSPACE DEFENCE
Bell EDAT breaks cover MBDA tests Sea Venom
missile
Missile company MBDA a Dauphin helicopter at a
has conducted the first shipping container stacked
qualification firing trial of on a large vessel at sea.
its medium range Sea Developed as part of an
Venom anti-ship missile Anglo-French co-operation
fired from a helicopter. The programme, the Sea
Bell
test was carried out on Venom is intended to be
Bell has unveiled a secret rotorcraft demonstrator, based on its 429 helicopter that 20 February at the French used by the French navy’s
has been modified with an electric multi-rotor tail fin. The Electrically Distributed Anti- DGA defence procurement future Airbus Helicopters
Torque (EDAT) prototype has conducted around 25hrs of flight testing since May 2019 agency’s Essais de H160M and the UK
from Bell’s Mirabel, Canada facility. Swapping the traditional tail rotor, powered by missiles test site in the Royal Navy’s Leonardo
transmission from the engines, to four electric fixed-blade motors, reduces noise, carbon Bay of Biscay, in which the Helicopters AW159
emissions and operating costs – as well as enhancing safety, says Bell. missile was launched from Wildcat.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Aircraft in Germany – the Sunak, announced space-based automatic
The 20th SpaceX The UK MoD’s Defence original manufacturer and that £800m would be dependent surveillance-
Dragon unmanned cargo Equipment and Support design authority – to meet used to create a new broadcast (ADS-B) data.
capsule docked with (DE&S) arm has sold civil certification standards research body based on Eurocontrol said that the
the International Space 63 decommissioned with the remaining aircraft the original US DARPA agreement will enhance
Station on 9 March. Vigilant T1 motor gliders to be engineered and (Defense Advanced flow management
The docking was the to disabled pilot charity recertified by Southern Research Projects capabilities across its 41
last time the capsule Aerobility. Formerly Sailplanes in the UK. Agency). Some £100m European member states
needed to be captured used to train RAF Air has also been earmarked and two comprehensive
using the ISS Canadarm Cadets, the gliders will The latest UK for defence R&D, agreement (CA) states
robotic arm, as future be upgraded with new Government budget, including ‘cutting-edge to improve air traffic
Dragon capsules will engines, propellers and revealed on 11 March, technology in aviation and predictability, capacity and
be designed to dock cockpits with the first has outlined increased space propulsion’. environmental impact.
directly. The capsule was aircraft ready to fly in funding for R&D in Britain
carrying over 4,300lb of the summer of 2021. – pledging to double it Eurocontrol has signed a General Atomics
food, experiments and The first ten gliders will by 2024. The Chancellor ten year agreement with Aeronautical Systems
spare parts. be refurbished by Grob of the Exchequer, Rishi Aireon for the provision of has unveiled its new
8 AEROSPACE
DEFENCE GENERAL AVIATION
MoD projects £13bn Fly anything using a tablet
black hole, says NAO Skyryse has launched
Skyryse
a new flight automation
The UK National Audit According to the NAO, system which it claims
Office (NAO) has warned the MoD’s plans to acquire can be retrofitted onto
of a £13bn ‘black hole’ in and support aircraft, any aircraft to enable
the Ministry of Defence’s ships and weapons anyone to fly using
defence spending. An will cost £183.6bn intuitive controls. Named
NAO report claims that the between 2019-29 – an FlightOS, the automated
MoD risks losing day-to- overspend of £2.9bn. The system operates using
day operational capabilities announcement comes at simplified flight control
such as air surveillance the same time that Prime operations in which an
due to ‘unaffordable’ Minister Boris Johnson aircraft can be operated with a touchscreen tablet or joystick, while on-board computers
equipment plans and being has launched a spending control all aspects of the flight envelope and use exterior radar and sensors for situational
‘over-optimistic’ about its review into UK defence awareness. According to the company, the technology can operate in all weather and
ability to make savings. and security strategy. visibility conditions, as well as taking over control in emergency situations.'
AEROSPACE SPACEFLIGHT
SpaceJet M90 makes first flight OneWeb reportedly
faces bankruptcy
Mega-constellation most recent launch taking
start-up OneWeb, which place on 21 March using a
is aiming to develop Russian Soyuz. However,
Mitsubishi Aerospace
a global LEO satellite the company is now
communications network reported to be struggling
has been considering with higher costs and
bankruptcy options intensified competition –
On 18 March, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation successfully flew the first SpaceJet M90 as it runs out of cash, primarily from SpaceX's
in its baseline production configuration from Prefectural Nagoya Airport, Japan. The Bloomberg news reports. Starlink network, which
flight lasted one hour and 45 minutes The regional airliner is an enhanced version of the The satellite operator, is developing a 3,500
original MRJ, which is now running ten years behind schedule. The aircraft will perform founded in 2012, has satellite megaconstellation
BAE Systems
other tests in Japan, before joining the rest of the MRJ/SpaceJet test fleet in Moses launched 74 of its 650 and which has already
Lake, US. The goal is certification this year. satellite fleet, with the deployed 360 spacecraft.
Defender conceptual affordable way, including
unmanned air vehicle building operational An eVTOL prototype made ON THE MOVE
designed to be used as an readiness at Spaceport by Germany's Lilium Jet
air-to-air missile platform America in New Mexico. was damaged by a fire on
for protecting large and 27 February. The incident Willie Walsh is to stay on
slow-moving aircraft. The Russian Helicopters took place during ground as CEO of IAG due to the Éric Martel is to become
UAV could also remain on has delivered the first maintenance in a hangar. Coronavirus crisis. the new President and
station longer by being serial produced twin- CEO of Bombardier.
refuelled by aerial tankers. engine multi-purpose Correction James Taiclet has been
Mi-38 helicopter to the In the March edition of named successor to the Cranfield University has
Virgin Galactic Holdings Gazprombank Leasing AEROSPACE, in the Lockheed Martin CEO, appointed Chikage Myoshi
has reported a net loss of company. Built by article Stronger Togther, Marillyn Hewson, effective as Associate Professor
we incorrectly referred to
$73m for 2019. However, Kazan Helicopters, the the Director of Life Cycle
15 June. in Environment Systems
the company announced aircraft will be operated Management at the NATO for Aerospace and Guy
that it achieved the key by Russian Helicopter Support Procurement Agency Nikki Haley, former US Gratton, as Associate
milestones in its mission Systems (RHS) in a (NSPA) as Rudolf Mauser. Ambassador to the UN, Professor in Aviation and
His correct name is Rudolf
to open access to space corporate transport has resigned from the the Environment.
Maus. We apologise for any
in a safe, innovative and configuration. confusion. board of Boeing.
APRIL 2020 9
By the Numbers
Understanding the world of Aerospace through data
The Effects of Covid-19 on World Aerospace
IATA
Airports Council International
10 AEROSPACE
April By The Numbers.indd 2 24/03/2020 15:28Pushing the Envelope
Exploring advances on the leading edge of aerospace
Robert Coppinger
Aerospace pulls 5Gs
S
upersonic aircraft could be linked to a 5G report. For aviation, 5G is seen as being key
terrestrial 5G network over land even to enabling cost-effective urban air mobility traffic
if the Mach-1 plus business jets in control.
development cruise near the speed of There are two key differences between 5G and
sound. The technology of 5G is expected its predecessors. One, the wide-area network has
to bring true broadband to passenger and crew more small cells and masts, which use millimetre
alike and magnify airport communications, while wave frequencies for a shorter connection range.
also simplifying an airport’s network and reducing The second is that wide-area network uses multiple
in-flight telecommunications’ need for satellites. input, multiple output (MIMO) antennas to link
For governments, Chinese 5G provider Huawei has with those small cell clusters. Nokia’s air-to-ground
courted controversy with accusations of being in system uses MIMO antennas to communicate
cahoots with the Beijing regime but US firms Intel with aircraft. This all in turn connects to the core
and Verizon and the European companies Ericsson network which consists of telecoms exchanges
and Nokia are also offering 5G solutions. with distributed Internet servers to reduce response
times, along with a voice and data management
The speed of the sound of voice calls system which is fully integrated with the Internet
and cloud-based services.
The one-time mobile phone giant, Nokia, has a
5G solution that it says can work with vehicles Building air 5G
at speeds of up to 1,200kph (745mph). Existing
standards have only allowed speeds of up to With 5G, passengers are expected to notice a
300kph. Nokia has a 4G LTE, or Long-Term difference in service levels curbside, long before
Evolution, air-to-ground version of this and it is they get airside. For the airport, cable-free terminals
used by Deutsche Telekom’s European Aviation are being touted as a benefit, along with fewer
Network (EAN) broadband service. The EAN also WIFI access points and radio cell masts; less to
uses Inmarsat satellite communications and Thales be maintained but far greater data throughput. For
avionics and it operates within the European this communications revolution, the 5G market in
Union. The International Airlines Group uses EAN aviation in 2021 will be worth $0.5bn with North
and Nokia’s 4G LTE. Whether it is 5G or 4G LTE, America representing the largest share and airports
passengers would connect through an onboard the main investment, according to Indian market
antenna. Other companies which are offering an research firm Markets And Markets Research.
airborne 5G service are Ericsson, with Panasonic The Indian firm also estimates a rapidly growing
Avionics Corporation technology and in-flight 5G aviation market reaching a worth of $3.9bn by
connectivity firm Gogo with network systems 2026.
specialist Cisco. In an airport, the 5G network will connect
A 5G network is a radio system operating in the to the existing 4G equipment and use it for the
microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum. bandwidth capacity expansion and smoother service
Microwave radiation is between 300 megahertz passengers will experience. Airports can already
and 300 gigahertz. Mobile phones use part of that install 4G LTE networks to improve upon the legacy
microwave band, from 900MHz to 1.8GHz. A 5G 3G grid performance. Alongside the passenger NOKIA, HAS A
network’s two main components, the radio access services, airports are being offered private 5G staff 5G SOLUTION
network and the core network, are also used by networks for security and reliability. Today, many
its telecommunications predecessors, 3G and 4G. airports use the same WIFI network for staff and
THAT IT SAYS
Many promises have been made for the enormous passengers. Ultimately, air traffic control is seen as CAN WORK WITH
bandwidth of 5G: the consumer terrestrial service a beneficiary of 5G with far greater communication VEHICLES AT
could deliver as much as 100 megabits per second, between ATC and incoming and departing aircraft, SPEEDS OF UP TO
according to technology advisory firm Ovum’s 2018 enabling a far more efficient use of airspace. 1,200KPH
APRIL 2020 11
Pulling%205G-2.indd 1 24/03/2020 15:33Transmission
LETTERS AND ONLINE @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com
i
Drones vs pilots
f @maxsundance1 [On
‘Breaking through the HUD-
glass ceiling’ blog – is the end
of the fighter pilot here?(4)]
Yes! The era of the drones is
already here + AI. With all the
technological advances that
come up every day, I would
@NoliMarcelo I don’t think
so. It’s like when they said
(early Phantom jet era) that
aerial dogfighting with guns
was also obsolete.
@HenryCobb The next
Aviation and Covid-19 AeroChallenge Women in Aviation not underestimate the AI of generation fighter pilot shall
Charlie Jeffs Aviation was being more accurate than be a forward mentor for our
George F. Very happy with
doomed the moment we humans in any dog fighter. remotely mentored aircraft.
the result, thank you for
decided to leave the EU. And why are we still fighting
organising a great event!
Covid-19 has just accelerated with each other?
it, don’t blame the virus, blame @timdavies_uk Don’t worry,
Talitha-Kay Greatorex So
the public brain sickness, the end of the fighter pilot is
proud of you all! Well done!
failing to think first. @Elchrich_Elch I heard this nigh but their egos will last a
already in the ‘50s. Drones millennium.
Alex Middleton A great
are still more vulnerable to
Flybe bankruptcy Young Persons’ event! Very
Thanks to the engagement of cyberwarfare than a F-4.
happy with the result and to
Eur Ing Bishnujee Singh meet so many like-minded our speakers at the first-ever
They just need to move on people. Women in Aviation Forum
with another opportunity. held by @AeroSociety
Life never ends, airlines Penny Broadway Well done @RAeSParis on 10
across the continent are in Team Leeds! March, we learned of their
the same boat due to flight motivation, the challenges
cancellations. New Members spotlight they faced, their professional
achievements and the
AeroChallenge Fadl I [On New members messages to young women
Spotlight Shumit Das(1)] keen on entering the domain.
Congratulations on the
Fellowship Shumit Das!
Aviation and Covid-19
Jamie Jungmi Seebaluck @AlexLuck9 [On ‘A @RAeSCareers [Cool Aeronatics Super Thursday]
Well done Shumit. Keep Bioshock to aviation – what #ThrowbackThursday to last week when we brought you
making us proud!! next’ blog(2)] Excellent and #superthursday with three #coolaeronautics across the UK &
An annual event for teams very thorough write-up on Ireland! With support from @RAFHalton, @RollsRoyce and
Zuhair Mir Hey Shumi
of young people organised where it’s at for the aviation @irishskys we #inspired over 200 children with #aerospace
congrats mate what an
by the RAeS Young Persons’ industry – Brace brace brace! and #STEM activities.
achievement.
Committee, AeroChallenge
2020 was held at No. 4 Chris Fonseka All good
End of an era for A380 Allen Coughlan
Hamilton Place on 4 March. @Brannonski Uncharted
wishes Shumit. territory in all areas! In fact
,the uncomfortable truth is
Congratulations to Team Nuno Helder Shumit Das, that air transport is what has
AvSoc UoL from the look at you! New member? actually got to this uncharted
University of Leeds for Weren’t you and Olivia territory! Interesting times
winning #Aerochallenge2020 Stodieck representing it at ahead for one such as myself
– students have finally taken Airbus Bristol? that own an ATO... I was
the crown from the grads! worried about coming out of
Thank you to all the teams for Shumit Das Heya Nuno! EASA! Bigger issues now!
taking part. And thank you to New Member because new
the Leonardo Company for Fellow. Actually Olivia and
I were representing the Redirect space funds
supporting this event once
again. #aerochallenge Materials Society #SAMPE @aerodynmagic [On
UK & Ireland when we were Spaceflight in 2020 – a look
at Aerospace Bristol last ahead(3)] Would be better In February the last A380 wing produced at Airbus Broughton
Magdalene Elyetu week! to donate every penny of in Wales was shipped by barge to Mostyn to be transported to
Unfortunately all men – space tourism money to virus Toulouse. The starboard wing is pictured here proceeding down
where are the women? research. the River Dee at Queensferry near Chester.
12 AEROSPACEAerospace ventilators Future of Red Arrows From the RAeS photo archives
@ProfAtkin [On Aerospace @yasserthoughts [On
RAeS/NAL
consortium races to produce Could RAF Red Arrows
ventilator] Some action evolve into a joint display/
already, efforts probably more aggressor sqn after the
widespread too. Hawk T1A retires?] The
PAF Sherdils can act
as a model here. Pilots
@MichaelJPryce Getting taken from PAF academy
qualified machinists etc from staff, K-8a borrowed from
aerospace firms into the academy fleet. Obviously
factories of existing ventilator not 100% ideal but very
manufacturers could also cost efficient. They could be
be valuable. Rapid ramp up better but the pilots are full
to 24/7 shifts and cross- time instructors so need to
learning on processes to feed balance that off. A part time
back to new producers. team is better than no team
at all. It would be tragic if
The Reds were axed.
Al Worden RIP
@steveaprocter [On Apollo
15, Col Al Worden passes @daylyt100 Absolutely
away aged 88] Very sad agree. I was instructor and
news. A lovely man who loved part time team member for a
being over here in the UK season and was exhausted.
when he could. I just can’t see national
aerobatic team free-lancing
Unloading bullion to the approximate value of $48,000,000 which was transported from
part time as ‘aggressors’
Germany to Croydon by a Junkers G24, as payment from Germany to Britain under the
@Rob_Coppinger I enjoyed other than as a ‘war role’. I
Dawes Plan, July 1925.
interviewing him many years don’t think, for many UK.co
ago and talking to him about reasons, it will come to that.
his deep space EVA, the very
first.
UK to leave EASA Airline pilot jobs under threat
@PhillipCovell [On UK @rys_parker What most @vcs22 Yes it’s not
to leave EASA] Seems people fail to realise, is uncommon, however, the
FAST Black Arrow an unusually long and there’s virtually no sideways airlines have gone through
bureaucratic timeline to me! movement in this business. a decade of massive profits,
It’s all seniority based. which have never been seen.
FAST
Surely you start by adopting
everything as it is, then Whether you have 200hrs or All this should give them
progressively changing that 10,000hrs, you start a new sufficient financial heft to
which you want to change, company at the bottom of the treat their employees well in
so the emphasis goes on ladder. No negotiating your trying times.
recruitment and training ‘package’ – it’s pay point 1
where required.
@krisvancleave They
aren’t making anyone take
@matthewsydney In unpaid leave at this point.
@@AltaMentoring normal times, is there ever An unpaid leave where
pressure within the pilot the employee keeps their
@SouthernFairy16 Just community in airlines to benefits and travel privileges
had my first request on reform that system, and is not uncommon in the airline
@AltaMentoring to be a might this precipitate that? world. But this is not likely to
#BlackArrow rocket 1st stage joins two other historic British mentor for a lady looking to Would imagine strong vested be a single quarter. Airlines
aircraft on display at @FASTmuseum – Cody’s British Army get into the aerospace sector. interests in favour and are bracing for possibly years
Aeroplane No 1A and the Zephyr record-breaking HAPS UAV Exciting! @RAeSCareers against... of recovery.
#avgeek #spaceflight
1. https://aerosociety.com/news/new-member-spotlight-shumit-das/
2. https://aerosociety.com/news/a-bioshock-to-aviation-what-next/
3. https://aerosociety.com/news/spaceflight-in-2020-a-look-ahead/
4. https://aerosociety.com/news/breaking-through-the-hud-glass-ceiling/
@aerosociety i linkedin.com/raes f facebook.com/raes www.aerosociety.com APRIL 2020 13AEROSPACE
Coronavirus
A Bioshock to aviation –
what next?
As the air transport system reels under the unprecedented pressure from a global
pandemic, TIM ROBINSON looks at the impact on the world’s airlines and the global
aerospace system.
O
nly six months ago, the world’s to be the size of that of Portugal. Whole countries
airlines were in rude health. After are now in lockdown. Aircraft fleets are grounded
another straight year of profits, and the global air transport system, that critical
the biggest crisis facing some oil that lubricates the world economy, is in danger
was that manufacturers were not of seizing up completely. The global pandemic
getting aircraft fast enough to cope with insatiable is not just affecting airlines but is now rippling
demand. Climate change was the biggest cloud through supply chains, tourism, industry events
on the horizon but airlines and OEMs were safe in and even spaceflight, as entire countries have
the apparent law of nature that, despite blips, air gone into lockdown, with borders closing and
travel doubles every 15 years. ‘social distancing’ rules coming in. With sports,
entertainment, restaurants, social and face-to-face
Then the Coronavirus struck. activity curtailed, the entire world economy may
be on the brink of recession. The deadly virus,
The Chinese aviation market, predicted to be the spreading out from its origin in Wuhan, China,
biggest in the world by 2022, rapidly contracted has now entered Europe and the US, home to the
14 AEROSPACE
Coronavirua.indd 2 24/03/2020 13:45most mature and busiest airline markets. These 70-90% and all AF A380s and KLM 747s being
factors, and the uncertainty of when restrictions parked up. Finnair, meanwhile, is to reduce its
might ease, make it clear that this is an existential capacity by 90%.
crisis that dwarfs even 9/11 – where fears of In the UK, British Airways CEO Alex Cruz told
terrorism temporarily suppressed demand for air staff on 13 March that the flag carrier faces “a
travel. crisis of global proportions like no other we have
Traffic has dropped completely – and as a known” with the airline expecting to ground 50%
scale of measurement while the 9/11 attacks of its aircraft. Only a few days later, its owner,
caused a 18.9% fall in US capacity and the 2008 IAG which also comprises Aer Lingus and Iberia,
financial crash caused a 10% drop, predictions said it will reduce capacity by 75%. EasyJet
now are around the 50% mark just for US airlines. meanwhile, has already cancelled 40% of its
Some other analysts suggest that a staggering flights in March and is expecting to ground the
80% of the global fleet could be grounded – majority of its fleet. Virgin Atlantic is to ground
an unprecedented number. The CAPA Centre 75% of its fleet and is asking staff to take eight
for Aviation, for example, has an apocalyptic weeks unpaid leave.
prediction that, by the end of May, most airlines Outside Europe, Korean Air has grounded
will be bankrupt without some form of 100 of its aircraft or some 80% of
state support. Such is the speed of its capacity while Emirates has
Bonnielou2013
this crisis, that a prediction from IATA cancelled flights to 30 international
that in a worst case scenario, the destinations and pilots have being
world’s airlines will need $113bn to asked to take unpaid leave. Cathay
survive, was quickly surpassed. IATA Pacific has cut its flights by 90%
now estimates that carriers will need while Sri Lankan has suspended
$200bn in bailouts. operations. In Australia, Qantas is to
There is also no immediate halt international flights and lay off
answer to when the situation 20,000 of its staff.
might recover or even ease. With In the US, the situation is not
groundings and flight cancellations much better. While the US has, so
running through April into May – the far, resisted a flight ban on domestic
disruption may last longer. While air travel, airlines were caught off
President Trump has said that the guard by the announcement by
worst may be over by August, the UK President Donald Trump of a ban on
Government is planning on the basis transatlantic travel for continental
that it could be a long campaign and it European nations on 12 March –
may not be until April 2021 until things return to adding to existing bans on travel from China and
normal. In the meantime, the economic damage Iran. This directive (which did not include cargo or
to the world’s air transport sector – which carries US citizens, as well as the US and Ireland) added
4.4bn passengers every year and is worth $2.7tn to confusion. The UK and Ireland were added to
– is unprecedented. the ban on 16 March while travel between the US
and Canada curtailed to ‘non-essential travel’.
The skies shutdown These restrictions to transatlantic services on
the world’s most lucrative and busiest long-haul THE CAPA
The magnitude of the crisis has accelerated route have caused US airlines to face capacity CENTRE FOR
rapidly, catching airlines off guard with capacity cuts. American Airlines, for example, cancelled
reductions now expanded to full blown 75% of its international services while United AVIATION,
groundings as nations lock down their borders. has announced that it is looking at 60% cuts FOR EXAMPLE,
Ryanair, for example, Europe’s largest budget and warning things could get worse. Delta Air HAS AN
airline with over 450 aircraft, is to ground almost Lines meanwhile, cancelled all flights to mainland
APOCALYPTIC
all its entire fleet from 24 March, except for Europe and, in the space of a few days, has
essential UK-Ireland services. This follows in doubled the number of aircraft it will park up from PREDICTION
the footsteps of airlines such as Poland’s LOT, 300 to 600. For its part, JetBlue is to slash its THAT, BY
SAS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air flights by 40% in April and May. THE END OF
Baltic – as well as a French all-business carrier, One bright spot is that airlines in mainland
La Compagnie. Meanwhile, other airlines are China, where carriers cancelled an average of
MAY, MOST
scrambling to reduce capacity, with Lufthansa 10-22% flights in January and February – some AIRLINES WILL
Group parking up 95% of its fleet, Norwegian are looking to reinstate services as the outbreak BE BANKRUPT
Air cutting 85% of its flights and laying off 90% seems to be slowing due to draconian measures. WITHOUT SOME
of its workforce. The crisis is accelerating the These above are obviously just a snapshot of
retirement of larger aircraft – with Air France- the cuts and cancellations across the entire globe FORM OF STATE
KLM announcing that flights will be reduced by and the situation is extremely fluid. SUPPORT.
APRIL 2020 15
Coronavirua.indd 3 24/03/2020 13:45AEROSPACE
Coronavirus
The entire aerospace industry reels system to successfully restart production on the other
Ministerio Defensa
side of the crisis.
It is also not just airlines that are suffering but also With mass gatherings now cancelled across the
other sectors of aerospace and aviation. Military globe and governments warning against assembling
exercises have either been curtailed (NATO Cold more than ten people together, the aerospace sectors
Response) or cancelled (Frisian Flag) while the conference, exhibition and air show schedules has
Pentagon has cancelled all non-essential domestic been thrown into limbo. Business aviation show
travel until 11 May. The virus has also spread to affect EBACE (26 May), Germany’s ILA Berlin (13-17 May)
the aerospace supply chain, destroying demand for and Hamburg Aircraft Interiors (30 March-2 April)
new aircraft and threatening existing production lines. have all been cancelled or postponed – with other
On 17 March, Airbus announced that it would close smaller air shows and industry events being cancelled
assembly lines in France and Spain to implement or postponed. Going forward it is uncertain what that
stringent health and hygiene measures. In the means for the busy summer airshow season – as we
US, Boeing already in crisis with the 737MAX still go to press, both RIAT and the Farnborough Air Show
grounded, faces demand for new aircraft falling off a in the UK, are now cancelled.
cliff edge, just when it was expecting the narrowbody
to return to flight. Meanwhile, with its base in the What can be done?
epicentre of the European outbreak, Italy’s Leonardo
group has suspended deliveries of helicopters. This unprecedented crisis for airlines and the
Even in spaceflight, the Coronavirus is now aviation industry has meant there have been calls for
affecting everyday operations. ESA has suspended extensive government assistance and support to help
all launches from its spaceport in French Guiana in help survive. Loosening of slot restrictions on airports
South America. NASA has yet to cancel launches was one of the first measures to be announced,
but has instituted remote working plans for its hoping to end ‘ghost flights’ where airlines flew
employees. almost empty aircraft to retain landing rights at key
The effects are also likely to ripple down the airports under the ‘use it or lose it rule’.
global aerospace supply chain. While OEMs and Tier Airlines are now pressing for direct bailouts and
1 suppliers should have enough resilience, SMEs state support. In the UK, the Airlines UK industry
that supply components or sub-components (already group has called for an immediate £7.5bn emergency
under pressure from above to cut costs) will be at stimulus from the government to assist beleaguered
greater risk of going bankrupt while production lines airlines. In Italy, the Government has already indicated
are at a standstill. Loss of these small companies, it will re-nationalise flag carrier Alitalia in a €600m
that produce parts to feed into the giant aerospace bailout – the latest twist in the fortunes of the ailing
supply chain, could hamper the capability of the national airline. Over in India, the latest news is the
Boeing
16 AEROSPACE
Coronavirua.indd 4 24/03/2020 13:45Chad Davies/Flickr
Government is planning a $1.8bn rescue bailout for airlines, as well as those with de-facto state
its stricken airlines. In Norway, the Government has ownership will emerge from the other side.
promised $533m to its airlines, including Norwegian What also is unclear is what will happen to airline
Air, Wideroe and SAS. staff and pilots furloughed in this period. In previous
Meanwhile in the US, the Airlines 4 America crises, the mobility and skills of airline pilots allowed
trade body is pressing for a $50bn emergency them to move to where the highest demand was.
stimulus to assist the country’s airlines, including Now, with a global pandemic and recession, the
direct grants, loans and tax relief – with a warning option to move to sunnier climes may simply not be
that airlines are burning through $10bn a month to available. Recurrent checks, type ratings and the
stay afloat. The US is also considering assistance for need to maintain currency thus mean that if the
the aerospace sector – primarily its strategic asset shutdown is prolonged, the more difficult it will be for
and leading exporter, Boeing, with a airlines to ramp up when passengers
GotoVan
requested $60bn bailout. Ironically, this return.
plea for state assistance from Boeing
came only 24 hours after Washington What can aviation do to
raised import tariffs on Airbus products help?
from 10% to 15% for European
subsidies. However terrible this pandemic is,
However, money for corporate aviation is also on the front line in
bailouts has not been welcome by saving lives, delivering much needed
everyone. In the US, fingers have been medical equipment and aid to the
pointed at airlines that have invested worst hit areas, as well as repatriating
96% of their free cashflow into ‘share passengers to their own countries as
buyback schemes’ instead of future the world goes into lockdown. Cargo-
resilience. Boeing too was already only flights using passenger aircraft
under criticism for its focus on share are already taking place, as well as
dividends, even before the virus outbreak. There are humanitarian flights delivering essential testing
thus calls that any state rescue cash infusions come equipment and medical supplies. In France, the
with conditions that protect jobs and services first Armee d’Air has been using its Airbus A330MRTTs
and foremost. configured as medical transports to shift infected
Some airlines, therefore, could be looking at patients from cities in France with overwhelmed
nationalisation or consolidation. These may be the hospitals to those with more space capacity. In the
lucky ones, with travel restrictions and economic US, the USAF has swung into action to transport
carnage causing others to go under. It is thus likely 500,000 Coronavirus sampling kits aboard a C-17
then, that only the biggest and most well-financed from Italy to the US.
APRIL 2020 17
Coronavirua.indd 5 24/03/2020 13:45AEROSPACE
Coronavirus
As well as these relief and cargo flights, How long will this last?
there have also been calls to utilise the now-idle
resources of the world’s airlines in what amounts All indications are that this will not be over
to wartime conditions. Could airline food caterers quickly and it will take time either for populations
be mobilised to deliver essential meals to the to acquire ‘herd immunity’ or a vaccine to be
AN INDUSTRY elderly and those in quarantine? Airport cleaners developed and distributed. While there is enough
THAT HAS to help disinfect hospitals? Another suggestion evidence to suggest that pent-up demand for
BROUGHT has been to ask flight attendants, who foreign travel and holidays will return,
THE WORLD already have medical and emergency there may well be restrictions on
Bonnielou2013
training, to be deployed to assist travel and tourism – from countries
TOGETHER... frontline health workers – thus that have conquered the outbreak
NOW FINDS keeping them employed and paid, to those still suffering from it. One
THAT, TO HALT as well as reducing the burden on positive aspect is that in China, the
THE TIDAL medical staff. The air transport sector worst seems to be over and life is
thus, deprived of its passengers, is now returning to normal admittedly
WAVE OF potentially a valuable resource of after an extreme lockdown. Some
DEATHS, IT individuals with skills in organisation, experts warn, however that a second
MUST STOP logistics and who are already laser wave could easily spring up once
focused on safety. restrictions are relaxed.
CONNECTING Meanwhile, the manufacturing There is also an unknown factor in
PEOPLE sector is also quickly shifting to assist. how the necessity of remote working
Investments by aerospace in 3D and video conferences will change
printing and rapid prototyping is now demand, at least for business travel.
being redirected towards the manufacturing of Much as how the corporate travel departments
ventilators needed by those Coronavirus patients ‘discovered’ non-frills carriers in the wake of
in the most serious condition. In the UK, Meggitt, the 2008 financial crash, will investment in
Airbus, Thales, GKN and Renishaw are now part high-speed broadband for HD video mean that
of industrial consortia racing to develop life-saving passenger demand has permanently shifted? Will
oxygen ventilators, in parallel with automotive working from home destroy the case for eVTOLs
companies. to escape traffic in crowded cities?
The worldwide talent, experience and There have been calls for ‘social distancing
technology of aerospace is thus being focused on rules’ to be applied to airlines – spreading out
the biggest challenge that humanity has faced since passengers and blocking the booking of middle
WW2. seats. While the circulation of airflow is highly
Dipartimento Protezione Civile
18 AEROSPACE
Coronavirua.indd 6 24/03/2020 13:46Ministerio Defensa
effective in scrubbing germs for the air onboard Only a decade ago, international point-to-point
aircraft – fewer seats would lower yields – connections to secondary cities like Wuhan in
aviation has been pushing ticket prices up and reversing the trend China would have been few and far between
towards air travel for the masses that came in half and would have slowed the initial spread. A side
on the front line a century ago with the 747. effect of globalisation and the travel of people
delivering much In the future, a temperature scanner and and goods is the ease in which other actors,
needed medical potentially health screening at airports is likely such as terrorism and disease, can also quickly
equipment as well to become as indispensable as passport and spread.
security screening. There may also need to be Make no mistake – aviation as we know it
as repatriating thinking about redesign of airport, cabin and is in a fight for its survival in the worst crisis
passengers travel infrastructure to allow for ‘social distancing’ of its 100+ year history. An industry that has
to their own in transit and to avoid the situation where an brought the world together and facilitated
countries epidemic flare-up in one country jumps across affordable and swift face-to-face contact
borders to become a global pandemic. between people from other sides of the globe,
Airlines, tourism, sport and events industries now finds that, to halt the tidal wave of deaths,
are likely to be on life support for a while. And it must stop connecting people. As United CEO,
while industry bailouts will be compelling, the bulk Oscar Munoz notes: “When medical experts say
of any government’s resources will be going now that our health and safety depends on people
to heath services and emergency critical care. staying home and practising social distancing,
What is true is that the world will never be the it’s nearly impossible to run a business whose
same again. shared purpose is ‘Connecting people. Uniting
the world.’”
Summary Aviation may have had a hand in spreading
the virus but it will also play a role in fighting
It is also true that the global air transport system it too. As the essential lubricant of the world’s
has helped the rapid spread of this disease – as economy, it is vital that air transport is there
well as the slow response by some governments to keep the motor running – lest it seize up
to realise the scale of the crisis they are facing. completely.
APRIL 2020 19
Coronavirua.indd 7 24/03/2020 13:46DEFENCE
Pilots and higher command
BAE Systems
Breaking through the
HUD-glass ceiling
Does the Chief of an Air Force necessarily need to be a pilot? Increasingly,
the world’s oldest independent air arm, the Royal Air Force, thinks not.
TIM ROBINSON reports.
P
ilots and aircrew, for very good historical Personnel and Air Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Maria
reasons, dominate the higher command Byford, began her career in the RAF as a dentist.
echelons of air forces. However why is Meanwhile, a comms engineer, Group Captain Emily
this? And does it matter? One of the Flynn is set to be the next CO of RAF Brize Norton.
biggest differences to other services, Indeed, the RAF’s Assistant Chief of the Air
it could be argued, is that in air forces it is the Staff, Air Vice Marshal Ian Gale, says it is not just
officers (or aircrew) that go out to do the actual the case of that a future CAS ‘could’ be non-aircrew
fighting while the NCOs and enlisted personnel but that they ‘should’ be. This buy-in from current
stay back at base – rather than in the army (where senior officers (part of the RAF’s ASTRA initiative
the officers traditionally sent the men into battle to empower and harness its personnel at all levels)
or the navy (where officers and sailors fought and thus suggests that the service is already making the
died together). This is obviously somewhat of a cognitive shift in this regard in opening up the top
simplification (NCO aircrew provided the bulk of job to a wider set of potential applicants.
Battle of Britain fighter pilots and casualty rates in The ASTRA initiative itself is set to be one of
junior infantry officers are over and above enlisted the headline topics at this year’s RAF Chief of the
soldiers) – yet the concept of it being the officers Air Staff Air and Space Conference (ASPC), held
who fight in air arms has persisted. on 15-16 July in London. This annual gathering,
Interestingly, the RAF is already moving in this which attracts over 40 air force chiefs and 500
direction in promoting non-aircrew to ever more high-ranking delegates from military, industry
senior leadership positions. The Chief of Staff and academia, is a key barometer and thought-
20 AEROSPACE
BreakingHUD20celing B A.indd 2 24/03/2020 14:13You can also read
