BEHIND THE GLITZ AIR RACING GOES ELECTRIC INDIAN AIRPORTS - Royal Aeronautical Society
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October 2018
AEROSPACE
AIR RACING GOES
ELECTRIC
AUGMENTED REALITY
COCKPITS
INDIAN AIRPORTS
www.aerosociety.com
October 2018
BEHIND THE GLITZ
HANDING OVER AIRLINERS – THE INSIDE STORY
Volume 45 Number 10
Royal Aeronautical Society
A regal Christmas celebration in Mayfair No. 4 Hamilton Place is ideal for those looking for Christmas celebrations with elegance and glamour. A magnificent Edwardian Town House awaits, setting the scene for extraordinary seasonal entertaining. Award winning caterers, foodbydish, have crafted a selection of mouth-watering Christmas menus that are truly first-class. The comprehensive party packages have been designed to make the most of your budget and include venue hire, menus, drinks and production. ★ Bowl Food options from £97+VAT ★ Three-course seated menu from £110+VAT For more information visit www.4hp.org.uk or contact the Venue Team on: 020 7670 4314 / 4316 or hello@4hp.org.uk No. 4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ * Images show bespoke theming – additional costs may apply
Volume 45 Number 10 Racing goes
Lloyd Hogan/Air Race 1
October 2018 Bragging rites electric
An analysis of the art Plans have been
14 of announcing aircraft
orders at air shows and 22 announced to stage
the world’s first all-
what all the different electric aircraft race
types of order actually in 2020.
mean.
Contents
Correspondence on all aerospace matters is welcome at: The Editor, AEROSPACE, No.4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK publications@aerosociety.com
Comment Regulars
4 Radome 12 Transmission
The latest aviation and Your letters, emails, tweets
aeronautical intelligence, and feedback.
analysis and comment.
58 The Last Word
Déjà vu in Seattle 10 Antenna
Howard Wheeldon
Keith Hayward looks again
on the ongoing saga of
Heathrow’s third runway.
considers recent problems
experienced by aero-engine
manufacturers.
Regular visitors to Toulouse will be well aware of the unofficial ‘Airbus
Gliding Club’ after delays in engine deliveries (particularly the P&W GTF)
saw an overflow of A320neos from the production line become scattered all Features
over Airbus’ facility and parked on any patch of spare concrete. From hitting
a high of over 100 airframes parked up this summer, Airbus is now reducing
18
Embraer
these flightless neos but it still has a major challenge to meet its self-
imposed delivery goals by the end of this year. Boeing, too, has seen its own
‘737 MAX Gliding Club’ established this year in Renton caused by delays
from CFM International and Spirit Aerosystems with now over 50 737s
parked up awaiting completion. The company is now reported to be bringing 30
back retired workers in an effort to clear this production log jam. For both
Airbus and Boeing, reducing the number of these ‘gliders’ is a critical task – Dressed to kill
Airliner arrivals BAE Systems’ ‘wearable
given that these single-aisle airliners are the bread and butter of both OEMs. Behind the scenes in the cockpit’ technology opens a
Yet any engine suppliers or others in the global supply chain who think that glamorous world of airliner new era in human-machine
these current delivery snarls might give Airbus and Boeing an opportunity to deliveries. interface.
pause and let everyone catch their breath may be disappointed. Airbus plans 34 Indian airports growing
to continue the A320 ramp-up from 55 a month to 63 in 2019, while Boeing plans
India’s airports are facing
still intends to increase its 737 rate from 52 to 57 in 2019, and sees further up to the challenge of
increases beyond that. These ‘glider parks’ are be a visible symptom of the
immense pressures on aerospace supply chains but both Airbus and Boeing 26 increasing capacity to meet
growing demand.
seem determined to keep their feet pressed to the accelerator pedal.
38
Rolls-Royce
Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com Next gen SAR Send in the robots
Focus on Leonardo How Rolls-Royce is
NEWS IN BRIEF Helicopters’ new search and
rescue variant of the AW101
developing robotic
technology to remotely
helicopter. repair engines on wing.
Editor-in-Chief Editorial Office Printed by Buxton Press Limited,
Tim Robinson Royal Aeronautical Society Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire
+44 (0)20 7670 4353 No.4 Hamilton Place SK17 6AE, UK
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com London W1J 7BQ, UK
41 Afterburner
Distributed by Royal Mail
Deputy Editor +44 (0)20 7670 4300
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Chris Male Chief Executive +44 (0)20 7670 4352
43 Message from our President
Online
+44 (0)20 7670 4352 Sir Brian Burridge CBE FRAeS
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Champlain New York and additional 46 Book Reviews aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight
News Reporter Unless specifically attributed, no offices. Including:
Khalem Chapman material in AEROSPACE shall be taken
Postmaster: Send address changes
49 Library Additions
to represent the opinion of the RAeS. Rethinking airline safety procedures, How
Book Review Editor to IMS of New York, PO Box 1518, 50 Munich Branch visit green was my SST?, Competition to win Fly! by
Brian Riddle Reproduction of material used in this Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA. Richard de Crespigny, In the September issue of
publication is not permitted without the 52 Diary AEROSPACE, Brexit and the UK supply chain,
written consent of the Editor-in-Chief.
ISSN 2052-451X 55 Corporate Partners Bragging rites, Wearable cockpits,
Send in the robots!, Leonardo SAR
56 RAeS elections AW101, Drones as offensive
Front cover: Handover of the first Airbus A350-1000 to Qatar Airways. Martyn Cartledge weapons
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2018 13
Radome
INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT
‘Roc’ carrier aircraft
specifications
Wingspan: 385ft
Length: 238ft
Tail Height: 50ft
Propulsion: 6 × P&W PW4056
engines
Max Take-off Weight: 650t
Total Mission Time: 10 hours
Operational Range: 1,000nm
Pegasus
A proven air-launched rocket already
in service with Orbital (now Northrop
Grumman) Starchaser's L-1011, the Pegasus
is expected to begin Stratolaunch flights in
2020. It can place a payload of 815lb into
orbit.
Medium Launch Vehicle
A new launcher under development from
Stratolaunch
Stratolaunch, this rocket would have a
payload capacity of 7,500lb.
4 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018
W
SPACE
Stratolaunch family unveiled
New space start-up Stratolaunch, founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2011, has revealed a new family
of launchers to be carried by its giant 385ft wingspan ‘Roc’ mothership. The air-dropped horizontal launchers
range from the established Northrop Grumman (formerly Orbital TK) Pegasus, to a new reusable space plane.
These four launchers would allow the Roc to place payloads into a 250mile high orbit ranging from 815lb
to 13,200lb. First flight of the six-engined Roc, currently conducting taxi trials at Mojave Air and Space Port,
California, is expected before the end of the year. First space launch from the carrier aircraft, meanwhile, is
expected in 2020.
Medium Launch Vehicle –
Heavy
A development of the Medium Launch
Vehicle, the Heavy variant would use three
cores and be able to place 13,200lb in orbit.
Spaceplane
Furthermost along in Stratolaunch's
development plan is this X-37B-style
reusable space plane. Although designed for
unmanned payloads, it could also one day
carry astronauts.
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5
Radome
AEROSPACE GENERAL AVIATION
Airbus’ Perlan II stratospheric glider has set a new gliding altitude world record over China expands GA
El Calafate, Argentina. Between 26 August and 2 September the two crew glider,
launched at 44,000ft by a Grob Ergett turboprop, broke its previous record by soaring footprint
to 62,000ft, then surpassing that to climb to 76,124ft on 2 September, higher than the According to the Civil 2020, with a goal of 2,000
U-2's maximum altitude record, 73,737ft, set in 1989. The pressurised sailplane utilises Aviation Administration of over the next ten years as
the phenomenon of high-altitude stratospheric mountain waves. China (CAAC), there it seeks to meet rising
have been 93 new demand for pilots.
general aviation However, the
AV
airports licenced number of newly
IC
Perlan glider flies in the first six
months of
registered GA
aircraft in China
higher than U-2 2018, bringing in the first half
the total number of 2018 was only
of GA airfields in China 118, bringing the total
to 173. Beijing plans to number of GA aircraft in
Airbus
increase this to 500 by the country to 2,415.
AIR TRANSPORT DEFENCE
British Airways hit by Boeing has been selected as the winner of a $805m contract from the
Pentagon to develop the first unmanned carrier-based aerial refuelling tanker
customer data hack from the US Navy, beating rival bids from Lockheed Martin and General
Atomics. The company will build four MQ-25 Stingray prootypes at its plant in
British Airways has hackers using a malicious St Louis, with total buy by the USN potentially running to 72 airframes. Initial
admitted that some script on BA's website, saw operating capability (IOC) of the MQ-25A is planned to be reached in 2024.
380,000 customer personal and financial
transactions on data including
Br
its website may credit card
it i s
h Air
have been CVV numbers
w a ys
affected by a potentially
data breach compromised. BA
that took place has apologised for
between 21 August
and 5 September. The
the data breach which
under, new GDPR rules, Boeing wins US Navy
information at risk, thought could see the airline fined UAS tanker contest
Boeing
to have been accessed by up to £489m.
NEWS IN BRIEF
in an evacuation involving The ‘Night Hunter’ as it is International Space Station are calling for the UK
NASA’s latest tests on no immediate threat to known, is the new export (ISS) in 2019. Government to change
Shape Memory Alloy passengers, 75% of British version of Russia’s Mi-28 The astronauts include outdated legislation, which
(SMA) to ‘morph’ aircraft adults who have flown in ‘Havoc’ attack helicopter, 34-year-old Hazza Al would allow pilots to
wings have progressed the last five years would was displayed in a new Mansouri, a veteran skywrite in the UK.
from scaled demonstrator ignore safety regulations digital camouflage scheme Lockheed Martin F-16 Skytyping and skywriting
to showing how a SMA and take some belongings at Russia’s Army 2018 (Block 60) Fighting Falcon are outdoor advertising in
actuator can fold a 300lb with them. In an evacuation event, alongside the new pilot with the UAE Air which pilots use smoke
F/A-18 wing section. involving an immediate Khrisantema-V anti-tank Force, and 37-year-old generators to form letters
threat, 35% of passengers guided missile (ATGM), Sultan Saif Al Neyadi, in the sky. Skytyping is
A ComRes survey, would still attempt to take which will be employed on a Doctor of Information enabled through computers
commissioned by the their belongings with them. the helicopter. Technology. which sychronise smoke
RAeS, on passenger puffs of a formation of
attitudes to taking Russian Helicopters’ The United Arab Emirates UK Aviation Minister, aircraft to ‘print’ messages,
luggage with them during newly upgraded Mi-28NE (UAE) has announced its Baroness Sugg, is among dot-matrix style. It is
emergency aircraft ‘Havoc’ attack helicopter first two astronauts, who other parliamentarians common practice in
evacuations has found, that has made its public debut. will be launched to the and aviation experts who countries such as the US,
6 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018
AIR TRANSPORT DEFENCE
Aeroflot has placed an order for 100 additional Superjet 100
87-seat regional jets (SSJs). The state airline already has 49
Aero Vodochody flies
out of 50 SSJs in service from a previous order. The new SSJs
are due for delivery between 2019 and 2026.
upgraded L-159T2
Czech Republic-based Air Force which already
manufacturer, Aero operates the L-159 ALCA,
Vodochody has with deliveries set to
flown the first begin by the end of
Ae
ro Vo do chody
example of an the year, with the
upgraded two- air force planning
seat L-159T2 to upgrade its
//
M
advanced remaining two-
ar
tin
M a m ula
Sukhoi/Nikolay_Krasnov
trainer and light seaters to T2 standard.
fighter on 2 August from The L-159T2 features a
its facility near Prague. Leonardo Grifo-L radar,
Aeroflot to add 100 SSJs Three L-159T2s have
been ordered by the Czech
RWR, defensive aids and
NVG compatible cockpit.
SPACEFLIGHT AEROSPACE
UK puts £92m towards Boom
Galileo alternative completes
The UK Government has alternative option to Galileo wind-tunnel
pledged £92m (GBP)
to detailed study into
to ensure our future
security needs are met
tests
an alternative satellite using the UK’s world-
navigation system, after leading space sector.” The
the UK was barred UK satnav study will be
from the EU’s Galileo headed by the UK Space
programme following Agency, with support from Supersonic commercial passenger aircraft developer Boom Aerospace has
Brexit. The announcement the MoD, with estimates completed major wind-tunnel testing of its new XB-1 demonstrator, following
was made on 29 August that a British system could two years of aerodynamic design work. Boom will now move on to the next
Boom Aerospace
by UK Business Secretary, be operational in five years stage of building a human-piloted XB-1 Supersonic Demonstrator one-third
Greg Clark, who said: and could cost roughly scale prototype. The XB-1 is set to fly by the end of 2019.
“We are investing in an £3bn.
however, it has always been production levels in of 12 aircraft and will Boeing KC-135R force following signs of a
banned in the UK. June. Boeing has already launch both domestic and is based. The RSAF has slight pressure drop. The
deployed around 600 regional routes ‘in the near ordered five A330 MRTTs hole, originally thought
Boeing is reported to be employees and new hires future’. to replace its ageing fleet to have been caused by
recalling retired workers to to Renton. of four KC-135Rs. a micrometeorite now
try and reduce the backlog The first Airbus A330 appears to be man-
at its 737 assembly plant Ethiopian Airlines is to Multi-Role Tanker Two Russian cosmonauts made, potentially by a
at Renton in Washington assist with the launch of Transport (MRTT) for the have repaired a small hole manufacturing defect.
state where around a new national carrier for Republic of Singapore in the hull of a Soyuz MS-
50 aircraft await final Zambia. Ethiopian holds Air Force (RSAF) has 09 ferry craft docked with Gulfstream has announced
completion. The output a 45% stake in the new arrived in the country. The the ISS’s Rassvet module. that its G600 large-
of aircraft has been Zambia Airways while aircraft arrived at Changi Oleg Artemyev and cabin, ultra-long-range
delayed by a shortfall of 55% will be owned by the International Airport from Sergey Prokopyev business jet has begun
fuselages supplied by Industrial Development Getafe Air Base in Spain sealed the 2mm opening field performance testing
Spirit AeroSystems in Corporation (IDC) of on 14 August, near to on 30 August, after for US Federal Aviation
Kansas and CFM engines, Zambia. The new carrier is Changi West Air Base, the discovery of the Administration (FAA)
after Boeing accelerated to have an initial fleet where the RSAF’s current leak the day before certification.
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Radome
AIR TRANSPORT SPACEFLIGHT
Laudamotion gets set for India to send
fast lane Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘vyomanauts’
Irish low-cost Ryanair has
completed its acquisition
to rise from 500 to 800 with
staff pay also to increase.
has announced a national goal that
India will send an astronaut into into space
space by 2022. The Chair of the
of a 75% shareholding With its new owner, the Indian Space Research
in Austrian carrier carrier is aiming to expand Organisation (ISRO) Kailasavadivoo
Laudamotion. Ryanair to a fleet of 30-50 Sivan said that Indian ‘vyomanauts’
La
also announced aircraft in the next would spend at least seven days in
ud
amo
an expansion of five years. space. In July, the ISRO successfully
tio n
Laudamotion’s Laudamotion was tested a pad abort escape system for
fleet from nine to launched in March its two-person crew module at Sat-
ish Dhawan Space Centre,
18 aircraft by the by former racing driver
Sriharikota.
second half of 2019 Niki Lauda who reacquired
with the addition of nine the carrier from failed carrier
Airbus A320s, along with Air Berlin which had bought
a new livery. Vienna-based the then-named Niki airline
Laudamotion’s workforce is from Lauda in 2011.
AEROSPACE DEFENCE
UK VTOL air taxi Bristol-based start-up Vertical HMS Queen Elizabeth
tested in Cotswolds
Aerospace has announced
that it has flown a prototype ready for F-35B trials
fully-electric vertical take-off As AEROSPACE goes is scheduled to last for
and landing (eVTOL) ‘flying to press, the Royal Navy’s two months. During its
taxi'. The maiden flight newest flagship, HMS deployment, the new aircraft
of the 750kg unmanned Queen Elizabeth, is now carrier will be stationed off
demonstrator was conducted on the east coast of the the coast of Virginia and
over Cotswold Airport in US where it will undertake Maryland but will also visit
Kemble in June. The company the first deck trials with the New York. The trials will see
now plans to extend the Lockheed Martin F-35B. the F-35B STOVL stealth
Vertical Aerospace
aircraft’s range and introduce The £3.1bn aircraft carrier fighter conduct a total
elements of autonomy with set sail from Portsmouth of around 500 take-offs
the aim of operating piloted to the US on 18 August and landings during its
short-range routes by 2022. for a deployment which deployment to the US.
NEWS IN BRIEF
29,989 minutes, of paused deliveries of the the world’s weather. The
The Aviation Industry UK air traffic control which 15,268 minutes type to the Turkish Air €500m satellite was
Corporation of China service NATS has (51%) were at Stansted Force on 23 July with manufactured by Airbus
(AVIC) is preparing to dismissed allegations from with Luton having 8,814 a freeze of 90 days on Defence and Space in
begin water trials with its Ryanair that it is giving minutes of delays (29%) handovers. Stevenage, UK and will
new AG600 amphibious preferential treatment to and Gatwick 2,925 house the Aladin laser
aircraft after the prototype flights from Heathrow and minutes (10%). On 22 August the Aeolus system, which is designed
reportedly arriving in Gatwick. Ryanair, which weather satellite was to provide vertical profiles
Jingmen in China’s Hubei has a large presence at Following growing tensions launched from ESA's of global windspeeds.
Province. Testing is Stansted Airport, based between the US and Kourou launch site in
reported to be taking place its complaint on Oberon Turkey, President Donald French Guiana onboard Czech company, Skyleader,
on the Zhanghe Reservoir Report statistics published Trump has signed a bill a Vega rocket. Named has taken over the
and has successfully by the Civil Aviation halting deliveries of the after the keeper of the German GA manufacturer
passed ground and flight Authority (CAA) which Lockheed Martin F-35A winds in Greek mythology, XtremeAir which produces
testing. It was unveiled in show NATS attributable Lightning II to Turkey. the ESA satellite will the XA41 and XA42
the 2016 and made its first delays in the first three The Pentagon had be able to provide more aircraft at Magdeburg-
flight in December 2017. months of 2018 totalling previously temporarily accurate predictions of Cochstedt airport.
8 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018
DEFENCE GENERAL AVIATION
Green light for extra
Japanese E-2Ds
The US government order includes 28 Rolls-
has given approval No
rt
Royce T56-A-427A
for Japan to engines and ten
hr
op
Gru
acquire nine Lockheed Martin
m m an
additional APY-9 radars
Northrop plus additional
Grumman equipment,
E-2D Advanced support, and training.
Hawkeye airborne The Japan Air Self
early warning & control Defense Force already has
(AEW&C) aircraft. The four orders for the aircraft.
AEROSPACE Canada approves new
Britten-Norman
Turkish medium T625 turboprop Islander
helicopter flies UK-based aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman has gained Canadian type
Turkey has flown its first including search and certification for the Rolls-Royce B17 turboprop version of its BN2 Islander utility
indigenous helicopter, rescue, ambulance, VIP, aircraft. Powered by two Rolls-Royce B17 turboprops, the BN2T features drag-
reducing fairings, an upgraded interior and higher payload than the piston engine-
the T625, which made transport and fire-fighting
powered version of the aircraft which are already flying in Canada. Britten-Norman
its maiden flight on 6 missions. Series production is also hoping to gain US Federal Aviation Administration certification for its
September in Ankara, is expected in 2021. BN2T-4S Defender military version of the twin turboprop.
Turkey. Built by Turkish
Aerospace Industries
(TAI), the T625 is a AIR TRANSPORT
medium twin helicopter
designed for both civilian
INFOGRAPHIC: Going the distance –
and military operations, narrowbodies extend their range
ON THE
MOVE
Airbus Chief Commercial
Officer Eric Schulz has
resigned. He is being
replaced by ATR CEO
Christian Scherer.
Brendan Curran has
been named as President
of Boeing AvionX, the
company's new in-house
avionics manufacturing
division.
Air France-KLM has
appointed former Air
Canada COO Benjamin
Smith as its new CEO to
begin work by the end of
September.
Statista
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antenna: Global Outlook and
Analysis with
HOWARD WHEELDON
Engine manufacturers –
more hard lessons to learn
A
re aircraft makers and their airline that suggests that not enough testing was done. I
customers reading too much into suspect that the majority of that have surfaced over
the spate of well-publicised design the past two years in respect of component failure,
and production problems to hit new those suffered by Rolls-Royce have garnered most
generation engines produced by Pratt headlines. Although the problem has clearly been
& Whitney (P&W), CFM International and Rolls-Royce identified, grappling with a compressor flaw on the
or are they signalling a need for wider concerns? Trent 1000 engine that powers the Boeing 787 may
Aerospace history is littered with examples of well require several years before final rectification
aircraft and aero engines that have suffered problems work to fix the problem is complete.
in development and initial production but go on to In its August half-year results Rolls-Royce
achieve great success. However, when engine design told investors that it had taken an additional
and component quality problems emerge on both the £554m charge to cover costs related to premature
world’s best-selling aircraft, the Boeing 737 MAX and compressor blade wear problems on the Trent 1000.
the Airbus A320neo, no one is about to turn a blind This was clearly wise and, although the impact of
eye. the underlying problem, including compensation for
It isn’t just next-generation narrow-bodied engine disruption, has yet to be fully defined, it is abundantly
development that has suffered problems. The raft clear that the company has taken the combination
of technical and production issues that have caused of corroding and cracking of turbine blades on Trent
Rolls-Royce to struggle with its Trent 1000 engine 1000 engines very seriously.
has caused major problems for Boeing and its airline My understanding is that corrosion and
customers. cracking problems on these engines has been more
Pressure to develop next generation commercial noticeable on aircraft used on short-cycle flights.
aero engines able to produce greater cost and The problem, which had first surfaced on engine
operational savings, environmental benefits, along launch customer ANA's (All Nippon Airways) fleet
with the hope that they can increase market share of of Boeing 787s led to all Trent 1000-engined 787s
their manufacturers has probably never been greater. being initially grounded. Subsequently, both US and
One thing is certain, the various problems that have EU regulators imposed requirements for accelerated
hit the world’s leading engine manufacturers should inspections and placed certain other operating
be put down to a combination of factors rather than restraints. For Rolls-Royce, resolving this issue has,
one alone. and remains, the absolute number one priority.
Firstly, although it is a well-known fact that for The Trent 1000 isn’t the only wide-bodied
manufacturers of commercial aero engines profit commercial aircraft engine to have been hit by
comes through the aircraft lifetime rather than technical issues. GE, which produces the competing
through the engine sale and build process, pressure engine for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, suffered
on engine manufacturers to reduce production losses durability issues on its GEnx-1B engine, causing
has increased. the FAA to issue an airworthiness directive. To that
To achieve manufacturing cost improvements end, in 2016, regulators required GE to rework a
requires not only increasing efficiencies in production ‘performance improvement package’ on no fewer
processes to get more new engines out of the than 336 GEnx-1B engine fan casings to ensure that
door but also investment in people, training and the there was no possibility of contact with fan blades.
manufacturing process itself. Skills do not come However, with this work now complete, GE could
cheap these days and engineers are a rarer and far potentially gain from the problems that have more
more expensive commodity than they once were. recently hit the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine.
Engine problems that have hit the narrow-bodied GE’s recent announcement that it intends to
aircraft engine manufacturers may be technically divest some of the divisional activities such as
different from those that hit Rolls-Royce on its 787 healthcare and oil is a direct response to shareholder
Trent 1000 engine design but they all have similar pressure. In little more than a decade GE’s share
characteristics in that they present a scenario price has, along with the dividend, halved in value
10 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018and at the time of writing the shares sit close to the
level that they had been 21 years ago in October
1997. But while the plan to change strategy, slim
down and divest activities over the next couple of
years will clearly boost the balance sheet and give
the company more options and financial power at its
elbow, CEO John L. Flannery made it very clear that
the aero engine business along with those engaged
in power and renewable energy are not for sale.
Boosted by a stronger balance sheet in the
years to come GE will clearly have greater freedom
to operate and invest more in its chosen fields but
also to develop these potentially through acquisition.
Competitors such as Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-
Royce would do well to watch out.
.
Grinding to a halt...
Back in the world of narrow-bodied aircraft, it is Airbus
that has been most impacted by the technical problems
to beset Pratt & Whitney’s GTF (Geared Turbofan) engine.
Designed to power the Airbus A320neo, the Bombardier
CSeries (now the Airbus A220neo), together with Embraer
and Mitsubishi narrow-bodied aircraft, the GTF has been high pressure compressor that resulted in three mid-
seriously delayed by a combination of component failure flight engine failures in the space of two weeks, plus
problems that have thankfully now been sorted. P&W is a temporary grounding by the India aviation authority, Boeing has had
pulling out all the stops to catch up on its seriously delayed DGCA, that resulted in changes to the design that to park over
schedule of engine deliveries. would require regulatory approval.
For Airbus the problems with GTF deliveries have P&W has put every inch of effort into resolving
50 737s at its
meant storing aircraft until engines arrive. This is a these problems and to catching up on lost production Renton factory
hardly cost effective for a company that prides itself that had followed a four-week period when no due to supplier
on efficiency and a just-in-time component delivery engines were produced. Internal factory problems issues including
process. Even worse for the United Technologies didn’t help the catch up job and the technical
subsidiary is that, set against the CFM International problems exposed a similar amount of production delayed engine
(GE/Safran) joint venture LEAP engine which has issues that the company also needed to resolve. deliveries
been designed to not only power the Boeing 737 None of this has been helped by the need to replace from CFM
MAX but also to compete on the Airbus A320neo, failed components on aircraft already in service and
International.
GTF appears to be on the back foot in the battle to this is likely to continue until 2020. Even though the
win Airbus customers. competing CFM Leap engine has not been without
With the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine problems, one suspects that the resulting loss of
designed to be cleaner, quieter, more powerful and confidence in P&W caused by the well-publicised
fuel efficient than existing jet engine designs, a lot technical issues and production delays has been
was hanging on the success of the new GTF family beneficial to the competing CFM but, given that GTF
of engines. Pratt had lost out on the wide-bodied will be a long-term programme and one that will, I am
engine market because the aircraft makers sought to sure, provide all the benefits to users as promised, I
narrow the choice of engines on aircraft down from can see little reason why P&W should not eventually
three to two. While P&W was at least able to secure take a sizable share of the narrow bodied engine
an alliance with GE on a competing engine for the market in the years to come.
Airbus A380, it would be GE and Rolls-Royce that No new engine development is ever without
secured the wide bodied market for themselves. issues and the CFM Leap design has had its share
So why has P&W failed to secure a greater as well, although by comparison to those that hit
market share on the GTF? Beset with various P&W on the GTF it appears that CFM has been able
teething problems on an engine design that entered to recover from the situation faster. In service on both
airline service in 2016, problems that emerged on the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo, turbine
the PW1100G-JM engine included uneven cooling component durability issues on the Leap engine have
that could potentially have led to deformations and also required a redesign of specific parts, together
individual parts rubbing against one another and that with an airline plan to retrofit the redesigned turbine
would require extended turnaround times between component on the in excess of 500 Leap engines
flights. There were also seal issues on the engine’s currently in service.
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2018
11Transmission
LETTERS AND ONLINE
Can passengers assist in emergency evacuations?
As a former Chief Pilot However, the Air France
Corporate Safety in the staff refused to drive the
airline that I flew for, I feel stairs to the plane because
that briefing a passenger, of the ‘bomb’ and, due to
who has no formal training union rules, would not allow
in how to manage opening anyone else to drive them
over wing exits and what as well. The firemen could
precautions to take, is a not approach, as their rules
weak area (see Emergency forbade them to come
Evacuation – time for a within a 100m of a plane
rethink(1)). An example of with a suspected bomb. I
this was when I travelled had many elderly people
within the US four years and a number of children on
ago, on a seat that was just A passenger may be able to open an emergency exit but might not know when it was safe to use. board and expected to see
behind the over wing exit. A a lot of injuries when they
young lady had the exit seat never needed! I told her chart with the names of the evacuation and that was went down the steep slides
and a cabin attendant came that if a situation happened cabin crew covering ALL the at Paris Orly Airport. After which I now had no choice
to her and gave her a fast where they WERE needed, exits. All of them knew that landing on a flight from but to deploy. The wonderful
briefing on how to operate she should get out of my they had to check whether a New York the tower told me firemen disregarded their
the hatch. She asked the way and I would do the slide had deployed properly that there was information orders and moved in to
passenger if the briefing needful. It does not take and/or there was no fire that there was a bomb catch the passengers
was understood and the much imagination to picture on that wing before letting on board our DC-10-30. as they went down and
lady said “yes.” When the a scene where, in darkness, the passengers use that This was hardly credible bounced off the slides’ end.
cabin attendant left I asked the inept passenger fumbles exit. Would an untrained – letting us fly all the way Result: no injuries to any of
the lady if she understood with the hatch and panic and terrified passenger be across the Atlantic without my 250 passengers and
what was expected of her stricken passengers in a able to do this? In a country detonating the device was crew – and a big rocket
and could she operate the smoke filled cabin pin that like the US, where suing in most probably a malicious from the French Minister of
exit hatch. She replied that person to the hatch with court is done at the drop bomb scare. We were sent Aviation for the offending
she really did not know what no chance of escape from of a hat, it is a wonder that to a remote bay that was ground staff.
to do but that I shouldn’t it. In all the larger jets that I such laxity is allowed. In 37 covered in hard ice and told
worry – she had flown many commanded, before start up, years of airline flying I only to expect our passengers Capt Johnny Sadiq
times and the exits were the Purser would hand me a experienced one emergency to deplane by air stairs. FRAeS
Hamilton Place in the 1960s
I much enjoyed the well Frank Smith. All these I and each one poking their a pictorial glass ashtray. I
written and illustrated article knew well. In fact when he mop through a different still have my father’s in my
‘Life at Hamilton Place in retired, Norman Deaton part of the curly part of bookcase.
1960’ in the August 2018 came to live near me the balustrade as they
AEROSPACE(2). It brought in Beaconsfield and I descended the staircase. It Arnold Nayler
back many memories. It is remember him bringing his was quite a performance MRAeS
good to have the history of car over to run up on the which we all enjoyed
No. 4 recorded again. For ramps in my garage so that watching. That last task
me it was good to bring I could get underneath to completed, they finished I enjoyed your piece on
back those memories. I well investigate the source of for the day. I am sure that Hamilton Place in 1960 and
remember the telephone a rattle. If I recall correctly staircase has never been the pictures. I remember the
exchange under the stairs it was a loose exhaust as clean since they retired. event very well. At the time
and Mrs Martin busy bracket. Mrs Martin used (Run your finger through of the appeal for funding
operating it. I joined the to tell us all how during The new fifth floor under the swirls and curls next the lecture theatre I was
staff in May 1967 having WW2 she helped keep construction at No.4 time you use the stairs.) a student member of the
been interviewed by Dr the building clean and Hamilton Place in 1960. As for the building of the Society in my final year at
Ballantyne a couple of polished She also pointed lecture theatre and top Cambridge. I remember
months earlier. The photo out to me how the four lady They proceeded floor by floor, I think that there is an contributing £5, which with
showing him in one of his cleaners, who came every floor down the building. article by Tony Barrett(3) beer only costing 2 shillings
staff meetings is typical. day, started their cleaning Their final task was quite a describing how it was done (10p) a pint represented a
Shown around the table on the fifth floor where parade. They came down and the equipment fitted considerable sacrifice!
are Norman Deaton, Tony Dr Tony Barratt and the the main staircase, one in the theatre. There was
Barrett, Joan Bradbrook Engineering Sciences Data behind other, each with a a grand opening party. All Sir Donald Spiers
and my predecessor Unit (ESDU) staff worked. feather mop in their hand, who attended received HonFRAeS
12 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018i
@adamspink Travel Wedgetails for RAF?
insurance policies should
have a cancellation clause if
Khalem Chapman
@SkippyBing [On
there is evidence of claimant Telegraph story about
taking hand baggage down potential RAF Wedgetail
slide. Failing that, new buy with UK work] Because
commercial aircraft should the UK has such a great
be evac-tested and certified record on domestic AEW
with every passenger getting aircraft.
a bag out of overhead and
SSTs and the taking it with them.
environment
@PhilipCovell Don’t mess
Brexit pilot licences about, just get three tenders
Tyrone Navaratne [On
How green is my SST?(4)]] @Brabazon2 [On CAA and buy the best!
Can’t wait to see the corrects inaccurate Sky
outcome! News story over reissuing Boeing E-7A Wedgetail, Royal Australian Air Force.
UK pilot licences post @GuardedDon Is a ‘higher-
New RAeS CEO Brexit] Glad that’s cleared up’ missing a creative idea?
Create a PPP to lease a @RotorFocus My @FTusa284 Just one
that one up. Would be a understanding was that problem: no budget. Hasn’t
Geoffrey Roper [On few A330s, integrate the
whole lot easier if we just Boeing was offering the UK passed IAB or HMT. Apart
appointment of Sir Brian Wedgetail’s mission kit with
stayed within EASA. to perform the conversion from that, it’s all systems
Burridge as new RAeS the Airbus, leave a few comfy
CEO] Many congratulations! seats up front. Multi-role from green airframe to E-7 go!
surveillance-transporter? It’s configuration domestically
@Jazifer Would be a whole as in Turkey.
lot easier for the entire worked before.
Brigadier David
industry if this nonsense
Cummings Heartiest
was halted. @jb_jullien You miss
congratulations Sir. UK GPS system FLY! book
the fact that, during the
Impact of Brexit Rare Cody film @RichardPTh [On the UK definition phase of Galileo in
puts £92m towards Galileo 2000, the UK asked for no
Gerald M [On brace replacement] They’ll need PRS signal to save GPS for
for impact(5)] A balanced a lot more than that! And military needs of EU and so
thoughtful look at a serious no technical assessment US interest. 18 years later,
issue. is needed. Airbus Defence UK wants the full access
& Space (ex Astrium & of PRS signal which was
Surrey Satellites) could tell mainly built by UK.
them everything they need
to know in a jiffy. This is
just a negotiating posture. @BrenFlyBigBird
Wasting tax payers’ money Excellent article. If relying/
though... paying on sat nav for a
defence capability, I’d want
@BoneyAboard [On rare to know who can switch it QF32 Captain Richard De
Cody in flight film coming @FoundrySquared The off. For example, if another Crespigny published a new
to light at RAeS HQ] This book in September – Fly: life
Evacuation survey civilian use of Galileo is not Falklands occurred, US lessons from cockpit of QF32
is fantastic! Do you guys at issue. The military uses could block GPS. In Galileo, – what can we learn from Neil
@bjennings [On new and gals at the RAeS have USA’s GPS. Very strange who has the keys: Juncker, Armstrong, Sully, Gene Kranz
RAeS survey showing that film restorers or will you that this is an ‘issue’. European Council, could a etc to survive crises (large &
passengers will stop to take need to head to the @BFI? single member block etc? small).(7)
luggage during emergency I’ve been going through
evacuations(6)] Use ejection your archive recently, as 1. AEROSPACE, August 2018, p 20, Emergency evacuation – time for a rethink?
2. AEROSPACE, August 2018, p 50, Life at Hamilton Place in 1960
seats. Grab it as you go by ... I’ve been volunteering
3. Aslib Proceedings, May 1961, 13, (5), pp 127-134.
with Typhoon project. The 4. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/how-green-is-my-sst/
@graysonottaway Phil Lucas interview is 5. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/brace-for-impact-brexit-and-the-uk-aerospace-supply-chain/
6. https://www.aerosociety.com/media/9488/2018_09_12_new_release_gb_air_passenger_attitudes_to_
Bottom of slide as they wonderful. When he talks emergency_evacuations_survey_results.pdf
took so long to get down about them working the 7. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/win-a-signed-copy-of-fly-life-lessons-from-the-cockpit-of-qf32/
due carry on! And despite comprehensibility issues,
Online
every safety briefing, safety and making history that they
card ... Gotta save the stuff I were too busy to notice, it is
brought on with me! pure understatement. Additional features and content are available to view
online at http://media.aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook. www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2018 13AEROSPACE
Commercial orders
Bragging rites
Billions of dollars in deals announced, bulging backlogs but how real are ‘orders’
trumpeted at major air shows? PAUL CLARK FRAeS breaks down the smoke and
mirrors of airliner orders, commitments, options, LoIs and more.
C
ommercial aircraft manufacturers Eyeballing the black dotted line, representing
have never had it so good. Buoyed by airline operating results, against the yellow bars,
constantly increasing demand for air representing aircraft orders, suggests a plausible
travel and an insatiable appetite from synchronisation between making money and
airline customers and lessors for more spending money. The erratic order pattern is in stark
capacity, the order books are full to bursting. At the contrast to the blue bars, showing a more stable
end of 2017, a conservative estimate of the value delivery pattern. Manufacturers strive to achieve a
of all civil aircraft on order amounted to an eye- book-to-bill ratio of at least one every year. Above: An aircraft
watering $955bn. And that takes into consideration Spikes of aircraft orders may be explained. order announcement
customary discounts, rather than ‘list prices’. To put From 2011 to 2014, for example, high oil prices, at Farnborough 2016
that into perspective, if the value of the backlog of coupled with the launch of the next wave of single- concludes with the ‘money
commercial aircraft orders were a country, it would aisle aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, saw a flurry of shot’.
be the 16th largest when measured against nations’ orders as buyers rushed to secure favourable deals Below: A more relaxed
gross domestic product (GDP). So, the value of and early delivery positions. What is less evident order signing outside in the
sun at Dubai 2017.
the order books is greater than the economies of from the order pattern is the effect of air shows.
Turkey, The Netherlands or Switzerland. You might
think that, with so much business already signed The air show effect
up and sitting on the books, aircraft sales directors
could relax. But you would be wrong… Big commercial aircraft trade shows, such as
Although air travel demand rises at a virtually Farnborough, Paris, Dubai, Singapore and Zhuhai,
constant rate, the patterns of aircraft orders and are a glitzy stage upon which to announce big
deliveries do not. Figure 1 (opposite page) shows orders. These events attract more than just the
the history of airline net profitability, aircraft orders die-hard airline enthusiast community. Airline CEOs,
and aircraft deliveries over a five year period. the world’s press, politicians and supply chain
14 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018executives clear their agendas, so they can be unexpected can happen. At the Dubai Air Show in
pampered by the manufacturers. Who can blame 2017, it had been widely anticipated that Emirates
them? Those with the best credentials are feted Airline would announce a follow-on order for A380s
in luxurious custom-built chalets. Not for them at a media event. Indeed, Airbus was so confident
the traffic jams, remote parking, shuttle buses, of a sales boost for its beleaguered large jet that
tiresome security checks, long entry queues and the press release had been printed and dignitaries
outrageously priced catering. But I digress. invited. To the astonishment of many, including
Air shows are the best excuse all year for Airbus, it was Boeing who were invited to the stage
aircraft manufacturer public relations departments for a surprise announcement of an Emirates’ 787
to deliver their sunniest smiles and spend the deal.
budget. Yet there is sophisticated power-play It can also happen that a decision is accelerated
at work. What drives the headline-grabbing to enable an air show announcement. This could be
announcements of new orders? considered a dangerous tactic for the buyer, as the
pressure to conclude a quick deal might be at the
Order bonanza, or business as expense of cutting corners in the analysis.
usual? Even if air show announcements have the
Embraer announces a deal hallmarks of spontaneity, aircraft evaluation is a
It certainly appears as though Airbus and Boeing at Farnborough with the highly complex and long-drawn-out process that
stockpile orders in advance of air shows to make a classic handshake and held should move at its own speed, rather than be
splash when everyone is watching. However, deals model image. curtailed to fit the agendas of a PR machine.
are not coincidentally concluded at show time. At the end of the Farnborough Air Show
Deals are usually booked, and announced, as they 2018, Boeing announced a total of 673 overall
are concluded but, if the deal has been brokered in ‘orders and commitments’ valued at $98.4bn.
the run-up to an air show, then the customer may Airbus trumpeted new business comprising 431
be listed as ‘unannounced’ in the interim period. ‘commitments’. The Airbus press release did not
Both Airbus and Boeing are inclined to save major specify a value for this tally but it has been reported
announcements for air shows to ensure a bigger that the aircraft would be valued at $62.1bn ‘at list
impact and a level of exposure obviously beneficial prices’ .
for the customer as well as the manufacturer. Even These simple numbers raise important
if the deal is all but signed some time before an air questions. What, precisely, are ‘commitments’, and
show, the flourish of the pen on the final contract how relevant are ‘list prices’? Do manufacturer
will take place in the full glare of welcome publicity. press releases tell the whole story? We need to
Another aspect of keeping a collection of look at terminology.
signed deals confidential until an air show is that
it allows the manufacturers to engage in tit-for-tat Smoke and mirrors
announcements of eye-catching deals. Tactical
play is important as everyone wants to appear A ‘firm order’ is unequivocally a signed purchase
successful when it really counts. It is usual for agreement, or contract, for a specified number of a
signing ceremonies to be precisely choreographed. defined aircraft type. It embraces everything from
Surprisingly, given the high stakes involved, the the precise specification to delivery dates, payment
Figure 1 Figure 2
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Commercial orders
schedules, support issues, guarantees and, of
course, pricing.
Buyers of aircraft need flexibility, so one way of
achieving this is to divide an order into contractually
firm aircraft and ‘optioned’ aircraft. Optioned
aircraft are allocated delivery positions that may
run concurrently with the ‘firm’ aircraft. Usually, a
fee would be required to secure delivery positions
of optioned aircraft. This fee would be credited
against pre-delivery payments should firm contracts
be finalised for these aircraft. Optioned aircraft
are usually subject to the same basic price and
terms and conditions as the firm aircraft. It is not a
certainty that options are always transformed into
firm orders.
Another way of building in flexibility to a deal is
Above: Hiromichi Morimoto to negotiate ‘purchase rights’ for additional aircraft.
MRJ CEO announces a LoI These involve no commitment from the buyer but, positions may also be mentioned. Importantly,
from Rockton for ten MRJ in contrast to the certainty of terms for the firm neither a MoU or LoI has legal standing and it is
aircraft at Farnborough
2016.
and optioned aircraft, commercial terms for the by no means certain that a contract will be signed.
‘purchase rights’ aircraft would only be determined For example, in 2014 the Indian low-cost carrier
at the time such rights are exercised. Indigo signed a memorandum of understanding
In addition, ‘conversion rights’ may exist for 250 A320neo aircraft. This was the largest
between aircraft of the same family, where practical. ever commitment that Airbus had ever received,
It is useful for airlines that have, for example, measured by the number of aircraft. However, one
ordered A320s, to retain flexibility to convert some year later, the commitment lapsed.
deliveries to larger A321s. There are other confusing announcements
The expressions ‘memorandum of made at air shows. ‘Customer reveals’ occur
understanding’ and ‘letter of intent’ are when the manufacturer announces the buyer of a
interchangeable descriptions of documents previously unidentified customer. ‘Conversions’ are
considered to be important milestones along the no more than a rebalancing of orders between one
AT THE END OF path toward a fully negotiated contract. An MoU, or type or sub-type and another. In such a case the
LoI, is usually signed after tacit decisions to acquire value of the order may change but not the absolute
THE DAY THE aircraft have been made by the buyer but before number of aircraft in the deal. Another form of
ONLY THING the serious negotiation work has begun. MoUs conversion is where airlines agree to convert
THAT MATTERS and LoIs are far from irrelevant as they lay out the aircraft from passenger to cargo use. In this case
structure of a future agreement but there is a huge the manufacturer cannot claim any value through
IS THE NUMBER temptation to announce them at air shows. increased production.
OF FIRM Signature of these documents may be At the end of the day the only thing that
ORDERS accompanied by a refundable deposit and delivery matters is the number of firm orders. Uncertainty
Right: Boeing shout about
its orders at this year’s
Farnborough.
16 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018Left: A typical hectic Boeing orders to be $160bn . Once the padding
Farnborough Airshow has been removed and a reasonable estimate made
press conference scrum. for discounts, a closer value estimate would be
Below: AirAsia X reaffirmed $31bn for Boeing and $27.7bn for Airbus . (See
its position as the largest Figure 2 on p15).
airline customer for Airbus’
widebody A330neo with
Does it matter that so much confusion reigns
an order for 34 additional over air show orders? Not one jot. Everyone knows
aircraft, which was how the ‘sporty game’ is played. The duopoly is
announced on Day 4 of alive and well and the regular jostling for bragging
the 2018 Farnborough rights shows no sign of diminishing. If anything,
Airshow. the world of aircraft manufacturing has never been
so interesting. Airbus is riding a fresh wave having
embraced the A220-300 into its product line.
Boeing on the cusp of a major decision concerning
the so-called middle of the market. Should it take
surrounds everything else. To illustrate the impact
of smoke and mirrors accounting, let’s look at the
Farnborough Air Show order book for 2018.
Do the numbers ever add up?
The only answer to that question is, ‘no’. Boeing’s
Farnborough highlights video boasted ‘total airplane
orders and commitments’ of 673 units, whereas an
Airbus press release more conservatively claimed
431 aircraft as ‘new business’.
The expression ‘commitment’, incidentally,
crops up in manufacturer as well as general press
releases. It is usual for a commitment to refer to
a mix of both firm and optioned aircraft, including
those covered by MoUs and LoIs.
How inflated are these headline numbers?
Airbus is closer to the mark, having honed its
numbers by excluding conversions (52 aircraft) and
Airbus
customer reveals (10 aircraft). That leaves a final
tally of 93 firmly ordered aircraft and another 338
included in letters of intent.
Boeing had greater success in terms of the plunge and develop a new aircraft to plug the
absolute number of orders, although the headline gap between the largest of the single-aisles and
number of 673 aircraft quoted in its highlights video the smallest of the twin-aisles, or should it step
seems heavily loaded. Analysing the day-by-day back and watch Airbus claim the space with a
announcements suggests that there were also further development of the A320 family? Either
conversions (30 aircraft) and customer reveals way, the orders will continue to pile up and the
(144 aircraft). In addition, the Boeing numbers regular tussle for market supremacy will again be
appear to include some unclear optioned aircraft played out at the major air shows.
as well as freighter conversions. A number closer As a final curiosity in the numbers game,
to reality would be 429 aircraft, according to one consider this. Airbus is certainly confident it will
seasoned commentator . convert its various options, MoUs and LoIs into
Another point of contention is the value of firm contracts soon. However, the fact remains
orders. Historically, it has been customary to quote that, according to a downloadable spreadsheet
published ‘list prices’. The problem is that these on the Airbus web site, the official increment
prices are, of course, totally unrepresentative in aircraft orders between 1 July and 31 July
of actual pricing, which is subject to significant 2018 was precisely eight A350-900s for a
discounting by the manufacturers. Airbus has single unannounced customer. This is hardly
not placed a value on Farnborough orders, very much to brag about but that’s not the point.
although Boeing have stated that its orders and Who needs boring spreadsheet details when we
commitments amount to $98.4bn. The Financial can be so easily seduced by those fancy press
Times estimated the total value of Airbus and announcements?
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook.com www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2018 17AEROSPACE
Aircraft deliveries
Avia.ru
Art of the delivery
MARTYN CARTLEDGE looks into the often glitzy and glamorous world of
aircraft deliveries to find out just what happens behind the razzmatazz.
M
onth after month aircraft In advance of the expected readiness or delivery An Aeroflot A320 being
manufacturers tell us their recent date manufacturers will ask for input from the client, blessed by Russian
orders and aircraft deliveries, which will be incorporated into the agenda for the Orthodox priests on
constantly vying with each other as four or five days the whole process will take. Teams delivery.
to who can be the best. In July 2018 specific to the aircraft in question will be assembled
the two big boys in the industry delivered over 150 by both parties. The manufacturers will have such
aircraft to nearly 100 customers. As it was roughly roles as ferry flight manager, sales contract manager,
split 50/50, that means each of them were delivering, conformity manager, airworthiness manager,
on average, 2.5 aircraft every day, no mean feat. But customer co-ordination manager and delivery
just how does the process work? transaction manager
In many ways there are similarities to buying Over at the airline, the team will be made up of
a new car in that, after choosing the right model specialists from flight operations (eg test pilot, test
for your needs and giving it a test drive, you will be engineer, technical cabin crew, operations engineer
given a delivery date by which time all the necessary and cabin engineer), maintenance, financial and legal
paperwork and finances need to be in place. departments.
However, in reality, it is merely this basis that is the There are other elements to an aircraft delivery,
same. At an average list price of $100m for a 737 or one of which is the level of media interest there is
A320 the process is, not surprisingly, much more in likely to be in the delivery either nationally or, indeed,
depth and indeed could be said to start from early on internationally. To decide on just what sort of event
in the construction process. is required to accompany this delivery will be down The first ever delivery of
to the media relation and event teams. Generally an A321 from Airbus’s US
speaking, this will be led by representatives from the manufacturing facility to
Continuous process JetBlue.
airline as, by the time any event is likely take place,
Albeit at slightly different points for different the aircraft will have legally become theirs. That said,
manufacturers the customer is invited to view the the level of event is pretty much directly related to
aircraft at milestone stages to ensure that they are the importance of the delivery, the first ever delivery
happy with how the build is progressing. Informal to a customer or a new type to an existing customer
updates are also provided about where the aircraft will have much greater significance than say the
is in the production, as well as formal contractual twentieth and will therefore attract greater media
delivery notifications which advise the client as to the coverage, as well as the level of VIP involvement from
Airbus
readiness date for the aircraft. all concerned.
18 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2018You can also read
