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FlightGlobal.com December 2022
Time for
Uncle Roger’s
festive quiz
US airlines signal alarm
over 5G interference p18
Star fleets
Which air forces lead the way in our annual review? p42
Australia plans repeat
C-130J purchase p28
9
£5.25
770015 371334
Extra space Master builders
A350 interior Italian firms’
enhancements international
add 30 seats ambitions
1 2
p16 p52
Comment
Tipped for success?
Ellen M Banner/AP/Shutterstock
Growth agenda
While ambitious goals are commendable, Boeing has a great
deal of work to do if it is to clear a path to reaching them
B
oeing’s current strategy heavily on it resolving the problems systems to merit the launch of a
seems to be riven with con- that continue to linger: a toxic mix new jet in the short term.
tradictions. While these are of external supply chain tension, Perhaps so, but there is a feeling
not mutually exclusive, they geopolitics and issues spilling over in some quarters that the airframer
appear a clear source of tension. from the Max crisis – undelivered in- is merely justifying its own inertia.
Take, for instance, the airframer’s ventory and heightened regulatory And as many note, there is some-
plan that by the middle of the dec- scrutiny, to name but two. times a bigger cost to not invest-
ade it will once again be delivering These challenges are not insur- ing rather than spending money: all
800 commercial aircraft each year mountable but will require deft the time that Boeing does nothing,
and raking in $100 billion in revenue. management footwork – and not a Airbus will continue to chip away at
Achieving those targets would little luck – to navigate successful- its rival’s market share in the nar-
mean a return to a financial and ly if Boeing is to hit its 800-aircraft rowbody segment – particularly at
delivery performance last seen in per year target. the upper end, where the A321XLR
2018 – or in other words, a return Similarly, the company’s misfiring faces limited, if any, competition.
to the good times; a point be- defence division appears in need What share of the market will
fore decisions taken by Boeing’s of repair. In the most recent finan- Boeing ultimately tolerate? Based
previous management proved to cial quarter, forward charges were on total orders for re-engined sin-
be so catastrophic. once more booked against sev- gle-aisles that figure is currently
2018 was the last ‘normal’ year eral military programmes, a con- hovering around 44%, but there is a
for Boeing: by the following March sequence of fixed-price bids that distinct possibility of further erosion.
the 737 Max – the manufactur- have left Boeing on the hook for If it reaches, say, 30%, Airbus will
er’s cash cow – was beginning the billions of dollars in cost overruns. have a huge installed base to count
20-month grounding from which Such loss-leaders are fine if you on when the time comes to launch a
the programme and the company can execute aircraft development Neo successor.
are still struggling to recover. without a hitch – but as Boeing has Boeing’s success or failure at
True, Covid-19 was a crisis beyond discovered, they are hugely costly this point is not pre-ordained, but
anyone’s control, let alone Boeing’s if you cannot. the mess left after four years of
– but as doctors will tell you, symp- Meanwhile, new aircraft devel- disruption means there remains
toms are more severe if the patient opment remains on hold. Boeing’s much work for the airframer’s man-
is already in a weakened state. leaders say they do not see suffi- agement to do if it is to achieve its
Therefore Boeing’s predictions cient maturity in next-generation lofty goals. Z
of a mid-decade rebound rest engine technology or production See p6
December 2022 Flight International 3
In focus
Boeing: future proofed? 6 A350 conjures more space 16 F-16 revival ready for take-off
Beijing’s Western tilt 10 Alleged 5G interference events as interest soars 30
First export AH-1Z is big hit rise as bandwidths converge 18 VoltAero picks TESI for Cassio
with Manama 12 Sriwijaya 737’s throttle snag led 330 prototype airframe 34
Four bidders vie for Puma to fatal thrust asymmetry 22 Evia Aero aims for zero 35
successor deal 14 Canberra to double C-130Js 28 Evolito leads the charge 36
42 Casualties of war
Russian losses in Ukraine remain unclear
35
FlightGlobal.com December 2022
Time for
Uncle Roger’s
festive quiz
US airlines signal alarm
over 5G interference p18
Star fleets
Which air forces lead the way in our annual review? p42
Australia plans repeat
C-130J purchase p28
9
£5.25
770015 371334
Rich Cooper
Extra space Master builders
A350 interior Italian firms’
enhancements international
add 30 seats ambitions
1 2
p16 p52
Regulars Comment 3 Best of the rest 38 Straight & Level 76 Jobs 81 Women in aviation 82
4 Flight International December 2022
Contents
In depth
Battle scars 42 The right connections 56 Benign leadership 62
War in Ukraine has spurred Logic’s boss wants to turn the Electronic warfare specialist
equipment transfers to Kyiv firm into a systems integrator Elettronica aims to stay one
and a NATO procurement spike and tier one supplier step ahead of its bigger rivals
Power of one 52 Training Master 58 Festive Quiz 66
How Avio Aero is evolving into Leonardo bolsters M-346 with Test your knowledge of the
all-round aerospace champion Italian air force partnership past 12 months in aviation
62
66
56
December 2022 Flight International 5
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In the medium term, Boeing’s profitability
relies on success of the 737 Max programme
Future proofed?
Boeing
Although Boeing has ambitious plans for the mid-term,
to reach that promised land the airframer must first resolve
the numerous problems that have built up over recent years
Jon Hemmerdinger & Ryan Finnerty Though the company has “There are consequences to not
Tampa resumed 787 deliveries in 2022, it investing,” says Michel Merluzeau,
has also taken billions in losses on aerospace analyst with AIR, noting
troubled military programmes, de- that Airbus continues taking market
B
oeing aims by mid-decade layed several commercial aircraft share in the narrowbody space.
to be delivering 800 aircraft certification timelines and failed to By the time Boeing finally has
and taking in revenue of hit 737 output targets. a 737 replacement ready – which
$100 billion annually, though could be the early-to-mid 2030s –
its ability to meet those goals re- “Airbus will have a much more sig-
mains uncertain because of unre-
solved troubles that have kept its
2022 targets out of reach.
Company executives presented
their goals on 2 November, laying
$3.3bn
Losses in the third quarter, with $2.8
nificant installed base of aircraft”,
Merluzeau says.
Chinese competitor Comac
might also have secured a stronger
position, he adds. “Boeing is going
out a plan to return the airframer billion of this coming from the Boeing to have to fight… There is a cost to
to production and revenue levels it Defense, Space and Security division taking back market share”.
last achieved in 2018. Chief execu- Boeing has yet to rebound finan-
tive David Calhoun also made clear cially or operationally from a sever-
that Boeing has no immediate in- As a result, much about Boeing’s al-year slump that started with the
tention of launching a new aircraft future remains unclear, and opin- 737 Max crisis and carried through
development programme. ions are split on whether postpon- the Covid-19 pandemic. Like com-
The messages came towards ing development of a new commer- petitors, it is working to overcome
the end of a year in which Boeing cial jet is the right move. Financial supply chain and labour troubles.
has seemed unable to overcome analysts think it makes sense, while In late October, Boeing report-
many long-standing problems that some of those in the aerospace ed losing $3.3 billion in the third
plague aircraft programmes in industry think Boeing might be fall- quarter, largely because Boeing
both its civil and defence divisions. ing deeper into a competitive hole. Defense, Space & Security (BDS)
6 Flight International December 2022
Airframer Strategy
“We are trying to assess [firm fixed
price] programmes with real clarity.
We are not projecting a significant
improvement in the future”
David Calhoun Chief executive, Boeing
and labour constraints, combined Though many of Boeing’s major
with engineering challenges. defence programmes are now
But firm fixed price (FFP) money-losers, Calhoun insists they
contracts have played a role. will pay off: “These programmes…
Boeing’s previous executive team will be key to margin recovery in
had adopted an aggressive and future periods.”
risky strategy to win programmes But profitability at BDS remains
such as the T-7 and KC-46 through elusive. “The largest defence pro-
FFP deals, which specify deliv- grammes have become a persistent
ery prices and schedules, leaving drag on profit and cash flow as costs
manufacturers on the hook for rise on fixed-priced contracts,”
cost overruns. Bloomberg Intelligence says.
There was reason behind the “They have been sort of living with
strategy. A recent Bloomberg death by a thousand cuts,” adds
Intelligence report notes that BDS George Ferguson, Bloomberg Intel-
had been “dwarfed by Boeing’s ligence senior analyst. “Every quar-
commercial business until the ter there was another charge, an-
pandemic”. BCA, which in 2018 other charge and another charge.”
generated more than $60 billion
of revenue and almost $8 billion in Recovery roadmap
operating profit, could essentially At the same time, the financial
haemorrhaged cash, closing the subsidise the airframer’s defence backstop that had shielded the
period $2.8 billion in the red. Boe- programmes through their costly risky defence programmes erod-
ing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) engineering and manufacturing ed following the 737 Max disasters,
did not have a banner third quarter development phases, until they declining air travel during the pan-
either, losing $643 million. reached the more profitable pro- demic, and ongoing supply, labour
Issues affected four major mili- duction stage. and certification issues.
tary programmes: the KC-46 aerial “We are trying to assess these “They have got to get the supply
refuelling tanker, T-7A jet trainer, programmes with real clarity and chain stabilised, and delivering to
MQ-25 carrier-based autonomous realism, with respect to what we the [final assembly] line on time,”
tanker, and 747-based VC-25B are experiencing now,” Calhoun Ferguson says. “That’s the key for
presidential aircraft. said on 26 October. “[We are] not next year.”
Boeing attributes its defence loss- projecting a significant improve- Several weeks after disclosing its
es to pandemic-related supply chain ment… in the future.” performance in the third quarter,
Boeing executives revealed a re-
covery roadmap to investors. The
Company has absorbed cost near-term focus will be on address-
overruns from KC-46 tanker ing supply and labour problems
and increasing aircraft production
and delivery rates. Boeing has also
been working to bring the 737
Max 7 and Max 10, and the 777-9
through certification.
In 2023, Boeing aims to deliver
400-450 737s – up from an esti-
mated 375 in 2022 – and 70-80
787s. The company has had recent
positive momentum on the Dream-
liner programme, having resumed
deliveries in August following a
halt lasting most of the preceding
22 months. It had delivered 15 787s
US Air Force
by the end of October, the most re-
cent month for which the manufac-
turer has released data.
December 2022 Flight International 7
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Executives also see a path for And though Boeing does not dis- “I think it is going to take all of next
Boeing to be delivering the target close month-to-month production year to correct some of these fun-
of about 800 aircraft and generat- rates, available information sug- damental issues.”
ing $100 billion in revenue annually gests its Renton 737 assembly site Calhoun has conceded BDS’s
by 2025 or 2026. That would return has been completing only around performance has been lagging
the airframer – which reported rev- 20 – or perhaps a few more – 737s but says the company is focused
enue of $62 billion in 2021 – to its monthly. Boeing has attributed on a turnaround, noting demand
position in 2018, when it posted the slow pace to labour problems remains robust for military aircraft.
$101 billion in revenue and deliv- and shortages of parts, including The company received $5 billion in
ered 806 aircraft. galley and electrical components new orders during the most recent
“I want nothing more than to re- and CFM International Leap-1B quarter, pushing its defence back-
turn money to you,” chief financial engines, the exclusive powerplant log to $55 billion, he says.
officer Brian West told investors. on the 737 Max. West adds that, after a year of
To hit 800 annual deliveries, Boe- hostilities in Europe and growing
ing aims to produce at least 50 737s, Staff errors militarism in Asia, the company
four 777s and 10 787s each month. The 737 line has also suffered sees strong support in Washington
Some financial analysts are reas- “quality problems”, BCA chief ex- for increased defence spending,
sured that the plan rests on ensur- ecutive Stan Deal said on 2 Novem- with a similar trend in other West-
ing the long-term success of the ber. A source within Boeing says ern capitals. “We see solid long-
737 programme, which Ferguson the company this year repeatedly term markets both domestically
calls BCA’s “most important pro- stopped 737 wing manufacturing and internationally,” he says.
gramme – the money-maker”. to fix production defects, including Boeing’s legacy defence pro-
“Everything else has little to no miss-drilled holes, partly because grammes – including the F/A-18
contribution to profits. So the 737 of errors made by new staff. fighter, AH-64 attack helicopter
programme has to get going,” When Boeing will iron out its and CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift hel-
Ferguson says. supply wrinkles remains an open icopter – remain profitable thanks
But Boeing’s ability to achieve question, but analysts suspect this to overseas customers.
those goals is not obvious. After all, will not be soon. Also, the latest EX variant of the
Airbus
2022 – not 2023 – was supposed to “In 2023, we are going to see highly successful F-15 interceptor
be the turnaround year. the same disruptions, or possibly could provide a substantial source
In 2022, Boeing aimed to resume more,” says Alex Krutz, managing of new revenue.
Max shipments to China, bring 737 director at aerospace and defence But Richard Aboulafia, managing
production to 31 jets monthly, de- advisory Patriot Industrial Partners. director of AeroDynamic Advisory,
liver 500 737s, achieve the Max 7’s
certification, and resume 787 deliv-
eries, which had been halted owing “In 2023, we are going to see the
to quality shortcomings with the
type’s composite fuselage. same [supply chain] disruptions.
Certification delays It is going to take all of next year to
Analysts also expected that in 2022
Boeing would finally launch a new correct these fundamental issues”
narrowbody aircraft to counter Air-
bus’s hugely successful A321neo. Alex Krutz Managing director, Patriot Industrial Partners
With the exception of resuming
787 deliveries in August, none of
that has yet happened. 787 deliveries resumed in August – the only
Instead, this year Boeing has 2022 business objective met by airframer
delayed three aircraft certification
timelines – the Max 7 to late this
year or early 2023, the Max 10 to
late 2023 or early 2024, and the
777-9 to 2025.
Meanwhile, deliveries of the 737
Max to China remain held up amid
troubled Sino-US relations – a
thorny problem for which Calhoun
in October expressed pessimism
for a quick fix.
“I have not gotten a single sig-
nal – and I’m surprised by it – that
[Chinese airlines are] going to take
deliveries in the near term,” he said.
AirTeamImages
Likewise, twice in 2022 Boeing
trimmed its full-year 737 delivery
forecast, most recently in October,
to 375 aircraft.
8 Flight International December 2022
Airframer Strategy
Boeing has yet to launch a new jet that can compete with the A321XLR
does not view that programme as a Aboulafia is more sceptical, not- During the investor day, he dashed
lifeline. While the US Navy will con- ing the KC-46 is already out of de- such speculation, saying neither
tinue operating F/A-18s for years, velopment and in production – and propulsion technology, nor digital
foreign customers such as Cana- still losing money. development and production tools,
da have opted to replace the type “This just looks like mediocre de- are sufficiently mature to support a
with Lockheed Martin F-35s. cision making, greatly exacerbated launch any time soon.
Aboulafia expects F-15EX by leadership and cultural short- “I don’t think we are going to
purchases will be limited to the falls,” he says. even get to the drawing board this
US Air Force because of the type’s Aboulafia and Ferguson sus- decade,” he says.
significant purchase price – which pect the low-volume VC-25B Analysts understand Calhoun’s
is looking to be even higher than programme will forever remain a interest in putting the Max’s recov-
that of the F-35A. money-loser for Boeing. ery first, but some fear Boeing’s
“No cylinders appear to be firing unwillingness to launch a new air-
right now,” he says of BDS. New aircraft craft is compromising its future.
West has repeatedly said Boe- Boeing’s failure to launch a new Aboulafia has long said Boe-
ing intends to “de-risk” its military aircraft has particularly troubled ing’s inaction has allowed Airbus
business. “Our mandate is to sta- some aerospace analysts who to significantly expand its share of
bilise and deliver a very important expected the company by now the market. Following Calhoun’s
product to our customers,” he said would be well into developing a revelation, Aboulafia thinks that
in October. “mid-market” aircraft. trend will accelerate, warning
But given the constraints of Boeing executives had, just a few BCA could “die on the vine” – or
fixed-price programmes, Ferguson years ago, talked about such a jet, that Boeing could be broken into
thinks Boeing can do little to dra- which was to carry 270 passengers separate companies.
matically improve defence profita- 4,000-5,000nm (7,400-9,260km) Likewise, Merluzeau views Boe-
bility – other than by maximising its and counter the A321neo. ing as sacrificing product develop-
own efficiency. The Airbus model – particularly ment “on the altar” of the Max.
Ferguson also thinks some the new 4,700nm-range A321XLR He thinks delays could leave Boe-
high-volume programmes such as – targets a segment to which Boe- ing behind in developing modern
the KC-46 hold promise, noting ing clings with ageing 757s and its manufacturing processes, and says
Boeing Global Services – the com- uncertificated 737 Max 10, which Boeing might eventually wake up
pany’s aftermarket arm – stands to cannot match its rival’s range without the engineering expertise
make money off long-term support and payload. Observers expected needed for its next aircraft.
for the tanker. “In time, they will Boeing would follow a mid-market The risk of delaying “is that you
have follow-on orders, which they jet by launching a 737 replacement. lose the expertise, you lose the
should be better prepared to deliv- In fairness, Calhoun never prom- talent, you lose the knowledge”,
er on time,” he adds. ised a new aircraft launch in 2022. Merluzeau says. ◗
December 2022 Flight International 9
Aircraft Programmes
C919 test aircraft performed in
Zhuhai event’s flying display
Approval
rating
Beijing’s certification of two
Western types – announced
during the Airshow China
event – appears to be a mix
of pragmatism and politics
Alfred Chua Singapore That the two certifications were of technology and safety, rather
announced within days of each than due to any politically induced
other – and at the country’s most motives. The organisation had
A
t this year’s Airshow China prestigious air show, no less – was achieved great things with China
in Zhuhai there was some enough to raise eyebrows. air safety, but the [737 Max] re-
semblance of a buzz on the For one, it comes as China is certification process indicates an
commercial aviation front, keen to burnish the credentials of unwelcome level of political inter-
despite the long shadow cast by the its indigenous aerospace industry ference,” he adds.
country’s strict zero-Covid policy. – a source of national pride and Aboulafia says it is “hard to say
For instance, Chinese airframer something of a reaction against right now” what Beijing’s ultimate
Comac clinched a first major order wider geopolitical tensions. motive is in certificating the ATR
for its C919 narrowbody since the The C919, for instance, has been and Embraer aircraft, adding: “[It]
programme gained domestic type described as proof that the country could be that they are signalling
approval – a 330-aircraft commit- is “capable” of a creating “respect- that they will work with all Western
ment from seven Chinese lessors. A able… homegrown aircraft pro- [manufacturers] except Boeing, for
C919 test aircraft also performed in gramme” – even though the nar- political reasons.”
the event’s flying display. rowbody is almost entirely reliant Aboulafia notes that the ATR
But it was the certification of on Western technology; China also approval is “the more interesting”
not one but two Western pro- of the two, given what it means for
grammes that was arguably the the MA700 programme, a larger
more significant development of
the five-day show.
First came the Civil Aviation
Administration of China (CAAC)
validation for the ATR 42-600
330
Combined commitment for C919
twin-turboprop being developed
by state-owned AVIC.
The MA700, which like Comac’s
aircraft are dependent on Western
technology, faces big roadblocks,
twin-turboprop. The Franco-Italian from a total of seven Chinese lessors chiefly Canada’s decision to block
manufacturer says the move “opens the export of Pratt & Whitney
the opportunity” for it to re-enter Canada PW150C engines.
the Mainland Chinese market, fore- has its own regional aircraft pro- “Recreating it with a non-West-
casting that the country will require grammes, with the Comac ARJ21 ern engine would take a decade
280 new turboprops over the next already in operation, including with or more, so ATR is all they have
20 years. ATR also disclosed a firm the country’s three largest carriers. for in-country ’prop demand,” says
order from an undisclosed custom- But in a country where little hap- Aboulafia, who points out that the
er for three aircraft. pens without political say-so, the larger ATR 72-600 could soon also
Then, two days later, Embraer certification of two Western pro- gain Chinese approval.
announced its E190-E2 regional jet grammes is telling. Crucially, the As for the Embraer certification –
programme had been certificated manufacturers do not hail from the and rumours around a similar move
by the CAAC, with approval for the USA, whose relations with Beijing for the Airbus A220 – Aboulafia
larger E195-E2 expected to follow. are more challenging than those of says the decision “might represent
While the Brazilian airframer has Brazil or Europe. a degree of recognition” about de-
yet to receive any Chinese orders Managing director of Aero- mand in the regional market – and
for the E2 family, it says the jets are dynamic Advisory Richard Abou- the state of the ARJ21.
Chine Nouvelle/SIPA/Shutterstock
the “best aircraft to serve low-den- lafia welcomes the “progress” with “There has never been much
sity but high-elevation markets in certification of Western types, of a regional market in China, for
western China with the right per- especially “given the dismal state reasons of market density, high-
formance [and] more profitability”. of [Mainland China’s] relations speed rail, and other factors,” he
To make the point, the airframer with the West”. says. “While the ARJ21 is meant to
sent an E195-E2 to Zhuhai – mark- “Hopefully, the CAAC’s tim- fill demand in this limited space,
ing the type’s debut in China. ing was purely about verification it’s a miserable aircraft.” ◗
10 Flight International December 2022Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com
First export AH-1Z is
big hit with Manama
Latest Royal Bahraini Air Force addition
makes show debut, as Turkish upgrade
bolsters capability of legacy Cobra fleet
Craig Hoyle Manama 2018 deal with an estimated value to Bahrain to support the RBAF’s
of more than $900 million. introduction of the new model.
“This is the first presentation of Deslatte says work on the pro-
O
ne of Manama’s newly- an FMS [Foreign Military Sales] duction programme for Bahrain is
delivered Bell AH-1Z at- AH-1Z anywhere in the world, so around 75% complete at Bell’s Am-
tack helicopters made we’re really excited,” Bell H-1 pro- arillo site in Texas. “We’ll have all
its public debut at the gramme director Mike Deslatte told the rest of them built and complet-
Bahrain International Airshow, as FlightGlobal at the show. ed by the end of this year,” he adds.
the nation also displayed its freshly With a maximum gross weight of
upgraded AH-1 Cobras. Recent deliveries 8,390kg (18,500lb), the AH-1Z has
Appearing in the static display at Six of the combat helicopters have a useful load of around 2,600kg –
the 9-11 November event, the Royal arrived in the country since earli- sufficient to carry a variety of air-
Bahraini Air Force’s (RBAF’s) new er this year, shipped from the USA launched weapons, in addition to
AH-1Z – with the registration 2201 – aboard freighter aircraft. Bell also the 20mm cannon mounted be-
is one of 12 ordered via a November has delivered a flight training device neath its nose.
MENA reacts to cargo, MRO need
Nation’s aerospace sector advances as company moves to
support narrowbody operators and boost air freight provision
Murdo Morrison Manama November, the company will ex- “There has been a huge growth
pand its hangar facility at Bahrain in the fleet in this region,” says
International airport, initially from MENA Aerospace managing direc-
T
he Middle East region’s flur- the current two bays to three. How- tor Dr Mohammed Juman. The new
ry of airline start-ups, grow- ever, it has also submitted plans for initiative “supports the kingdom’s
ing single-aisle fleet and in- an additional two-bay MRO facility efforts in strengthening its position
creased air freight demand for narrowbodies. as a key aviation and logistics hub”,
have led MENA Aerospace to launch he adds.
Bahrain’s first MRO business, along Broad appeal Aviance chief executive Phillip
with a new cargo joint venture. The business will serve both com- Edinborough says MENA was “the
Under the MENA Technics busi- mercial airlines and private jet obvious choice” for its expansion
ness established in partnership operators and will be European into the Gulf market. “This part-
with US specialist Aviance Global Union Aviation Safety Agency Part nership enhances the services and
and announced at the show on 9 145 accredited. expertise offered in Bahrain and
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12 Flight International December 2022Show Bahrain
attack helicopters have been the In addition to producing Bah-
subject of an upgrade programme rain’s new aircraft, Bell will in 2023
performed by Turkish companies, deliver four AH-1Zs and eight UH-
and not involving Bell. 1Ys to NATO member the Czech
During the show, the modified Republic, completing its current or-
type was on display with stub- der backlog. The company in early
Craig Hoyle/FlightGlobal
wing-mounted pods for Roketsan November handed over the 189th
Cirit 7.5in (20mm) laser-guided and final AH-1Z for lead operator
rockets. With a weight of 15kg, the the US Marine Corps, which took
Cirit round has an effective range its last Y-model transport in 2018.
Example on display was one of
of 0.8-4.3nm (1.5-8km), according
12 ordered in November 2018
to its manufacturer. Sales prospects
Meanwhile, Deslatte believes Bell “We are laser focused on continu-
could be well positioned when the ing our Foreign Military Sales and
While Bahrain’s armaments RBAF identifies a need to replace the production line of the UH-1Y
choice for the type was not on its aged Bell 212/412 transport and AH-1Z,” Deslatte says, while
display, the US Defense Securi- helicopters. Cirium fleets data declining to identify potential sales
ty Cooperation Agency in April shows that the service has 21 of the candidates for the pair.
2018 detailed a potential package aircraft in use, with an average age Bell attended the Bahrain show
including Lockheed Martin AGM- of 39 years. hot on the heels of securing an or-
114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles Bell’s UH-1Y, which features 85% der at the SOFEX event in Amman
and BAE Systems APKWS II pre- parts commonality with the AH-1Z, to supply the Royal Jordanian Air
cision-guided rockets. The aircraft could be a candidate if a require- Force with 10 of its 505-model
can also carry Raytheon AIM-9 ment emerges, but he notes: “Even trainers. Signed on 1 November,
Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. our latest versions of the 412 could the deal also covers the provision
The RBAF currently operates potentially be a good fit for the Bah- of a flight training device to be
30 examples of the legacy Cobra, rainis as well. We have got a number installed at the King Hussein Air
in the E/F attack standards and of different things in our portfolio College in Mafraq. ◗
P-model training configuration. The that could serve them quite well.” See p28, 42
paves the way for further expan- aircraft in the Gulf, with plans to The “strategic alliance” will posi-
sion,” he continues. also add a Boeing 767. tion the companies “among the key
The MENA Technics partners The first two ACN aircraft – a 737- players in freight in the Middle East,
plan to expand their collaboration 800F and 767-300F – will arrive in South Asia and Africa”, says MENA.
to Saudi Arabia “in the near future”. the next two months, joining ME- “Our thought process was to try
MENA also used the show to NA’s 737-300 converted freighter, to link and serve these markets,”
confirm plans to launch a cargo with operations to begin “imme- Juman says. “We identified ACN
partnership with Singapore-based diately”. The rest of the fleet will as the leading freight operator in
Asia Cargo Network (ACN). This deploy over three years, says ACN, Southeast Asia to be the perfect
will see the companies operate an which is taking a 49% equity stake partner to expand our services.”
eventual fleet of 13 narrowbody in the new venture. ACN group chief executive Marco
Isaak describes the partnership as
a “milestone as we expand our op-
Region has been experiencing erations into the [Middle East and
increased cargo demand North Africa] region”. ACN was es-
tablished in 2015 and also has com-
panies in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Hub focus
The new venture will operate using
a Bahrain air operator certificate
under the MENA Cargo brand, es-
tablished in 2020.
The move comes as the Bahrain
authorities bolster the country’s
credentials as an air freight hub.
DHL, which already uses it as one of
Craig Hoyle/FlightGlobal
its global hubs, is expanding its Bah-
rain-registered fleet. FedEx Express
will become the anchor tenant of a
new Cargo Village being built at the
airport, while Texel is another signif-
icant air cargo operator. ◗
December 2022 Flight International 13Defence Contest
Type entered operational
use with the RAF in 1971
Four bidders for Puma successor
UK Ministry of Defence narrows field in search for medium
rotorcraft supplier to replace aged Royal Air Force assets
Dominic Perry London in securing the support and train- this financial year.” That period runs
ing elements of the NMH deal. until 31 March 2023.
Seemingly dropping out of the This is a considerable shift from
D
efence officials have whit- race are Bell, which had proposed when the MoD issued a request for
tled down the number of its 525 Relentless; NH Industries, information relating to the NMH
bidders for the UK’s New with its NH90; and UK start-up Ace- requirement in late 2021, at which
Medium Helicopter (NMH) Hawk Aerospace, which had pro- time it was expecting to select a
contest to four companies, follow- posed upgraded, pre-owned ML-70 winning bidder by early next year.
ing an initial selection process. versions of the UH-60 Black Hawk. Launching the NMH programme
Airbus Helicopters, Boeing, Service entry for the NMH plat- in May 2022, the MoD said it was
Leonardo Helicopters and Sikorsky form is due in 2025, with the type seeking between 36 and 44 heli-
all have progressed, after passing to replace the Royal Air Force’s fleet copters via a contract worth an es-
a dynamic pre-qualification ques- of 23 Puma HC2 helicopters, along timated £900 million to £1.2 billion
tionnaire (DPQQ) issued to inter- with Bell 212s and 412s respective- ($1-1.3 billion), also covering training
ested parties by the Ministry of ly based in Brunei and Cyprus, and and support. However, a govern-
Defence (MoD) earlier this year. Airbus Helicopters AS365 Dauphins ment spending review due shortly
Bidders were informed of the latest used for special forces tasks. after Flight International goes to
development on 31 October. press could affect the procurement.
Airbus Helicopters is offering the Next steps Additionally, the already delayed
H175M and Leonardo Helicopters The next step for the NMH pro- process means there are doubts
the AW149 – to be built domestical- gramme will be the release of in- about the potential for either
ly in Broughton and Yeovil, respec- vitations to negotiate (ITN) to the Airbus or Leonardo to establish a
tively – while Sikorsky is promoting shortlisted manufacturers, through new production and assembly line
its S-70M Black Hawk. which the MoD will set out its for the H175M or AW149 within a
Boeing’s interest in the require- precise requirements. severely compressed timeline.
ment is unclear, given the lack of The MoD has not commented on With the MoD’s procurement
a suitable aircraft in its product its procurement schedule, but de- schedule having shifted to the right
range: the only medium helicopter fence minister Alec Shelbrooke – and budget pressures mounting in
it could offer is the MH-139, a de- answering a written parliamentary the UK, one source indicates that
velopment of Leonardo’s best-sell- question on 18 October – said: “The as the Puma has been selected to
ing AW139, which is already being second half of the competition, in take over operations in Brunei and
Crown Copyright
delivered to the US Air Force. which we will ask the selected sup- Cyprus on a temporary basis, this
However, sources suggest that pliers to provide more detailed re- could potentially move the HC2’s
Boeing may instead be interested sponses, is due to be launched later retirement date to 2027. ◗
14 Flight International December 2022Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com
Starlux is the first to choose
Airbus
electronically-dimmable windows
A350 interior conjures more space
Airbus introduces modifications to twin-aisle, growing cabin
length and width, and enabling 30 more seats to be fitted
David Kaminski-Morrow London seating, the extra space can go from one to the other. It adds that
towards widening the aisles, the the air-conditioning system al-
armrests, seat-pan between the ready had the capacity to provide
A
irbus has gained close to armrests, the centre console in for the extra passenger load.
1m (3ft) in cabin length by premium-economy – or a combi- Moving the bulkhead and
reconfiguring the A350’s nation of these,” it adds. reshaping the aft galley area
interior, including moving Airbus points out that the air- provides extra working space and
the rear pressure bulkhead further craft can use the same seat rails, trolley storage.
aft and the cockpit wall forward. tracks and in-flight entertainment Airbus’s interior redesign also fea-
Its updated configuration also interfaces for both the nine- and tures a new crew-rest compartment
includes widening the cabin by 2in 10-abreast layouts, providing flexi- in the upper crown of the A350 –
(5cm) either side, through re-sculpt- bility to carriers wanting to switch accessed by a relocated staircase
ing the central fuselage sidewalls,
taking the width to 225in at armrest
level, 25in above the floor. Wider seats can be
This configuration enables the fitted in nine-abreast
previous nine-abreast seating economy configuration
arrangement to accommodate an
increased seat width, from 18in
to 18.7in. But it also provides a
10-abreast option – albeit with 17in
seats – in a 3-4-3 layout.
The rear bulkhead has moved
aft by one frame, or 25in, allowing
a larger galley installation, while
the cockpit wall has slightly shift-
ed forwards and monuments have
been optimised, giving an overall
35in of reclaimed cabin length.
Airbus states that the collective
effect of the changes means up to
30 more seats can be fitted in a
three-class configuration, in both
the A350-900 and -1000.
“Since the extra cabin width
Airbus
benefits all classes of passenger
16 Flight International December 2022Aircraft Development
– and space to fit a larger lavatory
for reduced-mobility passengers in Full A321XLR test fleet flying, but delivery slips again
the vicinity of the forward left-hand
passenger exit. All three A321XLR test aircraft are now flying, but Airbus expects entry
Galley space has been freed into service will not take place until the second quarter of 2024.
ahead of the forward right-hand The airframer had previously indicated that it would be introduced in
exit, following the cockpit wall shift, early 2024, as a result of a delay in the certification campaign to meet
allowing extra inserts and trolleys. additional European Union Aviation Safety Agency requirements.
Airlines will be given the option Chief executive Guillaume Faury gave the update in a third-quarter
to select electronically-dimmable financial briefing in late October. He says that, with the three prototypes
windows, rather than traditional flying, the development and certification schedules are “more precise
pull-down shades. New Taiwan- and stabilised”. He adds that the revised entry-into-service date “fits”,
ese operator Starlux is the first to and is “not materially later” than the company’s previous expectations.
choose the latest version, manu- Service entry for the aircraft, the longest-range member of the
factured by Gentex. A321neo family, had originally been planned for 2023 but Airbus
revealed in May that it had slipped to the following year.
Easy maintenance Airbus says that A320neo-family production rates are “progressing”
“The windows also bring advan- to the target of 65 aircraft per month in early 2024 and 75 in 2025.
tages for maintenance crews since “The groundwork continues throughout all sites to secure rate 75 and
they can be easily and quickly un- adapt to the higher proportion of A321s in the backlog,” it adds.
clipped from the window bezels Preparation for upgrading the second A320neo final assembly line
using a special tool, and without in Toulouse is underway. Faury adds that work to upgrade the Chinese
having to remove any seat or side- facility in Tianjin to manufacture A321s is complete, and that the site is
wall panels,” says Airbus. “currently assembling” its first example of the variant.
System optimisation on the Airbus is maintaining its full-year target of delivering 700 commercial
twinjet – including changes to aircraft. Faury says its earnings outlook, in the face of continuing
electrical installations, fitting a pressures on the supply chain, “remains fragile” due to the pandemic,
single water tank, new waste tank, Ukrainian conflict, energy provision and constrained labour markets.
and lighter floor heating – plus Over the third quarter Airbus’s commercial aircraft adjusted earnings
engine pylon and nacelle modifi- increased by a third to €599 million ($593 million), and by 5% across
cations have allowed the airframer the first nine months of the year to €2.87 billion.
to trim up to 1.2t of weight from Commercial aircraft revenues for the nine-month period rose by 8%
the airframe. to €26.6 billion. The performance was assisted by higher commercial
Both the A350-900 and -1000 aircraft deliveries and a “favourable mix”, says the airframer.
will be able to accommodate
higher payloads or achieve longer
range with a 3t hike in maximum
take-off weight.
However, software changes to
the high-lift system and faster
landing-gear retraction will assist
hot-and-high performance. Airbus
claims a potential take-off weight
improvement of 4t at Phoenix or
Airbus
Airframer expects long-range narrowbody to enter service in second quarter of 2024
6t at Mumbai. ◗
December 2022 Flight International 17Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com
Alleged 5G interference events
mount up as bandwidths converge
US pilots report litany of aircraft system failures since
rollout of new connectivity standard in January this year
Jon Hemmerdinger Tampa interference was responsible for altimeter-dependent avionics and
the 80 issues reported, but it is cockpit systems; many involved
assuming so for the purpose of multiple system malfunctions.
T
he US Federal Aviation Ad- risk analysis. Numerous incidents occurred at
ministration (FAA) suspects It adds that aviation is safe low altitudes during critical flight
new 5G cellular networks thanks to steps taken to mitigate phases. By comparison, pilots
may have caused roughly 80 interference, noting cellular com- reported just three radio altimeter
instances of aircraft system interfer- panies have deployed 5G in areas failures in all of 2021.
ence this year, with pilots reporting nationwide using tens of thousands Incidents contained in the ASRS
a range of malfunctions since the of antennae without serious flight do not draw conclusions about
TPROduction/Shutterstock
latest generation of mobile connec- problems. The cellular industry also actual causes, meaning other
tivity went live in January. insists 5G is safe for aircraft. factors could be to blame. But they
“The FAA has received several suggest 5G has caused some trou-
hundred reports of possible 5G in- bling aircraft system failures.
terference and, as of mid-Septem-
ber, we have been unable to rule
out 5G in approximately 80 cases,”
the agency tells FlightGlobal.
“None of these resulted in
220MHz
Size of ‘guard band’ between cellular
“Captain reported navigation sys-
tems malfunctions due to suspected
5G interference [that] led to an alti-
tude overshoot during departure,” a
pilot noted of a May incident.
safety-related effects, and none and altimeter spectrums to protect “Distraction resulted in climbing
affected a direct aircraft control in- aircraft systems from interference to 10,300ft, before correcting to
put such as autothrottle or speed 10,000ft during intermediate level
brakes/spoilers.” off,” the pilot wrote. “The issue may
But the revelation of the reports The FAA was responding to an have been corrupt radio altimeter
comes as the aerospace industry inquiry from FlightGlobal relating data in the aircraft sensors, which
has in recent weeks asked the US to nearly 90 flight incident reports caused aircraft to think it was still
Federal Communications Com- filed in the USA this year by pilots on the ground.”
mission (FCC) to require cellular who cited “5G” as a possible cause.
providers to take steps to prevent Collected by the US govern- Wrong altitude
5G signals from interfering with ment’s Aviation Safety Reporting IEEE Spectrum, a publication of
radio altimeters. System (ASRS), the reports list the Institute of Electrical and Elec-
The FAA says it has not con- about 50 cases of radio altimeter tronics Engineers, reported such
clusively determined that 5G problems. Others detail failures of incidents on 13 October.
Another pilot wrote of receiving
a “40ft call-out followed by addi-
tional alerts” while at 300ft during
approach to Salt Lake City in June.
“Maintenance indicated that other
crews had experienced the same
problem and that it may be caused
by 5G interference.”
The cellular industry notes that
5G services have been active for
years in Europe and elsewhere
without problems. In late 2021,
trade group CTIA, which repre-
sents the sector, accused the aero-
space industry of “fearmongering”.
“FCC rules pertaining to
operating 5G in the C-band
Skycolors/Shutterstock
have been shown to provide the
necessary protection for aviation
Flightcrew remain concerned about
operations, and there have been
impact on automated systems
no known safety-related impacts,”
CTIA tells FlightGlobal.
18 Flight International December 2022Safety Investigation
The cellular industry is altimeters, but has encouraged the Concern within the aviation
collaborating with the FAA, the aviation industry to study risks. industry initially appeared mut-
FCC and others “to continue to AT&T and Verizon were first out of ed. But a “5G Task Force” formed
ensure that C-band 5G and air the gate, firing up 5G on 19 January. by radio-standards group the
traffic safely coexist”, the group “The 5G antennas have high- Radio Technical Commission for
adds. The FCC did not respond to er gain and more power... in a Aeronautics (RTCA) analysed risks
a request for comment. band that is next door to the and raised alarm in an October
Cell providers have much at stake, radio altimeter band,” says Shawn 2020 report.
having invested billions of dollars Carpenter, electromagnetic pro- 5G poses a “major risk” of “harm-
in their 5G networks, which use ad- gramme director at engineering ful interference to radar altime-
vanced components and transmit simulations company Ansys, which ters on all types of civil aircraft”,
at higher frequencies than previous studies 5G-altimeter interference. the RTCA concluded. “This risk is
generations, providing faster data widespread and has the potential
transfer and more capacity. Spotlight technology for broad impacts to aviation op-
US firms only secured the required He also says cellular companies erations including the possibility
bandwidth in 2021 after bidding increasingly employ “beam-spot- of catastrophic failures leading to
$81 billion for access to the 3,700- lighting” and other technologies multiple fatalities, in the absence of
3,980MHz range through an FCC to focus transmissions at users. If a appropriate mitigation.”
auction. They can initially transmit passenger flips on their phone dur- Many pilots think they have expe-
at up to 3,800MHz, gaining access ing landing, “you would have the rienced such scenarios.
up to 3,980MHz in late 2023. Radio potential where the base station “While at [a Tampa] gate, the
altimeters transmit in a very similar would try to put a beam right on captain’s radio altimeter fluctu-
range, at around 4,200-4,400MHz. that aircraft”, Carpenter adds. ated from approximately -90ft to
The FCC says a 220MHz “guard The issue is complex because in- 400ft. Multiple call outs were ob-
band” between the cellular and al- terference can vary as aircraft pitch served such as ‘retard’ and various
timeter spectrums would “protect” and roll, ascend and descend. altitudes,” a pilot said of a January
incident. “I’ve been flying an aircraft
with a radio altimeter for years, and
“This risk is widespread and has never once have I seen a malfunc-
tion such as this – until the 5G turn-
the potential for broad impacts to on. Coincidence? Probably not.”
“Possible 5G event,” another pilot
aviation operations including the reported of a February incident.
“At 2,500ft… and again at 900ft,
possibility of catastrophic failures” the [captain’s] radio altimeter be-
came inoperative with a red flag…
Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics In the flare I noticed a resistance
December 2022 Flight International 19Safety Investigation
Phoenix was one of several airports
where incidents were reported
to pitching up. It almost felt like
the autopilot was still engaged.”
Late last year, in the weeks lead-
ing up to 5G’s launch, the FAA and
aerospace industry seemed to be
scrambling to catch up. In Novem-
ber 2021, the FAA warned of inter-
ference, asking aerospace man-
ufacturers to study the issue. In
December it essentially prohibited
aircraft – including large jets – from
using some aircraft systems near 5G
antennae, pending further action.
Meanwhile, the Department of
Transportation (DoT) and FAA
began negotiating with AT&T and
Verizon, which then agreed to de-
lay 5G’s start by 30 days until 5
January and to reduce the pow-
AirTeamImages
er of upward 5G transmission and
transmissions near airports.
“We have a case where the bu-
reaucracy couldn’t keep up to fully
understand what was going on,”
says Carpenter.
Still concerned, on 31 December But even for cleared aircraft, The reports include instances of
– five days before 5G’s planned ac- the FAA required airlines to adopt faulty landing gear alerts and erro-
tivation – the DoT warned air travel 5G-specific dispatch and landing neous “too low – terrain” and “pull
could still be widely disrupted. AT&T procedures, saying faulty altime- up” warnings, speed brakes and
and Verizon caved in again, delay- ter data can corrupt autothrottles, thrust reversers failing to deploy,
ing 5G’s start until 19 January and autopilots, flight controls, alert and and engines unexpectedly spool-
agreeing to create “C-band radio collision avoidance systems, aircraft ing up during approach. Pilots
exclusion zones” near 50 airports. configuration warnings, and ground disconnected automated systems
proximity warning systems. to fly manually, with some report-
Concerns addressed? The agency insists such measures ing that the distraction caused
The companies called interference have kept air travel safe. But the them to deviate from air traffic
“utterly unfounded”, accusing ARSA reports catalogue troubling control instructions.
the Aerospace Industries Asso- incidents. “Second time this hap- “I went heads-down to report
ciation (AIA) of seeking to force pened today in two separate air- the occurrences to the company...
the telecoms industry to fund craft at two separate airports. While and failed to recognise we climbed
altimeter upgrades, and blaming on final approach, just about at the through [18,000ft] and failed to
the FAA for dragging its feet. The final approach fix, the autothrot- complete the after take-off check-
AIA and Air Line Pilots Association tles disengaged. Concerned about list,” a pilot said of a January inci-
International (ALPA) insist they possible 5G issues,” a pilot said of a dent. “Most importantly, failed to
raised concerns, which the FCC January 2022 event. reset the altimeters to 29.92. We
failed to address. “After rotation from runway 7L levelled at [37,000ft].”
The FAA says the 5G mitigations at [Phoenix], the captain’s radio
lessened, but did not eliminate, altimeter appeared to be frozen at Close range
risks at the 50 airports. So, it be- the normal ‘on the ground’ indica- The issue is far from settled. More
gan identifying which aircraft had tion,” another pilot said of a June cellular firms are set to launch 5G,
sufficiently robust altimeters to flight. “The preselected pitch and and in late 2023 they gain access to
safely perform low-visibility land- roll modes did not engage auto- the 3,800-3,980MHz range – closer
ings at those fields, eventually matically on climb out. I feel it’s still to the band used by altimeters.
clearing most US airliners, with re- important to make these events In recent months the FAA has
gional jets and Boeing DC-9-family known for the safe implementation continued negotiating, saying
aircraft being the exceptions. of the 5G network,” the pilot wrote. in June that cellular companies
agreed to maintain “some level of
voluntary mitigations” for anoth-
“On final approach, just about at the er year, until 5 July 2023. By that
time, it said, most aircraft should
final approach fix, the autothrottles be fitted with altimeter “filters” or
new altimeters.
disengaged. Concerned about And in early October, the AIA,
ALPA, and other aerospace bodies
possible 5G issues” asked the FCC to pass rules limiting
above-horizon 5G transmissions
Aviation Safety Reporting System incident and caps on “spurious emissions”. ◗
20 Flight International December 2022Visit FlightGlobal Premium for all the latest aviation news and insight FlightGlobal.com
Sriwijaya 737’s unresolved throttle
snag led to fatal thrust asymmetry
Jet rolled 37° left as engine output diverged during take-off
climb, causing rapid descent that crew were unable to arrest
David Kaminski-Morrow London causing the left engine’s thrust to Flight-data analysis shows the
decrease, the right-hand lever did left engine’s speed reduced to 34%
not move with it, instead remain- of N1 but that of the right engine
I
ndonesian investigators have ing in position and leaving the right remained at 91.8%.
determined that the right-hand engine thrust unchanged. The roll increased to more than
throttle lever on a Sriwijaya Air Investigators state that the auto- 45° and was “further exacerbated”
Boeing 737-500 did not move throttle system experienced a me- by left-roll pilot commands, the in-
backwards when the autothrottle chanical “friction or binding” which quiry says, and the aircraft pitched
commanded reduced power, obstructed movement on the right- nose-down, entering a descent from
resulting in thrust asymmetry and hand throttle lever. which the crew failed to recover.
a fatal in-flight upset. Since this throttle lever was not According to the inquiry, the
None of the 62 occupants of the moving backwards, the left-hand aircraft maintenance log had re-
aircraft, flying from Jakarta to Pon- lever retarded further in order corded 65 pilot reports relating to
tianak on 9 January last year, sur- to compensate and achieve the the autothrottle as well as 61 re-
vived after the imbalance caused required thrust reduction. ports relating to differences in the
the 737 to enter an uncommanded engine parameters, particularly
left roll and rapidly descend. Bad weather during descent.
The aircraft’s autothrottle com- “The thrust levers diverged and a Quick-access recorder analysis
puter was equipped with a cruise thrust asymmetry occurred,” the showed that seven flights by the
thrust split monitor, which uses inquiry says. “The asymmetry be- aircraft (PK-CLC) in the year before
spoiler positions to check for came greater over time and even- the accident experienced abnor-
asymmetric thrust, and is designed tually resulted in uncommanded mal throttle-lever movement.
to disengage the autothrottle to roll to left.” These included a service on 15
prevent an upset. At the time of the upset the March 2020 which had been com-
But the inquiry into the accident, crew had been trying to conduct manded by the same captain as
on 9 January 2021, believes that an a right turn for weather avoid- the ill-fated flight.
erroneous spoiler signal value pre- ance. The inquiry says the aircraft During this service the aircraft
vented this function activating. initially banked to the right but, as had been passing 4,400ft when
Some 2min after take-off, as the it climbed past 10,450ft, it rolled both throttle levers moved back-
aircraft neared 8,000ft, a change in wings-level and then continued wards, before the right-hand lever
autopilot directional control led the rolling to the left. stopped while the left-hand le-
autothrottle to command a reduc- The roll reached 37° left, trig- ver continued. Asymmetric thrust
tion in thrust. gering a ‘bank angle’ warning at developed and the aircraft rolled
But while the left-hand throttle about 10,700ft, the highest altitude into a 41° left bank. The crew of
lever began to move backwards, achieved by the jet. the flight noticed the asymmetric
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