TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society

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TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society
June 2019
AEROSPACE

                                                   IONIC FLIGHT
                                                   ARIANE 6 - EUROPE’S
                                                   ANSWER TO SPACEX?

                                                   CONTESTING THE
                                                   GREY ZONES

                             www.aerosociety.com
June 2019
Volume 46 Number 6

                                                     TAKING
                                                   CONTROL
                                                     GUILLAUME FAURY
                                                   CHARTS AIRBUS’ NEW
                                                           FLIGHTPATH
Royal Aeronautical Society
TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society
TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society
Volume 46 Number 6                                                                                       Aviation’s new                                                                                               Race across the

                                                                                                                                                                                                           RAeS/NAL
                                                                                                Airbus
June 2019                                                                                                Golden Age                                                                                                   Atlantic
                                                                                                         New Airbus CEO                                                                                               How the press

                                              14                                                         Guilluame Faury
                                                                                                         considers the future
                                                                                                         role of the UK in the
                                                                                                                                         32                                                                           reported on the first
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      record-breaking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      flights across the
                                                                                                         European aviation                                                                                            Atlantic in 1919.
                                                                                                         industry.

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.

  Has the aerospace ‘skills shortage’                                                                                                          10 Antenna
                                                                                                                                                                                                      62 The Last Word
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Keith Hayward on the

  turned fatal?                                                                                                                                Howard Wheeldon                                        current commercial
                                                                                                                                               comments on the                                        challenges facing Rolls-
                                                                                                                                               cancellation of the MoD                                Royce.
                                                                                                                                               ASDOT programme.
  Greed, cost-cutting, haste, lack of FAA oversight and a disconnect between
  engineers and managers have all been fingered as possible contributors to
  the crisis that Boeing now finds itself in with the 737 MAX in the aftermath                                                                 Features
  of two fatal crashes. All these may have some truth in them in varying
  degrees but what if the underlying cause was a symptom of unrelenting
                                                                                                                                               18                                                                                    30

                                                                                                                                                                              Ariane Group Holding
  aging demographics in the West that has seen older generations of
  aerospace engineers retire – without their knowledge, experience and

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              British Airways
  integrity being fully replaced by fresh talent? The aging population and its
  possible implications for STEM skills has raised concerns for a while now,
  but makes for a worrying thought experiment. Would a previous generation
  of Boeing engineers have: 1. Spotted the design flaws in MCAS and 2.                                                                         Countdown for Ariane 6                                 Flight to aftermarket
  Firmly stood their ground until it was fixed? It is difficult to say but if the                                                              What are the chances for                               profits
  suspicion the answer is ‘yes’ to either question, then this problem may be                                                                   Europe’s new Ariane 6                                  The growing market for
                                                                                                                                               rocket in the new space                                airline aftercare services.
  far bigger than corporate culture at Boeing Commercial Airplanes and                                                                         race?
  has implications beyond the US and even the aerospace sector itself.                                                                                                                                36 Electricity in the air
  Aviation, in particular, is a highly regulated industry that is unforgiving of                                                               22 Contesting the ‘Grey                                MIT flies a demonstrator
                                                                                                                                               Zones’                                                 powered only by ionic wind.
  errors or mistakes. If the 737 MAX is a potential harbinger of the future                                                                    ‘Sub-threshold’ conflict and
  and the deadly implications of lost skills and decades of experience, then                                                                   air power on the agenda.                               40 AERO Friedrichshafen
  the ‘engineering skills shortage’ is no mere abstract employment issue for                                                                                                                          A report on the AERO
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Friedrichshafen GA show.
  careers experts to worry about. Instead it may be that it is already here and
                                                                                                                                                                       26
                                                                                                                                 John Walton

  has already claimed its first victims. Passing on this hard-earned knowledge
  and experience to the next generation is now urgent.                                                                                                                                                                              44
    Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief

           tim.robinson@aerosociety.com
                                                                                                                                           Crystallising the
                                                                                                                                           passenger experience                                       Last call for Paris
NEWS IN BRIEF                                                                                                                              Report on the 2019 Aircraft
                                                                                                                                           Interiors Expo in Hamburg.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Preview of the 2019 Paris
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Air Show at Le Bourget.
  Editor-in-Chief                             Editorial Office                           Printed by Buxton Press Limited,
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  +44 (0)20 7670 4353                         No.4 Hamilton Place                        SK17 6AE, UK
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                                                                                                                                               45 Afterburner
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                                                                                         Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA.                         58 Preston Branch lecture
                                              publication is not permitted without the                                                                                                               Maldives, In the May issue of AEROSPACE, Orbex
  Book Review Editor
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                                                                                         ISSN 2052-451X
                                                                                                                                               59 Corporate Partners                                  opens UK rocket factory, AERO Freidrichshafen
                                                                                                                                                                                                         show report, Brain-powered drone racing,
                                                                                                                                               60 Elections                                                 US-EU WTO subsidies dispute, The
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     great transatlantic race.
  Front cover: CEO of Airbus, Guillaume Faury. (Airbus)

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TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society
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                                          INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT

                                          Solar power
                                          Power for the electric pumps will be supplied
                                          by a rechargeable battery which can be
                                          topped up by an array of solar cells fitted to
                                          the upper surfaces of the wings and tail.

                                                                    AEROSPACE

                                                                    Phoenix rising
                                                                    A team of UK experts has successfully flown the first ever large-scale aircraft powered
University of Highlands and Islands

                                                                    by variable-buoyancy propulsion. The Phoenix uses the concept of variable-buoyancy
                                                                    propulsion already used for underwater remotely-operated-vehicles but which has not
                                                                    previously been used successfully for the propulsion of a large-scale aircraft. The vehicle
                                                                    is designed to repeatedly transition from being lighter-than-air to being heavier-than-
                                                                    air, so that thrust is generated to propel the craft forward. The team behind the Phoenix
                                                                    project includes representatives from academia and industry led by Andrew Rae, Professor
                                                                    of Engineering at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Applications for a variable-
                                                                    buoyancy vehicle could include high-altitude psuedo satellite (HAPS) missions, such as
                                                                    persistent surveillance, communications or science missions.

                                      4   AEROSPACE / JUNE 2019
TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society
Endurance
Because the Phoenix relies on solar
power for both propulsion and altitude, it
can remain aloft for long periods of time,
making it ideal for use as a pseudo-satellite
platform..
                                                                                            Dimensions
                                                                                            Envelope – 120m3 of helium
                                                                                            Length – 15m
                                                                                            Wingspan – 10.5m

                               Pump action
                               The fuselage contains 120m3 of helium, providing sufficient
                               buoyancy to enable the vehicle to ascend like a balloon. Fitted
                               within the fuselage is a 6m3 airbag which can be filled or emptied
                               using electric pumps. When the airbag is full, the vehicle will be
                               heavier than air and will fly like a conventional aircraft. When the
                               bag is empty, the vehicle will be lighter than air and will fly like
                               an airship. Pumps located at the mouth of this airbag can inhale
                               and compress air from outside and thereby add weight (without
                               altering the displacement) sufficient to overcome the buoyancy. This
                               transition to heavier-than-air flight allows the aircraft to descend like
                               a conventional aeroplane. The expulsion of the compressed air will
                               propel the vehicle forward.

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    AEROSPACE                                                                                  AIR TRANSPORT
                                                                                               Heathrow legal
     Boeing completes 737 MAX                                                                  challenges rejected
     software update                                                                           The High Court in                brought by local councils,
                                                                                               London has rejected              the Mayor of London,
                                                                                               five claims challenging          and environmental
                                                                                               the UK government’s              groups based on climate
                                                                                               policy on the need for           change, air quality,
                                                                                               new airport capacity in          surface access and
                                                                                               southeast England and            noise. The fifth claim was
                                                                                               its support for expansion        for an alternative runway
                                                                                               at Heathrow Airport.             capacity scheme at
                                                                                               Four of the claims were          Heathrow.

                                                                                               GENERAL AVIATION
                                                                                               German manufacturer Lilium’s eVTOL made its first flight
                                                                                               on 4 May. Comprised of a cabin module suspended
    As AEROSPACE goes to press, Boeing reports that it has completed work on                   beneath parallel asymmetrical tilt-rotor wings fitted
    upgrading the software on the manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system              with 36 electric jet engines, the unpiloted Lilium Jet
    (MCAS) on the 737 MAX which is alleged to have been a contributory factor in two fatal     took off vertically, hovered and then landed in a brief
    crashes of 737 MAXs operated by Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines. Boeing reported that      untethered one minute hop at Oberpfaffenhofen. Lilium
    the aircraft manufacturer is in negotiations with the US Federal Aviation Administration   aims to get the aircraft certificated for piloted operations
    (FAA) to schedule its first certification test flight and has also completed simulator     with a maximum speed of 300km/h carrying up to five
    testing and engineering test flights for the currently grounded 737 MAX.                   passengers.
     Boeing is also working with US pilot unions on a proposed computer-based pilot

                                                                                                                                                                Lilium
    training session as part of work to return the 737 MAX to service. The training session,
    which can be completed on a laptop or tablet computer in around 15mins, reviews the
    737 MAX’s speed trim system and the MCAS.
     Meanwhile, representatives of both Boeing and the FAA were questioned by the US
    House Transportation Committee panel concerning the FAA’s certification of the MAX.
    The FAA’s acting chief Dan Elwell admitted that pilots should have known more about
    the MCAS. Ewell also said that the FAA has set up a Technical Advisory Board (TAB)
    to examine Boeing’s MCAS software update and a Joint Authorities Technical Review
    (JATR) panel comprised of representatives of international civil aviation authorities to
                                                                                                36-engine VTOL air taxi
    study the 737 MAX’s flight control system. The JATR panel will meet on 23 May to
    discuss the FAA’s move toward resumption of 737 MAX commercial flights in the US.
                                                                                                flies

    NEWS IN BRIEF
                                                                                                                                scrapped, only 12 years
    A Boeing 737-800               Three people were killed       Boeing has won a $14.3bn     Airbus has announced it          after entering service. The
    operated by Miami Air          on 14 April when a Summit      contract to upgrade          has conducted the first          aircraft had been leased
    International chartered        Air Let L-410 on a flight      USAF B-1 and B-52            flight of its latest corporate   by SIA but the lessor
    slid into the St Johns river   to Kathmandu struck a          bombers. The B-1/B-52        jet, the ACJ319neo.              had failed to find another
    after coming off the end       Manang Air stationary          Flexible Acquisition and     The bizjet took to the skies     airline willing to operate
    of the runway at the Naval     helicopter while departing     Sustainment contract is      on 24 April for flight of        them. The aircraft are
    Air Station military base      from Tenzing Hillary Airport   due to be completed in       nearly two hours from the        being dismantled at Tarbes
    in Jacksonville, Florida       at Lukla near Mount            2029.                        manufacturer's facility at       Lourdes Airport near the
    during a thunderstorm.         Everest. The L-410 pilot                                    Hamburg. The ACJ219neo           Spanish border.
    The aircraft, carrying 143     was killed, together with      The first uncrewed flight    is based on the re-engined
    passengers and crew, was       two police officers standing   of the Boeing CST-100        A319neo but with extra           India’s financially troubled
    on a military charter flight   near the helicopter. Four      space capsule is scheduled   fuel tanks to give it            Jet Airways suspended
    carrying personnel and         passengers and a flight        for August, followed by      intercontinental range.          all flights on 17 April after
    civilians from Guantanamo      attendant on board the         the first manned flight in                                    failing to attract additional
    Bay in Cuba. There were        L-410 were injured but         November carrying three      Two ex-Singapore Airlines        funding to keep operating.
    no fatalities.                 survived.                      astronauts.                  Airbus A380s are being           The airline had earlier

6   AEROSPACE / JUNE 2019
TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society
DEFENCE                                                                                                                       AEROSPACE
                                                                                                                              Superjet 100 crashes in

                                                                                                                Russian MoD
                                                                                                                              Moscow
                                                                                                                              A total of 41 people were      and bounced back into
                                                                                                                              killed on 5 May when an        the air which caused
                                                                                                                              Aeroflot Sukhoi Superjet       it to catch fire. A total
                                                                                                                              100 made an emergency          of 33 passengers and
                                                                                                                              crash landing at Moscow        four crew were able to
                                                                                                                              Sheremetyevo airport. The      evacuate from the front of
                                                                                                                              aircraft was 30mins into       the aircraft but there were
                                                                                                                              a flight from the airport to   reports that the evacuation
 Russia to expand                                                                                                             Murmansk when it turned        was delayed by some

 stealth fighter fleet
                                                                                                                              back after suffering from      passengers retrieving their
                                                                                                                              electrical problems and        luggage before exiting. An
On a visit to a military aerospace centre on 15 May, Russian President Vladimir                                               losing communications          initial analysis of the flight
Putin revealed that the country is set to increase its acquisition of Sukhoi Su-57 fifth                                      following an electrical        data recorder revealed
generation stealth fighters from the current 16 to 76 by 2028, to enable three full                                           failure at 8,900ft. The        the jet was 1.6t over its
regiments to be equipped. At the same time, Sukhoi will be expected to reduce costs on                                        aircraft made a hard           maximum landing weight
the fighter by 20%.                                                                                                           landing at Sheremetyevo        when it crashed.

AIR TRANSPORT                                                                      SPACEFLIGHT
Indonesia’s Garuda to                                                              Bezos reveals Moon lander
trial UAV cargo ops                                                                                                                            Amazon chief Jeff Bezos has unveiled
                                                                                                                                               the Blue Moon lunar lander currently
Indonesian airline Garuda          powered, fixed-wing                                                                                         being developed by his space company,
Indonesia is planning to           BKZ-005 MALE UAVs,                                                                                          Blue Origin, for the past three years.
begin unmanned cargo               which can carry up to 1.2t                                                                                  The robotic lander would be able to land
operations, using a                of cargo. Tests of UAV air                                                                                  6.5t of supplies on the Moon − with
Chinese-built UAV capable          freight operations are set                                                                                  davits to lower rovers and equipment
of carrying over one ton           to begin later this year,                                                                                   to the surface to support a sustained
of freight. The carrier has        with the airline aiming to                                                                                  prescence. A larger version would carry
entered an agreement with          eventually operate up to                                                                                    astronauts to the surface, with Bezos
                                                                         Blue Origin

Beihang UAS Technology             100 UAVs to deliver cargo                                                                                   aiming to meet NASA’s goal of humans
to trial three of its piston-      across Indonesia.                                                                                           back on the Moon by 2024.

cancelled all international        flight from Saint-Dizier air                    reported to be suffering                   successfully flown a 60%       Authority, California Public
flights after it had to            base, was blasted through                       a fuel leak and releasing                  scale demonstrator of its      Employees’ Retirement
ground most of its aircraft        the canopy and away from                        debris fragments.                          TriFan 600 VTOL bizjet         System, National Pension
fleet.                             the fighter before the seat                                                                at an airfield in northern     Service of Korea and
                                   deployed its parachute.                         A Challenger 601 business                  California.                    Australia’s Future Fund.
France is reported to              It is not yet determined                        jet crashed in Mexico
have grounded some of              whether the incident was                        killing 13 passengers and                  The French Vinci group         The US Air Force
its Rafale fighters for            caused by human error or                        crew. The aircraft was on                  has formally completed a       has conducted a
safety checks following            mechanical malfunction.                         a charter flight from Las                  £2.9bn deal announced          demonstration in which
an incident in March in                                                            Vegas to Monterrey when                    in December to acquire         Raytheon's Multi-spectral
which a civilian passenger         The Intelsat 29e                                it came down in a remote                   a 50.01% controlling           Targeting System
aboard a French Air Force          communications satellite                        region near Ocampo on                      interest in Gatwick            combined with its high
Rafale was injured when            is drifting in geostationary                    5 May. The cause of the                    Airport. The remaining         power microwave and
his ejection seat activated        orbit after ‘experiencing                       accident is not yet known.                 49.99% is owned by             mobile high energy HEL
during the flight. The             damage’ on 7 April. Built                                                                  Global Infrastructure          system were used to
64-year-old passenger,             by Boeing and launched                          XTI Aircraft has                           Partners (GIP), comprising     detect, identify, track and
who was on an observation          in 2016, the satellite is                       announced that it has                      Abu Dhabi Investment           engage a drone swarm.

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TAKING CONTROL - IONIC FLIGHT ARIANE 6 - EUROPE'S ANSWER TO SPACEX? CONTESTING THE GREY ZONES - Royal Aeronautical Society
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    SPACEFLIGHT                                                     GENERAL AVIATION
    Crew Dragon capsule

                                                                                                                                                                             Daks over Normandy
                                                                      Mass Dakota flypast for D-Day
    explodes in ground test                                           anniversary
    Elon Musk’s SpaceX has          observed a large cloud
    suffered a major setback        of smoke from the test
    in its crewed capsule           stand. SpaceX intially
    programme when its              described the incident
    Crew Dragon spacecraft          as an ‘anomaly’ but
    exploded on 20 April in         later confirmed that the
    Cape Canaveral, Florida         ‘vehicle was destroyed’.
    during a ground test of         An investigation into the
    its launch abort engines.       cause of the incident             Plans are underway to fly up to 18 vintage Douglas DC-3/C-47 Dakotas from the
    No one was injured in           is now underway. Until            US across the Atlantic in May to join up with 17 other European-based Dakotas for
    the ground test of the          the accident, SpaceX              a 75th anniversary of D-Day fly-past over Normandy. The US-based aircraft are to fly
    SuperDraco engines              had been aiming to fly a          from Oxford in Connecticut to Duxford in the UK via Goose Bay in Newfoundland,
    but a leaked video              crewed test flight of the         Greenland, Iceland and Prestwick. The 35 aircraft will be based at Duxford from
    showed a large explosion        Crew Dragon to the ISS            2-5 June and then stage a formation flight on 5 June where they will drop 250
    and eyewitnesses                as early as July.                 paratroopers over France before going to Caen in Normandy from 5-9 June.

    AEROSPACE                                                                                                 AIR TRANSPORT
    Bombardier to sell                                                                                        United unveils new livery
                                                                                                 Bombardier

    off Belfast plant

                                                                                                                                                                               United Airlines
    Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier is putting its Belfast and Morocco
    aerostructures plants up for sale as part of a reorganisation of its business. The
    remainder of Bombardier’s aerospace activities will be consolidated in a new division                     US carrier, United Airlines,   Continental Airlines-
    called Bombardier Aviation. Bombardier currently employs around 3,600 people                              has revealed its new blue-     era gold from the paint
    across several locations in Northern Ireland which supply parts and assemblies to both                    themed livery, as part of a    scheme for a white, grey
    Bombardier and other aerospace companies, including Airbus. It is hoped that, once                        branding revamp.               and blue livery. The new
    two divisions have been sold, they will both continue to produce parts for Bombardier                     The new livery, which          scheme will be rolled out
    aircraft. The effect of the sale on workers’ jobs in Bombardier in Northern Ireland is not                was unveiled on a Boeing       over the fleet over the next
    yet known until potential purchasers have been identified.                                                737-800, drops the             few years.

    NEWS IN BRIEF
                                                                    in early May after two                    Navy. Separately, the          order is the largest yet
    Rocket Lab’s Electron           Embraer’s new re-engined        days of negotiations with                 company has also been          placed for electric aircraft.
    rocket launched on 5 May        and upgraded E195-E2            airline management over                   reported to have secured
    from New Zealand. The           regional jet has received       new salary increases.                     a deal from Egypt for 20       Marshall Aerospace
    privately-developed rocket      type certification from the     SAS announced that                        of its AW149 multimission      and Defence Group has
    was carrying three small        US FAA, European EASA           negotiations with the                     helicopters.                   announced it will be
    US military payloads.           and the Brazilian regulatory    Swedish SPF, Norwegian                                                   relocating from its base
                                    authority ANA. The first        NSF/NF and SNF, and                       A SpaceX cargo                 at Cambridge Airport
    Helicopter pilots working       E195-E2 is scheduled to         Danish DPF unions had                     spacecraft docked with         from 2030. It has named
    for CHC Scotia on North         enter service in the second     agreed to new three-year                  the ISS on 6 May carrying      Cranfield, Duxford and
    Sea flights are to go on        half of this year with          collective bargaining                     2,500kg of supplies and        Wyton as its preferred
    strike. Based at Aberdeen,      Brazilian operator, Azul        agreements.                               scientific equipment.          options for new facilities.
    Humberside, Norwich             Linhas Aereas Brasileiras.
    and Sumburgh, the pilots                                        In a $423m deal Poland                    The OSM Aviation Academy       Emirates has removed 40
    are considering taking          Striking pilots working         has ordered four Leonardo                 in Norway has ordered 60       Boeing 787-10 orders,
    industrial action between       for Scandinavian carrier,       AW101s in the ASW and                     eFlyer2 electric aircraft      from its future fleet plan in
    21 May to 5 November.           SAS, returned to work           SAR role for the Polish                   From Bye Aerospace. The        its annual report.

8   AEROSPACE / JUNE 2019
DEFENCE                                                                                                                                           AIR TRANSPORT

                                                                                                                               Dornier Seawings
Enter the Orca                                                                                                                                    US issues overflight
                                                                                                                                                  warnings
                                                                                                                                                  The US has ordered                                  already prohibited US
                                                                                                                                                  the suspension of all                               airlines from flying below
                                                                                                                                                  commercial flights                                  26,000ft over Venezuelan
                                                                                                                                                  between the US and                                  airspace as a precaution
                                                                                                                                                  Venezuela due to security                           against MANPADS.
                                                                                                                                                  concerns after the                                   Meanwhile, the US
                                                                                                                                                  country’s recent political                          FAA has also warned
                                                                                                                                                  unrest. The order from                              international airlines of
                                                                                                                                                  the US Transportation                               increased risks of flying
Chinese-owned Dornier Seawings is launching a new seaplane concept customised                                                                     Department will apply                               over the Persian Gulf due
for defence and security missions. Called the Orca, the aircraft is based on the                                                                  to all US and overseas                              to ‘miscommunication
manufacturer’s Seastar design and will be equipped with search and surveillance                                                                   air carriers operating                              or misidentification’ as
cameras and radar systems, medivac stretchers and self-protection suites. The first                                                               between the two                                     US and Iranian tensions
Orcas may be ready to enter service by 2022.                                                                                                      countries. The FAA has                              continue to deepen.

GENERAL AVIATION                                                          SPACEFLIGHT
Glider to measure                                                         NASA asks US Government for
cosmic rays                                                               $1.6bn to fund return to Moon
                                                                          NASA has requested an additional $1.6bn for the fiscal year 2020 following President
                                                                          Trump’s call for the Agency to return humans to the Moon by 2024. The budget
                                                                          amendment is in addition to an earlier $21bn budget request to fund the development
                                                                          of human lunar landing systems, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion
                                                                          spacecraft, lunar exploration technology and robotic lunar exploration. The budget
                                                                          amendment for NASA would be used to fund deep space exploration, science and
                                                                          technology.
                                                                  UAVOS

Stratodynamics and                of a Slovak Academy
UAVOS have announced
a joint project to launch a
                                  of Sciences research
                                  project to study cosmic
                                                                          AEROSPACE
Hidron unmanned glider
from a weather balloon
                                  rays entering the Earth’s
                                  atmosphere. The mission
                                                                          INFOGRAPHIC: BAE Systems’ MAGMA
at 82,000ft. The glider           is planned to take place                ‘flapless’ UAV
will then descend slowly          in August or September

                                                                            Flap-free flight
collecting data as part           this year.
                                                                                                                                                                        In a first for aviation, an aircraft has
                                                                                                                                                                        flown using supersonically blown air
                                                                                                                                                                        to control its movement in flight.

ON THE                            J Michael Luttig has
                                                                             MAGMA is an unmanned
                                                                             air vehicle (UAV) designed

MOVE                              been appointed to the
                                  newly-created position
                                                                             and built in collaboration
                                                                             with The University of
                                                                             Manchester to demonstrate
                                                                             novel control technologies.                                                                                                                              Wing Circulation Control

 The new UK Secretary             of Counselor and Senior                                                                                                                                                                             Engine bleed air is blown at
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      supersonic speed through narrow
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      slots in the wing trailing edge.

 of Defence is Penny              Advisor to Boeing
 Morduant MP. She                 Chairman, President and                                                                                                                                                   Curved surface

 replaces Gavin Williamson        CEO Dennis Muilenburg.                                                                                                                                                            Jet deflection
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    in pitch axis
 MP who was sacked on
 1 May over alleged leaks         Former NASA executive                                                                                                           Fluidic Thrust Vectoring
 about China’s Huawei.            Robert Lightfoot is to                                                                                                          High velocity exhaust jet deflected by small, distributed
                                                                                                                                                                  air jets in the exhaust nozzle to vector it up and down.

                                  become the new VP
                                                                             Adaptable Airframe
 Maria Della Posta is to be       Strategy and Business                      Removing the need for complex moving
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               BAE Systems

                                                                             surfaces with a simpler ‘blown air’ solution,

 the new President of Pratt       Development for                            engineers could create future aircraft that are
                                                                             lighter, cheaper and better performing.

 & Whitney Canada.                Lockheed Martin Space.                                                                                                                Fully attached flow
                                                                                                                                                                  (no blowing, max. nose down
                                                                                                                                                                         thrust vectoring)
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Partially attached flow
                                                                                                                                                                                                   (partial blowing, neutral
                                                                                                                                                                                                       thrust vectoring)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Fully detached flow (max.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     blowing, max. “nose up”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          thrust vectoring)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Copyright © 2019 BAE Systems. All rights reserved

    @aerosociety    i   Find us on LinkedIn   f   Find us on Facebook         www.aerosociety.com                                                                                                                                                       JUNE 2019                                            9
antenna:                                                              Global Outlook and
                                                                           Analysis with
                                                                           HOWARD WHEELDON

     ASDOT –
     Shot down in flames

                             N
                                            ot surprisingly, the announcement          So why has ASDOT been cancelled?
                                            from the MoD in late March, that it
                                            had decided to scrap the Air Support       At this stage all that the MoD has officially said is
                                            to Defence Operational Training            that “we received a number of industry proposals
                                            (ASDOT) programme, came as a huge          in response to the ASDOT invitation to negotiation.
     A REASON FOR            disappointment to the three bidding partnerships          We will now re-assess the parameters for the
                             that put so much work in over the previous three          programme.”
     CANCELLATION            years to attempt to provide the UK military with a             Interpreted, that probably means that, although
     IS THAT, GIVEN          next generation of combat air training.                   all three of the different bidding partnership
     THE HUGE                     ASDOT did not necessarily fail at the last hurdle,   proposals most likely met the parameters laid
                             it was more likely shot down in flames by the MoD         down by the MoD in 2016, there was an increasing
     ONGOING
                             on the basis that to provide what was needed was,         realisation that they were far too limited in scale
     SUCCESS OF              in effect, considered unaffordable.                       and, if these were to be properly enhanced to meet
     THE EXISTING                 First announced by the MoD in 2016, the              the full requirement, the cost of ASDOT would be
     COMBAT AIR              ASDOT programme was designed to provide                   way ahead of what the MoD had budgeted.
                             combat air support services for the RAF, Royal Navy,           Another interpretation and one that I also
     TRAINING                Army and Joint Forces Command. The initial start          favour as a reason for cancellation, is that, given
     SYSTEM RUN BY           date value placed on the programme was £700m              the huge ongoing success of the existing combat
     COBHAM, THE             but the MoD also envisaged a surge requirement            air training system run by Cobham, the MoD
     MOD REALISED            in around 2027 and that this would add a further          realised that it has been getting excellent value for
                             £500m to the programme. All-in-all, the value of          money.
     THAT IT HAS             ASDOT was placed at around £1.25bn.                            Another factor which I understand caused
     BEEN GETTING                 Interestingly, ASDOT had, until its abrupt           a degree of concern in the MoD was the age
     EXCELLENT               cancellation, been regarded as one of the key             of some of the aircraft that some bidders were
                             future programme requirements on the MoD list.            proposing to use and which, in one case, were
     VALUE FOR
                             It has taken a lot of time, effort and cost for the       possibly older than the existing Hawk T1s used by
     MONEY                   various partnership members who, with their various       the MoD within the existing Cobham-run system.
                             specialisms, juggled and organised themselves                  Whatever the reason, I would not expect
                             into teams in order to be able to compete on this         ASDOT to come back in anything like its present
                             fascinating programme.                                    form and even when and if it does, rather a lot
                                  The abrupt and rather dismissive cancellation        more water will have gone under the bridge.
                             of ASDOT has caused a degree of anger and, not                 That is not to suggest that the MoD believes
                             least with regard to the costs already incurred by        that combat air training should no longer be
                             bidders. Those that ultimately submitted bids to the      treated as a priority requirement but it is to
                             MoD included Cobham, partnered with QinetiQ,              suggest that they do now recognise the need to
                             Draken International – the latter being the only          radically rethink the programme to ensure that
                             commercial air adversary provider to USAF – and           what will eventually be required is also affordable.
                             3DSL.                                                     While I am sure that industry will rise to whatever
                                  Leonardo was bidding through the aptly named         new challenge in respect of combat jet training
                             ‘RED Aces’ partnership that included Inzpire and          that the MoD resets, I caution that much trust has
                             a Canadian company known as Top Aces while                been lost in the manner in which ASDOT has been
                             Babcock International teamed with Elbit Systems. A        cancelled.
                             fourth group that had included Thales and Textron              It is absolutely right that affordability should
                             pulled out of the ASDOT competition last year.            remain a crucial aspect for all MoD programmes
                             Subsequently, QinetiQ has acquired 80% of Inzpire.        but it is a pity that on ASDOT the MoD did not see
                                  While a further delay to the ASDOT programme         the light early enough. As to the future, I suspect
                             would not have surprised, what, in effect, was a          that the MoD will now seek to extend the Cobham-
                             cancellation, came out of the blue.                       run system for a few more years if they can.

10   AEROSPACE / JUNE 2019
Cobham
However, while stop-gap extension measures are                                                   electronic warfare and other diverse elements that
not exactly new to defence, they come at a cost.                                                 are already in ships, in the air and on the ground
No existing system or capability, however good it                                                to be fit for purpose in the event of enemy attack.
                                                                        Cobham was
may appear, can be allowed to stand still and to                                                 Phase Two would move the process further by
extend the existing arrangement there will need                         partnered                including training facilities that had been left on a
to be further investment. Failure to invest in E-3D                     with Draken              wish list.
Sentry capability over the past 20 years is an                          International for              For the first phase of ASDOT, the MoD
abject lesson of what occurs if you fail to invest.                                              requested that competing contractor partnerships
     Meanwhile, Cobham’s fleet of Falcon aircraft
                                                                        ASDOT. With              bid to provide live flying assets to meet a
has already gone through one life extension                             Cobham’s existing        combination of synthetic and actual flying of the
process and, while a second is certainly not out of                     EW aggressor             air-to-air combat training role for military pilots.
the question, it will need to be properly thought out                   contract with the        This would include air-to-surface, joint terminal
and funded.                                                                                      attack controller/forward air controller (airborne),
     From a Royal Navy and Royal Air Force                              MoD set to expire        electronic warfare and air traffic control training.
perspective, continuing to make use of the                              by the end of this       The equipment capability would also be required to
venerable Hawk T1 aircraft based at RNAS                                year, there are          support ground-based air defence and aerospace
Yeovilton and RAF Leeming would appear to be                                                     battle management and live gunnery scenarios.
                                                                        concerns that
less of a problem, although even here it needs to                                                      Designed to replace an existing Cobham-
be recognised by the MoD that extending the life                        there could be a         run combat jet training system and combining
of capability requires adequate funding.                                UK ‘training gap’        a modified fleet of Cobham-owned Falcon
     While nothing is impossible, extending the                         caused by the            aircraft together with RAF and Royal Navy Hawk
life of any capability does have limits. The ever                                                T1s – the latter playing the combat air role, the
increasing cost of obsolescence inevitably pushes
                                                                        cancellation of          Cobham-run system continues to provide a highly
the overall cost of maintenance, repair and                             ASDOT.                   specialised support system in respect of UK
overhaul higher. Most likely in my view though is                                                operational readiness training, making use also of
that, in the short to medium term, Hawk T1 aircraft                                              accurate synthetic-based replication of potential
would share the combat aircraft role with Tranche                                                peer threats in a live environment. The Cobham-
1 Typhoon aircraft.                                                                              operated training system combines technical
                                                                                                 expertise with world-class electronic warfare (EW)
A programme as was                                                                               systems working in close support with the RAF’s
                                                                                                 Air Warfare Centre at RAF Waddington.
The ASDOT programme envisaged an initial                                                               Ultimately, when a new and more appropriate
arrangement covering ten years with potential for                                                solution is proposed which will reshape the ASDOT
that to be extended by another five years to 15                                                  proposal with an affordable programme, I am in
years in all.                                                                                    little doubt that it will also be a contractor-owned
    Phase One of the programme was to contain                                                    and contractor-operated (COCO) scheme and one
everything that was considered by the MoD as                                                     enabled to train pilots across all sections of the
being vital to ensure that Royal Navy and RAF                                                    UK military. That is the right way to go but, while
pilots are able to undertake sustainable combat air                                              time is of the essence as we move into a new era
warfare training within a system using contractor                                                of carrier-borne strike capability, we must ensure
operated ‘aggressor’ aircraft. Combat air activity                                               that we get it right and that it is both affordable
was to be combined with a variety of ground-based                                                and sustainable.

     @aerosociety   i   Find us on LinkedIn   f   Find us on Facebook      www.aerosociety.com                                               JUNE 2019
                                                                                                                                                              11
Transmission
     LETTERS AND ONLINE
                                                                                                                                                   development (CPD) will
     737 MAX and MCAS                                                                                             RAF pilot training
                                                                                                                                                   be just as important as the
     The tragic Boeing 737                                                                                        Sophy Gardner’s article on       original PfCO training if
     MAX accident situation has                                                                                   the crisis facing UK Military    we are to keep operators’
     many dimensions. As an                                                                                       Flying Training(1) was one       skills sharp and prevent
     ex test pilot and later as a                                                                                 the best and most incisive       bad habits from inevitably
     regulator on the Board of                                                                                    pieces I have read in a long     developing. In every
     the CAA, I am at a complete                                                                                  time. The MoD isn’t going to     sphere of manned aviation
     loss to understand how                                                                                       sort this out anytime soon,      and unmanned military
     Boeing thought it was                                                                                        so I have a suggestion from      aviation, recurrent training
     acceptable to connect                                                                                        outside the box. Forget the      and assessment ensure
     anything as powerful as the                                                                                  graduate entry scheme            that skills are developed
     MCAS elevator system to                                                                                      with its high debts and          and safety procedures
     be controlled by a single        happened within Boeing                   first accident trying to justify   admissions to Cranwell aged      reinforced. As professional
     angle-of-attack (AOA),           we may never know but I                  what they did emphasises           22+. Instead, recruit keen       drone operators, if we are to
     sensor, not a particularly       find it hard to believe that             their complete misjudgement        direct-entry 18-year olds        enhance our credibility within
     reliable device by modern        Boeing’s Flight Test Center              of risk and safety                 who could take meaningful        the wider aviation community
     standards. As a firm’s test      didn’t object. As a result of            requirements and in my view        distance-learning degrees        and ensure excellent safety
     pilot we would never have        these two accidents, the FAA             could only have been due           during the longueurs of          standards, then we too
     concurred with the design        procedures for delegating                to commercial pressure. It         ‘holding’. The result will be    should undertake CPD
     despite any objections our       certification requirements               is such a terrible shame not       graduate aircrew arriving on     covering both theory and
     employer might have had          to firms will surely change,             only for the relatives of the      their first squadron around      practical flying skills on a
     and equally I am absolutely      as will the automatic                    bereaved but for the high          age 25 with fewer debts,         recurrent basis.
     sure the UK’s regulator at       acceptance by other national             safety standards of world          rather than five years later
     the time, the Air Registration   regulation agencies of FAA               aviation.                          with minimal enthusiasm left              Marcus Johnson
     Board, would have refused to     certification. With regard to                                               in the tank.                                    CEng MRAeS
     certificate the system. What     Boeing’s statement after the               Tony Blackman FRAeS                                                Director, Kittyhawk Drones
                                                                                                                           Andrew Brookes
                                                                                                                           FRAeS RAF (Ret’d)
     Model aircraft flying and drone pilot registration                                                                                            Civilian passengers
                                                                                                                  Recurrent training for           in military fighters
     The Department for                                                        largest recreational aviation
                                                                        BMFA

     Transport and the Civil                                                   activity in the UK. Models         drone operators?
                                                                                                                                                   The recent BBC programme
     Aviation Authority are taking                                             have been a tool in the            The article on how               on the Tornado could have
     regulatory action against                                                 development of aviation from       HALO Drones is raising           been an interesting insight
     the drone threat to safety                                                the earliest days, and still       standards in training for        into its operational profile.
     and security by requiring                                                 are. Many of the pioneers          drone operators(2) was very      BBC journalist Jonathon
     registration of drone pilots.                                             began their careers as model       interesting. As a director       Beale flew in the rear seat
     Enter ‘John’. John is 11 years                                            flyers. The RAeS has hosted        of a fellow drone training       with the idea to discuss
     of age. When he grows                                                     many lectures and events           company – Kittyhawk              the many attributes of the
     up he wants to be a pilot.                                                regarding models and their         Drones – it is reassuring        aircraft during the flight.
     He is learning to fly model                                               technological development.         to read about fellow             All he managed to do was
     aeroplanes. He has found an                                               This type of clumsy regulation     organisations promoting          mention when the aircraft
                                      In May the BMFA held a
     instructor and is training to                                             is very disappointing and          a positive, professional         was designed etc, and be
                                      series of Flightfests at local
     meet the requirements of the     flying fields to raise the profile
                                                                               has a discouraging effect on       image for our young, rapidly     sick. This farcical episode
     ‘A’ Certificate of the British   of model aircraft flying with            the bright young people we         expanding industry. In           was as pointless as it
     Model Flying Association’s       the public and to encourage              need. Terrorists, and most         particular, the importance       was dangerous, taking a
     Achievement Scheme.              new members to join. The                 casual drone users, will not       of Airmanship and how            passenger in the rear seat
     An ‘A’ certificate means         main event was held at the               register at all. The RAeS is       students are encouraged to       of the Tornado knowing
     he can control the model         BMFA’s national centre at                the only multidisciplinary         become stakeholders in the       full well that he had a
     safely, without danger or        Buckminster.                             society dedicated, among           application of this technology   history of air sickness was
     inconvenience to the public,                                              other things, to promote the       will be very powerful factors    putting the safety of those
     understands the ‘drone code’,    a threat that he cannot be               highest possible standards         in developing the safe and       involved at risk. The practice
     knows the BMFA safety            allowed to register until he is          in all aerospace disciplines       responsible commercial           of flying non-aircrew
     code, is insured and follows     18. The regulations, brought             and to play a leading role         drone operators of the           passengers should be
     best practice. The DfT is so     about by irresponsible                   in influencing opinion on          future. However, one key         seriously addressed by all
     concerned that it has laid       drone flyers, affect 35,000              aerospace matters. Model           aspect absent from the           air force authorities. The
     down a set of proposed           members of the BMFA                      flying in the UK needs your        article was a consideration      recent Rafale incident is an
     rules which will require John    alone, currently paid up and             support.                           of ongoing training and          example of what can
     to register with the CAA         insured model pilots. These
                                                                                                                  assessment. While it is          happen when it goes wrong.
     every year. John would like      people are not the threat.                           Alan Simmons           not currently mandatory,
     to comply but he is such         Model flying is perhaps the                                  FRAeS          continuous professional                         Paul Adams

12   AEROSPACE / JUNE 2019
f
                                   AAR Corp. who have been
                                   willingly sponsoring our Cool                                                 BAE Systems’ MAGMA on One Show
                                   Aero initiative for several                                                   @ASobester [On

                                                                                                                                                                                          BBC
                                   years. We very much hope to                                                   BAE Systems MAGMA
                                   bring Cool Aeronautics back                                                   demonstrator appears on
                                   to the Canadian people in                                                     BBC The One Show] Applied
                                   the near future!!                                                             aerodynamics hasn’t been this
                                                                                                                 mainstream since someone
                                    Electric seaplanes                                                           mentioned sycamore seeds
                                                                                                                 on Gardeners’ Question Time
 Cool Aeronautics in
                                   Andy McKee [On                                                                in 1987.
 Canada                                                                    Flight training school
                                   Seaplane paradise(3)] Surely                                                                                          @William_Leech Is this
                                   they are ripe to go electric                                                                                          a descendent of Cranfield
                                   as per the Vancouver                   @AviationLed [On time                                                          University’s DEMON UAV
                                                                                                                 @MichaelJPryce First ref
                                   seaplane taxi service is               for an international flight                                                    project? I remember that
                                                                                                                 to CC I saw in BAe was an
                                   doing? Also, with small                training school trade body                                                     was doing flapless wind-
                                                                                                                 ASTOVL paper published in
                                   electric motors in the floats,         blogl(4)] ATPL pilots are a                                                    tunnel tests about a decade
                                                                                                                 1987. The idea was to use
                                   there would be no need for             small subset of the total                                                      ago. I think it was meant
                                                                                                                 fan air blown over deflected
                                   the expense of operating a             pilot community (military,                                                     to deliver better control
                                                                                                                 flap instead of RCS with
We would like to say a             twin, as water manoeuvering            commercial and general                                                         performance at high angles-
                                                                                                                 HP air. The criticism was if
massive thank you to               could be greatly enhanced.             aviation), hence it’s largely                                                  of-attack, as well as the
                                                                                                                 there is a problem you want
RAeS Canada YPN rep,                                                      been left up to the airlines                                                   stealth bonus.
                                                                                                                 to knock it out with a punch,
Valeriya Mordvinova and                                                   to develop their own training
                                                                                                                 not wrestle it to the ground.

                                               i
her team for bringing the                                                 academies in line with ICAO
Cool Aeronautics program                                                  training guidelines.
                                                                                                                  Emergency evacuation                    Lilian Bland lecture
to Canada for the very
first time! Last Thursday,                                                                                       @Brads550 [On RAeS
the Canada Aviation and                                                   @APPG_GA An interesting                Evacuation Paper and Superjet
Space Museum in Ottawa                                                    idea from @AeroSociety                 crashl(8)] That’s a great report,
welcomed over 80 children                                                 on creating an international           thanks! Do you know if the
from two local schools for a                                              trade body for flying schools,         recommendation on remote
fun-filled day of everything                                              and one that deserves                  locking of overhead bins has
#aerospace. The children                                                  serious thought.                       been given consideration by
                                    International training
received interactive                                                                                             any authorities?
talks from companies,              David Carroll [On
including Porter Airlines,         Back to (flight) school(4)]             Mike Savage podcast
NAV CANADA and the                 With the ever-increasing                                                      @bsdchapman Nope.                       Lilian Bland was an Anglo-
Transportation Safety              globalisation of the pilot             @ReviewVayu [On Mike                   Where else are passengers               Irish journalist and aviation
Board of Canada. The               employment market, it is               Savage interview podcast(7]            to store spare lithium                  pioneer who designed, built
children were also treated         logical to develop such                We love Mike! Our dear                 batteries, food, drink, baby            and flew the Mayfly biplane
to a variety of hands-             an international flight                friend for decades!!                   supplies? Now, should those             in 1910.
on #STEM workshops,                training trade organisation.           @AeroSociety                           bins have remote locks on
including designing paper          Standardisation of pilot                                                      them? Maybe.                           Really interesting to hear
planes and receiving a             training methods and                                                                                                 about Lilian Bland at the
demonstration on the               standards will increase                @hitchin1066 One of                                                           @AeroSociety lecture by
workings of an ejector             job opportunities for pilots,          the first people I met in the          @dda951 I’ve heard the                 Prof Mark Price of
seat! With several months          as well as increase the                aerospace industry and we              MC-21 locks the overhead               @QUBelfast last evening
of planning and endless            worldwide pool of available            have been friends ever since.          bins at touchdown (or                  First female to design, build
phone calls back and forth         pilots with a known training           A great raconteur, gentleman           perhaps before) and they               and fly their own aircraft in
from Canada, together              background and skill set.              and consumer of Walking                unlock when the airplane               1910. @WomenInAviation
we were able to pull off a                                                Johnnies!                              successfully slows for a stop.         http://www.lilianbland.ie/
magnificent event to inspire        737 MAX                               1. AEROSPACE, May 2019, p 28, Holding pattern
the #nextgeneration. Once                                                 2. AEROSPACE, April 2019, p 14, School of drones
again we would like to thank       Tyron Seneviratne On                   3. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/seaplane-paradise/
                                                                          4. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/back-to-flight-school/
everybody who made this            737 MAX – What next?(5)]               5. AEROSPACE, May 2019, p 14, 737 MAX – what next?
event possible, including          Great insight into 737 MAX.            6. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/down-a-well-trodden-path-another-wto-subsidies-war/
all the volunteers, the staff                                             7. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/audio-an-interview-with-mike-savage-on-selling-with-handley-page-bac/
                                                                          8. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/emergency-evacuation-time-for-a-rethink/
at Canada Aviation and              US-EU trade dispute
Space Museum and all the
speakers and contributors.
Last of all, a big thank you
                                   Clayton P Henderson
                                   [On US-EU WTO subsidies
                                                                                                Online
                                                                                                Additional features and content are available to view
to our programme sponsors.         war(6)] Frighteningly true!
                                                                                                online at http://media.aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight

    @aerosociety     i   linkedin.com/raes
                         Find us on LinkedIn   f   facebook.com/raes
                                                   Find us on Facebook.       www.aerosociety.com
                                                                              www.aerosociety.com                                                                             JUNE 2019         13
AEROSPACE
                  Aircraft
Airbus

              Aviation’s new
              Golden Age
              Speaking at the RAeS Annual Dinner on 16 May, the new CEO of Airbus,
              GUILLAUME FAURY, FRAeS spoke about the origins of Airbus, future
              technology, Brexit and the role of the UK in the European aviation industry.

              I
                     t’s a great honour for me to become a Fellow of    A year of centenaries
                     the Royal Aeronautical Society and to address
                     your dinner. I say that as someone who is first    Before I go any further, I must also wish a very
                     and foremost an aeronautical engineer and          happy birthday to everyone at British Airways on
                     whose passion for aviation dates back to my        their centenary year. This year also happens to
              childhood. I grew up in Le Havre on the Normandy          be a significant one for Airbus – in fact, our 50th
              coast. My fascination with aviation began when I          anniversary is this very month. Back in 1969, the
              accompanied a harbour pilot on his helicopter flights     European aerospace sector was struggling. The
              above the port there.                                     illustrious names of British, French and German
                  I’d like to thank the Society for everything you      aerospace engineering weren’t just competing with
              do, especially encouraging today’s young people with      their rivals across the Atlantic – they were competing
              their own dreams of a career in aviation. With your       with each other. Consequently, the American brands
              support, many Airbus employees fulfil their ambition of   commanded more than 80% of the market for
              becoming chartered engineers. The Royal Aeronautical      commercial aircraft. To revive Europe’s fortunes,
              Society is also helping to improve the gender balance     ministers from France and Germany signed an
              in our industry by backing the excellent charter for      agreement on 29 May 1969 to build the first Airbus
              Women in Aviation and Aerospace. The charter was          aircraft in a partnership of European nations. After
              only launched last year but more than 100 aerospace       an initial phase, the UK was to join the Airbus family
              businesses here have now signed up to it.                 around a decade later.

         14   AEROSPACE / JUNE 2019
more than 1,000 apprentices in the UK over the last

                                                                                               Airbus
                                                                                                        decade. So, 50 years after Airbus’s foundation, we
                                                                                                        remain a partnership of European nations, with the UK
                                                                                                        very much at our core.

                                                                                                        Brexit, technology and the
                                                                                                        environment
                                                                                                        But here in May of 2019 European aerospace is at a
                                                                                                        turning point. The relationship between the UK and
                                                                                                        Europe is clouded by deep uncertainty. Aerospace is
                                                                                                        being transformed by the same wave of technological
                                                                                                        innovation that is disrupting the entire industrial sector
                                                                                                        and commercial aviation faces scepticism about
                                                                                                        its environmental performance. This evening, I will
                                                                                                        suggest a way forward for the European and British
                                                                                                        aerospace sector.
                                                                                                             First, we must capitalise on the technological
                                                                                                        revolution that is underway. Second, we should lead
                                                                                                        the way towards a more sustainable aerospace sector.

                                                                                                        Revolution in technology
                                                                                                        First, over the next decade, there will be innovation
                                                                                                        on a scale to match anything in the history of aviation.
Guillaume Faury, Airbus’           International business                                               We will see advances in electrification, artificial
new CEO, was guest of                                                                                   intelligence, advanced connectivity, digital technology
honour at the 2019 Royal           Our first aircraft was the A300, the first ever twin-                and quantum computing. These technologies will
Aeronautical Society
                                   aisle, twin-engine jetliner. We have since grown into                transform how aircraft are developed, manufactured,
Annual Banquet.
                                   a global aerospace champion. We produce half the                     powered, serviced, flown and maintained.
                                   world’s large aircraft and have successful businesses                    New business models will emerge as these
                                   in defence, space and helicopters. Our factories now                 innovations combine in exciting ways. We’ll also see
                                   extend well beyond Europe to the USA and countries                   new competitors. Look at China’s success in drone
                                   across the world but we remain proud of our roots in                 technology or at how the giants of Silicon Valley are
                                   Europe.                                                              breaking into aerospace.
                                        And those roots are deep in the UK. Many of                         It’s already being called aviation’s ‘new golden age’
                                   you will know that we develop and manufacture the                    and it calls for an ambitious response from Europe.
                                   wings for all our aircraft here. Less well known is                  At Airbus, we’re upgrading our industrial system with
                                   that Airbus is the UK’s largest space business and                   robotics and digital technology. Our goal is to improve
Below left: Europe’s next          the Royal Air Force’s second biggest supplier. We’re                 the quality and efficiency of our entire manufacturing
mission to Mars - the              also the country’s largest supplier of helicopters and               system.
ExoMars Rover Rosalind             were delighted to strengthen our partnership with the                    Looking further ahead, we want to use new 3D
Franklin, is being tested at
                                   National Police Air Service in March.                                technology to design our next generation of aircraft at
the company;s Stevenage
site in the UK.                         Airbus employs around 15,000 highly-skilled                     the same time as the factories that will produce them
Below right: An Airbus
                                   people in the UK and supports more than 100,000                      – uniting all parts of our production system in one
BelugaXL.                          jobs through our supply chain here. We’ve also trained               seamless whole. Our customers will benefit from more
                                                                                 Airbus

                                                                                                                                                                          Airbus

    @aerosociety     i   Find us on LinkedIn   f   Find us on Facebook   www.aerosociety.com                                                            JUNE 2019    15
AEROSPACE
         Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury

     efficient aircraft and significantly shorter production       global path towards achieving our targets, thanks to
     lead-times.                                                   the great work of ICAO. Yet we should acknowledge
          Our products are evolving quickly too. Our new           that many people want to see commercial aviation
     A321 Long Range provides the longest range of any             commit to more ambitious targets. We should also
     single-aisle jetliner in the world. The aircraft is opening   acknowledge that some industries are progressing
     up transatlantic routes for the airlines that were            comparatively quickly in addressing their emissions.
     previously impossible.                                        In fact, commercial aviation’s growth means that its
                                                                   greenhouse gas emissions are still rising and our
     Digital services                                              sector’s share of worldwide emissions will increase
                                                                   from today’s 2%. The bottom line is that improving our
     We’re also expanding Airbus’s services business.              industry’s environmental performance will be critical to
     Digital technology is unlocking a wealth of new data          retaining public confidence
     about aircraft design, production and operations.                  So what’s the best way ahead? In the near-term,
     Skywise is our new cloud-based platform that collects         the industry should support the implementation of the
     data about all aspects of our customers’ aircraft. By         CORSIA offsetting scheme. This is the competitive
     the end of 2018, more than 50 airlines had signed             level playing field we use to invest. First, at Airbus,
     up, linking some 4,500 aircraft to the platform. Many         we will continue to raise the fuel efficiency of our
     airlines have already used this data to drive significant     aircraft. Lightweight carbon-fibre materials and new                     Clockwise from main
                                                                                                                                            image: The Airbus
     improvements in their maintenance and operational             engine technology can deliver impressive results.
                                                                                                                                            E-Fan X is a flight
     reliability. They include Easyjet, our partner in the         The latest aircraft, such as the A350, provide a                         demonstrator which will be
     platform from the beginning.                                  25% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to                           a significant step forward in
          It doesn’t end there. The platform will soon             many older jetliners. They’re much quieter too. This                     hybrid-electric propulsion
     begin collecting data about different aspects of              matters if commercial aviation is to retain public                       for commercial aircraft.
     the passenger experience inside the cabin. These              acceptance, especially here in London. At Airbus, we                     Airbus’ A340 laminar-flow
     innovations can be a blueprint for a competitive              have a research partnership with the University of                       ‘BLADE’ test demonstrator
     European aerospace sector over the next decade and            Southampton whose goal is to reduce aircraft noise to                    aircraft (A340-300
                                                                                                                                            MSN001) on its successful
     beyond.                                                       a minimum
                                                                                                                                            maiden flight for the
                                                                                                                                            EU-sponsored Clean
     Tackling the environmental challenge                          Cleaner emissions                                                        Sky ‘Blade’ project. This
                                                                                                                                            demonstrator brings
     Another challenge will be to develop a more                   But let’s face reality: over the longer-term, only a new                  a 50% reduction of wing
     sustainable aviation industry. Our industry’s                 generation of cleaner technology will satisfy society’s                  friction and up to 5% lower
                                                                                                                                            CO2 emission.
     environmental performance will face tougher scrutiny          expectations. In European aerospace, we should aim
     than ever before. We’ve already signed up to some             high. Our ambition can only be to develop the first low-                 The Airbus’ Skywise digital
                                                                                                                                            data platform.
     testing targets, such as halving CO2 emissions by             emissions airliner. Such a plane could be a single-aisle
                                                                                                                                            Airbus’ air taxi CityAirbus
     2050 on their 2005 levels. The good news is that,             powered by hybrid-electric engines which might be
                                                                                                                                            made its first unpiloted
     with the carbon offsetting and reduction scheme               ready to fly in the 2030s. To bring this dream to reality,               flight on 3 May in
     for international aviation (CORSIA), we now have a            we must act now because many years of innovation                         Donauwörth, Germany.
                                                                                                                          Airbus

                                                                                                                                   Airbus
                                                                                                                                   Airbus
                                                                                                                                   Airbus

16   AEROSPACE / JUNE 2019
Airbus

                                                                                                                  Airbus

                                                                                                                                                                   Airbus
Guillaume Faury with UK PM Theresa May, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and French President, Emmanuel Macron.

lie ahead. After all, I’m talking about bringing batteries                                                  A disorderly departure from the EU would undermine
to a level of maturity sufficient to power an airliner and                                                  that reputation.
satisfy the regulatory authorities that they are safe.                                                           Looking beyond Brexit, it’s imperative that the
     This would surely be one of the greatest                                                               UK remains at the heart of European aerospace’s
accomplishments in aviation history. At Airbus, we’re                                                       major initiatives. Some of the signs are positive. For
accelerating our efforts to make it happen. In 2017,                   WE ARE                               example, the UK will remain part of the European
we entered into a partnership with Rolls-Royce,                        STRONGER                             Space Agency. That is encouraging for a country that
Siemens and Cranfield University to build the E-Fan X,                                                      is at the forefront of space research through projects
a hybrid-electric demonstrator. The E-Fan X should be
                                                                       TOGETHER – AS                        like the ExoMars Rover and Zephyr. The Mars Rover,
ready to fly in 2021 and is receiving funding from the                 A PARTNERSHIP                        being built by Airbus in Stevenage, is due to land
UK Aerospace Technology Institute.                                     OF AEROSPACE                         on Mars in 2020. The Zephyr is a solar-powered
     We’re also pursuing innovations in so-called                      NATIONS                              unmanned aircraft that can stay airborne for months
‘urban air mobility’: autonomous flying taxis, powered                                                      at an altitude of 70,000ft. And it is the first aircraft
by electric engines and drone technology. These                                                             of its kind able to fly in the stratosphere. The Zephyr
projects should yield valuable lessons on the path to                                                       offers outstanding defence and civil capabilities, and
developing the first hybrid-electric single-aisle aircraft.                                                 will transform our ability to monitor the changing
                                                                                                            natural landscape and disasters like oil spills.
The future for the UK
                                                                                                            One future fighter or two?
How can the UK maintain a leading role in this new
era? The country must continue to foster its reputation                                                     In other areas the UK’s path ahead is less certain.
as a centre of innovation. In recent years, excellent                                                       Look at Europe’s next generation of fighters, the
work has been done by industry and government. Here                                                         aircraft that will replace Eurofighter sometime after
I’d like to single out the ‘growth partnerships’ for the civil                                              2040. Currently, two separate projects are planned.
and defence sectors. They set out a vision for the future                                                   There’s the Future Combat Air System Programme,
of British aerospace and a roadmap for developing                                                           the FCAS, that has been agreed between France and
the skills and technology to realise that vision.                                                           Germany. Then there are the plans underway here in
      It’s an approach that’s delivering results. Last                                                      the UK for a different aircraft, the Tempest.
year, the Government announced a ‘sector deal’ for                                                               The two projects are similar. Each will feature
aerospace that provides funding to improve supply                      Beyond Typhoon                       innovations in artificial intelligence, autonomous
chain productivity and to establish the UK as a leader                 and Rafale; will                     flight and connectivity and each might take two
in cleaner technology. This work must continue.                        Europe come                          decades or so to develop. Is it really the right way for
      But there’s a bigger story here. If we’ve learned                                                     us in Europe to develop two next generation fighters
anything about European aerospace during Airbus’
                                                                       together for its                     and systems separately but in the same time frame?
history, it’s that we are stronger together – as a                     next generation                      Can we really afford it?
partnership of nations. It’s often been said that such                 future fighter?                           There are times when anniversaries come at
an approach shouldn’t work but it does work. It works                                                       symbolic moments. Airbus’ 50th anniversary is one
because we can move parts, people and technology                                                            of those moments, a moment where aerospace is
freely within the borders of the European Union.                                                            embarking on an era of profound change. I’m confident
                                                                                                   Airbus

So, the role the UK plays in the future will partly be                                                      that the European aerospace sector can prosper
determined by policymakers this year.                                                                       in this new era. Our strongest chance of success is
      The risk of a no-deal Brexit may have receded                                                         to proceed as we have done for decades: as a true
but it remains. Over many decades, the UK has won                                                           partnership of nations beyond borders – with the UK
a reputation as an attractive location for investment.                                                      at the core.

    @aerosociety     i   Find us on LinkedIn   f   Find us on Facebook.com   www.aerosociety.com                                                           JUNE 2019        17
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