THE AIRBORNE EMERGENCY ROOM - BREXIT - BRACE FOR IMPACT THE RISE AND FALL OF JET AIRWAYS BOOM COUNTS DOWN TO SUPERSONIC TESTING
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October 2019
AEROSPACE
BREXIT – BRACE FOR
IMPACT
THE RISE AND FALL OF
JET AIRWAYS
BOOM COUNTS DOWN TO
SUPERSONIC TESTING
www.aerosociety.com
THE AIRBORNE
EMERGENCY
October 2019
ROOM
ON CALL WITH YOUR LOCAL
Volume 46 Number 10
AIR AMBULANCE
Royal Aeronautical Society
EXPERT FORUM
MODERATOR: DR. RAFAEL RAMIREZ, DIRECTOR, OXFORD SCENARIOS PROGRAM
On 14-15 November 2019, the world’s aviation industry leaders will gather at the London home
of the Royal Aeronautical Society for a forum on the global megatrends and their
importance to our industry.
WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?
The objective of the forum is to develop a plausible
investigation of these potentially disruptive trends and to
co-create a shared vision of the future. Senior Aviation
Executives with a strategic perspective will want
their voices to be heard in this important dialogue.
14 –15
NOVEMBER 2019
NO.4 HAMILTON PLACE,
LONDON
Registration
Non-member
£1450.00 + VAT
RAeS Corporate Partner or Member
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www.aerosociety.com/megatrends
Please contact
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Volume 46 Number 10 The airborne Supersonic
AAKSS
Boom Supersionic
October 2019 emergency room countdown
A look at the vital 32 Boom Supersonic
14 work of air ambulance
charity AAKSS in
prepares its
XB-1 technology
providing helicopter demonstrator for
emergency medical flight testing.
services.
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 social media feedback.
analysis and comment.
Storm warnings 10 Antenna
58 The Last Word
Keith Hayward looks back
at the first 100 years of
Howard Wheeldon considers
The addition of Italy to the UK’s Team Tempest future combat technology the rapid turnover of UK commercial air transport and
Defence ministers and the the future prospects for low-
programme last month provided a welcome boost and a sign of gathering effect on high-level policy. cost long distance flights.
momentum, some 15 months after the programme was unveiled and
Sweden announcing its involvement in July. However, despite these
early commitments, time is ticking on and, if Tempest and its associated Features
technology strands are to enter service in the 2040s, then any new
partners will need to be added quickly. Team Tempest is set to attempt
something highly radical – to break the increasing cost/time paradigm
for military aircraft. Crucially the more international partners climb aboard,
29
the more risk there is of the programme going at the pace of the slowest 18
WFP
Andrew Drwiega
nation – a factor that the team will be well aware of. Whatever model for
international partnership Tempest uses, then it will also need to be able to Flying to the rescue
How UNHAS uses air
withstand external geopolitical shocks – Brexit being just one. Over the transport to bring relief
Channel, the Franco-German-Spanish FCAS also faces its own challenges. supplies to countries hit by Taiwan showcase
Paris and Berlin have diverging views on making the aircraft nuclear- famine and disaster. A report on the 2019 Taipei
capable and Germany’s principled stance on defence exports could also Aerospace and Defense
22 At Brexit’s cliff edge Technology Exhibition.
be a point of contention for French industry hoping to sell the fighter on The possible impact of
the international market – dominated as it is now by autocratic regimes. Brexit on the UK aerospace
sector over the short and
Meanwhile, new FCAS partner Spain, the recipient of Eurofighter and longer term.
A400M production lines, has stunned Berlin and Paris by selected home
team Indra to be its FCAS industrial lead – rather than Airbus. With the
future of European military aerospace at stake, expect this sort of jockeying
26 36
for position and industrial benefits to continue as these programmes
solidify and gather steam.
College of Art
Boeing
Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com Flight towards a brave Fitting into Jet Airways’
new world shoes
NEWS IN BRIEF What will be the key societal,
technological and structural
How the collapse of Jet
Airways benefitted those
trends over the next 20 Indian carriers that remain in
Editor-in-Chief Editorial Office 2019 AEROSPACE subscription years? business.
Tim Robinson Royal Aeronautical Society rates: Non-members, £170
+44 (0)20 7670 4353 No.4 Hamilton Place Please send your order to:
41 Afterburner
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com London W1J 7BQ, UK Wayne J Davis, RAeS, No.4 Hamilton
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Deputy Editor
publications@aerosociety.com +44 (0)20 7670 4354
Bill Read
+44 (0)20 7670 4351 www.aerosociety.com aerosubs@aerosociety.com
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Production Manager
contact: membership@aerosociety.com
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wayne.davis@aerosociety.com Advertising Champlain New York and additional
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47 Library Additions
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Chris Male
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material in AEROSPACE shall be taken
to represent the opinion of the RAeS. 52 Diary Including:
Publications Executive ISSN 2052-451X
Annabel Hallam Reproduction of material used in this 54 Obituary At Brexit’s cliff edge, Loyal wingman and loyal
+44 (0)20 7670 4361 publication is not permitted without the packs, Cybersecurity and aviation, AEROSPACE
annabel.hallam@aerosociety.com written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. 56 Elections magazine at 50, In the September issue of
Printed by Buxton Press Limited, AEROSPACE, Cool Aeronautics 2019,
Book Review Editor
Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire AI and legal liability in aerospace,
Brian Riddle
brian.riddle@aerosociety.com SK17 6AE, UK Flying to the rescue.
Distributed by Royal Mail
Front cover: An Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (AAKSS) AW169 air ambulance helicopter. (AAKSS)
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Radome
INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT
Drone support
As well as the escort drones, designed to be deployed by the
ekranoplan itself, the 2050 Future Marines would be supported by
‘grunt drones’ to transport equipment and ‘ghost’ drones to confuse
the enemy with holographic decoys.
Silent raider
The design team envisage the commando
ekranoplan would use hybrid-electric
propulsion. As well as being eco-friendly, it
would also allow the craft to switch to silent
battery mode in the last phase of flight − to
sneak up on enemy-held coastlines with
ultra stealth. The ekranoplan would have a
range of around 100nm.
W
DEFENCE
Commando ekranoplan
In a vision of future military opeations, a team of 15 the UK's best young engineers from
UK Naval Engineering Science and Technology forum (UKNEST) were tasked to imagine
the equipment and weapons of the Royal Marines in 2050. This included hi-tech suits, with
jump packs, rail guns and 'grunt' drones. To replace today's landing craft and helicopters for
an amphibious assault in 2050, the team gravitated towards designing high-speed (300kt)
wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) vehicles, explained one of the team members, Eirini Trivyza, a
naval architect from Babcock International. The craft would be able to deploy long-distances
over the horizon from the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier mothership to stealthily
penetrate hostile enemy defences and deliver Royal Marines to the target.
4 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019
Neural-netted
escorts
The ekranoplan landing craft
would be escorted by
autonomous escort drones -
linked by a neural network
command system. The ducted fan
drones feature a modular payload
and would be armed with either
directed energy or conventional
weapons, such as micro-missiles
or equipped with ISR sensors.
Troop transport
The commando ekranoplan landing craft would
By sea or by land feature a crew of one or two, with space for up
to 24 commandos inside. The smooth, low-
With a boat-shaped hull, the wing-in-ground profile ekranoplan landing craft uses shape-
effect vehicle is designed to operate over changing materials that unfold,
water. However, the wing pods house petal-like, as doors for the commandos to
wheeled landing gear, allowing it to also fly quickly disembark once at the target.
from land bases and deploy from the rear
deck of the QEC.
Commando Ekranoplan
specifications
Maximum passenger capacity 24 commandos plus 2 crew
Speed 300ks
Royal Navy
Range 100miles
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5
Radome
.
News roundup from DSEI exhibition
DEFENCE
Italy partners on MBDA shows off future concepts
Tempest
The biggest news in the air sector from this year’s DSEI
defence exhibition, saw Italy sign up to partner on the UK's
Team Tempest future combat air systems programme.
Signing a government-to-government statement of intent
on 10 September, Italy became the second nation (after
Sweden in July) to agree to co-operate on the Tempest
‘sixth generation’ combat aircraft project. The governmental
signing was followed by an industrial agreement − involving
Italian companies Avio Aero, Elettronica, Leonardo and
MBDA Italy. Italian aerospace and defence group Leonardo
is already a key part of Team Tempest via its UK radar,
sensors and defensive aids division. In additional synergies,
MBDA
Italy also operates the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 like the
RAF − with the country also hosting a F-35 final assembly
On display alongside the Tempest fighter mock-up were potential weapon concepts
and check-out facility.
from MBDA. New at DSEI were tandem within-visual range air-to-air missiles, 'increased
calibre' WVR AAAM, hard-kill self defence and ground attack micromissiles and SPEAR
EW. MBDA and Leonado have been awarded a £10m
DSEI also saw the UK MoD announce a £100m contract to General Atomics contract for development of the SPEAR EW.
Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) to complete testing and evaluation activities for the
RAF's Protector RG1 armed UAV. Protector − a variant of the GA-ASI MQ-9B
SkyGuardian, is set to be delivered to the RAF from 2021, with 16 air vehicles to be
Inzpire BLOS GECO
acquired. Unlike the Reaper it will be certificated to fly routinely in controlled now in service
airspace. Over at the Inzpire stand, operations. The enhanced
the company revealed electronic flight bag (EFB)
that its upgraded GECO and mission map tablet,
mission support tablet has now features satellite
now entered operational beyond line-of-sight
service with Joint communications allowing
Helicopter Command − dynamic re-tasking and
£100m for Protector testing with RAF Chinook crews
using it on deployed
enhanced situational
awareness of other users.
MoD
NEWS IN BRIEF
to represent the industrial Mexico – declaring it killed the pilot and Cardiff
The Government of Spain interests of Spain and The UK's QinetiQ unveiled operationally ready for City footballer Emiliano
has selected defence and work on equal terms its newest target drone, commercial suborbital Sala have revealed that
aerospace group Indra with French and German the Banshee NG, at the flights. Space America Sala had elevated levels
to be the national prime national co-ordinators.” DSEI exhibition. The features hangars for of carbon monoxide in his
contractor for its role in transonic Banshee NG is WhiteKnight 2 and bloodstream. The UK AAIB
the pan-European FCAS US carrier Mesa Airlines agile up to 9G, features a SpaceShip2, as well as issued a Special Bulletin
future fighter programme has signed a memorandum lower radar cross section mission control and a VIP over the findings, noting the
with France and Germany. of understanding for (RCS) for more realistic astronaut lounge. Virgin pilot would have received
The decision to nominate 50 76-seat Mitsubishi threat, but is able to Galactic now has a waiting similar levels and warning
Indra came as a shock SpaceJet M100 regional use existing Banshee list of over 600 space pilots of piston and turbine
to Airbus Spain, widely airliners plus an additional infrastructure. tourists. aircraft of the dangers
expected to lead the 50 purchase rights. First of incapacitation due to
project from Madrid. Airbus deliveries of the SpaceJets Virgin Galactic has officially Aviation accident specialists carbon monoxide poisoning.
Spain has responded with: (formerly known as the opened its new $200m investigating the crash of a
“Only Airbus has the scale, MRJ) could begin from headquarters and space Piper Malibu in the English According to The Seattle
capabilities and experience 2024. tourist terminal in New Channel on 21 January that Times, the former Chief
6 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019
AIR TRANSPORT GENERAL AVIATION
Pilots strike cripples 1,000th Super Puma
British Airways delivered
On 6 September at a destined for the German
ceremony at its Marignane Federal Police aviation wing
facility in France, Airbus – which already has three
Helicopters delivered examples in service. First
the 1,000th Super Puma flight of the Super Puma
British Airways
helicopter. The milestone (as the AS332) was in
aircraft, a H215, was September 1978.
A 48hr walkout by British Airways pilots on 9-10 September saw 195,000 passengers
affected and close to 100% of the airline’s 1,700 flights grounded in industrial action
over pay and benefits. As AEROSPACE goes to press, a further one-day strike is planned
Airbus Helicopters
for 27 September, with The Sun newspaper reporting that a ten-day megastrike is being
planned for November. BA has offered pilots a 11.5% pay rise over three years but pilot
union BALPA is pressing for a profit-sharing deal for its members.
AEROSPACE DEFENCE
Setback for 777X as cargo Oil spike fears as Saudi facility attacked
door blown off in testing As AEROSPACE goes to press, there
were fears of a global rise in oil prices
Boeing has temporarily operations. The incident after state-owned Armaco facilities in
suspended ground testing happened at 99% of final Saudi Arabia were struck by up to 10
of its new 777X widebody test loads. First flight of drones and/or cruise missiles on 14
after a cargo door blew the Boeing 777X has September. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi
off during a high-pressure already been pushed back rebels claimed responsibility for the
stress test at its Everett to 2020 after an issue strike on two facilities in the north east
plant in Washington state. with its GE-9X engines. in of Saudi, with one facility at Abqaiq,
The incident occurred a statement Boeing said: the world's largest oil processing plant.
during final ground testing “We do not expect that The attacks have reportedly caused
of the static test aircraft, this will have a significant enough damage to cut the Kingdom’s oil
where the airframe is impact on aircraft design production in half.
Planet Labs
stressed to extreme forces or on our overall test
beyond normal flight program schedule.”
Technical Pilot for connectivity between the Saab’s Linkoping base in Proton rocket, to arrive at will be delivered in 2021,
the Boeing 737MAX UK and the European Sweden on 26 August. the Red Planet in 2021. with the aircraft being used
has pleaded the Fifth Union in the event that Brazil has ordered 28 The Rover will undergo to provide air ambulance
Amendment in refusing to the UK leaves the EU single-seat Gripen Es and further testing in France services across the entire
provide documents to the without a deal. The existing eight two-seat Fs. before being mated to the country.
US Justice Department agreement to ensure Russian descent module
investigation into the that essential aviation ESA’s Mars Rover, and German cruise Singapore-based
grounded airliner. Pleading connections lasted until 30 Rosalind Franklin, has spacecraft. Clermont Group has
the Fifth refers to the right March 2020 but has now been fully assembled completed the acquisition
of a suspect or person been extended for a further at the Airbus factory Switzerland’s Pilatus has of Israel-based Eviation
under investigation not to seven months. in Stevenage, ahead won an order for six of Aircraft which is
self-incriminate. of being packed up its new PC-24 business/ developing the all-electric
Saab has flown the for shipping to France utility jets from the Alice commuter aircraft.
The European Commission first Gripen E to be for testing. The joint Swedish air ambulance Clermont already owns
has extended contingency delivered to Brazil. The European/Russian rover organisation, KSA. magniX which provides
agreements designed fighter made its first is set to launch for Mars The first medevac- the electric motor used on
to maintain basic air 65min test flight from in July 2020 on a Russian equipped PC-24 for KSA the Alice.
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Radome
AIR TRANSPORT SPACEFLIGHT
Sales surge for Comac The first Indian mission to land on the Moon ended in
disappointment on 7 September after the ISRO space
ARJ21 agency lost contact with the Chandrayaan 2/Vikram
space probe seconds before it was meant to touch
Three Chinese carriers, Air ARJ21-700s with each deal down. ISRO has since said it has spotted the Vikram
lander on its side on the Lunar surface – but has been
China, China Eastern Airlines worth $1.33bn. Deliveries
unable to make contact with the probe – which also
and China Southern Airlines are scheduled from 2020 was set to deploy a mini-rover had it landed safely.
have all placed orders for to 2024. Comac now has An investigation is now underway into the cause of
the Chinese-built Comac orders for 338 ARJ21s, with the crash, with speculation that centred on data that
ARJ21-700 regional airliner. the type first having flown showed an anomaly in the descent rate, which could
Each airline has ordered 35 in 2008. have led to a hard landing.
India loses contact with Moon
Peng Chen
probe on landing
ISRO
AEROSPACE DEFENCE
A previously unknown Swedish start-up, Heart Aerospace, has emerged to announce US approves new F-16V
that it intends to develop an all-electric 19-seater 400km range regional airliner called
the ES-19 – with the goal of certification by 2025. With support from a Swedish sale to Taiwan
green aviation initiative, the company is planning to fly a concept demonstrator of the
ES-19 in 2022.
The US has officially US administrations have
approved the sale of 66 new been cautious in approving
Lockheed Martin F-16V new fighter sales due to
fighters to Taiwan Lo the hostile reaction
ck
in a deal worth a from Beijing − the
he
ed M
reported $8bn. last sale being
artin
Taiwan is already made in 1992. The
upgrading US approval drew
its aging 144 fierce criticism from
Swedish start-up aims to develop F-16A/Bs to the mainland China, which
Heart Aerospace
V standard and has been has threatened to impose
all-electric airliner by 2025 aiming to modernise its sanctions on US companies
fighter force but previous involved in the deal.
NEWS IN BRIEF
first flight. The date and ‘hop’, soaring to 150m to helicopter. The landmark Moscow, the Yak-40 will be
UAE flag carrier Emirates location of the 32min demonstrate its vertical rotorcraft went to converted with a 500kW
has withdrawn two Airbus flight were not given in landing capabilities. Austrian operator Hubi-fly electric motor driving a
A380s to be used as video footage of the 6t The rocket, a prototype Helikopter. The handover propeller in the nose, and a
spares. The carrier, which V-tailed drone released for Elon Musk’s larger of the 200th Jet Ranger X 400kW electric generator
currently has further by the defence ministry. Starship, is designed to comes two and a half years driven by a gas turbine.
A380s on order, has The Russian MoD says trial the Raptor engine after the first delivery in Power will also come from
announced that it will that the type will have an and vertical landing March 2017. 100kW of rechargeable
begin to reduce its A380 endurance of over 24hrs. for this spacecraft in batteries for take-off and
fleet from the mid 2020s The project is understood development. The vertical Russia’s Central Institute of climb. CIAM aims to fly the
either retiring aircraft or not to have begun in 2011 test flight took place in Aviation Motor Engineering hybrid-electric testbed in
renewing leases. with a contract to Sokol Boca Chica, South Texas. (CIAM) is to develop 2020-21.
Aircraft Plant and Tranzas. and fly a hybrid-electric
The Russian MoD has Bell has achieved the demonstrator based on a China Airlines has
revealed that the twin- On 27 August, SpaceX’s milestone of the 200th modified Yak-40 regional confirmed a $2.1bn
engine Altius-U MALE Starhopper demonstrator delivery of its Model jet. Revealed at the MAKS order for six Boeing 777
UAV has undertaken its made its highest ever 505 Jet Ranger X light 2019 air show near Freighters.
8 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019
GENERAL AVIATION DEFENCE
Volocopter reveals newest China to navalise J-20
eVTOL design stealth fighter?
According to South China contention against the
Morning Post, the twin- rival Shenyang FC-31
engined Chengdu J-20 fighter, which has yet
stealth fighter has been to secure a domestic or
selected by China’s military international customer.
leadership as the future For China’s new aircraft
combat aircraft to equip carriers, the Navy is to
the Chinese navy’s next switch from ‘ski-jump’
generation aircraft carriers. carriers to conventional
The J-20 heavy fighter, launch and recovery, but
Volocopter
already in service with the use electromagnetic
PLAAF, was reportedly in catapults.
German eVTOL company Volocopter has unveiled a new
design for a two-seat electric aerial taxi – the VoloCity. The
AIR TRANSPORT
18-rotor air vehicle, which features a range of 35km, has Embraer has delivered the first example of the second of its re-engined and re-winged
been designed to meet safety certification for urban aerial E-jets family, the E195-E2, to Brazilian airline Azul. With the first example acquired through
mobility aircraft from the European Aviation Safety Agency lessor AerCap, Azul is set to take a further 56 136-seat E195-E2s into its fleet.
(EASA). It builds on over 1,000 test flights of previous
Volocopter prototypes.
SPACEFLIGHT
Russian robo-spaceman
returns to Earth
On 6 September, was demonstrated, with
Embraer delivers first E195-E2
Embraer
Roscosmos' Skybot F-850 the ultimate goal that it will
humanoid robot returned perform spacewalks.
to Earth onboard a Soyuz
MS-14 capsule after a 16- AEROSPACE
day mission to the ISS. Use
of tools aboard the ISS INFOGRAPHIC: BAE Systems to acquire Prismatic −
two HAPS prototypes set for flight tests in 2020
ON THE
MOVE PHASA-35® Potential Applications
Powered by
This ultra-lightweight solar powered Unmanned
Air Vehicle (UAV) has the potential to remain
the Sun
Eddie Wilson has
airborne for up to a year, pushing the boundaries Environmental
replaced Michael O'Leary of aviation technology. surveillance
as CE of Ryanair from
1 September. O'Leary, Significantly more
Disaster
relief
meanwhile moves to cost effective
than current satellite technology
Group Chief Executive Border
protection
under the resructuring.
35-metre Maritime and
Rupert Hogg, CE and wingspan military surveillance
the same as an Airbus A320
Paul Loo, CCO of Cathay
Mobile and internet
Pacific, have resigned communications to
remote areas
after controversy over
airline staff taking part in Flies at the upper Weighs just 150kg
BAE Systems
Hong Kong democracy regions of the Earth’s including a 15kg payload
atmosphere at 65,000 ft
protests.
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antenna: Global Outlook and
Analysis with
HOWARD WHEELDON
New day and yet another
New Secretary of State
A
new Prime Minister appointed and brings personal military experience to the role.
yet another new Secretary of State Having left the Army, Wallace went on to work
for Defence in the form of Ben with the international defence technology and
Wallace, MP for Wyre and Preston research-based company QinetiQ before becoming
North and who is remarkably the an MP. As Security Minister in Theresa May’s
seventh to hold this crucially important Cabinet administration, Wallace had been quick to dismiss
post over the past ten years. fears expressed by former Chief of the Secret
It takes a considerable amount of time for a Intelligence Service (MI6) Sir Richard Dearlove
new Secretary of State and the various ministers who, together with former Chief of the Defence
appointed to the team to learn and come to Staff, Lord Guthrie, claimed that Theresa May’s
terms with their briefs. The lack of consistency in EU withdrawal agreement threatened UK national
Government is the cause of huge angst within the security and would damage the UK’s relationship
defence community and the cost in both time and with NATO, the US and other leading security and
THE NEW PRIME effort bringing new ministers up to scratch is perhaps intelligence partners such as Canada, Australia and
MINISTER HAS not something that should be quite so easily ignored New Zealand.
AS YET MADE these days by those who choose them. The hope will be that the personal defence-
Those within the military and particularly that related experience that Wallace brings with him to
NO SPECIFIC happen to find themselves working inside the the post, translates not only into improvements for
COMMITMENT Ministry of Defence work hard to bring ministerial defence but also in Cabinet, but will also provide a
TO INCREASE appointees up to scratch. Various base visits are better understanding by Government of the crucial
FUTURE arranged for new ministers to meet with military importance of defence at this time. I am sure that
personnel and to learn about capability that the Wallace realises the need to increase investment
DEFENCE military has. For service chiefs and senior civil in defence overall and also to provide better
FUNDING – servants, the need to get to know their new support to those who serve within the military and
OTHER THAN political masters and build relationships is always their families. Let us at least hope that he does!
considered a priority. The omens for this are good. In July the
STATING THAT
With, as yet, no indication from the new PM Government announced an above inflation pay
DEFENCE or Chancellor of the Exchequer of the direction rise for the armed forces of 2.9% to be paid in
SHOULD ‘GET of travel for the defence budget from here on, September and backdated to 1 April. With this
WHAT IT NEEDS’. I venture to suggest that we are unlikely to overall rise, the lowest-paid soldiers, sailors and
see much in the way of direct policy change airmen will receive a 6% increase to bring them
or enhancement until well into next year. That in line with the living wage. That announcement
assumes the current Government survives and was universally welcomed but whether it will be
I would add here that, given that the five-year seen as enough to attract and retain the talent
comprehensive spending review has for this year that the UK’s armed forces need, remains to be
been abandoned in favour of a one-year plan, seen. In this case, the omens are less postive.
we can be all but certain that a full defence and Figures published in August show that the Army
security review will now take place in 2020. had a target shortfall of no fewer than 7,000
trained troops (the current target size remains
A military man at 82,000) while both the Royal Navy and Royal
Air Force witnessed small net losses against
Thankfully, just as his predecessor Penny Mordaunt set targets. It is clear that issues in respect of
had been a Royal Naval Reservist, having served recruitment and retention are major factors that
with the Scots Guards following training at the will need to be resolved by Wallace during his
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Ben Wallace period at the MoD.
10 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019Veteran support
So, what are the other priorities for the new
Defence Secretary? Very close to the top of his
list is ensuring that, once and for all, veterans
who served the nation so well in the past will not
be prosecuted for their previous actions unless
new evidence is found. We already know that
the Government is working on legislation to deal
with legacy issues that date from the Northern
Ireland troubles but it is no use Wallace saying
that: “the Government had to make sure veterans
were not treated badly”, if there was not sufficient
legislation on the statute book to protect them.
The appointment of Plymouth Moor View
MP Johnny Mercer as Parliamentary Under
Secretary of State in both the MoD and Cabinet
Office, together with Cabinet Office Minister,
Oliver Dowden to be jointly responsible for
a new Office of Veterans’ Affairs shows that
the Government is serious about bringing this
UK Gov
disgraceful interlude in the management of
our military affairs to an end. Mercer is himself
a former Army officer and one who has been
perhaps the most vociferous in respect of The Secretary of State Debate in respect of issues such as
raising this vexing issue in public and proffering for Defence Ben Wallace national interest and maintaining sovereign
support to veterans. These moves will also (centre), seen here with (manufacturing) capability has been growing and
Prime Minister Boris
provide reassurance and necessary motivation these are matters that neither Boris Johnson or
Johnson (right), onboard a
to military personnel that will hopefully translate Vanguard class submarine his new Secretary of State for Defence can ignore.
to improved recruitment and retention. at HMNB Clyde. Linked to this debate perhaps is whether the
Government should, on national interest grounds,
A spending spike? intervene in the agreed $5bn takeover bid by
US buyout firm Advent International Corporation
Unlike Jeremy Hunt, who was Boris Johnson’s for the UK-based international defence and
opponent in the recent Tory leadership contest aerospace group Cobham.
and who said that he wanted to see defence I can make no comment here in relation to
spending doubled, the new PM has, as yet, the value that Cobham and Advent International
made no specific commitment to increase future have agreed but, having found myself somewhat
defence funding – other than stating that defence embroiled in the issues of national interest concerns
should get what it needs. That language is, I expressed by some, I do have a view. From the
fear, suggestive that we should expect to see a outset I should say that I have no concerns over
spike in the defence budget under the present the prospect of Cobham being American-owned.
Government. That, if the deal goes through, Advent will eventually
Leaving aside the increasingly difficult break Cobham up and sell-off various parts of its
situation in Iran, following the seizing of a international and domestic UK businesses probably
British-registered tanker in the Straits of Hormuz goes without saying. Having personally spoken
which exposed more than a degree of capacity too and listened to the various national interest
weakness in the Royal Navy, one of the first concerns expressed by former Cobham directors
issues that Wallace will need to resolve internally and shareholders, I would say that it is up to the
is ensuring that orders worth around £1bn for a Government to decide what, if any, of Cobham’s
fleet of supply ships for the Royal Navy are given many defence and aerospace-related UK interests
to British-based shipyards rather than abroad. should be considered as being in the national
It is interesting to note that one of the new interest. If the Government does believe thst some
defence ministers appointed by Boris Johnson, are, then it must ensure that the new owners
Anne-Marie Trevelyan, had previously called on commit to retaining them in the UK. However, I
the Government to ensure that the order for the do not believe that Cobham is deserving of carte-
supply ships remained in Britain. blanche protection on national interest grounds.
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019
11Transmission
LETTERS AND ONLINE
f
Defending against SR-71 Blackbird AEROselfie winner
lasers
@THGPhoto [On Sr-71
lecture] I’ve just had the
USN/Erik Hildebrandt
pleasure of listening to
Colonel Richard Graham
speak on the missions he
flew over Murmansk while
flying the Lockheed SR-71
Blackbird out of Det 4 at
Miles M.52 RAF Mildenhall, courtesy
Supercarrier USS Gerald of the @AeroSociety
Mike Drew [On classic R Ford. Cranwell branch. A
lecture series – the Miles
fantastic insight into those
M.52 project] It should Ameen Budagher [On operations.
have been flown by ‘Winkle’ UK joins hypersonics
Brown through the sound arms race(3)] Will make all
barrier, instead it was other armaments present
given to the Americans and in the immediate
AEROSPACE at 50
by our Government. Any The winner of the #AEROselfie contest in which readers
future absolute. The other
connection between the @AerospaceSA [On were challenged to take a selfie of themselves with a
issue here is how to
cancellation of the Miles AEROSPACE magazine at copy of AEROSPACE in any location around the world is
defend against hypersonic
M.52 and the Americans 50(1)] Congratulations! A Esperanza Cuena Gómez who took this picture in her home
weapons. We are talking
breaking the sound great milestone. town of Seville, also home of Airbus Defence and Space
about lasers and electro-
barrier with Yeager shortly in Spain. Her prize is a set of Isle of Man 100 Years of
magnetic pulse (high
afterwards is purely Transatlantic Flight commemorative stamps.
energy). That’s why the
coincidental or even down new Ford class super
to the UK Government carriers will produce more
Is ‘Buy British’ practical for defence procurement?
giving it away – come to electricity than anything
@knowlesm [On ‘Buy
RAF
your own conclusion. floating on water. This is
British’ defence industrial
going to be an expensive
strategy] More like
AEROSPACE at 50 endeavour.
protectionist nonsense.
David J Pilkington [On Buy the best kit for the
AEROSPACE magazine forces, wherever it’s from.
at 50(1)] Perfect timing! I Maintain it here for long
just received a letter from term jobs. If UK-made kit
the RAeS acknowledging isn’t the best, then get
that I joined 50 years ago. industry to research and The forthcoming RAF E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning
Thanks for the Kestrel invest to become more and control aircraft is based on a US Boeing 737 platform.
stickpin. competitive. How will we
export if we’ve pulled the
drawbridge up? @MugfordSimon I hope @warfareyachtie Same
this is true as we need stands with the RN
i
to build more in the UK, and Army. Operational
@sheldonsmiths hopefully RBLS, the facility capability must remain at
Passenger flight Strategy resilience comes at Methyr Tydfil, possibly the forefront of people’s
centenary from sovereign capability. a bigger role for Supacat minds. If British industry
Not from importing. May and Tempest and other can’t meet that for the
seem jingoistic but it’s such projects are evidence price laid out, then tough.
strategically smart. of this. It’s not too late, it’s No one will care where it
@Satcom_Guru [On
well overdue but it needs was built when rounds are
100 years of international
strategy and linking with coming in, so long as it
passenger flights(4] Really
@Mark_Bate_UK Define apprenticeships. works and we have enough
great article. Fascinating
In September issue ‘Buy British’, as this is of them.
that airships are in the
of AEROSPACE news again. vague and easily includes
a foreign entity registered @war_student You guys
in the UK, such as Elbit, don’t think Tempest will @MichaelJPryce After a
Geoffrey Wardle A very drag it slightly back to a third of a century, is there
good read especially the @Jetcitystar Gotta love Boeing, etc.
more favourable position? anything left worth saving?
loyal wingman article(2). those giants of the sky.
12 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019National Aerospace The use of software code in automated flight
Camp ‘19
@jonititan Interesting accept different practices
automated flight article in as reasonable? @SpaceX
@AeroSociety have some interesting tools
AEROSPACE September and ideas along this line.
issue(5). Focuses on @bazelbuild is just one
traceability in software/ of the interesting things.
AI which is historically an youtu.be/t_3bckhV_YI
aero focus. Elsewhere test- This is why one of my key
driven design has become interests both for aircraft
widespread, even with the and software design is the
@PeterKDoyle [On practical limit to the tests use of automated tools to
RAeS Careers at National that can be conceived and traceability. The current Even with this costly allow faster iteration around
Aerospace Camp ’19] run. However, this ignores system has a long DO-178 approach, stories the design cycle. OODA for
Thank you RAeS Careers the increasingly complex development cycle, the trickle out of systems design if you will. It would
Team for delivering talks execution architecture Loyal Wingman(3) article in needing to be reset be very funny if aircraft
to well over 100 of our below high level code. the same issue highlights following a crossing of software started following
RAF Air Cadets at National Was it compiled code or ‘Undermining both of these the dateline. If we accept approaches from cloud
Aerospace Camp ‘19 runtime? Which compiler? is the dismal update rate of high costs, long lead computing. Microservices?
today! @RAeSCareers Does the CPU have any modern fighter software’. times and that we cannot Containerisation?
@qaic_rafac @2ftsCamp opportunistic execution If systems are always quickly integrate new Distributed computing?
@2ftsaerospace features? #TDD and high cost and long lead, features, what do we get in Failure tolerance in the
@bw_businesswest testing in general have the opportunity cost of exchange? Safe software? @kubernetesio sense?
@WestofEnglandCA their limits but so does innovation is sky high. Has the time come to
@C_SkillsHub
@Newquay_Space
Air-to-surface Meteor @mrgerrydoyle Wow, Chinese youth visit
mulled that is interesting. Is that
saying it would have a
New mission for Typhoon? @TimRuff3 [On dual selectable anti-radiation
role Meteor missile mode or would this be a
@hewasahero [On New concept] MBDA had a different flavour of missile
Typhoon loadout spotted green painted Meteor in altogether?
at DSEI] I think the new the Land Precision Fires
cloaking device needs presentation. Launched
more work. from a Boxer variant, it @Gabriel64869839
went a little under the When Italy joined in on
AGM-88E AARGM, @RaeSCareers [On
radar... but it could have
they asked for details of youth visit from Chinese
had a Brimstone/Spear
@TheWoracle I’ll get my the seeker for possible Society of Aeronautics
seeker in its nose....
coat. adoption into Meteor. and Astronautics] Looking
A Meteor anti-radiation forward to a lovely summer
variant was repeatedly evening and dining as we
@Yod_Cyclist A bit of a
@AndyNetherwood considered but so far welcome the CSAA youth
light warhead for that role.
Quite a bit of right boot hasn’t progressed. It would visitors from China to learn
required to counter the also be F-35 (including more about @AeroSociety
@IanPsDarkCorner and #aerospace careers
asymmetric drag. @richardhastin67 B) compatible. Would be
Have you not seen that @4HamiltonPlace
Sounds a damn good idea! GREAT to resurrect the
before? It’s clearly a Joint @bluestrawb4hp
idea.
Attack Complex Kinetic
Environment Targeting
@frasercrosan No need
system!
to worry about that – it will
have burnt off in 1,000ft.
1. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/aerospace-magazine-at-50/
2. AEROSPACE, September 2019, p 14, Loyal wingman and loyal pack
3. AEROSPACE, September 2019, p 24, Accelerating air and space power
@MugfordSimon Could 4 AEROSPACE, August 2019, p 40, The birth of air travel
@ianmac67_SE I’m sure 5. AEROSPACE, September 2019, p 32, Automated flight
do with some conformal
the DASS has never been
fuel tanks on that bird!
Online
abused so much in the
history of Typhoon...
Additional features and content are available to view
online at http://media.aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight
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www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 13GENERAL AVIATION
Helicopter air ambulance operations
AAKSS
The airborne
emergency room
Air ambulances offer a vital service providing the speedy delivery of
medical professionals to the injured requiring immediate treatment,
often in inaccessible places. MICHAEL J GETHING reports.
T
o a chap of my generation, who has been TV news stories and documentaries covering the
focussed on military aviation for 40-odd subject in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was time to look at
years, the term ‘air ambulance’ instantly equivalent capabilities on the civil side.
conjures up the opening sequence of the
M*A*S*H TV series, with a pair of Bell 47 The busiest air ambulance unit in the
Sioux helicopters approaching the landing pad of the UK
4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Fast forward
from war-torn Korea in the early 1950s to present As a supporter of my local Air Ambulance Kent
Above: A casualty is
day sleepy Surrey and the changes are remarkable Surrey Sussex (AAKSS) charity, its operating base at delivered to the roof heli-
to say the least. Aware of the advances in military Redhill aerodrome seemed the place to start. From pad of a London hospital
medical evacuation procedure, courtesy of various there, AAKSS provides a Helicopter Emergency by AAKSS AW169 HEMS.
14 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019Medical Service (HEMS) across an area of 3,600m², stabilising the patient for the onwards journey” to the
spanning three counties (plus a small part of north appropriate trauma centre.
Hampshire) and two unitary authorities (effectively
the whole south-east of England below London), Kit onboard
with a combined population of around 4.7m. Not
surprisingly, with an average of six or seven call-outs The on-board medical kit for the MD902, described AAKSS WAS
per day, according to Leigh Curtis, Executive Director by de Coverly as ‘compact and bijou’, comprises ONE OF THE
of service delivery at AAKSS: “it is the busiest air a patient litter, ventilator, full diagnostic patient-
ambulance unit in the UK”. monitoring system and an advanced airway kit;
FIRST UK AIR
The charity uses two main helicopters – Leonardo plus four units of blood, four units of plasma and a AMBULANCE
AW169s (G-KSST and G-KSSC), with an MD902 selection of sedation and anaesthetic drugs, loaded UNITS TO BE
Explorer (G-KSSA) as an onsite back-up – leased onto the helicopter as part of the ‘scrambling’ NIGHT-CAPABLE
from Specialist Aviation Services, which provides process. These elements, together with the other
the flight crews (many former military pilots) and medical equipment are packaged in ‘themed’ tote
maintenance support, operating on a three-shift bags for specific injuries. “Everything you’d expect
24/7 rotation. (At the time of my visit, however, to find in a hospital emergency room,” said de
‘SST’ was away on scheduled maintenance and a Coverly.
second MD902 Explorer (G-KSSH) was filling in.) The AW169 fit mirrors the MD902 but with a
The company is also responsible for providing HEMS larger cabin with four seats and a different design
helicopters to several other air ambulance charities of patient litter with the oxygen facility underneath
around the country, including Essex & Herts, Dorset & in the litter mount. The first of the AW169s was
Somerset, and Cornwall. one of the first off the production line and was
essentially, a prototype as the UK CAA needed
Waiting for the call to qualify the oxygen facility mount installation
and other medical modifications. The charity has
When a call comes in for HEMS, if the location recently installed a state-of-the-art AW169 cabin
is within 15 minutes flying time of Redhill, the simulator at its Redhill base, with full video/audio
MD902 (call sign HeliMed21), cruising at 120kt, is recording facilities, to allow initial and on-going
‘scrambled’, while the AW169 (HeliMed60), cruising training to be conducted by the medical team in full
at 130-140kt, is held for locations beyond. As might kit, including helmets with all the background noise
be expected, all missions are subject to weather, associated with real missions. There is a full play-
temperature, payload weights, timings and fuel back debrief capability, allowing the team to learn
limitations. from their mistakes. This is the first such facility to
The oldest MD902 (‘SSH’) – a former police be established in the UK.
helicopter – is the heavier of the two and has The medical team comprises a doctor of
an analogue cockpit with two ATC radios, GPS, consultant level (an experienced anaesthetist or
transponder, VOR, NDB, ADF and radar altimeter, emergency medical specialist) and a paramedic Below: The GoodSAM
remote video streaming
while the other (‘SSA’) – previously used as a HEMS (again experienced and often in the first year of a system allows medics
platform in the US – is lighter and fitted with a T-CAS Masters degree in Advanced Paramedic Practice). to remote assess the
(Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) and The medical team usually works with AAKSS for a condition of patitents using
a better GPS. The larger AW169s have a similar year, taking their skills back into NHS at the end (in bystanders smartphones..
system but with a digital cockpit, and can carry a
greater payload.
MD902 ‘SSH’ is only used for daylight operations,
while the AW169s and MD902 ‘SSA’ are night
capable. “The crew wear ANVIS night-vision goggles
using the latest white phosphor image intensifier
tubes”, Captain Kevin Goddard, one of the Specialist
Aviation Services pilots, told AEROSPACE. The
AAKSS was one of the first UK air ambulance units
to be night-capable.
Goddard explained that, for transit and training
flights, the helicopters operate under commercial ATC
rules, using the regular call-sign but on emergency
call-outs (to accident location and patient transfer)
it becomes Helimed60ALPHA, when they become
priority flights, bringing the emergency room to the
casualty. The job of the medical team, according to
Richard de Coverly, AAKSS’ Operations Manager
AAKSS
(and paramedic): “is not fixing [the injury] but
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 15GENERAL AVIATION
Helicopter air ambulance operations
AAKSS
a similar way that military medical reservists have the HEMS. These usually involve significant trauma, Above: One of the two
improved trauma treatment). Some, however, share such as chest, brain or bleeding injuries. Leonardo AW169 HEMS
their time between the charity and NHS on a 50:50 helicopters operated by
AAKSS.
basis. Live video streaming Right: Right: AW169
HEMS helicopters in
The ‘Dispatcher’ For the future, internet technology could add
formation.
further to the timeliness of getting the HEMS to
Below: One of the pre-
The non-flying member of the team and, in some the casualty. Together with SECAMB, AAKSS has packed trauma packages
ways the most important, according to Curtis, is evaluated the use of GoodSAM – an advanced used by the medical team
the Dispatcher, who is responsible for screening emergency alerting and dispatching platform – to at AAKSS.
incoming 999 calls to identify those incidents assess casualties at incident scenes. This involves Above opposite page:
requiring the HEMS, liaising with other emergency the use of the ubiquitous smart phone to stream The interior of an AAKSS
services and arranging the logistical support live video of the casualty back to the Dispatcher, operated Leonardo
required. This is done at the operations room of the helping them make the time-critical dispatch AW169 HEMS helicopter.
South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB), decision, rather than just the caller’s description of
where the AAKSS Dispatcher has a work station the casualty’s injuries, consciousness or state of
with full access to the 999 call logs that come in. breathing.
With a career background in ambulance dispatch, During the pilot study running from March
newly-recuited Dispatchers undergo a four week to December 2018 (and published in the
AAKSS
training package, covering the purpose of HEMS Scandanavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and
(what, how and why), aviation, meteorology and the Emergency Medicine in May 2019), video footage
rapid dispatch process. was received directly from 19 emergency calls,
Uppermost in the Dispatcher’s mind is the with all of the public making the calls agreeing to
importance of the so-called Golden Hour of live stream via their smart phone to help the people
treatment so, as the incidents log onto the involved in the real-time incident. This function, via
computer, the Dispatcher screens the calls, looking the link, works by the Dispatcher requesting the
for certain crucial elements, such as a rolled-over person calling the emergency services to activate
vehicle, a fall from height or a car/cycle collision, their smart phone video camera, which then
and tries to identify those that will mostly benefit securely streams live footage from the incident
16 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019direct to the AAKSS operations room. No app
is required, only a video-capable mobile phone.
Once the Dispatcher has ensured the caller is safe
to approach the scene, permission to link to is
made via a text message. The incident video is not
recorded on the user’s phone.
This technology makes it possible for
dispatchers to make an instant-on-scene video
connection with the person who has made the
emergency call in order to accurately assess
the scale of the incident and direct the most
appropriate emergency vehicle, in this study an
air ambulance. The study also suggested the use
of the video streaming reduces the stress of the
person reporting the accident. More detailed trials
are planned for later this year or early 2020.
The incident information is fed back to the
AAKSS operations room at Redhill, where the team
there have access to weather and location data
AAKSS
across their patch, and the helicopter is ‘scrambled’.
The Captain immediately heads to the helicopter
and begins engine start-up, the doctor picks up the
drugs and blood supplies from their environmental Once the patient is stabilised and ready for transit,
secure storage. The paramedic secures the incident the helicopter takes off and heads for the nearest
data, while the co-pilot takes the location data hospital with the appropriate trauma facilities, as
and enters it into an iPad navigation system, using dictated by the patient’s most immediate need. While
Airbox software. some hospitals have on-site landing pads, others
do not. The Captain either makes an ad-hoc landing
or, in the more urban areas, uses the closest of a
Leonardo
number of pre-surveyed landing sites, where the
patient is off-loaded for ground transfer. At night,
the helicopter would use the closest of a number
of pre-surveyed landing sites suitable for night
operations, where they receive the patient from
either ambulance or police car transfer.
Uniting air ambulances?
Over the recent August Bank Holiday, the AAKSS
flew 13 missions and, with some 32 Air Ambulance
units around the UK, there is an obvious need for
this capability in the country. All these organisations
are principally funded by charitable donations. At
over £3,000 per mission, the AAKSS, alone, needs
over £11m per annum to operate, 60% of which is
raised entirely by lotteries and raffles. One cannot
According to Captain Goddard, the aim is: “to help wondering whether the time is ripe for all air
aviate before we medicate” and the helicopter is ambulance operations to merge into one nationwide
usually airborne and heading in the right direction organisation, along the lines of the Royal National
in five minutes. Sometimes, however, as further Lifeboat Institution.
information is received en-route, the need for That said, there is no doubt of the essential work
airborne assistance can be negated and the team that is done by AAKSS and other regional units in
head back to Redhill. providing this life-saving capability. Their patients
For daylight operations, once over the incident are all someone’s father, mother, brother, sister, child,
location the Captain takes the most convenient husband or wife and, as Leigh Curtis succinctly
landing site and the medical team gets to work. observed: “we aim to put families back together”.
The author wishes to thank the staff of Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex
for their generous assistance in preparing this feature.
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 17Flying to the rescue
BILL READ FRAeS looks at the work of the United National Humanitarian
Air Service (UNHAS) in transporting food, relief supplies and aid workers
to famine, disaster and conflict-ridden areas of the world.
F
or over 50 years, the World Food UNHAS
Programme (WFP) has provided
emergency assistance, to save lives in Aviation is vital in supporting humanitarian
a wide variety of conflict, post-conflict operations, as well as being crucial in emergency
or natural disaster situations. In 2018, response situations when aid must be delivered
the WFP delivered supplies to provide relief support quickly to affected populations. Airdrops are used
for a number of emergencies, including an Ebola in situations when inaccessible roads, insecurity
outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or lack of proximity to a waterway make access
WFP Aviation
earthquakes in Papua New Guinea, a cyclone in the impossible other than by air.
Socotra island in Yemen and floods in Somalia. The WFP operates the United Nations
However, while humanitarian relief has saved Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), a common
lives and restored the livelihoods of millions, it does service created in 2004 to provide ‘safe, reliable
not always solve the root causes which led to the and cost-efficient air transport’ to all organisations
Annual Report 2018
crisis, meaning that they could happen again. In involved in relief operations. UNHAS provides air
addition to shipping food and other essential supplies transport services to around 700 organisations,
to disaster areas, another aim of the WFP is to including non-government organisations (NGOs),
‘embed resilience’ so that communities can recover UN agencies, donor organisations, diplomatic
and rebuild after disasters and thus reduce the need missions and government facilitating humanitarian
for on-going crisis response. “As well as food, we response. It also transports light relief cargo, such
also fly in workers who can assess the situation and as medical supplies, food and high-value
organise its distribution,” explained Philippe Martou, equipment.
WFP/Tomson Phiri
Chief, Aviation Service, Supply Chain Division, World The WFP also co-ordinates airlifts from other
Food Programme. “Our work has increased in recent organisations or governments. Every month UNHAS
years due to an increase in global conflicts. Our aim is transports an average of 24,000 passengers
not just to relieve problems when they occur but also and over 450t of light cargo to over 300 regular
to try to reduce the need for future assistance.” destinations.
18 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019A320s and Boeing 737s, are also used to transport Main pic: Cans of
humanitarian workers to local airports before vegetable oil are
transferring to a smaller regional aircraft. parachuted out of a
WFP-chartered aircraft in
“Our aircraft are a mix of everything,” explained Ganyiel, Greater Upper
Martou. “With emergencies, everybody comes in with Nile, South Sudan.
different types of aircraft and we are supporting and
managing the flow of different carriers with different
Approved operators capabilities. We have larger aircraft which carry
passengers and cargo into ‘hub’ airports and smaller
UNHAS does not manage any aircraft of its own aircraft, such as Caravans, Dash 8s or helicopters,
but contracts aircraft from other operators. “We on ‘spoke’ routes which can land on unmade dirt
don’t operate our own aircraft but we charter airstrips.
them from approved air carriers,” said Martou. “By “Transporting cargo is one type of business
chartering rather than operating aircraft we have while, with passengers, we have another type
more flexibility in choosing the appropriate of business,” said Martou. “We also carry
aircraft.” The chartered operators need to passengers from 700 different agencies with
be compliant with both International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and
Recommended Practices
(ICAO SARPs) and
the United Nations
Aviation Standards for Peacekeeping
and Humanitarian Air Transport
Operations (UNAVSTADS).
Operators are approved by the WFP
Aviation Safety Unit (ASU). Based
in Rome with regional offices in
Johannesburg, Nairobi and Sharjah,
the ASU conducts safety evaluation
of commercial air operators across
all regions for possible inclusion in the
List of Registered Air Operators (LORA).
In 2018, ASU completed 150 evaluations
of different air operators.
There are currently around 100 approved
operators from around the world which allows WFP
to access a range of air assets for rapid deployment
to different emergency scenarios - thus reducing
lead time and mobilisation costs when emergencies
strike. humanitarian workers going both in and out. We
also do evacuations which can be either security
Aircraft types evacuations or medical evacuations. One recent
security evacuation was from Khartoum when we
“We get aircraft from various air carriers worldwide, relocated non-critical staff and dependents.”
such as North America, Europe, Russia and Africa,” UNWHAS in 2018
386,330
said Martou. “They have to be shortlisted, checked Missions
and audited and then they come on the list. We ask
them for a particular requirement and a particular UNHAS uses aircraft to transport aid workers Passengers
country – for example for a 12-seater aircraft with and medical staff, as well as food and relief
STOL capabilities to operate in DRC or a passenger
jet to operate between Jordan and Yemen.”
UNHAS currently manages around 60 aircraft,
cargo to remote areas hit by conflict, famine or
natural disaster. In 2018 the Aviation Service
supported WFP operations in 17 countries. These
323
Regular destination
including helicopters in ongoing operations. There include South Sudan where, since 2013, WFP
3,655
are also an additional 40 aircraft with ‘standby’ has airdropped food to vulnerable communities
contracts to be used in the event of a sudden in hard-to-reach areas where 7m people are
emergency. Typical aircraft used include Cessna reportedly in need of assistance. The airdrop Passengers
208 Caravans, Beech 1900Ds, Dornier 228s and operation was conducted from three strategic
1,362
328s, various Embraers, De Havilland Canada hubs in South Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda. In
Dash 8 -100s, -200s and –300s, as well as Mil 2018, WFP airdropped 60,667 tonnes of food to
and Bell helicopters. Larger aircraft, such as Airbus 81 drop zones. The WFP is currently managing 25 People evacuated
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 19You can also read
