Flight International - (01) December 18 - January 07 2013

YEAR IN QUESTION
HOW MUCH OF A
TOTAL AVIATION
PERSON ARE YOU?
FESTIVE QUIZ P42
PACIFIC THREATS
Top USAF official sounds

warning on relevance of
current UAVs to critical
theatre of operations 18
DUBAI TO BUY
Middle Easts movers

and shakers in business
aviation go shopping at
a new-look MEBA 20
FLIGHT
ightglobal.com
INTERNATIONAL
18 DECEMBER 2012-7 JANUARY 2013
PHOTO CONTEST
BREAKING
COVER
We reveal most stunning
aviation images of 2012
3.20

Go Where Others Cant.

INTRODUCING THE FALCON 2000LXS
It is the ultimate combination of nonstop range, airfield agility and widebody cabin.
No other 4,000 nm aircraft can deliver so many airports in such quiet comfort.
Thank optimized aerodynamics, new inboard slats and highly advanced acoustics.
Thank Falcon DNA. And go where others cant.
DNA. It Matters.
Find out why. Scan the code.

Or visit falconjet.com/2000LXS
FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL
VOLUME 182 NUMBER 5371
DUBAI TO BUY
Middle Easts movers

and shakers in business
aviation go shopping at
a new-look MEBA 20
PIC OF THE WEEK
FLIGHT
YOUR PHOTOGRAPH HERE
INTERNATIONAL
Demetrius Vanspranghe, one of the

photographers whose work was shortlisted
in our front-cover competition (see P34),
took this shot of a Junkers Ju 52/3m at
Brussels Air Museum in Belgium. Open a
gallery in ightglobal.coms AirSpace
community for a chance to feature here
PHOTO CONTEST
BREAKING
COVER
3.20

COVER IMAGE
Keith Campbell won our
cover contest with one of
17,000-plus shots he took
at Waddington air show. It
shows a Dutch F-16. If
you take enough photos,
you get a few keepers!
he says, too modestly.
See Cover Story P34
Keith Campbell
We reveal most stunning

aviation images of 2012
ightglobal.com/imageoftheweek
NEWS
THIS WEEK
Airbus plans more seats on A321neo
Disappointed Al Baker berates Boeing.
Blade-out testing marks key point for
A350 engine
10 Complex avionics delay EC175 debut.
Super Hornets may ease Canberras
F-35 worries
11 UK MoD waits until 2015 to place
flight-training contract
8
9
AIR TRANSPORT
12 A340 pilots used wrong runway chart.
Eritrean airline ban centres on
certification fears
13 Class war as BA pushes up premiums
14 A330s jammed-vane details emerge
15 Money worries delay Indian 70-seater.
CSeries powerplant certification slides
into 2013
DEFENCE
16 USAF weighs Jayhawk possibilities.
RNZAF to seek CT-4E, King Air successors
17 Washington to fire up future cruise
missile activities.
Typhoon release speeds MBDAs Meteor
testing
COVER STORY
NEWS FOCUS
18 UAVs irrelevant over Pacific
34 Crowning images The ace snappers of

Flightglobals AirSpace community set a
stern challenge when it came to picking a
winner in our cover competition. See for
yourself as we present the contenders
SPACEFLIGHT
19 Rivals target United Launch Alliances
monopoly
MEBA SHOW REPORT
20 European jet operators club together.
Wallan lands Falcons as new model debuts
21 Charter players pledge to fight grey market
scourge
22 Gulfstream reassures G650 customers of
2012 delivery.
Apps get firms closer to their clients
23 Flohr rejects home comforts as he takes on
rest of world.
Sabena could handle an A380 completion
FEATURES
26 REVIEW OF THE YEAR Headline

makers We select the years highlights,
lowlights, near misses and major people
moves and bid some fond farewells
42 UNCLE ROGERS FESTIVE QUIZ Test
your wits via questions on the years
news, plus a round of name-that-aircraft
BUSINESS
24 ILFC sale hits China button
7
50
52
55
59
55
REGULARS
Comment
Letters
Classied
Jobs
Working Week
JOB OF THE WEEK Virgin Atlantic, flight
safety manager, Crawley, West Sussex, UK
I AM GLOBAL
flightglobal.com
Boeing outlines green test campaign P11. Sikorsky left as

sole bidder for USAF rescue helicopter P9
Boeing, US Air Force

Lockheed Martin
PACIFIC THREATS
Top USAF official sounds

warning on relevance of
current UAVs to critical
theatre of operations 18
Demetrius gallery on flightglobal.com/AirSpace
YEAR IN QUESTION
HOW MUCH OF A
TOTAL AVIATION
PERSON ARE YOU?
FESTIVE QUIZ P42
NEXT ISSUE FORECASTS

In our 8-14 January 2013 edition, we
gather expert views to answer questions
looming large on the years aerospace
agenda. Plus: environment special
Access the free Interactive Business Aircraft Guide

18 December 2012-7 January 2013 | Flight International | 3
CONTENTS
IN THIS ISSUE
Companies listed
Aerosonic ....................................................25
AgustaWestland .............................................9
AirAsia ........................................................... 8
Airbus ................................8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15
Airbus Military..............................................10
Air France ..............................................13, 25
Alenia Aermacchi .........................................16
American Airlines ...................................11, 14
Asiana Airlines .............................................13
ATR ................................................................ 8
AviancaTaca...................................................8
AVIC.............................................................24
Avio .............................................................25
BAE Systems .........................................11, 16
Bell Helicopter ...............................................9
Boeing ...............................8, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17
Bombardier .............................................8, 15
British Airways ........................................13, 25
CFM International ........................................24
China Southern Airlines................................13
Comac ...................................................15, 24
Dassault ................................................17, 25
Delta Air Lines ..........................................8, 14
Elbit Systems ...............................................25
Embraer.......................................................25
Emirates ......................................................13
Eritrean Airlines ............................................12
Eurocopter ...................................................10
Eurofighter ...................................................17
Europrop International .................................10
Finmeccanica ..............................................25
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems ........18
General Dynamics........................................10
General Electric ...........................................25
Goodrich................................................14, 25
Hamilton Sundstrand ...................................25
Hawker Beechcraft .......................................16
IHI Aerospace ..............................................11
International Airlines Group ..........................25
International Lease Finance .........................24
Korea Aerospace Industries..........................16
Korean Air ..............................................13, 14
Lockheed Martin ..............................10, 16, 17
Lufthansa ....................................................13
Malaysia Airlines ..........................................13
MBDA ..........................................................17
Mishra Dhatu Nigam ....................................25
Mitsubishi ....................................................15
MTU .............................................................24
Nextant Aerospace .......................................16
NH Industries ...............................................16
Northrop Grumman..................................9, 17
Orbital Sciences...........................................19
Pacific Aerospace.........................................16
Pratt & Whitney ................................10, 15, 25
Qantas.........................................................13
Qatar Airways ...........................................9, 13
Raytheon .....................................................17
Rolls-Royce..............................................9, 11
Saab ...........................................................17
Safran .........................................................25
SAS .............................................................24
Sikorsky ....................................................9,25
Singapore Airlines ....................................8, 13
Snecma .......................................................24
Southwest Airlines........................................14
SpaceX ........................................................19
SriLankan Airlines ........................................12
Sukhoi .........................................................15
Tatarstan Airlines..........................................15
Thai Airways .................................................13
Tulpar Technik ..............................................15
United Technologies .....................................25
Vueling Airlines ............................................25
Virgin Atlantic.................................................8
BEHIND THE
HEADLINES
Flightglobal dispatched a team
of eight to a remote airport terminal in Dubai, where our journalists rubbed shoulders with some
of the worlds wealthiest aviation
fans. At the Middle East
Business Aviation show held at
the citys new Al Maktoum
International, deep in the desert
exhibitors shared floor space
with check-in desks and duty-free
shops in the still-to-open building.
It was almost a surreal place to
hold an event, but once all the
stands, signage, carpets and
aircraft were in place it had the
feel of a bustling air show, says
business aviation editor Kate
Sarseld (See Show Report P20).
THE WEEK ON THE WEB
ightglobal.com
Deck-handling trials of Northrop Grummans X-47B (below)

featured in a video on defence blog The DEW Line, as did a
wind-tunnel test of the Embraer KC-390. Israeli air space is
very small and congested,
wrote Arie Egozi on his blog
Ariel View. Commercial
traffic, general aviation, air
force manned aircraft and
unmanned air systems are
growing in number. The
problems of control are
obvious. He cited an incident in which pilots of two Israeli
Lockheed Martin F-16s flying a training sortie suddenly
spotted a paraglider in front of them at the same low
altitude. Only immediate reaction avoided a fatal accident.
This incident... is further proof that something drastic has
to be done to control the flying objects that are not considered aircraft and therefore are not under the strict regulations of the Israeli civil aviation authority, argued Egozi.
Find all these items at ightglobal.com/wotw
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Last week, we asked what you think Deltas CRJ900 order means.
You said:
CRJ is back in business!
A stay of execution
24 26 50
%
For a full list of reader services, editorial

and advertising contacts see P51
EDITORIAL
+44 20 8652 3842

flight.international@flightglobal.com
DISPLAY ADVERTISING
+44 20 8652 3315

gillian.cumming@rbi.co.uk
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
Vote at ightglobal.com/poll
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING
HIGH FLIERS
WEBMASTER
andrew.costerton@flightglobal.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS
+44 1444 445 454

flightinternational.subs@qss-uk.com
REPRINTS
+44 20 8652 8612

reprints@rbi.co.uk
FLIGHT DAILY NEWS
+44 20 8652 3096

flightdailynews@flightglobal.com
Total votes: 1,440

This week, Richard Branson is willing to bet 1m that the Virgin
Atlantic brand will still be around in ve years. What do you think?
RDead cert RRoughly 50:50 RHed better dust off his chequebook
+44 20 8652 4897

flight.classified@flightglobal.com
+44 20 8652 4900
recruitment.services@rbi.co.uk
CRJ will continue to

have niche appeal
The top ve stories for the week just gone:

1 In focus: Flight test of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
2 BA to have 469-seat A380s and 214-seat 787-8s
3 Germanwings takes over nearly 30 Lufthansa A320s
4 Pictures: First flying A350 prototype rolls out of assembly line
5 USAF to develop new cruise missile
Flightglobal reaches up to 1.3 million visitors from 220
countries viewing 7.1 million pages each month
Download the Military Simulator

Census online now.
www.ightglobal.com/milisim
High-delity helicopter simulators and training systems.
4 | Flight International | 18 December 2012-7 January 2013
flightglobal.com
CONSERVATION THROUGH AVIATION INNOVATION
INNOVATION
COMPOSITES
BENEFITS
REDUCED FUEL
CONSUMPTION
GREATER FATIGUE
RESISTANCE
Simplicity and efciency

drive great aircraft design.
Its not an accident that the
best designs also are the
most environmentally friendly.
Burt Rutan
FOUNDER / CHAIRMAN EMERITUS,
SCALED COMPOSITES
Photo courtesy of Mark Greenberg Photography 2004
BURT RUTAN COMPOSITES VIRTUOSO

The model airplanes Burt Rutan played with as a child helped inspire
innovation that transformed the aerospace industry. For his rst
aircraft designs, Rutan drew on his experience with the light, plasticand-foam models. Though his goal was simplicity and ease of
construction, Rutans creations helped usher in the composites era in
aircraft construction. His radical concepts from the ahead-of-its-time
Beechcraft Starship to the out-of-this-world SpaceShipOne pushed
the conceptual envelope, freeing aviation from the straightjacket of
derivative design. The cumulative environmental impact of Rutans
inuence is literally incalculable. But there can be no doubt: the planet
breathes easier thanks to the countless efciencies he pioneered.
Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh spent much of their lives promoting an
essential balance between developing technologies and the preservation of the
natural environment. They would be pleased to know the Lindbergh Foundation and
its Aviation Green Alliance are working to promote technological advances that ease
aviations environmental footprint. Join our alliance, Aviation Green, and connect
with the growing number of leading individuals, companies and organizations
working together for the future of aviationand all of humanity.
Creative by Greteman Group
Ad space donated by Flight International
www.Aviat io n G re e n.c om
The destination for

the aircraft interiors
industry
Aircraft Interiors Expo 2013
9-11 April 2013, Hamburg Messe, Germany
Aircraft Interiors Expo is the unrivalled launch
pad for tomorrows designs in cabin interiors,
in-ight entertainment, connectivity and
passenger services.
Register your interest to attend at

www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com/ightint
Co-located with:
World Travel Catering

& Onboard Services
9 11 April 2013
Hamburg Messe , Germany
Organised by:
In association with:
COMMENT
The year that wasnt
For all its dramas, 2012 came and went without the biggest questions in aerospace being
answered. It might be the same story for 2013 but expect a reckoning soon afterwards
ASA raised our Curiosity on Mars. Airbus planted

its ag in Alabama. A Superjet was lost in Indonesia. Richard Branson shook hands with Richard Anderson. Two Chinese-built capsules docked together
in space. The world bid farewell to Moon walker
Neil Armstrong.
That was the year 2012 in the aerospace industry.
For some, 12 months proved not nearly long enough.
US politicians managed to pull off an election, but at
the time of writing had failed to pass a budget for the
scal year that began nearly three months ago. Bombardier set a countdown for the rst ight of the CSeries,
but the clock ran out. Sales of light business jets would
surely recover by the fourth quarter; they didnt.
On the other hand, it was a good year for commercial
airliners in production. After so many years of embarrassing delays moving the A380, A400M and 787 out of
the development phase, Airbus and Boeing polished
the stain off their reputations by skillfully executing
production rate increases while continuing to pad historically large order backlogs.
Next year offers little hope of

clarity, but 2014 is set to be
full of surprises good and bad
But it was a bad year for some commercial airliners
still on the drawing boards. Boeing knocked the 777X off
the fast-track to authority to offer, while Airbus stumbled
over building the wing for the rst A350 XWB.
Certain types of deals were harder to make than ever.
The US military neglected to add a new aircraft type to
its inventory in 2012, a rare feat. Brazil, India, South
Rex Features
Change resistors
Korea and the United Arab Emirates said they would,

but were unable to buy new ghters. Germany was
asked to approve a merger between EADS and BAE
Systems, but blew it up instead.
Meanwhile, others were just trying to keep it together like the international partnership crumbling
around the Lockheed Martin F-35. Hawker Beechcraft
didnt quite succeed, winding down its jet division
in bankruptcy.
On balance, however, the industry that enters 2013
is the same as the industry that passed into 2012, with
many of the biggest questions left unanswered. What is
Boeings 777 strategy? Which new narrowbody engine
do airlines prefer? Can the F-35 survive a domestic
spending crisis and a drop in international condence?
How will European industry consolidate?
Alas, the next 12 months offer little hope of clarity,
but mark the diary: 2014 already looks set to be a year
of reckoning in the aerospace industry, full of surprises
bad and good. O
See Review of the Year P26
High hopes dashed over the Pacific

W
Keep tabs on UAV makers

efforts to respond to the
demands of future operating
theatres via our UAVs channel:
ightglobal.com/uav
flightglobal.com
hen new battleeld technologies emerge, no one

wants to be remembered for having failed to grasp
potential applications. Such was the fate of French
strategist Ferdinand Foch, who in 1911 said: Airplanes are interesting toys, but of no military value.
Royal Navy history offers another cautionary example. In December 1941, battleship HMS Prince of Wales
and battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by Imperial
Japanese Navy Betty bombers. Admiral Sir Thomas
Phillips, failing to grasp the potential of airpower, led
Task Force Z to disaster while trying to intercept the
Japanese eet north of Malaya without ghter cover.
However, sometimes a technology may fall short of
its touted benets. When unmanned air vehicles rst
started striking at terrorist targets and protecting troops

via battleeld surveillance, many hailed them as an inexpensive, expendable replacement for manned combat
aircraft. But while UAVs proved effective in permissive
threat environments over Iraq and Afghanistan, the
USA is shifting its gaze to the Pacic, where the slowmoving machines are considered vulnerable. And,
ironically, UAVs require more personnel than manned
aircraft. They are neither inexpensive, nor expendable.
In time, unmanned aircraft may prove able complements to manned combat aircraft but with present
technology, they are not the panacea many assumed
them to be a decade ago. O
See News Focus P18
THIS WEEK
For a round-up of our latest online news,

feature and multimedia content visit
ightglobal.com/wotw
BRIEFING
AIRLINES Delta Air Lines is to acquire Singapore Airlines 49%
share in UK operator Virgin Atlantic for $360 million, less than half
the 600 million ($965 million) figure paid by SIA. The acquisition
includes the formation of a broader transatlantic agreement, comprising a metal-neutral joint venture with the carriers sharing costs
and revenues. Virgin chairman Richard Branson will retain his 51%
shareholding in the UK airline. The acquisition and joint venture will
be completed by the end of 2013, Delta says. The tie-up will provide
a combined transatlantic network covering 31 services between the
UK and North America, the majority serving London Heathrow.
Airbus
DELTA AIMS FOR VIRGIN REBIRTH
Deliveries of AirAsias 264 A320neos will begin in 2016
UPGRADED MIG-29S ARRIVE IN INDIA
DEVELOPMENT DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW BROUGHTON
SOUTH AFRICAN DAKOTA CRASH KILLS 11
Possible fuselage modification is under consideration by the

airframer to raise the variants capacity to 235 passengers
DELIVERY Russias RAC MiG has delivered the first three of an

eventual 69 upgraded MiG-29UPG fighters to India, as part of a
$900 million contract. A further three air force aircraft are being
modernised in Russia, with the remainder to have new radar and
modern avionics equipment fitted by Hindustan Aeronautics.
ACCIDENT South Africas air force is investigating the cause of a

Douglas DC-3 Dakota crash, which killed 11 service personnel. The
almost 70-year-old transport came down in the Giant Castle area of
the Drakensberg mountain range in severe weather conditions
while flying between Waterkloof air force base near Pretoria and
Mthatha airport in the Eastern Cape Province on 5 December.
CHINA TO GET SPECIAL MISSION CRJ700 FLEET
ORDER Bombardier has sold seven CRJ700 aircraft to an undisclosed Chinese customer for $330 million, with the sum including ancillary services. The Canadian airframer has provided no
details about what the type will be used for, or how it will be
equipped, but refers to them as special mission aircraft.
ATR BOLSTERS BACKLOG WITH PAIR OF DEALS
PURCHASES Turboprop manufacturer ATR has bolstered its order

book with a pair of commitments for its ATR 72-600 model.
Singapore-based lessor Avation has exercised options for four
ATR 72-600s, to be handed over during 2013 and 2014. The leasing
company has also exercised purchase rights for an additional three
72-600s, which are scheduled to arrive in 2014. Meanwhile, Latin
American airline group AviancaTaca has ordered 15 ATR 72-600s,
with options for a further 15, in a deal valued at almost $700 million.
Deliveries will begin in June 2013, says the Star Alliance carrier.
BOEING X-37B BEGINS SECOND TEST FLIGHT
SPACEFLIGHT A US Air Force Boeing X-37B reuseable space plane

was successfully placed into low-Earth orbit on 11 December, following its launch on board a United Launch Alliance Saturn V rocket
from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The unmanned vehicle, one of two examples built, is on its second flight
according to Boeing. The second mission for OTV-1 [Orbital Test
Vehicle-1] demonstrates the vehicle is capable of multiple missions
and affordable access to space, says Paul Rusnock, vice-president
of Boeing government space systems. The US Air Force has flown
the X-37B twice before for extended periods of time, but the service
has not revealed the nature of the spacecrafts missions. A second
vehicle, OTV-2, set a record for a reusable space vehicle in June of
this year when it completed a 469-day mission.
Airbus plans more

seats on A321neo
A
irbus is examining a possible

A321 fuselage modication
that would aim to increase the
passenger capacity of the
A321neo. The modication
would potentially take the
A321neo to 235 seats.
Exit limitations mean the A321
is certicated, under European
regulations, to transport a maximum of 220 passengers. But Airbus executive vice-president for
programmes Tom Williams says a
higher-capacity version is one of
the things were studying.
A321s have eight exits, four forward of the wing and four aft. The
modication would involve adding another pair of doors, in the
form of an overwing exit, and moving the position of the third pair.
Williams says the A321neo
would be the target for the proposed changes, which would
allow a 235-seat conguration
without a change in seat design.
Airbus has sought to increase
the seating on the A320 family by
redesigning the galley area to use
space more efciently, but total
seating has remained constrained
by exit limits.
Williams would not indicate
whether the study was being conducted for a specic customer.
But AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes, while conrming a new
order for 64 A320neo and 36 reg-
ular A320s at Airbuss Broughton

facility in the UK, said the carrier
was looking at how to get more
seats into the aircraft.
The carriers A320s are tted
with 180 seats, the maximum
number permissible.
AirAsia opted to stay with the
A320, having considered a proposed high-density Bombardier
CSeries, which would have been
congured with 160 seats.
Exit limitations mean

the A321 is
certicated... to
transport a maximum
of 220 passengers
As part of its new order, AirAsia
is taking options on 50 A321neos
as well as 50 more A320neos. AirAsia will take delivery of its latest
36 A320s up to 2016 including
22 in 2015 alone while its extra
64 A320neos will arrive between
2017 and 2021. It already has 200
A320neos on order, which will be
delivered during 2016-26.
The carrier will make an engine decision on the latest order
in January. O
Read Flightglobals update on
the A320neo programme at:
ightglobal.com/a320neo
flightglobal.com
THIS WEEK
Complex avionics
delay EC175 debut
THIS WEEK P10
PROCUREMENT DAVE MAJUMDAR WASHINGTON DC
Rolls-Royce
Sikorsky left as sole bidder

for USAF rescue helicopter
Evaluation criteria accused of creating price shootout deterring rivals from competing
ikorsky appears to be the
only potential contractor
willing to bid for the US Air
Forces combat rescue helicopter
(CRH) requirement.
Sikorsky intends to continue
with its proposal to offer the air
force a proven, affordable combat rescue helicopter system to
perform the critical mission of
saving warghters lives, the
company says.
The company is likely to bid a
modied variant of its MH-60
Black Hawk special operations
aircraft for the USAF tender. It is
already building Black Hawks as
part of the services operational
loss replacement effort to shore
up an existing eet of HH-60G
Pave Hawks a type that will be
replaced by the CRH.
For a time, the USAF had considered placing a sole-source contract with Sikorsky, before eventually bowing to pressure from
rivals to hold a full contest.
That now seems meaningless,
as every other potential contender for the USAF contract, which
is capped at $6.84 billion, has
decided not to bid for the programme. Many of the contractors
dropped out because of the evaluation criteria for the bids,
which, says Dan Goure, an
analyst at the Lexington Institute, essentially makes this a

price shootout.
Northrop Grumman, which
had partnered with Europes
AgustaWestland, planned to offer
a modied version of the latters
AW101 for the requirement. But
the pair have now backed away
from bidding. Weve reached
this conclusion based on an extensive evaluation of customer
requirements under the current
RFP, says Northrop.
Boeing, which had won the
original combat search and rescue (CSAR-X) contract in 2006
with its CH-47 Chinook, is also
dropping out. While both the
Boeing H-47 Chinook and the
CRH will replace the services HH-60 Pave Hawks
Disappointed Al Baker berates Boeing

atar Airways chief executive
Akbar Al Baker has vented
his frustration about more technical problems blighting his
Boeing 787s after the airlines
third aircraft suffered an electrical issue on its 9 December delivery ight and had to be
grounded for repairs.
The carrier, which operated its
inaugural long-haul 787 service
on 13 December from its Doha
base to London Heathrow, has
flightglobal.com
PROPULSION
DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Blade-out testing
marks key point
for A350 engine
Follow Flightglobals take on the

global defence industry, go to:
ightglobal.com/dewline
DELIVERY MAX KINGSLEY-JONES LONDON
The upgraded Trent 1000
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey have

well-documented successes conducting search and rescue missions, neither aircraft is competitive for this programme as it is
currently structured, it says.
Bell Helicopter and EADS
North America have also ruled
themselves out of the contest.
The USAF says that it is
committed to an open and transparent process in selecting a new
helicopter. To ensure this occurs,
we are prohibited from releasing
information while in the request
for proposal and selection processes, the service says. O
US Air Force
received three 787s and it is due

to receive two more before the
year-end.
Speaking at Heathrow following the ight from Doha, Al
Baker described his frustration
about the latest problem and
warned Boeing that it had to
raise its game.
Unfortunately our third 787
has the same [generator control
unit] problem that diverted a
United 787, he said. Fortunate-
ly it was on a delivery ight, but

the aircraft is grounded and I am
very disappointed with Boeing.
They have to get their act together
very fast because we will not accept any more defects with our
aeroplanes because we have waited too long for them.
Qatar is due to receive ve
more 787s during 2013 and will
gradually introduce the type
across its network as the eet
expands. O
olls-Royce is examining the

resulting data after performing the crucial blade-off test for
the Trent XWB powerplant, the
engine that will power the Airbus A350 aircraft family.
Blade-off testing is designed to
prove that the powerplant will
withstand the loss of a high-energy fan blade by containing any
debris, preventing damage to the
wing or other aircraft structures.
Performed on 29 November, it
marks a major milestone towards engine certication, says
the manufacturer.
The test was awlessly executed and the results gathered so
far are very encouraging, although
it will take some weeks to analyse
all data, R-R adds.
Airbus has been using an
A380 testbed to conduct airborne
trials with the Trent XWB. The
rst ying prototype of the A350,
a -900 variant, was recently
rolled from the nal assembly
line to a testing facility where it
awaits engine installation.
Separately, R-R has own the
demonstrator engine for the Boeing 787-9, a higher-thrust version
of its Trent 1000 powerplant.
The manufacturer says it conducted the initial ight with a
Boeing 747-200 testbed in Tucson, Arizona.
It has also completed a 150h
endurance test at the manufacturers UK facility in Derby, as
well as over-temperature trials.
R-R is upgrading the Trent
1000 for the 787-9. The engine
will deliver 74,000lb (329kN) and
feature a new turbine case cooling system. O
THIS WEEK

feature and multimedia content visit
ightglobal.com/wotw
COMBAT AIRCRAFT ELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE
Super Hornets may ease

Canberras F-35 worries
ustralia has sent a letter of request (LOR) to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency seeking information on costs
and availability for a possible
purchase of 24 additional Boeing
F/A-18F Super Hornets.
According to a joint statement
from Australias defence minister
Stephen Smith and defence materiel minister Jason Clare, the LOR is
the latest step in a process assessing the nations air combat capability options in the light of delays to
the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint
Strike Fighter and the retirement of
the Royal Australian Air Forces 71
F/A-18A/B Hornets.
The sending of this LOR does
not commit Australia to purchase
more Super Hornets, it says. It is
being sent so that the Australian
government can consider all
options in 2013 with the latest cost

and availability information.
The timing of any decision indicates that this may be left for a new
government, with elections due in
2013. In May, Smith announced
that Canberra was pushing back the
acquisition of an initial 12 F-35As
until 2014-2015 to reduce costs,
adding that it would launch a transition plan to assess options to ensure
that a gap does not emerge in the
RAAFs air combat capability.
Australia received its 24 Super
Hornets between March 2010 and
October 2011. The aircraft were acquired by the previous government
to cover the gap between the retirement of the General Dynamics
F-111 eet and the introduction of
the F-35A. It may eventually acquire as many as 100 of Lockheeds
new stealthy ghters. O
Eurocopter
The first serially produced aircraft has flown its maiden sortie
ROTORCRAFT DOMINIC PERRY LONDON
Complex avionics
delay EC175 debut
Certification for in-development helicopter is deferred by six
months as Eurocopter attempts to achieve system maturity
A400M hits key test milestone E

A
AIRLIFTER CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
ying twice a day, Airbus Military

says. A further six days were used
to perform routine maintenance.
Completing the F&R process
was a key requirement as the company works towards securing full
civil type certication from the European Aviation Safety Agency and
initial operating capability clearance from a committee appointed
by the continents OCCAR defence
procurement body. Both milestones are being targeted for during
the rst quarter of 2013. The rm
plans to deliver its rst production
Atlas, MSN7, to the French air
force by the end of June. O
Airbus Military
irbus Military has completed

its critical function and reliability (F&R) test activity using A400M
development aircraft Grizzly 5,
during which the productionstandard transport was own for
an average of 15h per day.
Originally launched in early
June but halted for several
months because of a now-resolved fault with Europrop Internationals TP400-D6 turboprop
engine, the F&R process accumulated a total of 300 ying hours.
Resuming in early November,
the work took 26 days and 52
ights to complete, with Grizzly 5
The F&R test process accumulated a total of 300 flying hours

urocopter has pushed back certication of its in-development

EC175 medium twin by six months
to summer 2013, after it found the
approval process for the types inhouse Helionix avionics suite to be
more demanding and complex
than initially envisioned.
Announced on 12 December,
the deferral of the approval process until mid-2013 means entryinto-service is now pegged for
September next year. Certication was previously planned for
late 2012, with rst delivery following in the initial quarter
of 2013.
The airframer says the certication process for the proprietary
Helionix avionics system to be
deployed on the EC175 has been
far more demanding and complex than for previous legacy avionics systems.
Although Eurocopter has tested the system both on ground rigs
and its ight-test aircraft, it has
decided to expand its validation
efforts. As a result of these tests
it was decided to add two full
software versions to ensure system maturity at delivery, adding
several additional months to the
certication schedule, it says.

Eurocopter says the avionics
system on the EC175 is the rst to
be used by a rotorcraft that will be
certicated to standards previously seen only on the Airbus A380.
The two ying prototypes of
the Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6C-67E-powered type have so
far accumulated a total of 500h
and are now progressing with endurance trials.
Additionally, the airframer
performed the maiden sortie, lasting 40min, of the rst serially
produced EC175 from its Marignane production facility in the
south of France during the week
of 3 December.
Eurocopter has also revealed
increased performance for the aircraft, raising its recommended
cruise speed to 150kt (278km/h),
an increase of 10kt over the previous gure without affecting payload range.
The EC175 has accumulated
almost 80 orders and commitments according to Flightglobals
Ascend Online database. O
Keep up to date with the latest
news from the rotorcraft sector:
ightglobal.com/helicopters
flightglobal.com
THIS WEEK
A340 pilots
used wrong
runway chart
AIR TRANSPORT P12

ENVIRONMENT MICHAEL GUBISCH LONDON
Boeing outlines green test campaign

Seattle will trial a number of technologies on a Dreamliner in late 2013, including ceramic matrix engine components
oeings plans for annual testight programmes to evaluate environmental technologies
will examine three or four developments using a 787 in late 2013.
The airframer will nalise
which technologies will be employed early next year, but the
campaign will certainly include a
hot-section nozzle made of ceramic matrix composites in the
aircrafts Rolls-Royce Trent 1000
engines, for which ground testing
is already under way.
Boeing also wants to evaluate
doors and hatches made of recycled carbonbre. While this will
not involve passenger entry
doors, says director of environmental performance Jeanne Yu,
the teams aim to test components
for both pressurised and unpressurised parts of the aircraft.
Under a programme, funded
by the US Federal Aviation Administration and bearing the
somewhat contrived moniker
Continuous Lower Emissions,
Energy and Noise (CLEEN), the
airframer plans to follow these
tests with advanced wing trials in
2014-2015 while optimised
power systems which could involve fuel cells and new engineairframe integration concepts are
on the agenda for 2016-2017.
Boeing designated an American Airlines 737-800 as the rst
ecoDemonstrator platform earlier this year.
Boeing
American Airlines provided a 737-800 for use as a flying testbed

Technologies included an onboard fuel cell, variable-area fan
nozzle on one engine, adjustable
trailing-edge outboard of the
ailerons, and navigation equipment for more efcient air trafc management.
The fuel cell, supplied by Japans IHI Aerospace, was a
closed-loop system, which breaks
down water into oxygen and hy-
drogen, using energy from the

engines, to provide additional
electricity when excess power is
needed if, for example, all galleys are in use.
Its objective is not to provide
surplus electricity independently
from the engines, which would
require fuelling with hydrogen
before departure, but to employ
regenerative fuel cells for better
onboard energy management,

says Yu. Fuel cells could allow
the engines to be optimised to
avoid catering for non-critical
power consumption, she adds,
but reducing the size and weight
of cells is a challenge.
The variable-area fan nozzle
mainly aims to cut noise. Located
on the back of the nacelle, it expands the fan exit area by about
10% for take-off to slow the airstream while increasing mass
ow. At altitude, the diameter reduces for cruise efciency.
While a key purpose of the
adaptive trailing edge a 1.8m
(6ft) control tab outside the ailerons, which can be lowered by 60
is to validate simpler actuation
devices, the team also evaluated
lower noise resulting from higher
lift capability and the tabs wider
impact on ow elds. N
RECYCLING
Airframer taps auto giant BMW for carbonbre know-how

Boeing is to partner with automotive firm BMW to jointly develop
methods of recycling carbonfibre
structures.
Both companies have signed a
collaboration agreement covering
joint research on carbonfibre recycling as well as sharing material and
manufacturing know-how.
The Munich-based company
plans to introduce two clean-sheet
vehicles in 2013 the electricallypowered compact i3 model and

hybrid sports car i8 both of which
will feature carbonfibre structures.
BMW will produce composite
components for the two cars at its
US plant in Moses Lake, 140mi
(250km) east of Seattle.
However, the final assembly will
take place at its site in Leipzig,
Germany.
Planning the end-use of carbonfibre products is especially important, says Larry Schneider,
vice-president of product development at Boeings commercial aircraft
division. We want to look at ways to
reclaim and reuse those materials
to make new products.
Boeing also wants to benefit from
BMWs experience in serial carbonfibre part fabrication. N
PROCUREMENT CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
UK MoD waits until 2015 to place flight-training contract

T
he UK Ministry of Defence is
expected to place a contract for
the remainder of its Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme during 2015, with industry partner Ascent Flight Training
having issued a request for proposals for the requirement.
The new capability will deliver assets for use in elementary,
basic, multi-engine and xedwing rear crew training for the
flightglobal.com
Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and

Army Air Corps, Ascent said in
a notication published on 10
December. The MoDs partner for
the MFTS programme adds that it
will manage the procurement
process to contract a holistic
training service, including the
new aircraft, in 2015.
Potential bidders have been
given up to 90 days to respond to
the document, with Ascent seek-
ing an output-based specication that includes supplying

aircraft, aircraft-related infrastructure and support to 2030
and beyond.
In a statement, Ascent managing director Jim Keeler says: We
are seeking to increase the use of
synthetic training technology
while continuing to train key
tasks via live ying to ensure best
value for money.
A 50:50 joint venture between

Lockheed Martin and Babcock
International, Ascent has already overseen the introduction
of 28 BAE Systems Hawk T2 advanced jet trainers. These are
operated by the RAFs 4 Sqn
from the services Valley base on
Anglesey. N
Follow Stephen Trimbles take
on all the US defence news at
AIR TRANSPORT
Check out our collection of online dynamic

aircraft profiles for the latest news, images
and information on civil and military
programmes at ightglobal.com/proles
SAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Eritrean airline ban centres on certification fears

C
oncern over certication

processes led to the blanket
ban on Eritrean operators during
the latest revision of the European Commissions airline blacklist.
Eritreas civil aviation authority,
ER-CAA, had told the Commission it had yet to resolve a safety
concern over the certication
process leading to the issuance of
an air operators certicate.
This had been one of three signicant problems alongside airworthiness and air navigation
originally highlighted during an
ICAO audit in November 2010.
The ER-CAA did not submit
any information regarding corrective actions to address the certi-
cation issue, nor any information

on operational oversight of Eritrean carriers, states formal documentation accompanying the
Commissions blacklist revision.
Having declined to attend
previous consultation meetings
to clarify the situation, it adds,
the ER-CAA gave a presentation
to the European air safety committee on 21 November.
While the ER-CAA told the
committee it considered the certication issue addressed, this did
not convince the committees representatives. In view of the air
safety committee they failed to
adequately demonstrate they had
taken comprehensive action to
The EC says Eritrean

authorities are not
yet able to enforce
safety standards on
the countrys airlines
address all aspects of the signicant safety concern, the documentation states.
They were also unable to provide clarity on the oversight arrangements associated with the
aircraft listed on AOCs issued by
Eritrea which include wet-leased
aircraft from foreign air carriers.
It says, as a consequence, these
aircraft are listed on several AOCs,

which does not comply with international safety standards.
Eritrean Airlines told the committee it operates two Airbus
A320s on services to Rome under
a wet-lease arrangement. But the
carrier did not satisfy the committees demand for clarity on oversight and control of its operations.
While the Commission acknowledges the efforts to address
Eritreas safety deciencies, it says
the Eritrean authorities are not yet
able to enforce safety standards on
the countrys airlines. O
Keep up to date with aviation
safety at our dedicated channel:
ightglobal.com/safety
INVESTIGATION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
A340 pilots used wrong runway chart
nvestigations into an unusual

departure by a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340-300 at London
Heathrow have again underlined
concerns over take-off performance calculations.
The departure generated consternation after the aircraft was
photographed climbing out of the
airport at a relatively low height
on 5 February.
Its crew had expected a fulllength take-off, but instead accepted an invitation to depart from the
SB7 intersection about 3,000ft
(915m) along runway 09R.
The pilots did not, however,
have a regulated take-off weight
chart for the intersection departure, so the captain used a different airport chart with a similar
runway length.
Data derived from a chart
for a different runway may not be
correct because obstacles affecting the runway in use are not considered, says the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
Although the crew discussed a
full-thrust take-off they opted instead for a exible take-off, a procedure that enables using only
the necessary thrust to become

airborne. The calculation involves assuming a higher air temperature the exible temperature as a limiting element.
The crew calculated the takeoff speeds and exible temperature and entered the data into the
A340s multifunction control and
display unit. But this data was
not separately recorded, and the
inquiry was unable to verify the
performance calculation.
SriLankans pilots have an alternative if specic take-off charts
are not available. They can use
quick-reference tables to determine take-off performance. But
the AAIB points out that these
would have required the pilots to
conduct a full-thrust take-off because of the obstacles on the runway 09R departure path.
Although the exible temperature used was not recorded the
captain recalled low to mid-30s
the inquiry found the maximum
to be 38C.
It determined that the take-off
run required for the jet was
2,268m. The distance available
was 2,854m and the A340 be-
flcriminal gallery on flightglobal.com/AirSpace
SriLankan Airlines aircraft was captured departing London Heathrow airport at a relatively low height after slow take-off
SriLankan has issued revised procedures to its pilots

came airborne after some
2,650m. A relief captain, who
was present in the cockpit during take-off, had noticed the acceleration was slow and suggested applying full thrust, but
neither of the operating pilots
claimed to have heard this.
While the investigators state
that it is probable that the exible thrust used was sufcient, the
method used by the crew to obtain the performance data was
not in accordance with the airline training.
Flight-data recorder information was overwritten before it
could be analysed. However, the

AAIB points out that the take-off
data would not have been recorded anyway, and is recommending that such information
be retained.
Completeness of the investigation was restricted by the lack
of this essential data, it says.
This problem could apply to
any future investigation where
the calculated take-off data may
be of interest.
SriLankan Airlines, it adds,
has told its pilots that take-off
must not commence without relevant data. O
flightglobal.com
AIR TRANSPORT
Details emerge of
A330 jammed-vane
incident
AIR TRANSPORT P14
CONFIGURATION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Class war as BA pushes up premiums

UK carrier takes bolder stance than European rivals on A380 with among the lowest number of economy seats in market
ritish Airways conguration
for its Airbus A380s illustrates a heavy weighting towards
premium passengers, with almost
the lowest levels of economy seating selected by operators of the
type. Its double-deck aircraft will
have a four-class layout with 469
seats, comprising 212 on the
upper deck and 257 on the lower.
The A380s will have 14 rstclass seats and 44 business-class
seats on the main deck, plus 199
seats in the economy cabin, while
the upper deck will have 53 business-class, 55 premium-economy
and 104 economy seats.
This will result in only 303
economy-class seats in the A380,
only two more than Korean Air,
which has the lowest gure for
economy accommodation.
However, BAs combined rstand business-class sections will
have 111 seats, higher than any
current operator and second only
to the 114 indicated by Japans
Skymark Airlines whose premium section will not have a
rst-class cabin. Weve really
thought hard about it, says BA.
Weve made sure we t a spread
of seats over various cabins that
we know were going to be able to
ll. We dont want to be in the
position of removing seats. Its a
Airbus
BAs combined first- and business-class sections will have 111 seats, higher than any current operator
very expensive job that takes a lot
of downtime.
BAs emphasis on the premium
cabin of the A380 is bolder than
that of European competitors Air
France and Lufthansa, but both
have opted to shift their A380 conguration balance towards the
higher end of the fare spectrum.
Air France has carved out a 38seat premium-economy section
from the economy cabin, reducing the overall A380 capacity
from 538 seats to 516.
Lufthansa, which has 106 seats
in rst and business, also intends
to upgrade economy seats as part
of its planned introduction of
premium-economy across its
long-haul eet. It has yet to con-
A380 SEATING CONFIGURATIONS

Customer
Air France (1)

Air France (2)
British Airways
China Southern
Emirates (1)
Emirates (2)
Korean Air
Lufthansa
Malaysia Airlines
Qantas (1)
Qantas (2)
Singapore Airlines (1)
Singapore Airlines (2)
Skymark Airlines
Thai Airways
First
Business
Premium
economy
Economy
Total
9
9
14
8
14
14
12
8
8
14
14
12
12
12
80
80
97
70
76
76
94
98
66
72
64
60
86
114
60
38
55
32
35
280
-
449
389
303
428
399
427
301
420
420
332
371
399
311
435
538
516
469
506
489
517
407
526
494
450
484
471
409
394
507
NOTES: Other preliminary configurations include Air Austral (about 840), Qatar Airways (517),
Transaero (about 700). SOURCE: Customer data
flightglobal.com
rm the effect on the layout of its

A380s, which have 526 seats, but
insists the premium cabin capacity will not be reduced. BAs A380
conguration will already include a 55-seat premium-economy cabin on the upper deck.
THREE CLASSES
Asian carriers have typically
opted to retain a three-class layout.
Singapore Airlines recongured
its later A380s but skipped premium-economy in favour of increasing the business-class cabin. It has
tted 26 additional business-class
seats, taking the types overall seating down from 471 to 409.
This low-density conguration
is similar to that on Korean Airs
407-seat A380s, which accommodate only 301 economy passengers. The other 106 seats are given
over to premium cabins, with no
premium-economy section.
Malaysia Airlines had considered a premium-economy section
but opted instead for greater business-class capacity. Earlier this
year, the carrier indicated it
thought selling a business-class
cabin would be easier. Thai Airways and China Southern Airlines, among newer operators of
the type, have also chosen to t a
three-class conguration. Koreas
Asiana Airlines has yet to disclose its A380 seating plans.
Qantas stands alone in having
reduced the premium offering on
its A380s, cutting back the business-class cabin by eight seats to
t nearly 40 more economy seats.

Emirates tted additional
economy seats to some A380s,
without cutting the premium
cabin, as it lled space made
available by removal of a crew
rest area. This took capacity to
517 seats the same gure cited
by Qatar Airways for its A380
eet. Qatar Airways has given
few other details of its intended
conguration, beyond suggesting
a 42-seat business cabin. Emirates A380s have 76 businessclass and 14 rst-class seats.
BA will introduce its rst A380
in July, with two more delivered
in August and October. It will
also take delivery of its rst Boeing 787-8 in May, and revealed it
will t 214 seats in the twinjet.
There will be no rst-class
cabin in the 787-8s, but the type
will feature a three-class layout
with 35 business seats, 25 premium-economy and 154 economy
seats. Four 787s will be delivered
to the carrier next year.
Twelve A380s are on order for
the airline as well as 24 787s, of
which eight will be -8s. BA has
yet to disclose the planned layout
of the 16 larger 787-9s. They
could have three- or four-cabin
congurations, it says. BA has
yet to identify the routes on
which the jets will be deployed.
The initial destinations will be
unveiled in spring 2013. O
For in-depth coverage of carriers
throughout the world, go to
ightglobal.com/airlines
AIR TRANSPORT
Check out our collection of online dynamic

aircraft profiles for the latest news, images
and information on civil and military
programmes at ightglobal.com/proles
SAFETY DAVID LEARMOUNT LONDON
A330s jammed-vane details emerge

M
ore detail has emerged

about the nature of the
event that sparked the European
Aviation Safety Agency to issue
an emergency airworthiness directive requiring airlines to prepare their Airbus A330 and A340
pilots to cope with the effects of
stuck angle-of-attack vanes.
As an A330 was climbing
through FL113 (11,300ft, 3,500m)
at about 250kt (463km/h) indicated airspeed, with the outside
air temperature at -12C (10F),
the angle-of-attack vanes became
stuck at an indication of 5.
Airbus says it has yet to determine whether this was icingrelated or some other fault, but
the former appears likely because
the unit, manufactured by
Goodrich, became unstuck during
the descent.
The pilots had no direct indication of the stuck vanes and continued to climb toward cruise altitude. But at FL310, as the Mach
number increased, the effect of the
stuck vanes showed itself through
the activation of the alpha prot
stall-protection system, which
pitched the nose down. Effectively, the combination of high Mach
number and a falsely indicated 5

angle of attack misled the A330s
ight-control system into concluding the aircraft was approaching a high-altitude stall, so
it took automatic action to reduce
the angle of attack.
At all times during the ight,
says Airbus, the indicated airspeed was reading correctly, but
the stall-protection system depends on angle-of-attack readings.
The crew levelled the aircraft
and turned off all three air data reference units. This action took the
aircraft out of normal ight law
into alternate, which de-activated
the stall-protection system. The
pilots then reviewed the situation
and decided to divert. During descent, Airbus notes, the angle-ofattack vanes became operational.
When the event occurred, Airbus notied its customers, via an
all operators telex, as well as
EASA under the mandatory occurrence reporting system. However, there has been no call for a
formal incident investigation.
After consultation with Airbus,
EASA issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring airlines to amend A330 and A340
Airbus
Airbus reviews resistance of sensors to icing after incident which led to urgent drafting of emergency countermeasures
No other instance of the problem has been noted by the airframer

ight manuals to include a drill for
pilots to adopt if this situation occurs. This procedure largely reects the actions of the incident
crew: level out taking account of
safety altitude maintain the same
airspeed, and trip out two of the
three air data units to achieve alternate ight-control law and disengage the angle-of-attack protection.
Airbus has praised the A330
pilots systems knowledge and
airmanship. During the remainder of the ight to the diversion
airport, which was uneventful,
Airbus notes the pilots kept a

close eye on their attitude, power
and airspeed relationship, because neither the articial horizon nor the airspeed indicator
was affected by the angle-of-attack sensor problem.
Airbus says this is the only
known occurrence of this type,
but it is reviewing the design of
its heated sensors and their resistance to icing. O
David Learmount comments on
operational and safety issues at
ightglobal.com/learmount
MODIFICATION STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
Carriers instructed to t automatic 737 pitot heating to cut risk of ice problem
approved 10 months after proposing
the change. Carriers operating
737NGs will have 24 months to complete the changes, which the FAA estimates will cost $17,300 per aircraft
about $18 million fleet-wide. It increased this estimate after several
carriers complained the original figure

was too low. Seven carriers, including
Korean Air, Delta Air Lines, American
Airlines and Southwest Airlines, complained about the 24-month timeframe for compliance, but failed to
persuade the FAA to extend the period
Rob Edgcumbe Photography gallery on flightglobal.com/AirSpace
US airlines will be required to fit

modern-variant Boeing 737s with
automated air data sensor heating
systems under a new airworthiness
directive. The hardware change is
being initiated after three instances
in 2002-2003 of pilots failing to
manually activate air data sensor
heating systems on 737-800s.
Air data sensors, which include
pitot tubes, can provide incorrect or
misleading information to the pilots if
partially or fully blocked by ice. The
automated heating system will eliminate the risk of a loss of control if
the pilot neglects to manually activate
the 737s air data de-icing system.
More than 1,000 737s are affected by the directive, which the US
Federal Aviation Administration has
Delta and others pressed for more time to make the changes
to at least 30 months, despite arguments the timing of the rule will require modifications outside the heavy
maintenance cycle.
Cockpit crew representatives also
requested the proposal should include an alerting system for pilots. But
while the FAA agreed pilots should
receive a warning if the heating system does not automatically activate, it
rejects revising the directive because
the current instrument panel configuration would already provide an alert.
We have determined that the
existing flightcrew alerting for pitot
heat malfunctions provides adequate flightcrew alerting for pitot
heat malfunctions whether the
system is manually or automatically
activated, it adds. O
flightglobal.com
AIR TRANSPORT
Oslo threatens
NH90 order
cancellation
DEFENCE P16
PROPULSION STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
CSeries powerplant certification slides into 2013

C
ertication for the Pratt &

Whitney PW1524G geared
turbofan is set for early 2013.
The engine manufacturers updated timing indicates a delay
from December certication for
the engine that both powers the
Bombardier CSeries aircraft family and ushers in P&Ws new class
of turbofans, featuring fuel-saving
reduction gears between the low-
pressure turbine and inlet fan.

We are very close to PW1500G
certication, P&W says. We are
nishing up the last few remaining tests over the coming weeks
and we expect certication early
next year.
The PW1524G entered ight
tests in January and by mid-year
had accumulated 200h on a Boeing 747 testbed and about 1,000h
of further testing on the ground.

Engine certication was originally timed for late 2012 to support Bombardiers plan to complete rst ight of the CSeries
before 2013 but this was pushed
back in November.
Bombardier executives noted
the timing of engine certication
was a factor in the decision. But
P&W said in November that certi-
APPROVAL TOM ZAITSEV OTTAWA
Russian authorities appear close to clearing CRJ900

Russian authorities indicate
Bombardier is nearing long-sought
type certification from the state for
its CRJ900 regional jet.
Absence of domestic certification
for the twinjet obstructed a plan by
Tatarstan Airlines, in 2007, to acquire six of the type. The CRJ900 is
a potential competitor to the Sukhoi
Superjet 100. But speaking at an
aerospace industry event in Ottawa,
Russian deputy minister of economic development Dmitry Sazhin said:

Im glad to inform that the process
of the CRJ900 certification is nearing successful completion.
He adds that CIS airworthiness
authority ARMAK has resolved the
remaining issues after the airframer
submitted all of the required materials pertaining to the approval procedure. We may expect it to finalise
before 2013, he says, pointing out

that ARMAK has already awarded a
type certificate for the Bombardier
Q400, while Russian maintenance
specialist Tulpar Technik has gained
approval to provide technical support
for Bombardiers entire product line.
About 100 smaller Bombardier
jets, including CRJ200s and business jets, are in service with several
Russian carriers. O
cation of the powerplant remained on track for December.

The PW1524G is the rst in a
series of four new models featuring the geared drive system, including the PW1100G for the Airbus A320neo, PW1200G for the
Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the
PW1400G for the Irkut MS-21.
P&W planned to certicate the
PW1200G rst to support MRJ rst
ight in the second quarter of
2012, but that timetable was delayed more than a year.
In September, P&W said engine
certication for the PW1200G was
postponed from end-year 2012 to
mid-year 2013.
At the time, P&W said the delay
to the MRJ engine certication was
necessary so the company could
focus resources on completing engine certication for the CSeries
by December. O
Track development programmes
via our aircraft profiles at
ightglobal.com/aircraft
AIRFRAMES GREG WALDRON BENGALURU
Money worries delay Indian 70-seater

Unresolved issues relating to finance and partnership deals hold up launch of indigenous regional transport programme
inancing considerations are

continuing to delay the formal launch of Indias regional
transport aircraft programme.
National Aerospace Laboratories hoped to be granted clearance
to issue an expression of interest
before Indias scal year ends on
31 March 2013. But NAL acting
director Shyam Chetty believes
this is unlikely to happen until
after that date.
There are a lot of policy issues
that need to be ironed out to do
this, especially since it will involve a large amount of money,
says Chetty. It will take some
time before we get clearance.
NAL has held discussions with
domestic and international aerospace players on how to implement the programme.
Industry has said under what
conditions they would be willing
to participate, says Chetty.
flightglobal.com
Developers are leaning towards a flexible turboprop configuration

Weve taken all their input and
await government clearance to
release an expression of interest.
When this is released, we can get
formal inputs from industry and
start the programme.
Initially there was great reluctance from the government to enlist international partners to share
risks. But the large degree of in-
ternational content and participation on indigenous aircraft

projects such as the Comac C919,
Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the
Sukhoi Superjet 100 have highlighted the important role international collaboration can play.
The government is still grappling, however, with how to divide costs and share risks with
the private sector.

How do we nance a programme with large public sector
funding, but larger private sector
participation? asks Chetty. Its
not an easy job to get money into
this programme in a transparent
and acceptable manner for all.
While the regional aircraft is
envisaged as having 70-90 seats,
developers have yet to decide
whether it should be turbofan or
turboprop-powered. NAL leans
toward a turboprop, noting advances in technology and citing
the average 500nm (925km) sectors for which it is intended.
Turboprop designs would also
offer suitability for military operations, such as maritime patrol
for Indias coastguard, while
Chetty suggests a military variant
could have a rear ramp. NAL forecasts overall demand for up to
500 of the type in India. O
DEFENCE
RNZAF to seek
CT-4E, King Air
successors
ew Zealand is to issue a request for tender for a new

military pilot training capability,
to replace its Pacic Aerospace
CT-4E and Beechcraft King Air
B200 aircraft.
We have invested in a modern
generation of new and upgraded
aircraft and helicopters, says defence minister Jonathan Coleman.
The tools to develop the ying
standards of our trainee pilots are
also required. The tender being offered is to supply a new permanent pilot training capability including aircraft [leased or owned],
a simulator package, and a maintenance and support package.
The service lives of the Royal
New Zealand Air Forces 13
CT-4E primary trainers is due to
end in 2018, while a lease deal for
four King Air advanced trainers is
to expire in the same year. O
ROTORCRAFT DOMINIC PERRY OSLO
Oslo threatens order cancellation as

NH90 delays leave naval fleet short
O
slo has again warned NH Industries (NHI) that it must resolve Norwegian concerns over
the performance and capability of
the NH90 naval helicopter, or face
the cancellation of its order.
Deputy defence minister Erik
wre Thorshaug insists Oslo will
continue to hold [NHI] to account as delays to the programme have left it without helicopters deployed on some of the
Royal Norwegian Navys frigates
following the retirement of some
of its aged Westland Lynx.
Norway has a commitment for
14 NH90s dating from 2001. Deliveries should have been completed
in 2008, but it has so far received a
solitary aircraft, with a second due
to be handed over imminently.
We are focused on the product
thats delivered, says Thorshaug.
They should have the capabilities
that are in the contract and we will
Norwegian defence ministry
TRAINING
For free access to Flightglobals Defence

e-newsletter visit ightglobal.com/
defencenewsletter
Norway has received only one of the 14 NH90s it ordered in 2001

continue to be a customer that
holds the [manufacturer] responsible to deliver what is agreed. We
are focused that the NH90s we take
delivery of should meet the operational standards we want.
Although its contract with NHI
includes possible nancial penalties should the consortium fail to
meet targets, Thorshaug warns
that should be the least of its concerns. If they fail to deliver, what
is at stake is not nes or penalties

but the whole contract. They
need to deliver, and that has been
communicated to NH Industries.
We are talking about months in
that respect.
Norway has already indicated
a willingness to investigate alternatives to the NH90, with the
Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk the
most likely candidate. NHI was
unavailable for comment. O
STUDY STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
USAF weighs Jayhawk possibilities

Services Air Education and Training Command to also consider replacing Hawker 400 derivative, or buying very light jets
T-1A is young compared with the

air forces 50-year-old eet of more
than 450 Northrop T-38C Talons,
which serve as lead-in trainers for
ghter and bomber pilots.
However, the Jayhawk derives
from the commercial market,
where newer models offer greater
fuel efciency and lower maintenance cost.
US Air Force
he US Air Force has started

searching for options to upgrade or replace its 20-year-old
eet of about 178 Hawker Beechcraft T-1A Jayhawks, which are
used mostly as advanced training
jets for airlift and tanker pilots.
Assigned to the services Air
Education and Training Command
(AETC), the Hawker 400-derived
The service mostly uses T-1As to train its airlift and tanker pilots
The USAF wants to study options that include upgrades to

the current platform, acquiring a
replacement platform or other options not yet identied, the
AETC says.
Hawker Beechcraft and Nextant Aerospace have launched a
major upgrade programme for the
Hawker 400, which adds new engines, replacement avionics and
winglets. Nextant has already delivered the 400XT, while Hawker
Beechcrafts programme has been
delayed for nearly a year.
The AETC is also considering
acquiring very light jets as another
option to replace the T-1A. A market survey released in November
asks industry to provide data about
the performance and cost of jets in
the very light category weighing
below 4,540kg (10,000lb).
Market surveys are a very early
step in a process that sometimes

leads to a funded acquisition programme, but also signal the air
forces informal interest in making a eet change.
Its simply an attempt to discover what technology industry
has to offer that could save money
while maintaining our performance and capability standards for
training, the AETC says.
The T-1A eet study comes as
the command continues to pursue a requirement to replace its
T-38s by the end of the decade.
Candidates include the Alenia
Aermacchi M-346-derived T-100,
BAE Systems Hawk T2, a Boeing
clean-sheet design and the Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace
Industries T-50. O
Keep track of news from the
defence aviation sector at
ightglobal.com/defence
flightglobal.com
DEFENCE
UAVs irrelevant
over Pacific
NEWS FOCUS P18
TECHNOLOGY DAVE MAJUMDAR WASHINGTON DC
Washington to re
up future cruise
missile activities
F
United Aircraft
our manufacturers are to be

awarded sole-source contracts to develop technology for a
new Long Range Standoff (LRSO)
cruise missile programme for the
US Air Force. The deals will be
placed with Boeing, Lockheed
Martin, Northrop Grumman and
Raytheon. These rm xed-price
contracts will procure trade studies in support of the Long Range
Standoff programme in preparation for the technology development phase, a contract solicitation notice says. The government
intends to solicit, negotiate and
award to the contractors listed
above using other than full and
open competition procedures.
Responses to the tender are
sought by 20 December, with a
new missile expected to replace
the USAFs ageing and dwindling
arsenal of nuclear and conventionally armed Boeing AGM-86
air launched cruise missiles,
along with Raytheons stealthy
AGM-129. It could be carried by
types including the Boeing B-1B
and B-52H and Northrops B-2.
The solicitation is further evidence that the air force is serious
about elding the next generation
long-range strike family of sys-
tems, which will likely include

standoff cruise missiles capable
of penetrating contested airspace, says Mark Gunzinger, an
analyst at the Center for Strategic
and Budgetary Assessments.
As integrated air defence systems are becoming more lethal, it
is more difcult for existing
weapons to penetrate hostile territory. The LRSO must be much
stealthier and far more resistant
to countermeasures than the
weapons it will replace, and also
offer longer range, the potential to
carry a variety of different payloads and potentially at greater
speed, says Dan Goure, an analyst
at the Lexington Institute. A newgeneration design also might be
able to loiter over an area or be assigned to a new target in-ight.
Gunzinger says the programme
could potentially lead to a joint
developmental effort with the US
Navy to also replace the latters
Raytheon Tomahawk land-attack
missiles. But while Goure believes the potential exists for the
services to jointly develop such a
weapon, he argues that the USAF
may not be willing to accept the
size compromises that might
come with naval launch. O
BAE Systems
Four US contractors to receive development contracts linked

to air forces planned pursuit of long-range standoff weapon
The work involved a BAE Systems test pilot flying a Eurofighter

WEAPONS CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
Typhoon release speeds

MBDAs Meteor testing
A
Euroghter combat aircraft

has released an MBDA Meteor beyond visual-range air-to-air
missile for the rst time, with the
milestone having been achieved
over a UK test range.
Performed by a BAE Systems
test pilot using the UKs Typhoon
Instrumented Production Aircraft
1, the 4 December event included
ejecting a telemetry-equipped test
round from a rear-fuselage missile station over the Qinetiq ring
range off Aberporth, west Wales.
The missile motor was red,
providing data that will allow the
missile launch envelope to be expanded, says Euroghter. The
weapon is powered by a scramjet
rocket developed by MBDA Germany subsidiary Bayern-Chemie.
Being integrated as part of a
future enhancements programme
for the Euroghter, Meteor is de-
signed to be a European successor to the Raytheon AIM-120

AMRAAM which currently arms
the type.
Meteor is scheduled to enter
operational use with Swedish air
force Saab Gripen ghters in
2014-2015, before also being
elded by the Euroghters of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK,
and Frances Dassault Rafales
from later this decade.
A series of 21 development
and test rings have previously
been performed using a Gripen
testbed and a Panavia Tornado F3
trials aircraft.
MBDA was expected to deliver
its rst production missiles under
the six-nation programme before
the end of 2012. O
For commentary on the latest
global defence news, go to
DELIVERIES
Russia gets rst Su-30SM ghters

Russias air force has received its first two Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighters, with the pair having been delivered to the services test
and evaluation centre at Akhtubinsk from Irkutsk in late November.
Moscow signed a production order in March 2012 to acquire 30 of
the new model, with deliveries due to be completed by 2015.
Separately, the fourth prototype of Sukhois developmental
PAK-FA/T-50 fighter made a 40min flight debut from the KnAAPO
aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 12 December. The companys test fleet of the type has now completed more than 200
flights since January 2010.
flightglobal.com
NEWS FOCUS
For free access to Flightglobals Defence

e-newsletter visit ightglobal.com/
defencenewsletter
UNMANNED SYSTEMS DAVE MAJUMDAR WASHINGTON DC
UAVs irrelevant over Pacic

Current assets being used in Afghanistan too vulnerable for high-threat environment, warns Air Combat Command boss
nmanned air vehicle types

which are currently being operated by the US Air Force would
be irrelevant for use in the Pacic
theatre of operations, according
to a top service ofcial.
During the past 10 years, the
USAF has built up a still growing
eet of slow moving but persistent General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator and
MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air systems. While those aircraft have
provided US ground forces with
unprecedented situational awareness in Iraq and Afghanistan, they
are too vulnerable to be used in a
high-threat environment.
We are now shifting to a theatre where there is an adversary
out there who is going to have a
vote on whether I have that staring eye over the battleeld 24
[hours a day], seven [days a
week], 365 [days a year], and Im
pretty certain they are not going
to allow that to happen, says
Gen Mike Hostage, commander
of the USAFs Air Combat Command. The eet Ive built up
and Im still being prodded to
build up too is not relevant in
that new theatre.
NEW WARFARE
Hostage says the air force will
have to adjust its force structure
to meet the demands of the Pacific theatre. But, he emphasises, it
has no intention of backing away
from the capability that unmanned aircraft bring and the
new style of warfare that they
enable. Instead, the service will
have to adjust its perspective on
whats realistic in this new theatre, he told a Center for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS)
forum in Washington DC on 30
November.
Some level of equipment
drawdown is all but inevitable, as
the USAF will not need to maintain 65 combat air patrols unless
there are major ground combat
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
The USAFs MQ-9 Reaper offers persistence, but cannot match the situational awareness of manned systems
operations under way, says Dan
Goure, an analyst at the Lexington Institute. They are inevitably
going to have to park some of
those [UAVs], just because of the
manpower requirements, he
says. However, this could free up
the resources needed to build a
new intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance (ISR) platform to tackle the emerging antiaccess/area-denial
challenges
emerging around the globe.
Goure says such a platform
should be unmanned and designed for exibility to conduct
ISR, electronic attack and cyberwarfare missions. Unmanned aircraft have certain advantages, as
no pilot is placed in harms way
and the platforms offer a much
greater endurance than manned
aircraft. They dont whine about
having to go to the bathroom, they
dont get tired, so I can put them
over a target for 30h and cycle the
crews out of the crew station,
Hostage says.
But such machines are not
cheap. They are not expendable,
they are very expensive, Hostage
says. Moreover, unmanned aircraft
We are shifting to a
theatre where there
is an adversary who is
going to have a vote
on whether I have
that staring eye
GEN MIKE HOSTAGE
Commander, Air Combat Command
do not have the awareness of

their manned counterparts. While
the sensor suite on a UAS can take
a very detailed look at a very small
area, its operators have no awareness of anything outside the soda
straw view provided by the aircrafts cameras.
There are things that the UAV
can do that people cant do,
manned aircraft cant do. Principally thats endurance, Hostage
says. But we have not created
the ability to have the same level
of awareness, the same level of
ability of decision-making on a
platform, the same level of effectiveness as a manned platform.
In the future, Hostage believes
unmanned aircraft will eventually
have the same level of awareness

as manned aircraft.
With virtual reality technology,
it might be possible to fully immerse a pilot into the battleeld
environment to the point where
he or she cannot tell the difference. I fully believe well get
there some day, Hostage says.
But I dont have that technical
capability today.
While it is technically possible
to make an autonomous unmanned aircraft that could go and
y combat missions, Hostage
says, such technology will not be
ready to use in the near future.
I can build a platform and I
can give it autonomous capability, and tell it go into this area and
kill anything that moves, but
were not morally or culturally
ready to do things like that because were not able to make
them smart enough to determine
between the adversary and somebody that looks like they are an
adversary, but maybe they arent
quite, he says. O
For more about unmanned air
vehicle operations, visit
ightglobal.com/uav
flightglobal.com
SPACEFLIGHT
Wallan lands
Falcons as new
model makes debut
SHOW REPORT P20
COMPETITION ZACH ROSENBERG WASHINGTON DC
Rivals target ULAs launch monopoly

US government moves to revamp the way it purchases rockets, opening up the market to new spaceflight operators
he US Air Force, which purchases space launches on behalf of the entire US government,
is dramatically changing the way
it buys rockets after years of rising
costs. A memo from Department
of Defense acquisition chief Frank
Kendall supports two approaches
to purchasing space launches in
an affordable way: pursuing a
block buy of 36 cores from incumbent provider United Launch
Alliance (ULA), and opening 14
launches to competitive bids.
ULA markets, builds and
launches the Delta IV and Atlas V
collectively known as evolved
expendable launch vehicles
(EELVs) which have, since their
development in the late 1990s,
held a rm monopoly on large
government launches.
flightglobal.com
SpaceX
SINGLE ENTITY
The EELV programme was meant
to develop two competing
launch vehicles, constructed by
Boeing and Lockheed Martin,
with the expectation that a burgeoning commercial market
would ensure plenty of demand
for both and reduce launch costs
for the US government.
For a number of reasons the
expected market never materialised, and the two US-based companies found they could not
compete with Russian and European rivals.
To preserve an important capability, US regulators allowed
the companies to merge into a
single entity ULA so both
launch vehicles would remain in
production.
While ULA has lofted the occasional commercial satellite, for
practical purposes its sole customer is the US government. Because
Washington wants to and in
many cases, because of the sensitive nature of the payloads which
are often deemed crucial to national security, has to use US
launchers, for many payloads
there was simply no alternative.
While ULA has never had a
launch failure, the price of its
low end of the spectrum.

SpaceXs Falcon 9 has accrued
four successes or three and one
partial the latest, a 10 August ISS
supply run for NASA, lost one of
its nine engines early in the ight;
the supply capsule made it up
successfully but a small secondary, a prototype communications
satellite, did not.
Orbital Sciences has another
likely future contender, the
Antares, scheduled to make its
rst ight in early 2013. The vehicle is ready but the Wallops Island, Virginia launch pad is not
yet complete.
SpaceX hopes to offer its Falcon 9 launch vehicle

products has risen exponentially,
and with the US government in
the midst of a serious budget
crunch, acquisition ofcials are
becoming increasingly frustrated.
The rise of privately owned
upstarts SpaceX and Orbital Sciences could dramatically change
the situation.
Elon Musk, SpaceXs mercurial president and chief technology ofcer, has been unrestrained in his criticism of ULA.
Likewise, ULA has been publicly
sniping at SpaceX.
The USAF awards launch
contracts on a rolling ve-year
basis, with the latest round of announcements imminent.

SpaceX has been striving to
nd a way into the new contract.
In October 2011, the relevant
agencies the USAF, NASA and
the National Reconnaissance Ofce released qualifying criteria
for inclusion in the contract,
starting small but unlocking increasingly valuable payloads as
a launch vehicle demonstrated
reduced risk.
Under the criteria, vehicles
with a minimum of three consecutive successful launches are
qualied to carry payloads at the
INEFFICIENT METHOD
Previous ve-year contracts have
awarded all launches to ULA on
a one-by-one basis, an inefcient
method given the inevitable outcome. This time, with the new
focus on cost, ULA has proposed
a block buy, whereby the US
government commits ahead of
time to buy a certain number of
rocket cores. The heaviest payloads require a Delta IV Heavy,
which has three cores; all others
each use a single core.
Meanwhile, the USAF is seeking the best of both worlds. The
27 November memo from Kendall authorises the service to begin
negotiations for 50 cores, of
which 36 would come from ULA.
The other 14 would be open for
competition from whoever qualies and, indeed, SpaceX has
claimed a contract to launch four
cores DSCOVER, a satellite that
will monitor the Sun for solar
ares, and Space Test Program-2,
which will launch on a three-core
Falcon Heavy.
Those numbers may yet
change. Under the Pentagons
Byzantine rules, Kendalls memo
only grants authorisation to negotiate but will likely conform
closely. At long last, real competition is emerging in the US government launch market. O
For commentary on spaceflight
news, visit our Hyperbola blog
at ightglobal.com/hyperbola
SHOW
REPORT

feature and multi-media content visit
ightglobal.com/wotw
MEBA 2012
The Middle East Business Aviation show took place last
week in unusual environs the still-to-open passenger
terminal at Dubais new Al Maktoum International
airport. The interim location the next event in 2014
will be in a purpose-built exhibition centre nearby
served its purpose, with exhibitor and visitor numbers
up considerably from two years ago. Although short of
orders and programme announcements, MEBA provided
a forum for the local business aviation community to
network and debate many of the issues confronting the
sector, from illegal grey market competition to the need
for regulatory harmonisation.
Report by Andrew Doyle, Siva Govindasamy, Murdo
Morrison and Kate Sarsfield. Photography by Tom
Gordon and James Robbins for BillyPix
ALLIANCE
European jet operators club together

AirClub plans to become a global organisation with common standards and a combined fleet of more than 500 aircraft
ight European business jet operators have come together to

create the rst ever corporate jet
alliance, and chose MEBA as the
launch pad for the new venture.
AirClub is designed to strengthen members ACM Air Charter,
Air Alsie, Air Hamburg, Corporatejets, FlyingGroup, GlobeAir,
Masterjet and PrivatAir and
cushion them from an increasingly tough charter market.
As in commercial aviation 15
years ago, either you are part of a
great, solid group of players or you
will struggle to survive in this increasingly challenging industry,
says Christian Hatje, AirClub
chairman and the senior vicepresident of business aviation for
Switzerlands PrivatAir.
The alliance together has a
broad eet of 106 business jets,
from an entry-level Cessna Cita-
Dassault brought
the Falcon 2000S
to the show
tion Mustang operated by Austrias GlobeAir to a PrivatAir VIP

Boeing 737. Having all kinds of
different operators within AirClub
will be a huge benet, as it allows
us to learn from and complement
each other, Hatje says.
This is just the start, though.
Our plan is have a global alliance
of operators and a combined eet
of more than 500 aircraft.
AirClub, headquartered in Ge-
ORDER
Wallan lands Falcons as

new model makes debut
D
assaults Falcon 2000S made

its Middle East debut at the
show, where the airframer highlighted the super-midsize business
jets performance specications.
An 18-month test programme
spanning 350 ight hours over 150
ights demonstrated better-thanexpected low-speed performance,
says Dassault. Landing distance
at typical landing weight has been
reduced to 705m [2,310ft] from
792m, approach speed to 107kt
[198km/h] and balanced eld
length to 1,318m.
neva, is set for its formal launch

early next year.
We are now actively developing an online reservation system
which is designed to make booking an aircraft as easy as renting a
car, Hatje says. The venture also
plans to offer a block charter jet
card at a later date.
AirClub is working on a set of
common quality and safety standards to apply to all members. O
Size and range demands led to

Saudi Arabian operator Wallan
Aviations decision to acquire aircraft at the top of the business jet
spectrum for the rst time.
The charter and management company announced an order for a
pre-owned 900EX EASy II and a
new 900LX to complement its six
Cessna Citation jets.
We have had more and more
demand for bigger aircraft that can
carry more passengers and have a
longer range, says company chairman Saad Wallan. O
flightglobal.com
MEBA 2012
Gulfstream still
aims for G650
deliveries in 2012
SHOW REPORT
SHOW REPORT P22
STRATEGY
Mubadala urges
West to power up
regions industry
Pierotti calling for tighter rules
Edwards: Random ramp checks of arriving aircraft required
INITIATIVE
Charter players pledge to

ght grey market scourge
MEBAA stalwarts plan joint action to stamp out illegal competition within three years
pledge to stamp out one of

the biggest scourges of the
Middle Easts charter operators
the illegal grey market within
three years was made at MEBA.
At a conference on the eve of
the show, the heads of two local
operators Mark Pierotti of Al
Jaber Aviation and Dave Edwards
of Gama Aviation agreed to
work with Middle East Business
Aviation Association founder Ali
Al Naqbi in an action group
aimed at nally eradicating a
problem the industry has grumbled about for years.
flightglobal.com
Speaking at the Middle East

Business Aviation Conference,
Pierotti said the grey, or black
market where owners of privately-registered jets illegally operate them on revenue service
accounted for his company
recording smaller revenue growth
this year than he had expected.
He argues that private jets operated under Part 91 regulations
were much more relaxed than
those for charter services. They
are operated to different standards. There are different fatigue
levels for pilots, he says.
Anyone who assists or facilitates these sorts of ights brokers or management companies
is not just committing a moral
crime but [also] breaking the
law, he adds.
Edwards said that while educating pilots, regulators, owners
and end-users about the problem
was important, the biggest difference would be made by the authorities in the Gulf adopting random ramp checks of arriving
private aircraft, known in Europe
as SAFA (safety assessment of
foreign aircraft) inspections. O
Business aviation manufacturers

must invest more in infrastructure
in the Middle East if they want
the region to remain a major market for their products, according
to one of the Gulfs most influential aerospace players.
Homaid Al Shemmari,
executive director of Mubadala
Aerospace, is urging the industry
to follow the large airliner manufacturers in establishing industrial
partnerships as well as training
and maintenance facilities.
Speaking at the Middle East
Business Aviation Conference,
Al Shemmari said while the UAE
was a large buyer of business aircraft, it did not want to continue
in the same game as a consumer of products rather than an
integrated part of the industry.
Mubadala set up Strata in
2007, focused on the design and
production of composite components for airliners. Strata is a
risk-sharing supplier to Airbus,
and will begin work for Boeing in
2013, Al Shemmari says.
While these contracts were
leveraged on major airliner orders
by Etihad, business aircraft manufacturers could also place work
with Strata as the investment
in the facility had already taken
place, he says. O
MEBA 2012
SHOW REPORT
IN BRIEF
ORYX GOES GLOBAL
Oryx Jet has added a
Bombardier Global 5000 to its
fleet, with the aircraft to be
based at sister company Rizon
Jets London Biggin Hill airport
base. The Global will sit on top
of the Oryx business jet portfolio,
which includes an entry-level
Beechcraft Premier 1A, supermidsize Dassault Falcon 50 and
large-cabin Challenger 604.
STANDING OVATION
Jet Aviation has installed the first
Honeywell Ovation Select cabin
management system for an unnamed Middle Eastern customer.
The handover of the Boeing BBJ3
marked European approval of the
all-digital CMS, designed,
Honeywell says, to give passengers the ultimate in-flight entertainment, productivity and
business connectivity. The
BBJ3 is also equipped with
Honeywells MCS-7200 satellite
communications system.
FLYING FIRST
Canada-based completions, refurbishment and maintenance
specialist Flying Colours has
received its first Saudi Arabiaregistered aircraft maintenance
project. The Bombardier
Challenger 604 will arrive in the
first quarter of 2013, and undergo a variety of major inspections and service bulletins as
well as interior refurbishment at
Flying Colours facility in Ontario.
SATCOM1 PLUG
Satcom1 has launched its AvioPhone app for smartphones,
which allows users to stay connected while in the air. The app
provides reliable and secure
voice communications for both
business and personal users
and is available on the Apple
and Android platforms.
TRUE TO ITS WORD

Canadas TrueNorth Avionics
has introduced a GSM-based
mobile phone system that allows business jet owners and
operators to offer airborne voice
and text services.

feature and multi-media content visit
ightglobal.com/wotw
DELAYS
Gulfstream reassures G650

customers of 2012 delivery
Airframer displays older business jets at show as it prioritises new aircraft order fulfilment
ulfstream still aims to deliver

the rst G650s to customers
before the end of the year, although
the total number will be somewhat under its forecast of 17 in
2012, the airframers senior vicepresident of sales and marketing,
Scott Neal, said at the show.
Gulfstream, based in Savannah, Georgia, said in October that
a delay in receiving US type cetifcation which it eventually secured on 7 September will lead
to a lower number of deliveries
this year.
The company did not bring the
aircraft the newest and largest
of its family of business jets to
the show, although its large-cabin
G450 and a G550 were on the
static display. The priority is to
get the rst G650 aircraft into customer hands, Neal says, adding
that the agship business jet is set
for European type certication by
the end of the year.
Meanwhile, pilot training has
also been ramped up, with 46
Neal expects to see G650s in the Middle East within the next year
ight crew having graduated so
far, he adds. Gulfstream will also
begin a G650 world tour in February to showcase the aircraft to
potential customers.
The Middle East and Africa
region remains an important
market for Gulfstream, which
claims to have a 53% share of the
large-cabin market.
There are 134 Gulfstream

types in the region in total, with
the Middle East accounting for
78 of that number, according to
the company.
The G650 is gaining widespread acceptance in this part of
the world, Neal adds. We will
see the rst aircraft here within
the next 12 months. O
TECHNOLOGY
Apps get firms closer to their clients

T
wo companies launched apps

at the show that are designed
to promote their products and
services through user-friendly,
interactive technology.
London-based business jet
showroom Jet Business introduced its rst app, which allows
customers to view a variety of interior fabrics and furnishings
using a 3D replica of a business
jet cabin.
The current version of the app
features a Gulfstream G550, but
other aircraft will be added, including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Dassault types, says
founder Steve Varsano.
The app, which uses proprietary software, is being offered to
customers as a free service in
order to help them narrow their

choices when deciding on an aircraft to buy.
Steering customers to the inight entertainment they want on
Varsanos Jet Business offers

a virtual look at jet interiors
board aircraft is behind an app

developed by Dubai-based Solutions 4 Mobility.
Launched by Saudia Private
Aviation and available on its Dassault 7Xs, passengers will be
given an iPad that has already
been loaded with customised inight entertainment.
This includes a selection of
lms and music in English or Arabic, as well as a wide range of
digital newspapers based on the
clients prole or preference,
and will be updated by cabin
crew every time the aircraft is on
the ground.
The app also contains information on Saudias eet, safety information for the aircraft and a feedback questionnaire. O
flightglobal.com
MEBA 2012
SHOW REPORT
CORPORATE AIRLINER
Comlux claims a
widebody record
Comluxs VIP-configured Boeing
767 has entered the industry
record books as the first widebody airliner to be displayed at a
business aviation trade show,
according to the show organiser.
The corporate airliner which
has separate head of state,
club and economy cabins is
on an Aruba air operators certificate but is based at the
Switzerland-headquartered companys Bahrain operation and
mainly targets the Saudi
Arabian market.
CHARTER SERVICES
Flohr rejects home comforts

as he takes on rest of world
VistaJet founder says his business model is the only one that has no concept of a base
homas Flohr, founder of VistaJet, which last month placed

the sectors biggest-ever transaction, for 56 Bombardier Global
aircraft with 86 options, dismissed the business model of
most of his competitors.
Speaking in Dubai on the latest
stop of his 14-city world roadshow to promote its Bombardierbased service, Flohr said VistaJet
was the only operator that has the
concept of no home base.
All his competitors base their
aircraft in one or more cities, says
Flohr. When you do that the aircraft needs to y home at a time
when the client doesnt want to
y home, he says. Our home
base is the sky. We guarantee an
aircraft from anywhere to any-
Flohr: Global ambitions

where at 24 hours notice.
But a drawback of the VistaJet
concept is that the company cannot offer internal ights in most
countries. It has got around this by
setting up an air operators certicate (AOC) in Russia and is partnering with China Airlines to offer
domestic services in that country.

In the USA it has a relationship
with Bombardiers Flexjet fractional programme. Flohr also revealed
that in two weeks he will be revealing an African country in which
we will be able to do the same.
The bigger the country on the
map, the more chance that we will
want to have an AOC, he says.
VistaJet offers mostly block
charter packages of 100-200h. In
2012 it will carry 25,000 passengers on 10,000 single ights on its
eet of 35 wholly owned aircraft.
Flohr said the company, set up
in 2005, had doubled in size during the downturn. While other
companies decided to pull out,
we doubled up from 2008 to
2010, he said. O
MRO
Sabena Technics
could take on an
A380 completion
abena Technics has joined an

elite club of completion
centres that can boast the capacity to outt VIP versions of the
Airbus A380 super jumbo.
The company would not disclose at MEBA whether it is bidding to convert the rst green
A380 into a VIP conguration for
Saudi billionaire Prince AlWaleed. The order was announced at the Dubai air show
ve years ago and Airbus says it
is earmarked for delivery soon.
The airframer has forecast a market for about 30 sales of A380s
with VIP interiors.
Sabena says one of the six
hangars at its Bordeaux facility is
large enough to host an A380,
but that this building is fully
booked with maintenance, repair
and overhaul work until 2014. O
Download the Business Aviation Simulator Census now at

www.flightglobal.com/BizAvSimCensus
flightglobal.com
BUSINESS
Aircraft finance is among the sectors covered

by our premium news and data service
Flightglobal Pro: ightglobal.com/pro
FINANCE LAURA MUELLER, OLIVIER BONNASSIES & DAN THISDELL LONDON
ILFC sale hits China button
Good week
Troubled insurer AIG remains close to controversy with sell-off of its aircraft lessor
COPERNICUS Upsetting
Rex Features
SAS
SAS Scandinavias trou-
bled airline group posted

a small profit of SKr21
million ($3.1 million), but
after stripping out restructuring costs the pretax deficit stood at a
whopping SKr1.25 billion
($185 million). Revenue
edged up by 3% to a
short SKr36 billion for
the 10-months to endOctober, a fiscal year-end
shift designed to split
summer and winter periods. The airline has won
staff backing for new
terms and a 40% headcount cut it bills as a lifeor-death restructuring.
Bad week
iven that civil aviation has

been a welcome good news
story of the nancial crisis, it has
always been an anomaly that International Lease Finance, that
titan of the operating lease business, has never been far from the
headlines. But ever since its parent company, the insurance giant
AIG, had to be effectively nationalised by the US government in
2009 with a $180 billion-plus
bailout designed to prevent more
nancial chaos spreading from
the collapse of this too-big-to-fail
institution, ILFC has been on the
sale block along with AIGs other
non-core assets.
Thus the announcement that
AIG has negotiated to sell up to
90% of ILFC in a deal valuing the
lessor which owns 960 aircraft
at about $5.3 billion comes as
no surprise. At least one analysis,
by Wells Fargo, says that AIG did
well to negotiate a full price for
the business, given that the book
value of its eet may be generous
and that its return on equity trails
some peers.
And, while the book value of
ILFCs eet was nearly $35 billion
at end-September, $128 million
has been written off this year
after $3.3 billion in 2011 and
2010. With second-hand prices
weak, especially for eight- to 10year old aircraft, further substantial charges may be inevitable.
But while the money involved
may be a bit of a better trade for
one side than the other, what has
the deal raising eyebrows is the
fact that the buyers, who will get
80.1% of ILFC and an option to
buy another 9.9%, are Chinese.
MASS APPEAL
In the short term, the deal will
give the new owners instant mass
in the operating lease market.
Those new owners are a consortium including ICBC, one of the
big four Chinese state-owned
banks, and the China Aviation Industrial Fund, a lessor set up in
2010 by state-owned airframer
AVIC and another of the big four,
Boeing
the Church bought

Galileo a lot of trouble
but he did get a satellite
navigation constellation
named after him. But
now, Europe has given
his arguably more influential predecessor a
similarly high-placed memorial, renaming its
GMES (Global Monitoring
for Environment and
Security) programme
after the Polish polymath. Earth observation
for security and safety
could create 85,000 new
jobs through 2030, reckons Brussels.
What does the C stand for these days?

China Construction Bank. ILFC
accounts for 14% of the worlds
leased eet and owns about 6%
of all widebody and narrowbody
airliners ying today, according
to data from Flightglobals
Ascend consultancy.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Indeed, further out on the horizon, a local lessor will provide
Chinese airframer Comac with
the necessary platform to eventually market its C919 narrowbody.
Thus Chinese ownership of ILFC
could end up being a meaningful
factor in Chinas bid to break the
Airbus-Boeing market duopoly.
With the C919, scheduled to y
in 2014 for service entry in 2016,
Comac hopes to break into the
single-aisle market dominated by
the A320 and 737.
That natural sales channel
could also apply to Chinas attempt to break into the market for
narrowbody aero engines. The
rst C919s will be powered by the
Leap-1C engines from CFM International, that hugely successful
joint venture between Snecma of
France and one of the USAs biggest export success stories, GE.
But AVIC has its sights set on producing its own engine, and is
working with Germanys MTU on
a concept called the CJ-1000A.
The potential impact of this sale
should not be understated, even
though the plan is for ILFC to remain in its Los Angeles ofces
under the management of chief
executive Henri Courpron and

president Frederick Cromer. One
leasing industry insider puts the
prospect of the transaction actually going through at just 50:50, with
Boeing and others likely to be very
uncomfortable that such a prominent partner might go to China:
For sure, there will be lots of lobbying to the White House.
And, adds this source, Boeing
will not be too impressed that
the Chinese would know exactly
how much ILFC is paying for aircraft. ILFC owns nearly 300 737s
and has more than 100 on order.
Moreover, ILFC was founded
in 1973 and is often credited with
more or less creating the operating lease industry, so the buyers
acquire, at a stroke, invaluable
market experience which is just
as crucial as deep pockets for success in aircraft leasing. The Chinese would gain the best in class
knowledge through the purchase, says a leasing source.
The transaction could close in
the second quarter of 2013,
though it must rst clear US and
Chinese regulatory scrutiny
which may be no foregone conclusion, as US sensitivity to Chinese acquisition of important
assets is running high.
But whether or not the deal
passes muster, it should stand as
a prime example of how the excesses of the pre-crisis boom
years have left the US economy
in hock to foreigners. Debtors do
not control their destiny. O
flightglobal.com
BUSINESS
Headline
makers: Review
of the year
FEATURE P24
BUSINESS BRIEFS
PEOPLE MOVES
Nargeot: Dassault Middle East

Edgar Maimon is now general
manager of Elbit Systems Elisra
electronic warfare unit, on the
retirement of Itzik Gat. And, Udi
Vered will step up for Butzi
Machlis as land systems and C4I
general manager when Machlis
succeeds Joseph Ackerman as
chief executive in March.
Dassault Falcon has moved Julien
Nargeot to Dubai, where he
expands the Middle East sales
team. Jos-Marie Louis has left Air
France Industries CRMA unit to
replace Anne Brachet as AFIs
senior VP engine overhaul;
Brachet has moved to AFIs
airframe maintenance division.
Vincent dAndrea, previously
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
flightglobal.com
INVESTMENT A renewed attempt by private equity owner Cinven to

sell Italian engine components maker Avio appears to be at least a
temporary victim of Italys latest governance crisis, with prime minister Mario Montis resignation pending elections which may not come
until February leaving no prospect of a deal being signed off by Rome
before year-end. The Italian governments interest in Avio stems from
its strategic value as a driving force behind Europes Vega rocket programme and also indirect ownership; 14% is held by Finmeccanica,
which is one-third owned by the state. Cinven, which in 2007 bought
Avio from another private equity investor, Carlyle Group, is believed to
have shelved plans for a stock-market flotation in favour of a trade
sale, possibly to General Electric or Safran.
REGULATORS STOP GOODRICH SPIN-OFF DEAL
COMPETITION Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky and Hamilton Sundstrand

parent United Technologies is looking for another buyer for its
Goodrich pump and engine controls after the US justice department
objected to a proposed $236 million sale to components maker
TransDigm. The business is one of several that United Technologies
was mandated to sell by US and European competition authorities in
approving its $18 billion acquisition of Goodrich.
AEROSONIC CONTINUES TURNAROUND
MANUFACTURING Instrumentation maker Aerosonic has continued

its recovery from a challenging fiscal 2011, with a $1.33 million operating profit for the nine months to 26 October, more than reversing a
$267,000 loss in the same period last year. Sales were up 8% to
$22.1 million. The company suffered losses in its first quarter of fiscal
2011 owing to the business-jet market slowdown and the cost of moving some operations to its headquarters in Clearwater, Florida.
Ochoa: NASA Johnson director
We expect
geopolitical risk to
remain high
next year
Bank of America commodities
strategist SABINE SCHELS believes
Brent Crude prices which drive jet
fuel will average a stable and
high $110/barrel next year, leaving
prices at 2012 levels with upside
risk as the Iranian crisis and
Arab Spring uprisings
continue to unfold
AVIO SALE DELAYED BY ITALIAN POLITICS
head of engine overhaul sales, will

succeed Louis as CRMA chief.
Norwegian Air Shuttle technical
director Bjrn Ivar Aarseth will
from January take up a new role
managing Norways acquisition of
16 rescue helicopters to replace its
Sea King eet. On retiring after 37
years with NASA, Ray Lugo will
hand over the Glenn research
centre to deputy director Jim Free
in January. And Michael Coats
deputy, Ellen Ochoa, will succeed
him as director of the Johnson
Space Center on his retirement at
year-end. Ochoa and Coats are
multi-mission Space Shuttle
veterans; Free joined NASA in
1990 as a propulsion engineer.
NASA
Dassault Falcon
Air France Industries, Dassault, Elbit Systems, NASA
PAUL FABRICATIONS BOUGHT BY ACORN GROWTH
ACQUISITION ACG Aerospace, a holding company of private equity

group Acorn Growth Partners, has bought Paul Fabrications of Derby,
UK for an undisclosed sum. Paul makes metal and composite parts
for civil and military aero engines and nuclear power applications. Its
management team, led by Ingard Sagstad, will remain in place.
INDIA METALS SPECIALIST EYES AERO ENGINES
TECHNOLOGY Hyderabad-based Mishra Dhatu Nigam (Midhani), a

state-owned maker of special alloys for defence and strategic applications, is preparing a move into aerospace with a Rs7 billion ($130
million) expansion programme to be completed next year. Midhani
intends to supply the nickel- and cobalt-based super alloys used in
aero engine components and other aircraft parts.
IAG FORMALLY BEGINS TENDER OFFER FOR VUELING
TAKEOVER British Airways and Iberia parent International Airlines

Group has formally asked Spains securities commission to authorise its proposed acquisition of Barcelona-based Vueling Airlines. The
group plans to acquire the 46% of Vueling not already owned by
Iberia, for 113 million ($147 million).
LITHUANIA AIMS TO CARRY EU PRESIDENCY
AIRLINES Lithuanian authorities aim to establish a new carrier to

serve the Baltic state with a pair of 86-seat Embraer 175s as it
takes over the presidency of the European Union in the second half
of next year. Vilnius-based Air Lituanica will initially serve Brussels
and possibly Amsterdam, Kiev, Moscow and Paris or London.
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
HEADLINE
MAKERS
Boeings 747-8I is in service, and new leaders are steering

the industry. We recall 2012s highlights, lowlights, near
misses and power plays, and bid some fond farewells
HIGHLIGHTS
flightglobal.com
In a bold, $16 billion manoeuvre,

United Technologies completed the
acquisition of Goodrich in April, merging the aerospace systems and landing-gear specialist with Hamilton
Sundstrand to form UTC Aerospace
Systems. It was the largest acquisition
in the aerospace industry since the
global nancial crisis struck in 2008, a
fact that illustrates the challenge UTC
accepted by attempting the merger.
NEW FACES
Rex Features
UTCS BIG DEAL
I TO SKY
More than four decades after Pan Am

debuted the Boeing 747-100, a
stretched variant of the worlds
original Jumbo is nally in service.
The 747-8 was originally slated for
service entry in 2009 but a series of
programme delays, caused by development issues and a knock-on from
interruptions suffered by the 787 programme, meant the rst stretched
aircraft did not leave the ground until
2010. The new jet nally entered
service in freighter form with
Cargolux in October 2011. The 747-8
Intercontinental passenger variant
followed in June this year, debuting
with Lufthansa.
FRESH COMPETITION
Another year, another Chinese stealth fighters
debut flight. The first sortie of the Shenyang
J-31 in October came less than two years after
the Chengdu J-20 got airborne, symbolising
Chinas accelerating drive to build a globally
competitive aerospace industry. It also highlights a few of the remaining gaps in the independence of Chinas fledgling industry. For the
engines of the export-minded J-31 programme, China still depends on Russia.
FALABAMA
aerospace centre of gravity, towards the

Southeast. In October, Boeing started making
787 deliveries from a growing factory complex
in North Charleston, South Carolina. Toulouse,
Hamburg and Seattle will remain bastions of
commercial aircraft production, but the US
Southeast is on the rise.
flightglobal.com
Airbus
Boeing
Airbus disrupted the traditional narrative of its

transatlantic tit-for-tat with Boeing in July, when it
revealed plans to open an A320 final assembly
line (FAL) in Mobile, Alabama in 2016. But beyond planting a European flag in the Deep
South, the move also signalled a tilt in the US
Leadership of
the global aerospace industry
realigned this
year. Under varying circumstances, new chief
executives were
installed at
Airbus, Boeing
Commercial
Airplanes, EADS,
Lockheed
Martin, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics,
Sikorsky and Bombardier Aerospace (now led
by Mike Arcamone, above). Although not
directly related, the turnover reects a shift
in demand. Commercial aviation around the
world is on the rise, while the US and
European defence markets enter a period of
prolonged stagnation or decline.
Bombardier
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Rex Features
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
LOWLIGHTS
TRAGEDY IN INDONESIA
WING CRACKS AND TURBO TROUBLE
Airbus slowed A380 production as it worked

to develop and certicate a x for the wing-rib
cracking problem which forced operators to
carry out precautionary checks. Wings with a
modied design will emerge on production
aircraft in 2014. Boeings new aircraft, the
747-8 and 787 (below), also suffered teething
problems after General Electric GEnx engines
on both types experienced contained failures
traced to switching to a different coating material on an internal component.
Rex Features
UK MoD/Crown Copyright
AirTeamImages
mechanical failure. But the tragedy, which

occurred during a demonstration ight involving ve potential customers, did nothing to
help the public reputation of the struggling
Superjet programme.
A full account of the Superjet 100 crash that

killed all 45 on board on 9 May in Indonesia is
as yet unavailable, although Russian and
Indonesian authorities have ruled out
EUROCOPTER DITCHINGS
To have one helicopter ditch in the North Sea
may be misfortune, to lose two appears careless. Eurocopter is still trying to pinpoint the
root cause for the failure of the gearbox component that forced down the EC225 Super Pumas
in May and October, as it works to a February
deadline to return the type to service, while
desperately trying to rebuild customer trust.
UNKIND CUTS
The effects of more than four years of political

stalemate in Washington nally engulfed the
global aerospace industry, as continued uncertainty over scal policy paralysed government
and industry decision makers. A compromise
agreement over more than $1 trillion in com-
bined tax increases and spending cuts still

seemed a distant hope as December dawned,
raising the chances of an automatic spending
cut amounting to nearly $100 billion during
the rst nine months of 2013, and hundreds of
billions of additional cuts through the rest of
the decade.
HAWKER DEMISE
Rex Features
It was a tough year to work for Hawker

Beechcraft. The company filed for bankruptcy in
May, entered exclusive negotiations with a
Chinese buyer in July, broke off the talks in
October, and filed a restructuring plan in
December that could lead to the termination of
the companys business jet line, including the
legacy Hawker Siddeley series which has in continuous production since 1961.
flightglobal.com
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
PEOPLE MOVES
LOCKHEED SHAKE-UP
SPIN OF THE WHEEL
BIG SHOES TO FILL

Airbus appointed Fabrice
Brgier in June to replace
former chief executive Tom
Enders, who became the new
chief of parent EADS. Brgier served as
Enders understudy for two years, as Airbus
struggled with the A380 and A400M. On top
of those challenges, Brgier must get the
A350 XWB family into flight test and manage a
broad increase in production rates.
Chevrolet
Mick Maurer was named

president of helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft in
July, succeeding Jeffrey Pino
who had overseen development of the
CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter and Collier
Trophy-winning X2 technology, selected for
the S-97 Raider. Maurers ascent to the top
job followed a period at the helm of the companys military systems business.
BillyPix
Sikorsky
BillyPix
Lockheed Martin
Marillyn Hewson was not Lockheed Martins

first pick to replace Robert Stevens (on her right
in the photo), who is retiring after a decade as
chief executive. First choice was Chris Kubasik,
but he was forced to resign after acknowledging
an improper relationship with a subordinate.
However, Hewson is well qualified for the role.
She has managed two of Lockheeds divisions
and has served on the corporate leadership
team. She also becomes the first woman to
lead one of the five biggest US aerospace and
defence companies.
Meanwhile, Lockheed Martins aeronautics
division faces a challenge to improve strained
relations with the customer of its most important product, the F-35. Hewsons arrival as corporate chief may help, but so will fresh blood in
the aeronautics sector. Ralph Heath stepped
down as executive vice-president of the division
in April, being replaced by Larry Lawson (second
from right, next to his successor as F-35 programme manager, Orlando Carvalho).
BOEING SHOO-IN
Jim Albaughs resignation was unexpected,

but the selection of Ray Conner (above) as
the next president and chief executive of
Boeing Commercial Airplanes was obvious.
As he has led both the 747 and 777 programmes, Conners CV is a template for a top
leadership role. He immediately adopted a
more conservative approach to launching
products than his engineering-focused predecessor, while at the same time aggressively
ramping-up production of existing models.
flightglobal.com
MOTORING ON
At perhaps its most crucial moment, Bombardier
turned to an automotive executive from Montreal
working in South Korea. Mike Arcamone returned
to his hometown from leading General Motors
Daewoo in Seoul. He inherits a company working
to deliver the CSeries, a potential genre-busting

aircraft that has been slow to attract sales compared with other narrowbodies in the market. At
the same time, Arcamone also must usher two
new Learjet models into service in 2013 and continue development of the Global 7000 and 8000.
The 747 is a trademark of the Boeing company. Airbus, its logo and its product names are registered trademarks.
L AG
It seems that the 747 has had its day. The latest version, the
747-8, is the 48th derivative of a 1969 certicated aircraft and still
produced without the latest full y-by-wire technologies common
to all modern aircraft.
For airlines this means limited cockpit commonality with other
wide-bodies.
The 747-8 has no choice of engines. Its constrained performance
means it produces more noise, has significantly less range, a
higher approach speed and needs longer runways for both
take-off and landing.
The fuselage is based on 1960s comfort standards, with only
17 inch wide seats and narrow aisles. It is enough to make a
passenger twist and shout!
The 747-8. Based on a 1960s design. A true case of jet lag!
JE T
There are some very good reasons why the A380 is leading the
very large jet market.
Having been designed for 21st century growth, it carries 30%
more passengers while burning signicantly less fuel per seat
than the 747-8.
The A380s performance is unbeatable in its class, offering the
most modern technology with 25% advanced composite
materials. It flies further, needs shorter runways and climbs
faster, all while being an aircraft awarded for its quietness.
In the wide-body market, the A380 has by far the lowest seatmile costs and advanced y-by-wire technology with renowned
commonality across all Airbus types.
It also offers passengers 21st century comfort. The cabin is the
quietest and most spacious in the sky, with more oorspace for
wide aisles and wider seats, even in economy.
Passengers will opt for the A380 when given the choice. For
airlines this means increasing market share and more revenue.
Its no surprise that the A380 has an 86% share of the very large
passenger aircraft market.
It takes an A380 to compete with an A380.
NEAR MISSES
Mitsubishi Aircraft
French air force/Tim Bicheno-Brown
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
DELAYED DEBUTS
FIGHTERS STALL
First flights are always risky to schedule

2012 proved no different. Bombardier and
Mitsubishi were forced to postpone maiden
sorties of their CSeries and Mitsubishi
Regional Jets. Both rescheduled the milestone event for 2013 CSeries in the second
quarter and MRJ in the fourth quarter. And the
latter programmes schedule slip did not prevent Skywests commitment to buy 100
MRJ90s under a deal disclosed at the
Farnborough air show.
Rex Features
AirTeamImages
downselect to a single bidder, but ultimately

postponed their decision and, for Brazil, not for
the rst time. India and the UAE had already
selected the Dassault Rafale, but continued to
drag out negotiations over the nal price.
Fighter contract signings in India, the UAE

South Korea and Brazil remained on hold, keeping tens of billions of dollars in spending on
hold. Brazil and South Korea both planned to
REGIONAL RUMBLES
In December, Delta Air Lines finally purchased
40 Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets with options for 30 more. But there was still little to
show for the grand hopes of Bombardier and
Embraer, which expected US carriers to sign
orders for as many as 450 76-seat jets in
2012 to replace the oldest tranche of 50-seaters in service since the early 1990s.
MERGER COLLAPSE
X NOT YET TARGETED
AirTeamImages
Of all the industry moves that might have occurred in 2012, the collapse of merger talks
between EADS and BAE Systems (led by, respectively, Tom Enders, above, and Ian King) arguably had the most far-reaching effects even
in failure. Within a month,
EADS member states
agreed on a financial
restructuring that required
the principal governments
to give up veto rights.
Against the backdrop of a change in leadership in late June, Boeings commercial division
adopted a more cautious approach to launching new products. While former sector
president Jim Albaugh seemed ready to
immediately launch the 777X, his successor
Ray Conner proved far more cautious.
Consequently, a launch decision has been delayed until perhaps 2014, with entry into service not expected until 2020 at the earliest.
flightglobal.com
SANDY MCDONNELL
Sanford Sandy McDonnell,

former McDonnell Douglas
chairman and chief executive, died on 19 March, aged
89. During the Second World War, McDonnell
spent two years casting uranium-238 for the
Manhattan Project. After the war, he joined
McDonnell Aircraft founded by uncle James
and worked up to his rst management
position, playing a major role in developing
the F-4 Phantom II ghter jet.
ALBERT UELTSCHI
Orbis
Rex Features
FAREWELLS
Character Education Partnership
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
LUO YANG
NEIL ARMSTRONG
The astronaut, test pilot and engineer died on

25 August, aged 82. Armstrongs distinguished career was highlighted by his role as
Apollo 11 commander, and he was the rst
man to walk on the moon. Before joining the
astronaut corps, Armstrong also served as a

NASA test pilot, ying the exo-atmospheric
X-15 research aircraft. Earlier in his career,
Armstrong ew combat missions as a US Navy
ghter pilot in Korea. For our full obituary, visit
ightglobal.com/armstrong
The general manager of

Shenyang Aircraft died on
25 November, aged 61. As
head of research and development, Yang witnessed the rst launch and
landing of the J-15 ghter aboard Chinas
Liaoning aircraft carrier on 24 November, a
key milestone in a decade-long project to
eld such a capability for the Chinese navy.
Yang reportedly felt sick when the Liaoning
docked, and suffered a heart attack on the
way to hospital. His death was treated at the
level of a state burial.
COLIN MARSHALL
Rex Features
The chief executive and, later, chairman of

British Airways, who led the carrier for 21 years
from 1983, including through the difficult period
of its privatisation, died on 5 July aged 78.
Marshall recognised a companys culture could
not be changed by management decree. His
instinct was to engage with staff wherever
possible to help shape attitudes and outcomes
in all details of BAs operation. Credited with
bringing to the UK the radical notion that
customer service matters, Lord Marshall of
Knightsbridge is rightly remembered as a titan
of British business.
flightglobal.com
www.news.cn
The founder of FlightSafety

International died on 18
October, aged 95. In 1951,
while serving as Pan Am
founder Juan Trippes personal pilot, Ueltschi
took a $15,000 mortgage and launched
FlightSafety. After managing the training company part-time for 17 years, he became chief
executive full-time in 1968 and, 28 years on,
sold the company to Warren Buffett for $1.5
billion. Ueltschi was instrumental in founding
eye-surgery charity ORBIS International.
COVER STORY
CROWNING
IMAGES
Keith Campells dazzling, dynamic shot of a Dutch F-16 snagged

the top prize in our sixth annual cover contest, but the judges
were set a tough task indeed by the quality of submissions from
Flightglobals AirSpace community. Here we present only a
fraction of the great images entered, with explanations from the
photographers responsible. Visit ightglobal.com/AirSpace or
download the iPad edition of this issue to see more
DUNCAN MONK
ZK308/BW AT SUNSET
Nikon D300 with Sigma 70-200 F2.8 attached
I took this on 29 November at RAF Coningsby. The only time I visit Coningsby is in the winter on
bright sunny days, as it provides great light. You also get no heat haze from the concrete, but the
engine heat is captured in great detail. As the sun was setting, two Euroghter Typhoons arrived.
The rst was a little high, but the second allowed me to get the shot I was after, recalls Monk
flightglobal.com
PHOTO COMPETITION
WINNER KEITH CAMPBELL (AKA SUNSHINE BAND)
INTO THE STORM

Canon 1D Mk IV and Canon 400mm F2.8 lens
This Royal Netherlands Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 Falcon
was captured in action at the UKs Waddington air show in July
flightglobal.com
COVER STORY
MARTIN NEEDHAM
AVRO VULCAN B2 XH558

Canon EOS 50D and EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 L IS USM lens
This image was taken at Coventry airport on 29 September. The bomber
was being taken on a UK tour to mark the 60th anniversary of the types
rst ight. Flypasts were conducted at airelds near businesses that had
contributed to the Vulcan eet during its years of Royal Air Force service
MARTIN DHIGHTON (AKA FLYER1)

RAF BOEING CHINOOK HC3 ZH899
Canon 7D with a Canon EF300mm

F2.8L IS II USM xed focal length; the
settings were: f/18 Exp 1/100s,
ISO-100 300mm
This head-on shot of a UK Royal Air
Force Chinook from 18 Sqn was
taken on 26 June atop the Downs
above Eastbourne. The rotorcraft was
being set down to lift the top part of
a Bomber Command Tribute
memorial stone to its position on
Beachy Heads Peace Path. As a
whole, the stone weighs nearly 6t
flightglobal.com
PHOTO COMPETITION
JAMIE EWAN
(AKA FLYINGMONSTER)
GOLDEN HOUR
Sony SLT-A65 and a Sony
75-300mm f/4.5-5.6
The image of an English
Electric Lightning F6 was
captured on 10 November
during the Lightning
Preservation Groups
twilight run at Bruntingthorpe aireld. EE Lightning
F6 XS904 was sat in her
QRA [quick reaction alert]
shed before her run, and as
the Sun set over the aireld,
the aircraft was bathed in a
fantastic golden light,
recalls Ewan
FRANK GOLLNER
(AKA HOUNDDOGONE)
BRITISH AIRWAYS
BOEING 777-236ER
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 II USM
prime lens, in Av mode, with an
aperture setting of f3.5 and an
ASA/ISO of 320 and shutter
speed of 1/1,000th of a second
This jet had just taken off
from runway 27L at Heathrow
airport at what the photographer calls the magic hour!
flightglobal.com
COVER STORY
DENNIS MULLER
POPPING FLARES
Canon EOS 50D Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Belgiums Sanicole air show in September yielded this stunning
shot of an F-16 from the national air force ying amid ares. This
display took place at the end of the show, when the famous blue
hour came to an end, writes Muller
flightglobal.com
PHOTO COMPETITION
MARTIN DHIGHTON
RAF RED ARROWS BRITISH AEROSPACE HAWK T1A XX319

Canon 7D tted with a Canon EF 300mm f2.8L IS II USM lens; settings: f-stop f/6.3, Exposure 1/1,250s, ISO
100, Exposure Bias-0.3 step and focal length 300mm
This shot was snapped during a display by the UK Royal Air Forces Red Arrows team, in changeable
weather, at Septembers Duxford air show. This BAE Systems Hawk T1 was travelling at speed to regroup
flightglobal.com
COVER STORY
CALUM MACFARLANE
(AKA 1-2-3 CALUM)
BOEING C-17
GLOBEMASTER
Canon EOS 400D
This moody shot is another
from RIAT. I was in the
south of England completing training for a CPL and
MEIR, and went to the air
show to try and relax before
my exam, says MacFarlane
flightglobal.com
PHOTO COMPETITION
DUNCAN MONK
A400M AT RIAT
Nikon D300 with a 300mm Nikkor
lens with 1.4x convertor attached,
giving 420mm
This Airbus A400M transport was
caught in action during Julys
Royal International Air Tattoo at
Fairford, UK. The weather wasnt
great, recalls Monk. As this
beast took to the air to depart,
there was the briefest moment of
Sun on her back which, with the
dark background, turned a fairly
ordinary photo into a very
atmospheric photo
DEMETRIUS VANSPRANGHE
HANNES ARCH EDGE 540 TAIL SLIDE

Canon EOS 7D (f/7.1, 1/640s, ISO 100, 350mm)
In this image, another from Belgiums Sanicole air show,
Austrian aerobatic pilot Hannes Arch ies his Zivko Edge
540 aircraft on the edge, while performing a tail slide,
Vanspranghe explains
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
UNCLE
ROGERS
FESTIVE
QUIZ
Do you know an Intruder from a

Crusader? A Wellington from a VC10?
And what are they calling the A400M
these days? Test your knowledge of
recent aerospace news and industry
history with our festive quiz also
available at ightglobal.com/quiz12.
To make it as complicated as EADSs
share structure, there are 30 questions to
answer, 26 photographed aircraft to
identify, and 100 points for the taking
Take a guess!
The answers are
on page 50
Im stumped
Max Kingsley-Jones/Flightglobal, US Air Force, Norwegian Polar Institute
C
42 | Flight International | 18 December 20127 January 2013
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
1. In formal documentation this aircraft is designated the BD-500-1A10. But what is its
more familiar name?
a. Bombardier CS100
b. Embraer 195
c. Mitsubishi MRJ90
d. Sukhoi Superjet 100
2. Which new-generation narrowbody is
scheduled to be the rst to y powered by
CFM Leap engines, in 2014?
a. Airbus A320neo
b. Boeing 737 Max
c. Bombardier CSeries
d. Comac C919
3. Airbus Militarys A400M transport formally
received its new product name in July.
What is it?
a. Atlas
b. Bear
c. Eurolifter
d. Transall 2
4. Which operator entered the history books
by placing the largest-ever business jet
order by value?
a. Flexjet
b. Flight Options
c. NetJets
d. VistaJet
5. Its 80 years since Theyre Lee-Elliotts

famous airline logo started appearing.
But what does it feature?
a. British Airways speedbird
b. KLMs royal crown
c. Lufthansas flying crane
d. Pan Americans globe
6. The Bloodhound SSC supersonic car will
attempt to break the land speed record in
2013 powered by which aeroengine?
a. Eurojet EJ200
b. Pratt & Whitney F100
c. Rolls-Royce Spey
d. Snecma M53
7. Which airline was the recipient of the rst
787 built at Boeings Charleston facility?
a. Air India
b. Ethiopian Airlines
c. Japan Airlines
d. LOT
8. Name the new Citation programme
launched by Cessna to compete in the hotly
contested super-midsize sector.
a. Latitude
b. Longitude
c. M2
d. Ten
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
9. Five years after the A380 entered service,

Airbus tested airframe 100. But for which
customer?
a. Air France
b. Emirates
c. Singapore Airlines
d. Thai Airways
Come on guys! I
cant hold this thing
up much longer!
10. How much did Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky

parent United Technologies pay for
Goodrich?
a. $7 billion cash and shares
b. $11.5 billion including assumption of debt
c. Up to $15 billion depending on 2012 profit
d. More than $18 billion
11. Which aircrafts innovative engine-intake
blanking doors caused confusion during the
Farnborough air show?
a. Boeing C-17
b. RAC MiG-29
c. Saab Gripen E/F demonstrator
d. Yakovlev Yak-130
12. Which Chinese company failed in its bid to
acquire Hawker Beechcraft?
a. AVIC
b. CAIGA
c. Harbin
d. Superior Aviation Beijing
13. Which International Aero Engines partner

sold out of the V2500 programme?
a. Japanese Aero Engines
b. Pratt & Whitney
c. MTU
d. Rolls-Royce
14. Finmeccanica lost 2.4 billion before taxes
in 2011; what other crisis occupied management attention during 2012?
a. Credit rating downgrade in the wake of Italys
deteriorating public finances
b. Bribery allegations related to export sales
c. Fire damage to the 787 fuselage barrels
plant in Grottaglie
d. An Italian defence ministry investigation into
mishandling of classified information
15. Lufthansa received the rst passenger
Boeing 747-8 but with how many seats
is it congured?
a. 362
b. 399
c. 401
d. 416
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
I
16. Bombardier relaunched and rebranded its
Learjet 40XR and 45XR business jets. In
which market sector does the new 70 and
75 duo compete?
a. Entry-level
b. Large cabin
c. Light cabin
d. Midsize
17. SpaceXs in-development Falcon 9 Heavy
space satellite launcher will be powered by
how many engines?
a. 9
b. 14
c. 18
d. 27
18. What other ghter does the Shenyang J-15
closely resemble?
a. RAC MiG-29K
b. Sukhoi Su-33
c. Sukhoi Su-34
d. Sukhoi Su-35
19. Which chief executives were most disappointed when BAE Systems and EADS could
not consummate their proposed merger?
a. Ian King and Tom Enders
b. Dick Olver and Arnaud Lagardre
c. John Rishton and Fabrice Brgier
d. Nick Rose and Louis Gallois
20. From which of Airbuss four current and
future narrowbody production lines will the
rst A320neo emerge?
a. Hamburg
b. Mobile
c. Tianjin
d. Toulouse
21. Chinas rst aircraft carrier entered service,

following a lengthy rebuild programme.
What is the vessel now called?
a. Dalian
b. Liaoning
c. Shi Lang
d. Varyag
22. GKNs acquisition of which engine parts
maker will catapult the UK-headquartered
company into the top tier of that sector?
a. Avio
b. ITP
c. MTU
d. Volvo Aero
23. Which restored Second World War aircraft
was own in New Zealand in September, the
types rst airborne sighting since 1996?
a. De Havilland Mosquito
b. Heinkel He-111
c. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3
d. Vickers Wellington
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
I cant wait for

someone to invent
low-cost airlines
flightglobal.com
18 December 2012-7 January 2013 | Flig

1
Flight
ht Int
International
rnationa | 47
FESTIVE
ESTIVE QU
QUIZ
Z
24. Bell made its foray into the upper-mediumclass helicopter sector with the launch of
which aircraft?
a. 365R
b. 425R
c. 525R
d. 625R
25. Production of which new turbofan began in
2012 for Bombardiers Global 7000 and
8000 business jets?
a. GE Passport 20
b. Pratt & Whitney Canada PW800
c. Rolls-Royce BR725
d. Safran Silvercrest
26. Which Gulf nation splashed out on a eet of

new BAE Systems Hawk trainers, also
topped off with Pilatus PC-21s?
a. Oman
b. Qatar
c. Saudi Arabia
d. United Arab Emirates
27. The Chinese owner of which personal jet
programme has given the green light to its
accelerated development?
a. Cirrus Vision SF50
b. Diamond D-JET
c. Piper Altaire
d. Stratos 714
28. Which well-known couple unveiled the rst
Rolls-Royce Trent 900 to be assembled and
tested in Singapore?
a. David and Victoria Beckham
b. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
c. David and Samantha Cameron
d. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh
T
S
R
30. Before becoming an Apollo astronaut, Neil

Armstrong participated as a test pilot in
which other NASA research programme?
a. Bell X-15
b. Bell X-2
c. Douglas 558
d. Martin X-24
Answers on page 50
48 | Flight International | 18
8 December 2012-7 January 2013
29. What pioneering US aircraft powered by a

British Whittle engine celebrated the 70th
anniversary of its rst ight in October?
a. Lockheed Martin XP-80
b. Gloster E.28/39 (under licence)
c. Bell XP-59A
d. Lockheed Martin L-133
Im going to
need a bigger
cloth
flightglobal.com
FESTIVE QUIZ
F
flightglobal.com
LETTERS
INTERNATIONAL
We welcome your letters on

any aspect of the aerospace
industry.
Please write to: The Editor,
Flight International, Quadrant
House, The Quadrant, Sutton,
Surrey SM2 5AS, UK.
Or email ight.international@
ightglobal.com
The opinions on this page do not
necessarily represent those of the editor.
Flight International
Letters
without a full
cannot
postalpublish
address
letters
supwithout
plied
may
name
not be
andpublished.
address. Letters must
may
be nobemore
also
published
than 250
on flightglobal.com
words in length.and
must be no longer than 250 words.
A test pilots
take on AF447
I refer to David Learmounts excellent article Never again
(Flight International, 20-26 November). One major cause of the
loss of control of the AF447 ight
was that the ight-control law
went from normal to alternate
after the autopilot tripped out.
The normal law prevents the
pilot from getting outside the
ight envelope, but the alternate
law does not. That the aircraft
was dropping at 10,000ft/min at
less than 60kt airspeed indicates
that it was a deep stall. It reminds
me of the loss of a BAC OneEleven in 1963, with Mike Lithgow, a seasoned test pilot, and
his team on board the rst
wake-up call about deep stall.
The accident raises several
questions. Does the main autopilot have a back-up system using
different inputs if it fails? As
Flight Internationals helicopter
and tiltrotor test pilot, I nd the
most modern computerised aircraft have three computers. They
all monitor each other. If one
throws a wobbly, it is automatically disconnected and the other
two control the operation.
FESTIVE QUIZ ANSWERS
HISTORY
Fuel if you think its over

Your Peter Gray (Flight
International, 27
November-3 December)
was impressed by progress
when he saw 200kt in a
helicopter going downhill.
Imagine how impressed he
would have been had he
been with Westlands
Not as thirsty as it looks
Trevor Egginton on 11
August 1986, when he
would have seen 216.22kt in level ight in a Lynx.
Regarding misconceptions about fuel ow in a Harrier during vertical take-off raised by Roy Braybrook (ibid) his letter
reminded me of the SBAC show in 1971. A senior USAF general was in our chalet and giving out the standard misinformation
to his entourage as we all watched 1 Sqns Harriers in a line
abreast hover along the runway. I remarked that actually they
were using less fuel than when ying fast on their wings and
explained: You see the Harrier has a jet engine. In a jet engine
the air going in is compressed, heated and expelled out the
back. The trouble is, Harriers in the hover have to suck the air
in, while at high speed it is rammed into the intakes. Since the
amount of fuel you can burn in a jet engine depends on how
much air goes through it, if you want to see high fuel ows then
go at out low-level on a cold day. I did feel sorry for his entourage afterwards; they seemed distressed by something.
John Farley
Via email
Multiple choice (1pt a question unless otherwise

marked):
1. a (2pts)
2. d
3. a
4. d
5. a (2pts)
6. a
7. a (2pts)
Rex Features
FLIGHT
flight.international@flightglobal.com
8. b
9. d
10. d (2pts)
11. d
12. d
13. d
14. b (2pts)
15. a (2pts)
16. c
17. d (2pts)
18. b
19. a
20. a
21. b
22. d
23. a (2pts)
24. c
25. a
26. c
27. a
28. b (2pts)
29. c
30. a (2pts)
Photos (2pts a question unless otherwise marked):

A. Boeing 307 Stratoliner
B. Vought F-8 Crusader
C. Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser
Should this not also apply to autopilots? And why does the loss
of the autopilot cause the reversion to alternate ight control
law? Logic would require that
this is the very situation when
the pilot has to y the aircraft
manually, to have full ight envelope protection. Surely it is not
beyond the designers capabilities to ensure this, and the certifying authorities to demand
such. I suspect that some of the
most modern computerised controlled airliners are beyond the
capability of the civil aviation
authorities to fully comprehend
what they are signing off.
Peter Gray
Redhill, UK
The perils of
winging it
D. Vickers Wellington
In the 27 November-3 December

issue, there is a caption that says
the Learjet 85s wings are built
in Belfast. That is not quite true.
It is true that the skins are manufactured there, but the complete
assembly is done in Quertaro.
Bernardo Portal
Wing support methods agent
Learjet 85, Bombardier Aerospace
Mxico
G. Vickers VC10
E. Fairchild Republic A-10

F. Boeing 747-100
H. (Clockwise from top left) Hawker Harrier,

Douglas DC-7, BAC One-Eleven 475,
Apollo 11 Command Module (12pts)
I. Rolls-Royce Spey (BAC One-Eleven)
J. Airbus A319-100
K. Rockwell Orbiter OV-103 Discovery (4pts)
L. Ryan NYP
M. Lockheed SR-71
N. North American X-15
O. Boeing BBJ1
P. MiG-21 (Fishbed)
Q. MiG-15
R. Grumman A-6 Intruder
Editors note: Apologies for the

misleading caption.
For the low-down on Learjet 85
activity at Quertaro, visit:
ightglobal.com/queretaro
S. Hawker Hunter
T. Airbus A380
U. Ford 4-AT Trimotor (3pts)
V. Boeing 367-80
W. Hawker Harrier (3pts)

flightglobal.com
READER SERVICES
EVENTS
EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING, PRODUCTION & READER CONTACTS

EDITORIAL +44 20 8652 3842
Quadrant House, The Quadrant,
Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5AS, UK
ight.international@ightglobal.com
Editor Murdo Morrison FRAeS
+44 20 8652 4395
murdo.morrison@flightglobal.com
Head of Content/Flight Daily News Editor
Andrew Doyle +44 20 8652 3096
andrew.doyle@flightglobal.com
Managing Editor Niall OKeeffe
+44 20 8652 4007
niall.okeeffe@flightglobal.com
News Editor Dominic Perry +44 20 8652 3206
dominic.perry@flightglobal.com
Deputy News Editor Kerry Reals
+44 20 8652 3837 kerry.reals@flightglobal.com
Acting Deputy News Editor Martin Rivers
+44 20 8652 8534 martin.rivers@flightglobal.com
Air Transport Editor David Kaminski-Morrow
+44 20 8652 3909
david.kaminski-morrow@flightglobal.com
Business Editor Dan Thisdell +44 20 8652 4491
dan.thisdell@flightglobal.com
Defence Editor Craig Hoyle +44 20 8652 3834
craig.hoyle@flightglobal.com
Operations/Safety Editor David Learmount
+44 20 8652 3845
david.learmount@flightglobal.com
Business & General Aviation Editor
Kate Sarsfield +44 20 8652 3885
kate.sarsfield@flightglobal.com
Air Transport/MRO Reporter Michael Gubisch
+44 20 8652 8747
michael.gubisch@flightglobal.com
Magazine Enquiries Dawn Hartwell
+44 20 8652 3315
dawn.hartwell@flightglobal.com
EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST
Israel Correspondent Arie Egozi
Russia Correspondent Vladimir Karnozov
AMERICAS
Americas Managing Editor Stephen Trimble
+1 703 836 8052 stephen.trimble@flightglobal.com
Deputy Americas Air Transport Editor Ghim-Lay Yeo
+1 703 706 9474 ghimlay.yeo@flightglobal.com
Americas Air Transport Reporter Edward Russell
+1 703 836 1897 edward.russell@flightglobal.com
UAV & Spaceflight Editor Zach Rosenberg
+1 703 836 7442 zach.rosenberg@flightglobal.com
Military Reporter Dave Majumdar
+1 703 548 4706 dave.majumdar@flightglobal.com
MRO and Air Transport Reporter Kristin Majcher
+1 703 836 8053 kristin.majcher@flightglobal.com
ASIA/PACIFIC
Asia Managing Editor Siva Govindasamy
+65 6780 4311 siva.govindasamy@flightglobal.com
Deputy Asia Editor Greg Waldron
+65 6780 4314 greg.waldron@flightglobal.com
Reporter Mavis Toh
+65 6780 4309 mavis.toh@flightglobal.com
Reporter Ellis Taylor
+65 6780 4307 ellis.taylor@flightglobal.com
Australia Correspondent Emma Kelly
FLIGHTGLOBAL AIRLINES
Editor Airline Business
Max Kingsley-Jones +44 20 8652 3825
max.kingsley.jones@flightglobal.com
Managing Editor Graham Dunn
+44 20 8652 4995 graham.dunn@flightglobal.com
Content Editor Alex Thomas
+44 20 8652 3184 alex.thomas@flightglobal.com
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION
Head of Design & Production Alexis Rendell
+44 20 8652 8127 alexis.rendell@rbi.co.uk
Global Chief Copy Editor Lewis Harper
+44 20 8652 4958 lewis.harper@icis.com
Chief Copy Editor, Europe Dan Bloch
+44 20 8652 8146 dan.bloch@icis.com
Chief Copy Editor, Americas Fred Seelig
+1 713 525 2649 fred.seelig@icis.com
Global Production Editor Louise Murrell
+44 20 8652 8139 louise.murrell@rbi.co.uk
Deputy Global Production Editor Rachel Kemp
Global Art Editor Dominic Ray
Designer Lauren Mills
Group Information Graphics Editor Gareth
Burgess
Senior Editorial Artist Tim Bicheno-Brown
Senior Technical Artist Giuseppe Picarella
joe.picarella@flightglobal.com
Consulting Technical Artist Tim Hall
flightglobal.com
22-24 January
FLIGHTGLOBAL.COM
Head of Web
Michael Targett +44 20 8652 3863
michael.targett@flightglobal.com
Deputy Editor Stuart Clarke +44 20 8652 3835
stuart.clarke@flightglobal.com
Acting Content Editor Miquel Ros
+44 20 8652 4248 miquel.ros@flightglobal.com
Digital Production Editor Colin Miller
Web Production Editor Andrew Costerton
DATA TEAM
DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENT SALES
PUBLISHING MANAGEMENT
Quadrant House, The Quadrant,

Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5AS, UK.
Group Display Sales Manager Stuart Burgess
stuart.burgess@flightglobal.com
Sales Support Gillian Cumming
+44 20 8652 8837
gillian.cumming@rbi.co.uk
EUROPE
Sales Manager Shawn Buck
+44 20 8652 4998 shawn.buck@flightglobal.com
Sales Manager Mark Hillier
+44 20 8652 8022 mark.hillier@flightglobal.com
Display Account Manager Grace Hewitt
+44 20 8652 3469 grace.hewitt@flightglobal.com
NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA
Vice-President, North & South America
Rob Hancock +1 703 836 7444
robert.hancock@flightglobal.com
Regional Sales Director
Warren McEwan +1 703 836 3719
warren.mcewan@flightglobal.com
Sales Executive
Rachel Sunderland +1 703 836 7445
rachel.sunderland@flightglobal.com
Sales Manager
Steven Kulikowski +1 630 288 8034
steven.kulikowski@flightglobal.com
Reed Business Information, 333 N.Fairfax Street,
Suite 301, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
ITALY
Sales Manager Riccardo Laureri
+39 (02) 236 2500 media@laureriassociates.it
Laureri Associates SRL, Via Vallazze 43,
20131 Milano, Italy
ISRAEL
Sales Executive Asa Talbar +972 77 562 1900
Fax: +972 77 562 1903 talbar@talbar.co.il
Talbar Media, 41 HaGivaa St, PO Box 3184, Givat
Ada 37808, Israel
ASIA/AUSTRALASIA
Sales Manager Michael Tang
+65 6780 4301 michael.tang@flightglobal.com
Fax: +65 6789 7575
1 Changi Business Park Crescent,
#06-01 Plaza 8 @ CBP
Singapore 486025
RUSSIA & CIS
Director Arkady Komarov
komarov@worldbusinessmedia.ru
Tel/Fax: +7 (495) 987 3800
World Business Media, Leningradsky Prospekt, 80,
Korpus G, Office 807, Moscow 125190, Russia
CLASSIFIED & RECRUITMENT

+44 20 8652 4900; +44 20 8652 4897
Group Sales Manager Lucinda Chia
+44 20 8652 8507
lucinda.chia@rbi.co.uk
Key Account Manager Christian Warren
+44 20 8652 4900 recruitment.services@rbi.co.uk
Key Account Manager Michael Tang
+65 6780 4301
Sales Executives Oliver Kingston, Katie Mann
ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION
Production Manager Sean Behan
+44 20 8652 8232 sean.behan@rbi.co.uk
Production Manager Classified Alan Blagrove
+44 20 8652 4406 alan.blagrove@rbi.co.uk
MARKETING
Marketing Director Fiona Benharoosh
+44 20 8564 6711 fiona.benharoosh@rbi.co.uk
Senior Marketing Manager Ben Colclough
+44 20 8564 6722 ben.colclough@rbi.co.uk
Head of Marketing Georgina Rushworth
+44 20 8652 8138 georgina.rushworth@rbi.co.uk
Head of Data Pete Webber

+44 20 8564 6715
peter.webber@flightglobal.com
Commercial Aviation Steven Phipps
+44 20 8564 6797
steven.phipps@flightglobal.com
Defence & GA John Maloney
+44 20 8564 6704
john.maloney@flightglobal.com
Publishing Director Melanie Robson
Publisher Mark Pilling
READER SERVICES
Subscriptions
Jenny Smith, Flight International
Subscriptions, Reed Business
Information, PO Box 302, Haywards Heath,
West Sussex, RH16 3DH, UK
Subscription Enquiries
+44 1444 445454
Telephone/credit card orders +44 845 077 7733
Fax +44 1444 440619
flightinternational.subs@quadrantsubs.com
Subscription Rates
1 Year
2 Years
3 Years
132/$208/ 224/$253/ 316/$499/
157
266
376
Only paid subscriptions available. Cheques
payable to Flight International
Flight International welcomes unsolicited contributions
from readers but cannot guarantee to return
photographs, transparencies, etc safely.
and Database Rights 2012 Reed Business Information
Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission in writing of the publishers.
Ascend, a Flightglobal
advisory service, is a leading
provider of expert advisory
and valuations services to the
global aviation industry. Its specialist, independent
services inform and shape the strategies of aviation
businesses worldwide. Ascend offers an unrivalled
breadth and depth of aviation expertise and experience,
backed by unique access to robust industry data.
Airline Merchandising, Ancillary

Revenue and New Commercial Models
London, UK
Tel: +44 20 8652 4755
hannah.bonnett@rbi.co.uk
flightglobalevents.com/revenue2013
29-30 January
SAE 2013 Design, Manufacturing and

Economics of Composites Symposium
Torino Incontra Conference Centre, Italy
sae.org/events/dtmc
6-10 February
Aero India 2013

Yelahanka Air Force Station, Bengaluru
Tel: +91 971 701 4448
Wg Cdr MD Singh
jd@aeroindia.in
25-27 February
Loyalty 2013
Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +44 20 8652 8818
lizzie.law@rbi.co.uk
loyalty-conference.com
25-27 February
MRO Africa Conference & Exhibition

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
africanaviation.com
1-3 March
Australian International Airshow

Avalon airport, Geelong, Victoria
airshow.com.au
3-5 March
Network USA 2013

Hyatt Regency Hill Country, Texas
Tel: +44 20 8652 4610
anna.chamberlain-webber@rbi.co.uk
networkusaforum.com
4-6 March
27th Annual Commercial Aviation

Industry Suppliers Conference
Beverly Wilshire, California, USA
speednews.com/conferences
26-30 March
Flightglobal Pro is a paid-for news and data service for
professionals who need to find new opportunities or
track competition within the air transport industry. The
service puts a wealth of global intelligence at your
fingertips, covering everything from airline fleets, routes
and traffic, through to aircraft finance, industry
regulation and more. www.flightglobal.com/pro
Flightglobal Insight provides a range of tailored research

reports and analysis, with access to information and
industry expertise from the unrivalled Flightglobal Premium
services portfolio. Tel: +44 20 8652 3914 email: insight@
flightglobal.com www.flightglobal.com/insight
Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper.
Published by Reed Business Information Ltd, Quadrant
House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS, UK. Tel:
+44 20 8652 3500. Newstrade distributed by
Marketforce (UK) Ltd, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark
Street, London SE1 0SU, UK. Tel: +44 20 3148 3300.
Classified advertising prepress by CCM.
Printed in Great Britain by Polestar (Colchester) Ltd.
Flight International published weekly 49 issues per year.
Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ. Postmaster send
changes to Reed Business Information, c/o Mercury
International Ltd, 365 Blair Road, Avenel, NJ 07001
This periodical is sold subject to the following conditions:
namely that it is not, without the written consent of the
publishers first given, lent, re-sold, hired out or in any
unauthorised cover by way of trade, or affixed to, or as
part of, any publication of advertising, literary or pictorial
matter whatsoever. No part of the content may be stored
electronically, or reproduced or transmitted in any form
without the written permission of the Publisher.
ISSN 0015-3710
Langkawi International Maritime

& Aerospace Exhibition
Langkawi, Malaysia
hw5@hwlima.org
lima.com.my
29 April to 1 May
African Aviation Training Conference

& Exhibition
Cairo, Egypt
africanaviation.com
21-23 May
EBACE: European Business Aviation

Convention & Exhibition
Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland
Ana Baptista
abaptista@ebaa.org
ebace.aero
27-29 May
African Business Aviation Conference

& Exhibition
Nairobi, Kenya
africanaviation.com
17-23 June
Paris Air Show

Le Bourget exhibition centre, France
paris-air-show.com
26-28 June
Air Finance for Africa Conference

& Exhibition
Johannesburg, South Africa
africanaviation.com
For a full list of events see

ightglobal.com/events
CLASSIFIED
CLASSIFIED
TEL +44 (0) 20 8652 4897 FAX +44 (0) 20 8652 3779 EMAIL classified.services@rbi.co.uk
Calls may be monitored for training purposes
New and used aircraft
TEL +44 (0) 20 8652 4897 FAX +44 (0) 20 8652 3779 EMAIL classified.ser vices@rbi.co.uk
Brand New 2012 Cessna Citation X

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY - DISCOUNTED PRICE
FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
Cessna Citation
Authorised Sales
Representative
www.timleacockaircraft.com +44 (0)1258 818181
Equipment/Maintenance/Service wanted
Aircraft spares
&GXGNQROGPV 2TQFWEVKQP
QH*KIJ2GTHQTOCPEG
EQORQUKVGEQPUVCPV
URGGFRTQRGNNGTUCPF
ZGFRKVEJRTQRGNNGTU
5CNGU 5GTXKEG HQT
6$$& 0HWUR,,,($6$$6 RTQFWEVUOCFGD[
$LUSRUW 6WUDXELQJ:DOOPKOH
$WWLQJ *HUPDQ\
SKRQHID[
VDOHV#PWSURSHOOHUFRP
Z Z Z P W S U R S H O O H U F R P
/E%CWNG[
*CTV\GNN
5GPUGPKEJ
9QQFYCTF
)QQFTKEJ
52 | Flight International | 18 December 2012 - 7 January 2013
Dauphin AS.365
Parts Specialists
w w w. a l p i n e . a e r o
Tel: +41 52 345 3605
ightglobal.com
CLASSIFIED
Courses and tuition
GET THE BOEING 737 / AIRBUS 320 EXPERIENCE

AND HOURS ON TYPE THE AIRLINES ARE
LOOKING FOR WITH THE WORLD LINE TRAINING
SPECIALIST SINCE 1996!
B737/A320 FIRST OFFICER LINE TRAINING

EUROPEAN & ASIAN bases. JAA & other ICAO type ratings are
accepted. 300 & 500 hour options.
Asian Based Programs

500 Hours B737 NG First Officer + 4 Year Employment
100 Hours B737 NG Captain + 1 Year Employment
A320 Captain Line Check + 3 Year Employment
EAGLE JET INTERNATIONAL

Tel: 001 305 278 0012
ightglobal.com
WWW.EAGLEJET.COM
Miami, USA
info@eaglejet.com
18 December 2012 - 7 January 2013 | Flight International | 53
Tenders
88 e
19 nc
e d rie
ish pe
bl Ex
ta l
Es oba
Gl
CLASSIFIED
Consultancy
atlanticbridgeaviation.com
s Airline start-ups and development
s Feasibility studies, business plans
s Aircraft acquisition & management
s Airport development & masterplan
s Regulatory compliance & manuals
s Worldwide aircraft delivery all types
THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
Tel +44(1)1797 322 655
INTERNATIONAL TENDER NOTICE
email: enquiries@atlanticbridgeaviation.com
General
EMIRATES/ETIHAD
AIRCREW
The Republic of South Sudan, Ministry of Transport

announce that its tender No: RSS/MOT/IFB/001
closing date has been extended until the 31st of
January 2013 instead of 31st December 2012, any
application after that date will not be considered.
Bids will be opened in the presence of bidders
representatives on 14th of February 2013, at Juba,
Ministry of Transport headquarters. The guarantee
amount of 2% will be returned to all rejected
bidders within one month from 15th of February
2013.
Ministry of Transport, Republic Of South Sudan,
Juba Yei Road.
(BIDS FOR SOUTH SUDAN NATIONAL CARRIER)
Email: undersecretarymot@yahoo.com
Cell: +211954379644.
Broaden your
horizons
Whether youre an aspiring engineer
embarking on your career or a pilot looking
to make that next step, Flightglobal Training
has the course for you.
Search through hundreds of the best courses

from the worlds leading Flight Schools,
Training Schools and Academic Institutions.
HZVgX]XdjghZh
HZije8djghZhWn:bV^aVaZgih
GZ\^hiZgVcYVeeandca^cZ
www.ightglobal.com/training
ightglobal.com
flightglobal.com/jobs
EMAIL recruitment.services@rbi.co.uk CALL +44 (20) 8652 4900 FAX +44 (20) 8652 4877
Safety First
Upwards of 49,000 + excellent benefits
Crawley, West Sussex
Safety comes first, second and last with us. Now your broad
experience in airline safety, or a regulatory environment, can
make further impact on our already outstanding track record.
By proactively investigating incidents, carrying out risk
assessments, and ensuring all regulatory changes are
implemented, youll champion continuous improvements
to flight safety and security, giving our customers and staff
peace of mind. Ideally with experience as an Aircraft Accident
Investigator with an ATPL, you must be able see the bigger
picture on safety issues, and lead and inspire a dedicated team
of professionals.
To find out more and apply, visit careersuk.virgin-atlantic.com
and search reference 90950.
Closing date: 5th January 2013.
Reliability and Maintenance

Programmes Manager
RAF Coningsby | competitive + excellent benets
As a Reliability and Maintenance Programmes Manager
at BAE Systems, youll transform our existing technical
support activities at RAF Coningsby, delivering the
world-class maintenance and support activities that will
guarantee continuing airworthiness status.
This change leadership role will put you in charge of multiple
project teams and see you supporting exciting new projects
like the Typhoon export programme, the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter and the next generation of UAVs. Simply put, its
a chance to help us navigate a period of change while
benefitting from some of the best training and development
in the industry.
To join us, youll have management experience in a Part M
Continuing Airworthiness environment, a detailed knowledge
of in-service support within the aviation sector and a high
level of expertise in leadership and change management.
To find out more and apply please go to
www.baesystems.com/careers and search for jobs using
ref: 00017213.
REAL PRIDE. REAL ADVANTAGE.
www.ightglobal.com/jobs
flightglobal.com
HUNDREDS OF JOBS @ flightglobal.com/jobs
Flight Safety Manager
RECRUITMENT
Getting careers off the ground
RECRUITMENT
Direct Entry
Contracts
Exciting Career Opportunities

within Air Traffic Control
Line Training Captains, TRIs, TREs, Captains and
First Ocers qualied on the A320 family of aircraft
Following our successful launch, we are bringing an
entirely new ying experience to the African market.
We are looking for experienced A320 captains and
rst Ocers to support our growth, on renewable 12
monthly contracts, with bases in various African major
cities.
Details of our competitive package, along with a link to
our application process, can be found on our website.
www.fastjet.com/tz/corporate/careers
Birmingham Airport, the UKs 7th busiest Airport, is located 5.5 nm ESE
of the City of Birmingham and alongside the National Exhibition Centre.
Birmingham Airport is currently investing heavily in both its Airfield and Air
Traffic infrastructure with a runway extension, new control tower and radar
projects all underway. As a result, the airport is currently evaluating its Air
Traffic Service provision for the future.
Birmingham Airport would therefore like to invite expressions of interest
for the following potential posts within its Airfield Operations Department:
Senior Air Traffic Control Officer UK ratings in ADI and APS, OJTI and
EXM endorsements, comprehensive SMS training/experience and good
regulatory knowledge are essential. A Met Observers Certificate is
desirable.
Air Traffic Control Officer UK ratings in ADI and APS are essential. A
Met Observers Certificate and OJTI endorsements are desirable.
Senior Air Traffic Control Assistant Previous Civil/Military Air Traffic
Assistant experience is essential.
Air Traffic Control Assistant
Senior Air Traffic Services Engineer Minimum of 5 years experience
as ATSE with HNC electronics or equivalent training and UK Personal
Technical Certificate Holder or equivalent with comprehensive SMS
training/experience and good regulatory knowledge being essential.
Air Traffic Services Engineer ONC electronics or equivalent training
and UK Personal Technical Certificate Holder or equivalent with
experience across ATM equipment group types are essential.
Suitably
qualified
candidates
should
submit
a
CV
to
recruitment@birminghamairport.co.uk. Any queries about these roles
should also be directed to the above email address.
Recruitment
headache?
Get express relief with
THE industry job site
at Jobs.Flightglobal.com
Print
Online
Mobile
One industry, one job site

flightglobal.com
RECRUITMENT
;6.,;/,9 >, -3@/0./,9

;OL)VLPUN+YLHTSPULYPZKLUPUN[OLM\[\YLVMHLYVZWHJL>P[OH
NYV^PUNWVY[MVSPVVM)VLPUN-SLL[;LJOUPJHS:LY]PJLZJ\Z[VTLYZHJYVZZ
,\YVWL^LYLUV^ZL[[PUN\WH;LJOUPJHS:\WWVY[.YV\W[VTHUHNL[OL
MYVU[LUK7HY[4HPY^VY[OPULZZMVYZHUKV[OLYHPYJYHM[
>LYLSVVRPUNMVY3PJLUZLK,UNPULLYZ4HPU[LUHUJL *VU[YVS,UNPULLYZ
7SHUUPUN *VUN\YH[PVU*VU[YVS,UNPULLYZHUK9LSPHIPSP[` 4HPU[LUHUJL
7YVNYHTTLZ,UNPULLYZ[VQVPUV\Y[LHT)YPUN`V\YL_WLY[PZL[V)VLPUN
and together, well do amazing things.
-PUKV\[TVYLH[IVLPUNJVTJHYLLYZ\RIJHQVIZ
Boeing is an equal opportunity employer supporting diversity in the workplace.
flightglobal.com
Global Aerospace contract

personnel and work packages
e: progers@strongfieldtech.com
t: +44(0)20 8799 8916
w: www.strongfield.com
+353 1 816 1774
sales@parcaviation.aero
www.parcaviation.aero

Tel: +353 1 669 8224

Fax: +353 1 669 8201
Email:recruitment@sigmaaviationservices.com
recruitment@sigmaaviationservices.com
Email:
www.sigmaaviationservices.com
www.sigmaaviationservices.com
FIND THE RIGHT MATCH

AVIATION RECRUITMENT SERVICES
WWW.JET-PROFESSIONALS.COM
Tel: 0041 58 158 8877

The preferred company for Stress (Fatigue & DT), GFEM,

Composites), Aeronautical Research. Business units:
Contract staff, Workpackages, Innovation and New
Concepts, Aeronautical Research. www.bishop-gmbh.com
Contact bishop.peter@bishop-gmbh.com
Tel 0049-(0)40-866-258-10 Fax 0049-(0)40-866-258-20
AVIATION RECRUITMENT
WORLDWIDE
wynnwith
T: +44 (0)1483 748252
E: aviation@wynnwith.com
W: www.wynnwith.com
Contract and Permanent recruitment

for the Aviation industry
David Rowe, Alastair Millar,
Jodie Green, Ian Chapman
Tel: +44 (0)1737 821011

Email: aero@cbsbutler.com
www.cbsbutler.com
GCT Group
Worldwide specialist for
Aerospace Engineering,
Certification & Management
Services
e: yourcv@garner.de
t: +49 (0) 8153 93130
w: www.garner.de
www.aircraft-commerce.com
+44 (0)1403 240 183
www.ryanaviation.net
Recruitment Support
to the Aviation Industry
Recruiting Stress, Design and Fatigue & DT
engineers for our ofces in:
aviation recruitment
T: +44 (0)1483 332000

recruitment@zenon.aero
CTC FlexiCrew
High flyers, on demand
Seeks Type Rated Pilots

Locations UK & Worldwide
Flexible & Permanent Positions
www.ctcaviation.com/ctcflexicrew
RECRUITMENT FOR AVIATION

EASA E-LEARNING COURSES
Tel: +44 (0) 1284 700676
Email: info@e-techs.co
www.e-techs.co
Amsterdam
Bangalore
Bristol
Glasgow
Hamburg
Seattle
aerospace.info@atkinsglobal.com
Three Oaks Aviaon Consultancy Ltd.

Looking for on contract basis consultants with
working experience gained from aircra
manufacturers customer services business,
incl. maintenance & engineering, supply
chain management, aircra parts service,
technical publicaons, training, operaon
support and supplier contract management.
Email: yongq@3oac.com Tel: +44 20 8643 3981
www.3oac.com
Flight International
Global Aviation Recruitment Solutions
Rebecca Anderson, Kelly Biggart, Holly
Sawkins, Billy McDougall, Lee Walker
Tel: +44(0)141 270 5007
E-mail:
aviation@firstpeoplesolutions.co.uk
www.firstpeoplesolutions.co.uk
To advertise in this
Employment Services Index
call +44 (0) 20 8652 4900

fax +44 (0) 20 8261 8434
email recruitment.services@rbi.co.uk
Please note that calls may
be monitored for training purposes
ightglobal.com
WORKING WEEK
WORK EXPERIENCE THOMAS WEDE
Racing to the paper trails end

What did you study?
I grew up in southern Germany,
close to where I was educated in
the city of Esslingen, near Stuttgart. I studied technology and
business, which was under the
umbrella of industrial engineering, so I am a semi-business person and a technology person at
the same time.
What was your rst job?
Straight after graduating in 1986,
I joined Lufthansa German Airlines in Frankfurt as an assistant
in its IT department. In those
days, system integration was all
about IT support for aircraft and
connectivity to ground operations and data analysis of ight
performance. But in 1990, I decided I wanted to develop the
business side of my education
and I went into revenue management at Lufthansa Cargo. That
was a good learning opportunity
for me. As we all know, the cargo
business is very competitive and
requires you to optimise operations down to the nearest penny.
When did you join Jeppesen?
In 1992, Jeppesen was looking for
a new director of marketing and
sales with airline experience. I
was with them in Frankfurt until
2003, when I was offered a position at company headquarters.
What do you do there?
Together with my worldwide
team, we are the customer-facing
side of Jeppesen Aviation.
Jeppesen also has a marine busi-
Jeffrey Decker
As head of Jeppesens aviation business, Thomas Wede is guiding the Boeing-owned navigational information
and service provider into a fully electronic age where the guys with the earrings and the ponytail hold sway
Wede: eager to make Jeppesen a destination for the software kids

ness but I lead the entire ying
side, including product management and professional services.
However, I dont build my own
products. I say: Here is what I
want you to build, or I want
you to go to another party and
buy it there. So my team runs
the requirements of the product
and we bring it to market.
What is your current big
project?
We are transforming from a
paper company into a fully electronic one. Its fun but not something too many companies have
mastered successfully. Its not
only about getting something out
of paper into electronic media, it
is also about nding the right

people for the right challenges.
These days its the guys with the
earrings and the ponytail, the
software kids who work for
Google or Apple or in the future for Jeppesen. It is a cultural
change that really intrigues me.
The aim is to run a healthy, leading company in the e-age, rather
than the paper age.
Does it help to be part of
Boeing?
Boeing is a world-class company
and it is allowing us to learn
what it means to certicate something in the cockpit. We are now
much closer to the aircraft itself.
Our customers y everything,
not only Boeing aircraft. Being

part of Boeing adds a whole new
layer of skills for us and, hopefully, it works the other way too.
Is maximising efciency your
favourite part of the job?
The company is going to realtime database everything
things that, as a paper company,
we never looked into. It is moving us every day, and is why I
love to work for Jeppesen.
What is your least favourite
part?
We have great relationships
with the government, the FAA,
EASA and all authorities worldwide, but sometimes I wish
change could be accomplished
faster. Jeppesen never compromises safety but this is a conservative industry and the technology is so far ahead of what is
certicated or approved for use,
it can be challenging. Sometimes you feel like you take two
steps forward and one step back
but I fully understand the authorities have to work this way
and it is a pleasure to help them
in that decision-making.
For more employee work
experiences, pay a visit to
ightglobal.com/workingweek
If you would like to feature in

Working Week, or you know
someone who does, email your
pitch to murdo.morrison@
ightglobal.com

Apply now at
flightglobal.com
EXPANDING HORIZONS
In the last fty years, only one new transparent plastic has
been approved by the FAA for aircraft windows. Ours.
At PPG, innovation for the aerospace industry goes beyond our advanced coatings
and sealants that reduce weight for better fuel efciency. Were launching a new
transparent plastic for aircraft windowsthe rst to be approved by the FAA in
50 years. Lightweight, craze- and re-resistant, OPTICOR advanced transparency
material can be formed into complex shapes while maintaining optical clarity.
Larger windows enhanced by our ALTEOS interactive window systems improve
passenger comfort and view. AEROCRON electrocoat primer reduces component
weight. And, our Customized Sealant Solutions simplify aircraft sealing while
reducing process time, waste and weight. Visit ppg.com to learn how PPG
innovation helps our aviation partners expand possibilities and exceed their
performance goals.
Bringing innovation to the surface.

PAINTS - COATINGS - OPTICAL PRODUCTS - SILICAS - CHEMICALS - GLASS - FIBRE GLASS
The PPG logo, Opticor, Alteos, and Bringing innovation to the surface. are trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
Aerocron is a trademark of PRC-DeSoto International, Inc.

Flight International - (01) December 18 - January 07 2013

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Flight International - (01) December 18 - January 07 2013

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

YEAR IN QUESTION

Top USAF official sounds

Middle Easts movers

18 DECEMBER 2012-7 JANUARY 2013

Go Where Others Cant.

Find out why. Scan the code.

VOLUME 182 NUMBER 5371

Middle Easts movers

PIC OF THE WEEK

YOUR PHOTOGRAPH HERE

Demetrius Vanspranghe, one of the

18 DECEMBER 2012-7 JANUARY 2013

We reveal most stunning

34 Crowning images The ace snappers of

26 REVIEW OF THE YEAR Headline

Boeing outlines green test campaign P11. Sikorsky left as

Boeing, US Air Force

Top USAF official sounds

Demetrius gallery on flightglobal.com/AirSpace

18 DECEMBER 2012-7 JANUARY 2013

NEXT ISSUE FORECASTS

Access the free Interactive Business Aircraft Guide

18 December 2012-7 January 2013 | Flight International | 3

THE WEEK ON THE WEB

Deck-handling trials of Northrop Grummans X-47B (below)

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

For a full list of reader services, editorial

+44 20 8652 3842

+44 20 8652 3315

+44 1444 445 454

+44 20 8652 8612

+44 20 8652 3096

Total votes: 1,440

+44 20 8652 4897

CRJ will continue to

The top ve stories for the week just gone:

Download the Military Simulator

4 | Flight International | 18 December 2012-7 January 2013

CONSERVATION THROUGH AVIATION INNOVATION

Simplicity and efciency

Photo courtesy of Mark Greenberg Photography 2004

BURT RUTAN COMPOSITES VIRTUOSO

Ad space donated by Flight International

The destination for

Register your interest to attend at

World Travel Catering

Hamburg Messe , Germany

The year that wasnt

ASA raised our Curiosity on Mars. Airbus planted

Next year offers little hope of

Korea and the United Arab Emirates said they would,

High hopes dashed over the Pacific

Keep tabs on UAV makers

hen new battleeld technologies emerge, no one

started striking at terrorist targets and protecting troops

18 December 2012-7 January 2013 | Flight International | 7

For a round-up of our latest online news,

DELTA AIMS FOR VIRGIN REBIRTH

Deliveries of AirAsias 264 A320neos will begin in 2016

UPGRADED MIG-29S ARRIVE IN INDIA

DEVELOPMENT DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW BROUGHTON

SOUTH AFRICAN DAKOTA CRASH KILLS 11

Possible fuselage modification is under consideration by the