VTOL programmes see opportunity for better maintenance using data

The heads of several US Navy and Marine Corps helicopter and tilt rotor programmes see an opportunity to use data for better preventative maintenance.

However, the USMC and USN are currently limited in their ability to monitor and predict part failures within its fleet of aircraft by a variety of issues, including lack of funding, limited aircraft sensors and insufficient computing power, the programme managers said at AHS International's Annual Forum & Technology Display conference in Phoenix, Arizona on 16 May.

“Absolutely there is an interest,” said US Navy Capt Craig Grubb, who manages the MH-60 helicopter programme. “The likelihood of funding of putting something more in the aircraft then what we have today is unlikely.”

He also noted that there are limited opportunities to do prognostic, conditions based maintenance on the MH-60 fleet today due to the current placement of sensors on the aircraft.

Other programmes are not limited by sensors, but by the inability to make sense of the trove of data available to them.

“Our problem is, at least on the H-1 side, we’ve got all kinds of data; we’ve got tons of data. Our budget hasn’t supported the reduction of that data into [a] useful tool,” said David Walsh, programme manager for the UH-1. “Until we can bridge that gap or industry can help us through an automated AI system or something like that we are going to be limited in what we can do.”

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey programme said it faces similar problems.

These issues are front and center as the Marine Corps adds its input to the Future Vertical Lift programme, said Walsh.

“That’s going to be one of our core tenants: How do we take advantage of a HUMS (Health and Use Monitoring System) or HUMS-like system?” he said, explaining the value in a hypothetical scenario: “That bearing is going to be dead in 30h, so at 25h the bearing is going to be on your doorstep. You can install it [and] you’ll be good to go.”

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US Marine Corps takes delivery of first CH-53K

Sikorsky delivered its first of an expected 200 CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters to the US Marine Corps on 16 May, with the King Stallion due to achieve initial operational capability next year.

To be stationed at MCAS New River, North Carolina, the lead example of the three-engined rotorcraft will be used during a supportability test activity. "US Marines will conduct a logistics assessment on the maintenance, sustainment and overall logistics support of the King Stallion," according to Sikorsky.

The Lockheed Martin-owned company says there are "18 additional aircraft in various stages of production already", with its second CH-53K due to be delivered in early 2019. It adds that it is preparing to commence production at its Stratford site in Connecticut "this summer".

The King Stallion fleet will replace the USMC's CH-53Es, which have been in service since 1981. Flight Fleets Analyzer shows 142 examples as remaining in operational use.

Sikorsky's incoming model has demonstrated its ability to carry an underslung load weighing more than 16,300kg (36,000lb) – three times that of the previous model – while its maximum speed is in excess of 200kt (370km/h).

Potential export opportunities for the type include a German requirement to replace an aged inventory of CH-53G-series transports. A King Stallion made its international debut at the ILA Berlin air show late last month, with Sikorsky facing competition from the Boeing CH-47F Chinook.

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Uber sees air routes making eVTOL safer than helicopters

Uber believes established air routes above cities will make electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft operations safer than the way conventional helicopters are flown today.

The company sees the predictability that comes with established routes as eliminating many of the unexpected situations that overwhelm and endanger helicopter pilots today, said Mark Moore, engineering director of aviation with Uber.

“One of the reasons why helicopter safety is not as good as other [aircraft] safety is because there is a high degree of operational uncertainty,” he said. “They’re not always flying on the exact same route, from one sky port to another, which is what we’re doing.”

By establishing dedicated air lanes eVTOL operators would be able to study and reduce risks along those paths, said Moore.

“We have a huge operational advantage in terms of safety where we are always repeating the same thing – a trip from a sky port to a sky port,” he said. “The geography is well known; the structures are well known; the support and sky port is known, and part of our integrated network structure.”

The addition of autonomous flight controls to assist and eventually take over eVTOL flight may also help prevent pilots from losing situational awareness or becoming overwhelmed, said Moore.

Initially, Uber envisions its urban eVTOL networks will serve a region with a 52nm (96.6km) diameter. The company would like aircraft in its network to cruise at 130kt (241km/h).

Uber plans to launch its eVTOL networks in three cities by 2023, including Los Angeles, Dallas and a yet-to-be named international city.

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Just Aircraft Introduces Single-seat Ultralight

Walhalla, South Carolina-based Just Aircraft, makers of the SuperSTOL extreme short field performer, is developing an Ultralight for the Part 103 market. Named Just 103, the single-seat Ultralight is expected to be available as a kit or a complete aircraft later this year.

The flying prototype of the open fuselage Just 103 is a high-wing design constructed of steel tubes and an aluminum tail boom. But Troy Woodland, who also designed the SuperSTOL, is reworking the tail to incorporate a steel truss. Other than a small windscreen, the cockpit is completely open leaving the pilot to fully enjoy the sights and scents of the flying environment.

The Just 103 is powered by an Italian engine, the 37-horsepower Polini Thor 250. There are also plans to power the 103 with a Rotax 582 engine, but with that configuration it would no longer qualify under the Ultralight rules, which limit the aircraft to 254 pounds and 55 knots. Instead, the Rotax-powered version would be introduced as a Light Sport Aircraft. Unlike the LSA standards, Part 103 requires no pilot certificate, age limits or medical requirements.

Just Aircraft will continue to test fly and make modifications to the Just 103 and plans to launch the final design at EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at the end of July. The price point has not yet been finalized. However, the company said the Just 103 is expected to be very affordable as the cost of the Polini engine is only $4,000.

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JetSuite commits to launch Zunum hybrid-electric aircraft

Premium charter operator JetSuite has committed to become the launch operator for a Boeing-backed, hybrid-electric aircraft now in development by Seattle-based start-up Zunum Aero.

A memorandum of understanding announced on 21 May commits JetSuite to order up to 100 of the six- to 12-seat commuter aircraft once they become certificated by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

The launch commitment demonstrates growing commercial airline demand for alternatives to conventional, gas-powered aircraft on short routes. In addition to Boeing’s financial support, Zunum also is backed by JetBlueTechnology Ventures. Alex Wilcox, founder of JetSuite, also was a founding executive for JetBlue in 1999.

JetSuite’s commitment also follows a move by European low-cost carrier last September to team up with US start-up Wright Electric to collaborate on the latter’s proposal to develop a large, electric-powered passenger jet within a decade.

By contrast, Zunum Aero’s approach seems far less aggressive. The company plans to begin flight tests in mid-2019 with a flying testbed for the six to 12-seater, says chief executive Ashish Kumar says. The twin-engined testbed will be converted to a hybrid-electric powerplant gradually, beginning with one electric motor replacing one of the aircraft’s gas-powered engines. Both engines eventually will be replaced with electric motors powered by electricity generated by a 1,450shp-class turboshaft engine.

By the early 2020s, Zunum plans to start producing a certificated aircraft with a 1MW-class propulsion system, putting it in roughly the same size class as a Pilatus PC-9 or Cessna Denali. But the still-unnamed Zunum aircraft should be far more fuel efficient. Kumar says that Zunum is targeting a cost per available seat mile around the same as a 70-seat Bombardier Q400.

Zunum also has proposed to deliver a 4MW-class, hybrid-electric airliner with about 50 seats before 2030. Such a vehicle poses several major technical obstacles, including the transmissions cables. The 1MW-class aircraft can use existing 540V cables to transmit electricity from the turbo-generator to the motors. A 4MW-class aircraft, however, could need cables with voltages of 1,000 to 2,000V, which may be susceptible at high altitude to a disabling condition known as the Corona effect. Zunum is working on solutions to resolve that problem for the 50-seater, Kumar says.

Meanwhile, work continues on freezing the configuration for the six- to 12-seat aircraft. Later this summer, Zunum plans to select a supplier for the turbogenerator, with Honeywell, GE Aviation, Rolls-Royce and Safran Aircraft Engines among the candidates, Kumar says.

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Historic Biplanes Recreate First Airmail Flight

Unless you’re a stamp collector, word that the U.S. Postal Service recently began selling stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first scheduled airmail service in the United States might well have flown right past you.

On Sunday morning however, the anniversary took on new life when Darryl Fisher, founder of Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation, and two other pilots began retracing an early airmail route between San Diego and Seattle. The six-day tour began from Gillespie Field (SEE) on the south end with a flight of three Stearman Speedmail bi-planes like those used in the early days of airmail service. Of the 41 Speedmail aircraft built, only seven are still flying.

After departing from Gillespie Field on Sunday, the flight of three aircraft stopped in Los Angeles, before heading on to Bakersfield and an overnight stop in Fresno. Between Tuesday and Friday, the flight also stopped in Concord and Redding California before continuing north with stops at Medford, Eugene and Portland, Oregon, and Olympia, Washington before reaching their final destination, Seattle’s Paine Field (PAE) late Friday afternoon. Combined, the tour is expected to take about 12 hours of flying time to complete. At each mail stop, a USPS portable post office is set up to sell historic covers and commemorative stamps.

History buffs can track the remaining elements of the flight live. Crewmembers for the commemorative flight include Addison Pemberton, Ben Scott, Jeff Hamilton, Larry Harmacinski, Ilse Harmacinski, Darryl Fischer, Jay Pemberton and Katie LeFriec.

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FAA Accepts ASTM Standards for Part 23 Aircraft

The introduction of new aircraft might have just become a lot easier. The FAA has accepted ASTM International standards as a means of certification for Part 23 aircraft. A new rule published by the FAA on May 11 allows for 63 Means of Compliance based on 30 ASTM consensus standards related to general aviation aircraft. The standards for general aviation aircraft were developed by ASTM Committee F44, which includes 250 members from 22 countries.

The committee came out of the Part 23 Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), which aimed to streamline certification standards to reduce the regulatory burden on the industry and reduce the cost of aircraft certification.

Part 23 regulations will continue to be used as a means of certification, but the administrator has deemed the ASTM standards to provide “at least the same level of safety as the corresponding requirements in part 23, amendment 23-64.”

For the past few years, the FAA has allowed ASTM consensus standards as a means of certification for Light Sport Aircraft. The agency has also made provisions within part 23 to streamline the certification of safety components such as angle-of-attack indicators. The catalyst for these changes was the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013.

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Bell to finish Marine Corps deliveries of UH-1Y Venom by end of 2018

Bell Helicopter is set to finish deliveries of the UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter to the US Marine Corps by the end of 2018.

The USMC will continue to take deliveries of the Venom’s sister aircraft, the Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter, until 2022.

The Venom and the Viper are based on the Vietnam-era family of Huey helicopters, the UH-1 Iroquois and the derivative AH-1 Cobra. The modern variants share 85 percent of their parts including a common tail boom, engines, rotor system, drivetrain, avionics architecture, software and controls.

“This allows us to reduce our ownership costs and it reduces our footprint on board ships,” said David Walsh, programme manager for the UH-1. “Anytime you are on board a maritime ship space is at a premium.”

The H-1 programme is also focused on improving the existing fleet of Bell AH-1Z Vipers and UH-1Y Venoms with upgraded electronic warfare systems, Link 16, an increase in available electrical power and structural improvements to help the helicopters carry more external weapons, said Walsh. New weapons for the helicopters will include JAGM and AIM-9X Sidewinder.

And, the programme is adding upgraded navigation systems such as ADS-B, EGI and M-Code GPS. Bell is also looking into but hasn’t started adding the ability to control unmanned aerial systems from the helicopters, said Walsh.

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Uber reveals new concept and partners for air taxi network

Uber further outlined its vision for a network of air taxis at its second annual Elevate conference in Los Angeles on 8 May, including the unveiling of several new eVTOL aircraft concepts as well as partnerships with NASA and the US Army Research Lab.

Uber aims to run a network, called uberAir, of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft across the most densely populated cities in the world. The company doesn’t plan to manufacturer eVTOL aircraft, but instead is outlining specifications for aircraft manufacturers. It aims to provide an on-demand aerial taxi app and supporting infrastructure for participants in its network.

The company would like electric aircraft in its network to have a cruising speed of 130kt to 174kt (241km/h to 322km/h); cruising altitude of around 1,000ft to 2,000ft above ground; expected battery range per charge of 52nm (97km); and a recharging time of about 5min – among other specifications.

At the conference, new aircraft concepts were unveiled by Uber, Embraer, Pipistrel and Karem Aircraft.

Uber presented its eCRM-003 aircraft design, a conceptual rendering the company said was meant to stimulate new ideas and discussion among aircraft manufacturers.

Embraer’s design is a lift-and-cruise aircraft concept; Pipistrel’s design is blended wing body without any visible rotors for vertical lift; and Karem Aircraft’s Butterfly concept is a quad tiltrotor aircraft.

Uber and its partners are working towards a goal of launching flight demonstrations in 2020 and commercial trips by 2023.

Uber and the US Army Research Laboratory also announced that they signed a research and development agreement and a joint work statement to create a stacked co-rotating rotor: two rotors placed on top of each other which rotate in the same direction and could be significantly quieter than conventional rotor designs.

Uber also announced that it signed an agreement with NASA to share its plans for implementing its flying rideshare network. In particular, at its research facility at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, NASA will use data supplied by Uber to simulate the impact of a small passenger-carrying aircraft as it flies through DFW airspace during peak scheduled air traffic. Analysis of these simulations will help identify safety issues.

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Netherlands targets Apache remanufacturing deal

The Netherlands' defence ministry has outlined its plans to remanufacture the nation's current fleet of 28 Boeing AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, with the goal of operating the updated type until 2050.

Fielded from 1997, the Dutch aircraft have been heavily used, including during missions in Afghanistan and Mali. According to the defence ministry, the fleet is already starting to encounter technical shortcomings, resulting in "operational restrictions in circumstances with a high threat". The US Army's decision to stop supporting the D-model Apache as it transitions to the AH-64E is another factor driving the decision "to join the US in the remanufacturing programme", it adds.

Modifications will include more powerful engines, new transmissions and rotor blades, while other components will also be brought up to the latest standard. The estimated budget for the project is between €250 million ($298 million) and €1 billion, with work to be conducted between 2021 and 2025.

The Netherlands notes that the UK is also advancing with a remanufacturing effort for the British Army's Boeing/Westland Apache AH1s, which will also bring 50 aircraft from its current fleet to the enhanced AH-64E standard.

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MH-60 Seahawk production winds down as international interest remains tenuous

Production of Sikorsky’s MH-60 Seahawk is set to conclude in the next 18 months as the US Navy tops off its fleet and potential international customers have yet to commit to buy additional aircraft.

The USN is set to receive the last of the 280 MH-60R variants in the programme of record this June and then another eight of the helicopters in 2019 – additions to the 2018 budget. The Saudi Royal Navy is to receive 10 MH-60Rs in July.

“The production line is still active. It is still operating. It is coming towards the end of its life,” said USN Capt Craig Grubb, who manages the MH-60 helicopter programme. “If you want to buy MH-60s this is the time to act.”

International customers are expressing interest in the MH-60R but have yet to make commitments, he added. The MH-60R is operated by Australia and Denmark, in addition to the United States and soon Saudi Arabia.

Seahawk helicopter missions include anti-surface warfare, combat support, humanitarian disaster relief, combat search and rescue, aero medical evacuation, special operations and organic airborne mine countermeasures, according to the USN.

In addition to the MH-60R, the USN also operates 275 MH-60S helicopters, which were delivered in 2016, and a small number of the MH-60H helicopters, one of the original Seahawk helicopter variants which was ordered in the 1980s.

The USN plans to retire the MH-60H in spring 2019, said Grubb.

“That will be the culmination of the helicopter master plan for naval aviation,” he said. “Going from a multitude of seven type model series to now end up with just two in the end: the MH-60S and MH-60R.”

The USN plans to operate the latest two variants of the MH-60 Seahawk for decades to come, said Grubb.

“We will operate these aircraft out into the 2030s, maybe even into the early 2040s,” he said.

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Dedicated corporate division pays dividends for Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters believes its decision last year to launch a dedicated business aviation operation – mirroring the approach of its fixed-wing sister company – has already begun paying dividends.

The airframer in May 2017 unveiled Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) to handle all its offerings in the segment and provide customers with an "end-to-end" experience.

"One year after the launch of Airbus Corporate Helicopters we can say it was a success for us," says the division's chief executive Frédéric Lemos.

"We are grabbing market share from the competition, particularly in the light-twin segment."

In 2017, ACH had a claimed 70% share of the market for corporate or VIP-roled turbine helicopters over 1.3t maximum take-off weight.

Lemos says that ACH took in 58 gross orders last year, or 54 net, with around 70% of commitments from new customers.

The bulk of orders were for the ACH125 and ACH130 light-singles, but also included 13 light- or medium-twins – the German-built ACH135 and ACH145 – as well as a single ACH175 super-medium.

Key this year will be converting the "huge interest" from the market in the developmental ACH160 into firm orders.

ACH earlier this year signed two separate deals for the medium-twin: totalling five aircraft, these are the type's sole firm orders so far.

"It is very important for us this year. The ACH160 is a game-changer in the small medium category. We have started to enter into the process of submitting offers to the clients," says Lemos.

Certification for the baseline version of the Safran Helicopter Engines Arrano-powered twin is anticipated in 2019, with the Stylence corporate aviation model to arrive in 2020.

A more exclusive VIP variant – which requires a number of exterior modifications, including the addition of hinged doors and an electrically-actuated footstep – is scheduled for 2021.

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Bell V-280 tilts rotors to cruise mode

Bell’s experimental V-280 tiltrotor angled its propellers horizontally and flew for the first time in cruise mode on 11 May near the company’s assembly facility in Amarillo, Texas.

The company says the vertical take-off and landing aircraft achieved a speed of 190kt (352km/h) and that at a later, unspecified date it will aim to increase this to 280kt.

“This is a product that will fly twice as fast as the aircraft in the theatre today; twice as far; for the same cost,” Glenn Isbell, vice-president of rapid prototyping and manufacturing innovation with Bell, said at AHS International's Annual Forum & Technology Display conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

Bell markets the V-280 Valor as having a 500-800nm (925-1,480km) combat range, capacity for four crew and 14 troops, and a useful load of 5,450kg (12,000lb).

The V-280 is being used a demonstrator in support of the US Army's Future Vertical Lift programme’s Capability Set Three element, which aims to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk transport and Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The service is aiming to field its Capability Set Three-class aircraft beginning in 2030.

Bell flew its Valor platform for the first time in December 2017.

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Viking applies for funding to launch CL-515 aerial firefighter

Viking Aircraft has applied for funding support from the Canadian government to help launch the proposed CL-515 amphibious firefighting aircraft, the manufacturer announced on 7 May.

Separately, Viking subsidiary Longview Aviation Asset Management (LAMM) has formally launched production of the the CL-415 Enhanced Aerial Firefighter (EAF).

Both programmes are focused on delivering turbine-powered versions of the Bombardier CL-215T.

The CL-415EAF programme starts with used CL-215s and raises them to the CL-215T configuration standard.

Meanwhile, Viking also has proposed restarting production of new CL-215Ts, which would be marketed as the CL-515.

Viking acquired the type certifications for the CL-215, CL-215T and CL-415 from Bombardier in 2016, then established LAMM. LAMM acquired 11 CL-215s for conversion to the CL-415EAF standard.

Up to 150 employees will be hired by LAMM to support the CL-415EAF conversion programme.

The CL-515 has not yet been launched, but proposes to restart production of the aerial firefighter after a four-year hiatus.

Viking applied for financial support from the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), which is managed by Canada’s Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED).

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Pipistrel unveils blended-wing body eVTOL

Pipistrel teased a picture of an eVTOL aircraft concept at the Uber Elevate conference in Los Angeles on 8 May.

The overhead rendering of the concept aircraft showed a blended wing body without any visible rotors for vertical lift, a design that is much different from the lift-and-cruise concepts put forward by competitors presenting at the Uber Elevate conference, such as Embraer. The aircraft uses unspecified dedicated propulsion systems for cruising and vertical lift, according to Pipistrel.

“Pipistrel is not trying to reinvent the helicopter by giving the vehicle many rotors, but is rather embracing dedicated propulsion solutions for cruise and vertical lift with built-in scaling capability for a family of vehicles with two to six seats,” said Ivo Boscarol, Pipistrel’s founder and general manager. “Pairing an innovative integrated vertical lift system, which is quiet and efficient, with highly aerodynamic wings results in a new class of eVTOL that maximises high-speed cruise performance and dramatically lowers cost of operation for a clear advantage to Uber Elevate passengers.”

The company presented the design as one of a larger family of forthcoming concepts which would carry two to six passengers.

Pipistrel of Slovenia produces 13 different models of two-seat aircraft for the general aviation market, including the electric-powered Alpha Electro and the Taurus Electro.

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MHI's aviation unit swings to loss with higher MRJ costs

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) aircraft, defense and space unit swung to an operating loss of Y15.1 billion ($138 million) in its 2017 financial year, attributed largely to the increase in research and development costs for its in-development MRJ regional jet.

Last year, it posted an operating income of Y900 million.

The unit saw net sales rise 2.8% to Y723 billion with more space systems and defense aircraft sold. In terms of commercial aircraft, it delivered 57 Boeing 777 shipsets, down from 91 in FY2016, although 787 shipsets delivered rose to 141 from 125 a year ago.

Orders received fell 32.5% to Y722 billion with drops for defense aircraft and missile systems.

MHI adds that the regional jet’s development costs are covered fully by internal capital.

The Japanese manufacturer forecasts a poorer performance for the unit in its 2018 financial year. It is expecting a Y15 billion operating loss, and for net sales to fall to Y700 billion, while orders received will slip further to Y650 billion.

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Karem Aircraft unveils eVTOL concept aircraft

Optimum speed tiltrotor pioneer Karem Aircraft unveiled an eVTOL concept aircraft at the Uber Elevate conference in Los Angeles on 8 May.

The Butterfly is a quad tiltrotor aircraft that the company said strikes the right balance between hover and cruise efficiency by using variable speed rotors – a technology it has been working on for years for the US Army’s Future Vertical Lift programme.

The firm claims the aircraft’s large, slow turning rotors provide efficient lift, safer flight and quieter acoustics. According to the company, quieter flight is key to public acceptance of high levels of eVTOL traffic above cities.

“Our large rotors let us draw less power from the batteries than vehicles with smaller rotors, enabling immediate economic viability without waiting for future batteries,” Ben Tigner, Karem Aircraft’s chief exectuive, said. “We’re excited to expand our work with partners and resources available to us through the Elevate partnership, letting us cross-pollinate our ideas with additional team talent, strengthening all applications of our vehicle technology.”

Karem Aircraft is founded by aerospace designer, Abe Karem, designer of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator.

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Demise of Iran nuclear deal kills hopes for Boeing order

The US government’s withdrawal from a deal to limit Iran’s ability to obtain nuclear weapons puts an end to a nearly two-year old plan by Iran to acquire or lease 117 Boeing aircraft.

President Donald Trump announced on 8 May plans to withdraw the USA from a “disastrous deal” called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the Obama Administration signed with Iran and four other countries in October 2015.

The deal was designed to limit Iran’s ability to acquire nuclear weapons within the next decade, but Trump won election in 2016 partly by campaigning against the terms of the JCPOA.

“We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement,” Trump said during a speech in the White House on 8 May.

The JCPOA removed sanctions that prevented Iranian airlines from purchasing aircraft sold by US-based manufacturers.

In June 2016, Iran Air signed a deal with Boeing to buy 80 commercial aircraft, including 15 777s, and lease 37 more 737s. The deal was valued at $17.6 billion. Deliveries originally were set to begin in 2017, but were deferred to this year.

In late April, Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said his company was following the lead of the US government’s policies towards trade with Iran.

“We've ensured that from a skyline management standpoint and from a production systems standpoint, we are not dependent on those aircraft,” Muilenburg said during a first quarter earnings call on 25 April.

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U.S. Aircraft Expo Comes to Southern California

If you’re a Southern California pilot considering buying a new airplane or just want to check out the latest and greatest light airplanes on the market, here’s an event for you. The U.S. Aircraft Expo is set to land at the McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ) in Carlsbad, California. This aircraft ownership convention will take place at Western Flight on May 4 and 5.

In addition to sales reps from light jet, turboprop, piston and LSA aircraft manufacturers and dealers, the event will include representatives from aircraft financing, insurance and tax consultant firms. There will also be an ownership seminar that will focus on questions about purchasing and owning an airplane.

This is the second in a series of seven events of its kind around the country. The U.S. Aviation Expo will move to Salt Lake City in June, Denver in July, Seattle in August, Santa Ana, California, in September and Scottsdale, Arizona, in November.

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FAA Begins Testing Phase for Nationwide Airspace Authorization for Drones

A beta testing phase of the FAA’s Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) is being incrementally implemented across the United States. The testing phase has begun in the south central region of the country and, once completed in mid-September, the LAANC will cover nearly 300 air traffic control facilities and about 500 airports.

A prototype of the system has been in place since November at 44 airports, the majority of which are located within the Minneapolis ARTCC.

LAANC aims to implement drone operations while keeping other aircraft in the national airspace system safe. Authorizations are based on TFRs, Notams and UAS facility maps that show the maximum altitude ceiling around airports where the FAA can authorize UAS operations under Part 107.

LAANC streamlines the authorization process for drone operators to use controlled airspace. While these operators had to endure a long application process just a few months ago, they can now apply and receive authorization almost immediately in the areas where the system has been deployed. Applications can be as easy as a few taps on a smartphone app. Digital airspace authorization services are offered through several suppliers, including AirMap, 3DR, Betterview, Converge and DroneDeploy. Companies that wish to become what the FAA terms Approved UAS Service Suppliers to provide LAANC services can apply. The FAA plans to host two application periods per year. The deadline for the current application period is May 16.

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EASA and CAAC Clear the Viking High-Altitude and Seaplane Simulator for Training

Pacific Sky Aviation’s new Twin Otter flight simulator was recently certified by both the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, following Transport Canada’s certification of the simulator last December. The simulator was installed in Pacific Sky Aviation’s Calgary location. The simulator, built by TRU Simulation+Training of Montreal, recreates the flight envelope of the Viking 400 Twin Otter, the newly produced Honeywell Apex glass cockpit version of the original deHavilland Twin Otter series that first flew in 1965.

Michael Coughlin, CEO of Pacific Sky Aviation, spoke to one of the TRU simulator’s important benefits. “The high-altitude training is particularly applicable to customers who operate in the Andes mountains. For these customers, Pacific Sky Aviation is able to offer courses using advanced geodetic technology in the simulator’s visual system. Pacific Sky Aviation instructors are able to provide customers with the exact conditions from operating bases at altitudes of over 3,000 meters in order to evaluate the best approaches and departures given the terrain and aircraft performance. The new Viking 400 aircraft sports a 25,000-foot service ceiling.

Pacific Sky Aviation simulator claims to be the world’s first true seaplane trainer, using the same level-D visual and motion capabilities to provide Twin Otter seaplane pilots with the opportunity to safely practice takeoffs and landings in a range of sea states, winds and water conditions including glassy water. Elements necessary to make the Twin Otter simulator operate as a seaplane trainer are expected to be operational later this year.

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Dassault and Airbus Team Up on Long-Term Air Combat Project

Dassault Aviation and Airbus have teamed up to develop new fighter jets as part of what is being called Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS). The systems will be designed to work together for military missions.

In addition to next-generation fighter aircraft, FCAS will include cruise missiles, medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs and other drones. “The overall system will be interoperable and connected in a larger perimeter with mission aircraft, satellites, NATO systems and land and naval combat systems,” the companies said in a press release.

“The vision that France and Germany have set forth with FCAS is a bold one and it’s an important signal in, and for, Europe,” said Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “The FCAS program will strengthen the political and military ties between Europe’s core nations and it will reinvigorate its aerospace industry.”

The new aircraft are projected to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale fighters, beginning some time between 2035 and 2040.

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Build A Plane to Use XCOR Assets for Build A Rocket Project

Non-profit organization Build A Plane has acquired the assets of Mojave, California-based commercial space flight company XCOR, which filed for bankruptcy last year. Build A Plane will use the assets to build a school and to support its latest project: Build A Rocket, which is set to launch next year. According to a report by Space.com, the non-profit bought XCOR’s assets for just over $1 million, beating out Space Florida, which put a bid in for $1 million. Sage Cheshire Aerospace, which built the Red Bull Stratos capsule that Felix Baumgartner famously jumped out of in 2012, has partnered with Build A Plane for the project.

Build A Plane’s Build A Rocket project was launched recently and aims to provide an opportunity for high schools and college students to build high performance, 18-foot, high-powered rockets. Build A Rocket will soon be offering pre-maunfactured rocket kits to STEM education programs. The kits will be easily manufactured with the use of common tools, such as screwdrivers and wrenches, according to a statement on the Build A Plane’s website. These rocket kits will cost approximately $5,000 and should be available next year.

As with Build A Plane’s collaborative project with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and Glasair Aviation, which sends high school students who win an aircraft design contest to Arlington, Washington, to build a Glasair Sportsman, Build A Rocket will select students to come to California to build “one very special rocket,” according to the statement. The project is slated to begin next year and students can sign up here.

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US policy shift could open door for Israeli UAV sales

Israeli manufacturers could benefit from a decision by Washington to ease restrictions on the US defence industry's sale of armed unmanned air vehicles, although they are likely to face increased competition.

The Trump administration in mid-April announced that a new policy will allow US contractors to offer armed UAVs under direct commercial sale, rather than via the Foreign Military Sales mechanism.

"This change in policy is the beginning of a new era that has many unclear sections in it," an Israeli source tells FlightGlobal.

While Israeli companies and the nation's defence ministry decline to comment on the policy shift, another source notes that while it will "open a door" for exports. "This door will be blocked by many who want to get in," the source says.

Israel is not a signatory to the international Missile Technology Control Regime, which prevents the sale of large UAVs with heavy payload capacity, but adheres to its regulations. This requirement has, for example, seen Israel Aerospace Industries develop an export-specific Heron TP-XP product in pursuit of a sales opportunity in India.

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Spirit AeroSystems to acquire Asco Industries

Spirit AeroSystems has agreed to acquire SRIF, the parent company of family-owned Belgian aerostructure specialist Asco Industries, for a cash sum of $650 million.

The US aerostructures manufacturer says the transaction will be financed through debt and be completed during the second half of 2018.

Asco designs and manufactures wing components – especially slat and flap equipment – and other structures and assemblies. The company supplies equipment for the Airbus A320, A350 and A380, Boeing 737 and 787, Bombardier CSeries, and Embraer E2 E-Jets, and for military programmes including the Airbus Defence & Space A400M, Embraer KC-390 and Lockheed Martin F-35.

Some 1,400 staff members are employed across Asco's Zaventem headquarters – near Brussels – and manufacturing facilities in Canada, Germany and the USA.

This year, the manufacturer is set to generate $400 million in revenue, Spirit says.

Tom Gentile, Spirit's chief executive, states that Asco is a "compelling fit" and "aligns extremely well" with the US supplier’s strategic priorities. "It expands our Airbus content on A320 and A350 wings, adds new defence content on the F-35, and broadens our commercial capabilities to help grow our fabrication business," he adds.

Spirit says Asco has "highly automated, state-of-the-art facilities with available capacity to support rate increases and future growth". Furthermore, the Belgian manufacturer has "well-established customer relationships in its markets with high-value single-source products", Spirit adds.

Asco chief executive Christian Boas, who will stay with the business under the deal, describes the transaction as an "excellent outcome" for the European supplier, "as we become part of a larger, global enterprise with greater combined expertise and resources".

Noting that airframers have been "pushing for a consolidation of the highly fragmented aerostructures supply base" over the last decade, Asco says the tie-up will create "new and lasting opportunities for growth and will allow our talented people to expand the business".

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

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R-R reviewing Trent 700 design after A330 birdstrike

Rolls-Royce is reviewing the design of some components of the Trent 700 engine, following a probe into a birdstrike and engine failure involving an AirAsia X A330-300 on 3 July 2017.

The A330, registered 9M-XXT, was taking off from Gold Coast airport enroute to Kuala Lumpur when its starboard engine ingested three small birds, causing it to stall and fail. Cabin crew reported a starboard engine fire to the pilots, and the crew carried out their procedures, including discharging the fire suppression system.

The crew made a mayday call and diverted to Brisbane airport, where it made an overweight, single-engine landing. The A330 landed safely, and no injuries to the 12 crew and 345 passengers were reported.

In its final report on the incident, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found that the birdstrike caused the release of a small section of a fan blade. This resulted in it running out of balance while at take-off thrust, causing major vibration and the outboard section of the fan rear seal to be released, significantly damaging the engine compressors.

Around the same time, an oil leak started from a bolt unwinding in the affected engine, resulting in the engine fire.

“This fire caused failure and melting of aluminium alloy components in this cavity but was not sufficient to affect the structural engine parts made from materials with higher melting points that were in the same region,” the ATSB says.

R-R met with the European Aviation Safety Agency to discuss the matter following the incident. The ATSB says the manufacturer “will review the design of the fan rear seal and the low pressure roller bearing bolts to determine if there is a feasible solution to prevent the loss of a small section of fan blade leading imminently to an engine shutdown”.

In its final comment, the ATSB says the incident highlights the importance of effective crew resource management, and the benefit of regular proficiency checks in the simulator in allowing them to handle emergency situations.

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Comac starts concept definition for CR929 fuselage, tail

Comac has started the concept definition phase with suppliers on the fuselage and tail of the Chinese-Russian CR929 widebody.

The focus will be on the design requirements and optimising technical solutions, says China-Russia Commercial Aircraft Corporation (CRAIC) general manager Guo Bozhi.

In a statement, the Chinese manufacturer says 29 potential local and foreign suppliers attended a kick-off meeting held in Shanghai on 27 April.

It adds that teams from both countries are stepping up efforts to formulate the overall technical plan for the widebody, which will make large use of composites in its structure.

In March, United Aircraft Corporation announced that CRAIC will begin working with suppliers on defining the requirements for the major aircraft systems, including the landing gear, environmental control systems and avionics.

GE Aviation and Rolls-Royce are expected to submit bids by May for the 75,000lb-thrust turbofans planned for the twin-engined widebody.

The aircraft’s wings, centre section and fairings will be manufactured in Russia, while work on its fuselage and final assembly will be carried out in Shanghai.

CRAIC is developing a 280-seater aircraft with a range of 12,000km. If introduced in the 2025-2028 timeframe as scheduled, the aircraft would become the first twin-engined widebody aircraft produced by either country.

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