Flight International 13 November 2018

Fine China Fighting fit Regional race
Don’t miss our Rivals ready to We check out

summary from enter battle as short-distance
Zhuhai show, Ottawa seeks runners in the
where J-20 and information on closing part of
CR929 mock-up ageing Hornet’s World Airliner
impressed 14 successor 27 overview 31
13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com
FIRST FLIGHT
Neo twin
gets going
A330-800 makes debut – but
will more buyers be tempted?
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CONTENTS
Volume 194 Number 5662
13-19 NOVEMBER 2018
NEWS
Fine China
Don’t miss our
summary from
Zhuhai show,
Fighting fit
Rivals ready to
enter battle as
Ottawa seeks
Regional race
We check out
short-distance
runners in the
THIS WEEK
8 Data glitch guides Lion Air loss probe
where J-20 and information on closing part of
CR929 mock-up ageing Hornet’s World Airliner
impressed 14 successor 27 overview 31
9 Q400 becomes latest Viking conquest

10 Safety checks mandated for AW169 tail rotor
13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com
FIRST FLIGHT
Neo twin
gets going
assemblies
A330-800 makes debut – but
will more buyers be tempted?
AIRSHOW CHINA REPORT
14 737 set for delivery from Chinese site.
J-10B wows crowds with confident aerial
display
15 CR929 mock-up shows size of ambition.
Airframers reveal belief in corporate jet market
Airbus
ISSN 0 0 1 5 - 3 7 1 0
£3.80
16 Static line-up shows off military muscle.

4 6
9 770015 371303
Local firms racing ahead with unmanned

FIN_131118_301.indd 1 08/11/2018 09:35
COVER IMAGE
projects
Airbus provided this shot
from the debut flight of 17 Airframers think small to tap big opportunity in
FlightGlobal
the west
its A330-800, conducted
on 6 November. Orders AIR TRANSPORT E190-E2 on hunt for orders at Airshow China P17
for the smaller of its Neo 18 Icelandair warms to Wow Air takeover.
variants totals only eight, Alitalia privatisation hits final stages COVER STORY
for Kuwait Airways P12 19 Entire Dreamliner family United with delivery 12 A330-800 rises to challenge for Airbus
of 787-10 European airframer ready to take on
20 Lost tread caused 777’s engine failure. Dreamliner, as first flight performed of
MD-11 nose-wheel loss pinned on faulty repair re-engined widebody family’s smallest variant
21 Level readying for steep climb ahead
NEWS FOCUS FEATURES
22 Why backing MRJ is in Japan’s interest 31 WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
Slow climbers The concluding part of our World
DEFENCE Airliner Directory looks at products on offer in the
24 UK watchdog raises budget concerns. regional sector, with baseline models
Tornado GR4 wings it with retirement markings accommodating fewer than 100 passengers
BEHIND THE HEADLINES 26 Sikorsky tempts army to enter Matrix.
Our Asia reporting team of Datalink trial gives Marines tactical advantage REGULARS
(l to r) Aaron Chong, Ellis 27 USAF sounds out alerts for A-10 pilots 7 Comment
Taylor and Greg Waldron
was at Airshow China, in BUSINESS AVIATION 43 Straight & Level
Zhuhai (P14). And Toulouse 28 Red tape snares Gulf PC-12 operator. 44 Letters
drew Max Kingsley-Jones, Fly Aeolus set for expansion as demand grows 47 Classified
who witnessed a first flight 48 Jobs
29 LAR-1 poised to enter flight-test phase.
of the A330-800 (P12)
EASA proposes safety checks on some Globals 51 Working Week
Tecnam
NEXT WEEK ITALY

We assess Tecnam’s P2012
BillyPix, US Navy
Traveller, as part of our Italy

special. Plus, Bahrain show
news and military simulators
EASA extends 737 Max software update order P20. F-35B makes Link 16 connection to share data P26
Download the new

theCommercial Engines Directory
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flightglobal.com 13-19 November 2018 | Flight International | 3
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CONTENTS
Image of
the week
This spectacular perspective
of the Blue Angels aerobatic
display team was captured
ahead of an appearance at
the Jacksonville air show in
Florida late last month. The
US Navy earlier this year
confirmed plans to replace
the unit’s current 30-year-
old F/A-18 aircraft with a
new batch of Super Hornets
View more great aviation

shots online and in our
weekly tablet edition:
flightglobal.com/
flight-international
US Navy
The week in numbers Question of the week
6.8%
Last week, we asked: Belgium’s fighter selection: You said:
Flight Dashboard
Total votes: 1,863
Year-on-year rise in September passenger traffic, to 59.3m,
for leading European airlines; Wizz Air grew 17.5%, at 3.17m
$1.8bn
F-35 best performer
887 votes
28%
Keeping up with
48% the neighbours
Spirit AeroSystems
516 votes
Spirit AeroSystems’ third-quarter revenue was up 4%, thanks Bad for European
industry
in large part to getting 737 fuselage deliveries back on track 24% 460 votes
720k
Total employment by US passenger and cargo airlines – up
Airlines for America This week, we ask: Western involvement in CR929?
❑ Big opportunity ❑ Trade war-threatened
❑ Technology drain
2.9% from a year ago and more than at any time since 2000 Vote at flightglobal.com
FlightGlobal’s premium news and data service delivers breaking air transport stories with
profiles, schedules, and fleet, financial and traffic information flightglobal.com/dashboard
Download the Military

Simulator Census online now.
CAE – Your worldwide training partner of choice www.flightglobal.com/milisim
4 | Flight International | 13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

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COMMENT
Rising power
Western firms had their usual presence and on-message statements at Airshow China, but
with each biennial event, Beijing’s determination to build aerospace might gains credibility
O n the surface, this year’s Airshow China was

much the same as in 2016. A Sino-Russian joint
venture had a mock-up of a new widebody, the
CR929, and the Comac ARJ21 garnered its customary
orders from a Chinese lessor. Western airframers had
their usual big presence, jockeying for workshare on
Chinese programmes.
But in fact, a great deal has changed over the past
24 months.
A US-China trade war has escalated, although it has
yet to have much impact on the former’s aerospace
FlightGlobal
firms. While Beijing has ratcheted up tariffs on smaller
aircraft, it appears – so far – loathe to do so for the big
jets going to its state-controlled carriers. Big ambition
At Zhuhai, the big Western firms made obligatory
public relations remarks about valuing Chinese part- them of appropriating confidential information from
nerships and opportunities, but the long-term challenge US aerospace companies.
Beijing represents can no longer be ignored. Beijing’s relaxed attitude to intellectual property has
long been an issue for industry, but the US allegations
China is not a benign partner: raise uncomfortable questions for the future.
There are already hints about how Chinese aero-
it should be seen as a rival that space supremacy will change the sector. One comes
from the unmanned air vehicle industry, where, unbri-
plays by its own rules dled by restrictive treaties, Beijing has sold hundreds of
armed UAVs, including some to dubious regimes.
Another such hint comes from Beijing’s tremendous
On the flagship CR929, local and Russian suppliers investment in advanced weapons, sensors and secure
will be favoured over Western ones, ostensibly due to networks. To a large degree, such capabilities are being
concerns about tariffs and other restrictions. Left un- enabled by Western technology transfer.
mentioned is Beijing’s continued ambition to build its Having profited from its rise, Western aerospace
own aerospace industry. firms will find it uncomfortable viewing Beijing as an
The show followed damning remarks about China existential threat. But an urgent re-think of China’s role
by US Vice President Mike Pence. Among other things, in the global aerospace sector is essential. It is time to
he accused Beijing of stealing foreign industrial secrets. drop the fantasy that it is a benign partner, and see it as
Shortly after the speech, the US Department of Justice a rival that plays by its own rules. ■
levied charges against alleged Chinese spies, accusing See Show Report P14
What next?
F irst flight of the A330-800 on 6 November was a
significant milestone for Airbus. As well as con-
firming the progress of the second and last of its
But the situation in Seattle is potentially very differ-
ent. Not only is Boeing still progressing through the
737 Max variants and about to start 777X flight testing,
A330neo variants, it also apparently draws a line under but has the clean-sheet New Mid-market Airplane
Toulouse’s current product development efforts. ready to go.
Airbus’s product development and engineering The prospect of a “797” becoming a reality must be a
teams find themselves in an unprecedented situation, catalyst for Airbus. The most likely response seems to
with no more major airliner variants on the drawing be the “A321XLR” – an A321neo derivative about
board – officially at least. which there has been much talk, but so far little detail.
Since the introduction of the A350-900 in 2015, How Airbus decides to counter the NMA will be
there has been a flurry of new arrivals coming through crucial. Toulouse will not need reminding that the last
Stay up to date with the latest
news and analysis from the the Airbus pipeline. But that is about to end – and even time it went up against an all-new Boeing with a
commercial aviation sector: over in Montreal, the recently-added A220 programme re-engined best-seller, things didn’t end well. ■
flightglobal.com/dashboard is through its development phase. See This Week P12

THIS WEEK
For the full analysis of airline safety and
losses in the first half of 2018, go to:
flightglobal.com/halfyearsafety2018
BRIEFING
FIRST AIRBUS RECEIVES NEW AUSTRIAN LIVERY
CARRIER Austrian Airlines has introduced into service the first
Airbus type adorned with its new livery. The A321 (OE-LBD) is
Risa Krisadhi/Pacific Press/ZUMA/REX/Shutterstock

the second aircraft to adopt the carrier’s new branding, joining
a Boeing 777 that was introduced in May. The airline says it will
take around seven years to repaint its entire 85-strong fleet.
WIZZ AIR SHUTS TOUR ARM

CLOSURE Wizz Air is to close its holiday division Wizz Tours on
31 December. Over the six months to 30 September, Wizz
Tours generated €11.4 million ($13 million) in revenues from
its package holiday business, but turned in a net loss of €2 mil- Recovery operation has raised items including engine from sea bed
lion. Last year the tour arm reported a loss of €1 million, on
revenues of €18 million. ACCIDENT FIRDAUS HASHIM & MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE
NEW SHANGHAI TEST FACILITY FOR COMAC

INFRASTRUCTURE Comac has opened a new flight-test Data glitch guides
Lion Air loss probe
centre adjacent to Shanghai Pudong airport. The facility will
serve a wide range of functions, including engineering research,
data processing and test pilot training. Construction started in
2016, and was completed in mid-October.
Faulty angle-of-attack sensor readings could put 737 Max
AVOLON STAKE SALE COMPLETES into situation where narrowbody was “difficult to control”
ACQUISITION Orix Aviation has completed the acquisition of
a 30% stake in Dublin-based lessor Avolon from Bohai Capital,
after first announcing a deal in early August. Orix is paying
Bohai $2.2 billion for the shareholding – the largest-ever pay-
I ndonesian investigations into
the fatal crash of a Lion Air Boe-
ing 737 Max on 29 October are
After the sensor was swapped,
however, the flightcrew that oper-
ated a subsequent Denpasar-Ja-
ment for a minority stake in an aircraft lessor. focusing on faulty air data sen- karta service still found the left-
sors as a possible primary cause hand angle-of-attack data was out
SAFRAN SOLIDIFIES CERAMIC RESEARCH of the accident. by 20°. During this flight, the pi-
MATERIALS Safran has opened a research centre for ceramic Officials from the National lots implemented “a number of
matrix composites in Bordeaux to accelerate development of Transportation Safety Committee procedures” to rectify the issues,
the material. Some 100 specialists and around 20 doctoral on 8 November revealed that an and subsequently landed safely
students will work at the Safran Ceramics site. angle-of-attack sensor on the in Jakarta.
three-month-old narrowbody (PK- The component removed in
ANA STRIKES A380 SUPPORT PACT LQP) had been replaced the day Denpasar has since been sent to
MAINTENANCE All Nippon Airways has signed an agreement before the tragedy, in which 189 NTSC offices in Jakarta, from
with Airbus covering flight hour services on its incoming fleet of passengers and crew were killed. where it will be transferred to
three A380s. The deal covers component-related services Their revelation followed an Boeing for further analysis.
including logistics, transport and stock management. All of emergency airworthiness direc- The 7 November FAA airwor-
ANA’s A380s are due to arrive by the third quarter of 2019. tive issued the previous day by thiness directive warns that “pos-
the US Federal Aviation Admin- sible erroneous angle-of-attack
MAGELLAN WINS A350 CONTRACT EXTENSION istration, warning that false read- inputs” on the 737 Max could
MANUFACTURING Canadian aerostructures supplier ings from the sensor could force “potentially make the horizontal
Magellan Aerospace has extended an agreement to provide the aircraft to pitch downwards, stabilisers repeatedly pitch the
Airbus with A350 centre wing boxes and related components. making it “difficult to control”. nose of the airplane downward,
The six-year deal will see Magellan deliver the parts from its UK The NTSC says the sensor was making the aircraft difficult to
facility to an Airbus site in Nantes, France. Magellan, which also replaced in Denpasar on 28 Octo- control”.
makes the widebody’s keel beam and other parts, pegs the value ber, after pilots reported issues It has ordered US operators to
of the work at C$140 million ($107 million). with the airspeed indicator. immediately revise flight manuals
Information downloaded from “to give the flightcrew horizontal
JAZEERA PLOTS NEO ARRIVALS the 737-8’s flight-data recorder stabiliser trim procedures to fol-
FLEET Kuwaiti budget carrier Jazeera Airways has agreed to showed there was a “different low under certain conditions”.
take three more Airbus A320neo jets next year. The airline [reading] on the angle-of-attack Boeing had on 6 November is-
disclosed during a third-quarter briefing that it has signed con- indicator” during a Denpasar-Ja- sued an operations manual bul-
tracts for the re-engined aircraft to arrive in 2019. Jazeera has a karta flight on 28 October. letin that addressed instances of
fleet of nine Airbus single-aisle aircraft, including one A320neo. This was related to the errone- “erroneous input” from angle-of-
Over the third quarter its operating profit slipped by 8.4%, to ous airspeed indication, an issue attack sensors on the type. ■
KD7.6 million ($25 million); net profit fell 14%, to KD7 million. first raised by NTSC chief Soer- Additional reporting by Jon
janto Tjahjono on 5 November. Hemmerdinger in Boston

Safety checks
mandated for AW169
THIS WEEK
tail rotor assemblies
This Week P10
STRATEGY JON HEMMERDINGER BOSTON
Q400 becomes latest Viking conquest

Bombardier agrees to sell twin-turboprop line to fellow Canadian firm, as airframer refocuses on business jet sector
T hough the CRJ programme re-

mains under Bombardier’s
wing, executives made clear on 8
type, but outstanding orders
stand at only 62, according to
Flight Fleets Analyzer.
November that the company’s Longview calls the Dash 8 a
focus has moved away from com- “perfect complement” to its port-
mercial aviation. folio, saying it will “continue to
“Bombardier is well posi- independently operate” the Q400
tioned with our rail, business air- programme at Downsview until
craft and aerostructures busi- at least 2021.
ness,” said chief executive Alain Bombardier also reached a
Andy Cline
Bellemare during a third-quarter deal to sell its business aircraft
earnings call. “In the future, this training business to Canadian
will be where we will deploy our Remaining backlog for regional type stands at just over 60 aircraft specialist CAE for $800 million.
capital to [ensure] strong return Both agreements require regu-
on investment.” Longview Aviation Capital, bardier of ex-de Havilland Cana- latory approval and will likely
His comments came as Bombar- parent of British Columbia-based da aircraft types. close in the second half of 2019,
dier announced it intends to shed Viking Air, has agreed to pur- The announcement follows Bombardier says.
5,000 jobs and sell both the Q400 chase the Dash 8 programme, in- the sale earlier this year by Bom- Bellemare insists Bombardier
twin-turboprop programme and its cluding the in-production Q400, bardier of the Toronto Downs- remains committed to the CRJ,
business aircraft training unit. for $300 million. Viking Air in view site where the Q400 is as- but he concedes that the pro-
The company is “sharpening 2016 bought Bombardier’s CL sembled. gramme has been losing money
its focus on our biggest growth line of water bombers, adding to a Bombardier has enjoyed some and says the company is keeping
opportunities”, Bellemare says. previous acquisition from Bom- recent sales success with the its options open.
“We will also continue to ac-
tively participate in the regional
DEVELOPMENT KATE SARSFIELD LONDON aircraft market,” he says. “In
Global 7500 nears operational debut following FAA approval terms of exploring strategic op-
tions – it is something that is al-
With Bombardier now choosing end. FAA approval came six weeks and Global 8000, says the latest ways on the table.
to focus on its business aviation after the GE Aviation Passport- step “marks one of the final chap- “We are losing money on the
interests, its flagship Global 7500 powered type achieved Transport ters in our very successful devel- CRJs. We need to see more move-
took another step towards service Canada validation, capping a two- opment programme”. ments [from] the suppliers in
entry on 7 November, securing year flight-test campaign that saw Bombardier handed over 31 terms of reducing cost,” he adds.
type certification from the US over 2,700h logged by five aircraft. business aircraft in the period Bombardier holds only 54 out-
Federal Aviation Administration. Stephen McCullough, vice- ended 30 September; it remains standing orders for CRJ-family
The ultra-long-range jet is sched- president of integrated product on track to deliver 135 units jets, records Fleets Analyzer. ■
uled to enter service before year- development for the Global 7500 across the full year. ■ See Directory P31
Precision You Can Trust.

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THIS WEEK
For more in-depth coverage of the
global rotorcraft sector, go online to:
flightglobal.com/helicopters
ENHANCEMENT
DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW
LONDON
Lighter wings to
cut fuel burn on
Sukhoi Superjet
A nalysts have conducted tests
High Level/REX/Shutterstock
for Sukhoi Civil Aircraft on
two modified wing designs in-
VIP-configured example was
tended to save structural weight
operated for Leicester City FC
in comparison with the current
owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Superjet 100.
One option involves a lesser
degree of sweep while the other REGULATION DOMINIC PERRY LONDON
Safety checks mandated for

has a greater relative thickness.
“Both lead to a reduction in
the weight of the structure,” says
AW169 tail rotor assemblies

the Central Aerohydrodynamic
Institute, which has been carry-
ing out the assessment.
Preliminary data points to a
near-10% improvement in the air- Potentially unsafe condition on medium-twin could cause loss of control, warns EASA
craft’s fuel efficiency. The wing
modifications could be intro-
duced to future Superjet designs,
the institute adds, although no
E uropean safety regulators have
warned of a potentially unsafe
condition affecting tail rotor as-
Issued by the European Avia-
tion Safety Agency, the directive
stipulates that operators of both
trol system is “of a similar de-
sign” to that of AW169.
The UK Air Accidents Investi-
timeline has been indicated. semblies of Leonardo Helicopters types must, within five flight gation Branch has yet to release
In addition, Sukhoi parent AW169 and AW189 rotorcraft. hours or 24h, inspect the tail any information related to the
company United Aircraft intends Although this follows the fatal rotor servo-actuator installation. cause of the Leicester crash. A pre-
to enhance its customer service crash of an AW169 in Leicester, On 6 November, the manufac- liminary report will be issued by
capabilities for the SSJ100. the UK on 27 October, the emer- turer issued an emergency service the agency in the coming weeks.
UAC chief executive Yuri Sly- gency airworthiness directive bulletin advising operators of the Leonardo Helicopters de-
usar says that the company is stresses the root cause of that acci- AW169 to check the installation scribes the service bulletins for
working with its foreign and Rus- dent “has not been identified”. and functioning of the same com- both types as “precautionary”,
sian customers to improve the The Leicester crash occurred ponent. “Incorrect installation adding that “any hypothesis on
Superjet’s after-sales programme. “while the helicopter was on a may lead to loss of tail rotor con- the cause of the accident is pre-
“We intend to invest substan- take-off phase at low forward trol which, depending on the mature at this time and the AAIB
tively in after-sales services. Look- speed” when “a loss of yaw con- flight condition, could lead to loss investigation continues”.
ing ahead, we plan to come up trol was observed”. of control of the aircraft,” it says. All five passengers and crew
with a unified after-sales system Footage of the AW169’s take-off No safety issues have so far aboard the AW169 (G-VSKP)
for UAC commercial aircraft.” ■ shows its pilot performing a verti- been detected with the larger were killed in the late-October
Additional reporting by cal departure before the helicopter AW189 super-medium-twin, but event, including Leicester City
Greg Waldron in Zhuhai develops an uncontrollable spin EASA notes that it is included in Football Club’s Thai owner
See Directory P31 and crashes to the ground. the directive as its tail rotor con- Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. ■
PROGRAMME
First delivery of A330-900 is imminent
Airbus is poised to hand over the first A330-900 to launch operator
TAP Air Portugal, as flight testing of the smaller -800 variant gets
under way. Speaking at an event marking the -800’s maiden sortie in
Toulouse on 6 November, head of twin-aisle marketing Crawford
Hamilton said delivery of the first A330neo is imminent. The aircraft is
parked at the delivery centre and will be handed over “in the coming
Max Kingsley-Jones/FlightGlobal
days”, he says. Airbus secured type certification for the Rolls-Royce

Trent 7000-powered A330-900 in September. The first aircraft was
due for delivery to TAP in early 2018, but the flight-test programme
was delayed, mainly due to hold-ups with the Trent 7000 engines.

THE FUTURE
OF SERVICES
IS BUILT HERE
COVER STORY
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network and fleet information sign up at:
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DEBUT MAX KINGSLEY-JONES TOULOUSE
A330-800 rises to challenge for Airbus

European airframer ready to take on Dreamliner, as first flight performed of re-engined widebody family’s smallest variant
A irbus launched the

A330-800 test and certifica-
tion programme on 6 November,
which will involve a single
aircraft and up to 350h of flight
trials. Toulouse could hardly

disguise its delight in proving

doubters wrong as the first exam-
ple took to the skies, saying it is
“ready to bat the ball right down
Boeing’s throat”.
Testing of the first Rolls-Royce
Trent 7000-powered A330-800
S Ramadier/Airbus
(MSN1888) will piggy-back on
the much more extensive pro-
gramme undertaken by the larger
-900 variant, which received Firm order backlog for shrink version comprises only eight aircraft from one customer, Kuwait Airways
European type approval on 26

September, with deliveries to taken including crosswind, auto- The experience of losing the Meanwhile, Airbus is moving
TAP Air Portugal about to start. pilot and systems trials, along Hawaiian order to Boeing was ahead with the high gross weight
Certification of the -800 is expect- with minimum speed checks. “fairly brutal”, says Hamilton, A330neo variant, which is due
ed in the third quarter of 2019. After third-quarter certifica- which followed a period of infor certification and service entry
The -800 is derived from the tion, the A330-800 will be ready tense commercial pressure from in mid-2020.
A330-200, with its key differences to enter service. However deliver- its US rival. “Now we’re ready to
over the -900 being a 5m (16.3ft) ies to Kuwait Airways, which is bat the ball right down Boeing’s WEIGHT INCREASE
shorter fuselage and a taller fin. currently designated as the throat and come out fighting The 251t maximum take-off
“The shorter fuselage means launch -800 operator, will not against the 787. That’s what the weight version was launched
that the engines are closer to both begin until the first half of 2020. A330neo’s all about.” earlier this year and Airbus has
the front and the back of the air- Hamilton says that as a deriva- already begun manufacturing
craft,” says Airbus head of devel- “We’re ready to bat tive design, the development of parts. The increase provides an
opment flight tests, Jean-Philippe the A330neo required compara- additional 650nm (1,200km)
Cottet. “We will also have to
the ball right down tively low investment, allowing range, raising the -900’s endur-
check the difference in the struc- Boeing’s throat and Airbus some commercial “wiggle ance to 7,200nm and the -800’s
tural response of the aircraft dur- come out fighting room” when competing against to 8,150nm.
ing the flutter testing,” he adds. the all-new 787. “We are adding 9t [to the
During the first sortie, general against the 787” Airbus holds firm orders for MTOW], which means we will re-
handling qualities were explored Crawford Hamilton 232 A330neos, of which 224 are inforce parts of the aircraft – a col-
in all three axes, and flutter pulse Head of twin-aisle marketing, Airbus for the A330-900 and just eight lection of minor reinforcements
checks were completed, along are for the -800. AirAsia X is the here and there, especially on the
with a test of the cabin pressuri- largest customer, with firm com- wing and fuselage,” says A330neo
sation system. The start of flight-testing is an mitments for 66 -900s. chief engineer François Kubica.
“Testing of the -800 prototype important milestone for the -800, The airframer is targeting three “For every kilogramme that we
will mainly be dedicated to flight which has had a cloud over it market sectors for the -800 as it add for reinforcement, we will
physics, handling qualities and since March, when its only cus- looks to add to the Kuwaiti deal: remove one kilogramme in

performance,” says Cottet. “The tomer, Hawaiian Airlines, can- Air Uganda is finalising an order, weight-saving,” he adds. “We
target is to fly 300-350h.” celled its order and switched to having signed a memorandum of want this aircraft to have exactly
After a first batch of five to 10 the Boeing 787. The first flight understanding for two aircraft at the same weight.”
validation flights, the initial de- follows the securing of Kuwait July’s Farnborough air show. The 251t variant will have re-
velopment phase will open the Airways as the new launch cus- “One of our targets is to replace inforced nose and main landing
-800’s flight envelope with identi- tomer: it signed a firm order in the massive installed base of gear, along with new tyres and
fication and performance flights October for eight aircraft. A330-200s. Some of the oldest brakes. The gear will also feature
involving stalls and flutter testing. “People said the A330-800 ones will go in the next few improved fatigue and corrosion
The next phase will involve wouldn’t be built, and then they years,” says Hamilton. “The sec- resistance, which will allow the
development testing to tune the said it would never fly. So today’s ond part is replacing 767s. Lastly inspection interval to be extend-
flight-control laws and explore event proves that’s nonsense,” there are new markets like longed by two years, to 12. “This will
the handling qualities. There will says Crawford Hamilton, head of haul, low-cost and nations that be a really big advantage for air-
also be certification tests under- twin-aisle marketing at Airbus. need a new entry-level aircraft.” lines,” Kubica says. ■

LIVING
* Skytrax World Airline Awards

LEGENDS
FLY
CONGRATULATIONS AIR ASTANA ON TAKING
DELIVERY OF THE E190-E2 PROFIT HUNTER.
Kazakhstan is the success story of Central Asia, and
Air Astana is very much a part of this. For the seventh
consecutive year, the national flag carrier has been
awarded ‘Best Airline in Central Asia and India’* for
service excellence. With the introduction of the E2,
Air Astana is destined to reach even greater heights.
embraercommercialaviation.com
#FlyAirAstana
SHOW For up-to-the-minute air transport news,
REPORT network and fleet information sign up at:

AIRSHOW CHINA 2018

The 2018 edition of Airshow China, held in Zhuhai, was
even bigger than its predecessor, with Comac and
United Aircraft unveiling a mock-up of their planned
CR929 widebody. The People’s Liberation Army Air
Force put on an impressive display with the Chengdu
J-20, but this was overshadowed by a J-10B testbed
equipped with a thrust vectoring control engine,
highlighting China’s propulsion progress. Report and
images by Aaron Chong, Ellis Taylor and Greg Waldron
STRATEGY
737 set for delivery from Chinese site

Max 8 for Air China will be first aircraft to be completed and handed over by joint Boeing/Comac centre in Zhoushan
B oeing is on track to hand over

the first 737 Max 8 from its
new Chinese completion and de-
Rival airframer Airbus has
been delivering A320-family air-
craft from its Tiajnin assembly
livery centre, located in Zhoush- line since 2009, and last year
an, in December to Air China. opened an adjacent facility for fit-
“The first 737 Max to be deliv- ting interiors to A330s.
ered from Zhoushan will be de- Bruns adds that while its in-
livered next month,” says Boeing dustrial presence in China is
China president John Bruns. Boeing new, Boeing has been involved
A green aircraft will be ferried with the country for over 40
from the airframer’s 737 produc- Carrier has previously taken receipt of narrowbodies at Renton facility years, where it has built up a
tion line in Renton, Washington growing pool of suppliers.
to Zhoushan, where it will be The centre is a joint venture Adjacent to the completion “What’s interesting now is that
painted and have its cabin interi- between Boeing and Comac. Con- centre is a new delivery facility we’re finding new suppliers not
or installed. Air China received struction of the facility started in that will be solely operated by the only in the state-owned sector,
its first 737-8 late last year at the May 2017, less than a year after it airframer. It is the first such Boe- but also in the private sector,”
manufacturer’s US site. was announced in October 2016. ing site built outside of the USA. Bruns says. ■
PROPULSION
J-10B wows crowds with confident aerial display

A surprise participant in the
flying display at this year’s
show was a Chengdu J-10B
so, could suggest a growing sense
of confidence in China about do-
mestically produced jet engines.
testbed equipped with a thrust The routine was reminiscent of
vectoring control engine. flying displays by other fighters
The aircraft is probably pow- with thrust vectoring, such as the
ered by an advanced version of Sukhoi Su-35 and Lockheed
the indigenous Shenyang WS-10 Martin F-22. Trailing pink smoke,
powerplant, with the addition of the J-10B performed tight vertical
Kin Cheung/AP/REX/Shutterstock
a hinged nozzle. loops, a slow high-angle-of-attack

Thrust vectoring can improve roll, a cobra manoeuvre, and the
a fighter’s manoeuvrability, as it so-called falling leaf.
does not need to rely wholly on Primary applications for the
control surfaces. The appearance WS-10 include the J-10 family
of the aircraft at the show, and the and the J-11 – a Chinese copy of
Trailing pink smoke, testbed presented thrust vectoring manoeuvres very fact it was permitted to do the Su-27. ■

Static line-up shows AIRSHOW CHINA 2018
off military muscle Show report
Show Report P16
PROGRAMME
CR929 mock-up shows size of ambition

Cabin-equipped fuselage section reveals progress of Sino-Russian widebody project as development work gathers pace
U nited Aircraft and Comac,

partners in the CRAIC joint
venture, highlighted at Zhuhai
activities. Coming RFPs are likely
to cover major systems, such as
environmental controls and avi-
the progress they are making on onics. These are expected to close
the proposed CR929 widebody, by the second quarter of 2019.
displaying a mock-up of a cabin- At the same time, Chinese pro-
equipped fuselage. pulsion specialist AECC Com-
As the project begins to gain mercial Aircraft Engine quietly
momentum, suppliers are also showcased a 2:1-scale model of a
being sought. However, industry new widebody powerplant.
from both home nations is likely Designated the AEF A3500, the
to be favoured over Western turbofan is likely to become the
firms, admits chief designer Chinese-built option for the
Maxim Litvinov, who says that CR929, which will enter service Imminent requests for proposals will cover systems such as avionics
Chinese and Russian companies with a Western engine.
will stand “a better chance”. AECC says it will have thrust AECC as the programme takes Aviage Systems and Liebherr-
That is partly driven by CRA- of 75,000lb (333kN) and offer another step toward initial en- Aerospace, have also expressed
IC’s decision to localise produc- “low fuel consumption, low gine selection. interest in becoming involved
tion in the two countries, as well emissions, low noise, high relia- The source adds that the re- with the twin-aisle programme.
as to safeguard the project amid bility, long service life and low quest, which seeks additional The C919, however, was
continued trade tensions between maintenance costs.” information on technical and conspicuously absent from this
China and the USA. A source reveals that CRAIC support queries, will close by the year’s show as the flight-test
Litvinov adds that by the end of has issued what it terms a “re- first quarter of 2019. programme continues in order to
the year, CRAIC will have issued quest for clarification” to four Component manufacturers al- meet the airframer’s 2020-2021
more than 50 requests for propos- parties: GE Aviation, Rolls-Royce, ready involved with Comac’s target for certification and ser-
als as it ramps up development Russia’s United Engine and C919 narrowbody, including vice entry. ■
COMMITMENT MARKETING
ARJ21 orderbook climbs gently Airframers reveal belief

O rders at Zhuhai were in
short supply, with a firm
commitment from Shanghai Pu-
the Chinese airframer has taken
firm orders for 221 ARJ21s;
Chengdu Airlines is the only cur-
in corporate jet market
dong D evelopment Bank Finan-
cial Leasing for 15 Comac ARJ21s,
with 15 options, a rare exception.
rent operator of the type, with
eight in its fleet.
Separately, Comac adds that
W hile the Chinese market for
business jets remains
subdued, Bombardier, Gulf-

jets, caused by Beijing-led auster-
ity initiatives. Perhaps as a reflec-
tion of the government’s frown-
Comac says this takes the Urumqi Airlines will convert five stream and Honda Aircraft were ing on such displays of wealth,
ARJ21’s o rderbook to 528 aircraft of its 20 ARJ21 letters of intent to all keen to display their products one absentee was the planned
from 24 customers, but it has not firm orders. The carrier will re- at Airshow China. CBJ-800 from state-owned AVIC.
disclosed how many are firm. ceive two aircraft by year-end, Gulfstream brought in its dem- A model of the proposed de-
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that with the remainder in 2019. ■ onstrator G650ER and a recently- sign appeared at the 2016 edition
delivered, medevac-equipped of the show, but there has been no
G550 operated by Beijing Red sign of progress since.
Cross Emergency Medical Center. Despite the challenges in the
Bombardier showed demon- business jet market, Honeywell
strators of its Global 6000 and Aerospace’s president Asia-Pacif-
Challenger 650, while local oper- ic Steven Lein believes that cor-
ator Apex Air highlighted its porate aviation in China is “un-
Challenger 850. der-represented” and expects that
At the smaller end of the scale, will change over the longer term.
Honda Aircraft had an HA-420 “The market fundamentals for
HondaJet demonstrator on static. business aviation in the region are
The presence of the three man- strong – we just see some short-
ufacturers came despite a slump- term questions and blips over the
Regional jet’s sole operator is Chengdu Airlines, which has eight ing Chinese market for business global economy,” he says. ■

AIRSHOW CHINA 2018 For insight and analysis of the latest
Show report developments in the defence sector, visit:
flightglobal.com/defence
FLEET
Static line-up shows off military muscle

First sighting of armed Wing Loong II in air force markings came as Beijing highlighted growing offensive capabilities
C hina’s growing military capa-

bilities were underscored at
Zhuhai, where the Peoples’ Liber-
tical transport, KJ-500 airborne
early warning and control air-
craft, and H-6K strategic bomber.
ation Army Air Force had a large For Western observers, the
presence in the show’s static dis- most interesting aircraft was the
play, including the public debut H-6K; a much upgraded version
of a new operational type. of the Tupolev Tu-16. The type
Of these, the most notable air- has six hardpoints for long-range
Kin Cheung/AP/REX/Shutterstock
craft was an AVIC Wing Loong II cruise missiles, with the article
unmanned air vehicle, which for shown fitted with K/AKD63B
the first time appeared in PLAAF and K/AKD20 munitions.
markings. It was also housed in In August, a Pentagon report
the service’s paddock and was at- warned of the threat posed by
tended to by air force technicians. Xian H-6K (centre left) and Y-20 (centre) drew significant interest Beijing’s bombers. It noted that
While China has not previously the H-6K has more range and en-
confirmed that it operates the me- of the Wing Loong II, as it lacked two air-to-surface missiles. The durance than previous variants,
dium-altitude, long-endurance the winglets seen on more recent earlier variant, by contrast, has and offers an “offensive strike ca-
type – which strongly resembles examples promoted by AVIC. just one under-wing hardpoint pability against Guam”.
the General Atomics Aeronautical In a flyer distributed at the on either side, each carrying a The example on static included
Systems MQ-9 Reaper – its Zhu- China Aviation Expo event in single weapon. several modern upgrades, includ-
hai appearance suggests that it has Beijing in 2015, AVIC showed Other types on display including a satellite communications
entered service. the Wing Loong II as having three ed the Avicopter WZ-10 heavy dome on the upper fuselage, a
In fact, the aircraft on display hardpoints under each wing, attack helicopter, Xian Aircraft’s chin-mounted electro-optical sen-
appeared to be an earlier version with each capable of carrying Y-20 strategic transport, Y-12 tac- sor, and an enclosed radome. ■
TECHNOLOGY
ImagineChina/REX/Shutterstock
Local firms racing ahead

with unmanned projects
U nmanned air vehicles were
again a major feature of the
show, with local manufacturers
The company also promoted
its CH-5, which has reportedly
had sales success in the Middle
proposing systems of all sizes for East. Two other notable platforms
a wealth of applications. were the CH-10 tiltrotor, which
While only a mock-up, the appears to be designed for use
China Aerospace Science and from warships, and a high-alti-
Technology (CASC) CH-7 gained tude, solar-powered UAV.
significant attention. Resembling In the static park, local firms
the Boeing MQ-25A Stingray or Tengden and Poly Technologies
DEMONSTRATION Dassault Neuron, the design has had mock-ups of large, twin-en-
Low-key display from stealthy J-20 yet to be developed, but will re- gined unmanned systems. The
portedly be available for export. TW356 can carry payloads such
Chengdu’s stealthy J-20 appeared in this year’s flying display at CASC promotes the platform as cargo and a communications/
Airshow China, performing a conservative flying routine to open as a high-altitude, long-endur- electronic warfare package, while
the event. Starting with a three-aircraft fly-past, the display then ance aircraft, with a 22m (72ft) the TW328 is a HALE UAV with
saw a pair of the fifth-generation fighters perform a series of wingspan and a cruising altitude four weapons hardpoints.
sweeping turns in tight formation. A solo aircraft also conducted of 32,000-42,000ft. In a hall dedicated to UAVs, Bei-
a sequence of rolls and a sharp ascent before climbing out of the “[The CH-7] conducts recon- jing Zhonghangzhi Technology
show and departing. While the performance highlighted the naissance, air defence operations, promoted the TD10, a proposed
type’s large size, there was a lack of the sort of aggressive and operational support,” the com- 15t unmanned helicopter using co-
manoeuvres routinely performed by comparable combat types pany states. “It can also launch axial rotors, and ZT Guide Control
such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 and Sukhoi Su-35. strikes or [provide targeting] infor- the FL-1, another HALE system
mation to other platforms.” with four weapons hardpoints. ■

Icelandair warms to AIRSHOW CHINA 2018
Wow Air takeover Show report
Air Transport P18
MARKETING ROTORCRAFT
Airframers think small to tap Bell singles out

sales boost via
big opportunity in the west airspace reform
Optimised narrowbodies will be ideal aircraft as country opens up undeveloped provinces
B ell expects that reforms to
lower-level airspace regula-
A irbus and Embraer both see

an opportunity to sell their
small narrowbodies to carriers
tion, coupled with an expected
rise in medevac operations, will
drive a huge growth in demand
keen to tap into the emerging for helicopters in China in the
market of western China. coming years.
Amaya Rodriguez Gonzales, “The boom in the Chinese
Airbus head of single-aisle mar- market is taking place right in
keting, says Beijing’s plan to open front of us,” says Patrick Moulay,
the west of the country – noted for senior vice-president internation-
its high elevation – will rely on al sales at the US manufacturer.
aviation, as road and rail transport The focus for Bell is on the par-
is not feasible in those regions. apublic segment, with emergency
She argues the A220 is a match medical services operations seen
for some of the area’s operational Embraer hopes E190-E2 can take large bite of local requirements as the big opportunity – particu-
and commercial challenges. “In larly for the 407 light-single.
this case, the size of the aircraft, carrier’s Riga, Latvia base. can fly nonstop to Chengdu from Moulay says that there are only
the range of the aircraft and the The A220 has yet to win any there with a full passenger load. around 60 EMS-configured heli-
capabilities of the aircraft are just firm orders from China, although “The E2 will be able to connect copters operating in China, an in-
perfect,” she says. “They need Flight Fleets Analyzer indicates tier two and three destinations here credibly low figure compared
very good performance at hot and that there are letters of intent for in China. It can bypass hubs and with mature markets such as Eu-
high airports; it’s going to make 30 -100s and 20 -300s, from most importantly it offers a smaller rope and the USA.
this aircraft the aircraft of choice, Loong Air and CDB Aviation airplane in the market, comple-
and the aircraft to develop this Lease Finance, respectively. menting narrowbodies at compara- “The boom in the
region.” Embraer is also targeting the ble seat costs,” says Embraer’s head
Airbus displayed an Air Baltic same market with its re-engined of commercial Arjan Meijer.
Chinese market is
A220-300 at Zhuhai, on the first and rewinged E190-E2. The air- The Brazilian airframer taking place right in
leg of an Asian sales tour that will framer has already completed brought its “Profit Hunter” E190- front of us”
also take it to Chengdu; Koh demonstration flights into and out E2 to Zhuhai. After the show, it
Patrick Moulay
Samui, in Thailand; and Istanbul of Lhasa, Tibet, and says the Pratt & will embark on a two-week sales Vice-president, international sales, Bell
in Turkey, before returning to the Whitney PW1900G-powered type tour across China. ■
FORECAST Last year Bell received an
Growing demand is grand for ATR

order for 100 407GXPs from
Shaanxi Helicopter, which Mou-
lay says makes the type “the
most successful helicopter in
C hina will require 1,100

turboprops with 30-70 seats
by 2037, the vast majority of
which will be used to open up
new routes, according to ATR.
The European airframer, a joint
venture between Airbus and
Leonardo, released its first ever
China market forecast at Zhuhai,
China”. It is also delivering the
initial examples of the single-
engined 505 into the country.
showing that it expects demand In addition, the manufacturer
for 800 aircraft in the 30-seat cat- is eyeing the potential for the 429
egory, 70 in the 50-seat category light-twin with government cus-
and 230 in the 70-seat category. tomers, for use in search and res-
Bernard Pabon, ATR’s head of cue operations.
market strategy, explains that The manufacturer displayed a
growth drivers will include gov- 407 on its stand, and a full-size
ernment initiatives aimed at mock-up of a 525 Relentless su-
spurring general and regional per-medium-twin.
aviation, the relative efficiency of Although the latter is unlikely
turboprops over jets on shorter- to have broad appeal in China,
range sectors, and demand from Moulay says it could attract “the
travellers to open up new air really top clients” when operated
ATR
Turboprops are well-suited to meet nation’s regional aviation need routes. ■ in a VVIP configuration. ■

AIR TRANSPORT
TIE-UP DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Icelandair warms to Wow Air takeover

Carrier’s acquisition of budget operator would end head-to-head battle for traffic via Reykjavik to North American cities
A takeover agreement between

Icelandair Group and rival
Wow Air has emerged during a
nations, including Cleveland,
Dallas and New York JFK.
The two also compete on routes
period of financial turbulence for to other cities including Boston,
both carriers. Chicago and San Francisco, and
The combination of the two air- Wow has newly disclosed plans to
lines, disclosed on 5 November, operate to Vancouver, another
would bring together operators Icelandair destination.
that have been engaged in a head- Wow Air has lately been re-
to-head battle on transatlantic treating from its aggressive net-
routes in recent months. work growth, however, axing
But the tie-up would also place newly-established routes to Cin-
all-Airbus operator Wow Air cinnati, Cleveland and St Louis.
Boeing
under the umbrella of a group The budget airline emerged in
whose main operator, Icelandair, Flag carrier operates all-Boeing fleet, while its rival uses Airbus types mid-2012 and has built a fleet of
is an all-Boeing carrier. Both have around 20 Airbus jets. Becoming
been undergoing fleet modernisa- Wow Air made an operating poor financial results this year part of Icelandair Group will “fur-
tion with the respective airfram- loss last year, partly attributable and forced it to issue profit warn- ther strengthen the foundations of
ers’ new re-engined types, the to higher fuel costs. Icelandair re- ings, as well as admit to breaches the company and its international
A320neo and A330neo, and the mained profitable in 2017, but its of covenants with bondholders. competitiveness”, says Wow Air
737 Max. performance was substantially Icelandair and Wow Air have founder Skuli Mogensen.
Wow Air has been exploring a weaker than the previous year. each been competing for transat- Icelandair Group says the ac-
strengthening of its balance The carrier has been trying to lantic traffic flying via Reykjavik, quisition of Wow Air depends on
sheet in order to expand, and rectify a strategic miscalculation to the point where the two opera- due diligence, and needs the ap-
had envisioned a public offering centred on transatlantic capacity tors have been opening links to proval of shareholders as well as
to raise funds. which, it says, has contributed to the same North American desti- the Icelandic regulator. ■
MANUFACTURING INVESTMENT OLIVER CLARK LONDON

JON HEMMERDINGER
BOSTON
3D-printed part Alitalia privatisation hits final stages

gains new role
on GE engines E asyJet will only invest in Ital-
ian flag carrier Alitalia if it
looks to be a “good deal” for the
budget carrier, its chief executive
G E Aviation has received reg-

ulatory approval to install
the first additive-manufactured
Johan Lundgren has stressed.
Speaking at the World Travel
Market in London on 5 November,
part in a GEnx-2B engine, a mile- Lundgren said that any invest-
stone that brings 3D printing to a ment in Alitalia would need to
third model in the manufacturer’s “make sense commercially” and
large commercial turbofan range. that “operationally” the UK air-
The US Federal Aviation Ad- line must be “able to deal with it”.
ministration has validated a de- EasyJet submitted a revised ex-
AirTeamImages
sign change that allows it to re- pression of interest in the Rome-

place a traditionally-made engine based SkyTeam member in late
door bracket with a new bracket October, as the latest phase of the State-appointed commissioners will examine bids for Italian airline
made in-house by GE using a privatisation process ended.
laser metal sintering process. Lundgren says any acquisition progresses, but adds: “If it doesn’t Alitalia on 31 October said it
GE plans to begin mass produc- would need to “work for us stra- work out, we are very confident of had received two binding offers
tion of additive-manufactured tegically”, adding it is “no secret” our ability to be successful.” and a non-binding expression of
brackets this month at its Auburn, that EasyJet is focusing on short- Italy’s state-owned railway interest. State-appointed commis-
Alabama site and expects to begin haul flying from primary airports. company Ferrovie dello Stato sioners will now examine the bids
shipping engines fitted with the He says the carrier will “wait Italiane is also bidding for the flag before submitting recommenda-
components in January 2019. ■ and see” how the privatisation carrier alongside EasyJet. tions to the Italian government. ■

Leap software
AIR TRANSPORT
patch extended
Air Transport P20
SEATING DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
BA cuts first-class cabin

from A350-1000 layout
B ritish Airways will cut the
first-class cabin from its Air-
bus A350-1000 fleet, although the
business-class seats, with a larger
increase in premium-economy
seats and a “marginal climb-
type will feature a similar level of down” in the economy-class
accommodation as the carrier’s cabin, compared with the 747.
higher-density Boeing 747-400s.
Chief executive Alex Cruz says The A350-1000 will
the -1000 will feature a new busi-
feature a new
United Airlines
ness-class seat when the initial
aircraft arrives in July next year. business-class seat
New widebody will initially operate on Newark-Los Angeles route The A350-1000 will be fitted with when the initial
331 seats, but the cabin layout will
HANDOVER EDWARD RUSSELL WASHINGTON DC be cut to three classes, as opposed aircraft arrives
Entire Dreamliner
to the four on the 747-400s.
Cruz says the twinjet is “likely
to operate” on the same routes as Four A350-1000s will be fitted
family United with

747s with the “mid-J” layout, re- with this configuration next year,
ferring to the higher-density 747s he says. Two four-class 777s will
with fewer premium seats. also be completely refurbished
delivery of 787-10
BA lists its high-density 747- with the new business-class seat
400 cabin as having 343 seats, in- and an upgraded, albeit smaller,
cluding 14 in first class, 52 in first-class cabin.
business class, 36 in premium- An increase in economy-class
Executives laud economic advantage of double-stretched economy and 243 in economy. capacity, says Cruz, will mean
twinjet, which joins smaller versions of type in carrier’s fleet Cruz says the carrier will in- the type will have 4% more seats
crease “a little bit” the number of than before. ■
U nited Airlines has received

its initial Boeing 787-10,
making the Chicago carrier the
The 787-10 is the embodiment
of United’s fleet strategy. A
stretch of a stretch, the twinjet
ATR
first operator of all three Dream- accommodates 66 more seats
liner variants and the first to take than the 787-9, with only a
the largest model in the Americas. 1,200nm (2,200km) range penal-
Boeing handed over the air- ty. This makes the aircraft an
craft (N14001) at its North “economic powerhouse”, as one
Charleston assembly line in airline executive has described it
South Carolina on 5 November. – well suited for shorter,
“The 787-10 is an excellent ad- high-density, long-haul routes

dition to United’s fleet,” says that do not need the range or ca-
Gerry Laderman, the carrier’s pabilities of the other two
chief financial officer. “It offers Dreamliner variants.
superior fuel efficiency while The carrier has long been a
providing a more comfortable champion of stretched aircraft TURBOPROP
customer experience on board.” with better seat economics. In
United will debut the 787-10 2017 it made the decision to con- ATR 72-600 lands for Air Botswana
– which it configures with 318 vert 100 orders for the 737 Max 9 Air Botswana took delivery of the first of two on-order ATR
seats, including 44 updated to the larger Max 10. 72-600 twin-turboprops from the manufacturer on 2 November,
Polaris business-class seats and United, which has 14 787-10s with the second due to arrive before year-end. Both aircraft are
21 in the premium-economy on order, is the third operator of configured with 70-seat, dual-class cabins and will be used to
cabin – on flights between New- the aircraft after Singapore Air- upgrade Air Botswana’s fleet, which comprises three ATR
ark and Los Angeles on 7 Janu- lines and Etihad Airways. It 42-500s and one ATR 72-500. The order for the new aircraft was
ary 2019. The aircraft will begin plans to take two more aircraft by disclosed at the Farnborough air show in July. Air Botswana’s
flying the Newark-San Francisco the end of the year. ATR 72-600s are powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127N
route on 14 February. The carrier already operates engines featuring a “super-boost” option to facilitate hot and
The airline also plans to fly the 12 787-8s and 25 -9s, Flight high operations, ATR says. “We have been using ATRs for over
787 on six routes to Europe from Fleets Analyzer shows. It has 20 years and are very satisfied with their operating results,” says
Newark next summer, but has yet outstanding orders for 13 787-9s the airline’s chief executive, Agnes Tsholofelo Khunwana.
to disclose the destinations. and 13 -10s. ■

AIR TRANSPORT
SAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
MD-11 nose-wheel loss

pinned on faulty repair
O mission of a pin following a
Boeing MD-11F nose-wheel
replacement led the aircraft to
cluding the Curitiba-Buenos
Aires service that ended with the
wheel’s detachment.
shed the wheel upon landing at Search parties, aided by un-
Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza airport, manned air vehicles, took 10
BillyPix
Argentine safety experts have
days to find the missing wheel,
EASA believes 737 Max’s -1B powerplants may have sensor issue concluded. which was eventually located in
As the Lufthansa Cargo bushes 1,100m (3,610ft) from the
PROPULSION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON freighter (D-ALCM) landed on threshold of runway 29 and
Leap software patch extended runway 29, the left-hand nose-

wheel detached, bounced and
180m left of the centreline.
Examination of the wheel as-
repeatedly struck the fuselage, sembly determined that a fixing
E uropean safety regulators are

to extend an engine-control
software update order to the Boe-
ity digital engine control.
While the European Aviation
Safety Agency has ordered
causing considerable damage to
the aft underside and the centre
landing-gear.
pin on a separator, designed to
stop it rotating, had not been in-
stalled. The inquiry attributes the
ing 737 Max, following a similar A320neo-family operators to in- The inquiry by Argentinean in- incident to improper mainte-
instruction to operators of the stall new engine-control software vestigation authority JIAAC says nance, and inadequate quality
Airbus A320neo. for the Leap-1A, it says the Leap- that the wheel had been replaced control during the work carried
CFM International Leap-1A 1B for the 737 Max has a “similar- in the Senegalese capital Dakar on out at Dakar, pointing out that the
powerplants have been unable to ity of design” and “could also be 9 November 2016 – the day before absence of the pin can lead the
accelerate to target thrust in a affected”. EASA proposes to in- the incident – following detection anchor nut of the wheel to un-
number of take-offs because of struct Max operators to update of foreign-object damage. screw and detach.
water accumulation in pressure the software on affected power- After the replacement, the air- Neither of the MD-11F’s two
sensor systems of the full-author- plants within 60 days. ■ craft conducted five flights in- crew members were injured. ■
INVESTIGATION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Lost tread caused 777’s engine failure

Debris ingested by port-side GE90 on Etihad widebody after tyre shed more than 90% of outer layer during take-off
I nvestigators have determined

that an Etihad Airways Boeing
777-300ER suffered engine fail-
mum landing weight – after fly-
ing for some 33min, and all the
main-gear tyres deflated.
ure on take-off from Abu Dhabi The United Arab Emirates
because it ingested tyre debris General Civil Aviation Authority
from the nose wheel. traced the tread separation to
As the aircraft rotated from damage suffered by the tyre – ei-
runway 13R, the crew heard a ther from a foreign object encoun-
loud bang. The left-hand nose- ter or a cut caused by a towbar-
wheel tyre shed more than 90% less tractor.
of its outer layer tread. “This initiation point of the
AirTeamImages
The 777’s left-hand GE Aviation [tyre] outer-layer cut could [have]

GE90 powerplant ingested several happened in one of the [recent]
pieces, sustaining damage to the previous flights in any one of the Inspection of twinjet’s taxi route at Abu Dhabi found no suspect debris
fan, compressor and hot section, airports used by the aircraft,”
while debris also struck the in- says the inquiry into the 27 Sep- already undergone three retreads. Investigators also state that the
board fan cowl of the right-hand tember 2016 event. But the retreads were “not consid- tyre manufacturer testified to this
engine and the lower fuselage. No items of suspect debris were ered contributory” to the tyre fail- being the first instance of 777
As a result the left-hand engine located during a search of the taxi ure, says the inquiry. nose-gear tyre debris causing
failed and the crew opted to re- route followed by the 777 during The carrier fitted Bridgestone damage to an engine through in-
turn to Abu Dhabi and conduct its departure from Abu Dhabi. tyres to the nose-gear of its 777 gestion. None of the 335 passen-
an overweight landing. The air- Etihad had a policy of allowing fleet, and the event was the first gers and 17 crew members were
craft touched down at about up to three retreads of aircraft tyres, incident of tread separation on injured. The aircraft (A6-ETL)
341.5t – some 90t above its maxi- and the nose-wheel involved had the type suffered by the carrier. had been bound for Sydney. ■

Why backing MRJ is
AIR TRANSPORT
in Japan’s interest
News Focus P22
STRATEGY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Level readying for steep climb ahead

Budget carrier unveils trebling of fleet by 2023 as parent concentrates long-term growth focus on low-cost operations
I AG’s newest budget carrier,

Level, is carrying out refinement
preparations ahead of a trebling of
Some 24% of current capacity
is covered by these non-full-
service divisions, roughly equal-
the fleet over the next five years. ly split between the “value carri-
Level has a line-up of nine air- ers” – Aer Lingus and Iberia
craft: five Airbus A330s at Barce- Express – and the low-cost opera-
lona and Paris Orly, and four tions of Level and Vueling.
A321s at Vienna. However, Boyle says growth
The carrier is committed to over the next five years will be
take this to 14 next year by plac- “concentrated” in these low-cost
ing two more A330s at the long- divisions. By 2023, he states, the
haul bases and three more sin- four operations outside BA and
Level
gle-aisle Airbus jets in the Iberia will provide one-third of
Austrian capital. Two A330s will join five based at Barcelona and Paris from next year IAG capacity, with the emphasis
But new Level chief executive on the low-cost carriers, which
Vincent Hodder, speaking at a the company’s capacity within Iberia, in 2011. But director of will account for 20% of the total.
capital markets event, said the the next five years. strategy Robert Boyle says that Another 12% will be taken up
company had “aspirational tar- The group was originally the company’s expansion into by Aer Lingus and Iberia Express,
gets” to treble the fleet to 42 air- formed as a full-service opera- lower-cost operations has shifted with the full-service carriers cov-
craft by 2023. tion, with British Airways and its portfolio. ering the balance. ■
“[Our] undisclosed aspiration-
al targets have us growing bigger
than that,” he adds. OPERATIONS
He has not indicated either the
aircraft types under considera- Long-haul strategy at Aer Lingus could encompass A321XLR
tion or the bases at which they Aer Lingus has outlined a five- of its A330-200s, and the A330 – so far loosely dubbed the
would be deployed. year long-haul fleet plan which platform would “transition” to the “A321XLR”.
Hodder says the company is increases its net number of twin- -300 rather than the -200, provid- Kavanagh says the A321LR
limiting itself to “moderate” ex- aisle aircraft by three – from 13 to ing additional seats at “close to “unlocks” new city-pair options.
pansion over the next 12 months, 16 Airbus A330s – by 2023. zero incremental costs”, he says. The first three aircraft will arrive in
allowing it to “fine-tune” the Speaking during an IAG capi- Kavanagh’s presentation on 2019, and the type will gradually
Level model and enable the man- tal markets event, outgoing Aer the airline’s North Atlantic fleet replace four Boeing 757-200s.
agement team then to “scale Lingus chief Stephen Kavanagh expansion plan pointed to the “We continue to review the op-
quickly to profitable growth”. said that the carrier’s fleet was first pair of additional A330s ar- portunities that the potential ‘XLR’
“We have to get the founda- “simple by design”. riving in 2020 and the other pair will bring over time,” adds
tions for Level right before we The carrier’s widebody fleet in 2022. Kavanagh. Aer Lingus is the latest
scale up the business,” he states. comprises eight A330-300s and Aer Lingus, which is introduc- carrier to have hinted at the exist-
The expansion of Level is part five -200s, but Kavanagh signals ing 14 A321LRs as part of its ence of a new long-range Airbus
of IAG’s broader strategy that will that four additional A330s would long-range operation, indicated type, with both Qantas and Spirit
see its low-cost and value carriers arrive over the next five years. that it was looking at a potential Airlines having previously refer-
account for an expected third of The Irish carrier would drop one enhanced version of this aircraft enced the designation. ■
ORDER
VietJet deal brings Neo total to 120
VietJet Air on 2 November ordered 50 more Airbus A321neos,
firming a memorandum of understanding signed at the
Farnborough air show in July. Airbus says the deal brings to 120
the number of A321neos that VietJet has on order. The
Vietnamese low-cost carrier, which also has commitments for five
A321ceos, has already taken delivery of 46 A320-family aircraft.
Chief executive Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao states that the A321neo
will “help us to expand the network significantly, especially on in-
ternational routes”.
Airbus

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DEVELOPMENT GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE
Why backing MRJ is in Japan’s interest

Fresh funding for Mitsubishi Aircraft highlights importance of regional jet programme to parent – and national ambition
M itsubishi Heavy Industries’

Y220 billion ($1.9 billion)
lifeline to its troubled Mitsubishi
ough air show – given the jet’s re-
cent history it was an event
inevitably tainted by misfortune
Aircraft unit, announced in late after a ground collision left the
October, underlines two inter- aircraft on the tarmac for a day
related issues. Firstly, the fresh while a replacement part was
funding – comprising a capital flown in.
injection of Y170 billion and the Since then, the programme’s
cancellation of Y50 billion in four-strong test fleet at Moses
debt owed to MHI – highlights Ja- Lake, Washington has been stead-
pan’s ambitions in commercial ily accumulating flight hours
aerospace. Secondly, the size of with no major issues discovered.
the bailout underscores the major In addition, the airframer has
James Mellon/FlightGlobal
challenges it faces to realise that been working with the Japan Civil
strategic goal. Aviation Bureau on building certi-
While MHI has not discussed fication systems for commercial
overall investment in the Mitsub- aircraft, a move described as “fun-
ishi Regional Jet programme prior PW1200G-powered aircraft has received only 213 firm commitments damental” for the nation’s long-
to the new cash injection, it has term aerospace ambitions.
been estimated at $1.7 billion. firms account for 70% of the firm However, Mitsubishi Aircraft Certification work in Japan will
Despite the requirement to backlog: SkyWest holds orders is placing a great deal of faith in start in earnest in late 2018 or
double down, MHI’s 2018 annual for 100 MRJ90s, and Trans States the MRJ70, which is due to enter early 2019, with the first tests re-
report leaves no doubt of its con- Holdings plans to take 50 aircraft. service 12-18 months behind the lated to the MRJ90’s Pratt & Whit-
tinued commitment to the pro- When both carriers placed MRJ90’s likely arrival in 2020. ney PW1200G engines. All four
gramme, despite – or possibly their orders nearly 10 years ago, The manufacturer believes that flight-test aircraft are being up-
because of – nearly a decade of it was assumed that the scope- the smaller variant will come into graded pending certification, and
costly delays. While money con- clause relief would be agreed by its own in the 2020s, as older re- the fifth and sixth test aircraft,
tinues to be spent on develop- the time the MRJ90 had entered gional jets are replaced. now in final assembly in Nagoya,
ment, little or no revenue is com- service, which was then targeted It has a point: FlightGlobal’s will also have certification-com-
ing the other way from sales. for 2014. 2018 Flight Fleet Forecast sug- pliant avionics bay wiring.
“Through restructuring of a gests that there will be demand
business that can endure a pro- “We are not only for 3,900 aircraft in the 70- to FIRM COMMITMENT
longed development period – for 100-seat segment over the next The hundreds of billions of yen
example, by strengthening sales creating the MRJ, but 20 years, as older Bombardier now sunk into the programme
and customer support struc- a new industry. It is CRJ700/900s and Embraer E-Jets are a sign that MHI will back the
tures, shifting to full-scale devel- are replaced. project until its conclusion. As-
opment of the MRJ70 and rein-
very important for the “The key market is the USA, suming the sales needle moves in
forcing links with the country” where the MRJ90 is being market- the right direction, there is also
commercial aircraft (tier one) Yugo Fukuhara ed in a 76-seat two-class layout the prospect of creating the larger
business – our intention is to de- Vice-president and general manager of (the current US scope clause seat MRJ100, and building a true fam-
velop the MRJ business into a sales and marketing, Mitsubishi Aircraft limit), competing directly with the ily of regional jets.
major pillar of our operations in Embraer 175,” says Flight Ascend But that commitment is not
the years ahead,” it says. Consultancy in a third-quarter solely driven by financial consid-
While both have reiterated a 2018 market commentary on the erations; larger national interests
SLOW PROGRESS continued commitment to the twinjet. “The latest delays mean are also at play.
The difficulty for both MHI and programme, it is clear that their that the MRJ will now enter ser- “This is a next-generation in-
Mitsubishi Aircraft is that the patience is not infinite. vice just a year earlier than its key dustry for Japan,” says Yugo
backlog for the MRJ is mired at Mitsubishi Aircraft has hinted rival – the E175-E2.” Fukuhara, Mitsubishi Aircraft
213 orders from just six custom- that there is ability within the Flight Ascend says the MRJ70 vice-president and general man-
ers. All of them are for the 88-seat contracts to switch to the scope- could replace 70-seaters now ager of sales and marketing. “We
MRJ90, which has a maximum clause-compliant MRJ70, but so feeding American Airlines, Delta are not only creating an airplane,
take-off weight of 39,600kg far neither carrier has indicated Air Lines and United Airlines, as the MRJ, but creating a new in-
(87,100lb) – 600kg over the scope- any interest in doing so. As re- it is the “only all-new next-gener- dustry. It is very important for
clause limits in pilot contracts cently as September, SkyWest ation regional jet currently being the country.” ■
with the big three US carriers. chief executive Chip Childs said offered”. Additional reporting by Jon
This is a critical issue for the that swapping to the 70-seat vari- The MRJ90 made its flying dis- Hemmerdinger in Boston and
MRJ, given that two US regional ant was not currently an option. play debut at this year’s Farnbor- Garrett Reim in Los Angeles

DEFENCE
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developments in the defence sector, visit:
FUNDING CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
UK watchdog raises budget concerns

National Audit Office highlights risk of increasing costs through delaying decisions in modernising defence programme
T he UK Ministry of Defence is
making some progress with
improving its financial planning
year,” the NAO says. “Decisions
are now unlikely to be reflected in
the 2019 plan,” it adds.
MQ-9B SkyGuardian is on order as
replacement for RAF’s Reapers
around major projects, but the “Delaying decisions increases
budget for its current equipment the risk of the department not
plan falls short of expected re- achieving long-term affordability
quirements by around £7 billion and value for money,” the report
($9.2 billion), the National Audit says. It cites two examples: “De-
Office watchdog has warned. laying by two years its programme
Published on 5 November, the to introduce new remotely-piloted
NAO’s report into the 10-year aircraft, resulting in an estimated
plan until 2028 outlines expected £160 million cost increase, and
Crown Copyright
spending of more than £193 bil- delaying some [Eurofighter] Ty-
lion on defence equipment and phoon training by one year, which
support, versus a funded total of increased costs by £6 million.”
just over £186 billion. However, Noting that 84% of the identi-
it describes this as the most likely fied financial risk exists within plans had called for deliveries to Once released, the MDP docu-
outcome, while under a “worst- the next four years of the equip- commence this year, the current mentation could provide some in-
case scenario” the deficit could ment plan, the NAO states: “This schedule is for the medium-alti- dication about the UK’s future
reach £14.8 billion. means the department needs to tude, long-endurance type to purchases of the Lockheed Martin
After criticising the MoD’s make immediate savings deci- achieve initial operational capa- F-35 Lightning. Current orders for
long-term planning in a report sions, rather than relying on long- bility with 31 Sqn during 2023. the type comprise 48 in the short
last year, the NAO notes that its er-term cuts or efficiencies. Defer- take-off and vertical landing ver-
January launch of a modernising ring projects can lead to higher PLANNED UPDATES sion, against a stated total require-
defence programme (MDP) has costs in later years and under- Currently unfunded defence re- ment for 138: the conventional
forced it to “revisit its aims for the mine strategic planning.” quirements include a potential take-off and landing variant could
2018 plan”, including “whether General Atomics Aeronautical acquisition of the Boeing 737- potentially also be acquired.
to delay, defer or de-scope some Systems in July conducted a first based E-7 Wedgetail airborne A £1 billion short-term de-
of its future requirements”. transatlantic flight with the early warning and control system fence spending boost was includ-
“Given the MDP has not yet MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely pi- to replace the RAF’s aged E-3D ed as part of chancellor Philip
completed, the department has loted air system. This is on order Sentry fleet, along with planned Hammond’s budget last month,
focused on making just the first as a future successor to the Royal updates such as the acquisition of but these funds have been ear-
year of its 10-year plan affordable, Air Force’s Reaper fleet, and will active electronically scanned marked to support activities in-
but has had to find an additional be called Protector RG1 in UK ser- array radars for some of the ser- cluding cyber warfare and nucle-
£1.3 billion from the start of the vice. While original programme vice’s newer Typhoons. ar deterrent-force submarines. ■
OPERATIONS CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
Tornado GR4 wings it with retirement markings

P reparations are advancing to
mark the departure from ser-
vice of the UK Royal Air Force’s
Shader contribution to coalition
tasks over Iraq and Syria, flown
from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. On
last Panavia Tornado GR4 strike retirement, their combat duties
aircraft next March. A specially will be assumed by Eurofighter
painted example emerged at RAF Typhoons and subsequently also
Marham in Norfolk early this by Lockheed Martin F-35B Light-
month. nings.
Aircraft ZG775 has gained a The RAF retired the last of its
commemorative 9 Sqn tail livery Tornado F3 air-defence fighters in
and fuselage markings to denote March 2011. The departure of its
Crown Copyright
the Tornado’s service life, which remaining GR4s will leave the
began in 1982 in the GR1 guise. Panavia type as still in service
A detachment of GR4s is now with the air forces of Germany,
Aircraft ZG775 is decorated with commemorative 9 Sqn markings supporting the UK’s Operation Italy and Saudi Arabia. ■

DEFENCE
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developments in the defence sector, visit:
TECHNOLOGY GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES
Sikorsky tempts army to enter Matrix

Service pilots put autonomy testbed through its paces, while first Black Hawk is prepared for flight with equipment
U S Army pilots have test-flown

the Sikorsky Autonomy Re-
search Aircraft (SARA); an S-76
of helicopter crashes: controlled
flight into terrain.”
The army and DARPA are
modified by the Lockheed Martin working with Sikorsky to im-
subsidiary and US Defense Ad- prove the Matrix system, with
vanced Research Projects Agency. the aim of eventually turning it
The rotorcraft manufacturer into a tailorable autonomy kit
says the event marked the first that could be installed in fixed-
time a non-Sikorsky pilot had wing aircraft and helicopters.
flown the experimental aircraft. This will enable pilots to focus
Lockheed Martin
It points to growing interest from attention on tasks unrelated to
and participation by the army in flying, such as additional mis-
the joint DARPA/Sikorsky Air- Modified S-76 can avoid obstacles via LIDAR sensors and cameras sion planning, or co-ordinating
crew Labor In-cockpit Automa- close air support or medical
tion System programme. towers and moving vehicles, fol- chief pilot at Sikorsky’s Stratford, evacuation tasks.
During the activity, the aircraft lowing their detection by on- Connecticut flight-test centre. Sikorsky – which is currently
was operated by pilots on board board light detection and ranging “We are confident that Matrix incorporating its Matrix equip-
and on the ground. Work includ- (LIDAR) sensors and cameras. technology will allow pilots to ment into a UH-60 Black Hawk,
ed demonstrating automated “We are demonstrating a certi- focus on their missions,” he adds, expected to fly within the next
take-off and landing and obstacle fiable autonomy solution that is while also noting: “This technol- few months – says its SARA plat-
avoidance, during which it kept going to drastically change the ogy will ultimately decrease inform has accumulated more than
clear of objects such as wires, way pilots fly,” says Mark Ward, stances of the number one cause 300h of autonomous flight. ■
TESTING GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES
Datalink trial gives Marines tactical advantage

A US Marine Corps Lockheed
Martin F-35B has for the
first time made a Link 16 connec-
system (SSDS) on board the USS
Wasp, enabling the stealth fighter
to securely share tactical data
sel and its support fleet.
Relaying data from the F-35’s
sensors will provide the USMC
and task assignment, and by re-
laying aircraft status information
about fuel levels and available
tion with the ship self-defence with the amphibious assault ves- and US Navy with increased situ- weapons.
ational awareness, for example “Shared information from
by detecting subsonic or super- multiple sources and vantage
sonic anti-ship cruise missiles points extends our battlespace
flying just above the surface of and our advantage over enemy
the ocean. threats,” says USN Capt Danny
Produced by Raytheon, the Busch, who leads the programme
SSDS co-ordinates defensive mis- executive office for SSDS.
siles, decoys and electronic war- “With the ability to link our
fare equipment in response to sensors and weapons from sea
such attacks. and air, SSDS is providing a
The company says that data level of interoperability and de-
shared between surface ships fensive capability never before
US Navy
and the F-35 could also help available to the [Marines’] expe-
Stealthy type is increasingly supporting expeditionary operations during the detection of targets ditionary fleet.” ■
Download the 2018

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Red tape snares Gulf
DEFENCE
PC-12 operator
Business Aviation P28
REQUIREMENT GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES
Draft request advances Canadian fighter search

O ttawa has issued a draft re-
quest for proposals to five
potential suppliers to replace the
This should be followed by the
delivery of initial proposals
“between summer and winter

Royal Canadian Air Force’s Boe- 2019”. A contract is anticipated
ing CF-18A/B Hornets with 88 to be awarded during the winter
advanced combat aircraft. months of 2021-2022.
In a notice posted online on 26 Canada wants its new aircraft
October, the nation confirmed to be delivered from 2025, with
possible bidders as Boeing, initial operational capability to
Royal Canadian Air Force

Dassault, Lockheed Martin, Saab be achieved the following year.
and the Eurofighter consortium – The government wants all ship-
via bid leader Airbus Defence & ments to have been completed
Space. This will pit their respec- by 2031 or 2032, at which point
tive F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the air force’s remaining CF-18s Ottawa wants to retire last of its current CF-18s no later than 2032
Rafale, F-35, Gripen E and Ty- will be retired.
phoon products against each “Our fighter jet process is one of In 2009, Canada’s government an ultimately unsuccessful com-
other for the requirement. the largest procurements the gov- of the day selected the F-35A to plaint with the US Department of
Only the identified companies ernment has ever undertaken,” replace its CF-18s – a d ecision Commerce against Canadian air-
will be allowed to submit propos- Carla Qualtrough, minister of pub- that was reversed by the current framer Bombardier’s sale of
als, with responses due around lic services, procurement and ac- administration during 2015, in CSeries narrowbodies at below
late December. Ottawa says the cessibility, said the day before the favour of staging an open com- cost-price on the US market.
feedback received from the poten- draft RFP was released. “And it petition. Canada’s stop-gap strategy
tial bidders will help it to refine represents the most significant in- Ottawa walked away from a now involves acquiring 25 sur-
and finalise a formal RFP, to be re- vestment in the Royal Canadian planned interim buy of 24 Super plus F/A-18A/Bs from the Royal
leased “in spring 2019”. Air Force in more than 30 years.” Hornets, after Boeing launched Australian Air Force. ■
MODIFICATION GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES
USAF sounds out alerts for A-10 pilots

Ground-attack type’s cockpit could be enhanced with three-dimensional audio system to enhance situational awareness
M odifications could
approved for part of the US
Air Force’s fleet of Fairchild
be by assigning the noises to various
positions around their head. The
manufacturer says pilots are better
such as incoming missiles. Terma
says studies of the use of its audio
technology in a cockpit showed
Terma claims the system im-
proves situational awareness
and speech intelligibility, while
Republic A-10 ground-attack air- able to distinguish audio informa- that pilots could perceive the di- also reducing hearing loss and
craft, adding three-dimensional tion when it is associated with a rection of an approaching missile fatigue. In a multi-crew situa-
audio warning devices to the physical location. 1.5s faster than when such infor- tion, it can also separate speech
cockpit in order to boost pilot situ- Using the system, a pilot can be mation is presented on a tradi- from individual crew members
ational awareness. alerted to the direction of threats tional panel-mounted display. into the direction of their physi-
It is not clear how many of the cal locations. This would enable
service’s 289-strong inventory of a co-pilot to hear the voice of a
A-10s could receive the update, gunner located immediately be-
but the USAF said on 5 Novem- hind the cockpit as if it was com-
ber it is considering making a ing from that apparent location.
sole source acquisition of be- Flight Fleets Analyzer records
tween 150 and 200 units from the the USAF’s inventory of A-10Cs
hardware’s manufacturer, Terma as being between 35 and 39 years
North America. old. Having previously been
Terma notes that the Royal Dan- threatened with early retirement,
ish Air Force has already installed the close air support stalwart was
the system within the cockpits of instead boosted earlier this year
some of its Lockheed Martin by the confirmation of plans to
F-16s. The audio technology is in- complete a re-winging pro-
US Air Force
tended to help a pilot keep track of gramme across the USAF’s nine
various warning and alert notifica- operational squadrons equipped
tions, plus radio communications, Terma equipment will enable rapid perception of incoming threats with the type. ■

BUSINESS AVIATION
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CLOSURE KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
Red tape snares Gulf PC-12 operator

Abu Dhabi-based charter firm cites challenges of promoting turboprop and maintaining margins in exit from region
G I Aviation, the first and only

commercial provider of the
Pilatus PC-12NG in the Middle
for A6-prefixed aircraft to operate
into airports with ground-based
facilities such as fire services.
East, has shut down after less This, he argues, effectively re-
than two years in business. moves the key benefits of single-
The company, headquartered engined turboprops: flexibility,
at Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Execu- versatility and affordability.
tive airport, blames its 31 October “If you are travelling from Abu
closure on a “restrictive” regula- Dhabi to Riyadh, for example, you
tory environment, and poor re- are looking at airport charges of
sponse in the region to the Swiss- around $1,500 at both ends; this
built, single-engined turboprop. significantly increases the cost of
“This aircraft was always going the flight, and results in razor-thin
GI Aviation
to be a tough sell in a region margins,” Gordon says.
known for having a large appetite He describes the current state of
for high-end business jets,” says GI Aviation struggled with a local bias towards larger jet aircraft the charter market in the Middle
GI Aviation general manager Pat- East as “very tough and competi-
rick Gordon. raeli company and operates in a types of roles” is widespread. tive”, with many companies strug-
Flight Fleets Analyzer records corporate role. Unlike the USA, the regulatory gling to make a living. Given this
an inventory of only two PC-12s Gordon says GI Aviation’s sec- framework in the United Arab backdrop, Gordon argues, there is
in the Middle East. One of those ond PC-12 (A6-GIB) has since Emirates is very restrictive and no future for a model “without
(A6-GIA) belongs to GI and is un- been re-registered in the USA as costly, Gordon says. “Operating precedent in the region”.
dergoing its annual maintenance N18YU, and is being sold by a under the same regulations as “Once a business idea has been
check at Al Bateen with Falcon Boulder, Colorado-based agent. It local airlines Emirates and Etihad deemed a mistake, the next step
Aviation Services; it will eventu- is “an easy aircraft to sell in the is unworkable for the charter op- is to exit that business as effi-
ally be sold. The other (4X-CXP) USA”, he says, where the use of erator,” he says. ciently as possible; that’s what we
is owned by an undisclosed Is- single-engined turboprops “in all Gordon points to a requirement are doing,” he says. ■
FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
Fly Aeolus set for expansion as demand grows

T he largest operator of the
Cirrus SR22 in Europe, Fly
Aeolus, is preparing to expand its
mance piston-single from small-
and medium-sized businesses.
The Antwerp-headquartered
one privately-owned SR22.
Last month, it took delivery of
its 13th example and is set to ex-
The concept has been well re-
ceived by SR22 buyers, as the pro-
gramme helps to offset the cost of
fractional ownership programme company launched operations in pand its operations to France and aircraft ownership. “They can
in the north of the continent. The 2009 but started comprehensive Germany in 2019. typically expect to receive around
move aims to exploit the growing marketing in 2016, serving the “We plan to add another three €400 per flying hour,” says Ghijs.
demand for the high-perfor- Netherlands and Belgium with aircraft to the line-up before the “They also get access to the pool
end of next year,” says Fly Aeolus of aircraft, which is particularly
co-founder Stefaan Ghijs. handy when their aircraft is un-
The SR22s are managed by Fly dergoing maintenance.”
Aeolus, and flown by commer- For its members, Fly Aeolus is
cially qualified pilots, which are proving a “great introduction” to
employed on a freelance basis, private aviation. The service con-
says Ghijs. nects up to 1,600 airports and air-
To join the programme, custom- fields across Europe, with around
ers must acquire a small share in 5% of flights calling at major
an aircraft. “This gives them ac- hubs, including Amsterdam
cess to the whole fleet,” says Schiphol and Frankfurt. “Our goal
Ghijs. Flights are offered on an ad is to bring Fly Aeolus to Scandina-
hoc basis and Fly Aeolus also has via and the UK, but we have put
a card programme, with prices the latter on hold while we await
Fly Aeolus
from €10,000 ($11,500) annually the outcome of the Brexit negotia-

Company now has 13 Cirrus SR22s, with three more due next year for around 15h of flying time. tions,” says Ghijs. ■

Slow climbers
BUSINESS AVIATION
World Airliner
Directory P31
SAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
EASA proposes safety checks on certain Globals

E urope’s safety regulator is pro-
posing to order operators of
certain Bombardier Global 5000s
vice life of low-pressure compres-
sor discs and other parts, after
raising concerns over engine rotor
Flight data from aircraft fitted
with particular Rockwell Collins
avionics and autothrottle systems
ticular, needs to undergo service
life recalculation – using R-R in-
structions – within 250 cycles or
and 6000s to recalculate the ser- speed variations. have shown a “significant oscilla- one year.
tion” of the engine rotor revolution If the engine remains installed
speed during cruise flight, says the on the aircraft, says EASA, the re-
European Aviation Safety Agency. calculation process for life-limit-
The business jets are powered ed parts needs to be repeated for
by Rolls-Royce BR710A2-20 en- subsequent flights, and the parts
gines. replaced if necessary.
EASA says the phenomenon EASA’s proposed airworthiness
affects the service life of particu- directive is open for consultation
lar components and could con- until 3 December. The directive
ceivably result in their failure would apply mainly to aircraft
and the ejection of high-energy with serial numbers from 9432-
Bombardier
debris. 9786 and which have not under-
The endurance of the low- gone modification under certain
Problem concerns BR710 engine rotor speed variations during cruise pressure compressor disc, in par- Bombardier service bulletins. ■
PROGRAMME KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
LAR-1 poised to enter flight-test phase

Personal jet should obtain Polish S-1 experimental approval in 2019, with full type certification coming the following year
P olish start-up Metal Master

says it is “waiting to get the
green light” from the country’s
stone to securing full type certifi-
cation. Metal Master had origi-
nally planned to sell only 10
civil aviation regulator to begin LAR-1s under this category, but
flight testing its Flaris LAR-1 per- is now reviewing this strategy,
sonal jet, having completed all Ładziński says, due to “strong de-
ground-based evaluations at the mand from people who don’t
end of October. want to wait for the fully certifi-
“We recently completed 150 cated aircraft”.
engine runs on the aircraft’s Wil- Metal Master is hoping to bring
liams International FJ33-5A tur- the latter version to market in late
bofan, and the LAR-1 is now fully 2020, and is now discussing
prepared for its next stage of de- whether to pursue US type certifi-
Metal Master
velopment,” says Metal Master cation under Part 23 rules, ahead
founder Rafal Ładziński. of its initial plan of first obtaining
Preliminary performance data a similar European approval. Williams International-powered aircraft will have low operating cost
has been sent to the Polish civil “The US is the largest business
aviation authority, he adds, “and and general aviation market in A demonstration tour is also surance – of $1.10/nm or $450/h; a
we hope to get a visit from an offi- the world, and we have already planned for the LAR-1 in 2019. projected range of 1,350nm
cial within the next eight weeks to received a lot of interest in the Ładziński describes the jet as “a (2,500km); cruise speed of 420kt
clear the aircraft for flight testing.” LAR-1 from potential owners and breakthrough in personal trans- (770km/h); maximum take-off
The campaign will be conduct- operators,” Ładziński says. “A portation”. He says many passen- weight of 1,500kg (3,300lb); and
ed at Zielona Góra airport in west- decision on which route to take gers do not want the “champagne can take off and land on grass air-
ern Poland – located around 124 will be made next year.” and frills” that much larger air- strips and short runways of less
miles (200km) from Metal Mas- Metal Master is now building craft can offer. “They are looking than 250m (820ft).
ter’s headquarters in Podgórzyn. the second of three LAR-1 test ar- for efficiency, flexibility, simplici- The aircraft also features a
The company is targeting Pol- ticles in Podgórzyn, which will ty and affordability. That is what Garmin G600 XTi glass flight-
ish S-1 experimental certification enter the flight-test campaign in the LAR-1 can provide.” deck, with a Genesys Aerosys-
after 150h of flying, which the first half of 2019. Priced at €1.8 million ($2 mil- tems S-TEC 500 digital autopilot,
Ładziński expects to complete in The company will open the or- lion), the aircraft boasts low semi-elliptical, detachable wings
the third quarter of 2019. derbook once flight testing “is claimed direct operating costs – in- and a safety parachute system in-
S-1 approval is a stepping- well under way” says Ładziński. cluding fuel, maintenance and installed in the nose. ■

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WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
Regionals
Embraer’s E2 generation has taken off,
with first deliveries made to Widerøe
AirTeamImages
Slow climbers
The concluding part of our World Airliner Directory looks at products on offer in the
regional sector, with baseline models accommodating fewer than 100 passengers
CRAIG HOYLE LONDON good news was tempered, however, by public military customers. This includes Indonesian
criticism from Mexican carrier Interjet, its only Aerospace’s 28-seat NC212i and 19-seat N219.
S
ales of regional jets and turboprops operator in the Americas, which said it could Also dropping out is the TRJet 328/723: the
are more limited in frequency and be prepared to sell its fleet. status of which appears uncertain, due to rival
scale than for the mainliner sector, Mitsubishi Aircraft’s delayed MRJ seems to Turkish Aerospace disclosing plans to develop
and particularly narrowbodies like be making good progress with flight testing, a “100-seat-plus” jet for Ankara.
the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max. although a 20-unit commitment has been lost
Our data shows that during the first nine and a financial bail-out was required from its FUTURE CHANGE
months of this year, net orders for aircraft in parent company to retain hopes of a 2020 entry The regional aircraft landscape could change
these two categories totalled just 125 aircraft, into service. substantially before our next World Airliner
versus 883 mainliners. Growing freight demand also delivered a Directory is produced, with Embraer and Boe-
Positive developments so far in 2018 have boost to the sector, with FedEx Express having eyeing a possible joint venture. The pro-
included Embraer in April handing over the ing helped to launch both the ATR 72-600F posal’s outcome could be determined as soon
first E190-E2: a rewinged, re-engined update to and the Cessna SkyCourier 408 freighter. The as December, with the E-Jet and E2 lines to be
its successul E-Jet series. Three are now in use latter will also come as a 19-seat passenger affected either way.
with Norwegian carrier Widerøe, but over the transport, registering at the lower limit of our In addtion, as this article went to press,
12-month period of our review, the Brazilian regional aircraft classification. Our directory Bombardier announced it had reached an
airframer’s total orders for the three-member also this year gains RUAG Aviation’s Dornier agreement to sell its Q400 twin-turbprop line
E2-family contracted by 30 units. 228NG and the Viking Air Twin Otter Series to a subsidiary of Longview Aviation Capital
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft appears set to add a 400, which have the same seating capacity. for $300 million. Longview is a holding com-
further 100 Superjet 100s to its backlog, after Exclusions include projects about which pany which includes Viking Air. ■
Aeroflot announced plans to acquire more there is a lack of information on orders and All data from Flight Fleets Analyzer or
examples, for delivery from next year. This deliveries, or where production is made for manufacturers, to 30 September 2018

Special report
Antonov Crimea and resulting political tensions between

Kiev and Moscow.
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that as of 30
mercial users as Angara Airlines (5), Air Koryo
(2) and Ukraine Air Enterprise (1).
Prospects for the An-158 are little better,
An-148 September, Antonov’s order backlog totalled 19

units from across its family of twinjet products:
with only six examples delivered, and Cubana’s
entire fleet in storage.
family
two fewer than at the same point a year earlier.
This included commitments for five of its up-to NEXT STEPS
85-seat An-148, four shorter-range An-158s – Despite these setbacks, Antonov is targeting
which can accommodate 99 passengers – and further sales, and in 2016 picked Esterline CMC
Ukrainian airframer Antonov continues to see 10 of the An-178 dedicated freighter. With an Electronics’ flight management systems and
weak demand for its regional airliner products, 18t payload capacity, this variant has so far been multifunction displays for up to 60 An-148-
with already limited sales prospects having ordered only by Silk Way Airlines of Azerbaijan. family aircraft. And at July’s Farnborough air
worsened after Russia’s 2014 annexation of The souring of relations with Moscow already show, where an An-178 was on static display,
18t
meant an end to production of the An-148 at the manufacturer signed an agreement with
Russia’s VASO plant in Voronezh, before a Boeing’s Aviall Services unit, covering after-
Saratov Airlines example crashed near Moscow market spares and support, and backing for
on 11 February 2018, killing all 71 passengers new sales, under the “An-1X8 Next” pact.
and crew. Investigators attributed the loss to its Separately, production of the An-140 twin-
crew’s failure to switch on pitot-static pressure turboprop looks to have ended, after only 19
Maximum payload capacity of sensor heaters, despite being in icing conditions. shipments of the 52-seat type: 10 remain in
An-178 freighter development Saratov ceased operations in May, leaving com- use - nine of these with the Russian military. ■
ATR 42/72
The ATR 42/72 – the product of a joint venture
between Airbus and Leonardo – remains the top-
selling regional twin-turboprop, with a firm order
backlog of 250 aircraft at end-September.
While this equates to roughly three years of
production, our figures show a net -38 42-600s
Tony Best/FlightGlobal
and only 10 72-600s sold during the first nine
months of this year. Deliveries totalled 35: all but
three in the larger version. However, this is after a
Silver Airways is colourful recipient of twin-turboprop
very strong 2017, when 113 aircraft were sold: up
from 36 in 2016. door and rear cargo door – will be able to carry up Iran Air before the USA reintroduced sanctions
In November 2017, a FedEx Express order to seven LD3 containers, or nine pallets. against Tehran.
launched the ATR 72-600F new-build freighter. It A first ATR 42-600 for Florida-based Silver Meanwhile, Stefano Bortoli has become
will take 30 examples from 2020, with options on Airways was a visitor to the Farnborough air show ATR’s chief executive, succeeding Christian
another 20. The airframer has yet to reveal its in July: part of a firm commitment for 16 of the Scherer, now chief commercial officer at Airbus.
range and payload performance, but says the type and four ATR 72-600s, plus 30 options. Other Leonardo has previously voiced interest in ATR
model – equipped with a large forward freight recent deliveries included five 72-600s shipped to developing a 100-seater: opposed by its partner.
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M-
powered ATR 72-600 has secured a combined
ATR 42/72 orders and deliveries 661 orders to date, and the 42-600 some 74.
Together with previous versions – an ATR first
ATR 42-600 ATR 72-600 ATR 72-600F
flew in August 1984 – almost 1,700 aircraft have
First flight 04/03/2010 24/07/2009
been sold, and more than 1,400 delivered. ■
Orders (all-time/2018) 74/-38 631/10 30/0
113
Deliveries (total/2018) 41/3 444/32
Backlog 33 187 30
ATR 42/72 specifications

ATR 42-600 ATR 72-600
MTOW (t) 18.6 23 ATR’s total sales during bumper
Seats (two-class/max) 48 70-78
2017 calendar year
Range (nm) 720 830

Regionals
Ukrainian firm exhibited An-178 at Farnborough air show
BillyPix
Antonov An-148 family orders and deliveries Antonov An-148 family specifications
An-148 An-158 An-178 An-148 An-158 An-178
First flight 17/12/2004 28/04/2010 07/05/2015 MTOW (t) 41.9 43.7 52.4
Orders (all-time/2018) 34/0 10/0 10/0 Seats (two-class/max) 68/85 86/99
Deliveries (total/2018) 29/1 6/0 Payload (t) 18
Backlog 5 4 10 Range (nm) 1,890 1,350 2,160
AVIC First flown in February 2000, the Pratt &

Whitney Canada PW127J-engined MA60 has
recorded 129 total sales, Flight Fleets Analyzer
Meanwhile, the schedule for China’s 68-86
passenger MA700 has slipped from an original
goal of achieving first flight this year: deliveries
Xian MA60 shows, with a current production backlog of 36:

unchanged since our last directory one year ago.
A modernised MA600 proved less successful,
of P&WC PW150C engines will start in mid-
2019.
Launched in December 2013 and strongly
China’s regional twin-turboprops – the AVIC with only 14 of the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 resembling the ATR 72, this had no confirmed
Xian MA60 and MA600 – are edging closer to avionics-equipped version having been sold, sales by the end of September. However, there
replacement, with a more capable successor and just four delivered. Sharing the 60-seat are letters of intent for a combined 225 units,
appearing likely to enter use from around the capacity of its forerunner, it has a slightly shorter from potential users such as Air Kasthamandap,
early part of the next decade. range, at 770nm (1,420km). Joy Air, Okay Airways and Smile Air. ■
AirTeamImages
Xian-built MA60 is approaching its 100-delivery milestone
AVIC MA60 orders and deliveries AVIC MA60 specifications

MA60 MA600 MA60 MA600 MA700
First flight 25/02/2000 09/10/2008 MTOW (t) 21.8 21.8 26.5
Orders (all-time/2018) 129/0 14/0 Seats (single-class) 60 60 68-86
Deliveries (total/2018) 93/0 4/0 Range (nm) 860 770 1,460
Backlog 36 10

Special report
Twinjet’s appeal has been raised
with Atmosphere cabin update
Bombardier have a capacity for between 70 and 100 seats.

Of these, the CRJ700 – which took to the air
American Airlines also signed for 15
CRJ900s earlier in the year, with the 76-seat
CRJ family for the first time in May 1999 – appears to be

near an end to production. Only one has yet to
be delivered, from total orders for 339.
jets to go to its PSA Airlines subsidiary.
The 1,420nm (2,630km)-range CRJ1000’s
sales now total 68 aircraft, with Flight Fleets
With the CSeries no longer a proprietary Analyzer showing Spain’s Air Nostrum as its
Bombardier programme, after Airbus took ORDERS BOOST lead operator, with 22 in service.
control of the narrowbody on 1 July and re- Across the CRJ900/1000, a backlog for 55 units Speaking at the Singapore air show in
branded it the A220, the Canadian airframer is existed at the end of September, with all but five February 2018, Colin Bole, Bombardier
placing renewed emphasis on its previously being for the former, 90-seat model. This is a Commercial Aircraft’s senior vice-president of
neglected regional jets. 20-unit increase from our directory a year ago: sales and asset management, was optimistic
Bombardier’s CRJ-family regional jets are the result of a mid-June follow-on order from about the CRJ securing a fresh wave of orders,
continuing to sell, approaching 30 years after Delta Air Lines for CRJ900s. These will feature as older-generation types head for retirement.
the first flight of a -100-standard example. Bombardier’s new Atmosphere cabin, which has “A lot of the activity we suspect will be from
The company delivered a total of 1,021 early- larger overhead storage bins, in-seat power and replacement and upgauging [of] regional jets
generation -100/200/400-model, 50-seat improved LED lighting. in the United States,” he said.
twinjets from 1992, before advancing to its One of Delta’s new aircraft was exhibited at For those of its aircraft reaching the end of
current platforms. the Farnborough air show in July, and their commercial airliner lives, the company
Powered by 14,500lb-thrust (64.5kN) GE Bombardier is due to complete deliveries under offers freighter conversions. In December 2016
Aviation CF34-8C5 turbofan engines, these its latest order during 2020. a first adapted CRJ200SF was handed over:
one of two with a 6.7t payload capacity now
used by Gulf & Caribbean Cargo. ■
Bombardier CRJ family orders and deliveries
CRJ700 CRJ900 CRJ1000
First flight 27/05/1999 21/02/2001 03/09/2008
20
Orders (all-time/2018) 339/-6 479/18 68/0
Deliveries (total/2018) 338/1 429/8 63/5
Backlog 1 50 5
Bombardier CRJ family specifications

CRJ700 CRJ900 CRJ1000
Additional order for CRJ900s
MTOW (t) 33 36.6 40.8
placed by Delta Air Lines
Seats (single-class) 70 90 100
Range (nm) 1,090 940 1,420

Regionals
Bombardier
Q400
Bombardier received orders for a net total of
25 Q400s during the nine months ended 30
September, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows. Sales
during this period included 10 for Ethiopian
Airlines and a trio of twin-turboprops for Biman
Bangladesh Airlines.
Our data shows that the firm order backlog
at the same point was for 62 aircraft; an increase
of 12 from our directory a year ago.
Lifetime sales for the Q400 and its NextGen
version totalled 639 units, with 577 of this total
Bombardier
having been delivered. Previous production Ten twin-turboprops are heading for Ethiopian service
of the Dash 8 Q100/200/300 covered 672
aircraft, including those examples adapted for Following the CSeries’ departure to Airbus as Bombardier Q400 orders and
military and special-mission applications. the A220, Bombardier has also pulled out of the deliveries
In September, the company delivered its turboprop market with the sale of the Q400 to a
first 90-seat version of the Q400: part of a 25- subsidiary of Longview Aviation Captial – the Q400/Q400 NextGen
unit commitment from Indian carrier SpiceJet. Viking Air parent – for $300 million. First flight 31/01/1998
This followed the receipt of certification from Bombardier says the sale includes the Q400 Orders (all-time/2018) 639/25
Transport Canada on 1 August. programme, as well as all assets and intellectual Deliveries (total/2018) 577/9
SpiceJet already had Q400s in a 78-seat property for other Dash 8 models – comprising Backlog 62
configuration, but its latest example pushes the -100, -200 and -300. The deal is expected to
capacity beyond the 86-seat limit previously close in the second-half of 2019. Bombardier Q400 specifications
adapted for Philippine Airlines. This was made No detail was immediately available on the
Q400/Q400 NextGen
possible by moving the rear bulkhead further future production location for the Q400, with
MTOW (t) 28.0-29.5
aft, and reconfiguring the front right-hand Bombardier having sold its current Downsview,
Seats (single-class) 74-90
door to accommodate an extra row of seats. Toronto site earlier this year. ■
Range (nm) 700-1,110
Cessna The logistics specialist – which is assisting with

the high-wing type’s development – will take 50
units, with an option to double its fleet. With a
also planned, with 19 seats, overhead baggage
compartments and a netted rear cargo area. To
have Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, the twin will
SkyCourier flat-floor cabin, the freighter will be able to carry

three fully-loaded LD3 containers, with a maxi-
mum payload capacity of 2,430kg (6,000lb).
have a maximum cruise speed of 200kt
(370km/h), and a range of 900nm (1,660km).
First flight of a SkyCourier is planned during
Textron Aviation in November 2017 unveiled Loading will be via a large cargo door. 2019, with certification and service entry the
the Cessna SkyCourier 408 freighter, on the A passenger-carrying version of the Pratt & following year. Windtunnel testing took place in
back of a launch order from FedEx Express. Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC-engined type is March. ■
PT6A-powered type will have 19-seat passenger version Cessna SkyCourier orders and
deliveries
SkyCourier 408 freighter
Orders (all-time/2018) 50/0
Deliveries (total/2018)
50
Backlog 50
Cessna SkyCourier
specifications
SkyCourier 408 freighter
Launch order for SkyCourier MTOW (t)

Payload (t) 2.7
freighter, from FedEx Express
Cessna
Range (nm) 900

Special report
ARJ21 has amassed a current order backlog of 220 units

AirTeamImages
Embraer A first of four E190-E2 prototypes was rolled

out in February 2016, and flown three months
later. An E195-E2 got airborne the following
The company’s earlier-generation ERJ prod-
uct line resulted in the delivery of a combined
890 aircraft, across the 37-seat ERJ-135, 44-
E-Jet family March, while Embraer’s smallest new model, the

E175-E2, has yet to fly. Entry into service for the
E195-E2 should come next year, followed in
seat ERJ-140 and 50-seat ERJ-145/XR. Harbin
Embraer also assembled a number of ERJ-145s
for the Chinese market from 2002 to 2011. Our
An important year for Embraer has seen first 2021 by the remaining family member. The three data shows that just 15 ERJ-135/145 aircraft
deliveries of its new E190-E2 made to variants offer respective capacities ranging from from this partnership are in active use.
Norwegian carrier Widerøe – which had three 80-90, 97-114 and 120-146 seats. In the most significant development facing
examples by the end of September. the E-Jet and E2 models of recent times,
Shipped in a single-class configuration E2 UPDATES Embraer is pursuing a possible business venture
with 114 seats, the type entered revenue ser- Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines with Boeing. This would see the Brazilian firm’s
vice shortly after the first was accepted in power the new family, with the E175-E2 to use commercial aircraft activities fall under the
April. Widerøe has options on a further 12 PW1700Gs and its larger two stablemates control of a “fully-integrated subsidiary” of the
E2-family jets. Embraer says the operator has PW1900Gs. Each model has an individual wing US giant.
so far amassed more than 2,500 flight hours, design to optimise performance. According to the vision of a draft agreement
and seen “outstanding schedule reliability of By the end of September, the combined reached between the companies earlier this
around 99%”. firm order backlog for its legacy, GE Aviation year, while the venture would be located in
-30
CF34-engined E175, E190 and E195 products Brazil, Boeing would assume “full strategic and
stood at 171 aircraft – up 38 from a year earlier. operational management”. Under the outline
Its final E170 from the backlog was handed plan, a decision on whether to proceed with the
over to J-Air. scheme could be made before the end of
Meanwhile, the E2-family’s orders total December.
slipped from 285 units to 255 during the same The pact was conceived following a similar
Reduction in E-Jet E2 orders total period. This was partially a result of cancelled step through which Bombardier passed control
since September 2017 commitments for 75 aircraft, split between the of its CSeries programme to Airbus, which now
E190-E2 and E195-E2. markets the narrowbody as the A220. ■
Embraer E-Jet family orders and deliveries

E170 E175 E190 E195 E175-E2 E190-E2 E195-E2
First flight 19/02/2002 14/06/2003 12/03/2004 07/12/2004 24/05/2016 29/03/2017
Orders (all-time/2018) 191/0 647/-8 587/-3 172/3 100/0 61/-38 94/-37
Deliveries (total/2018) 191/1 544/44 553/7 166/2 3/3
Backlog 0 103 34 34 100 58 94

Regionals
Comac type’s current lone operator is Chengdu Airlines,

which took its first example in November 2015,
placing it into service six months later.
Fleets Analyzer shows that additional options,
expressions of interest and letters of intent cover
a potential 423 further aircraft.
ARJ21 Initial operational feedback was poor, with high

noise levels in the rear cabin, no aircrew address
and reporting system, complex cockpit warning
Comac has previously listed a -900 version,
with a 98-seat capacity, which would share the
1,200nm (2,220km) range performance of the
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that at the end of systems and an inability to land on wet runways. current model. An improved ARJ21B is also a
September, Comac had secured firm orders for Recent activity has included deploying a test potential future addition. ■
a total of 227 ARJ21s: a rise of 26 since our last aircraft to Iceland for crosswind landing trials.
directory. Other customers are Chinese lessors and Comac ARJ21 orders and deliveries
Its most significant recent firm commitment carriers including City Airways, Henan Airlines,
ARJ21-700
– and the only recorded so far during 2018 – was Myanmar Airways International, Shandong Airlines
First flight 28/11/2008
from start-up carrier Genghis Khan Airlines, and Shanghai Airlines. The government of Congo
which will launch services within Mongolia using has also signed for three.
25
the ARJ21 from early next year. Its order is for 25 Deliveries (total/2018) 7/3
-700s, and Comac should deliver a first example Backlog 220
to the operator before the end of 2018.
Comac ARJ21 specifications
SLOW DEVELOPER ARJ21-700 ARJ21-900
Shipments of the GE Aviation CF34-10A-
Firm ARJ21 commitment from start- MTOW (t) 40.5 43.6
powered twinjet have reached seven, including
Seats (two-class) 78 98
three transferred so far this year. The 78-seat up carrier Ghenghis Khan Airlines
Range (nm) 1,200 1,200
Proposed joint venture would cement

business ties with Boeing
Embraer E-Jet family specifications

E170 E175 E190 E195 E175-E2 E190-E2 E195-E2
MTOW (t) 38.6 40.4 51.8 52.3 44.8 56.4 61.5
Seats (three-class/max) 66-78 76-88 96-114 100-124 80-90 97-114 120-146
Range (nm) 2,150 2,200 2,450 2,300 2,060 2,850 2,600

Special report
Ilyushin
Il-114-300
The Ilyushin Il-114-300 is in development, as
a means of modernising access to Russia’s
remote regions. This follows a decision from
Moscow to invest around Rb50 billion ($789
million) in the project.
United Aircraft expects 12 aircraft to be pro-
duced annually from 2020: the same year in
which the -300 should fly for the first time. It
will replace Soviet-era transports such as the
Antonov An-24 and An-26, and will be used
instead of imported products such as the ATR
42/72 and Bombardier Q400.
United Aircraft
New model’s performance boost stems from use of TV7-117ST turboprop engines
PRODUCTION APPROVAL
Approval to advance with the modernisation
from the earlier Il-114-100 – just eight of which UAC’s AeroComposit, Aviastar and Voronezh to announce firm orders for the model, but
were built for commercial use, after first flight concerns, overseen by RAC MiG and with final Russian state lessor GTLK has signalled its in-
in January 1999 – came in August 2014, with a assembly to occur at Lukhovitsy, near Moscow. tention to place an initial 50.
production nod given in November 2015. Retaining a 64-seat capacity, the -300 will use Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that there are no
Parts manufacture will be spread between United Engine Klimov TV7-117ST-01s – each Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127H-engined
delivering 3,000shp (2,240kW) – with six-bladed -100s still in commercial service, with Uzbekistan
30
Aerosila AV-112 propellers. Other design traits Airways having retired its final examples from
include the ability to land on unprepared strips. use during May 2018. ■
Its range is projected as up to 1,030nm (1,900km)
with a full load of passengers, up from the -100’s Ilyushin Il-114-300 specifications
750nm. Alternatively, a cargo load will total 6.5t.
Il-114-300
UAC says the -300 has an expected operating
Operating lifespan in years for MTOW (t) 23.5
life of 30,000 flying hours, the same number of
modernised Il-114-300 cycles, or a 30-year period of service. It has yet Seats (single-class) 64
Range (nm) 1,030
Mitsubishi 2018, but also brought a fresh, Y220 billion ($1.9

billion) investment from its parent company. This
ptions and letters of intent could increase
o
sales by a further 194 aircraft.
MRJ
will allow it to write off debt and advance with
further testing and development. VARIANT FOCUS
The company’s confirmed backlog for the All of the firm commitments to date are for the
Mitsubishi Aircraft’s long path to delivering the MRJ suffered a slight slip over the 12 months 92-seat MRJ90. The company also plans to
MRJ regional jet has seen further twists during from our previous directory, at the end of deliver a 78-seat, MRJ70 variant.
September representing 213 aircraft: a 20-unit After showing the MRJ at the Paris air show
decrease. This was the result of a December in 2017, Mitsubishi Aircraft brought an exam-
Mitsubishi MRJ orders and
2017 cancellation by US carrier Eastern Air Lines, ple to July’s Farnborough air show: again, in
deliveries
following its acquisition by a private charter op- the livery of eventual launch operator ANA.
MRJ90
erator. This leaves expected buyers as including Delayed entry into service is not due before
Aerolease Aviation, Air Mandalay, All Nippon 2020. A key contributor to this slip was the
Airways, Japan Airlines, SkyWest and Trans need to relocate components in the aircraft’s
Deliveries (total/2018) States Holdings. avionics bay and re-route electrical wiring har-
Backlog 213 Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that further nesses, to satisfy certification requirements. It
Mitsubishi MRJ specifications

MRJ70 MRJ70ER MRJ70LR MRJ90 MRJ90ER MRJ90LR
MTOW (t) 36.8 39 40.2 39.6 41 42.8
Seats (single-class) 78 78 78 92 92 92
Range (nm) 1,020 1,670 2,020 1,150 1,550 2,040

Regionals
Guernsey carrier Aurigny Air Services

recently took its second new-build NG
19
Aurigny Air Services

Seating capacity of Dornier 228NG
RUAG Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that commercial

operators use a combined 57 Dornier 228s,
RUAG Dornier 228NG orders and
deliveries
Dornier with NG users including New Central Airservice

in the Asia-Pacific region – with three – and RUAG Dornier 228NG
228NG
Aurigny Air Services. The Guernsey carrier took First flight 12/11/2009
its second new-build example on 7 September, Orders (all-time/2018) 12/1
joining its two “classic” examples. Deliveries (total/2018) 6/1
Our data shows firm orders for 12 commercial Backlog 6
With a maximum capacity for 19 passengers, units, along with others for military customers
RUAG Aviation’s Dornier 228NG sits at the and maritime duties. It also records interest in a RUAG Dornier 228NG specifications
lower end of the regional aircraft category. further 11 of the “advanced commuter”.
RUAG Dornier 228NG
Powered by Honeywell TPE331 turboprop As the type certificate holder, RUAG also
MTOW (t) 6.4
engines and first flown in November 2009, provides in-service support for the global fleet
the model represents a major revamp. of short take-off and landing aircraft. ■ Seats (single-class) 19
Range (nm) 1,000
213
Test example flew at Farnborough
is working with Toulouse-based Latécoère
in All Nippon Airways’ colours
Interconnection Systems on this task.
The first of an initially planned five prototypes
– aircraft FTA-1 – was flown for the first time on
11 November 2015, with early results also
requiring strengthening of the design’s wing and Current firm order backlog
fuselage. Four Pratt & Whitney PW1200G- for MRJ programme
powered MRJ90s are conducting test flights
from Moses Lake, Washington, with another two
to follow featuring the improvements.
Further challenges continue to face the
MRJ’s developers, though, with the current
product unable to meet the conditions of exist-
ing scope-clause limits with US regional airlines.
Between them, SkyWest and Trans States
Holdings are responsible for 70% of all order
commitments.
One option under consideration is to create a
Gary Dawson/REX/Shutterstock
new version with a 70-seat capacity, which

would allow it to deliver the twinjet for service
within the US feeder network. However, it is not
clear if this will be embraced by customers. ■

Special report
Sukhoi
Superjet 100
Current Sukhoi Superjet 100 operator Aeroflot
on 10 September announced plans to acquire
a further 100 examples. The carrier – which
recently accepted its 50th of the twinjet – in-
tends by 2026 to have 150 in use.
Aeroflot’s future aircraft – to be delivered
from 2019 – will be in a two-class, 87-seat con-
AirTeamImages
figuration, including 12 in business. These are
Russian flag carrier has plan to field 100 more examples
not yet counted within our order summary, as
a final contract has yet to come into effect.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) has, however, while it could remove some aircraft from use, Sukhoi Superjet orders and
faced criticism from the only Latin American others will receive enhancements. deliveries
commercial user of the Superjet, with the chief
SSJ100-95 SSJ100-95LR
executive of Mexico’s Interjet having indicated STEADY DELIVERIES
that it could dispose of its fleet. The airline lat- Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that 26 Superjets First flight 19/05/2008 12/02/2013
er played down his comments, noting that were handed over through the first nine months Orders (all-time/2018) 121/0 40/0
of this year, taking total deliveries to 139. SCAC’s Deliveries (total/2018) 104/19 35/7
150
firm order backlog stood at 22 units: down 29 Backlog 17 5
from last year, and total orders at 161; up three.
The baseline -95 model, which can carry 98
passengers up to 1,590nm (2,940km), has won Sukhoi Superjet specifications
121 orders, while the 2,390nm-capable LR has
SSJ100-95 SSJ100-95LR
secured the rest. Buyers have primarily been in
Eventual strength of Aeroflot’s Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent
MTOW (t) 45.9 49.4
Superjet 100 fleet States, along with Irish operator CityJet. ■ Seats (single-class) 98 98
Range (nm) 1,590 2,390
Viking Air ered by Viking Air since 2010.

Based in Sidney, Vancouver Island, the firm in
2005 acquired the type certificate for the former
it in 2013. Six are used on regional commuter
routes in Sabah and Sarawak, Borneo.
The company in February 2018 signed a
Twin Otter de Havilland Canada-built DHC-6. Our data

shows that it has since secured firm orders for 104
Series 400 aircraft from commercial operators: 81
memorandum of understanding with Mahindra
Aerospace, with this “strategic alliance” looking
at boosting India’s regional connectivity.
Flight Fleets Analyzer records 270 Twin Otters as of which have been delivered. Viking Air chief executive David Curtis says he
being in commercial use around the globe, with Viking Air identifies Malaysia’s MASwings as the “Sees enormous market potential for the Series
a growing number of Series 400 examples deliv- leading user of its updated 19-seat type, having 400 Twin Otter in India, with a particular emphasis
logged over 40,000 flying hours since introducing on the seaplane variant.” ■
Viking Air Twin Otter orders and

deliveries
Twin Otter Series 400
Deliveries (total/2018) 81/6
Backlog 23
Viking Air Twin Otter specifications

Twin Otter Series 400
MTOW (t) 5.6
Seats (single-class) 19 Malaysia’s MASwings
Viking Air
Range (nm) (zero payload) 775 has six of type in use

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STRAIGHT&LEVEL
From yuckspeak to tales of yore, send your offcuts to murdo.morrison@flightglobal.com

It’s the wrong
EasyJet
A king’s gratitude
sort of pong The birth of the Royal Air
A Sriwijaya Air flight from Force will remain one of the
Bengkulu to Jakarta was delayed most remarkable
after passengers complained achievements of
about a pungent smell caused by the Great War.
a consignment of durian – These men
known to its detractors as the and women splendidly
world’s stinkiest fruit. maintained our just cause.
The airline was forced to For their work, sacrifice, and
remove the fruit from the cargo devotion to duty, I thank
hold and took off 1h late. them. George R.I.
One of our Singaporean
colleagues reports that many in American bombs
the region regard the strong The U.S.A. Eighth Air Force
fragrance of durian as being in Great Britain has been
evocative and pleasant, which giving evidence
goes to show that – like the of its increased
overpowering fug of a used-car power. Last week
salesman’s cologne or a farmer “We’ve solved the battery problem. We’re using a over 400 of its
happily inhaling the aroma of a three-pin plug attached to a 500-mile flex.” heavy bombers made the
freshly-manured field – [EasyJet and Wright Electric released this image with an heaviest daylight raid of the
smelliness is subjective. announcement of plans to develop an electric aircraft, war to date. Only five
initially with nine seats, but eventually replacing A320- American machines were
family aircraft on routes such as London to Amsterdam] missing from that raid, a very
Not Vistara small percentage of loss.
Vistara is an Indian carrier,
which tweets as @airvistara – as Do the Bermudians know First among many
opposed to @vistara, a regular something we do not about BA’s The first part of Heathrow’s
Twitter user who posts: plans to re-register its fleet Terminal 1 was opened by
“Seriously, people, stop sending across the Channel, post-Brexit? Peter Masefield,
Stephen Cheatley/REX/Shutterstock
me your complaints – I’M NOT chairman of the

THE AIRLINE.” British Airports
Syria-ously? Authority. The
You have to admire the spirit first to use the new two-level
French letters of the chap from Syrian Air terminal were passengers on
Charles Aufranc sends us this who, from the floor at the recent domestic flights (and on
artist’s impression from a Arab Air Carriers Organisation Blackpool tower calling... outward, non-Customs,
brochure issued by the Bermuda annual general meeting in Cairo, flights to the Channel Islands
government on its airport urged airlines to start bringing and Eire) operated by BEA,
redevelopment plans. tourists to the country again – ATC-side BKS, Cambrian and Autair.
British Airways has served and invited AACO itself to hold Blackpool council has
the Atlantic territory for many its next AGM in Damascus commissioned a report into the Eurofighting bugs
decades, but Aufranc spots a because the “situation is future of the town’s threatened First flight of the Eurofighter
rather unpatriotic tail reg on the returning to normal”. airport. If it is refurbished, what 2000 is not now expected
flag carrier’s jet – F-BVGD. might the tower look like? until December,
according to
Space trade Deutsche
The Department of International Half joking Aerospace test
Trade – the Whitehall ministry One of the most striking sights pilot Peter Weger. Weger
set up after the Brexit vote to for those turning up at Tecnam’s says continued concern over
tout for new business from factory in Capua, near Naples, is the flight-control system
outside the EU – is currently a scale model of one of its (FCS) software is the prime
publicising its Space Exports trainer aircraft, cut in half reason for the delay.
Campaign. lengthways and stuck to the
What has Liam Fox up his wall above the reception desk. 100-YEAR ARCHIVE
sleeve for a liberated nation It prompts the inevitable Every issue of Flight
unshackled from the bonds of ice-breaker to any visiting from 1909 onwards
Brussels? A bilateral free trade potential buyer: “We can do can be viewed online at
deal with Uranus and a customs you a great 50% off deal if flightglobal.com/archive
Sting in the tail union with Venus? you’re interested.”

LETTERS flight.international@flightglobal.com
merging dogfight, the F-35 would

TRAINING be dead. Advancements in radar
Why aptitude for attitude is key and other passive means of
detection could also affect it.
With reference to David Much is made of the F-35’s
We welcome your letters on any
aspect of the aerospace industry.
Learmount’s excellent article, cyber technology, but hackers
Please write to: “Resilience required” (Flight could also degrade that.
The Editor, Flight International, International, 9-15 October): All of this reminds me of the
Quadrant House, The Quadrant, too many pilots, training Lockheed F-104 Starfighter: that
Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5AS, UK schools and recurrent check too was described as the best ever.
Or email: procedure examiners have Edward Philpott
flight.international@flightglobal.com forgotten the basics when an Neston, Cheshire, UK
The opinions on this page do not aircraft takes up an unusual
necessarily represent those of the editor.
attitude.
Clear the way
FlightSafety International
Letters without a full postal address sup-
plied may not be published. Letters may They should stick to the
also be published on flightglobal.com old principle: aviate, navi- After reading your article about
and must be no longer than 250 words. gate, communicate. the potential routine use of
Peter Gray, test pilot London Gatwick airport’s
via email Flightcrew must recall basics standby runway (Flight
Concerns over International, 23-29 October), I
have always thought that
F-35’s capability the-war stealthy bomber. Those with internal stores, will not be clearing Charlwood Road and
After recent coverage about the countries that are going to use it enough if a first salvo of air-to-air pushing the hangars back
Lockheed Martin F-35, I have for air defence will be fielding an missiles is decoyed by counter- beyond Lowfield Heath would
concerns about the performance aircraft that is not agile or fast measures. While more can be create an uninterrupted runway,
and role of the aircraft. enough for the quick reaction carried externally, this reduces free from incursions.
Firstly, the F-35 is not an air- alert role. its stealth and makes it slower. Edward Lyons
defence fighter: it is a first-day-of- The configuration it will fly in, Against an agile aircraft in a Auckland, New Zealand
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WORKING WEEK
WORK EXPERIENCE WU ZHENDONG
Plotting a smooth take-off for China

Having entered the market in 1993, Avion Pacific founder Wu Zhendong is positioning the business and
general aviation services company to expand, as government encourages country’s fledgling industry
How did you start out? demand for so many more. How-
I have had a passion for aviation ever, the government’s plan is to
since I was a child, and when I build 50 GA airports in each prov-
saw the Guangzhou Helicopter ince within the next few years.
Company was recruiting in 1983, Much private capital is being in-
I didn’t hesitate to sign on with vested in this market.
them. At that time, the company What do you enjoy the most
was under the jurisdiction of the about your work?
Civil Aviation Administration of I enjoy coming into contact with
China’s general aviation office for other aviation professionals.
the central and southern region. I The aviation industry attracts a
was responsible for international special kind of person. Even
business and foreign affairs. This though they do not often earn as
was the beginning of a career that much as those working in, say,
has lasted over 30 years. In 1988, the finance or IT industries,
realising that I still needed to these personnel are still attract-
learn more about international ed by the heroic and romantic
Avion Pacific
general aviation, I decided to allure of aviation. I am lucky
spend some time studying in the enough to have a great team of
USA. After returning to China in Relaxing restrictions on low-altitude flight is a key move, asserts Wu dedicated and loyal aviation ex-
1993, I established Avion Pacific. perts by my side who have stood
These past 30 years have felt like folio, servicing small fixed- and that relax restrictions on low-alti- by me for many years. What I
a single day, as I have dedicated rotary-wing aircraft. We also plan tude airspace, below 9,840ft. The love even more, though, is
them solely to one kind of work. to offer third-party aircraft trus- government is also stepping up its watching China’s GA industry
What is your focus? teeship and more. We will evalu- own use of GA services. For ex- steadily move towards a suc-
Our main operation as a compa- ate the market for aerial emergen- ample, the forestry department is cessful and prosperous future.
ny is aircraft sales – and at the cy rescue operations in south planning to add 60-80 new heli- In 1983, there were only 20 GA
moment, we represent Textron China and hope to introduce ad- copters to its fleet and the govern- aircraft in all of China, most of
Aviation’s Beechcraft brand, vanced Western concepts and ment is opening GA up to private which were leased. At the end
Sikorsky, MD Helicopters and models for aviation safety and investment capital. In Western of 2017, there are over 380 GA
Dassault in China. Four years supervision. There is still a lot of countries, GA is an industry large- companies with nearly 2,780
ago, we established the Asian underlying risk to GA in China, ly run by private citizens for pri- aircraft – from business jets to
Sky Group, which acts as a busi- and we would very much like to vate citizens. As it develops its airships – registered in China.
ness and GA aircraft broker and improve this situation. own GA industry, China also Seeing this kind of growth is
consultant, and issues rotary- How has business and general needs to move towards this what truly makes me happy. n
wing and business jet reports for aviation been growing in China? model in order to reach its full po- Looking for a job in aerospace?
China and Asia. Six years ago, In 2016, the Chinese authorities tential. In the past year, local gov- Check out our listings online at
we created Shenzhen-based issued 37 official documents, a ernments from around China flightglobal.com/jobs
Kings Aviation, a charter opera- few of which come from the high- have also petitioned the central
tor that provides services includ- est levels of government such as government to encourage the If you would like to feature in
ing aerial power line inspection, the State Council. All of these large-scale construction of GA air- Working Week, or you know
special mission training and documents are intended to en- ports. At the moment, the indus- someone who does, email
maintenance and forest protec- courage the development of GA. try is under-served, with only 300 your pitch to kate.sarsfield@
tion. In the near future, we plan The documents that are turning GA airports and temporary land- flightglobal.com
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Fine China Fighting fit Regional race

Don’t miss our Rivals ready to We check out

13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

mother nature throws at you, it can

bring help to where it’s needed.

outstanding flight performance under

9 Q400 becomes latest Viking conquest

16 Static line-up shows off military muscle.

Local firms racing ahead with unmanned

NEXT WEEK ITALY

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4 | Flight International | 13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

That’s why we’re

Choosing ATR’s solutions generates $1 million of savings annually,

A4E Aviation Aerospace Big POINTS of

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REACH your Digital Cargo Airline Digital Aerospace Big

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Contact us to discuss sponsorship and delegate options today

O n the surface, this year’s Airshow China was

flightglobal.com 13-19 November 2018 | Flight International | 7

Risa Krisadhi/Pacific Press/ZUMA/REX/Shutterstock

WIZZ AIR SHUTS TOUR ARM

NEW SHANGHAI TEST FACILITY FOR COMAC

8 | Flight International | 13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

STRATEGY JON HEMMERDINGER BOSTON

Q400 becomes latest Viking conquest

T hough the CRJ programme re-

Precision You Can Trust.

flightglobal.com 13-19 November 2018 | Flight International | 9

Safety checks mandated for

AW169 tail rotor assemblies

days”, he says. Airbus secured type certification for the Rolls-Royce

10 | Flight International | 13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

DEBUT MAX KINGSLEY-JONES TOULOUSE

A330-800 rises to challenge for Airbus

A irbus launched the

12 | Flight International | 13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

* Skytrax World Airline Awards

REPORT network and fleet information sign up at:

AIRSHOW CHINA 2018

737 set for delivery from Chinese site

B oeing is on track to hand over

J-10B wows crowds with confident aerial display

a hinged nozzle. loops, a slow high-angle-of-attack

14 | Flight International | 13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

CR929 mock-up shows size of ambition

U nited Aircraft and Comac,

ARJ21 orderbook climbs gently Airframers reveal belief

flightglobal.com 13-19 November 2018 | Flight International | 15

Static line-up shows off military muscle

C hina’s growing military capa-

Local firms racing ahead

16 | Flight International | 13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com

Airframers think small to tap Bell singles out

A irbus and Embraer both see

FORECAST Last year Bell received an

Growing demand is grand for ATR

C hina will require 1,100

flightglobal.com 13-19 November 2018 | Flight International | 17

TIE-UP DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

13-19 November 2018 flightglobal.com