Farnborough Airshow News 07-14-16

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STEP RIGHT UP DAVID McINTOSH

Where else but a show like Farnborough can you choose which exotic jet you’d like to try on for size? Save the dates for the next Hampshire air extravaganza–July 16-22, 2018.

Airbus aims to soothe the angst Hypersonic flight gets a boost

by Chris Pocock

by Gregory Polek Airbus executives attempted to allay concerns over production-rate cuts on the A380 and ramp-up challenges associated with the A350 and A320 during Armaments

an investors meeting held in London Wednesday. Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders said the European company and Continued on page 6 u

Unmanned Aircraft

The future for hypersonic flight could be firing up some momentum.

Breakthrough hypersonic propulsion technology described here at Farnborough

yesterday could revolutionize access to space by reusable launch ­vehicles, and enable flights from London to Sydney in just Continued on page 6 u

Military Training

Avionics

Industry

Brimstone Envelope Expands To Apache General Atomics To Certify Predator B

Raytheon’s One-Stop Training Shop

Elbit’s IAF C-130 Glass Adds Capability

Ruag Reviving the Dornier 228

MBDA and Boeing have successfully test-fired the former’s Brimstone attack missile from an AH-64E Apache. The Brimstone already is approved on a wide variety of airborne platforms. Page 3

The USAF’s fleet of T-38C Talon trainers isn’t getting any younger, so Raytheon’s partnering with Leonardo-Fineccanica to replace them with upgraded M-346s as a top-to-bottom solution. Page 18

Modernizing the Israeli air force’s C-130 fleet with glass-panel and head-up displays enhances the big turboprop’s tactical capabilities and safety during low-visibility operations. Page 20

Almost 30 years after its initial FAA certification, Swiss airframer Ruag has a new type certificate for the Do 228; new customers; and a North American support network for the type’s revival. Page 22

General Atomics will begin flight-testing Predator Bs later this year, with the goal of allowing its operation in common airspace with other aircraft. The new variant will have 40-plus hours’ endurance. Page 11

WHO OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE LIVE-VIRTUALCONSTRUCTIVE TRAINING SOLUTIONS? We do.

Leonardo-Finmeccanica lands first two Falco Evo customers

by Bill Carey takeoff weight—650 kilograms (1,433 pounds) compared to 490 kg for the Falco—a longer wingspan of 12.5 meters (41 feet) and greater payload capacity of 100 kg (220 pounds).

The Falco Evo has greater endurance of 20 hours and can be configured for three sensors, among them the PicoSAR active electronically scanned array (AESA) ground mapping radar, the Gabbiano 20 multi-mode surveillance radar, the new Osprey multi-mode AESA radar and the Sage electronic warfare system.

by Gregory Polek in Canada and has started the process of performing software validation integration. Plans call for certification “later this year,” in time to meet Bombardier’s commitments to launch customer Swiss International Airlines, which plans to start LCY operations to Zurich and Geneva next year.

London City Airport CEO Declan Collier explained that the C Series will help LCY support accelerating growth by offering airlines 25 percent more capacity while using the same number of takeoff and landing slots. Meanwhile, the expanded C Series range will open direct connectivity eastward from London to the Middle Eastern Gulf states and

TM

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Turkey and westward to New York JFK Airport, Toronto, Montreal, Boston and Chicago. Bombardier estimates the C Series could fly between LCY and Dubai direct with 80 passengers on board.

Planning to spend £350 million in new infrastructure, London City wants to build a new parallel taxiway and more parking stands to accommodate C Series operations. It also plans to expand its terminal to the east and to the west to allow for more passenger capacity. “We are very anxious to get permission to build and make that investment as quickly as possible,” said Collier. “And we’re three years into a planning process that we’re hoping won’t be delayed by the current [political] maneuverings.”

The Canadian Airframer has a broad presence here at the Farnborough Airshow, in Hall 1 (Stands 101 and 111), Chalet C3, and Outdoor Exhibits 24 and 26. o

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New tweaks extend the CS100’s range 140 nm.

2 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

MARK WAGNER

Bombardier has managed to squeeze another 140 nautical miles of range out of the C Series CS100 on flights to and from London City Airport (LCY), allowing the new narrowbody to fly 2,350 nautical miles with a full 108-seat passenger load.

Speaking Wednesday at Bombardier’s Farnborough Pavilion, C Series program head Rob Dewar explained that modifications to the flight control system and software now give the C Series about twice the range of the Avro RJ85, enough to connect London and Moscow nonstop. It will also allow for direct service to JFK in a 42-passenger configuration. British Airways’ Airbus A318 flies 36 passengers on that route with a stop in Shannon, Ireland, for refueling.

“We designed the aircraft from the beginning to operate out of London City,” said Dewar. “It actually determined the size of the wing, some of the flight control surfaces and engine thrust settings as well…and there’s a button that the pilots select that has special control laws and landing procedures built into the aircraft.”

Steep takeoff and approach requirements at London City call for a 5.5 degree glideslope, and Bombardier must test and validate the C Series to 8.5 degrees to qualify to operate there. It has completed the associated development tests

Airshow News

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This glimpse of Farnborough 2016’s static aircraft parking area, as viewed from the control tower of TAG Farnborough Air­port, highlights the broad range of types, purposes and sizes the worldwide industry offers.

C Series now can do LCY-JFK

Farnborough

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MARK WAGNER/SPECIAL THANKS TO TAG FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT

Leonardo-Finmeccanica said it has two customers for its Falco Evo long-endurance unmanned aircraft system. The manufacturer did not identify those first two customers, saying only that they are existing military customers of the Falco platform based in the Middle East region.

During a briefing on Wednesday at the Farnborough Airshow, LeonardoFinmeccanica executives described the latest evolution of the Falco, which they said is “ready for the market.” The Falco Evo comes with a higher maximum

Leonardo-Finmeccanica reports five current Falco customers, but it has identified only one—the manufacturer is providing the aircraft to the United Nations for a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some customers have purchased a managed service agreement with Leonardo-Finmeccanica; others have acquired Falco platforms and operate them independently. More than 50 Falcos are operating around the world.

Existing Falco air vehicles can be converted to Falco Evo models via a retrofit package which adds the longer wings and tailbooms, allowing the aircraft to fly up to 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) with an operating range of 200 km (124 miles) in line of site. There is also the possibility of incorporating a satellite datalink to extend its range, executives said. o

MBDA and Boeing successfully test Brimstone on an Apache

DAVID McINTOSH

by David Donald

POWERED BY PRATT One of the industry’s long-term success stories is the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turbine engine, variants of which power the Pilatus PC-12 (rear), PC-21 (center) and the Beech King Air 350 (front), plus a wide range of other airplanes, both civil and military, from around the world.

Ruili 787 order adds to Boeing’s Chinese widebody penetration

by Gregory Polek A $1.59 billion order for six Boeing 787-9s from China’s Ruili Airlines capped another busy day for Boeing at the show yesterday. The order represents the first widebody order for the Yunnanbased airline. Delivery schedules call for the first airplane to go to the privately owned carrier in 2021.

Ruili Airlines first announced its intent to order the six 787-9 Dreamliners in May at the ceremony for the airline’s two-year anniversary. The deal remains subject to Chinese government approval.

Established in February 2014, Ruili operates a fleet of nine 737 airplanes on 16 domestic routes with 46 daily departures. Also holding orders for thirty 737 Max narrowbodies, the carrier plans to expand its fleet to 70 airplanes by the end of 2025.

“With our base in Yunnan province, Ruili Airlines is positioned to help build Yunnan as the gateway between Southwest China and the rest of the world,” said Ruili Airlines chairman Ma Zhanwei. “The right size, long range, competitive fuel efficiency, as well as passenger appealing edge of the 787-9 make it an ideal fit in facilitating our international expansion plans.” Speaking at a press briefing at Boeing’s chalet yesterday, Ma noted that considerations for expansion include the possibility of adding North American destinations.

“We are honored to expand our partnership with Ruili Airlines,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner. “The 787-9 would complement Ruili Airlines’ narrowbody fleet and enable them to operate longhaul services to destinations as far as America and Europe, while providing the latest and most advanced technology in passenger comfort.”

The Ruili announcement followed Boeing’s revelation that an order for

nine 737-800NGs previously attributed to an identified customer belonged to Egyptair. That contract, worth $864 million at list prices, includes a financing arrangement on eight of the airplanes involving Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE).

Egyptair now operates twenty 737800NGs and once it takes delivery of the nine airplanes on order, NGs will account for the largest single-aisle aircraft type in its fleet. The airline also flies six 777-300ERs and two 777200ERs. Its Airbus fleet consists of 15 A320-family jets and 11 A330s. Egyptair forecasts significant growth of its total fleet by 2026.

Boeing also identified Air Europa as the customer for twenty 737 Max 8s.

The airline announced an order for fourteen 787-9 Dreamliners in 2015, making it the largest ever Boeing widebody customer in Spain. Air Europa now holds a combined order total of 22 787-8s and 787-9s as it continues its transition to an all-Boeing long-haul fleet.

Other commercial activity for the U.S. manufacturer involved orders and commitments covering 10 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF). Sofia, Bulgaria-based Cargo Air and Bogota, Colombia-based LAS will each receive two 737-800BCFs. Air Algerie, based in Algiers, signed a commitment for two 737-800BCFs, while an unidentified customer ordered four 767BCFs. Boeing has now won firm orders for twenty-two 767BCFs and orders/ commitments covering at least fiftynine 737-800BCFs. Launched in February, the narrowbody program calls for modification at select facilities near conversion demand, including Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services. The first 737-800BCF is due for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2017. o

MBDA has revealed that it successfully conducted a series of trials of the Brimstone missile from the Boeing AH-64E Apache. The news comes hot on the heels of the announcement on Monday that the UK is purchasing 50 AH-64Es for the British Army. Brimstone is regarded as the weapon of choice to arm the helicopters.

MBDA (Hall 3 Innovation Zone Stand B21, Outdoor Exhibition 10) conducted the trials in June at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona from a production AH-64E provided and modified by partner Boeing, the missile being fired from the Apache’s regular M299 fourround launcher.

A number of firings of telemetry missiles with no warhead were undertaken, exploring variables such as: missile guidance modes (semi-active laser, millimetric-wave radar and dual-mode); different release altitudes, speeds and attitudes; high off-boresight angles; target types; and different designation sources (the AH-64’s MTADS system and fire control radar, and third-party laser).

Known as Project Keme, the trials were undertaken as part of a UK MoDfunded three-phase integration process.

The initial phase proved the feasibility of integration, followed by a nine-month rapid functional integration to allow the trials to be undertaken. Now the full integration third phase is under discussion, with the aim of clearing the weapon for AH-64E deployment.

MBDA is developing a new iteration of the Brimstone for the Apache, dubbed FAHW (future attack helicopter weapon). However, the FAHW is just the next step in a spiral development that enhances Brimstone’s capabilities regardless of platform. The current version was tested on the General Atomics Reaper UAV in March 2014, including firings against vehicles moving at 70 mph (113 km/h), and is expected to arm the Protector UAVs that the UK MoD is acquiring. Integration of Brimstone on the Typhoon is also under way, with

carriage trials already performed.

In May the RAF began operating the latest Brimstone II missile on the Tornado attack aircraft. This version introduces a new airframe designed to give longer on-wing hours, an IM (insensitive munition) motor from Roxel, and a new IM warhead from TDW. IM protection is particularly applicable for use at sea, especially for the Apache fleet that is expected to be carrier-deployable. A more robust seeker is installed with some capability enhancements, while the autopilot has been updated to give an increased engagement envelope, notably in off-axis attack capability and range when fired from low level.

FAHW builds on these improvements through changes made (mainly to the software), adding a new millimetric-wave attack mode for non-armored targets. The weapon has various cockpit-selectable modes and fly-out profiles, including selectable impact angles and fusing (delay, air-burst or impact) to achieve different effects. There is a column-attack mode for simultaneous firings against vehicle groups. FAHW also has an anti-helicopter capability, and has been successfully tested against fast inshore attack craft.

The spiral development approach allows successive improvements to be applied across the Brimstone II/FAHW stock, with the aim of achieving interoperability between attack helicopter, UAV and fast-jet fleets. A common RAF/ British Army stockpile would provide greater flexibility of distribution, and also drive down logistics and associated costs.

MBDA has received considerable interest in the Brimstone from a number of potential export customers. In the U.S. the company has a sizeable contract to conduct a de-risking study to fit the weapon on the F/A-18 Super Hornet, working closely with Boeing and the U.S. Navy at China Lake. There is also a smaller study contract for the Boeing F-15. France is another nation that is evaluating the weapon. o

A Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopter test-fires an MBDA Brimstone missile during trials last month at Arizona’s Yuma Proving Ground. The Brimstone already is approved on a wide variety of airborne platforms.

www.ainonline.com • July 14, 2016 • Farnborough Airshow News 3

BLACK BEAUTY

DAVID McINTOSH

Boeing’s 757 was designed to replace the classic 727 and first entered service in 1983, with now-defunct launch customer Eastern Airlines. Counting both major models, the 757-200 and -300, 1,050 copies of the type were manufactured by the time production ended in 2005. The TAG Aviation 757 pictured here is a 757-200. It has 52 lacobucci flatbed leather seats and is used for luxury round-the-world trips.

Future shows in Turkey, China Harris busy with F-16 EW pods and Bahrain gain FIA support

by Bill Carey

by Charles Alcock Airshow organizer Farnborough International has announced that it is supporting the launch of the new Eurasia Airshow, the first edition of which will be held in Antalya, Turkey, April 25 to 28, 2018. It is being promoted by MedyaCity and supported by the Turkish government.

Eurasia Airshow will consist of three trade-only days, followed by one public day. It is expected to attract up to 1,000 exhibiting companies and will feature a flying display. It will be held at Antalya Airport, which organizers say is better able to accommodate a wide array of aircraft than the Istanbul airports.

“The aerospace industry in Eurasian countries is growing exponentially,” said MedyaCity chairman Hakan Kurt.

“There are more than 500 civil aviation companies now in Turkey with more aircraft flying to over 200 destinations

every day, particularly Turkish Airlines.

Furthermore, Turkey is developing its own civil and defense aircraft, and the Turkish air force will soon be receiving the F-35 later this year. The knowledge and experience of the Farnborough International team alongside our local event organizing expertise will go a long way to making the show a success.”

Also at the airshow yesterday Farnborough International announced that it had signed some new agreements this week. On Monday it signed an MOU with Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone and the EU Project Innovation Centre to develop Sichuan International Airshow, the first staging of which will take place in September 2019.

Then yesterday the company signed a new contract with the Kingdom of Bahrain to cover its status as organizer of the 2018 and 2020 Bahrain International Airshows. o

ENGINE ALLIANCE ADDS OVERHAUL CENTERS IN DUBAI AND SINGAPORE Engine Alliance (Hall 4 Stand H71) is expanding support for its GP7200 turbofans with the addition of new engine overhaul centers in Dubai and Singapore. Emirates Engine Maintenance Centre in Dubai will primarily support the 90 GP7200—powered Airbus A380 aircraft operated by Emirates Airline. Pratt & Whitney Eagle Services Asia in Singapore is a “center of excellence” for GP7200 low pressure compressor overhauls and its capability is now being expanded to cover the full engine.

The U.S. engine maker, which is a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and GE Aviation, is marking its 20th anniversary this year. “Engine Alliance continues to invest in the A380 by adding important overhaul capacity to the world-class shops already in place at GE Wales and Air France industries,” said Engine Alliance president Dean Athans.

“We’re thrilled our partnership with Engine Alliance now includes full overhaul capability in Dubai,” said Iain Lachlan, divisional senior v-p Emirates engineering. “The ability to perform maintenance work locally will translate to cost savings, allowing us to keep our A380 fleet running at the highest level of efficiency.”

—C.A.

4 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

Harris Corporation has completed deliveries to Pakistan of its ALQ-211(v)9 advanced integrated defensive electronic warfare system (Aidews) pod for oldermodel F-16s. The company will begin delivering the pod to Turkey in about a month, said Andrew Dunn, Harris EW systems vice-president of international business development.

The v9 podded version of the system was derived from the ALQ-211(v)4, which fits into the aft equipment bay of GE-engined Block 50 and Pratt & Whitney-engined Block 52 models of the F-16.

The internal EW system cannot be fitted within older F-16s, but the podded and internal versions are card-compatible, supporting the system in mixed F-16 fleets, Dunn explained.

Over the past decade, Harris (Chalet C5) has sold more than 200 of the systems—which provide digital radar warning, high-power jamming, threat geolocation and situational awareness— to countries including Oman, Chile,

Poland, Pakistan and Turkey.

The ALQ-11 family was originally developed by ITT, which spun off its defense and aerospace businesses as Exelis in 2011. Harris, based in Melbourne, Florida, then acquired Exelis in May 2015.

Pakistan’s requirement for 18 ALQ211(v)9 pods represented the first production order for the system. The foreign military sale was authorized in 2011.

Harris (Chalet C5) is set to participate in pending U.S. foreign military sales to Bahrain, which is seeking up to 18 F-16s, as well as to Kuwait and Qatar, which are seeking F-18E/F Super Hornets and F-15E Strike Eagles, respectively. Harris supplies the ALQ-214 integrated defensive electronic countermeasures system of the F-18 and a weapons release system on the F-15.

Dunn said Harris is also seeing growth for the ALQ-11 system among countries that are buying F-16s being divested by other countries receiving the F-35 Lightning II. o

AVIANCA BRASIL REFRESHES FLEET WITH 62 A320NEOs Avianca airline group parent Synergy Aerospace Group on Wednesday completed a purchase agreement with Airbus for 62 A320neo aircraft. The deal, worth approximately $6.6 billion, will renew the fleet of Avianca Brasil.

Synergy became an Airbus customer in 2007 when it ordered 10 A350XWBs. Avianca Brasil currently operates 40 A320s and an A330 Freighter. The group, which also includes Colombia-based Avianca, has 20 more A320s on order, as well as six A330-200s and an A330-200 Freighter.

According to Airbus, intra-regional and domestic traffic in Latin America is growing at a rate of 5.3 percent annually and is expected to almost triple in the next 20 years.

The Synergy agreement means that the European airframer has now passed the 1,000sale mark in the continent.

Separately, DHL Express has become the launch customer for A330-300P2F passenger-to-freighter conversion offered by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a joint venture between Airbus and ST Aerospace of Singapore. The U.S.-based cargo group is buying four aircraft for deliveries starting at the end of 2016. The A330-300s will be converted to a 26-pallet configuration with a payload of 61 metric tons.

—C.A.

Find out more at SSJ100RIGHTNOW.COM

CAUSEWAY CUTS A PATH TO AERO TECH BIZ IN NORTHERN IRELAND

P&W, WIZZ AIR INK $2.5B DEAL ON PW1100G Pratt & Whitney and Wizz Air announced at the Farnborough Airshow yesterday the selection of PW1100G Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines for the 110 firm orders and 90 purchase rights the European budget carrier has placed for Airbus A320neos.

“Following a detailed review process, we concluded that the geared turbofan engine delivers the best value proposition as well as maximum fuel and operational efficiency,” said Jozsef Varadi, Wizz Air CEO. Said Rick Deurloo, Pratt & Whitney’s senior v-p, commercial engines sales, “We’re providing more than just engines. We’re delivering a revolution in sustainable aviation technology.”

Engine deliveries are scheduled to commence in 2019. The agreement, if all options are exercised, is valued at $2.5 billion.

Pratt & Whitney also announced signing a 15-year services agreement with Air Canada to maintain its fleet of PurePower PW1500G engines which will power the airline’s C Series airliners. The Canadian carrier has 45 firm orders and 30 options for the Bombardier jets. The arrangement will enable Air Canada “to benefit from [Pratt & Whitney’s] experience developing this ground-breaking engine technology, and provide us the long-term reliability and predictability to prove the best service for our customers,” said Richard Steer, v-p Air Canada Maintenance and Engineering.

In additional Pratt & Whitney Farnborough news, BOC Aviation has selected the V2500 engine for its 18 firm orders for A320ceo airliners. The V2500 is offered through IAE International Aero Engines AG, a multinational consortium comprised of Pratt & Whitney, Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International, Japanese Aero Engine Corpora—J.W. tion, and MTU Aero Engines.

Airbus aims to soothe the angst uContinued from page 1

its partners have “ironed out” most of the problems with the A320neo as it takes the first newly updated Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofan (GTF) engines this month.

Enders reminded attendees that although Airbus didn’t necessarily expect problems with the airplane, it knew that the biggest risk centered on the engine.

He applauded Pratt & Whitney’s “strong commitment” to addressing the extended start intervals on the GTF. In the military realm, engine problems also continue to plague the A400M, and Enders admitted that they’ve proved “very frustrating,” representing “an operational nightmare.” However, he welcomed the acquisition of Italy’s Avio by GE, and said the U.S. engine company has proved itself completely committed to improving the situation.

Meanwhile, market challenges on the commercial side have prompted Airbus to cut production of the A380 to 12

airplanes a year by 2018 from 27 last year, when it turned a profit on the program for the first time since its introduction in 2000.

Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier insisted that he remained “very confident” that the A380 program will continue to break even at the rate of 20, which is what it has planned for next year.

However, he acknowledged Airbus’s struggle to sell the airplane and admitted that doing so stands as his top priority. “Eventually it will find its way,” Bregier insisted.

Finally, as seat supply “issues” begin to ease, Airbus has managed to get the A350’s industrial process under control, said Bregier. However, after noting that Airbus delivered only 13 airplanes by July 1, he admitted to the challenge of a “backloaded” production schedule for the model and a “big jump” to building a total of 50 airplanes by the end of the year.

“The progress has not been at the speed I would expect,” said Bregier, who nevertheless expressed confidence that as long as Airbus’s suppliers cooperate as he expects, building another 37 of the airplanes by the end of the year is achievable. o

Skylon and (inset) its Sabre engine.

Hypersonic flight gets a boost uContinued from page 1

four hours. Equally, if not more important, Reaction Engines (Hall 4 Stand H98) said it now has sufficient funds to groundtest its Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (Sabre) by the end of the decade. BAE Systems took a 20 percent stake in the privately-held British company last November.

Mark Wood, chief operating officer and engineering director, said that independent assessments by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have validated Reaction Engines’ advanced combinedcycle technology, which enables an air-breathing engine to reach more than Mach 5 before transitioning to rocket mode to achieve orbital velocity at up to Mach 25.

The company announced the signing of a €10 million ($11.1 million) contract with ESA, adding to £50 million ($66.2 million) already promised from the UK Space Agency and £20 million ($26.5 million) from BAE’s buy-in. Wood said the company would now expand its employee count from 60 to 100. Reaction

6 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

DAVID McINTOSH

Pratt & Whitney’s Rick Deurloo, left, raises a glass with Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi, celebrating an agreement to buy P&W’s geared turbofan (GTF) engines.

Causeway Aero, a collaboration of Northern Ireland aerospace companies, announced its launch here at Farnborough. The new venture brings together Base, Denroy Plastics, Moyola Precision Engineering, Dontaur Precision Engineering and Hutchinson Aerotech under one brand, to offer a full design and manufacturing solution for international aerospace companies.

Here at the Farnborough Airshow, Northern Ireland Economy Minister Simon Hamilton MLA noted Causeway Aero “aligns with the Northern Ireland Aerospace Partnership for Growth strategy.” This is aimed at doubling the revenue of the aerospace sector to £2 billion ($2.63 billion) while boosting employment by 50 percent, to 12,000 by 2024.

Denroy Group chairman John Rainey said the Causeway companies have been working together for the past 16 months “to identify opportunities to add value to potential supply chain partnerships with major aerospace companies by demonstrating how we can help reduce costs and improve flexibility and delivery.”

This kind of support is “vital” in the words of one potential partner, Bombardier Belfast’s Stephan Cowan, v-p supply chain, who stated, “Causeway Aero has the potential to help grow the participant companies at an individual level and achieve greater overall impact through their combined strengths.”

Causeway Aero (Hall 1 Stand C101) will receive funding from Invest Northern Ireland’s Collaborative Network program to work with Swiss company SR Technics, with the initial project involving new aircraft —J.W. galley technology.

Engines was founded in 1989 and previously attracted enough private investment (about £50 million/$66.2 million) to advance the Sabre design to Technology Readiness Level 3-4.

Fast Cooling

Philippa Davies, turbomachinery team leader, said that the company’s lightweight heat exchanger or pre-cooler was a key to Sabre. Helium under pressure is passed through thousands of tubes in spiral modules.

After passing through a twoshock axisymmetric intake with a moveable centerbody, air as hot as 1,000 degrees C enters this pre-cooler around the outer circumference and flows radially inwards, being cooled to minus 150 deg C in less than 1/100th of a second. In the middle of the engine, a turbo-compressor accepts air at a constant inlet temperature of 400 deg C and constant 1 bar pressure. The rocket combustion chambers and four nozzles are at the rear.

Another key to Sabre will be the ultra-high vacuum furnace at the company’s base in Culham, Oxfordshire, which will enable high-fidelity ground testing at relatively low cost. Close to Culham is Brite Precision, a subsidiary company that does high-precision

machining of the engine parts.

Also not far away is the Wescott rocket testing facility.

Reaction Engines (Hall 4 Stand 98) has done preliminary design of a lightweight re-usable launch vehicle named Skylon that could operate from runways to space orbit and back.

But the company says that Sabre is highly scalable to a range of air and space vehicles, such as the potential hypersonic airliner.

In a separate briefing here yesterday, BAE Systems showed potential defense applications of a Mach 5 air-breathing platform.

Having spent many years and many millions of dollars trying to develop similar reusable space launchers, the U.S. is keeping a close eye on progress by Reaction Engines.

In early 2014, the British company signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (Crada) with the AFRL. This week, Reaction Engines announced the creation of a U.S.-based subsidiary that will engage with potential US government and industry partners. o

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NEWS CLIPS

GKN Aerospace presents its premier supplier award to SC Aerostar.

Pictured left to right are Rob Soen, senior v-p supply chain, GKN Aerospace, Grigore Filip president and general director, Aerostar and Kevin Cummings, CEO, GKN aerospace.

z GKN Aerospace Honors Top Suppliers GKN Aerospace (Chalet G1) chose the Farnborough Airshow as the venue to announce several supplier awards. Senior v-p of supply chain management Rob Soen said, “Our supply chain has become the clear differentiator as we strive to maintain and grow our overall competitiveness.” Winners included SC Aerostar of Bacau, Romania, which took home premier supplier honors for 2015/2016.

SC Aerostar supplies metallic parts and assemblies for multiple programs and drew Soen’s praise “for sustained levels of performance on both delivery and quality.” Also sharing awards for supplier excellence were: WSK PZL Swidnik; Cytec Solvay Group; Frisa Aerospace; Sabca Limburg; and CIM Tools.

z Barnbrook Systems Brings Its Expertise Fareham, UK-based electromechanical switching specialist Barnbrook Systems (Hall 1 Stand B120) is displaying its inflight refueling technology, aerospace contactors and engine controls here this week. Visitors to its stand will also be able to view its BlueCube remote condition monitoring technology and upgraded Wi-Fi enabled sensors.

Barnbrook counts among its clients Leonardo-Finmeccanica, BAE Systems, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Gulfstream, Safran, GE Aviation and Eaton. The company has won several awards over the past few years, including the National Passenger Safety title at the UK Rail Industry Awards in 2014, Supplier of the Year at the Light Rail Industry awards in 2014, Innovation of the Year at the Solent Business Awards in 2015 and Best Use of Technology honor at the South Coast Business Awards in 2015.

z IAI Toasts 10th Shipset of Lightning II Wings Here at Farnborough, Israel Aerospace Industries celebrated delivery of its 10th shipset of F-35 outer wings to Lockheed Martin. The OEM shared in the festivities, and expects eight more shipsets from IAI by year end.

In all, IAI is scheduled to produce 811 pairs of F-35A outer wings by 2034, with an estimated value of $2 billion. The initial contract was executed in 2014, and the Tel Aviv-based company has built a dedicated production line for the wings, including automated systems with the technology to meet the manufacturer’s quality targets.

The upper and lower skins are composite, and IAI is currently investing in infrastructure and machinery to manufacture the skins and other metallic parts in-house.

z GE Debuts On-site ‘Collaboration Center’ GE Aviation has created a scaled “digital collaboration center” in its pavilion here (P2) to highlight the capabilities of its new Digital Solutions business, which aims to identify and address customers’ operational challenges. Since opening its first such center in Dubai last year, GE has continued to build more around the world; the Paris center opened last month, and Shanghai’s is scheduled to open next week.

LOOK, UP IN THE SKY...

The flying displays at Farnborough more or less have gotten back to normal after Monday’s rain, bringing attendees out of the exhibit halls to participate in that most time-honored air show activity of all: watching airplanes.

Roketsan and Airbus team up to arm C295W

by David Donald Airbus Defence and Space and Roketsan (Hall 1 Stand B110) signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday to collaborate on a program to add a range of air-to-surface weapons to the C295W medium utility transport. The C295W has already been tested with weapons dropped from underwing hardpoints, but these are for anti-submarine and other maritime missions. The tie-up with Roketsan could add precision attack capability through the addition of laser-guided rockets, missiles and bombs.

Under the agreement the two companies will work on the design and initial testing aspects of equipping the C295W to fire Roketsan’s Cirit laser-guided rocket, L-UMTAS laser-guided anti-tank missile and the Teber precision bomb. The latter comprises a standard Mk 80 series warhead fitted with either GPS

or GPS/laser guidance kits. The agreement will see the companies advancing the project to a pre-certification status, but would require a solid customer to proceed to certification.

Airbus is providing its C295W development aircraft as a platform for any future carriage and release trials. For its part,

Roketsan brings considerable experience in weapons integration to the table. The company’s president and CEO, Selcuk Yasar, said, “Since we are the designer of all these systems, the adaptation to an aircraft platform is easier for us.”

Last month Roketsan and Airbus signed another MoU covering the integration of the Cirit laser-guided rocket on the Airbus Helicopters H135M and H145M armed helicopters. Fired from a four-round launcher, the weapon is in production for the Turkish armed forces and is also in service in the UAE. o

Signing the MoU yesterday were (from left): Rafael Tentor (Airbus DS head of light & medium aircraft), Fernando Alonso (Airbus DS executive v-p military aircraft), Emin Alpman (Roketsan chairman), and Selcuk Yasar (Roketsan president and CEO).

NORSK TITANIUM TO EQUIP NEW YORK FACTORY Norway’s Norsk Titanium (Hall 4 Stand A114) announced here it will supply the equipment to operate what it says is the world’s first industrial-scale Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) factory for production of aerospace-grade titanium in Plattsburg, New York, under a partnership between the State of New York and Suny Polytechnic Institute. The factory will be built and operated by the company’s U.S. subsidiary and is scheduled to be operational by the end of next year.

Norsk, a pioneering supplier of aerospacegrade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components, will supply 20 of its patented Merke IV rapid plasma deposition machines for the factory. Baseline production level is 400 metric tons per year, ramping up to 800 tons, to meet increasing demand for titanium from the aviation industry.

8 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

Total investment in the operation over its first ten years is pegged at $1 billion, of which New York will contribute $125 million.

The company, which is making its Farnborough Airshow debut this year, also announced it has already received an order for RPD-produced titanium engineering test articles from Boeing; another order for RPD test articles from Thales Alenia Space, for the evaluation of such processes for spacecraft components; and that it has signed a long-term agreement with Mecachrome to produce components for OEM and tier 1 companies.

The Boeing articles will be produced using Ti-6Al-4V powder to create preforms using the RPD process.

Norsk is exhibiting a full-scale mock-up of its Merke IV RPD machine here. The Merke III machine has already been qualified by Boeing.

—J.W.

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NEWS CLIPS z Legacy 450 Bizjet Approved for Longer Legs

z MB Aerospace Acquires Poland’s Vac-Aero International aerospace engineering group MB Aerospace (Hall 1 Stand A50) has acquired Vac Aero of Poland from its Canadian parent company, Vac Aero International, the companies announced here Monday. Employing more than 100 workers at sites in Kalisz in central Poland and Rzeszow in the southeast of the country, Vac Aero Poland specializes in protective and performance enhancing coatings for aero engine and industry gas turbine components. Key customers in Europe include UTC Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Siemens.

Plans call for the business to remain at its two current sites and assume the brand name MB Aerospace Technologies Poland. MB Aerospace said it plans to invest across the business, placing particular emphasis on its surface coating services, including thermal and plasma coatings and a range of paint capabilities, as well as heat treatment and brazing processes.

z Click Bond Reveals Lightweight Stainless Screw Carson City, Nevada-based fastener supplier Click Bond is launching its new LoMas screw at this year’s Farnborough Airshow. The product is an A286-grade stainless steel screw that is up to 50 percent lighter than alternatives and 17 percent lighter than titanium counterparts. The LoMas Screw will initially be available in 10 to 32 thread in 15 lengths from 0.250 to 2.00 inches with a variety of coatings.

The design of the LoMas Screw is hollow and features a washer that reduces parts count and decreases the risk of debris. Its dual-drive design allows both internal NAS 1800 and external hex head capabilities.

According to Click Bond, the LoMas Screw can provide weight savings for aircraft and other weight-sensitive products. The company said this product is just the beginning of a new line of components.

Ralph Strahan, director of engineering at Click Bond (Hall 4 Stand A34), said, “We’re very quickly developing the LoMas screw into a family of parts with different configurations, different threads and different hardware.”

z Nordam Adds New Product to its Airbus Portfolio Airbus has awarded Tulsa, Oklahoma-based aerospace supplier Nordam a contract to manufacture a lightweight composite part that supports the A350-1000’s cargo floor.

The new contract represents Nordam’s first provision of a structural component for Airbus.

Nordam’s Interiors & Structures Division fabricates the part—known as a “crutch”—for HexMC, a proprietary Hexcel product that transforms AS4 carbon fiber strips into a randomly oriented mat that can be cut and compressionmolded into complex geometries. Nordam is one of only two licensed molders of the material in the world.

The first A350-1000 started final assembly in Toulouse earlier this year. Nordam has been ramping up its crutch program since 2015 and has completed more than 1,000 parts. Under the terms of the deal, full production will entail the manufacture of more than 1,500 crutches per year over the life of the program.

Lockheed Martin’s 2015 acquisition of Sikorsky is right up front at the company’s pavilion.

New armed Black Hawk packing LM weapons

by Chris Pocock An early practical result of the acquisition of Sikorsky by Lockheed Martin last November is on display outside LM’s pavilion (Outdoor Exhibit 8) here. It is a fully armed version of the Black Hawk helicopter, using mostly LM weaponry. Moreover, it has displaced LM’s full-scale F-35 model from its usual prime position to a corner of the static park below Hall 1—an indication of LM’s serious intent to leverage its new rotary-wing product line.

“Budgets are tight, and customers are asking for this additional option on what is already a very versatile and trusted helicopter,” said Bill Gostic, vicepresident global military systems

and services for LM-Sikorsky.

He said that, unlike previous armed versions of the UH-60 series, the new version offers a highly integrated solution driven by a weapons management system (WMS) from Elbit. The helicopter on display shows AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, DAGR laser guided rockets, Hydra 70 rocket pods, and a FN-Herstal 12.7mm gun on a pylon mounted beneath its stub wings. LM’s recentlylaunched Infirno EO/IR sensor turret hangs beneath the nose.

But Gostic said that customers could specify other weapons.

The machine on display is actually an S-70i version

DAVID McINTOSH

Embraer announced here at the Farnborough show that it has received EASA and U.S. FAA approval for a range extension on its Legacy 450 business jet. With minor modifications to the wing (to accommodate more fuel) and updates to fuel control units (FCUs), the twinjet can now fly 2,904 nautical miles (under standard conditions)—an increase of 329 nm from the original certified range.

The retrofits will be incorporated into new aircraft going forward, and are available at no cost to current Legacy 450 owners. Marco Tulio Pellegrini, Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO said, “The new range, the longest in its class, will enable nonstop flights from San Francisco to Hawaii, New York to Los Angeles.”

manufactured in Poland by PZL Mielec, the company that Sikorsky acquired in 2007. Since then, the Polish production line has turned out Black Hawks for Brunei, Colombia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, at a rate of 11 per annum. Gostic said that rate could be upped to 24, if required. He sees potential customers for the armed version in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Far East.

Existing UH-60/S-70 operators can have their helicopters upgraded to the armed version—a one-month process in a depot. Once the core WMS and structural mods are done, the pylons and armament can be added in eight hours, Gostic said. New missions thereby made possible include close air support, armed assault, and armed escort. The dollar cost to add the weapons fit shown here would be “in the low single-digit millions” he added. o

Liebherr displays controls, components

by James Wynbrandt Veteran Farnborough exhibitor Liebherr-Aerospace is here showcasing its flight control and actuation, air management, landing gear, and gearbox products designed and made for the civil and military markets.

The German company’s wideranging display (Hall 4 Stand B100), occupying some 2,700 square feet (250 square meters), includes a nose landing gear housing with a cadmium-free— and thus more environmentally friendly—corrosion protection coating; an animated film depicting how the flight controls and air management systems Liebherr develops and manufactures

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function; and a weight-optimized bell crank for a helicopter’s main rotor actuator, made by additive layer manufacturing, or 3D printing—the first time Liebherr has displayed a bell crank at Farnborough.

Meanwhile, Liebherr’s components division, Liebherr-Elektronik GmbH, is highlighting its electronic control units and power electronics, including controllers for integrated air management systems, control and monitoring electronics for high-lift systems, and power electronics for an active differential gearbox. All these systems have proven their reliability

in many aircraft programs, according to the company.

Liebherr, with more than five decades of aviation industry experience, develops and manufactures its portfolio of products at its Lindau facility in southern Germany, and can develop power electronics as well as control and monitoring electronic families up to design assurance level A (DAL A under RTCA DO-254).

In total, the company’s systems are used on widebody, single-aisle and regional jets, as well as business jets, jet fighters, military transports, military training aircraft, and civil and combat helicopters. o

The CPB will replace the Reaper.

China’s Xi’an Aircraft Company announced the selection of Dowty Propellers to develop the propeller electronic controller (PEC) for its MA700 twin turboprop regional airliner. GE Aviation subsidiary Dowty has previously been contracted by the Avic subsidiary to provide a six-bladed propeller for the aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney PW150C engines.

The PEC manages the propeller system’s automatic control, including propeller speed and pitch, through all phases of flight. For the MA700, Dowty is providing a new dual-band open architecture PEC. Separately, Dowty has begun delivering its R408 six-blade composite propeller systems for the developmental Antonov An-132D multi-role twin.

Dowty will supply both propellers for the Ukrainian airframer’s demonstrator, as well as a spare. Dowty’s support services for Antonov will include commissioning the propellers on the demonstrator; rigging strain gauges for ground and flight testing; assisting during demo flights; and providing intermediate-level training for Antonov personnel in operational knowledge of the R408 system.

The propeller has swept composite blades, designed to reduce noise and optimize climb and cruise performance for the An-132D’s Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A engines.

—M.P.

GENERAL ATOMICS

XI’AN CHOOSES DOWTY FOR MA700

UK to get certified Predator B

by Bill Carey General Atomics on July 11 officially announced its selection by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide the Certifiable Predator B (CPB) remotely piloted aircraft for the Protector program to replace British MQ-9 Reapers. Plans call for flight-testing the CPB airframe later this year.

The CPB is a further development of the General Atomics Reaper designed to the NATO airworthiness standard for fixed-wing unmanned aircraft— Stanag 4671—to allow its operation in non-segregated airspace with other aircraft. The new variant will have a longer, 79-foot wingspan and more than 40 hours of endurance.

The CPB that the UK has ordered will come with “specific modifications

to fulfill the country’s future armed intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance requirements,” the General Atomics (Hall 2, B10) release states.

Last October, then-British Prime Minister David Cameron revealed the UK plan to acquire 20 new “Protector” aircraft to replace the Royal Air Force’s 11 Reapers. The Protector type was not identified at the time, but it has been known for several months—AIN reported in February that the new aircraft will be the CPB. In April, the MOD issued a justification of its decision to award a solesource contract for the CPB through the U.S. foreign military sales (FMS) process. “The MOD has conducted a

thorough Assessment Phase which has concluded that the Certifiable Predator B is the only system capable of achieving UK military type certification and delivering the Protector requirement within the required timescales,” the notice stated. It listed a contract value of £415 million ($550 million), with a start date of September 30 and end date of Oct. 31, 2023.

The General Atomics release describes the procurement as a hybrid agreement combining an FMS and a direct commercial sale agreement. An MOD source told AIN that the ministry expects to conclude contracts later this year.

Fuselage integration of the CPB is now underway; this will be followed by wings and tail integration late this summer, General Atomics said. Flight testing will take place late this year.

“General Atomics is proud to offer CPB, the next-generation Predator B, to the Ministry of Defence to satisfy its emerging requirements for a Reaper replacement,” said David Alexander, president of aircraft systems. The CPB will be “certified so that it is capable, subject to developments in the regulatory framework, to operate within unsegregated controlled airspace. Featuring enhanced safety and reliability systems, CPB will meet European airworthiness certification standards.” o

www.ainonline.com • July 14, 2016 • Farnborough Airshow News 11

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NEWS CLIPS z Unison’s Continuing MRO Contract Success

z BAE Systems Rolls Out Its 250th F-35 Fuselage BAE Systems (Outdoor Exhibit 11) completed the 250th aft fuselage for the F-35 Lighting II program at its plant in Samlesbury, Lancashire, the company announced Monday.

Once complete, the fuselage section will travel to Lockheed Martin’s final assembly facility in Forth Worth, Texas, where mechanics will integrate it with the rest of the aircraft.

The plant in Samlesbury is now undergoing a 4,500-squaremeter expansion due for completion by January. Once complete, the new facility will have the capacity to make 160 shipsets a year, an increase of more than 150 percent over current levels.

Separately, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce have announced they will work together at Royal Air Force Marham to support F135 engines and the LiftSystems on the UK’s F-35Bs. The companies plan to institute a performance-based logistics (PBL) approach to sustainment for the propulsion systems. Under the contract, Pratt & Whiney will concentrate on system-level performance of the F-135 engines while Rolls-Royce leads on support for the LiftSystem technology it developed and produced. It also has agreed to undertake some delegated support work on the main F135 engine.

z Nordam to Make F-35 Fuselage Components Northrop Grumman has chosen Nordam to manufacture major structural components of the F-35 center fuselage.

Through this agreement, the three new components produced

by Nordam will be made entirely from composite materials.

In addition, the manufacturer’s Nacelle & Thrust Reverser Systems (NTR) division will supply Northrop Grumman up to 35 ship-sets per year for six years.

Nordam (Hall 2 Stand C60) already produces the radar, electro-optical, avionics and communications subsystems for the F-35. The company also develops mission systems and mission planning software, maintains pilot and maintainer training systems courseware and manages the team’s use, support and maintenance.

NTR v-p and general manager John Clawson said he believes producing the new components for the F-35 will create approximately 20 months of build-up activity and the addition of nearly 20 related positions before full production is started.

Nordam CEO Meredith Siegfried Madden said, “Assembly of the center fuselage begins with the parts that Nordam will manufacture. There was a lot of competition for this contract, but among other factors, our many years of experience in composites and complex bonding and layup, coupled with our niche expertise in automated fiber placement (AFP) processing, secured the deal.”

DAVID McINTOSH

Not all of the F-35’s planned weaponry will be carried in its internal bays.

F-35: ‘it’s a bomb truck’

by Chris Pocock The F-35 is sleek and stealthy, thanks to internally-carried weapons, but that limits the operational payload and the jet’s air-toground capability, correct? To some extent, that is true, but here’s an alternative view. “It’s a bomb truck, capable of carrying 14,000 pounds–that’s 3,000 pounds more than my F-18s,” said Lt. General Jon Davis, head of aviation for the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC).

In fact, the F-35 has seven external weapons stations (see diagram). Their use is not part of the initial operating capability (IOC) for either the USMC F-35Bs or the U.S. Air Force F-35As. But a total of nine weapons are being qualified on the Lightning II as part of the system design and development contract that ends next year.

More will likely be integrated in a follow-on contract for Block 4 software and capabilities, which has not yet been fully finalized.

Since Raytheon is the premier provider of weapons for the F-35 Lightning II, it’s not surprising to find a graphic display of them on the wall of the company’s pavilion here at the Farnborough Airshow. A halfscale rendering shows an AIM120 Amraam air-to-air missile on the door of an internal weapons bay. Nestled within the bay are four SDB (small diameter bomb) IIs, the second version of this weapon and the first in the world to offer a tri-mode seeker (GPS, MMW IR, and laser).

A GBU-12 laser-guided 500pound Paveway II bomb, and an AIM-9X air-to-air missile, are shown on external pylons.

14 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

LOCKHEED MARTIN

Since 2002, Unison Industries (Hall 2 Stand B2) has been a wholly owned subsidiary of GE Aviation Services, and has become a leader in electrical and mechanical components for engines and airframes. The company has recently landed two more important contracts that underline its capabilities in the aftermarket service and repair sector.

Emirates Airlines has signed a 10-year services agreement with Unison to maintain a range of components for the airline’s GE90 and Engine Alliance (GE/P&W) GP7200 engines.

The agreement covers exchange, repair and upgrade of components such as ignition systems, power and control harnesses, sensors and fluid conveyance systems for air, oil, fuel and hydraulics.

Unison has also landed a three-year material-repair agreement with Safran to support maintenance of CFM56 engines, which are made by a GE/Safran joint venture. The agreement covers exchange/upgrade/repair for ignition and power generation components as part of Safran’s CFM56 MRO activities conducted in France, Belgium, Mexico and Morocco.

This infographic shows the wide range of internal and external weapons the F-35 may eventually carry.

Three of these four Raytheon weapons are being qualified now, but SDB II would not come until Block 4—although it is at the top of Lt. Gen. Davis’ wish list. The SDB I made by Boeing and offering only GPS guidance, will be available on F-35As next year. Boeing also provides the GPS-guided GBU-31 and GBU32 bombs that are already being carried internally by F-35s. The former is a 2,000-pound weapon whereas the latter is 1,000 pounds. The F-35B has smaller internal weapons bays that can only accommodate the GBU-32 (and the GBU-12).

Three other F-35 weapons can be seen in the Raytheon display here. One is Raytheon UK’s Paveway IV dual-mode 500-pound bomb, going onto the UK’s F-35Bs. Another is Raytheon’s Joint Stand Off Weapon (JSOW), slated for the U.S. Navy’s F-35Cs. The third is the Norwegian Joint Strike Missile. The maker Kongsberg is teamed with Raytheon for its integration onto Norway’s F-35As. Not part of Raytheon’s display is the rival short-range airto-air missile to the AIM-9X.

This is the MBDA Asraam, which is going on to the UK’s F-35Bs. The UK is also looking for integration of the MBDA Meteor BVRAAM and the MBDA Spear smart bomb— but not until Block 4. o

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z Tata Group Offers to Outsource its Capabilities A trio of India’s Tata Group companies—Tata Technologies, Tata Advanced Materials and TAL Manufacturing Solutions— announced here a collaboration to offer an end-to-end design, manufacturing and assembly capability for the aerospace manufacturing industry. The three companies will establish a focused infrastructure for outsourced designing, building and manufacturing of both metallic and composite parts, assemblies and tooling.

Warren Harris, managing director and CEO of Tata Technologies (Hall 1 Stand B80), called the offering “a comprehensive strategy” supported by a holistic capability in product lifecycle management and integration. “The industry is looking for quality, cost and capability as it strives to meet the unprecedented demand for higher productivity across the supply chain,” said Harris.

The new collaboration can meet these needs through Tata’s “decade of significant investment in cutting edge, next-generation manufacturing facilities in India, and a strong leadership position in advanced design and manufacturing engineering capabilities,” Harris said.

z Thales Announces Economic Growth Initiative Thales announced here at Farnborough it has launched an economic growth initiative in the U.S. state of Florida. It involves creating 500 new jobs and investing more than $20 million in the state over the next five years. The initiative will support the growth of Thales’ InFlyt Experience business in central Florida, with the development of a 100,000- to 120,000-square-foot facility in Brevard County. Further expansions are also planned for Orlando.

State governor Rick Scott said, “Florida is the best place in the nation for aerospace and aviation companies to grow and succeed. It is great to announce that Thales chose Florida to expand and create 500 new jobs on our Space Coast at the Farnborough International Airshow today. I look forward to seeing their continued success.”

According to Thales, the plan will increase the company’s workforce to meet the research and development (R&D) demands of the industry.

z Bombardier CS300 Earns Transport Canada TC Bombardier Commercial Aircraft (Chalet C3) announced here at the Farnborough Airshow that it has received Transport Canada type certification for the C Series CS300, in a followon to the recent certification of its CS100 airliner.

The CS300 certification process “was very straightforward, because of the over-99 percent commonality with the CS100 model,” said Robert Dewar, v-p, C Series aircraft program, who noted that much of the data obtained during the more than 5,000 hours of flight testing in the program covered both models in the family. C Series aircraft are purpose-built for the 100- to 150-seat market. The CS100 has received type certification from Transport Canada, EASA and the FAA. Delivery of its first CS300 to airBaltic of Latvia is scheduled for the fourth quarter; that aircraft is currently in production at Bombardier’s Mirabel, Quebec facility. The first CS100 to enter service will do so this Friday, with Swiss International Airlines– this aircraft is on static display here at the show.

z IAI Exporting Cyber Security Expertise to Asia Israel Aerospace Industries has recently been awarded a number of contracts for cyber security services in Asia. Worth more than $40 million, the contracts include the establishment of a nationwide system for monitoring and analysis of cyber events, and a cyber protection suite for mission-critical systems. IAI is one of the leaders in the cyber sector, and heads the Israel Cyber Company Consortium that brings together a number of companies to offer advanced end-to-end solutions. IAI has recently opened a second Israel-based cyber research and development center at Beer Sheba, while it also has similar centers in Singapore and Switzerland.

MB’s F-35 US16E gets its fix

by Chris Pocock Martin Baker (Hall 4 Stand G110) says that a solution to a safety problem with the F-35 ejection seat is two-thirds of the way through a testing program.

Lt. General Chris Bogdan, the F-35 program executive officer, said last week that the proposed fixes will meet all F-35 requirements. Bogdan met with Martin Baker (MB) here at the show, and Andrew Martin, the company’s director of business development, told AIN that the discussions went well.

The British company is the sole supplier of ejection seats to the F-35 program. Low-speed ejection testing in 2015 revealed an increased risk of neck injury for lightweight pilots because of the combination of seat rotation during the ejection phase and a heavy pilot’s helmet. Since then, pilots weighing under 136 pounds have been precluded from flying the stealth jet.

Rival ejection seat maker UTC Aerospace Systems have the ACES 5 products that could be substituted for the US16E. From the outset, Martin Baker had designed the US16E seat to address the heavy-helmet issue. Upon ejection, large air bags contained in the seat’s headrest would inflate to center, restrain and protect the pilot’s head. The design was qualified in December 2010 with the Elbit/Rockwell Collins Gen II

DAVID McINTOSH

NEWS CLIPS

Martin Baker’s US16E ejection seat for pilots flying Lockheed Martin’s F-35 is available for closer inspection at the company’s stand in Exhibit Hall 4.

helmet-mounted display. But since the seat rotation issue was discovered, MB engineers have devised two methods of alleviation, and the program office asked Elbit and Rockwell Collins to reduce the weight of the helmet. This they have done, lowering the weight of the latest Gen III helmet by six ounces.

One of the two seat fixes is quite simple: a head support panel made of woven fabric fills the gap between the risers as the seat operates. This stops the pilot’s head from over-flexing backwards. The other fix is to adjust the software within the seat sequencer to reduce the parachute loads. A switch will be provided that lighter-weight pilots will set before flying, that provides a slightly longer delay before the parachute opens. This delay—measured

in milliseconds—allows the seat and its drogue parachute to slow slightly. An MB engineer told AIN that the sequencer and wiring loom will have to be changed to complete the fix in the F-35 fleet.

Martin Baker has performed 14 tests of the fixes at different speeds with mannequins of various weights. Eight tests remain to be done. The company hopes to have the fixes fully qualified later this year. Lockheed Martin F-35 program manager Jeff Babione said he was “confident that this seat exceeds the requirements as outlined by the U.S. military and the F-35 partner nations.”

Martin Baker is close to saving the 7,500th pilot’s life with its seats. A total of 7,497 successful ejection events have been notified to the company, of which 3,492 were in the U.S. military. o

TERMA’S F-35 MANUFACTURING GOING ROBOTIC Production techniques for the F-35 Lightning II, which is playing a starring role in the airshow here at Farnborough International, could be getting some improvements thanks to robots, according to the Terma Group (Hall 4 Stand A110), a Danish company that makes carbon fiber and composite aerostructures for the fighter.

An F-35 program supplier since 2004, Terma is working to automate the largely manual process of making carbon fiber aircraft parts. Under a threeyear development project called FlexDraper, conducted in collaboration with Danish firm RoboTool, the University of Southern Denmark, Aalborg University, Technical University of Denmark and the Netherlands Aerospace Center, Terma is testing a range of technologies necessary to develop robots and automated production techniques. The company has also established a technology center at its production facility in Grenaa, with the support from the Innovation Fund Denmark, and recently reached

16 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

an initial milestone, passing the proof-of-concept goal of achieving a fully automated, hyper-flexible “Pick & Drape” capability for high mix/low volume prepreg lay-up.

Looking ahead, said Jesper Freltoft, v-p, manufacturing engineering at Terma, “We expect to achieve a significant reduction in the total production time in large parts of our current production.”

—J.W.

HEAVY TWIN

DAVID McINTOSH

Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, shown here in launch customer All Nippon Airways’ livery, is considered to be 20 percent more efficient than the 767-300ER, one of the models it’s designed to replace. The 787 isn’t without its teething pains, but some 430 copies of the type have been delivered so far, out of the more than 1,100 ordered.

BAE’s new laser sensor can replace pitot tubes BAE Systems is exhibiting its new Laser Air Speed Sensing Instrument (Lassi) on its display here at the Farnborough Airshow (in Outdoor Exhibit 11). The device, which was created by British scientists in Chelmsford, UK, is designed to measure velocity in high altitude aircraft.

According to BAE, Lassi can improve

performance and fuel efficiency.

Airspeed is generally determined by using pitot tubes located on the outside of the aircraft that sense differences in air pressure, which is directly related to speed. However, this new device bounces ultraviolet laser light off air molecules and measures the change in color of

Raytheon offers T-100 as a full-service training solution

reflections caused by the Doppler effect.

Dr. Leslie Laycock, executive scientist at BAE Systems, explained, “Conventional air data sensors which protrude from the sides of aircraft must be carefully located to work properly and are inaccurate at low airspeeds.

Lassi can be located completely inside

the aircraft and is accurate at low airspeeds. It can even measure negative air velocities. These features should ensure that the equipment is robust against damage, require less maintenance and be easier to operate at lower airspeeds.”

Lassi has been tested in a low-speed wind tunnel and on ground vehicles.

BAE Systems predicts that the component technology could be developed on a smaller scale and be in use within the next five years. —S.C.

Lockheed Martin’s LM-100J is the latest civilian version of the company’s venerable C-130 military transport.

by Bill Carey Raytheon (Chalet C9, Outdoor Exhibit 9) is pitching its T-100 proposal for the U.S. Air Force’s jet trainer replacement program as a robust training solution—with a jet attached.

Having announced its partnership with Italy’s Leonardo-Finmeccanica in February to offer a version of the Alenia Aermacchi M-346, Raytheon provided an update on the program Tuesday at the Farnborough Airshow.

Representing Raytheon at the briefing was Daniel Darnell, a former U.S. Air Force three-star general and F-16 Thunderbirds demonstration team commander. Darnell described the T-100 as a “block upgrade” of the M-346. “The big difference is we’re offering a fully integrated solution,” including simulators and training support, he added.

The USAF, which expects to issue a request for proposals to industry in December, seeks 350 new trainers to replace its aging fleet of Northrop T-38C Talons.

At least three other teams are contending for the requirement, including Lockheed Martin, which is offering the T-50A variant of the Korea Aerospace Industries’ T-50 Golden Eagle. The partnership of Boeing and Saab and a Northrop Grumman-led team have announced they will offer clean-sheet designs.

The team of Raytheon and LeonardoFinmeccanica includes engine manufacturer Honeywell, supplying the T-100’s

twin F124 turbofans, and training system supplier CAE. The training component of the team’s offering includes an operational flight trainer, a domed weapons system trainer, an instructor mission-and-operating station, a unit training device, a part-task trainer, mission planning and debriefing and classroom materials.

The T-100 itself features an embedded tactical training system that allows for training scenarios to be entered on the ground. “This is an aircraft designed as a trainer,” Darnell said. “This is not a trainer modified as a fighter.”

Darnell, a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours on aircraft including the single-engine F-16 as well as the twin-engine F-15, said two engines are preferable for student pilots.

“If you’re flying a single-engine airplane, you immediately have a compound problem if you lose that engine,” he related.

The updated T-50A, which accomplished its first flight in June, is a single-engine training jet. Should Lockheed Martin prevail in the competition, the company has said it would assemble T-50As at a facility in Greenville, South Carolina. Raytheon has not yet settled on a location, however, spokesman B.J. Boling said 70 percent of the T-100 will be built in the U.S., including final assembly of the aircraft. o

18 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

Bravo Industries orders 10 LM-100J Super Hercules

by Samantha Cartaino At a press conference at Farnborough Airshow on July 12, Lockheed Martin (Outdoor Exhibit 8) announced that Bravo Industries will purchase 10 commercial LM-100J Super Hercules utility transports. The logistics group stated that it will set up an MRO group specifically for the aircraft, as it will be used for cargo operations in Brazil. Bravo president and CEO JR Pereira and Lockheed Martin executive v-p Orlando Carvalho signed the agreement at the event.

The LM-100J is the latest variant of the civilian version corresponding to Lockheed Martin’s military C-130J. Structurally the two aircraft are similar, but the LM-100J does not have the military avionics suite that equips its counterpart. However, the civil-certified aircraft incorporates technological developments and improvements inherited from the 1.3 million flight hours the

C-130J has acquired over time. Bravo Industries will use the aircraft for sameday deliveries and for special cargo handling among other missions.

At the press conference, Pereira said, “The LM-100J is uniquely suited to reach Brazil’s underserved regions where we do business. These are areas that lack ground support and certain critical infrastructure required by other commercial freighters.

The LM-100J was designed to meet the varying needs of the Brazilian landscape, in turn, allowing Bravo to deliver vital goods and services where they are needed most.”

The LM-100J is currently in production and is slated to receive FAA certification in 2018 before deliveries take place in the final quarter of that year. Lockheed Martin representatives confirmed that there are approximately 15 orders for the LM-100J as well as multiple letters of intent from different organizations. o

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is just one of the technologies that will become common in the future.

Innovation Zone seeks the future

NEWS CLIPS z CAE Launches Second NextGen Training Phase CAE (Chalet B28) has announced the launch of the validation phase of its Next Generation Training System along with AirAsia. Earlier this year, CAE launched the program with the goal of improving pilot training and increasing efficiency.

This second phase with AirAsia, which will start in the fall of 2016, will focus on validation and refinement of the system’s training capabilities.

CAE’s group president of civil aviation training solutions, Nick Leontidis, said, “We are very proud to launch the validation phase…with AirAsia. The training needs of our airline partners are driving our training philosophy, and as such, we are building the Next Generation Training System to allow them to address the growing demand of professional pilots globally.

“At CAE, we constantly look for forward-looking solutions and we strongly believe this program is shaping the future of training.”

AirAsia and CAE previously formed the Asian Aviation Centre of Excellence, which is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

by James Wynbrandt

z Earth-i Helps Farnborough Run Smoothly MARK WAGNER

The future is on display throughout the Farnborough International Airshow, but perhaps nowhere more than within the Innovation Zone in Hall 3.

That’s where some two dozen high-tech companies, university research departments, and research & technology organizations are showcasing technologies and capabilities that will shape tomorrow. Throughout the show, exhibitors are also delivering presentations at the zone’s briefing area; schedules are posted at the information point, gateway to the displays, said Innovation Zone event manager Megan Miller.

While almost a dozen universities exhibit here, they’re not looking for students, but rather for potential commercial partners that can harness their resources for commercial purposes, or “collaborators looking for research opportunities,” said Dr. Rene Steijl, senior lecturer in aerospace engineering at the

University of Glasgow’s (UG’s) CFD laboratory. UG seeks to leverage its work on technologies including autonomous vehicles, flight simulations, advanced aerodynamics, and space science, in such ventures.

Commercial exhibitors, meanwhile, seek customers for their technologies. UK-based Cosaw International is demonstrating its “self-boarding system” for airline

operations, which automates the entire passenger check-in and boarding process. The system will be of interest to airlines, airports and handling agents, said ­com­pany­CFO J. Alberto Martin.

Activity at the Innovation Zone reaches a high point on Futures Day (Friday), when many exhibitors host and present Stem (science, technology, engineering and math) activities. o

Guildford, UK-based Earth-i has joined forces with what3words to provide the organizers of the Farnborough International Airshow with an innovative location finder to aid operations. With a simple three-word address of every 3m x 3m square of the airfield and exhibition site, this is used to manage logistics, visitor direction and emergency response efforts. The joint application comes as Earth-i exhibits at the show for the first time in the Space Zone.

Using aerial images taken from multiple angles, Earth-i built a highly accurate 3D model of the airshow site. The data was then processed to produce a single, 9-cm resolution planform image on which what3words overlaid their unique global 3m2 grid system. The Farnborough operations team is able to react quickly and efficiently to situations, knowing exactly where everything and everyone is. So a team member in the field can simply say “I need backup at friday.visit.look” and others can navigate there easily. Richard Blain, CEO of Earth-i, commented: “Working closely with what3words to deliver geospatial information solutions, we can tackle real-world problems. It is particularly exciting that we were able to deliver a useful tool to the organizers of Farnborough International.” what3words is a universal addressing system based on a global grid consisting of 57 trillion 3m x 3m squares, all pre-allocated a fixed and unique three-word address. The what3words geocoder turns geographic coordinates into these three word addresses & vice-versa.

MARK WAGNER

z Pratt & Whitney Canada Signs MOU with Antonov

MEET THE NEW BOSS Giuseppe Giordo was introduced here Tuesday as the new president and CEO of Aero Vodochody, the Czech maker of training and light combat jets. Giordo was previously the CEO of Alenia Aermacchi, the Italian maker of training and light combat jets. He said that Aero’s military products “have great potential.”

They include the L-39NG, a next-generation version of

the company’s baseline product that became the standard jet trainer in Warsaw Pact countries. Aero also produces the L-159 advanced combat light aircraft.

Giordo also mentioned the company’s aerostructures subcontracting business, which benefits from a 5,400-square-meter (58,125-square-foot) composite shop with a nine-meter (30-foot) autoclave. —C.P.

Through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed at the Farnborough Airshow, Pratt & Whitney Canada (Outdoor Exhibit 3) will provide Antonov’s An-132 production program with a new version of the PW150A turboprop engine. The An-132 will be developed by Antonov (Ukrainian Pavilion) and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The An-132 is intended for short- and medium-haul routes.

It can transport troops and cargo and be outfitted with a variety of cabin configurations. Once it is produced, the aircraft will have a cruising speed of 500 kilometers per hour (270 knots) and a maximum cruising altitude of 9,000 meters (29,500 feet) with a maximum payload of 9.2 metric tons (20,282 pounds).

John Saabas, president of Pratt & Whitney Canada, said, “We are delighted to be working with Antonov on its An-132 production program after having providing Antonov with PW150A engines for the An-132D demo aircraft last fall. The PW150 delivers unequalled value to multi-purpose aircraft such as the An-132, offering exceptional payload capacity, fuel efficiency, environmental performance and low-cost maintenance.”

www.ainonline.com • July 14, 2016 • Farnborough Airshow News 19

DAVID McINTOSH

Elbit’s upgraded C-130 cockpit adds six large primary and multi-function screens, plus head-up displays providing flight and navigation symbology in 2D and 3D.

Elbit’s C-130 upgrades bring new capabilities

by David Donald In recent years, Elbit has also completed C-130 upgrade projects for South Korea, installing new avionics and a glass cockpit, and for Romania, which had a number of electronic warfare/ protection systems installed. The Brazilian air force’s Embraer C-95 Bandeirante aircraft also received new Elbit avionics, fitted by AEL Sistemas, the company’s Brazilian subsidiary.

Meanwhile, Elbit is collaborating with Northrop Grumman to develop low-level terrain-following/terrain-avoidance capability for transport aircraft. The Elbit TF/TA head-up display shows terrain information from a digital database and is coupled with Northrop Grumman’s APG-241 terrain-following radar, which is standard fit in the Lockheed Martin C-130J and Leonardo C-27J, and is an option for the Airbus C295. A TF/TA demonstrator is expected to fly some time this year after installation in an “international customer’s” C-130. o

Austria’s Diamond Aircraft Industries and Flight Calibration Services (FCS) inked a firm order here at Farnborough for a DA62 light piston twin, one month after FCS took delivery of its first DA62. UK-based FCS provides airborne inspection, calibration and validation services for air navigation equipment. The company is growing at 30 percent annually, said company director Matt Taiyeb, and the DA62s “will help support this continued growth whilst reducing cost of operation and the impact of our operations on the environment,” he said. Diamond Aircraft CEO Christian Dries noted that for conducting such calibration work “reliability of aircraft and equipment is of essential importance.”

—J.W.

Mubadala-Solvay prepreg in 777X

by Bill Carey Boeing will source carbon fiber pre-impregnated (prepreg) composite material for the Boeing 777X from a new joint venture formed by Mubadala Development Company of Abu Dhabi and Belgian chemical concern Solvay. Boeing is the first customer of the Mubadala-Solvay joint venture.

Plans call for the 50/50 joint venture to supply prepreg composite materials for the empennage and floor beams of the 777X beginning in 2021. The partners will erect a new manufacturing facility at the Nibras Al Ain Aerospace Park in Abu Dhabi.

“After close collaboration with Mubadala and Solvay to

expand the supply of aerospace composites, Boeing is pleased to be the first customer for their new joint venture in the UAE,” said Ray Conner, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. “Our commitment to purchase this prepreg material for the 777X meets several important goals for Boeing, from further advancing aerospace industry development in the UAE to expanding high-quality materials in our supply chain.

In 2013, Boeing and Mubadala announced a framework strategic agreement to increase the long-term role of Mubadala as a direct supplier to Boeing, including support as Mubadala

developed prepreg manufacturing in UAE. Mubadala and Solvay announced a strategic partnership in 2013.

Solvay’s prepreg technology consists of fiber reinforcements pre-impregnated with a resin matrix to create a composite part.

“Solvay’s teaming up with Mubadala in this essential project in support of Boeing’s growth plans showcases our capabilities in advanced aerospace composite technologies, including primary structure applications,” said Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, Solvay CEO. “We are proud to be part of the innovative 777X aircraft.” o

MARK WAGNER

Last October’s first flight of a modernized C-130H for the Israeli air force spotlighted Elbit Systems’ avionics upgrade capabilities and the advanced avionics suite it’s installing across the Israeli Hercules fleet. The system includes a large head-up display that shows video imagery with flight and navigation symbology overlaid in 2D and 3D. This not only enhances tactical capability at night, but also significantly increases safety when landing in a degraded visual environment.

Initial tests have also proved the system during inflight refueling.

Elbit (Hall 1 Stand A100) was contracted by the Israeli ministry of defense to perform the fleetwide update in December 2012, with a new digital avionics architecture at its core. A subsequent contract in January 2014 added capabilities that allow the C-130 to meet international CNS/ATM (communications, navigation, surveillance/air traffic management) regulations.

FCS ORDERS SECOND DIAMOND DA62

SILK WAY SIGNS TO LEASE ANTONOV AN-124 FREIGHTER Russia’s Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC, Chalet A4) will lease one Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan superheavy rampequipped freighter to Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Airlines under an agreement signed on Farnborough’s opening day, June 11. Silk Way president Zaur Akhundov and IFC general manager Alexander Roubtsov signed the contract, with United Aircraft (UAC) president Yuri Slyusar and Azerbaijan’s national carrier president Jahangir

Asgarov in attendance. The agreement specifies the main terms of a future contract that the sides are going to sign within a month.

This new acquisition will considerably boost the capability of the Baku-based airline in the super-heavy and oversized cargo market. Silk Way operates a fleet of seven Ilyushin Il-76s—including some retrofitted with PS-90A76 turbofans.

Farnborough visitors can see a Ruslan on display at

20 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

the Cargo Village (near Gate F) in the colors of Russian airline Volga-Dnepr, the largest commercial operator of the type. The operator had previously acquired several ex-Polet airframes. During the show, the Volga-Dnepr team demonstrates loading and unloading operations using a Marshall Expandable Shelter module—effectively an air-transportable hospital used for humanitarian aid and peacekeeping operations.

—V.K.

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NEWS CLIPS z EasyJet A320s to Get Thales/ACSS T3CAS

EasyJet today selected the Thales/ACSS T3CAS terrain collision avoidance system for the 130 Airbus A320neos and six A320ceos that it has on order. The system is billed as an all-in-one surveillance platform including both collision- and terrain-avoidance, as well as a transponder. It is compliant with future mandates such as ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) out and in, as well as runway overrun protection. According to Thales, T3CAS contributes to fuel savings due to its low weight and power requirements.

z TAI’s Hurkus Trainer Gains Type Certification Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI, Chalet L31) has received certification for its Hurkus trainer aircraft that is under development for the Turkish armed forces. The Turkish directorate of civil aviation awarded the approval, bringing with it EASA approval.

The type certificate confirms that the Hurkus is certified to EASA CS23 airworthiness requirements, with the additional verification of special conditions required for a high-performance aircraft. Hurkus becomes the first aircraft to be certified by EASA that combines an ejection seat and canopy-fracturing system in a single aircraft. The Hurkus undertook its first flight on August 29, 2013.

A pair of Leonardo-Finmeccanica AW159 Wildcat military helicopters seemingly play tag above Farnborough. The Wildcat is an improved version of Westland’s Super Lynx.

z Elbit’s Lightweight EW Protection for UAVs Elbit Systems EW (Hall 1 Stand A100) and Sigint–Elisra has drawn on its considerable experience in the electronic warfare arena to develop a very lightweight selfprotection/jamming system that is particularly suited to unmanned air vehicles due to its very low SWaP (size, weight and power). Known as Light Spear, the system combines electronic support measures and electronic countermeasures, with multiple DRFM jammers working in parallel and covering a wide spectrum. Light Spear can be integrated with a variety of platforms and transmitters.

Elbit Light Spear

z Breathing Sensors and Smart Compressors Among the new products that Cobham Mission Systems is debuting at Farnborough is one that could help save pilots’ lives in the future. The company has developed breathing sensors as part of a military physiological monitoring system, with the aim of protecting the pilot from the debilitating and difficult-todetect effects of hypoxia. The sensors are located on the end of the pilot’s mask inhalation tube, and on the mask exhalation port. They assess and record the pilot’s breathing to detect that sufficient oxygen is being delivered.

Cobham (Chalet C15) has also introduced the Surepac pure air compressor, which dynamically manages power to deliver high reliability and efficiency for applications that require high-pressure generation, such as weapons ejection. Surepac offers reduced life-cycle and maintenance costs by employing a SmartECU (electronic control unit) to monitor actual compressor activity, and whether filters require changing or not. , as well as runway overrun protection. According to Thales, T3CAS contributes to fuel savings due to its low weight and power requirements.

z Liebherr’s China Landing Gear Plant Approved Liebherr Aerospace’s Chinese subsidiary Liebherr LAMC Aviation at Changsha in Hunan province last month received AS9100C quality management certification. The approval is an important step in its efforts to design and building landing gear for Chinese aircraft program’s such as Comac’s new C919 narrowbody. It also covers raw materials, components and equipment import and export services provided by the company.

Liebherr LAMC Aviation was founded by the Europe-based aircraft systems group Liebherr and its Chinese joint venture partner Landing-gear Advanced Manufacturing. Liebherr (Hall 4 Stand B100) already has four production plants, in Germany, France, Brazil and Russia.

Ruag offers newly built Dornier 228 turboprops

by Gregory Polek Switzerland’s Ruag is in Farnborough promoting the entry of its new-production Dornier 228 turboprop to the North American market following the airplane’s March 15 certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Changes to the original Do 228, for which the original FAA certification dates from 1990, include a new five-blade propeller, an “optimized” engine system, a new glass cockpit and enhanced avionics.

“Prior to issuing this additional airworthiness certification, the FAA requested no supplemental modifications to the

aircraft’s hardware or design,” said Dornier 228 product manager Fabian Kolliker. “This is fully in line with Ruag Aviation’s strategy of internationalization and growth, with U.S.-based customers set to benefit substantially.”

To help with support in North America, Ruag has named AMC Aviation, a subsidiary of Legacy Warbirds in Raleigh, North Carolina, as an authorized service center and Dornier 228 reseller.

Ruag (Chalet A21) sees the Dornier 228 as particularly suited to North American federal and civil policing applications, including medevac, special operations

Crane’s SmartStem attracts JAL contract

by Gregory Polek Crane Aerospace is providing its SmartStem wireless tire pressure system for Japan Airline’s fleet of Boeing 737NGs and 767s, the company announced here Monday. JAL plans to retrofit 50 Boeing 737s and 42 Boeing 767s with the device, designed to allow operators to quickly and accurately check tire pressures, improving dispatch times, enhancing safety and allowing for trending of tire life performance. The system consists of SmartStem tire pressure

22 Farnborough Airshow News • July 14, 2016 • www.ainonline.com

sensors, which replace existing standard wheel fill stems, and a handheld reader, which electronically reads and stores tire pressure and temperature.

Commercial certifications for the SmartStem include the Boeing 737NG, 747-400, 767, 777 and 787, as well as Bombardier CRJs and Q-Series turboprops.

Meanwhile, in the realm of military equipment, Crane (Hall 4 Stand E70) announced Monday that it appointed AAR as its parts distributor

DAVID McINTOSH

TAG, YOU’RE IT

and surveillance activities. The company is launching the airplane in North America in its multi-role configuration which, according to Ruag, offers the reliability, flexibility and safety needed for varied mission profiles.

Separately, Ruag and its longstanding partner Sojitz Aerospace have concluded a purchase agreement covering a new Dornier 228 for Tokyobased New Central Airservice.

NCA operates a Do 228 fleet in passenger and cargo configurations between Tokyo’s Chofu Airport and the city’s southern islands, where high winds and short runways demand the STOL capability and crosswind stability the model offers.

Work on serial production of the new Dornier 228 has begun in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and Ruag expects first deliveries by the end of the year. o and repair provider for Crane Foreign Military Sales in Japan and Israel. The distribution and sales agreement covers engine and fuel, brake control and secondary power systems that support military aircraft platforms including the F-15, F16, F/A-18, C130 and KC-10.

Crane also chose AAR to provide commercial retrofit and spare parts sales for key fuel system component on the MD11/DC-10 fleet. o

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