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Table of Contents
An SP Guide Publication
News Flies. We Gather Intelligence. Every Month. From India.
Issue 8 • 2012
24
Aero Engines Power Behind C-17
show report
Farnborough Air Show 28 ‘Drizzle’ at Farnborough 32 Business Aviation Vigilantly Optimistic 33 Helicopters Primes Tilt Towards Commercial 35 Engines Battle of Engines 36 Industry – Building Radars and Relations
6
IAF’s first C-17 Globemaster III was ceremonially riveted together in the presence of senior diplomats and Boeing officials at the original equipment manufacturer’s facility in Long Beach,California
SP’s ExclusiveS
6 8 9 41
C-17 Globemaster III On Schedule AH-64D Apache High Hopes AH-6i For Special Operations Procurement Tender for LUH
Cover Story Business Aviation & environment The business aviation community is striving hard to minimise the adverse impact on environment. Both manufacturers and operators are woking towards it.
•
20 Viewpoint – A ttack helicopters for Indian Army... – . ..To Be or Not to Be? 22 Interview The crisis period is going to be over with induction of Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II aircraft
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38 42
Mars Mission Mars
AUGUST • 2012
MARS
STORY ON PAGE 10
&
BUSINESS AVIATION
4 5
A Word from Editor NewsWithViews – Defence Ministry to Decide Fate of 197 Helicopters Tender
PAGE
6
SP'SSIVE-17 EXCLUFIRST CPE
I N D I A ' S S SH A TAKE
SP's Aviation Cover 08-12_FINAL.indd 1
PLUS
43 Hall of Fame Wernher von Braun (1912-1977) 44 48
ENVIRONMENT
• POWER BEHIND C-17 WORKHORSE • INTERVIEW: AIR MARSHAL RAJINDER SINGH, AOC-IN-C TRAINING COMMAND • ECONOMICS OF REGIONAL AVIATION • FARNBOROUGH REPORT • VIEW & COUNTER-VIEW: ARMY AVIATION ASSET
09/08/12 7:00 PM
Cover Photo: Dassault Falcon 2000LX Dassault is developing green products for new aircraft models and is focusing on reducing the environmental impact of it’s production processes Image By: Dassault Aviation
IFATSEA 2012 Now in India
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Regional Aviation Making Business
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Aviation SP’s
MISSION
RNI NUMBER: DELENG/2008/24199
16
Environment
Preview
Civil
10 Business Aviation Business Aviation &
The Raytheon Way
NewsDigest LastWord Maladies Galore
Next Issue: What makes Embraer first choice for regional aviation
Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 1
Table of Contents PLUS...
Publisher And Editor-in-Chief Jayant Baranwal Assistant Group editor R. Chandrakanth Senior Visiting Editor Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia
design Holistic Directions: Jayant Baranwal Senior Art Director: Anoop Kamath Designers: Vimlesh Kumar Yadav, Sonu Singh Bisht Research Assistant: Graphics Survi Massey DIRECTOR SALES & MARKETING Neetu Dhulia
Senior Technical Group EditorS Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey
16
Lt General (Retd) Naresh Chand Making Business
Senior Copy editor & Correspondent Sucheta Das Mohapatra Contributors India Air Marshal (Retd) N. Menon Group Captain (Retd) A.K. Sachdev Group Captain (Retd) Joseph Noronha Europe Alan Peaford
24
Power Behind Strategic Lift
USA & Canada LeRoy Cook Chairman & Managing Director Jayant Baranwal Planning & Business Development Executive Vice President: Rohit Goel ADMIN & COORDINATION Bharti Sharma Owned, published and printed by
38
Jayant Baranwal, printed at Mission Mars
Kala Jyothi Process Pvt Ltd and published at A-133, Arjun Nagar (Opposite Defence Colony), New Delhi 110 003, India. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, recording, electronic, or
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Workhorse. High achiever. Lifeline. It’s in our power.™ When the mission matters, with lives in the balance, it’s mission-ready. Has been for over 20 years. The C-17 Globemaster III. Delivering relief supplies, evacuations, airdrops and other humanitarian roles–it’s all in a day’s work. And we’re proud that our dependable F117 engines have supplied the power for every mission. Learn more at www.pw.utc.com. Military Engines
A Word from Editor
The aviation scene continues to be promising with a large number of aviation-related projects culminating into firm orders or progressing well through the labyrinth of defence procurement process
O
n August 5, seven minutes of pure terror turned into seven minutes of total bliss for the ‘Mission Control Team’ in Pasadena, California, when it learnt the ‘Curiosity Rover’ had landed softly on Mars. It was indeed a remarkable feat for mankind and a giant step forward in its quest for unfolding the mysteries of the Red Planet. With the rover now safely at the intended site, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Mars Science Laboratory begins its one-Martian-year (98-week) mission of discovery and exploration, where it will seek to answer age-old questions about whether life ever existed on Mars—or if the planet can sustain life in future. But while there was a deluge of success inundating the Mars mission, it was just a drizzle at the recently concluded Farnborough International Air Show. In the background of tottering economies in the West, it turned out to be a subdued affair. According to R. Chandrakanth, who was part of the SP’s team at Farnborough, there were no show-stoppers though there were a few strategic announcements, sprinkled with promises and optimism. However, Farnborough still turned out to be UK’s biggest outdoor event, after the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the ongoing London Olympics, which incidentally, is witnessing the maximum ever movements of ‘business’ aircraft, ferrying into and out of London, celebs of every hue and colour—reinforcing the predictions of a bright future for business aviation. ‘Farnborough’ may have been an indicator of an adversely impacted defence segment but the Indian story continues to be different with the all three armed services striving hard to get on with their augmentation/modernisation plans. The aviation scene continues to be promising with a large number of aviation-related projects culminating into firm orders or progressing well through the labyrinth of the defence procurement process. This issue covers the IAF’s C-17 Globemaster III acquisition programme and the feverish activities under way at the Boeing’s Long Beach military aircraft facility in California to meet the delivery deadlines. Even though their contribution as compared with other major polluters is small, the business aviation community is striving incessantly to minimise the adverse impact on the environment. While manufacturers are focused on improve4 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
ment in design to produce aircraft with lower fuel burn, Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey dwells further on how operators are working with air traffic service providers to be able to operate business aviation aircraft even more efficiently. On India’s regional aviation front, Group Captain (Retd) A.K. Sachdev explains how strict regulations on fleet size and other conditions stipulated in the “Regional Aviation Policy” has so far impeded regional air connectivity from taking off in the country. While some concessions by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are appreciated, much greater improvement in the civil aviation regulatory framework as controlled by government policies would be required for the regional aviation to thrive in India. From the news appearing in the Indian media, it is evident the turf war on the ownership of attack helicopters has once again erupted between the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Army’s perennial demand of owning all attack/combat helicopters. This edition carries two interesting viewpoints, in support and against such a move. But the question that keeps coming to mind is: whither synergy for fighting a joint air-land battle? All this plus many more surprises. Happy reading.
Jayant Baranwal
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief www.spsaviation.net
NewsWithViews
Defence Ministry to decide fate of 197 helicopters tender
The Indian Ministry of Defence is expected to soon decide the fate of a deal to procure 197 light utility helicopters for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF). A few months ago, complaints were received about alleged deviations in tender norms during user trials of the participating companies. Two firms including European Eurocopter and Russian Kamov are participating in the tender for the supply of light utility helicopters to the two forces for replacing the fleet of vintage Cheetah/Chetak choppers procured in the 1970s. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony is expected to discuss the issue soon.
VIEWS
Photograph: Eurocopter
T
he Indian Army has been trying to replace its fleet of the ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopters for nearly a decade. In 2007, the tender for 197 helicopters floated in 2003, had reached a stage where the Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec had emerged as the winner. However, following investigation into allegations by Bell Helicopter about deviation from procedure during field trials, the tender was cancelled. In the fresh tender issued in July 2008, two machines were shortlisted for flight evaluation, the single engine Eurocopter AS550 C3 Fennec and the twin engine Russian Kamov-226 Sergei. The process once again hit a roadblock when in response to complaint from one of the contenders who had been eliminated from the race earlier; Antony ordered an investigation for which a Special Technical Oversight Committee (STOC) under a Lieutenant General was constituted by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC). As bulk of the order was for the Army, it was logically declared as the ‘Lead Service’ and hence the STOC was headed by a senior officer from the Army’s Aviation Corps. Essentially, the complaints centred around deficiency of certain operational capabilities of one of the machines that were alleged to have been intentionally overlooked during flight trials. In the meantime, there was a furore over the confidential letter to the Prime Minister written by General V.K. Singh, the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS) cataloguing the alarming state of operational preparedness of the Indian Army primarily on account of the debilitating deficiencies of equipment. Of particular relevance was the observation by the COAS on the shortage of helicopters in Army Aviation that serve as a lifeline to the troops deployed at high-altitude forward bases and the excruciatingly tardy pace of procurement of defence equipment. The state of preparedness of the Indian armed forces and the lack of urgency in the Ministry of Defence for timely acquisition of defence equipment was reiterated by the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on Defence in a report tabled in the Parliament in May this year thus endorsing concerns of General V.K. Singh. Following the appearance of General V.K. Singh’s letter in the media, the Ministry of Defence appears to have been galvanised into action. As Chairman of the DAC, the Defence Minister has conducted a number of review meetings to assess the ongoing modernisation process and fast track critical acquisitions. The possibility of compressing the time frame in the future for technical and flight evaluation to bridge the ever widening gap between the authorised strength and availability of helicopters for Army Aviation appears to be high on the agenda. It is reported that cases of procurement of other stores valued at `20,000 crore (approx $4 billion) that had been pending for a long time, have been cleared by DAC on fast track. It is understood that the final report by the STOC is now available with the DAC for scrutiny and assessment as to whether there is any truth in the allegations; and also to recommend whether the irregularity, deviation or the infraction if any, can at all be acceptable. However, the statement of the Defence Minister that “after going through everything, if anything goes wrong, we will again cancel it”, could be a cause for anxiety. The Cheetah and Chetak fleets of the Indian Army inducted since the 1970s, have long been overtaken by obsolescence and ought to have been replaced years ago. However, given the sensitivity of the prevailing environment that is afflicted with scams, corruption and the escalating public outrage against these ills, the Indian defence procurement system is unlikely to emerge from its paralytic state in a hurry. The fate of the tender for 197 helicopters for the Indian armed forces will in all likelihood continue to be plagued with uncertainty. SP —Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 5
SP’s Exclusive C-17 Globemaster III
On Schedule India’s first C-17 Globemaster III takes shape
B y SP’s Special Correspondent in
Long Beach, California • usa
Photographs: Sp’s special correspondent
T
he fruit of India’s single largest defence contract yet with Washington took shape this week at Boeing’s big military aircraft facility in Long Beach, California, with tail section, fuselage and forward section of the first C-17 Globemaster III for the Indian Air Force (IAF) ceremonially riveted together in the presence of senior diplomats, politicians and Boeing brass. Ambassador N. Parthasarathi, Consul General of India, San Francisco, said, “This momentous occasion, where we see India’s first C-17 take shape, further strengthens our growing relationship. As India strives to become a global reservoir of highly skilled and technologically sophisticated manpower, we will witness an escalating technology transfer, collaborative joint research and development, and coproduction of defence items between our two countries.” Twenty IAF pilots and 10 logisticians/loadmasters are currently at the United States Air Force (USAF) base in Altus, Oklahoma, being trained on C-17 flying and loading operations. The first of 10 Indian C-17s, contracted at a cost of just over $4.1 billion (`22,500 crore)—making it the largest defence contract between the two countries so far—is on schedule for delivery to India in June 2013. The 10 aircraft are to be based at the Hindon Air Force station from which operations are slated to enter full tempo by the end of 2014 when deliveries are completed. While it is well known that the C-17 foreign military sales (FMS) does not contain an options clause, former IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik revealed last year that the service was considering at least six more aircraft. A decision on such a follow on order, however, will only be taken once deliveries begin next year. However, there is a catch. The Indian Government will need to take a decision no later than late next year, since Boeing, having completed deliveries to the USAF by that time, and assuming there are no fresh international orders, will begin to wind down the facility. SP 6 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
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SP’s Exclusive C-17 Globemaster III
The first IAF C-17 comes together at major join ceremony
Landing gear of India’s first C-17
CHEERS: AIR COMMDORE SANJAY NIMESH, AIR ATTACHE, INDIAN EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, at the ‘major join’ ceremony
Guests and dignitaries at the ‘major join’ ceremony of India’s first C-17
Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 7
SP’s Exclusive AH-64D apache
High Hopes Boeing looks forward to get its next big contract from India, for 22 AH-64D Apache attack helicopter deal
B y SP’s Special Correspondent in
mesa, arizona • USA
Photographs: Sp’s special correspondent
B
oeing waits in the proverbial wings for what it hopes will be its next big contract from the Indian military—a lucrative deal for 22 new AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, all from the latest Block III and at least some of them armed with the formidable Northrop Grumman/Lockheed Martin AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar (one in three US Army AH-64Ds come armed with the sensor). At this stage, if the Indian Air Force (IAF) indeed has plans to award the contract to Boeing, it is unclear as to how many of the platforms will come with the Longbow radar. Trials conducted in India involved an AH-64D Block II with Block III components, including gearbox, fuel tanks, composite rotors, etc, in effect, a Block III but without the attendant avionics. There are also concerns about whether the fracas between the Indian Army and the IAF over the use of armed helicopters has anything to do with the process slowing down, or a decision being deferred. Sources indicate that the procurement is on course and a winner is likely to be announced before the year is out. SP 8 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
A brand new AH-64D Apache Block III fresh off Boeing’s production line in Mesa, Arizona
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SP’s Exclusive AH-6i
For Special Operations Boeing is planning to brief Indian defence personnel on AH-6i light armed utility helicopter, which could also have prospective value for India’s Special Forces and paramilitary
B y SP’s Special Correspondent in
mesa, arizona • USA
Photographs: Sp’s special correspondent
I
n the final stages of setting up a line for the AH-6 light armed utility helicopter, Boeing plans to weigh interest in India through briefings to the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) later this year. With Boeing Rotorcraft energies currently focused on capturing the IAF attack helicopter competition, the company is lining up data and information for presentations on the AH-6i, the export version of the light chopper originally developed by McDonnel-Douglas. While the IAF and the Army already have their light utility helicopter procurement process on—in fact at the final stage— sources in Boeing believe the AH-6i could have prospective value for India’s Special Forces and paramilitary. Like its much larger cousin, the AH-64D Apache, the AH-6i Little Bird deploys an impressive arsenal of on-board weapons, including a chain-gun, rocket pods and AGM-114 Hellfire strike missiles. The AH-6i, with a 1-2 person crew, has a MTOW of 722-kg, can cruise at 135 knots at an altitude 18,700 feet and is powered by a single Allison 250-C30 turboshaft engine. A variant, called the AH-6S Phoenix has been pitched to the US Army for its armed aerial scout programme. So far, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have expressed interest in the platform. SP
Boeing AH-6i test aircraft outside upcoming production line site
SP’s Exclusives continued on page 41... Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 9
Civil Business Aviation
&
Business Aviation Photograph: hawker beechcraft
Environment
The business aviation community is striving incessantly to minimise the adverse impact on the environment. While manufacturers are focused on improvement in design to produce aircraft with lower fuel burn,higher range and lower emission and noise levels,operators are working with air traffic service providers to be able to operate business aviation aircraft even more efficiently. 10 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
www.spsaviation.net
Civil Business Aviation HAWKER BEECHCRAFT’s GREEN INITIATIVES: Technology roll-out to Aftermarket Products 1. Hawker 400XPR – reduction in emissions, noise and fuel burn 2. Hawker 800XPR – extending to addition 467 units – 27 per cent fuel burn reduction 3. Winglets King Air 90, 200/250 & H800XPs 1. Auto throttles – certified for Hawkers to optimise fuel burn (~5 per cent reduction) 2. Increased performance/gross weight packages – improve payload capacity for fuel burned Bio Fuel research 1. First OEM to approve use of ASTM qualified bio fuels in all turbine products 2. Research project with Kansas University REACH (European Community Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances) participant 1. Hexavalent Chromium reduction/ elimination
O
Developed the aircraft industry CO2 emission calculation adopted by ICAO
One of the pressing environInter-governmental Panel on Climate By Air Marshal (Retd) mental concerns for the world today Change (IPCC) set up by the United B.K. Pandey is the problem of climate change. Nations in 1988, aviation accounts for a Today, a major challenge before all maximum of three per cent of the total nations of the world and their governman-made global emissions. Of the ments is protection of the environment total quantum of emissions contributed and sustainability of the planet. Like by the aviation industry globally, the most transportation systems, aircraft share of business aviation is just two too burn fossil fuels and in the proper cent and of the overall global emiscess, generate greenhouse gas emissions that are in direct sions, it is a mere 0.04 per cent. Notwithstanding the fact proportion to the quantum of fuel burned and impact the that business aircraft compared with airliners are generally environment adversely. Understandably therefore all the less noisy, generate relatively small amounts of greenhouse stakeholders in the aviation community the world over are gas emissions and that the contribution to global emission concerned and have been actively engaged in finding ways by business aviation overall is miniscule, the global business to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. And aviation community still is acutely conscious of its responsithe business aviation community that cares for the environ- bilities and is actively promoting environment friendly pracment is no different. tices for operators of business aircraft. Business aviation supports research and development as also other efforts to Controlling Greenhouse Gas Emissions achieve progressive reduction of aircraft emissions without Following the United Nations Framework Convention on compromising on air safety and efficiency in operations. Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol targets focused primarA business jet owned and operated by a private company ily on CO2 emissions. However, there are other greenhouse is no longer seen as mere status symbol but as a productivgases such as methane, water vapour and oxides of nitro- ity tool in the hands of corporate management. A rapidly gen (NOx) that contribute to climate change. According to the growing sector, excluding micro-lights, business and general Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 11
Civil Business Aviation
Photograph: FAA
ADS-B: The tech Provides for higher levels of precision and efficiency
aviation in Europe alone boasts of are being widely conducted throughout aviation. As a result around 50,000 aircraft. About 10 of these efforts, much has been done to reduce the adverse per cent of aircraft movements in effect that business aviation has on the environment. Backed 2006 under Eurocontrol were at- by an excellent record of sustained improvement in fuel eftributed to this segment of the ficiency of business aircraft through innovations in respect industry and the volume of traffic has only been growing of both propulsion systems and airframes, a 40 per cent imsteadily since then. provement was achieved in the past 40 years. In NovemAs business aircraft operate globally, there is an impera- ber 2009, a host of business aviation associations’ unveiled tive need for uniform policies, regulations and procedures plans to build upon the industry’s continued record of adto ensure not only safe but efficient operations so that busi- vancements to limit the industry’s emissions footprint. The ness jets complete their missions in the minimum flight business aviation community aims to achieve carbon-neutral time and thereby reduce greenhouse growth by 2020, improve fuel efficiengas emissions. To this end, the busicy at an average rate of two per cent ness aviation industry encourages a per year up to 2020 and reduction in post-Kyoto Agreement whereby the total carbon emissions to 50 per cent “Business aviation wants International Civil Aviation Organisaby 2050, compared to the level preto be an integral part of a tion (ICAO) is assigned global responvailing in 2005. These optimistic tarcomprehensive, ambitious sibility of setting benchmarks and gets are largely contingent on develmonitoring of emissions. opments and advancements in areas and fair worldwide action Business aviation benefits both such as technology, infrastructure and to mitigate emissions” directly and indirectly from the reoperating environment, alternative fu—Don Spruston search and development efforts that els and market-based measures. 12 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
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Civil Business Aviation Impact of Technology
Reduction of noise pollution has been a major challenge for designers and manufacturers of aircraft. The first time that the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for aircraft noise certification were published by ICAO was in 1971. Since then, SARPs have been periodically updated in tandem with advancements in technology. All business aircraft manufactured today conform to the noise standards stipulated by ICAO. Business jets being produced today are much less noisy as compared with those manufactured four decades ago and are around seven dB quieter than most airliners. Introduction of new technology such as the high bypass ratio aero engines helped achieve significant reduction in noise lev-
Green Move: An airport signage
tion Association (NBAA) began upgradation of navigation systems to achieve reduced vertical separation minimums (RVSM), thereby effectively enhancing the capacity of the airspace to accommodate significantly higher volumes of traffic. With the introduction of RVSM, more aircraft are now able to operate at their optimum altitude for fuel efficiency. In Europe, for example, on account of the introduction of RVSM, fuel burn and consequently associated emissions were reduced by approximately five per cent and NOx emissions by up to 4.5 per cent. Credit for the development of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), a key element in the modernisation and capacity enhancement of air traffic management system, must also rightfully go to business aviation. ADS-B provides for higher levels of precision and efficiency in the conduct of flights. While modern air traffic management practices have already made significant improvements in fuel efficiency, there is still the potential for further reductions in fuel burn with the introduction of NextGen in the USA and Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) project within Europe. Satellite-based navigation aids make direct routing possible with shorter flights and reduced total fuel burn. Other direct and indirect benefits to the environment will result from additional improvements to the air traffic control system with increased use of enhanced procedures such as the dynamic airborne rerouting programme, continuous descent arrival/approaches and required navigation performance. Undoubtedly, these procedures have the potential to reduce both fuel burn and noise. It goes without saying however that to take advantage of improvements in ATM, business jets must be equipped with the appropriate modern navigational aids.
Photograph: Eurocontrol
Market-Based Measures
els and the new geared turbofan technology from Pratt & Whitney holds immense promise of further reduction in engine noise. Manufacturers of business jets constantly strive to provide customers with aircraft that can provide higher un-refuelled range and greater fuel efficiency, all achieved through reduction in the weight of the aircraft and changes in aerodynamic features to reduce drag. Use of new materials like composites in the manufacture of airframes helps reduce weight without compromising on strength. Drag is reduced through refinement in shape of the aircraft and new wing designs. Over a decade and a half ago, winglets were introduced on business jets which reduce induced drag and consequently fuel consumption thereby, optimising aircraft performance resulting in enhanced range. Reduced fuel burn automatically helps cut emissions. Infrastructure and Operating Environment
Success in increasing efficiency of the operating environment has resulted in reduction in fuel consumption, thereby decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by business aviation and thus contributing to preservation of the environment. Some years ago, members of the National Business Avia-
Market-based measures provide another alternative for reducing the impact of aviation on the environment. Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) under Kyoto Protocol is regarded to be a potential means of achieving emissions reductions at low cost. International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) regards ETS as an effective method of reducing the impact of aviation on the environment provided that the administrative costs are reasonable. The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is currently working with Eurocontrol to develop a better tool for business aviation operators in order to conform to the European ETS requirements. Commitment for the Future
Even though their contribution as compared with other major polluters is small, the business aviation community comprising both manufacturers and operators are striving incessantly to minimise the adverse impact on the environment. Manufacturers are focused on improvement in design, based on new technologies to produce aircraft with lower fuel burn, higher range and lower emission and noise levels. Operators on the other hand are working with air traffic service providers to be able to operate business aviation aircraft even more efficiently. To quote Don Spruston, Director General of IBAC, “Business aviation wants to be an integral part of a comprehensive, ambitious and fair worldwide action to mitigate emissions.” SP Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 13
Civil Business Aviation - oems
‘Green Sky’ thinking Dassault is playing a big role in international programmes aimed at enhancing the economy and environmental friendliness of aircraft of the future
Photograph: Dassault Aviation
F
alcon business jets are recognised throughout the industry for their superior performance and handling quality. What is perhaps less well known is that they are also widely considered to be the most economical and environment-friendly executive aircraft in their class. This reputation is rooted first and foremost in the advanced design of the Falcon line, derived from Dassault’s combat aircraft heritage. The external shape and profile of Falcon wings are engineered to reduce drag while structures and systems are built to be as lightweight as possible, boosting flying efficiency and cutting down on fuel burn. This obsession with efficiency is reflected in the Falcon design approach itself, which seeks to minimise the overall aircraft size without compromising on passenger comfort. Fuel consumption levels are typically 20 to 50 per cent better than those of competing aircraft for equivalent performance and agility. But to further enhance the economy and environmental footprint of the Falcon line, and ensure that new models are always one step ahead of increasingly strict regulatory requirements, Dassault also invests heavily in continuous weight reduction and fuel-saving improvements. Currently, about 15 per cent of the company’s manufacturing budget is being spent on such enhancements, despite the softness in the business jet market. In fact, this year, research and development spending will be higher than ever. One thrust of this effort is aimed at developing green products for new aircraft models. An example is the new Falcon 2000S, which features a PW308C engine with a redesigned Talon II combustor that combined with optimised winglets, allows the aircraft to burn 10 per cent less fuel than models 20 per cent smaller. The Talon II also produces 20 per cent fewer NOx emissions than previous generation aircraft without any power penalty and is 40 per cent greener that required by CAEP/6 rules. A second focus is on reducing the environmental impact of the company’s production processes—a concept engineers call “eco-design.” Since 2005, Dassault has taken more than 700 major actions in this area, reducing consumption of industrial gas and fuel by 30 per cent and water use by 70 per cent, despite an increase in aircraft production. All Dassault production facilities, including the US completion operation in Little Rock, Arkansas, are now certified ISO 14001, the international standard which demonstrates that an organisation has developed and implemented an effective environmental management system. Additionally, all chemicals used in production have been categorised in a company-wide EMS and database, certified in 2007. One notable application of the eco-design approach was 14 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
FOR GREENER SKIES: FALCON 2000S BURNS 10 PER CENT LESSER FUEL THAN MODELS 20 PER CENT SMALLER AS CLAIMED BY DASSAULT
the introduction of new chromate-free paints featuring a lower concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at all Dassault plants. Another was the implementation of a new process for unsealed anodising of aluminium alloy components that allows the quantity of residual chromates on aircraft parts to be sharply reduced. The ultimate objective is to apply eco-design throughout the aircraft life cycle, from the mining of raw materials and production through in-service operation to end of service and recycling. In parallel with in-house initiatives, Dassault is playing a big role in international programmes aimed at enhancing the economy and environmental friendliness of aircraft of the future. They include: • The Advisory Council for Aeronautical Research in Europe (ACARE), a group set up by industry, government and academia to develop a strategic aviation research agenda for 2020. • The European Union’s Clean Sky programme, which seeks to develop new technologies to reduce noxious emissions and noise on aircraft, will enter service at the beginning of the next decade. • The EU’s SESAR initiative—Europe’s equivalent of the FAA’s NextGen programme—intended to significantly improve the efficiency of air traffic management systems. • Alfa-BIRD (alternative fuels and biofuels for aircraft development), a project to develop and evaluate alternative fuels for aviation. Dassault is also a member of the United Nations Global Compact, a public-private initiative aimed at generating a more sustainable global economy. The company says it is already well on the way to meeting aggressive new environmental goals set under these international programmes. These include a 50 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2), an 80 per cent cut in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and a 50 per cent drop in perceived noise on the ground. SP www.spsaviation.net
Civil Business Aviation - oems
Lean, Green, High-Flying Machine
Most of everything that comes off a Gulfstream,either at a midlife update or end-of-life,is recyclable in some way
GO GREEN: GULFSTREAM G450 THAT CROSSED ATLANTIC USING BiofuelS
G
ulfstream uses a broad, multi-pronged approach to reduce its impact on the environment. In addition to complying with regulatory concerns, we continuously strive to reduce waste throughout our business. This nearly always lessens our environmental impact.
Photograph: Gulfstream
Manufacturing
In manufacturing, Gulfstream concentrates its efforts on three primary areas: materials of concern (MOCs), energy consumption, and our lean six-sigma/continuous improvement culture. MOCs are those materials that contribute to a larger footprint, such as the coating or painting processes that use hexavalent chromium. In order to comply with regulations, such as the European Union’s registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemical substances (REACh) initiative, as well as a desire to improve our own materials and processes, Gulfstream has made efforts to find a lowerimpact replacement process. The company is working on other MOC areas as well. Gulfstream’s energy consumption goals are set through our continuous improvement objectives (CIOs), but the company also addresses employee behaviours and facility infrastructure through its emerging Green Teams, groups of employees dedicated to helping Gulfstream reduce waste, energy and water. Gulfstream’s sustainability office has a significant annual budget to foster improvements. For the lean six-sigma approach, Gulfstream works top-down and bottom-up. Top-down, the company makes changes eliminating value-destroying and non-value-added activities. Bottom-up, Gulfstream adds new definitions of ‘green wastes’ to the company’s ‘lean waste’ definitions as a way to encourage employees to eliminate wastes from its business and manufacturing processes. Aircraft Efficiency
The aircraft features most often linked to operational effi-
ciency are engine efficiency, aerodynamic efficiency and low weight. Decisions made at the design level ultimately affects the efficiency of the aircraft. Gulfstream aircraft are able to fly high and fast, above other traffic, allowing frequent operation where the plane is most efficient. In 2008, Gulfstream promoted environmentally conscious flying through a type of best practice guide called “Performance Procedures for Fuel & CO2 Conservation.” This document covers all aspects of a flight and provides tips for reducing fuel burn and unnecessary payload. More recently, the G450 flew the first transatlantic flight using a 50-50 blend of camelina-derived fuel and traditional petroleum-derived jet fuel. Biofuels offer a direct benefit in carbon emissions, lowering the environmental impact of business aviation. Furthermore, Gulfstream chooses aircraft materials based on their raw environmental impact as well as their safety, reliability and serviceability. Each of these qualities can have an environmental impact, whether on fuel use or local air quality. Gulfstream has a dedicated sustainability team focused on selecting materials that minimise environmental impact over the aircraft’s entire life cycle. This incorporates environmental impact in all of its forms. Fuel burn is important, of course, but so are emission of by-products, excessive waste in production, excessive water use, and a host of other concerns. End-Of-Life
Part of Gulfstream’s approach to reduce environmental impact is to design aircraft that have long service lives. By their nature, most of the materials used in the aircraft can be recycled at the end of the business jet’s service life, and parts are overhauled and reused during the service life when it’s safe and practical to do so. Aircraft that are no longer flight-worthy find another life as a training vehicle for maintenance or fire safety. Most of everything that comes off a Gulfstream, either at a midlife update or end-of-life, is recyclable in some way. For example, cabinets, mostly aluminium honeycomb, can be fed directly to a smelter. Carpets are recyclable. Natural fibres such as silk or wool can have second lives as jute, rags or feedstock for paper mills, while synthetics such as nylon and polyester are sought after by carpet mills to use as feedstock to create more carpet. Some materials, such as composites, require development of new cradle-to-cradle or reuse/recycling processes. This again speaks to the interrelation between design, manufacturing, operation and disposal. Connecting these new manufacturing processes with ongoing end-of-life activities is something for the industry to work on improving, and Gulfstream is moving forward in a responsible way. SP Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 15
Civil Regional Aviation emergence of strong player: e-jets by embraer is likely to offer innovative economic solutions to the operators
making business Photograph: Embraer
By Group Captain (Retd) A.K. Sachdev
O
n July 23, Air Mantra, a new regional airline launched by Religare Voyages, commenced operations in the northern region initially connecting only Amritsar and Chandigarh, with two 17-seat Beechcraft 1900D aircraft. Kapil Kaul, CEO (South Asia) of Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) sounded a warning note. “With the current oil prices and having Beechcraft for its operations, it might not be a viable plan for Religare Voyages.” Air Mantra is the first regional airline to be launched in India in five years; the only other regional carrier MDLR 16 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
Overall improvement in the civil aviation regulatory framework as controlled by government policies would be required, if the economics of regional aviation are to thrive
Airlines having come to a screeching halt in October 2009. Several other regional airlines were mooted at some time or the other to fill the space not adequately populated by national airlines, but failed to take off. Growing affluence in the smaller non-metro cities, rising awareness about saving time and comfort-enhancement offered by air travel have led to mounting demand for regional flights to pervade the national air space. However, despite the dire need for such a network and government policy aimed at providing connectivity to tier-II/III cities, regional aviation is yet to take off. The reason: the economics and the regulatory framework just do not support a viable model. www.spsaviation.net
Civil Regional Aviation
The second wave in the Indian airline industry began with the birth of Air Deccan in 2003, the first of the early 1990s having petered out by the end of the decade with only Jet Airways surviving. By 2007, it was evident to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) that the new airlines were all gravitating around the metros, a trend that continues to afflict civil aviation even today. Somewhat at unease with this trend, the Ministry tweaked existing regulations to mandate a substantial proportion of an airline’s flying to be flown on non-metro routes. The underlying sentiment was laudable but the financial repercussions rendered the regulation distasteful to airlines from day one.
moving ahead: spice jet acquires
in Category II (NER, J&K, A&N q400s for its growing and Lakshwadeep to the rest of operations the country) to the extent of at least 10 per cent of the ASKMs as deployed in Category I. Further, a minimum of 10 per cent of the ASKMs as deployed in Category II is required to be deployed in Category IIA (one Category II airport to another) and a minimum of 50 per cent of ASKMs deployed in Category I is required to be deployed in Category III (the rest of the airports i.e. other than Category I and Category II). Financial Implications
Photograph: Bombardier
Connecting Non-Metro Cities
The Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDGs) contained in the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series C, Part II, essentially decree that domestic airlines fly a proportion of their total flying capacity over unviable and unattractive routes connecting cities/towns in the North-eastern Region (NER), Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) and Lakshadweep. There is also a requirement to fly to other non-metros in the country. Routes have been classified into four categories according to these guidelines; these are: Category I, Category II, Category IIA and Category III (see box). For this purpose, the measure of an airline’s capacity is available seat kilometres (ASKM) which is the sum of the products obtained by multiplying the number of passenger seats available for sale on each flight by the corresponding stage distance. Every scheduled airline that flies on one or more of the routes under Category I (routes connecting one metro to another) is required to mandatorily fly
There is nothing more painful for an airline management than to see empty seats. The problem with the RDG arithmetic is that the smaller cities do not offer lucrative payloads that the metros do. For a national airline, flying to smaller towns over smaller route lengths, has financial implications. The single aisle aircraft of A320/ Boeing 737 class which make up the majority holding of domestic carriers can fly stages of four to five hours. Their employment on smaller lengths detracts from their optimum utilisation. In the Indian context, the average metro-to-metro route length which is around two hours is acceptable, but anything shorter than an hour is wasteful and economically distressing. Airlines would like to utilise their aircraft from metro to metro and avoid smaller towns and smaller stage lengths. However, if an airline holds only one type of aircraft, it is forced by the RDG regime to fly short routes such as Delhi-Chandigarh, Mumbai-Pune and so on. These routes mean moving away from the optimum revenue yields and are thus a burden to Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 17
Civil Regional Aviation
Large & Heavy: Boeing Business Jet interiors (above)
Photograph: ATR
confident flyer: atr remains one of the preferred choice
the airlines. One alternative for airlines is to invest in more than one type of aircraft, one optimised for long routes and the other for ‘regional’ ones. Thus we see ‘regional’ aircraft i.e. ATR and CRJ being acquired by airlines. Then again, there is a financial penalty implicit in the management of more than one aircraft fleet on account of additional cost of diverse equipment, manpower and training. Using A320/ Boeing737 on short routes or investing in more than one type of aircraft, both are economically hurting to an airline and inhibit regional aviation. There is one more financially troublesome aspect related to regional flying specifically applicable to the NER. According to a decision of the MoCA taken in the hazy past, after an airline has introduced a flight into any airport located in the NER, it cannot discontinue or suspend the service without permission of the MoCA. Such permission is usually never granted. When an airline commences operations on a new route, there are periods of uncertainty during which the company’s planning premises are either ticked right by near full loads or else proved wrong by poor occupancy. As policy restrictions make withdraw-
al from NER difficult if not impossible, an airline that forays into the NER faces the possibility of being straddled with routes that prove to be economically unviable. Policy Incentives
In a bid to promote regional aviation, the government had announced sops for ‘regional’ airlines. Regional carriers are those that are allowed to operate flights from airports in their designated region to all airports in any other region except the metro airports. However, regional airlines in the South due to the geographical clustering of three metros, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, are allowed to connect to all the three metros in the South. An airline operating under this category can undertake operations in its designated region, i.e. one out of North, South, West and East/Northeast. Regional airlines are not permitted to operate on Category-I routes listed in the RDG. The quandary therein is that while regional airlines are barred on some of the routes that national airlines can ply on, national airlines can still give them a run for their money on the ‘regional’ routes, thus making life even tougher for regional airlines. Although a good news for regional connectivity, the planned acquisition
The strict regulations on fleet size and other conditions stipulated in the Regional Aviation Policy have so far impeded regional air connectivity from taking off in India
18 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
www.spsaviation.net
Civil Regional Aviation
PROVISION OF SERVICES OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF ROUTES CATEGORY I Routes connecting directly Mumbai-Bangalore, Kolkata-Delhi, Mumbai-Kolkata, KolkataBangalore, Mumbai-Delhi, Kolkata-Chennai, Mumbai-Hyderabad, Delhi-Bangalore, Mumbai-Chennai, Delhi-Hyderabad, Mumbai-Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi-Chennai. CATEGORY II Routes connecting stations in North-eastern region, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep. CATEGORY III Routes other than those in Category I and Category II Anyone who operates scheduled air transport service on one or more of the routes under Category I shall be required to provide such service in Categories II and III as indicated below: The operator will deploy on routes in Category II at least 10 per cent of the capacity it deploys on routes in Category I
of 30 Q400 regional jets by SpiceJet, is an extant threat to the nascent blueprints of regional airlines. To make it possible for low budget regional airlines to come up and promote air-connectivity in the smaller cities, the government had announced that a regional airline can be started with a paid-up capital of `12 crore and one aircraft. However, this and some other carrots were not attractive enough to bring in many players into regional aviation. Apart from MDLR Airlines, several companies, including Star Aviation, ZAV Airways, Jagson Airlines, Sky King Aviation, Premier Airways and King Air, were permitted in the past to fly as regional carriers, but none of them actually commenced operations. MoCA had turned down the request of Trans India Aviation and Air Dravida to operate regional airlines while giving a no objection certificate (NOC) to Star Aviation even before MDLR, making it the first regional airline to fly in the Indian skies had it actually taken off. Captain Gopinath, who was restrained by his Air Deccan sale agreement from starting a passenger airline before 2012, made a strong bid for scheduled regional flights by Deccan Charters in Gujarat during 2011 through a misapplication of non-scheduled operators permit (NSOP). DGCA was alert and did not let this happen. Meanwhile, Regional Airport Holdings International (RAHI), a joint venture between IL&FS Transportation Networks and
and of the capacity thus required to be deployed on Category II routes. At least 10 per cent would be deployed on services or segments thereof operated exclusively within the Northeastern region, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep. The operator will deploy on routes in Category III, at least 50 per cent of the capacity he deploys on routes in Category I. Note 1: A service operated on a Category I route as a part of international air service will not be reckoned for the above purpose. Note 2: Capacity deployed will be reckoned in available seat kilometres (ASKM) Note 3: On multiple sector routes like Delhi-Kolkata-GuwahatiImphal, the capacity provided on Delhi-Kolkata sector will count towards Category I that provided on Kolkata-Guwahati sector will count towards Category II and the capacity on Guwahati-Imphal sector will count towards service exclusively within Category II. •
Comet Infra-Developments, is planning to launch a regional airline in the South. On December 31, 2011, MoCA gave fresh NOCs to Freedom Aviation, Air Pegasus, Deccan Charters, Indus Airways, Karina Airlines along with Air Mantra. The ministry has also signalled the relaxation of certain sectoral norms and is reviewing its current policy of allowing regional airlines to connect only one metro route. The strict regulations on fleet size and other conditions stipulated in the Regional Aviation Policy have so far impeded regional air connectivity from taking off in India. But in March this year, the DGCA had proposed a few concessions for promoting regional airlines. According to the new guidelines, any company wanting to commence regional air services needs to build up to three aircraft fleet size within two years, instead of the first year stipulated earlier. Also, the company can expand to a fleet of five aircraft by the end of five years, against the earlier deadline of two years. These concessions should help new players enter the regional market. Air Mantra’s entry, it is hoped, would be as good a portent as the literal meaning of its moniker. Overall improvement in the civil aviation regulatory framework as controlled by government policies would be required, if the economics of regional aviation are to thrive. SP
There is nothing more painful for an airline management than to see empty seats.The problem with the RDG arithmetic is that the smaller cities do not offer lucrative payloads that the metros do. For a national airline, flying to smaller towns over smaller route lengths, has financial implications.
Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 19
Military Viewpoint
Attack helicopters for Indian Army... Lt General (Retd) B.S. Pawar
The need is for dedicated air crew not only proficient in flying but also associated full time with Army manoeuvres, operational thinking and ground tactics, as well as time spend in the field.The present structure is not suited for the short, swift and limited wars.
A
ll major armies of the world, including those of our adversaries China and Pakistan have fullfledged air wings of their own with all types of helicopters, including attack helicopters and fixed wing aircraft in their inventory. The Government in USA and UK had to intervene to facilitate the formation of a separate Army Aviation Corps, despite strong objections by their respective air forces. During the Vietnam War (1959-75), the US Army had more helicopters than all of the branches combined (Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard). However, the Indian Army continues to be denied the rightful ownership of attack helicopters, despite the fact that this flying machine and weapon platform is acquired only for supporting ground forces in the battlefield. Stale arguments are put forward again and again to justify the unjustifiable.
Missions
Photograph: US army
The primary mission of Army Aviation is to fight the land battle and support ground operations. It operates in the tactical battle area (TBA) as a combined arms team expanding the ground commander’s battlefield in space and time. Its battlefield leverage is achieved through a combination of mobility and firepower, that is unprecedented in land warfare and hence it is the centrepiece of land force operations. Its greatest contribution to battlefield success is the fact that it gives the commander the ability to apply decisive combat power at critical times virtually anywhere in the battlefield. This may be in the form of direct fire from aviation manoeuvre units (attack/armed helicopters) or insertion of ground forces at the point of decision. This versatility is the essence of Army Aviation due to which it can be effectively employed right from commencement of offensive till conflict termination. The assets required for the above manoeuvre, the attack and assault helicopters, must be at the beck and call of a field force commander and also piloted by men in olive green who fully understand the ground situation, are from the same background and speak the same language. This will ensure the optimum utilisation of the battle winning resource. Oft repeated arguments
In a recent article in The Times of India, Pune edition titled “The War Within: Army vs IAF in New Turf Battle”, the author has dwelt on the old and tedious arguments of the Air Force as to why Army should not have attack helicopters? Perhaps 20 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
the author is not aware of the fact that this issue was first raised by the Army in 1963 and the so-called turf war unfortunately continues to rage till date. I would like to highlight two issues raised in the article, purportedly the views of the Air Force. Firstly, the remark that Army does not have an aviation culture and therefore is not capable of operating and maintaining attack/heavy helicopters is not only shocking and condemnable but needs to be treated with utter disdain. The second issue pertains to the reference to the Joint ArmyAir Instruction of 1986, which supposedly permits the Army to only operate helicopters of less than five-tonne weight. In the light of the above, there is a need to highlight a few facts to demystify the deliberate attempt to create a haze. Boeing AH-64D Apache longbow attack helicopters can augment IAF’s attack capability
Army Aviation Corps (AAC) perspective plans
The AAC is a thoroughly professional force and has an aviation culture as good as or even better than the Air Force. It operates the largest fleet of helicopters in India (Cheetah, Chetak and advanced light helicopter—ALH) to the extreme limits of man, machine and terrain. It is the lifeline of Contnued on page 41... www.spsaviation.net
Military Viewpoint
...To Be or not to be?
More than physical ownership, what really matters is for the two services to be able to fight a war-winning joint air-land battle. The time may be ripe to stop the in-house fighting and prepare ourselves to carry it to the enemy, when required.
F
rom various reports emanating from the Indian media, it appears that the Army has once again launched an aggressive campaign amongst the top echelons of the government, demanding that the Army be allowed to have its own full-fledged air wing which includes the attack helicopters. Citing examples of some major armies in the world including the US, China and Pakistan, which have their own air wings, the proponents of this argument lament as to why the Indian Army is being denied the rightful ownership of attack helicopters (AH) despite the fact that this ‘flying machine and weapon platform’ is acquired only for supporting ground forces on the battlefield. The naivety of this argument is immediately manifest from the following facts: first, the Indian Army air wing was established way back in 1986 in the form of Army Aviation Corps (AAC) with clear-cut mandates; second, the AAC is already acquiring the combat/attack helicopter platforms with the acquisition of ‘Rudra’, the weaponised version of the advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and the ‘under development’ light combat helicopter (LCH) of which the Army has placed an order for 114 machines; third, the notion that the AH is meant only for supporting the ground forces on the battlefield. Most flying machines have many-faceted roles and the attack helicopters are no exception. For example, these helicopters have been gainfully used for destruction of enemy air defence systems in the forward areas, close interdiction, combat search and rescue, counter-insurgency, even for communication and logistics duties, in the absence of committed helicopters for such roles. It is clear from the above that the IAF’s attack helicopters fleet is not only to provide close support to the Army in the tactical battle area (TBA) but also to cater for other missions that are entrusted to the IAF. Little wonder the IAF is proactively seeking to augment its attack/combat helicopter capability by acquiring state-of-the-art Boeing Apache Longbow AH-64D attack helicopters, 22 of which have been ordered. These will supplement and eventually replace the existing but ageing Mi-25/Mi-35 helicopters. In addition, the IAF has also placed an order for 65 light combat helicopters (LCH) being developed indigenously by HAL. Interestingly, even the Wikipedia on LCH spells out its intended roles as, “air defence against slow moving aerial targets (e.g. aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)), counter surface force operation (CSFO) destruction of en-
Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia
emy air defence operations, escort to special heli-borne operations (SHBO), counter-insurgency operations (COIN), offensive employment in urban warfare, support of combat search and rescue (SAR) operations, anti-tank role and scout duties.” How many of these are confined to the TBA? Perhaps, the land battle pundits would like to answer. Under the joint Army-Air Instruction of 1986 when the Army Aviation Corps was created, the Army was given the mandate of operating light helicopters up to five-tonne class. This distinction was done as the Army sought these helicopters to fight the close-in encounter land battle. That situation has not changed with the Army’s acquisition of advanced light helicopter weapon systems integrated (ALH-WSI) in its ‘Rudra’ avatar nor will it change with it’s to be acquired LCH, as both these belong to the five-tonne class. It must be remembered that by exceeding the max take-off weight by a few hundred kgs over the five-tonne limit, does not put the helicopter in an altogether different (heavy) category. The AAC’s cry for owning the heavier attack helicopters has about the same merit as the Infantry formations’ desire within the Army to have their own ‘Topkhanas’. Even the Army would admit the good reasons as to why these formations were restricted to having their mortar elements while the ‘big guns’ were kept within the ambit of artillery. The supporters of the so-called Army’s case for owning all attack helicopters have even come up with an idea, bordering on the infantile, suggesting, “The Air Force needs to focus more on its strategic role and leave the TBA for the Army to handle…” If some quarters in the Army actually think that the Army can fight and win the ground battle merely by owning the attack helicopters, they couldn’t be further removed from the ‘ground reality’. Fortunately, the Air Force understands the juvenility of this off-track notion and continues to train for all its roles including the ones related to the TBA. If the recent disclosures by the outgoing Army Chief are any indicators, the service will do well to put its own house in order by filling up the serious deficiencies being faced by its combat arms rather than indulging in unnecessary and costly turf wars. In the final analysis, more than physical ownership, what really matters is for the two services to be able to fight a war-winning joint air-land battle. It is believed the Indian defence planners have been hard at work, hammering out doctrines for fighting exactly such a battle. The time may be ripe to stop the in-house fighting and prepare ourselves to carry it to the enemy, when required. SP Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 21
Military Interview
The crisis period is going to be over with induction of Pilatus
PC-7 Mk-II aircraft
Air Marshal Rajinder Singh, Air Officer Commanding-inChief, Training Command, Indian Air Force (IAF) in an interview with Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey of SP’s Aviation, gave updates about the training pattern being followed in IAF and the current status of the trainer aircraft
22 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
SP’s Aviation (SP’s): What is your broad vision of training in the IAF and what are the core areas that you wish to focus on? AOC-in-C: The ab initio training for all officers and cadets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is undertaken by the Training Command. It’s indeed a great honour for me to be the Commander-in-Chief of this prestigious command which has the responsibility to ensure that the foundation of our Air Force is strong enough for us to ‘touch the sky with glory’. Keeping pace with the changing times, we have taken giant leaps in inducting advanced technology into the Air Force. Our main challenge today is to develop the human resources for absorbing the technology and proficiently utilising it as a weapon system to accomplish the objectives of the IAF. While flying and ground training forms the core curriculum of training, key result areas (KRAs) for this command also include enhancing flight safety awareness, inculcating pride and soldierly attributes among all trainees and improving the quality of life of our air warriors in keeping with our philosophy of “people first mission always”. SP’s: The present Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) has propagated a philosophy “people first mission always”. What is the essence of this philosophy and its importance for Training Command of the IAF? AOC-in-C: We must remember that it is the ‘man behind the machine’ which will make the difference in operations. Whether the human factor acts as our strength or weak-link depends on how we train and treat him/her. While the technology has progressed in leaps and bounds, its utilisation has been restricted in some aspects due to human limitations. If we believe in the axiom “To err
is human”, our endeavour should be to eliminate or minimise the probability of error by providing suitable training and resources to make our personnel proficient. Hence, while our objective is to stay ahead of time and the enemy in acquiring technology and equipment, we need to lay equal, if not more importance on developing the human resources. To emphasise on this aspect, which quite often gets neglected, the present CAS has highlighted the “people first mission always” motto. In Training Command, it is our core competency to train the human resources to be proficient air warriors. We evolve ourselves with the changing times and develop means and techniques to ensure that the trainees are groomed to meet the future challenges. While teaching the novice, we also learn from them and continuously review our training system with an aim to improve it. Along with the training and work ethos, ‘Quality of Life’ has an impact on morale and motivation of personnel. In this regard, our concentration has been on significantly improving the essential services like housing, water, electricity, etc. Major efforts are on to provide enhanced services, in both quality and quantity, with respect to basic amenities like institutes, regimental shops, medical care and sports facilities. The core concern is to provide a healthy and vibrant environment to our personnel, in order to function with uncluttered mind and focus on their task to effectively contribute towards accomplishment of overall objectives set forth by the IAF. Our endeavour is to impart knowledge, provide facilities and bring in a sense of pride in every air warrior so that he/she helps strengthen the organisation and not be a weak link in any manner. SP’s: You assumed charge as AOC-in-C www.spsaviation.net
Military Interview Training Command at a time when basic flying training was in a state of flux. Can you please update our readers on the training pattern being followed now? AOC-in-C: We faced serious crisis when HPT-32 aircraft had to be grounded for safety issues, in July 2009. The entire flying training pattern had to be modified based on the training needs vis-à-vis the resources available. Optimisation of flying training was undertaken in phases. Our first priority was to ensure ab initio flying training continued unhindered, albeit on jet aircraft, as against the IAF philosophy of propeller and jet combination. Towards this, the Qualified Flying Instructors Course (QFIC) held at the Flying Instructors School, Tambaram was curtailed and all Kiran Mk-I aircraft were shifted to Air Force Academy and Air Force Station Hakimpet for pre-commissioning training. The syllabus also had to be pruned down, especially in ab-initio training phase. Subsequently, Kiran Mk-II aircraft of Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) were allotted to FIS for continuation of QFIC. In order to maintain the quantum of flying for each trainee in the face of dwindling Kiran Mk-I assets, for the first time in July this year, we have bifurcated the ab initio flying trainees in to fixed wing (jet trainers) and rotary wing (helicopters), even before a trainee commences flying. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the intake of trainees for flying training even with reduced effort available, by overcoming the shortfall of flying effort on Kiran aircraft with Chetak helicopters. And now with the contract signed for induction of 75 Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II aircraft into the IAF, we will once again revert back to propeller and jet aircraft combination for precommissioning flying training and also enhancing the flying training syllabus to original status, starting from July 2013. SP’s: What is the induction plan for the Pilatus PC-7 basic trainer fleet? In what time frame could the IAF expect to get an indigenous equivalent? AOC-in-C: We are happy that the crisis period for flying training is going to be over soon with the induction of Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II aircraft. Our pilots, engineering officers and technicians are going for training to Switzerland in November this year, following which the aircraft is planned to be inducted at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Hyderabad, from January next year. This aircraft is very capable and a proven trainer aircraft which is being used for training in many air forces around the world. We have already commenced infrastructure development for inducting the aircraft and plan to undertake the flying training of ab initio trainees on this new fleet starting from July 2013. As regards the indigenous equivalent of the basic trainer aircraft (BTA), there is a proposal by the HAL to provide equitable number of aircraft with similar air staff quality requirements (ASQRs). This indigenous version is planned to augment the strength of BTA, which will facilitate enhancing the intake of pilots that is necessary, considering the expansion of the IAF. However, the production plans are at a nascent stage and the timelines for induction cannot be commented upon at the moment. SP’s: What is the status of the Hawk advanced jet trainer fleet?
AOC-in-C: Sixty-six Hawk aircraft have been inducted into the IAF till date to fill the void of advanced jet trainers (AJT), replacing the MiG-21s. Out of these, 24 were delivered by BAE Systems and 42 have been delivered by HAL, last one being handed over in June this year. The aircraft has, since its induction in February 2008, trained many fighter pilots of the IAF in the art of combat flying. It is a wonderful training aircraft and especially the debrief aids on the aircraft as also the simulators has made a sea-change in the way we train for combat. However, there were a few teething problems initially, most of which have been resolved with time. Some remaining issues are being addressed through regular Joint Project Review Meetings with BAE and HAL. We have also placed an additional order for 40 aircraft with the HAL, which will be located at the Air Force Station Kalaikunda in West Bengal. These will augment the fighter pilot intake into the IAF. We also have plans to revive the aerobatic team on Hawks. SP’s: The Kiran fleet is reported to be ageing and currently has been somewhat overstretched. What are the plans for its replacement? AOC-in-C: We are aware of the fact that the Kiran fleet is ageing and accordingly plans for induction of intermediate jet trainer (IJT) aircraft from the HAL was approved by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) quite some time back. As per original schedule, this aircraft should have been flying in the IAF by now. However, due to certain unforeseen delays in the design and development of the project, which are generally associated with any new aircraft production, the timelines have slipped. We hope to induct the IJT aircraft in near future, so as to replace the Kiran fleet. SP’s: What is the status of the HPT-32 fleet and plans if any for its recovery? AOC-in-C: A high powered study team (HPST) had undertaken a detailed analysis of the accidents involving HPT-32 aircraft and suggested the way forward for recovery of the aircraft. While the series of modifications were in progress, the problem of engine failures persisted during the flight trials. This was deliberated at the highest echelon, and considering the safety issues, a decision has been taken to curtail all further trials for revival of the aircraft. SP’s: Media reports in the recent past indicated that there are issues concerning the Aero India Air Show scheduled to be held in February 2013 at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka. Are there any uncertainties in this regard? AOC-in-C: Yes, I am aware that there were media reports to indicate shifting of venue for next Aero India show out of Bangalore due to objections by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL). However, you may have also read the contrary report of vehement objection to this proposal by the then Chief Minister of Karnataka. This issue is directly dealt by the Ministry of Defence and so far we have no contrary indication to the effect that Aero India 2013 will not be held at the Air Force Station Yelahanka in February 2013. However, there are issues regarding availability of time slots for flying displays which require closing of the Bangalore International Airport. SP Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 23
Military Aero Engines
Power
C-17
Photograph: Pratt & Whitney
behind
By Joseph Noronha
With its 10-strong fleet, which might rise to 16, the IAF is poised to be the giant plane’s largest overseas operator. Each C-17 is powered by four F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, manufactured by Pratt & Whitney.
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Military Aero Engines
T
his time next year, the Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Hindon on the outskirts of Delhi will be the proud home to a couple of Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft, the vanguard of an eagerly awaited strategic air transport squadron. The C-17 Globemaster III will be the largest aircraft to enter the IAF inventory and perhaps its most flexible transport plane besides the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. Six of these aircraft inducted by the IAF arrived at Hindon last year to form the 77 ‘Veiled Vipers’ Squadron. The Boeing C-17 advanced transport aircraft and their associated equipment contracted under a $4.1 billion (`22,500 crore) deal that the Indian Government signed in June 2011 under the US Government’s foreign military sales (FMS) programme, are expected to be delivered by June 2015. The C-17 attained initial operating capability in 1995 and since then has seen action in many theatres. It is truly a battle-proven beast of burden. It can carry a payload of 1,60,600 pounds and fly 2,400 nautical miles (4,440 km) un-refuelled. It also has in-flight refuelling capability. Its cruise speed is approximately 450 knots (833 km/h, 0.74 Mach). It would be natural for such a large aircraft (wingspan 51.8 m, length 53 m, height 16.8 m) to have ponderous ground-handling characteristics; yet it can take off and land on small austere runways as short as 3,000 feet (914 m) and just 90 feet (27.4 m) wide. Even on such narrow surfaces, it
has the grace of a ballet dancer, being able to turn around using a three-point star turn and its excellent backing capability. The powerful thrust reverser system can back it fully loaded up to a two-degree slope. War and Peace
The C-17 aircraft that the IAF will receive is designed equally to undertake routine peacetime airlift missions or a combat
Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 Turbofan: Vital Statistics Thrust
40,400 lbf (179.88 kN)
Dry weight
7,100 lb (3,220 kg)
Length
146.8 in (3.73 m)
Inlet diameter
78.5 in (1.99 m)
Maximum diameter
84.5 in (2.15 m)
Thrust-to-weight ratio
5.7 to 1
Bypass ratio
5.9 to 1
Overall pressure ratio
30.8 to 1
Source: Pratt & Whitney
Photograph: af.mil
ENROUTE INDIA: India’s first C-17 HAS takeN shape AT BOEING’S FACILITY IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA (REPORTED IN THIS ISSUE ON PAGE 6)
Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 25
Military Aero Engines
Photograph: Pratt & Whitney
f117 cutaway
airdrop over an unsecured location under the cover of darkness or to provide urgently needed aid in a rapidly unfolding natural disaster. Boeing has already delivered 244 C-17s globally, including 28 to international customers. The US Air Force (USAF) including active National Guard and Reserve units has taken delivery of 216 planes. Such is the indispensability of the C-17 to USAF global operations that the lifespan of its fleet is expected to be shortened by five years, the result of very heavy utilisation and way above initial projections. With its 10-strong fleet, which might rise to 16, the IAF is poised to be the giant plane’s largest overseas operator. The aircraft will be useful for strategic airlift and transporting outsize equipment to distant areas. The C-17’s 72.8-tonne maximum payload is a marked increase over the 45 to 47-tonne capacity of the IL76, currently the country’s sole heavy-lift military transport aircraft and will greatly contribute to the IAF’s ambitious aim of tripling its lift capacity. India’s forces need the means to quickly transport large numbers of troops to counter any emerging threat on the northern, eastern or western borders as also to respond rapidly to terror tactics such as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The C-17 should prove invaluable in such situations.
Power on Demand
Each C-17 is powered by four F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corporation. Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and servicing of aircraft engines. It is currently making waves in the commercial aviation industry on account of its revolutionary new engine, the PurePower PW1000G with patented geared turbofan (GTF) technology. This new development in engine technology is destined to power the next generation of fuel efficient passenger aircraft. The company has a particularly enviable military track record, providing top-of-the-line engines to fighters such as the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter. The 40,400 pound thrust F117-PW-100, with a unit cost in 2012 of $9.75 million (`54 crore), is the military avatar of the commercial PW2000. The PW2000/PW 2037 is a series of high bypass turbofan engines powering the Boeing 757 twinjet. The F117 complements its commercial cousin’s reputation as the world’s leading mid-range
A defining characteristic of the C-17 is the “externally blown flap”or “powered lift” system that enables the plane to make slow, steep approaches despite heavy cargo loads
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Military Aero Engines
The PW2000/F117 engine family has more than 50 million hours of dependable commercial and military service under its belt
trol, but also renders the engine much more efficient. A defining characteristic of the C-17 is the “externally blown flap” or “powered lift” system that enables the plane to make slow, steep approaches despite heavy cargo loads. With this system, the engine’s exhaust flow is directed below and through slotted flaps to augment the wing lift to roughly twice that of comparable transport planes. This allows much shorter take off runs and steeper descents on approach for landing. The latest F117 model, the reduced temperature configuration (RTC), uses technical and material advancements such as second generation single crystal turbine materials, improved cooling management and thermal barrier coatings to lower the operating temperatures.
Photograph: defenseimagery.mil
Maintaining Trust
thrust engine. Rather unusually for a military power plant, therefore, it minimises fuel burn and meets all current and anticipated commercial requirements for low engine noise and exhaust emissions. The F117-PW-100 has a twin-spool, axial flow, single stage fan compressor with four low pressure (LP) and 12 high pressure (HP) stages. Its turbine has two LP and five HP stages and it has an annular combustor. The overall pressure ratio at maximum power is 30.8:1, thrust-to-weight ratio is 5.7:1, and bypass ratio is 5.9:1. A full authority digital electronic control (FADEC) with greater capacity delivers higher operational performance, lower fuel burn and improved maintenance diagnostics. Operating with two independent channels for control and redundancy, the FADEC system not only makes it easier for flight crews to manage engine con-
Air forces all over the world are increasingly grappling with tight budgets and as such the rising cost of maintenance is of great concern. The PW2000/F117 engine family has more than 50 million hours of dependable commercial and military service under its belt. The F117 engine itself is a solid performer by any yardstick and its rugged rotating components are designed to tolerate sand, pebbles, ice or other debris that are the bane of operations at remote airstrips around the world. And Pratt & Whitney’s commitment to product improvement enables the engine to continuously surpass stated goals for time on wing, in-flight shut downs and support-turnaround time. Still, an engine does need regular maintenance to keep it humming and that’s where the Globemaster Sustainment Partnership (GSP) is invaluable. Under the GSP, Boeing accepts total system support responsibility for a C-17 fleet, including materiel management and depot maintenance. Pratt & Whitney is part of the deal, offering the same level of commitment. The stated goal is total aircraft sustainment support under a single contract, in order to achieve improvements in mission readiness, while reducing the operating and support costs. Certain performance figures are assured, including an aircraft mission completion success probability rate of 92 per cent, only 20 aircraft maintenance man-hours per flying hour and full and partial mission availability rates of 74.7 per cent and 82.5 per cent, respectively. The IAF has wisely opted to join the C-17 GSP. This should mean enhanced reliability and maintainability, the two promised benefits of the GSP system, for the IAF’s 10 C-17 airframes and 45 F117 engines (40 installed and five spare), and ensure that its strategic air transport fleet renders sterling service for decades to come. SP Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 27
show Report Farnborough Air Show
An Airbus and EADS flashmob at Farnborough asks job seekers to “join us, now”
‘Drizzle’ at
Farnborough While the commercial airlines sector was on an even keel, the defence segment was adversely impacted and this reverberated at the show. The mood was notably more subdued than the mood last year at Paris.
Photograph: Airbus
By R. Chandrakanth in Farnborough
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show report Farnborough Air Show
Qatar Airways shows off their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner
the second A380 for delivery to Malaysia Airlines takes to the skies for its flying display
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etaphorically and literally, it was just a drizzle at the Farnborough International Air Show, the world’s biggest aviation mela, unlike the 2011 Paris Airshow which was ‘deluged’ with orders, more so by Airbus. The reasons are not difficult to fathom—Europe and other western economies are reeling under recession and aerospace majors are concentrating on clearing backlogs. The battle between the two aerospace giants (Airbus and Boeing) was also ‘muted’. There was no ‘jousting’, though Boeing official brushed aside Airbus competition coming on to their home turf, so to say, stating that they were not worried. Prior to the show, Airbus had indicated that it would be setting up the final assembly line of the A320 aircraft in the US. The Farnborough Air Show did not have any show stoppers, though there were a few announcements which grabbed attention. Even the UK Prime Minister David Cameron who inaugurated the air show was cautiously optimistic, while endorsing support to the UK defence and aerospace community. He pledged the government’s “unstinting, unrelenting, unflagging commitment to making Britain the best place in the world for aerospace businesses to invest, design, manufacture and export.” Cameron pointed out, “In a hugely difficult time in the global economy UK aerospace is quite simply, flying, employing over 1,00,000 people, turning over more than £20 billion a year, holding a 17 per cent share of the global market. But there can be absolutely no complacency. International competition gets fiercer by the year. The UK has got to fight for every contract and every opportunity. That’s why we as a government are doing everything possible to get behind UK aerospace. We’ve established an aerospace growth partnership to make sure that five, ten, twenty years down the line, this industry continues to thrive and grow.” So seems to be the intent of all governments of supporting an industry which has tremendous potential.
Russian Ploy
Photographs: Farnborough website & Airbus
Farnborough: Third biggest outdoor event after Olympics and Queen’s Jubilee celebrations London 2012 Olympics is going to be a big draw and expectations are running high on the UK showcasing the mega event. Year 2012, indeed, has been a hectic year for the UK, beginning with the Royal splendour that unveiled as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. This was immediately followed up by another major outdoor event—the Farnborough International Air Show which had footfalls of over 2,50,000, both trade and public. The highlight of the show was the spectacular five-hour flying display on the public days (July 14 & 15) by the incomparable Red Arrows, the Breitling Jet Team and the Blades Aerobatic Display Team. Additional airborne entertainment came from the much loved Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the crowd favourite the Avro Vulcan, contrasting with the cutting edge technology of the Yak 130, the AAC Apache Helicopter and the giant passenger jets, the Airbus A380 and Boeing’s Dreamliner in Qatar livery. On the ground, crowds got up close to see the future of commercial space travel as Farnborough hosts the first European public appearance of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo replica. A prototype Mars Rover named ‘Bridget’ was also on show. Over 50 aircraft were on static display. •
The air show will be talked about less for orders and more for strategic announcements. Take, for instance, how the Russians are relooking at the aerospace industry. The President of United Aircraft Corporation, Mikhail Pogosyan, enunciated the paradigm shift that was taking place in Russian policy-making, increasing revenue generation through commercial aircraft and reducing dependence on defence. The Russians are seeing prospects in commercial airlines as more and more people are going to be flying in the years to come, particularly in the emerging markets, whereas defence spends are going to be dictated by a whole lot of parameters to do with geopolitics. And with slashed defence spends in the western world, the defence industry is also reworking its strategies with a lot of pain. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) is an example of Russian strategy. It is for the first time that a Russian aviation company has been an international project coordinator, with more than 30 leading western companies involved in the project. SSJ100 order book stands at about 170 firm orders, including approximately 100 orders from customers outside Russia. This proves that the jet is in demand not only within the Russian domestic market, but also in the international regional jet market. Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 29
show report Farnborough Air Show
Photographs clockwise: Farnborough website, airbus
Boeing, Airbus on a consolidation spree
(top left) Prime Minister of United kingdom David Cameron delivering opening address; (top right) model of virgin galactic on display; (right) atr on static display
Boeing scored at the show, thanks to its growing leasing company customers such as Air Lease Corporation, GECAS, ALAFCO and Avolon, all of them totalling orders of 220 737 family airplanes. In addition, United Airlines ordered 150 of 737 jets, worth $14.7 billion at list prices. During the Farnborough week, Boeing had orders and commitments for 396 airplanes, valued at over $37 billion. The number of Boeing net orders for 2012 stands at 691 and the 737 Max has accumulated 649 orders till date. Boeing announced during the show key partnerships with Embraer (weapons integration for A-29 Super Tucano) and Elbit Systems (collaboration on Hermes unmanned airborne systems). The company also shared plans for the 2012 ecoDemonstrator, an American Airlines 737-800 that will be used as a flying test-bed to accelerate environmentally progressive technologies. New Boeing offerings for defence and security customers unveiled at the show include a medium-sized maritime surveillance aircraft and the introduction of the intelligent sensor camera system that fully integrates video processing capability. Other highlights at the show were the presence of a Korean Air 737-900ER with the new Boeing Sky Interior; the multi-role F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter; the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor; the C-17 Globemaster III airlifter; the F-15E Eagle fighter and the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter. Boeing also highlighted its services portfolio, a growing market segment projected to reach $2.4 trillion on the commercial side over the next 20 years. The 2012 Pilot & Technician Outlook forecasts a 20-year demand for more than a million commercial airline pilots and maintenance technicians. The company signed a long-term agreement with TUI Travel to cover complete fleet training for Thomson Airways, including its new 787 Dreamliners. 30 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
Airbus’ focus on expanding global footprint
In reviewing the 115 new sales and commitments announced during the Farnborough week, Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Brégier said that Airbus will maintain the focus on evolving the company’s aircraft family while ensuring its responsiveness to customers. “We continue to invest in our success stories,” explained Brégier, who assumed the top executive responsibilities at Airbus last month. “The management transition has been very smooth, and I kept the same team—which has worked together very well for the past five years—while also evolving the company’s organisational structure. This smooth transition is the right thing for our shareholders, for our customers and for the continuation of our programme activity.” Airbus’ decision to increase the maximum takeoff weight of its wide body A330 jetliner— a step announced at the Farnborough Airshow— was cited by Brégier as an example of the investment strategy. “This decision, combined with www.spsaviation.net
show report Farnborough Air Show
(top left) Breitling Jet Team; (top right) Korean Black Eagles KAI T-50; (left) Yakovlev Yak-130 subsonic two-seat advanced jet trainer on flight display
our commitment to ramp up the production rate, should maintain the A330’s success during this decade…and probably beyond 2020.” Only two days after the A330’s takeoff weight increase was revealed, US-based transportation finance company CIT Group became a launch customer with a booking at Farnborough that includes the enhanced aircraft, further expanding the company’s already large portfolio of A330s. Airbus’ action last year to improve the A350-1000 version of its A350 XWB widebody jetliner family with a higherthrust engine and an increased takeoff weight was validated as well at the air show by Cathay Pacific’s choice to incorporate 26 A350-1000s into its fleet. In the single-aisle product segment, 29 additional orders and commitments for the A320neo (new engine option) product line from three airlines were unveiled at Farnborough, while the in-production A320ceo (current engine option) family —which is being made available with Airbus’
new Sharklet wingtip devices—was the subject of 57 orders and commitments. Brégier said the Airbus’ strategy to expand the company’s global footprint and enhance its presence in key market areas is supported by the game-changing move to create an A320 family final assembly line in the United States. “We want to be the only aircraft manufacturer with a genuine worldwide presence,” he stated. “The decision to create the US A320 production facility will bring us closer to customers in the world’s largest single-aisle market, delivering more value for our partners.” “The quality of orders at Farnborough has been high at the show, with significant endorsement from leading customers of our strategy to continuously innovate and improve our products,” said Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier. “With the recent announcement last week to build an A320 production line in America, coupled with the start of production for the A320neo in Toulouse, Airbus is cementing its leading global position.” Although economies are stuttering, aircraft demand remains relatively strong as airlines modernise fleets to survive high fuel costs and the balance of growth shifts towards Asia. The airframers certainly have to look at lowering their price to win orders, though none of them talk about it openly. And there is competition from new quarters. One of them was Mitsubishi bagging a 100-aircraft deal from US-based SkyWest Airlines for the much-delayed regional jet from Japan, the MRJ90. The backlog for the airframer goes up to 170, while enthusing confidence in newer programmes. Defence aviation affected
While the commercial airlines sector was on an even keel, the defence segment was adversely impacted and this reverberated at the show. The impact of the substantial cuts in defence spend in the western economies was felt at the show. The mood, indeed, was notably more subdued than the mood last year at Paris. SP Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 31
show report Farnborough Air Show Business Aviation
Vigilantly Optimistic
Embraer Executive Jets showcased its 2012 edition of the Legacy 650 and the Legacy 500 mock-up, both making debut at Farnborough
Photograph: Airbus
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t Farnborough, Dassault Falcon signed an agreement with Indian charter operator Taj Air to establish a Dassault Falcon Authorised Line Service Station at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (VIDP) in Mumbai. The facility, which is already operational, will provide scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and inspections for all Falcon 2000 models. Initially, the facility will serve Indian registered Falcons, but EASA approval is expected by early 2013. “This agreement emphasises our philosophy of enhancing the service experience by expanding our footprint of service,” said Jacques Chauvet, Senior Vice President for Worldwide Customer Service for Dassault Falcon. “Asia and India are rapidly expanding as they realise the benefits of business aviation. Additionally, transient traffic in Mumbai continues to increase, so this agreement is of vital importance to all of our customers.” Taj Air has invested significantly in tooling and training to support the new initiative and will be able to provide 30 technicians, dedicated specifically to Falcon aircraft. Taj Air, a company of Tata Group, is a world class facility with 3,200 square metres (35,000 square feet) of hangar space and is staffed by a team of 30 trained professionals with broad experience in servicing aircraft. In addition to scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, AOG assistance is also available around the clock. With Taj Air approval, Dassault Falcon will be capable of servicing customers at 42 locations—32 authorised service centres, five company-owned service centres and five company-owned satellite service centres. The service centre network is supported by 18 spare parts distribution facilities strategically located around the world, including Mumbai and Chennai, plus a technical centre providing 24x7 support to Falcon operators across three time zones. A fleet of about 20 Falcon 2000 Series aircraft is operated within India in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore, making Dassault Falcon a leader in India in this segment.
NetJets banks on long-term confidence
The CEO and Chairman of NetJets, Europe, Eric Connor, said, “We’re cautiously optimistic that over the next couple of years, the market will begin to pick up momentum again 32 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
and are preparing for that with careful fleet planning and investment, a real focus on the continued quality and safety of our service, and breadth in our product offering that reflects what the market wants. The recent NetJets global purchase of aircraft valued at around $9.6 billion, one of the biggest deals in the history of private aviation is testimony to this long-term confidence across the industry.” The Berkshire Hathaway company had announced that it would add up to 425 new aircraft to its worldwide fleet under purchase agreements with Cessna and Bombardier. NetJets huge order includes up to 275 Bombardier Challenger aircraft, including 100 firm orders and options for 175 more. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2014. It is also buying up to 150 Cessna Citation Latitudes, including 25 firm orders and options for 125 more, with deliveries beginning in 2016. NetJets also recently ordered Embraer Phenoms and Bombardier Globals, marking the launch of a new NetJets Signature Series of aircraft. Connors said, “We are midway through the recovery process in our view, the market continues to evolve with us seeing much more growth in emerging markets such as Russia, Turkey and North Africa.” Bombardier jazzes up
Canadian air framer Bombardier announced setting up of its 10th regional support office (RSO) at Farnborough to support business and commercial aircraft. The RSO team, it was announced, would support Bombardier business aircraft operators during the London 2012 Summer Olympics The Farnborough RSO is located with the Bombardier business aircraft international sales office within the TAG Farnborough Airport Terminal building and alongside Bombardier’s Authorised Service Facility (ASF), TAG Farnborough Engineering. “Our customer base counts on Bombardier support teams embedded in their region,” said Andy Nureddin, Vice President, Customer Services and Support, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “By centralising our technical expertise and operations support in Farnborough, we will significantly bolster our response time for our European customer base and build lasting partnerships, locally and globally, to foster efficient operations of Bombardier aircraft.” More than 560 Bombardier business jets are based in www.spsaviation.net
show report Farnborough Air Show Helicopters Europe. The Farnborough RSO will provide expertise and support to local customers, as well as customers flying into the region. Bombardier also operates RSO locations for business aircraft in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hong Kong, China; São Paulo, Brazil and Singapore. Commercial aircraft RSO locations include Munich, Germany and Tokyo, Japan. The network is complemented by locations jointly supporting commercial and business aircraft operators in Shanghai, China; Sydney, Australia; and Mumbai, India. Embraer’s Legacy 650 makes debut
Embraer Executive Jets showcaseed its 2012 edition of the Legacy 650 and the Legacy 500 mock-up, both making debut at Farnborough. The Legacy 650 is a large, three-cabin jet with new and improved cabin sound proofing insulation, and upgraded interiors. The 2012 Legacy 650, with a transatlantic range of 3,950 miles and certified for operations at London City Airport, also features the Honeywell Ovation SelectTM, all digital, cabin management system.
The Legacy 500 will be the first mid-size business jet on the market with a stand-up cabin and flat floor. Cessna contracts PPG industries
Cessna announced that the first flight of the Citation Latitude prototype is expected to be by mid-2014 with Federal Aviation Administration certification and entry into service in 2015. At Farnborough Cessna contracted PPG Industries to supply production and spare windshields and side cockpit window for the mid-size business jet. Hawker pitches for special mission aircraft
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) executives were busy making a pitch for special mission aircraft which it said had improved its overseas market buyers list (over 68 per cent outside the US). HBC’s special mission offerings encompass a wide range of capabilities including aerial survey, air ambulance, flight inspection, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), maritime patrol, training and utility/transport. SP —By R. Chandrakanth
Primes tilt towards commercial Farnborough was eventful for the helicopter segment, beginning with the return of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor (first presence in 2006) which drew applause from the crowd for its tilt moving nacelles
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Photograph: Bell Helicopter
xecutives of helicopter companies were upbeat at the Farnborough International Air Show as the outlook for helicopters is said to be strong, driven by commercial demand and ongoing military programmes. “I am pretty bullish” was the response of John Garrison, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bell Helicopter. The week at Farnborough was eventful for the helicopter segment, beginning with the return of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor (first presence in 2006) which drew applause from the crowd for its tilt moving nacelles. Garrison in his Farnborough blog said, “Today capped off a tremendous week at Farnborough when I experienced first-hand the power and manoeuvrability of the V-22 on an incredible flight. This morning we had perfect flying weather and the marines were able to demonstrate the full capabilities of the aircraft. It’s hard to describe climbing 5,000 feet per minute then banking into a 60 degree turn or flying at 280 mph (450 km) and transitioning to a hover in seconds. No other aircraft in the world can do what the V-22 does.”
Super medium: Bell Helicopter’s flagship 525R Relentless made its European debut
Bell’s 525 Relentless makes debut
Bell Helicopter’s flagship 525R Relentless made its European debut here. The 525 Relentless defines the super-medium class of helicopters through its revolutionary design, bestin-class payload/range performance and cabin volume, and unparalleled situational awareness and controllability. The 525 Relentless is positioned at the upper end of the medium class market. It appeals to customers who want heavy class
capabilities at medium class operating costs. The programme is built around a customer advisory panel (CAP) which serves as a critical part of the design team. The CAP includes large operators from around the globe in every segment with extensive experience flying Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 33
Photograph: eurocopter
show report Farnborough Air Show Helicopters Bell helicopters, as well as its Russian, AgustaWestland to develop 2.5-tonne competitors. helicopter Bell Helicopter is makA significant milestone was that ing steady progress towards Russian Helicopters signed a a first flight in 2014 followed Heads of Agreement with Agusby an aggressive schedule for taWestland to jointly develop an flight testing, certification and all-new 2.5-tonne class singleproduction. “This helicopter is engine helicopter. The agreegoing to be the best in class for ment was signed by Bruno performance, price, speed and Spagnolini, CEO of AgustaWestcapability,” said Garrison. land and Dmitry Petrov, CEO, The 525R is targeting a Russian Helicopters. The overall 500 nm (925 km) range, inprogramme will be shared on a dicated by the second “5” in 50/50 basis, with the new helithe 525R name. The first “5” copter being designed for the in the name stands for a fiveversatile bird: worldwide market and a wide bladed main rotor, and the “2” EC175 sets the standards range of applications. represents the fact that it is for medium-class helicopters Dmitry Petrov said, “We are a twin-engine machine. “The Relentless brand sums up our desire to secure a sizeable pleased to be expanding our partnership with AugustaWestshare of the global helicopter market place in which the land to include the development of this new light helicopter. ” Bruno Spagnolini, CEO, AgustaWestland, said, “Having helicopter will compete,” added Garrison. established Helivert to assemble the AW139 in Russia, this AgustaWestland pins hopes on new programmes programme marks the next step up in terms of cooperation Elsewhere at the venue, AgustaWestland, an Anglo-Italian to address the future needs of not only the growing Russian company, was pinning its hopes on new programmes, one market but also the worldwide market.” of which it announced at the show. Graham Cole, ChairAgustaWestland and Russian Helicopters established the man, AgustaWestland, said that the company would be joint venture company HeliVert in 2010 to assemble AW139 manufacturing a new AW189 civil helicopter in Yeovil, helicopters at a new plant in Tomilino, near Moscow. The which is expected to create 1,500 jobs in the UK and with plant will meet the growing demand for the AW139 helicopexport potential of £2 billion. ter in both Russian and CIS civil markets. AgustaWestland’s family of new generation helicopters made their first ever public appearance here. The family Eurocopter highlights superior mission versatility comprising the AW139 intermediate twin together with the Eurocopter brought the EC175 to the show, making a pitch first prototypes of AW169 light intermediate and AW189-8 about its superior mission versatility. Eurocopter’s twintonne class performed at the show. Additionally an offshore engine EC175 sets the standards for medium-class helicopconfigured AW139, a utility configured AW169 full size ters in offshore oil and gas operations, search and rescue, mock-up and a SAR configured AW189 full size mock-up VIP/corporate airlift and other missions. Deliveries will start were on static display. The company in all notched up 70 following the certification planned at the end of this year with the EC175 in the oil and gas configuration. “With its enhanced orders for medium and light helicopters. performance, state-of-the-art technology and high safety Russian Helicopters goes aggressive standards, the EC175 represents the best in Eurocopter’s Like Bell, AgustaWestland has also been seeking to increase application of innovation as we expand our helicopter prodits exposure to non-defence markets. So is Russia, which uct line,” said Eurocopter President and CEO Lutz Bertling. is going aggressive in its campaign. “Helicopters of Russia” showcased a new civilian model, including the newest Sikorsky streamlines global maintenance support medium multi-purpose helicopter Ka-62. The challenging On the opening day, Sikorsky announced that the Royal Thai environment has led to companies reworking their market- Army had signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) to acquire two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters through the ing strategy. The Director General of the holding, Russian Helicopters, United States Government’s foreign military sales (FMS) Dmitry Petrov said, “This year we brought to Farnborough channel. Upon delivery, Thailand will become the first mema decent number of models that combine the best traditions ber of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and qualities that our customers expect to see. They are a to fly the very latest version of the Black Hawk helicopter. Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) also announced the good example of our innovation and capabilities to remain launch of new mobile applications for the Sikorsky360 web competitive in the global marketplace.” Traditionally, the highest demand for Russian helicop- portal—a proprietary online support capability used by more ters has been from the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, than 4,000 operators globally. The new portal—known as MoLatin America, Russia and CIS countries. Holding “Russian bile360—supports Apple, Android and Blackberry mobile deHelicopters” was founded in 2007. In 2011, the income of vices and will provide streamlined access to important mainte“Helicopters of Russia” under IFRS grew by 27.8 per cent to nance information for Sikorsky customers worldwide. SP —By R. Chandrakanth $103.9 billion with shipments reaching 262 helicopters. 34 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
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show report Farnborough Air Show Engines ining the engines on this scale. Engine manufacturers are rejigging their engines to give the best mileage and lo there is a battle out there. At Farnborough, engine manufacturers engaged in a battle of words. Thrust, Efficiency and New technology mantra
Battle of Engines CFM highlighted how the LEAP engine gave substantial benefits with major improvements on fuel burn, while P&W showcased its PW1100G geared turbofan. RollsRoyce announced Trent 1000TEN, an advanced version of the Trent engine family.
Photograph: Anoop Kamath
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he Maruti automobile ad wherein an Indian shoots a question “kitna deti hai” (how much does it give... referring to mileage) comes to my mind. It is not just an Indian obsession. It is a worldwide phenomenon as fuel prices keep spiralling northwards. More than the automotive sector, the aviation sector has all the more reasons to ask such questions. Less fuel burn is what all aviation operators are looking at. In India, aviation turbine fuel accounts for 40 per cent of operational costs of an airline and any savings on the fuel improves the company’s bottom line. Concerted efforts are on to burn less fuel and one primary input is engine efficiency and airliners are closely exam-
Rolls-Royce set the ball rolling announcing that it would develop the Trent 1000-TEN (thrust, efficiency and new technology), an advanced version of the newest member of the Trent engine family, the Trent XWB. The -TEN will be certified to 76,000 lb. of thrust, with the capability to deliver 78,000 lb, and will become the Rolls-Royce engine offering for the -8 and -9 from 2016 onwards. The Trent XWB, from which the -TEN will be derived, is under development for the new Airbus A350 XWB, for which it is the exclusive engine. Rolls-Royce is targeting the -TEN on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, stating that it would affect up to three per cent less fuel consumption compared with the Trent 1000s which competes with GE Aviation’s GEnx. Not to be outdone by the announcement, GE said it would refine component efficiencies across its CF6-80E1 engine to provide up to a one per cent improvement in fuel efficiency for Airbus’ enhanced A330 aircraft with a 240-tonne takeoff-weight capability and an extended nautical mile range. CFM locks horns with Pratt
At Farnborough, two other engine manufacturers, CFM International and Pratt & Whitney, locked horns over fuel efficiency. CFM International highlighted how the LEAP engine gave substantial benefits with major improvements on fuel burn, while Pratt & Whitney showcased its PW1100G geared turbofan. Continuing the fight, Pratt & Whitney rubbished CFM’s assertions that its Leap-1A engine for the Airbus A320neo will be up to $4 million cheaper to operate over 15 years than the competing PW1100G on a per aircraft basis. CFM claimed that its Leap-1A on the A320neo will require 40 less fuel tank refills per year than the PW1100G geared turbofan. Together with predicted savings from fewer maintenance visits, CFM says the Leap could be $3 million to $4 million cheaper per aircraft over 15 years, based on net present value. Quick to respond to that was Pratt President David Hess who minced no words, throwing CFM’s contention out of the window. The geared turbofan, he explained, had six fewer stages than the conventionally configured CFM engine. “That’s 25 per cent fewer stages and 2,000 fewer airfoils—or 50 per cent fewer. Plus it runs cooler. So someone needs to explain to me how you take that and translate it into a $3 million to $4 million advantage in terms of net present value.” Substantiating Pratt’s advantages, he said the geared turbofan had the potential to earn up to $325 billion over the life of the four airliner programmes for which it is already launched. With engine makers in a neck-and-neck race in bagging orders based on fuel efficiency, the aviation industry is sure that the battle is going to benefit the industry in the long run with enhanced investments in research and development. SP —By R. Chandrakanth Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 35
show report Farnborough Air Show Industry
Building Radars and Relations The Raytheon Way After over two years of intensive analysis and development, the joint Raytheon/ISRO GAGAN algorithm team was able to achieve technical consensus. This brings India one step closer to fielding the GAGAN system and achieving their performance-based navigation goals.
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Photograph: Raytheon
am told Raytheon normally organises an ‘Indian dinner’ for the Indian media at both Paris and Farnborough air shows. This year, the venue was Vineet Bhatia’s Michelin-starred restaurant ‘Rasoi’ in London, where we were pampered with teasing entrees to awesome desserts, peppered with bonhomie. The choice of the restaurant is to be noted—Raytheon, I surmise, wants to give the best. William L. Blair, President, Raytheon India, and Andy Zogg, Vice President (Business Development) Raytheon Network Centric Systems, talked about cuisine, culture, traffic and everything else but business, which they had reserved for the next day. “We are building relations and business will come along,” quipped Blair. The next day the luncheon meeting was businesslike. Presenting an overview of air traffic management (ATM) solutions, Andy Zogg said the opportunities were aplenty and across continents with air travel becoming a norm. Raytheon has footprints in several countries, including India where its AutoTrac III (AT3) is operational in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai airports. Raytheon’s presence in India spans over 60 years. It has a range of products and solutions—missiles, radars, air traffic management, soldier modernisation and battlefield management systems—which suit India’s defence and security requirements. A similar system has been installed at Dubai World Central’s Al Maktoum International Airport, while it has responded to recent request for proposals (RFP) from Vietnam and Thailand. Everywhere, Raytheon is looking at broadening its industrial relations base. Cost-effective ATM
Specifically about ATM solutions, Zogg said the AT3 system is an advanced, cost-effective solution to the challenges the ATM community in the 21st century is facing—traffic growth outpacing revenue growth and the drive to increase capacity and productivity in a cost-conscious environment. 36 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
The AT3 system, with its modern open architecture design and high performance characteristics, is fully adaptable and scalable to any ATM environment, ranging from a simple tower automation application to a fully integrated national multi-centre system. Assessing the air traffic movement in India, which has been growing exponentially, the Raytheon system, he said, provided high-performance, cost-effective solution, making it one of the most modern ATM systems in the world. Raytheon builds ground stations for GAGAN
Zogg said the global positioning system (GPS)-aided geosynchronous augmented navigation (GAGAN) will be the world’s most advanced air navigation system and further reinforces India’s leadership in the forefront of air navigation. It will greatly improve safety, reduce congestion and enhance communications to meet India’s growing air traffic management needs. The GAGAN solution addresses the four essential elements of safe air navigation, accuracy, integrity, availability and continuity. Raytheon is building the ground stations for GAGAN system. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are providing the space segment and additional ground equipment, as well as participating in the integration and operation of the system. GAGAN to go operational in 2013
GAGAN is on schedule and will go operational in 2013. Raytheon and ISRO have completed the development of algorithms to provide satellite-based navigation service over the Indian flight information region in order to deliver a comprehensive solution for the Indian climate to ISRO and AAI. After over two years of intensive analysis and development, the joint Raytheon/ISRO GAGAN algorithm team was able to achieve technical consensus. Technical consensus brings India one step closer to fielding the GAGAN system and achieving their performance-based navigation goals. SP —By R. Chandrakanth www.spsaviation.net
show report Farnborough Air Show Industry
Firm Orders MRJ banks on fuel efficiency, low noise and cabin comfort
Photograph: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
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rom the Eastern Hemisphere, serious inroads, albeit delayed, are being made into the regional jet (RJ) market by two players— Russia’s Sukhoi Superjet 100 and Japan’s Mitsubishi MRJ. Both are fast gaining momentum and they made their presence felt at Farnborough. Meanwhile, the Chinese programme ARJ21 has hit a roadblock. There was a windfall for Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation which got a firm order for 100 MRJs from SkyWest, the holding company for the two regional air carriers, who conduct the world’s largest combined regional airline operations. The first delivery is expected in 2017 and all aircraft will be delivered by 2020. MRJ’s first flight has been slated for 2013 and the first delivery to 2015. MRJ has received 130 aircraft orders so far including 25 (15 firm, 10 option) from All Nippon Airways, 100 (50 firm, 50 option) from Trans States Holdings and five (all firm) from ANI Group Holdings. The agreement, if developed into a binding purchase order, would increase the number of orders for the MRJ to 230 aircraft. One out of every four departures is an RJ
Giving the market dynamics and forecast for regional jets, Hank Iwasa, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation said that one out of every four departures was made by a regional jet in 2011 and that the growth of regional jets was 45 per cent from 2003 to 2011, while narrow body and wide body aircraft registered a 41 per cent growth. Regional jets, he said, had a large and well-diversified customer base across the globe. The fleet size was 3,287, of which 57 per cent was in North America; 20 per cent in Europe; eight per cent each in Asia-Pacific and Latin America;
four per cent in Africa and three per cent in the Middle East. There were 214 operators worldwide with Europe accounting for 25 per cent; followed by Africa at 21 per cent; AsiaPacific at 18 per cent; North America and Latin America at 14 per cent each; and the Middle East at eight per cent. Growth of 70-100 seat segment
Iwasa said that the 90-100-seat segment was growing in numbers, while the 70-seat category remained stable and there was a decline in the 50-seat segment. Overall, there was demand for 5,000 plus 70-100 seat regional jets for the 2011-30 period. The total forecast of commercial jets was 28,400 aircraft with narrow-body accounting for 51 per cent (14,600); wide-body 28 per cent (8,050), 70-100 seat demand of 5,600 (20 per cent) and 50 seat RJ at 150 (1 per cent). Of the 5,600 aircraft demand, North America would lead with 38 per cent; followed by Europe 26 per cent; Asia-Pacific 20 per cent; Latin America nine per cent; Africa four per cent and Middle East three per cent for 2011-30 period. The President of Mitsubishi, Hideo Egawa; said about the MRJ, “It is really a very quiet regional jet.” The features of the MRJ included significant noise reduction; significantly lower burn and CO2 emissions and the most spacious cabin. Compared to the Embraer 170/190 and the CRJ 700/900, the MRJ had the widest and highest cabin; widest passenger seat and the largest overhead bin. The width was 108.5 inches; seat was 18.5 inches and the cabin was 80 inches. The MRJ features Pratt & Whitney’s game-changing PurePower engine along with state-of-the-art aerodynamic design and is expected to offer game-changing competitiveness and profitability for the world’s airlines and regional operators. SP —By R. Chandrakanth Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 37
Space Mars
one big step: The MSL Rover named Curiosity was designed to assess whether Mars ever had an environment able to support microbes
Photographs: Nasa
Mission Mars With the rover now safely on the surface of the Red Planet, NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory begins its oneMartian-year (98-week) mission of discovery and exploration
38 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
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Space Mars
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ith the most advanced Mars rover Curiosity’s successful landing on the planet, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has achieved a major milestone in its search for evidence of existence of microbial life on the Red Planet. The one-tonne rover, hanging by ropes from a rocket backpack, touched down on Mars, ending a 36-week flight and the beginning of two-years of investigation. According to NASA, Curiosity landed at 10:32 p.m. on August 5, PDT (1:32 on August 6, EDT), near the foot of a mountain five km tall inside Gale Crater, 155 km in diameter. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft that carried Curiosity succeeded in every step of the most complex landing ever attempted on Mars, including the final severing of the bridle cords and flyaway manoeuvre of enjoying the success: MSL team in the MSL Mission the rocket backpack. Support Area reacts after NASA Administrator learning that the Curiosity Charles Bolden said, “Today, rover has landed safely the wheels of Curiosity have on Mars and images have started coming in at the Jet begun to blaze the trail for huPropulsion Laboratory on man footprints on Mars. CuMars on August 5, 2012 in riosity, the most sophisticated Pasadena, California Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 39
Space Mars
Curiosity Specifications Rovers Launch vehicle Heat shield diameter Design mission life on Mars Science payload Rover mass Rover size (excluding arm) Robotic arm
Entry, descent and landing Landing ellipse (99 per cent confidence area) Power supply on Mars Computer
1 (Curiosity) Atlas V 14.8 feet (4.5 metres) 1 Mars year (98 weeks) 10 instruments, 165 pounds (75 kg) 1,982 pounds (899 kg) Length: 10 feet (3 metre); Width: 9 feet (2.7 metres); Height: 7 feet (2.2 metres) 7 feet (2.1 metres) long, deploys two instruments, collects powdered samples from rocks, scoops soil, prepares and delivers samples for analytic instruments, brushes surfaces Guided entry, sky crane 12 miles (20 kilometres) long
Multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (about 2,700 watt hours per sol) Redundant pair, 200 megahertz, 250 MB of RAM, 2 GB of flash memory
Rover’s size, compared with a 5-foot, 8-inch man
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rover ever built, is now on the surface of the Red Planet, where it will seek to answer age-old questions about whether life ever existed on Mars – or if the planet can sustain life in the future. “This is an amazing achievement, made possible by a team of scientists and engineers from around the world and led by the extraordinary men and women of NASA and our Jet Propulsion Laboratory. President Obama has laid out a bold vision for sending humans to Mars in the mid-2030s, and today’s landing marks a significant step toward achieving this goal.” Confirmation of Curiosity’s successful landing came in communications relayed by NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter and received by the Canberra, Australia, antenna station of NASA’s Deep Space Network. “The Seven Minutes of Terror has turned into the Seven Minutes of Triumph,” said NASA Associate Administrator for Science John Grunsfeld. “My immense joy in the success of this mission is matched only by the overwhelming pride, I feel for the women and men of the mission’s team.” Curiosity carries 10 science instruments with a total mass 15 times as large as the science payloads on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Some of the tools are the first of their kind on Mars, such as a laser-firing instrument for checking the rocks elemental composition from a distance. Later in the mission, the rover will use a drill and scoop at the end of its robotic arm to gather soil and powdered samples of rock interiors, then sieve and parcel out these samples into analytical laboratory instruments inside the rover. To handle this science toolkit, Curiosity is twice as long and five times as heavy as Spirit or Opportunity. The Gale Crater landing site places the rover within driving distance to layers of the crater’s interior mountain. Observations from orbit have identified clay and sulfate minerals in the lower layers, indicating a wet history. The mission is managed by JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL. With Curiosity now safely on the surface of the Red Planet, descent and landing in Gale Crater, NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory begins its one-Martian-year (98-week) mission of discovery and exploration. Curiosity landed facing east-southeast within Gale Crater, with a heading of 112.7 degrees (plus or minus five degrees), and a few degrees of tilt. A Sol 1 overpass by Mars Odyssey will provide additional information on Curiosity’s position and additional imagery. A first look at some colour images taken just before landing by MSL’s Mars Descent Imager also provided additional information on the rover’s precise location. Activities planned for Sol 1 during the mission’s approximately one-month characterisation activity phase include deploying Curiosity’s high-gain antenna, collecting science data from Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector and Rover Environmental Monitoring Station instruments, and obtaining additional imagery. The mission’s characterisation activity phase is designed to learn how all Curiosity’s subsystems and instruments are functioning after landing and within the environment and gravitational field of Mars. NASA’s Curiosity will spend two years exploring Gale Crater and a three-mile (5 km)-high mountain comprising sediments rising from the crater’s floor. SP www.spsaviation.net
SP’s Exclusive Procurement
BREAKING NEWS
Tender for LUH Indian Navy floats tender for 56 naval utility helicopters By SP’s Special Correspondent
Photograph: Sp guide pubns
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fter inviting information in 2010, the Indian Navy has floated a tender for 56 naval utility helicopters (NUH) from global vendors. The Navy is looking to replace its Chetak and multi-role antisubmarine torpedo carrying helicopters with suitable newbuild light utility helicopters. “The helicopter should be a wheeled twin-engine helicopter of modern airframe design with modern, proven, reliable and fuel-efficient engines and fully integrated advanced avionics,” the Navy has stipulated in its request for proposal (RFP). The Navy wants interested contenders to field helicopters that are IFR capable with dual controls but capable of single pilot operations (the default operational crew being 2 pilots and an aircrew man diver). The day and night missions to be undertaken by the new fleet would include (a) search and rescue, (b) casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), (c) logistics and communication duties including under slung
cargo, (d) limited observation and surveillance, (e) limited electronic intelligence (ELINT) gathering, (f) anti-submarine warfare (ASW) attack with light torpedo/depth charge, (g) provide dynamic response during aid to civil authorities, (h) anti-terrorism/anti-piracy with small arms. The Navy stipulates that the helicopter must be able to operate from small decks and larger decks up to aircraft carrier in adverse weather by day and night. Significantly, the Navy is looking to replace its single-engine Chetaks with twin-engine NUHs. SP
Attack Helicopters continued from page 20... troops deployed in Siachen. The AAC already has in its inventory the lancer gunship (armed Cheetah) complete with a sighting system, gun and rockets and has been bloodied in operations in counter-insurgency environment. The armed version of the ALH (Rudra) is purely an Army project and is being inducted into the AAC by the end of this year. In addition to the gun and rockets, the Rudra has air-toair and air-to-ground missiles, akin to any state-of-the-art attack helicopter in service today. In fact, the light combat helicopter (LCH) being developed by HAL will have the same weapon complement as the Rudra. As per the AAC Perspective Plans (future plans), the Rudra units will form part of the Pivot/Holding Corps and will play a crucial role in any future conflict. It would be pertinent to mention here that the Army Aviation test pilots and flight test engineers were totally involved in the selection and integration process of all the weapon systems in the Rudra project. This should put aside any fears/apprehensions regarding the capabilities of the Army to operate and maintain armed/attack helicopters that my colleagues in IAF may have. With regard to the second issue, both the ALH and Rudra are above the five-tonne category. Hence the repeated reference to this issue defies logic. Secondly, today the entire threat perception and security environment has undergone a drastic change since 1986. Indian Army faces a two-front threat and anticipates hybrid nature of operations in the future and has embarked on the road to modernisation and transformation to keep pace with the emerging threats and challenges. The other two services are also a part of this
process and their acquisition plans speak for themselves. The Air Force needs to focus more on its strategic role and leave the TBA for the Army to handle, keeping in mind the nature of future conflicts. There is a tacit need for the Air Force to have a re-look at the 1986 document and move away from a rigid mindset. Enhance the overall goal and capability of the land forces
The role that Army Aviation needs to perform in support of land battle requires equipment, personnel, air crew and organisations enhancing the overall goal and capability of the land forces commander. The need is for dedicated air crew who are not only proficient in flying but are associated full time with army manoeuvres, operational thinking and ground tactics, as well as spend time in the field. The present structure is not suited for the short, swift and limited wars envisaged in the future. Turf battles are part of every nation’s defence forces, but the experience of other nations clearly illustrate that each service needs a viable integral aviation component for it to retain the capacity to meet future challenges on the ground by using aerial manoeuvre and attack as part of its response to the dynamics of an ever changing battlefield. The control and ownership of attack helicopters and medium-/heavy-lift helicopters by the army is an operational imperative due to the need for integration of all elements of Army Aviation (combat and combat support) into a cohesive combat organisation. The time for decision is now. SP Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 41
Preview IFATSEA 2012
Now in India
IFATSEA 2012 General Assembly to be held in New Delhi from September 10-14 will serve as a platform for 200 delegates from 40 countries to discuss on varied aviation-related issues
Photograph: Ifatsea
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he 42nd International Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Associations (IFATSEA) General Assembly to be organised by the CNS Officers’ Guild will be held from September 10-14 at the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi. The IFATSEA General Assembly 2012 would have about 500 eminent persons, professionals, manufacturers, suppliers, including 200 delegates from more than 40 countries. The assembly will give all the stakeholders in the aviation sector, the industry, manufacturers and suppliers across the globe, a platform to meet up with technical experts, key decision-makers from the aviation sector and showcase their products. “It is an honour that India is hosting 42nd IFATSEA General Assembly. I expect that the event will draw an overwhelming response from across the globe; a lot of issues will be discussed and we may come up with some really effective solutions for some of the issues,” says V.P. Agrawal, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI). IFATSEA is the global body for the representation of ATSEPs on professional matters and brings together the professional associations of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEPs) from across the world. With more than 20,000 members from 60 countries worldwide, IFTSA members assemble every year for a general assembly organised by the member countries on behalf of IFATSEA. About 200 ATSEPs from 40 countries or more assemble for a week every year to share technical information and to discuss and decide on important professional and organisational matters. It also serves as a dais for all the stakeholders in the aviation sector and the industry, manufacturers and suppliers, to be under one roof, share information and discuss projects, products and engineering information on modernisation of the air navigation and air traffic management engineering systems. “The growth forecast of civil aviation in India is quite positive and the passenger traffic in India is expected to increase at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of more 42 SP’S AVIATION Issue 8 • 2012
than 11 per cent in the next five years. AAI has drawn up the master plan for implementation of future air navigation system (FANS) for CNS-ATM, considering the trends, growth forecast and the future challenges in mind. This includes shift from voice communication to digital data communication, ground-based navigation to satellite based navigation, i.e. GAGAN - Indian SBAS, modern radar coverage with ADSB, multilateration, etc. The continuous growth in number of aircraft movements and passengers impinges upon AAI to continuously engage in research and development as an integral part of its activities to upgrade CNS/ATM systems and airport infrastructure with state-of-the-art systems. This constant endeavour for automation of CNS/ATM systems— by defining new systems, incorporating state-of-the-art proven technology in coordination with the aviation industry and in conformity with ICAO requirements and its implementation—is a constant in-house activity of AAI,” informs Agrawal. It may be mentioned that ATSEPs are specialists in communication, navigation, surveillance (CNS) and air traffic management (ATM) engineering systems, responsible for system specification, procurement, installation, calibration, maintenance, flight testing and certification of ground electronic systems, thus controlling aircraft movements. The CNS Officers’ Guild is a professional body of the CNS engineers and executives (ATSEPs) of the AAI and is an affiliated member of IFATSEA. Earlier the CNS Officers’ Guild has organised two very successful international seminars, including “Emerging trends in the Communication, Navigation & Surveillance in Civil Aviation” in 2007 and “Next Generation Air Traffic Engineering Systems (NGATES)” in 2010. The seminars organised by the CNS professionals are mega events to present and exchange information and bring together airspace users, airport operators, air navigation service providers, equipment manufacturers, airline, airport and air traffic service professionals and passengers. SP Guide Publications is a media partner of IFATSEA 2012. SP www.spsaviation.net
Hall of Fame
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f a list were to be compiled of young people who were fired by the dream of space exploration just by reading the science fiction stories of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, the name of Wernher von Braun would feature prominently. Born in Wirsitz, Germany (now Wyrzysk, Poland), on March 23, 1912, von Braun was also captivated by the studies of Hermann Oberth, a German physicist and engineer, who was considered to be one of the founding fathers of rocketry and astronautics. As a teenager, von Braun was keenly interested in spaceflight, becoming closely involved in the German rocket society, Verein fur Raumschiffarht. Later, he became one of the most important rocket developers and champions of space exploration ever. His crowning achievement was the development of the gigantic Saturn V rocket that enabled the first human beings to reach the moon’s surface in 1969. In 1932, Wernher von Braun went to work for the German Army to develop ballistic missiles. In 1934, he led a group that successfully launched two liquid-fuel rockets more than 2.5 km aloft. After World War II broke out, von Braun and his team operated from a secret laboratory at Peenemünde on the Baltic coast. They produced the famous V-2 rocket—a liquid propellant missile 46 feet long and weighing 27,000 pounds. It could fly at over 5,600 kmph and deliver a 2,200-pound warhead to a target 800 km away. It was the precursor of much larger rockets later used by the United States and the Soviet Union. In the closing stages of the war, von Braun and 500 of his top scientists surrendered to the Americans, along with detailed rocket blueprints and test equipment. They were received with open arms. For the next 15 years, von Braun’s 120-man team worked with the US Army in the development of ballistic missiles. In 1950, at the missile proving grounds in White Sands, New Mexico, they built the Army’s Redstone tactical ballistic missile. The team also developed the Jupiter intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) and the Pershing missile.
The intensifying space race with the Soviet Union created an urgent need for von Braun’s expertise. The 1957 launch of Sputnik 1 greatly alarmed the American public who felt that their country had fallen way behind the Soviets. The US Government tasked von Braun to create an orbital launch vehicle—something he had volunteered to do in 1954, but had been rebuffed.
Wernher von Braun (1912 - 1977)
His crowning achievement was the development of the Saturn V rocket that enabled human beings to reach the moon’s surface in 1969. Apollo Space Program Director Sam Phillips once said America would not have reached the moon as quickly as it did without his help. In the event, his Jupiter-C successfully launched America’s first satellite, Explorer 1, on January 31, 1958, signalling the birth of the US space programme. In 1960, von Braun became the Director of the newly established NASA Marshall Space Flight Centre. The centre’s first major programme was the development of the Saturn
multi-stage liquid-fuel launch vehicle to carry heavy payloads into and beyond earth’s orbit. From this emerged the Apollo programme for manned lunar flights. Wernher von Braun initially favoured a flight engineering concept that involved an earth orbit rendezvous technique (the same method he had proposed for building a space station). However, in 1962, he switched to the more risky lunar orbit rendezvous concept that was subsequently validated. His dream became a reality when a Saturn V rocket launched Apollo 11 on a historic mission that saw the first two humans set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. Over the next three years, Saturn V rockets enabled six pairs of American astronauts to tread the surface of the moon. In all, NASA launched 13 Saturn V boosters, with no loss of crew or payload. It remains the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful space rocket ever made operational, and still holds the record for the heaviest launch vehicle payload. By 1972, however, it was clear that von Braun and NASA had significantly different visions for future US spaceflight; besides, popular support for space exploration was waning dramatically. So von Braun retired from NASA on May 26, 1972. On June 16, 1977, he died of pancreatic cancer, at the age of 65. Apollo Space Program Director Sam Phillips was once quoted as saying that he did not think that America would have reached the moon as quickly as it did without von Braun’s help. Later, after reconsidering, he went a step further, saying he did not believe America would have reached the moon at all. However, throughout von Braun’s life in the United States, he was dogged by allegations that he had been a Nazi sympathiser and had either taken part in Nazi atrocities during World War II or had deliberately turned a blind eye to them. He strenuously denied these allegations and nothing was ever proved. Suffice it to say that Wernher von Braun is still considered one of the most important specialists in the field of rocketry and jet propulsion the world has seen. SP —Group Captain (Retd) Joseph Noronha, Goa Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 43
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BY SP’s Special Correspondent Boeing begins flight tests on India's P-8I Neptune
Meeting schedules ahead of the deliveries starting 2013, Boeing has officially begun flight testing of the Indian Navy's first P-8I Neptune long-range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft. The first of the eight jets being built at the company's facility in Renton, Washington, entered official flight testing on July 7 taking off from Boeing Field in Seattle at 9:15 a.m. and landing three hours and 49 minutes later after demonstrating flying qualities and handling characteristics. According to Boeing, the flight went as planned with all test objectives met. The Indian Navy has ordered a total of eight such jets, with four more likely to be contracted. According to Boeing, during the coming months, Boeing test pilots will put the P-8I, through its paces over a US Navy test range west of Neah Bay, Washington, and a joint US/Canadian test range in the Strait of Georgia. "Today's flight is another on-time milestone for the programme. We'll start out testing the P-8I's mission system, which includes its sensors and communication systems. The team then will transition to 'stores' tests during which the P-8I will carry inert weapon shapes under its wings to demonstrate that the aircraft is capable of carrying all the weapons the Indian Navy will use during regular missions," said Leland Wight, Boeing P-8I Program Manager. The stores the P-8I will carry will have identical shape and size of real weapons, including the Harpoon anti-ship missile, depth bombs and torpedoes. "This is an important milestone for the programme and sets the stage for operational testing
and weapons certification as we move closer to P-8I aircraft joining the Indian Navy," said Rear Admiral D.M. Sudan, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), Indian Navy. • Attack helicopters for the Army The government has accorded crucial clearance to the Army to operate its own attack helicopter units, bringing to a close a long-standing spat between the Army and Air Force over tactical battlefield assets. India currently has two attack helicopter units, both under the command and control of the Army, but flown and maintained by IAF pilots and personnel. The government's approval could mean either of three things: that the two Mi-25/35 flights under two helicopter units will soon be flown by Army Aviation pilots (the choppers are in IAF livery) and the IAF will raise new units to house the 22 new attack helicopters (prospectively, the Boeing AH-64D Apache Block III) and, later, the light combat helicopter or; the Mi-25/35s will be transferred to IAF command and control, while the Army raises new units and floats fresh requirements (it already stands to receive the Dhruv-WSI); or a status quo on command and control of the current units, until new platforms enter service. •
textbook launch meeting all mission objectives and the missile reached the target point in the Bay of Bengal following the prescribed trajectory," said Dr Avinash Chander, Chief Controller R&D (Missiles & Strategic Systems) and Agni Programme Director. The Agni-I was launched from a road mobile launcher system and was tracked by radar and telemetry stations located along the coastline. Two Indian Navy warships located near the target point tracked the missile in its terminal phase of the flight. The Agni-I is already a part of India's nuclear deterrence arsenal. The surface-to-surface 2,000 km-range ballistic missile Agni-II has also been successfully flight tested for the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha on August 9. All the systems, propulsion, control, actuators, on-board computers, missile interface units and the navigation guidance systems functioned fully to perfection and ensured the vehicle reached the target within a few metres of accuracy. • Decision on 197 light helicopters soon
Strategic Forces Command exercises Agni-I
India's nuclear command, the SFC has once again exercised the 700-km-range nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile. The missile was successfully launched 1006 hours on July 13 from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. "It was a
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Eurocopter is waiting with baited breath as the crucial 197 reconnaissance and surveillance helicopter competition is headed towards a possible decision shortly. A special technical oversight committee (STOC) that had been set up by the Defence Ministry to scrutinize certain qualitative requirement waivers in the competition had been raised by a third party that was not part of the trials. It is understood that the STOC has recommended that the waivers are acceptable to both the Indian Army and the Indian Air
Force, for whom the helicopters are intended. The Eurocopter AS550 Fennec and Kamov Ka-226 Sergei are in close contention for the $750-million deal that will progressively replace Cheetah and Chetak fleets in the Army and IAF. For Eurocopter, the deal is a delicate one. In late 2007, after its Fennec was shortlisted for a contract, the deal was aborted at the last minute following allegations of divergence from laid down procurement norms. Another abort could prove disastrous for both the competitors as well as the armed forces, which desperately need light helicopters, especially for high altitude operations. • 'Nuclear' Rafale sweetens progress
As final commercial negotiations between India and France proceed on a deal for 126 Dassault Rafale fighters as part of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition, a recent event has sweetened progress. On June 19, the French Air Force demonstrated a nuclear deterrent capability by test-firing the MBDA ASMP-A standoff nuclear capable cruise missile. The mission lasted five hours and involved pilots from the 113 Air Base conducting a mid-air refuelling, a high-altitude cruise phase, and a dived low-altitude phase to enter the enemy territory. Dassault Aviation, it may be noted, was the only one of the six MMRCA firms that explicitly detailed for the IAF its nuclear deterrent capability along with the test plans. The IAF, in fact, was briefed and kept in the loop about the ASMP-A test. • For complete versions log on to: www.spsaviation.net & www.spsmai.com www.spsaviation.net
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Military Asia-Pacific The IAF swimming team, ‘first in the world record’ Within eight days of having crossed the English Channel successfully and becoming the fastest Asian Relay Team ever, the IAF’s swimming Team, Delphinus, crossed the English Channel once again, not just successfully but also beating its previous record. Having successfully crossed the English Channel on June 26 in 12 hours 14 minutes, breaking the previous Asian record in this category (relay), the team successfully crossed the English Channel once again on July 5, 2012, clocking 11 hours 25 minutes beating its own record. Led by Wing Commander Paramvir Singh and three other members, Flight Lieutenant Narayan Pethkar, Corporal A.K. Patel and Corporal S. Srihari, the team is the first ever armed forces team from India to swim the English Channel. Beijing’s Raptor knock off American intelligence agencies recently obtained new information on China’s second new stealth fighter-bomber
revealed on the Internet in the past two years, according to US officials. The new jet, dubbed the F-60, is a fifthgeneration warplane; a prototype of which was disclosed in photographs posted on two Chinese military affairs websites. Officials familiar with intelligence reports said the shape and design of the F-60 appears similar to the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor, although it is smaller in size. The similarities are raising concerns in counterintelligence circles that China obtained design details for its new jet from the F-22 through espionage or cyber-spying. P&W delivers engines for India’s Boeing C-17s Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corphas delivered the first four F117 engines for the Indian Air Force to power its fleet of Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. India will take delivery of its first C-17s in mid 2013. “Pratt & Whitney is pleased to deliver the first four F117 engines for the Indian Air Force’s C-17 programme,” said Bev Deachin, Vice President, Military Programmes and Customer Support, Pratt & Whitney.
QuickRoundUp
Americas Small Diameter Bomb II hits moving target
Raytheon Company's GBU53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) programme achieved a major milestone when it successfully engaged and hit a moving target during a recent flight test. SDB II is designed to engage moving targets in adverse weather and through battlefield obscurants. During the test, the crew of a US Air Force F-15E fighter released the GBU-53/B, which then acquired, tracked and guided to a moving target using its tri-mode seeker, scoring a direct hit. SDB II is the first in the next generation of smart weapons that uses multi-mode seekers and fully networkenabled data links. SDB II's capabilities include the ability for the weapon to be employed in primary attack modes, each with a subset mode, for a total of six engagement modes.
BAOA calls for immediate rollback of penalties on private aircraft parking
B
usiness Aircraft Operators' Association (BAOA) has expressed a strong objection to the outrageously high penalties levied by the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) on general aviation aircraft parking, effective from July 1. The penalty charges range between `1,000 and `15,000 per hour compared to `20 to `70 per metric tonne per hour charged by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) previously. These penalties are applicable on private aircraft registered outside Mumbai, and parked at the domestic airport beyond an agreed number of days. Speaking on the issue, Rohit Kapur, President, BAOA, said, "To restrict the movement of aircraft by levying such penalties is completely unacceptable, illegal, and beyond the purview of private airport developers. An aircraft registered in India can be used anywhere in the country and its movement cannot be restricted to limited airports, as this defeats the very purpose of private aircraft.” Going by the book, all such penalties have to be approved by the Airport Economic Reg-
ulatory Authority. Such penalties cannot be levied by private companies like MIAL. “It is the government’s duty to create requisite infrastructure for the aircraft to operate. If the present infrastructure is falling short, it does not give any agency the right to penalise the operators. The business aviation sector for many years now has been urging the government to create the needed infrastructure in terms of parking space, separate terminals and hangar. But the requests have been to no avail.” Kapur added. Captain Karan Singh, Managing Director, BAOA, said, “Aircraft need heavy maintenance throughout the year. Some of the oldest MROs in the country have operated at the Mumbai airport for over 50 years. They have specialised capability for handling many types of small and big aircraft. Aircraft from all over the country come to the two maintenance repair and overhaul (MROs) at Mumbai airport. Moreover, most of the pilot-availability is also based in Mumbai to fly the sophisticated machines.” •
Airbus Military • Airbus Military and MBDA have successfully completed the first flight of the C-295 maritime patrol aircraft with an instrumented Marte MK2/S anti-ship inert missile installed under the wing. The MBDA Marte MK2/S missile is a fire-and-forget, allweather, medium-range sea-skimming anti-ship weapon system, equipped with inertial mid-course guidance and radar homing terminal guidance. Alenia • Alenia Aermacchi has signed a contract with the Israeli Ministry of Defence to supply 30 M-346 advanced trainer aircraft. The deal is part of a larger government-to-government agreement between Israel and Italy that includes aircraft, engines, maintenance, logistics, simulators and training, provided also by other Israeli and international companies. ATR • During the Farnborough Air Show, the European turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR and Taiwan-based TransAsia Airways announced the contract for eight firm ATR 72-600s, plus an option for one additional ATR 72-600. The deal, including the option, is valued at over $210 million. Deliveries of these new ATR -600s will start in 2014. Boeing • Boeing has announced at the Farnborough International Air Show a commitment by Avolon to purchase ten 737 MAX 8s and five 737 MAX 9s, as well as 10 Next-Generation 737-800s. The commitment has a list-price value of $2.3 billion and also includes reconfirmation rights for five more 737 MAX airplanes. Bombardier • Bombardier Aerospace has announced that Latvia-based Air Baltic Corporation (airBaltic) has signed a letter of intent to acquire 10 CS300 aircraft and take purchase rights on a further 10 CS300 jetliners. Based on the list price of the CS300 airliner, a firm-order contract with the network carrier will be valued at $764 million, and could increase to $1.57 billion if the 10 purchase rights be converted to firm orders.
Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 45
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Appointments Air India The Civil Aviation Ministry has appointed Syed Nasir Ali as the Joint Managing Director of the ailing national carrier, reviving the post after nearly four years. The post would be an additional charge to Ali’s current responsibilities within the Ministry. BAE Systems BAE Systems has announced that Dan Gobel has been appointed president of the Electronic Systems sector. Gobel succeeds Tom Arseneault, who recently was named executive vice president for Product Sectors and Chief Technology Officer for BAE Systems Inc. Cassidian Cassidian announced the appointment of Thomas Koehler to the role of CEO of the CyberSecurity entity in Germany and Chief Strategy Officer of CyberSecurity. DGCA: India Arun Mishra, an IAS officer from the West Bengal cadre, has been appointed as Chief of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Mishra is likely to have a one-year term as the Civil Aviation Ministry is in the process of changing the qualifications for DGCA head as part of a wider overhaul of the regulatory regime for the aviation sector. Ministry of Civil Aviation K.N. Srivastava, Special Secretary and Financial Adviser in the External Affairs Ministry of India, has been appointed the new Secretary in the Civil Aviation Ministry. Rafael Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd has appointed Oron Oriol as Executive VP of Marketing. Oriol replaces Lova Drori, who has served in various positions at Rafael for 42 years. Boeing delivers 2nd production P-8A Poseidon
is using a first-in-industry, inline production process that draws on the Next-Generation 737 production system.
Europe
Boeing has delivered the second production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the US Navy. The P-8A is one of 13 low rate initial production (LRIP) maritime patrol aircraft that Boeing is building for the Navy as part of the two contracts awarded in 2011. Three P-8As currently are undergoing mission systems installation and checkout in Seattle, and three are in final assembly in Renton, Washington. In order to efficiently design and build P-8A aircraft for the Navy and P-8I aircraft for India, the Boeing-led team
A400M simulator contract awarded by UK MoD The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a multimillionpound contract to supply the first full-flight simulator (FFS) for the Royal Air Force A400M military transport aircraft, recently designated Atlas, by the European purchasing nations. The FFS employs state-of-the-art visual and motion technology developed and produced by Thales UK at its facility in Crawley, West Sussex. This follows on from orders for FFS from Spain, France and Germany. Rafale Transformation Squadron training capacity Thales announced the acceptance by the French Defence
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Procurement Agency (DGA) of the upgrade to the F3.2 standard of the first two Rafale simulator cabins at the simulation centre in Saint-Dizier. The Rafale Transformation Squadron in Saint-Dizier, which has a total of four cabins, provides training on the Rafale for French Air Force and Navy pilots, offering them a very high level of training in a complex tactical environment. UK accepts first international Lockheed Martin F-35
QuickRoundUp Cobham • Cobham plc has announced that the recently acquired company, Thrane & Thrane A/S, has been awarded the satellite communication component of an upgrade for a fleet of some 200 US Air Force C-130J Super Hercules in a deal expected to exceed DKK 150 million (about $25 million). The upgrade will use the AVIATOR 700D product which can be tailored to suit any commercial or military airframe and mission profile. Ethiopia
The United Kingdom accepted the first international Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft in a ceremony on July 19 with senior representatives of the UK Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defense. Philip Hammond, UK Secretary of State for Defence and Frank Kendall, US Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, represented their governments. “We are here to celebrate an important ‘first’ among so many milestones associated with the F-35 programme,” said Bob Stevens, Lockheed Martin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Civil Aviation Asia-Pacific Globetrotting Global 6000 jets into India for demo tour
• Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines have announced an order for one additional 777-200LR (longer range) Worldliner, adding to the airline's fleet of five 777-200LRs. The order is valued at approximately $276 million at list price. Finmeccanica • Finmeccanica, through its company AgustaWestland, has announced orders with a total value of more than €300 million (about $368.6 million) for 37 helicopters. GE Capital Aviation • GE Capital Aviation Service, the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric Company, announced at the Farnborough International Air Show, commitments for 75 LEAP-1B-powered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, in addition to an additional 25 CFM56-7B-powered Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. Goodrich • Goodrich Corporation has received a contract from the US Air Force to provide its advanced DB-110 airborne reconnaissance system for the Royal Saudi Air Force F-15S Modernisation Programme through the FMS contract. The contract includes 10 dual-band reconnaissance pods and five fixed, transportable and mobile ground exploitation stations. India
Early July, Bombardier Aerospace Global 6000 jet world tour reached India as the aircraft with its new vision flight deck making its South Asia
• India's indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft will not be fully operational any time before 2015. That is when the single-engine Tejas will become fully combat-ready after getting the final operational clearance. www.spsaviation.net
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Show Calendar 15-17 August LATIN AMERICAN BUSINESS AVIATION CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION (LABACE) Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brazil www.abag.org.br/labace2012 24-26 August MAINE AIR SHOW Brunswick Executive Airport, Brunswick, Maine, USA www.greatstateofmaineairshow.us 4-7 September BEIJING INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION SHOW Flight Inspection Center of CAAC, Beijing www.cibas-beijing.com/CIBAS/ index.php 10-14 September 42nd IFATSEA General Assembly 2012 The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi, India www.ifatsea2012.in 11-16 September ILA BERLIN AIR SHOW Berlin ExpoCenter Airport, Berlin www.ila-berlin.de/ila2012/ home/index.cfm 17-18 September THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS JETS Cambridge Airport, Cambridge, UK www.quaynote.com/ankiti/ www/?code=jet12&f=home 27-29 September JET EXPO Business Aviation Terminal, Vnukovo-3 Airport, Moscow www.2012.jetexpo.ru 22-23 October Police Aviation Prince Hotel & Residence, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia http://www.tangentlink.com/ police-aviation–kuala-lumpurmalaysia–22nd-23rd-october -2012-.html debut. The aircraft landed in Delhi on July 1 and continued to tour across the country until July 7, 2012. “The Global 6000 jet received an astounding reception in India,” said Nilesh Pattanayak, Managing Director, South Asia, Bom-
bardier Business Aircraft. India is among a number of countries considered to be key emerging markets for business aviation. Globalisation, increased travel requirements by business people and a general positive trend towards the acceptance of business aircraft use are among the contributors to increased activity in the region.
Industry Europe Official launch of the new Piaggio Aero MPA aircraft
Piaggio Aero announced at Farnborough the signature of a contract with Abu Dhabi Autonomous System Investments (ADASI), a subsidiary of Tawazun, for the development of a new special missions surveillance aircraft, the Piaggio Aero multi-role patrol aircraft (MPA). The comprehensive contract covers the complete development of the MPA aircraft, including the roll out of two prototypes with the first flight scheduled for 2014. Front section for first flyable A350 XWB arrives Airbus has delivered the front fuselage for the first flyable A350 XWB (MSN1) to the final assembly line (FAL) in Toulouse, France. The impressive 21-metre-long section is already equipped with its systems and was flown in from Airbus’ site in Saint-Nazaire, France by the Airbus Beluga transport aircraft. The A350 XWB front fuselage section will be mounted in the giant assembly jig ready to be joined with the centre and aft fuselage sections over the summer period. Before they arrive at the FAL, the aircraft sections are equipped and pre-assembled at Airbus sites in the United
Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany. All these major sections are transported to the FAL by the Beluga aircraft.
Space Asia-Pacific HAL delivers indigenous propellant tank to ISRO HAL has delivered the first fully indigenous fourth stage propellant tank (PS4) of polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently. "The indigenisation effort has resulted in foreign exchange savings of `1.2 crore," says R.K. Tyagi, Chairman, HAL. The PS4 tank is a part of the fourth stage of PSLV. It will carry 1.6 tonnes of liquid propellant mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) as fuel and mixed oxides of nitrogen (MON-3) as oxidiser during the flight. The machining of all parts for this tank is carried out at HAL and the welding work is carried out at Liquid Propulsion Centre of ISRO and HAL. The raw material is from Midhani and the Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels (BHPV) Limited.
Americas ATK completes final milestone for Liberty ATK successfully completed the last Liberty space transportation system milestone under the company's unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) with NASA for the Commercial Crew Development Programme (CCDev-2). The CCDev-2 Liberty SAA enabled NASA and the Liberty team to share technical information related to the Liberty transportation system during the preliminary design review phase of the programme. ATK completed five milestones and held three Technical Interchange Meetings, all on internal funding. Currently, Liberty's schedule includes unmanned test flights in 2014 and 2015, followed by the first crewed flight in late 2015 with Liberty astronauts. Commercial operational flights to take NASA astronauts to the ISS would begin in 2016. •
QuickRoundUp Lockheed Martin • With the delivery of four Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft an important milestone was achieved as the US Department of Defense now possesses more operational-coded F-35s than test aircraft. Nine F-35s have been delivered for the year, giving the DOD a total of 30 aircraft fleet-wide. Of these, 16 are operational aircraft and 14 are test planes. Pratt & Whitney • It was announced at the Farnborough Air Show that the P&W PurePower PW1200G engine has successfully completed its first flight test programme on June 21, following 23 flights and 127 hours on a specially designed stub wing aboard P&W Boeing 747SP flying test bed. Rolls-Royce • Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won an order worth $280 million, at list prices, from Avianca, part of the AviancaTaca group, for Trent 700 engines to power four Airbus A330 freighter aircraft. The contract includes long-term TotalCare services support. Russia • Rosoboronexport FGUP, Moscow, Russia, has been awarded a $171.5 million contract by the US Department of Defense. The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure 10 additional Mi-17 helicopters. Saab • Saab is to invest in an advanced training centre for experienced fighter pilots initially from Gripen countries and its user air forces, at Air Force Base Overberg in South Africa. The Gripen Fighter Weapon School is an initiative from Saab in cooperation with the Gripen Air Forces user group. Sikorsky • The US Army and Navy have signed a $8.5 billion contract with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation to buy a baseline quantity of 653 Black Hawk and Seahawk helicopters through December 2017.
Issue 8 • 2012 SP’S AVIATION 47
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Maladies
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Photograph: PIB
T
he sudden removal of Bharat Bhushan from the post of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on July 10, without any reason being assigned, triggered speculation among the aviation industry watchers as to the real intent behind this rather jarring and precipitate action. What added a touch of the bizarre to this decision was that just a week ago the government had approved extension of his tenure up to the end of the year. Besides, given the ongoing turmoil in the airline industry, the decision appears somewhat inopportune. The only official explanation that emanated from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) was that Bharat Bhushan’s extension was a “procedural error” as it was without the minister’s approval. However, given the shady nature of the circumstances surrounding the sordid episode, this explanation appears to be no more than an effort by the MoCA to obfuscate the issue and mislead the nation, an exercise routinely resorted to even by democratically elected governments against their innocent, illinformed and unsuspecting populace. Bharat Bhushan was already serving as Additional Secretary in the MoCA when he took over as the DGCA from Nasim Zaidi in December 2010. His 19-month tenure as DGCA has indeed been stormy, battling both the ills of the aviation industry and the skulduggery of some of those placed above him in the MoCA. Vayalar Ravi, former Minister of Civil Aviation, was surprised at this move describing Bharat Bhushan as “one of the finest officers he had ever known, one who made all efforts to check corruption in the aviation industry”. Where then did things go wrong for Bharat Bhushan? During his tenure, Bharat Bhushan adopted a no-nonsense approach and had to negotiate a virtual minefield, tackling cases of violation of safety regulations, large-scale fudging of records of hours flown at flying training establishments and the award of Commercial Pilot Licence on the basis of fraudulent certificates through direct collusion of senior functionaries in his directorate. A notable achievement of his tenure has been the computerisation of licensing examinations for pilots and engineers thus achieving high degree of transparency and eliminating the role of touts and middlemen. He displayed tenacity of purpose, the capability of resolute action and the courage to take on the political establishment. In the bargain, Bharat Bhushan could well have made enemies in the aviation industry as well as in the political establishment, the latter also often falling prey to parochialism. As the MoCA is also reported to have been at loggerheads with the PMO over the extension of tenure, it is possible that Bharat Bhushan was a victim of multidimensional internal conflict, lack of coordination or power play within the government duly abetted by external factors.
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Bharat Bhushan, former director general DGCA
Without the right degree or autonomy for the regulatory authority, lack of congruence in objectives between the MoCA and the DGCA as also perpetual political interference that could undermine air safety, the future of the Indian civil aviation industry hardly appears inspiring! From media reports, it appears that differing perceptions, divergence of views and perhaps even conflict between the DGCA and the MoCA over the maladies afflicting the Indian civil aviation industry, were rather frequent. For reasons of air safety, Bharat Bhushan did not go along with the recommendations of the MoCA to relax the rules for import of old aircraft. He refused to buckle under pressure from the MoCA to renew non-scheduled operator’s permit (NSOP) of an influential business house in Mumbai that had violated import regulations. The concerned agency is believed to have imported an aircraft under NSOP when it was meant for private use, essentially to avoid payment of import duty. Not surprisingly, Bharat Bhushan was overruled by the MoCA. Bharat Bhushan had maintained an uncompromising posture against the Indian carriers on issues of air safety especially in the case of those in financial difficulty on account of which they were often inclined to short-circuit procedures and undermine safety regulations. In his sights were Air India and Kingfisher, the latter under threat of closure. Many are inclined to believe that the owners of the latter have the political and financial clout to influence decisions by the government, a possibility stoutly denied both by Kingfisher and the political establishment. Without the right degree or autonomy for the regulatory authority, lack of congruence in objectives between the MoCA and the DGCA as also perpetual political interference that could undermine air safety, the future of the Indian civil aviation industry hardly appears inspiring! SP — Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey www.spsaviation.net
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