 |
COMMERCIAL NEWS - Italy’s new national carrier readies itself for an autumn launch, IATA deems Europe’s Digital COVID Certificate a potential global standard, and Embraer opens up about its next-gen turboprop airline project.
MILITARY NEWS - Another UK defence company could be snapped up by overseas rivals, Kazakhstan signs for the A400M, and negotiations begin for the British Army’s UAS requirement.
UAV FOCUS - SkyGuardian N190TC is back in UK airspace, Kratos and GA-ASI win US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center contracts, and Boeing’s MQ-25 T1 refuels a US Navy VX-20 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
ROTARY FOCUS - Swiss developer Dufour Aerospace unveils its tilt-wing Aero3, Leonardo trains the latest Royal Norwegian Air Force AW101 search and rescue helicopter personnel, and Russian Helicopters presents a mock-up of a new glass cockpit.
BUSINESS FOCUS - GAMA’s Shipment Report for Q2 2021 confirms the mixed state of business aviation, Tamarack Aerospace Group emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and Jet Edge International plans to increase its business jet fleet by more than 50%.
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - Leonardo’s Multi Aperture InfraRed (MAIR) threat warning system goes into series production, Porter Airlines installs the world’s lightest aircraft seat, and the US Navy acquires MX-20 EO/IR sensors for Poseidon.
SPACE FOCUS - Surrey Satellite Technology unveils a lunar mission builder app, US Space Systems Command declares three GPS III satellites ready for launch, and NASA develops a radiation risk measurement capability.
BUYER’S MARKET COVER STORY - Increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific have led many countries to assess their defence spending and priorities, and with it a focus on combat air capabilities.
PRIDE OF THE SCOTS - Loganair CEO Jonathan Hinkles talks to Tara Craig about the rapidly expanding Scottish airline that remained operational throughout the pandemic - and which he describes as “big enough to cope, but small enough to care”.
AFTER THE BURN - Russia continues to play a lead role in the development of afterburning turbofan engines, powering fourth and fifthgeneration aircraft.
WHERE E-GULLS DARE - Tom Batchelor reports on the Hover Bird, an as yet under wraps drone inspired by Cornish seagulls and how they use wind currents to their advantage to gain altitude and cover great distances.
GAME CHANGER - Boeing Vancouver’s Jack Hsu’s gaming industry experience is crucial to his latest challenge, found Howard Slutsken - a bid to develop aircraft inspection AR software.
GOING GREEN - The need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions has led to biofuel testing for military aviation, but meeting targets has been slower than expected.
FUEL FOR THOUGHT - Commercial aviation is pulling out all the stops to hit its environmental targets, with sustainable aviation fuel playing a critical role, reports Nigel Pittaway.
EMERGENT PLAYER - Spurred on in the early 2000s by the growing international unmanned market, Turkey developed an indigenous drone industry and has become a significant UAV developer.
EYE IN THE SKY - Originally destined for the air wing of the Soviet Navy, the Kamov Ka-31 has established itself in the export market as a niche airborne early warning rotorcraft.
STRIKE ACTION - Lightning strikes pose a huge risk to airports and airlines. Tom Batchelor looks at the best preventative measures.
POWERING THE FUTURE - Europe’s next fighter aircraft will not be operational until 2040, but work is under way on its powerplant.
NO LIMIT? - In a first for spaceflight, the European Space Agency has invited applications from potential astronauts with physical disabilities. Mark Broadbent considers the risks and benefits.
COVER IMAGE: Lockheed Martin’s F-35 has achieved success in the Indo-Pacific region, where it is operated by Australia, Japan and South Korea, with Singapore to follow Nigel Pittaway
Elsewhere, we look at one of the success stories of the COVID-19 pandemic, Scotland’s Loganair (page 32), speak to the inventor of a new drone inspired by the birds of the Cornish coast (see Where E-gulls Dare on page 44) and dive into the world of sustainable aviation fuel (page 56).
Climate change is making its impact felt in the defence aerospace sector, too, as national governments, keen to show their green credentials, continue efforts to increase the proportion of biofuel used by their air forces (page 50). Progress has been patchy, but the demands placed on militaries will only increase as social pressure mounts on world leaders to prove their eco efforts are more than just lip service.
Takeovers of UK defence companies remain a talking point following the proposed acquisition of Ultra Electronics by US-owned Cobham, itself once a sovereign UK entity. This comes on the heels of earlier (and ongoing) attempts by US firms to acquire aerospace systems manufacturer Meggitt. In the fast jet market, competition in the Indo-Pacific region continues to hot up as international and regional aerospace companies pitch platforms left, right and centre to meet national requirements (page 24). In addition to the usual aircraft produced by the West, local companies - and those from China and Russia -are looking to secure a greater share of the market.
Finally, if you need to quench an unmanned thirst, head over to page 64 for another example of a country developing an indigenous drone design, development and manufacturing capability in an analysis of Turkey’s efforts in this area. Spoiler alert: following Turkey’s first successful sale of an unmanned system into a NATO country (Poland), it is hard not to conclude that Ankara should be considered a serious player.
Tara Craig
Associate Editor, AIR International
