Flight International 2014-08-12

FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL
JET SETTER
PILATUS TURNS ON
THE STYLE DURING
PC-24 ROLL-OUT
BUSINESS AVIATION
LONG-HAUL CALL
British Airways to wait for
right twinjet to emerge
as replacement for 747
feet, says IAG boss 16
SIXTH SENSE
US Air Force offcial lifts
veil on next-generation
strike requirements
for F-22 successor 20
COUNTRY SPECIAL
DAMAGE
LIMITATION
Can Russian industry avoid fallout
from Putins advance in Ukraine?
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3.40
12-25 AUGUST 2014
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12-25 August 2014

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Flight International
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FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL
12-25 AUGUST 2014
Japan emphasises the industrial importance of its
participation in the JSF programme P18. Rosetta makes
close contact with comet Churyumov- Gerasimenko P11
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FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL
JET SETTER
PILATUSTURNSON
THE STYLE DURING
PC-24 ROLL-OUT
BUSINESSAVIATION
LONG-HAUL CALL
British Airways to wait for
right twinjet to emerge
as replacement for 747
feet, says IAG boss 16
SIXTHSENSE
USAir Force offcial lifts
veil on next-generation
strike requirements
for F-22 successor 20
COUNTRYSPECIAL
DAMAGE
LIMITATION
Can Russian industry avoid fallout
fromPutins advance in Ukraine?
9 7 7 0 0 1 5 3 7 1 2 6 6
3 3
3.40
12-25 AUGUST 2014
DEFENCE
18 F-35 key to future Japanese air power.
Israeli rivals kept Poles apart
19 UK MoD confrms Reaper retention.
Hammerhead circles for Italian UAV
requirement
20 USAFs future fghter to punch harder.
Airbus says issues with NH90 are under
control.
Grounding order after Dhruv crash
BUSINESS AVIATION
22 Business jet pecking order under review at
Bombardier.
Weight loss regime ahead for PC-24.
Citation duo hit milestones on road to
service
GENERAL AVIATION
23 GA industry wary of ADS-B mandate.
Airbus bags Ecureil order, drops off frst
EC145 T2.
Safe Flight stall sensor unveiled

REGULARS
9 Comment
40 Classied
43 Jobs
47 Working Week
NEWS
THIS WEEK
10 Voyagers could fll NATO tanker gap
11 Swiftair MD-83 lost speed before rapid
spiral descent.
Russia off-limits for Israeli UAS.
Rosetta arrival a new chapter in
space exploration
12 Finmeccanica set to get aggressive.
Hartzell gives Avanti EVO a quiet push.
Premium Aerotec moves into 3D
13 Airlander testing falls behind.
Cathay Pacifc leverages Fulcrum for
biofuel drive.
Israeli carriers seek compensation
AIR TRANSPORT
14 Converts helping upsize single aisles.
15 Crashed ATR abandoned ILS for non-
precision approach.
SAA to harvest kerosene from tobacco.
XAIC wings it for Tianjin A320 line
16 No further 777-300ERs in BA outlook.
Iberia to cut fuel costs via A330-200 and
A350-900 orders.
Virgin Australia sees future for ageing
Fokker feet
17 A380 brings mixed fortunes to Airbuss
Asian ambitions.
United thinking big with 787-10 shift
COVER STORY
24 Going East or West? As Russias
aerospace industry seeks to cast off
its Soviet legacy while building on its
strengths, unrest in Ukraine is adding
uncertainty. In this 13-page country
special, we consider the impact
sanctions could have on the nations
aerospace sector, as well as Irkuts
unusual recipe for market success, the
elliptical vision of Frigate Ecojet, Russian
Helicopters expansion plans, the past
and future of fghter manufacturer RAC
MiG, the intense activity of lessor Ilyushin
Finance and the outlook for Antonov
VOLUME 186 NUMBER 5452
PIC OF THE WEEK
The US Air Force published this warts and
all image showing the scarred nose of a
Fairchild Republic A-10C ground-attack
aircraft at Moody AFB in Georgia. The
heavily-armoured Warthogs air-to-surface
arsenal includes its formidable 30mm
GAU-8/A Gatling gun, which is capable
of ring 3,900 rounds per minute.
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COVER IMAGE
Thanks to Superjet
International for this up
close and personal picture
of one of the SSJ100s it
has supplied to Mexican
carrier InterJet. Russia
special P24
NEXT ISSUE AIRLINER CENSUS
Flight Internationals next issue, dated
26 August, will feature our annual
Airliner Census a guide to the worlds
commercial feet by type and operator.
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THE WEEK ON THE WEB
ightglobal.com
fightglobal.com
CONTENTS
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countries viewing 7.1 million pages each month
BEHIND THE
HEADLINES
Vote at ightglobal.com/poll
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
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For a full list of reader services, editorial
and advertising contacts see P39
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Total votes: 1,393
This week, we ask: Who will lose more through Moscows
sanctions battle with the West?
Russian industry Western airframers Neither: they
both need each other
19
%
35
%
25
%
21
%
Elsewhere Charleston Everett Renton
Last week, we asked: Where will a 757 replacement, if Boeing
launches one, be built? You said:
HIGH FLIERS
The top ve stories for the week just gone:
1 BA crew autopsies show organophosphate poisoning
2 United converts majority of 787-8 orders to -10 variant
3 ANALYSIS: Asias magically shrinking superjumbo orderbook
4 Delta retiring four 747s as Pacifc restructuring continues
5 Antonov completes fuselage assembly of frst An-178
On his Ariel View blog, Arie Egozi discusses how some
eastern European countries have begun to look at ways to
monitor and protect their airspace as the Russia-Ukraine
crisis reaches a new peak.
He says there is a growing
interest from some countries
in tools, such as multi-mission
radars, to help them control
what is going on in their
airspace. In his blog, David
Learmount considers the
City of Londons desire for UK political party leaders to
declare their positions now on airports policy as the
Airport Commission approaches its conclusions. A clear
commitment from politicians will beneft everyone, says
James Stamp, head of transport for KPMG. Learmount
fears that Stamps request will fall on deaf ears, as
party leaders see no advantage in making any such
early declaration.
In the run-up to Septembers
NATO summit in Newport, Wales,
managing editor Craig Hoyle
(pictured) talked about air-to-air
refuelling with Voyager supplier
AirTanker. The company is
proposing a model where other
European nations could fy the
modifed A330s excess to the
Royal Air Forces core feet
(P10). Elsewehere this issue,
Beth Stevenson covers Hybrid
Air Vehicles funding challenge
from Bedford (P13) and Dominic
Perry witnesses the Pilatus
PC-24s roll-out, in Stans,
Switzerland (P22).
IN THIS ISSUE
Companies listed
AgustaWestland ...........................................10
AirAsia .........................................................14
Airbus ........................................ 14, 15, 16,17
Airbus Helicopters ..................................20, 23
AirTanker ......................................................10
Air China ......................................................17
Argos Energies .............................................15
Arkia ............................................................13
Asiana .........................................................17
Aspen Avionics.............................................23
AVIC .............................................................18
Bendix/King .................................................23
BHP Billiton .................................................16
Boeing .............................................16, 19, 20
Bombardier ...........................................14, 22
British Airways ..............................................17
Cathay Pacifc Airways ..................................13
Cessna ........................................................22
Derazona Helicopters ...................................23
DLR Luftrettung ............................................23
EANA ...........................................................10
El Al .............................................................13
Elbit Systems .........................................18, 19
Fokker..........................................................16
Fugro Survey ................................................10
Fulcrum BioEnergy .......................................13
Garmin ........................................................22
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems ........19
Gulfstream ...................................................10
Heliconia Aero Solutions ..............................10
Hindustan Aeronautics .................................20
Hong Kong Airlines .......................................17
Hybrid Air Vehicles ........................................13
Iberia ...........................................................16
Icon Aircraft .................................................23
Insitu ...........................................................19
International Airlines Group ..........................16
International Aircraft Operators ....................10
Israel Aerospace Industries ..........................18
Israir ............................................................13
Korean Air ....................................................17
L-3 Aviation Products ...................................23
LATAM ..........................................................14
Lockheed Martin ..............................18, 19, 20
Malaysia Airlines ..........................................10
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ..........................18
MJets ...........................................................10
Neva ............................................................10
Northrop Grumman ................................18, 20
Piaggio Aero .................................................19
Pilatus .........................................................22
Pratt & Whitney ......................................10, 22
Prox Dynamics .............................................19
Qantas .........................................................17
Rafael ..........................................................13
Safe Flight ...................................................23
Selex ES ......................................................19
Shinmaywa ..................................................18
Singapore Airlines ........................................17
SkyNRG .......................................................15
Skymark ......................................................17
South African Airways ...................................15
Spring Associates ........................................15
Thales ..........................................................19
Thomas Cook Airlines ...................................10
Tigerair .........................................................14
Transaero .....................................................10
TransAsia Airways .........................................15
Turbomeca ...................................................23
United Airlines .............................................17
VIM-Avia ......................................................10
Virgin Australia .............................................16
Wah Wah Group ...........................................10
Williams International ..................................22
Xian Aircraft Industry ....................................15
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12-25 August 2014
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ightglobal.com/ComEngDirectory
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ightgIobaI.com/commengines
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COMMENT
12-25 August 2014
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See This Week P11
I
n a world jaded by astonishing technology, it takes a
lot to rouse people but the European Space Agency
has achieved just that, with a wildly audacious rst.
When a spacecraft about the size of a hatchback car
snuggled in next to a comet some 405 million km from
Earth, the world it can be fairly said stopped to take
note. Even the most staid of news outlets were a bit
awed, and a company called Planetary Resources
which was coincidentally formed with the goal of min-
ing asteroids called the rendezvous the most inter-
esting thing to happen in 4.6 billion years.
The item that Planetary Resources gave its all-time
number-one interest rating to was from comet 67P/
Churyumov- Gerasimenkos perspective, but Europes
Rosetta mission really is right near the top at least of
spaceight events. Apart from the techno-wizardry of it
all and it will get better in November, when Rosetta re-
leases a lander there are good reasons to be impressed.
Life on Earth may have been kicked off by comet bom-
bardments, but science knows relatively little about
them, and we should be pleased to be so civilised as to
spare the money and brainpower to chase one down.
But a comet could also be the end of life on Earth as
we know it, so we may one day be grateful for the navi-
gational skills being honed by Rosettas controllers,
which would be key to a civilisation-saving intercept
and redirect mission. Just ask the dinosaurs.
Starry-eyed over comets
Read our archive of Flight
International comments on
editor Murdo Morrisons blog at
ightglobal.com/comment
See Russia Special P24, Defence P20
Your move, Vladimir...
Cold War revival?
Russian President Vladimir Putins belligerent response to the outcry over Ukraine has soured
relations with the West, and threatened the prospects for a resurgent aerospace industry
J
ust over one year ago, Russias resurgent aerospace
industry dominated the ying display at the Paris air
show, ably covering for the low-prole showing by the
unusually cash-strapped US armed forces. Highlights
included the Sukhoi Su-35 ghter and Kamov Ka-52
attack helicopter, along with the Superjet regional
airliner and Irkuts in-development MC-21. Ukraines
An-70 transport was also on show, with Antonov hold-
ing on to hopes of securing fresh backing from Moscow.
Things couldnt have been more different at last
months Farnborough air show, with Moscows part in
stoking instability in Ukraine prompting a ban on all
military hardware, and preventing some ofcials from
securing the visas needed to visit the UK.
The downing of Malaysia Airlines ight MH17 an
act which has been widely attributed to pro-Russian
separatists has since brought relations to even more
of a low point.
With sanctions and counter-sanctions now being
traded by the USA, the EU and Moscow, it is hard to
imagine things will improve before the industry
gathers again at Le Bourget in 2015.
While there is no sign yet of a return to a full-blown
Cold War scenario, the prospect of Russian products
such as the Sukhoi-promoted Superjet snaring fresh
sales with Western operators look to have dimmed con-
siderably. Thats bad news for a domestic sector which
has been struggling to emerge from the post Soviet-era
The prospects for Russian
products snaring fresh sales
with the West have dimmed
doldrums. Similarly, those Western companies looking
to sell products into the Russian market, for example to
meet regional turboprop demand, are also likely to be
disappointed by the current situation. But things look
even worse for Ukraines Antonov, which now faces a
true battle if it is to survive beyond the conict.
Much will depend on the attitude taken by President
Vladimir Putin in the face of continued strong interna-
tional criticism, but he appears for now at least to be
determined to stare the West down.
NATO nations in Europe, along with the USA, had
already stepped up their air defence posture against
Russia from earlier in the Ukraine crisis. Clearly some
believe that Moscow will not backtrack, and already
are looking to tweak their procurement plans to be able
to react to a threat which many believed had gone
away. Washington which had turned its attention to a
potential future adversary in the Asia-Pacic will
also be bearing the situation in mind, as it continues to
study a sixth-generation ghter requirement.
THIS WEEK
fightglobal.com 10
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12-25 August 2014
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subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter:
ightglobal.com/defencenewsletter
E
uropean NATO nations could
access spare capacity on the
UKs Airbus A330 Voyager
tanker/transport eet, under an
initiative being promoted by the
industrial consortium which pro-
vides the aircraft.
Detailed by AirTanker chief
executive Phill Blundell, the pro-
posal would allow the UKs allies
to use part of a surge eet of
ve Voyagers, which will be sup-
plied between early next year
and mid-2016.
These will follow a core inven-
tory of eight converted aircraft in
use with the Royal Air Force, and
another operated by AirTanker
crews on the civilian register.
One of the programmes spare
aircraft has already been placed
with Thomas Cook Airlines from
May 2015 under a three-year
agreement, but the remaining
four have yet to be placed with
the commercial sector.
Pointing to a critical shortfall
in air-to-air refuelling capacity
outside the USA, Blundell says:
There is a signicant demand
for the sort of capability that
Voyager offers, over and above
what the UK would wish to use
on a day-to-day basis.
How do we make sure we get
more value out of this project
than has been anticipated?, asks
Blundell, who hopes to see the
offer of spare capacity raised by
the UK during the NATO summit
in Newport, Wales in early
September.
Surge eet aircraft could be
released by AirTanker to partner
nations on a dry or damp lease
basis, the company says. Alter-
natively, access for airlift and re-
fuelling tasks could be offered by
the UK using existing NATO
airlift co-ordination measures.
The European Defence Agency
is examining the feasibility of a
multinational tanker purchase,
which Blundell says could be
supported via access to the
Voyager eet. Aircraft could be
used to provide crew training ser-
vices or an interim capability be-
fore a procurement can be com-
pleted, he says.
Voyager represents a highly
plausible opportunity to meet the
requirement for NATO tanking
and air transport capacity
through some form of pooling
and sharing agreement, Blundell
says. A refuelling boom could po-
tentially be added to an aircraft
within a conversion period of
roughly six months if requested,
he adds.
Meanwhile, the RAF on 30
July formally declared its core
Voyager eet fully operational at
its Brize Norton base in Oxford-
shire, with the milestone repre-
senting the transfer from pro-
gramme delivery to service
delivery, with all major clearanc-
es in place.
INVESTIGATORS LEAVE UKRAINE CRASH SITE
CONFLICT International investigators have withdrawn temporarily
from the site of Malaysia Airlines fight MH17s crash, with the
Ukrainian commission into the loss of the Boeing 777-200ER saying
at least three areas of territory containing wreckage remain unex-
plored. The search activity was halted in the face of a continuing
threat from pro-Russian separatists in the crash area.
MANILA REQUESTS ADDITIONAL HERCULES
AIRLIFTERS The Philippines has requested the possible purchase
of two surplus Lockheed Martin C-130T tactical transports for an
estimated $61 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency
says. The Philippine air force currently fies three B/H-model
Hercules, which were built between 1961 and 1977.
CONTRACTOR CHOSEN FOR MH370 SEARCH
SELECTION The Australian government has selected Fugro Survey
to conduct an undersea search of 60,000km
2
of the southern Indian
Ocean that it hopes will locate the wreckage of missing Malaysia
Airlines fight MH370. Malaysia will also provide four ships to
support the search for the missing Boeing 777-200ER and its
239 passengers and crew, which will take up to 12 months.
RUSSIA HIT BY TOUR OPERATOR FAILURES
TOURISM Russian carriers Transaero and VIM-Avia have sought to
reassure customers about the state of the nations tourism market,
after a string of high-profle tour company failures. At least fve tour
operators including long-established frm Neva have collapsed
within a period of several weeks, blaming a negative political situa-
tion and the deterioration of foreign exchange rates.
MJETS TO OPEN MYANMARS FIRST FBO
INAUGURATION Thai business aviation services provider MJets has
joined forces with Myanmars Wah Wah Group to open the countrys
frst fxed-base operation. The Myanmar MJets Business Aviation
Center will be based in Yangon. Flightglobals Ascend Fleets data-
base records Myanmar as having an installed base of just two busi-
ness jets: a Bombardier CRJ200 and a Cessna Citation II.
ARGENTINA TO DEBATE ATC TRANSFER
LEGISLATION Argentinas parliament is to discuss proposed laws to
create a public air traffc control operator. The proposal, submitted in
June, will be put to legislators on 13 August. If approved, operational
authority would transfer from the state-run National Directorate of Air
Traffc Control to newly-created air navigation corporation EANA.
AGUSTAWESTLAND SHIPS HELICONIA DUO
DELIVERIES AgustaWestland has delivered two AW139s to
Moroccan services company Heliconia Aero Solutions. The frst of
the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C-powered rotorcraft has al-
ready entered service, providing offshore transportation services in
North Africa. Heliconia also has options for a further two AW139s.
GULFSTREAM MAKES MOVE IN PANAMA
APPOINTMENT Gulfstream has appointed International Aircraft
Operators as its authorised independent sales representative for
Panama. Flightglobals Ascend Fleets database records 134
Gulfstream business jets as operational in Central America,
of which only one a G550 is based in Panama.
BRIEFING
PROPOSAL CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
Voyagers could ll
NATO tanker gap
UKs fve surge aircraft may offer a solution to air-to-air
refuelling capacity shortfall for European alliance nations
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The RAF declared its core fleet fully operational on 30 July
THIS WEEK
12-25 August 2014
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Finmeccanica
focuses on its
fnances
THIS WEEK P12
T
he European Space Agency
has declared a new chapter
in solar system exploration, as
its Rosetta spacecraft achieved
the rst ever rendezvous with a
comet.
Other spacecraft have managed
comet y-bys, but Rosetta has
moved unprecedentedly close to
67P/Churyumov- Gerasimenko,
with images taken on 6 August
achieved from a distance of just
130km (80 miles).
In escorting Churyumov-
Gerasimenko towards the Sun for
18 months, Rosetta promises to
offer a wealth of data about a class
of space rock that in the early solar
system may have seeded Earth
with water and organic molecules.
To date, the missions 10-year
ight has covered 6.4 billion km
in ve loops around the Sun, and
required three slingshot y-bys of
Earth and one of Mars.
Now, mission control in Darm-
stadt, Germany must learn to y
around the comet its gravity is
too small for a standard orbit
and search for a touchdown site
for the spacecrafts Philae lander,
which is scheduled for release on
11 November.
EXPORTS ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV
Russia off-limits
for Israeli UAS
I
sraels defence ministry has
ordered all Israeli companies
that manufacture unmanned air
systems not to begin or continue
negotiations for new contracts
with Moscow.
Washington played a major
role in the ruling, which Israeli
sources say is in response to Rus-
sias intervention in Ukraine.
Israel Aerospace Industries
and Aeronautics Defense Sys-
tems have previously signed
UAS contracts in Russia.
The air vehicles and related
equipment covered by these
deals have been delivered or are
in the process of being supplied,
and the directive concerns new
awards only. Follow-ups relat-
ed to the existing contracts will
be permitted, however.
Russia has included the
transfer of technical knowledge
in every contract the nation has
signed with Israeli UAS manu-
facturers, notes an Israeli source,
who adds there were limitations
on the precise types of air vehicle
cleared for export to Moscow
even before the new policy was
imposed by Tel Aviv.
Keep up to date with all the
defence news from Israel at
ightglobal.com/ariel-view
F
rench investigators have de-
termined a Swiftair Boeing
MD-83 lost over Mali entered a
rapid spiral descent from which
it failed to recover, but say the
inquiry is being hampered by a
lack of usable information on the
cockpit voice recorder.
The aircraft, which was operat-
ing an Air Algerie service from
Ouagadougou on 24 July,
deviated to the left of its ight-
path to skirt around a storm sys-
tem covering the northern tip of
Burkina Faso.
French investigation authority
BEA describes the course change
as moderate, and typical of an
adjustment to avoid such weath-
er. During this deviation, some
22min after take-off, the aircraft
levelled off at its cruising altitude
of 31,000ft, at about 01:37UTC.
But just 2min later, as it neared
the northern edge of the storm,
the aircraft which had been
travelling at 273kt (505km/h)
began to lose speed.
This deteriorated to 160kt and
the aircraft started descending,
before suddenly turning left and
losing height rapidly, experienc-
ing large changes in pitch and
bank. The aircraft entered a spiral
descent, making about one-and-a-
half rotations.
Its ight data recorder gave a
nal height reading of 1,600ft and
ANALYSIS DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Swiftair MD-83 lost speed
before rapid spiral descent
Investigators forced to gather alternative data after voice recorder damaged in Mali crash
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Images: Taken 130km away
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All 110 passengers and six crew died in the incident near Gao
Rosetta arrival a new chapter in space exploration
MILESTONE DAN THISDELL LONDON
a speed of around 380kt shortly
after 01:47UTC.
BEA chief Remi Jouty says
about 1s elapsed between this
last recorded point and impact
with the ground in the Gao region
of Mali. All 110 passengers and
six crew died in the incident.
While the ight data recorder
has allowed the investigation to
draw up a ightpath, other as-
pects of the aircrafts performance
and behaviour have yet to be
fully assessed.
Jouty says the cockpit voice
recorder was badly damaged in
the impact, and that unfortu-
nately the recordings it contained
cannot, so far, be used. He adds:
We have commenced actions to
see whether we can extract infor-
mation from this tape. Its too
early to say whether well be able
to achieve anything.
We are using the best
specialists in the eld to see what
can be done.
A lack of cockpit voice data has
prompted the inquiry to prioritise
the collection of information from
alternative sources, including air-
to-ground transmissions as well as
possible communications be-
tween the pilots and the crews of
other aircraft.
This should give us some
information on what the crew
considered doing, says Jouty.
Three international working
groups will focus on the wreck-
age and nal trajectory of the air-
craft, reconstruct the history of
the ight and gather weather, air
trafc control and other data.
Malis commission of inquiry,
which is leading the investiga-
tion, will publish an interim re-
port in mid-September.
Follow-ups related
to existing contracts
will be permitted
THIS WEEK
fightglobal.com 12
|
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12-25 August 2014
For more in-depth coverage of the
global rotorcraft sector, go online to
ightglobal.com/helicopters
A
gustaWestland and Alenia
Aermacchis parent company
Finmeccanica is promising an
aggressive sales drive and dra-
conian cost-cutting measures, in
the latest chapter in its quest to
put itself on a protable footing.
Chief executive Mauro Moretti,
who was installed in May during
an overhaul of the management of
state-controlled rms by new Ital-
ian prime minister Matteo Renzi,
has promised to be more aggres-
sive on the international market.
And, he adds, all group business-
es are under review, including
DRS, the loss-making US defence
electronics unit it bought for $5.8
billion in 2008, just before the
global nancial crisis struck.
The review process has been
renewed under his stewardship,
but has been ongoing since a dis-
astrous 2011 which saw Finmec-
canica lose 2.4 billion ($3.2 bil-
lion). Moretti, detailing a good
rst half commercial perfor-
mance for 2014, with reduced
group losses underpinned by
better-than-expected order intake
H
artzell Propeller will supply
new lightweight propellers
to Piaggio Aero for its third-
generation P180 Avanti EVO.
Each of the twin-pushers en-
gines will drive ve highly
swept, wide-chord aluminium
alloy propellers some 216cm
(85in) in diameter. Combined
with changes to the nacelle and
engine exhaust geometry, these
will reduce external noise by 5dB
a 68% improvement over the
predecessor Avanti II, Piaggio
Aero says. Cabin noise is also
lowered by 1dB, or 20%.
Mubadala-owned Piaggio
Aero launched the EVO in May,
in an attempt to revitalise sales
of the turboprop, which has
been a casualty of the embattled
light and midsize business
P
remium Aerotec is to employ
additive layer manufacturing
technology commonly known
as 3D printing for serial compo-
nent production from 2016.
The German aerostructures
specialist has installed equipment
which can be used to produce me-
tallic components using alumini-
um, steel and titanium, the Airbus
Group subsidiary says.
A laser beam will melt metal
powder on dened tracks, build-
ing components layer by layer.
The shorter production lead-
times offered by the process are a
key advantage over conventional
manufacturing methods, where
machinery needs to be specical-
ly set up for the production of in-
dividual components.
MANUFACTURING
Premium Aero
moves into 3D
Hartzell gives Avanti EVO a quiet push
TURBOPROPS KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
RESULTS DAN THISDELL LONDON
Finmeccanica set to get aggressive
New management looks to draconian cost cuts, export markets drive and major restructuring in bid to restore proftability
The company is contracted to support the UKs Apache AH1s
Piaggio Aero launched the third-generation P180 in May this year
C
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aircraft sector. Deliveries of the
Avanti II fell from a record 30
aircraft in 2008 to just two last
year, according to Flightglobals
Ascend Fleets database.
The airframers nal three
Avanti IIs will be handed over be-
fore the end of the third quarter,
paving the way for deliveries of
the $7.4 million EVO to com-
mence by the end of the year.
Other improvements include
lower fuel consumption and in-
creased range.
at AgustaWestland, also reiterat-
ed plans to complete a group re-
structuring the second in four
years by mid-2015.
The restructing, outlined in
June, will turn 100%-owned op-
erating companies AgustaWest-
land, Alenia Aermacchi and
Selex ES into divisions of the
new Finmeccanica.
In its focussing of the group
around helicopters, aeronautics,
defence electronics and security,
and assuming an eventual exit
from its rail transport and energy
businesses, the new plan resem-
bles that forged by then-chief ex-
ecutive Giuseppe Orsi in early
2012. Now, though, the overhaul
designed to force business unit
managers to take far greater
responsibility for the nancial
performance of their operations
has been eshed out.
Finmeccanicas latest nancial
performance is at least stable. For
the half-year, aerospace and de-
fence revenue slipped 2.3% to
5.6 billion and prot (EBITA) fell
26% to 325 million. This marks
a slide in return on sales of 5.8%,
versus 7.7% for the same period
in 2013. But new orders rose by a
quarter, with AgustaWestland up
87%, largely due to UK Ministry
of Defence contracts to upgrade 25
AW101 Merlins and support the
British Armys Apache AH1s.
Recent events augur well for
Morettis governance overhaul. In
July, Italys state prosecutor ended
a three-year investigation into al-
legations of bribery linked to the
sale of 12 AW101 VVIP helicop-
ters to India, determining the com-
pany to be non-involved in the
alleged wrongdoing. And, an in-
dependent review found the
group to have established sound
anti-corruption practices.
Additional reporting by
Luca Peruzzi in Genoa
THIS WEEK
12-25 August 2014
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13 fightglobal.com
Converts helping
upsize single aisles
AIR TRANSPORT P14
H
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A
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V
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The type was originally conceived for the US Armys LEMV project
A
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The airlines want reduced fees at Tel Avivs Ben Gurion airport
C
athay Pacic Airways has an-
nounced it is to invest in US-
based alternative fuels developer
Fulcrum BioEnergy.
The Hong Kong-based carrier
has also entered into a long-term
supply agreement with the com-
pany, which will see it initially
take 1.4 billion litres (375 million
USgal) of biofuel over 10 years.
We are pleased to have identi-
ed Fulcrum as a strategic busi-
ness partner that has the neces-
sary vision and technological
know-how to help Cathay Pacic
pursue the use of biojet fuels,
says the airlines chief executive
Ivan Chu. These fuels are an im-
portant component of our sus-
tainable development strategy.
The airline has not revealed
the value of the transaction, or
the size of the stake it will hold in
Fulcrum.
Fulcrum specialises in con-
verting municipal solid waste
into aviation fuel, and has plans
to build its rst commercial-scale
production facility later this year.
The company claims its fuels cut
lifecycle carbon emissions by
more than 80%.
H
ybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is to
launch the ight test cam-
paign for its Airlander 10 hybrid
airship around May 2015, after
taking longer than expected to
raise funds to support the effort.
The UK company was origi-
nally due to y the aircraft from
its base in Bedfordshire in De-
cember 2014, but has encoun-
tered a delay in raising the re-
quired 5 million ($8.4 million).
Its extended equity round was
due to be nalised on 15 August,
having been pushed back from an
original target during March.
Once the rst ight test has
been conducted, the aircraft will
carry out some 200 ight hours
over a one- to two-month period
to prove its capabilities, after
which customer demonstrations
are planned to take place. HAV
admits the pressure to raise
equity has been very eye-open-
ing. The company says it is two
years away from the rst type cer-
tication for the Airlander 10.
The aircraft currently in its
hangar will remain as a demon-
strator, but a second will be
commercially viable.
The airship was rst developed
by HAV for the US Armys long-
endurance multi-intelligence ve-
hicle (LEMV) programme, which
was cancelled in 2013 after one
ight. Northrop Grumman acted
as prime contractor, primarily to
integrate mission equipment.
HAV which bought back the ve-
hicle from the army in October
2013 for $301,000 claims the
service still shows interest, and is
being informed on progress made.
One consequence of convert-
ing a military-developed aircraft
into a system that could be com-
mercially adapted was that the
project fell under US Internation-
al Trafc in Arms Regulations re-
strictions. However, these have
now been lifted, HAV says, so de-
velopments that arise from the
Airlander 10 can now be fed into
the Airlander 50 a planned larg-
er variant of the current model.
HAV says the heavy-lift
Airlander 50 is on track to be
rolled out in 2018-2019.
DEVELOPMENT BETH STEVENSON BEDFORD
Airlander testing
falls behind after
delay to funding
Eye-opening diffculties in securing required investment
pushes start of hybrid airships test campaign to May 2015
Developments from
the Airlander 10
can be fed into the
Airlander 50 a
planned larger variant
of the current model
T
he three Israeli airlines have
asked the nations government
for emergency help to balance
losses incurred as a result of the
Protective Edge military opera-
tion in Gaza.
Signed by the chief executives
of Arkia, El Al and Israir, the re-
quest for aid was included in a
letter addressed to the ministers
of transportation, nance, econo-
my and tourism. In the letter, the
executives ask the government to
reduce the fees they pay at Tel
Avivs Ben Gurion airport, at least
through to the end of this year.
The airlines also request state-
backed loans to pay suppliers
and boost cash ow, and want
help with covering wage costs.
They also seek a grant to cover
the cost of the pilots and techni-
cal staff who have been called up
by military reserve units.
The government is also being
asked to compensate the airlines
for longer ightpaths imposed as
a result of rockets being launched
from inside Gaza, and the opera-
tion of Israels defensive Rafael
Iron Dome rocket interceptors.
STRATEGY
Cathay Pacifc leverages
Fulcrum for biofuel drive
FUNDING ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV
Israeli carriers seeking
compensation for Gaza
Keep up to date with all the
major topics from Israel at
ightglobal.com/ariel-view
AIR TRANSPORT
fightglobal.com 14
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12-25 August 2014
end of June 2014 than it had ve
years earlier.
The gures reveal a sharp
decline in demand for an aircraft
which had previously accumu-
lated over 1,500 orders since
securing its rst in 1994.
Airbus is developing the
A319neo, a re-engined version of
the type, but sales have been poor
in comparison with the strength of
the broader A320neo programme,
taking less than 2% of the orders .
This contrasts with the A319,
which had accounted for 20% of
baseline A320-family orders be-
fore the re-engining effort began.
Executive vice-president for
programmes Tom Williams reiter-
ated in June that up to 50% of fu-
Conversion from the baseline aircraft was originally prohibited
SOURCE: Flightglobal Ascend Fleets
UPSIZING: A320-FAMILY ORDER SHIFTS 2010-2013
A320 to A321
358
A319 to A320
150 A320 to A319
52
A321 to A320
13
A319 to A321
38
A321 to A319
2
Larger to smaller
Smaller to larger
The strength of the A320neo programme has exposed comparatively weak demand for the re-engined A319
A
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For up-to-the-minute air transport news,
network and feet information sign up at:
ightglobal.com/dashboard
A
nalysis of Airbuss single-
aisle backlog reveals that the
shift towards larger types in new
orders has been underpinned by
substantial conversion activity
within existing agreements.
The trend is seen in gross or-
ders since 2010, when an even
balance between the A319 and
A321 began to tilt in favour of the
larger aircraft. In 2013 the A321
outsold the A319 by a factor of 20.
Less apparent has been the un-
derlying conversion trend over
the same period (see graph). There
were 98 upward conversions of
A319s in 2010; about a quarter of
them to A321s, but only 35 A320s
were converted to the larger type.
But over the following three
years from 2011 to 2013 cus-
tomers converted 323 A320s to
A321s, and moved another 90
A319s upwards.
Such is the strength of the shift
that the airframer had 20 fewer
A319s on its order books at the
BACKLOG DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Converts helping upsize single aisles
Demand trend to larger narrowbody aircraft highlighted by Airbus customers calls to shift orders to A321 variants
Budget carriers AirAsia and Tigerair,
as well as the Latin American LATAM
group have all converted A320 or-
ders to the A320neo.
Conversion from the baseline
aircraft to the re-engined version had
originally been prohibited by Airbus
as it built its A320neo orderbook.
However, the airframer is having
to resort to offering the switch to
cope with its A320 backlog, in order
to avoid deferring deliveries beyond
the date by which it intends to
complete A320neo production
cutover.
Airbus Group chief executive Tom
Enders recently stated that this
strategy would appear to increase
the number of cancellations on the
airframers books. The manufacturer
recorded 44 A320-family cancella-
tions in July, including 23 by AirAsia
and 16 by LATAM.
Airbus secured net orders for 732
A320-family aircraft over the frst
seven months of 2014.
ORDERS
LCCs join rush to upgrade to A320neo
A
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ture production would comprise
A321 and A321neo variants.
Bombardiers CSeries is being
developed to compete as an
all-new aircraft in the 110- to 130-
seat sector occupied by the A319
and A319neo. The airframer has
secured orders for 63 CS100s and
140 of the larger CS300.
Boeing believes that the single-
aisle sector is gravitating towards
an average seat-count of 160,
outlining the trend in its latest
commercial market outlook. Seat-
counts on routes up to 1,000nm
(1,850km) and of 1,000-2,000nm
have increased over the past 15
years, it says. It suggests they are
converging on a 160-seat gure
which, in the same timeframe, has
been largely constant on longer
sectors of 2,000-3,000nm.
Protability of short-haul oper-
ations has suffered as fuel prices
have increased, its says, so carriers
have sought to use higher-capacity
aircraft to lower unit costs.
AIR TRANSPORT
fightglobal.com
No further
777-300ERs
in BA outlook
AIR TRANSPORT P16
12-25 August 2014
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15
P
reliminary information from
the investigation into the
TransAsia Airways ATR 72-500
crash in Magong shows that the
crew opted for a non-precision
approach after initially intending
an ILS approach to the airport.
The crew of the aircraft, oper-
ating ight GE222 from Kaohsi-
ung, had been cleared to cruise at
7,000ft for the 23 July service.
Weather conditions at Ma-
gong were poor, with visibility
down to 800m. Although the
ight is typically 35min, the
crew was still waiting for ILS
clearance to runway 02 an hour
after departure.
Rather than staying with the
ILS approach to runway 02 for
which the meteorological data
was indicating tailwinds gusting
to 11kt the crew changed to a
VOR approach to the opposite-
direction runway 20.
This decision followed ap-
proval for a Uni Air ATR to land
on runway 20.
The TransAsia ight was
cleared to land shortly before
19:04, says Taiwans Aviation
Safety Council, and informed of
wind from 250 at 19kt.
Around 2min later the crew
disengaged the autopilot but,
some 14s afterwards, the ATR
S
outh African Airways is
co-operating with Dutch
biofuel specialist SkyNRG to
produce kerosene from a hybrid
tobacco plant.
SkyNRG is currently growing
the crop, named Solaris, on test
farms in South Africa, and
biofuel production is due to
begin in the next few years says
Boeing, which is also a partner in
the project.
Last October, the manufactur-
er joined forces with SAA to set
up a biofuel supply chain in
South Africa. This is to involve
both large and small farms as
crop providers.
Initially, the plants seeds will
be used to extract oil for biofuel
production. But Boeing expects
that technology developments
will ultimately allow utilisation
of the whole plant.
Solaris is effectively nicotine-
free, says the airframer. The crop
will allow farmers to switch from
growing conventional tobacco for
smoking products to the hybrid
plant and advance the regions
economy, says Miguel Santos,
managing director for the Africa
region.
SkyNRG technology chief
Maarten van Dijk says Solaris
could be grown across South
Africa to serve as a source of
affordable aviation biofuel.
Amsterdam-based SkyNRG
was founded in 2009 by KLM, oil
producer Argos Energies and
business consultancy Spring
Associates.
C
hinas Xian Aircraft Industry
(XAIC) is now sole supplier
of wings to Airbuss A320 nal
assembly line (FAL) in Tianjin.
Sharing of expertise from
Airbuss UK wing factory in
Broughton has facilitated the
build-up of wing production ca-
pability for the A319 and A320 at
the AVIC subsidiary.
After starting with system in-
stallation on UK-made wings in
2009, XAIC progressed to produc-
ing certain wing structures. The
components were shipped to
Broughton for integration with the
remaining structure and then fer-
ried back to China for system in-
stallation and nal assembly.
Later, it began manufacturing
entire wing boxes. Since this
summer, all wings for the FAL in
Tianjin are supplied by XAIC,
says Airbus.
The facility is producing four
A320-family aircraft a month,
while the manufacturers other
two assembly lines in Toulouse
and Hamburg deliver another 38
units. Total monthly output is to
be raised to 46 narrowbodies by
the second quarter of 2016.
The 200th A320-family shipset
(fuselage plus empennage) for the
Tianjin nal assembly line was
sent from Hamburg to China on a
cargo ship at the end of July.
Production at the Tianjin site
began in 2008.
BIOFUELS
SAA to harvest
kerosene from
tobacco crops
INVESTIGATION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE
Crashed ATR abandoned ILS
for non-precision approach
Unknown sound recorded as crew of TransAsia fight disengaged autopilot for VOR landing
Xian wings it for Tianjin A320 line
PRODUCTION MICHAEL GUBISCH LONDON
There were 10 survivors of the crash from the 58 people on board
R
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F
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began deviating to the left and
losing height.
The crew called for a go-
around but, almost immediately
afterwards, the cockpit-voice
recorder picked up an unknown
sound, says the inquiry, adding
that another was heard about 5s
later, just before the recorders
ceased to function.
Only 10 of the 58 occupants of
the turboprop survived after it
crashed into a residential area of
the Huxi township, just east of
the runway 20 threshold.
Aviation Safety Council
investigators have not given a
reason for the deviation from the
approach path nor indicated a
source for the unknown sounds
recorded by the CVR.
The inquiry expects to pro-
duce a draft report within a year
and a nal report in 18 months.
Following the crash, the Tai-
wanese carrier pledged to en-
hance its safety standards on do-
mestic ights, including by
raising visibility requirements for
take-offs and landings to at least
50% above that which is required
by the airports and regulator.
Also, in cases where weather
conditions change after take-off,
TransAsia ights will circle for no
more than 30min due to bad
weather. After that, aircraft will
return to the originating airport or
be diverted to another airport.
Delays and cancellations can
be expected because of the new
measures, adds the carrier.
Boeing is partner in the project
AIR TRANSPORT
fightglobal.com 16
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12-25 August 2014
Get the latest key information on feet
movements, purchases and retirements:
ightglobal.com/ascend
REPLACEMENTS DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
No further 777-300ERs in BA outlook
Executives reject options to acquire more examples of Boeing type in favour of waiting for newer high-capacity twinjets
Virgin Australia sees future for ageing Fokker feet
STRATEGY ELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE
International Airlines Group (IAG) will
replace 16 Airbus A340s in the feet
of Spanish arm Iberia by exercising
options on eight Airbus A350-900s
and obtaining eight A330-200s, for
delivery from 2015-2020.
IAG, which secured commercial
terms for the A350s under a broad-
er long-haul order disclosed last
year, has not decided the source for
the A330s. Depending on fnancial
and delivery terms, they will either
be taken through conversion of
previous options or from the operat-
ing lease sector.
Chief executive Willie Walsh says
Iberia will get the A330-200 rather
than the re-engined neo version
launched at the Farnborough air
B
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The airline says its 747s continue to provide huge flexibility
I
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Spains flag carrier currently has 16 A340s in operation
V
irgin Australia Regional Air-
lines (VARA) is in no rush to
replace its ageing Fokker aircraft.
Chief executive Merren McAr-
thur says the Fokker 100 jets and
Fokker 50 turboprops are well
suited to the carriers resource
charter business model. We did
review the eets and realised we
needed a dedicated charter eet
to offer our clients, she says.
Flightglobals Ascend Fleets
database shows VARAs 10
Fokker 100s have an average age
of 21 years, while the average for
its eight Fokker 50s is 25. That
age, however, is of little concern
to the airline.
VARA is planning to lease two
more Fokker 100s this year,
which will serve a new contract it
recently won from BHP Billiton.
VARA also operates a pair of
Airbus A320s on charter services
from its Perth base. Although par-
ent airline Virgin Australia is a
major Boeing 737-800 operator,
McArthur says the A320s are bet-
ter suited to operating in the Aus-
tralian northwest.
Nevertheless, she adds that
VARA has been able to call on
Virgins 737s to operate some
charter services, such as when a
customer requires a larger
shift-change.
B
ritish Airways is intending
to pass on acquiring any
further Boeing 777-300ERs in
favour of waiting for newer high-
capacity twinjets to replace its
Boeing 747s.
Parent company International
Airlines Group (IAG) chief execu-
tive Willie Walsh says the Airbus
A350-1000 is an excellent 747
replacement for BA.
Walsh says the airline had the
option of more 777-300ERs. But
the problem is that [this] aircraft
is going to be rapidly overtaken
by either the A350-1000 or the
777X, he states.
So while there might be some
short-term benets, weve as-
RESTRUCTURE
Iberia to cut fuel costs via A330-200 and A350-900 orders
show last month because Iberia
needs the fuel-saving benefts of a
modern twin-engined feet as soon as
possible, while the A330neo wont
be introduced before 2019-2020.
The feet decision, he adds,
follows Iberias signifcant steps in
restructuring its operations: These
orders demonstrate our commit-
ment to make Iberia competitive.
Retaining an all-Airbus long-haul
feet will also generate cost savings
in maintenance and crewing.
While the A350s will be powered
by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, no
engine selection has been given for
the A330s. Iberias current A330
feet uses General Electric CF6s.
sessed that while not the most
efcient way of doing it in the
short term its the most efcient
thing to do in the long term, to
wait for the right aircraft.
BA chief Keith Williams adds
that the 747 will still give the
carrier huge exibility to man-
age capacity. The airline is con-
sidering increasing premium
seating capacity on some of its
747s to take advantage of demand
in specic markets.
The airline is retiring some of
its older 747s and this gives it the
ability to re-use the seats from
these aircraft at little cost.
Williams says BA has
reached the end of its 777-
300ER p rogramme and, while it
has a few Airbus A380s and
Boeing 787s still to come, it is
reaching a little bit of a hiatus
on the long-haul eet. Walsh
says that IAG is keeping a con-
stant watch on its short-haul
eet, stressing that exibility is
crucial to its operation.
He points out that the compa-
ny has agreed a common speci-
cation for its A320s.
The manufacturer makes a lot
of money by trying to convince
you to modify the basic product,
says Walsh. When we looked at
our aircraft specication it was
very different in BA to Iberias and
to Vuelings. And we challenged
every different specication.
By doing so, IAG was able to
remove a lot of stuff wed had on
our aircraft, simply because wed
always had it there, he says.
This included items such as
unnecessary jump-seats in the
cockpit, he says: Typically the
people sitting in those seats
dont pay. Now we only have
one jump-seat. Thats all you
need. It removes cost and re-
moves weight.
AIR TRANSPORT
fightglobal.com
Israeli rivals kept
Poles apart
DEFENCE P18
12-25 August 2014
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FLEET
EDWARD RUSSELL WASHINGTON DC
United thinking
big with 787-10
numbers shift
T
he last half of July should
have been triumphant for
Airbus in Asia-Pacic, with
Korean Air taking delivery of its
tenth, and nal, A380.
Meanwhile, the brand new
A350-900 performed a series of
high-prole ight tests between
Singapore and Hong Kong, after
its blissfully smooth develop-
ment programme.
Unfortunately, these two
feel-good stories were overshad-
owed by two feel-bad stories
involving the A380 at two North
Asian carriers.
The most signicant was
Airbuss decision to terminate the
six A380s Japans Skymark
Airlines was due to start receiv-
ing at the end of 2014. That
termination, along with the re-
classication of 10 A380s due for
Hong Kong Airlines, has cut the
Asia-Pacic regions orders for
very large aircraft by one third.
The Skymark news was not
exactly a shock: the initial order
in 2011 came as a big surprise to
industry observers. It was never
clear how Skymark would
generate sufcient feed to prot-
ably operate the type on the com-
petitive Tokyo Narita-New York
JFK route. Moreover, Skymarks
A380s would have had just 394
seats; the lowest-density congu-
ration for the type in the world.
The Japanese low-cost carrier
has been trying to move into the
premium market with its A380
ORDERS GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE
A380 brings mixed fortunes
to Airbuss Asian ambitions
Airframers orderbook reveals skepticism from regions carriers for worlds largest airliner
A
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s
The A350-900 has enjoyed a smooth development programme
and A330 orders in the face of stiff
competition, as three LCCs en-
tered the Japanese market in 2012.
Airbus, which has long been
an underdog to Boeing in Japan,
clearly had to make a tough
decision with Skymark, but it
probably was the correct one.
DELIVERIES
Hong Kong Airlines also proba-
bly lacks the sheer scale to ll the
A380 day after day, week after
week. The carriers main local
rival, Cathay Pacic, has long
looked askance at the A380.
Airbus likes to talk about the
A380s low cost per seat, but the
challenge for the airlines is
lling all those seats, says one
industry executive.
Prior to the Skymark
announcement and Airbuss
stealthy reclassication of the
Hong Kong Airlines deal, the re-
gions order book for very large
aircraft stood at 48 aircraft: 31
A380s and 15 Boeing 747-8Is.
The rst 747-8I for the region will
be delivered to Air China later
this year.
Flightglobals Ascend Fleets
database shows that Airbuss re-
cent A380 travails, which came
to light after the conclusion of the
Farnborough air show, have cut
rm A380 orders in the Asia-
Pacic to just 17 aircraft, which is
but a quarter of the 60 A380s
already delivered to carriers in
the region. If 747-8I orders are
included, regional rm orders for
VLAs are just 32 aircraft.
As if the Skymark and Hong
Kong Airlines news isnt bad
enough, the quality of the A380
orderbook for the region is also
questionable. Having received
two A380s, Asiana Airlines is
due to take four more between
2015 and 2017. Ascend shows
that Singapore Airlines is also
due to take ve more in 2017.
The nine Asiana and SIA de-
liveries are all but certain to hap-
pen. Unfortunately, the remain-
ing eight are with Qantas
Airways, whose international
operations remain under intense
pressure, despite the carriers alli-
ance with Emirates. Moreover,
the delivery of Qantass next
A380s arent planned until the
2020-2023 timeframe an eterni-
ty in the airline business. Qantas
has deferred A380 orders in the
past, so the outlook for its eight
rm orders is open to doubt.
Airbus remains committed to
the A380, and sees signicant de-
mand in the Asia-Pacic for very
large aircraft. But late July will be
two weeks the European airfram-
er will want to forget.
U
nited Airlines has converted
seven of its eight remaining
Boeing 787-8 orders to the larger
787-10, as it prepares to take its
rst 787-9.
The Chicago-based carrier will
take the seven 787-10s from 2018
under the deal that was reached
with Boeing in July, it says in a
quarterly stock exchange ling.
The 787-8s were scheduled for
delivery in 2017 and 2018.
United now has rm orders for
one 787-8 that will be delivered
later in 2014, 26 787-9s and 27
787-10s, based on Flightglobals
calculations and the Ascend
Fleets database. The change will
leave it with just 12 787-8s in its
eet after the nal delivery.
The airline also has options for
10 787-8s, Ascend shows.
Boeing has yet to include the
conversion in its orders and de-
liveries summary.
United plans to use the roughly
320-seat 787-10 to replace the 242-
seat 767-400ER and the up to 348-
seat 777-200, the airlines vice-
president of eet Ron Baur told
Flightglobal in May.
United operates 16 767-400ERs
and 74 777-200s, Ascend shows.
The airline was one of ve launch
customers for the 787-10 at the
Paris air show in June 2013. Its
initial order for 20 of the type in-
cluded 10 new aircraft and 10
conversions from its existing
787-8 and -9 orderbook.
United plans to take delivery of
its rst 787-9 before the end of the
summer, suggesting an August or
early September delivery. It will
add two to its eet this year.
B
o
e
in
g
787-8 deliveries began in 2012
Korean Air
10
Asiana
4
Qantas
8
Air China
5
SIA
5
SOURCE: Flightglobal Ascend
ASIA PACIFIC ORDERS FOR
VERY LARGE AIRCRAFT
A380
747-8I
Total: 32
DEFENCE
fightglobal.com 18
|
|
12-25 August 2014
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ightglobal.com/defencenewsletter
I
sraels defence ministry is
trying to nd a way to allow the
nations leading manufacturers to
meet at least part of expected
Polish requirements for un-
manned air systems, despite hav-
ing earlier this year withdrawn
the export permits to Warsaw
held by Elbit Systems and Israel
Aerospace Industries.
The earlier decision was taken
following the resignation of Pol-
ish deputy defence minister Gen
Waldemar Skrzypczak, with a
battle between Elbits Hermes 450
and IAI to supply tactical UAS to
the Polish army a contributing
factor in his departure.
New opportunities for UAS
sales to Poland will be pursued
on the basis of government-to-
government contracts, the Israeli
defence ministry says.
However, one Israeli source
suggests that the rival manufac-
turers could instead seek to estab-
lish co-operation agreements
with foreign partners from Eu-
rope or the USA to front their
campaigns.
EXPORTS ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV
Israeli rivals kept Poles apart
T
h
a
le
s

U
K
Elbits Hermes 450 was in the running for a Polish requirement
OUTLOOK GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE
F-35 key to future Japanese air power
White paper emphasises essential participation in JSF programme, advises keeping a wary eye on developments in China
DESIGN
Beijing prepares rst TA-600 amphibian
China could conduct a maiden fight
for the developmental AVIC TA-600
amphibian in 2015.
According to a report in the
Peoples Daily quoting Fu Junxu, an
executive of China Aviation Industry
General Aircraft, the design of the
four-engined fying boat has been
completed, and the type is set to
enter trial production at Zhuhai in
late 2014 or early next year.
The report indicates the TA-600,
which was formerly designated the
Dragon 600, will be used for duties
including passenger transport, mari-
time patrol and search and rescue.
With a range of 2,700nm (5,000km)
and a maximum take-off weight of
53.5t heavier than Japans
Shinmaywa US-2 the turboprop-
powered type will be able to carry up
to 50 passengers, it adds.
If the TA-600 is deployed with the
Chinese navy or paramilitary forces
it would improve Beijings access to
remote atolls in the South China
Seas Spratly Island chain a region
claimed by several nations, including
China, Malaysia, Taiwan, the
Philippines and Vietnam.
J
apans latest annual defence
white paper underlines the im-
portance Tokyo places on the in-
dustrial participation aspects of
the Lockheed Martin F-35 pro-
gramme, and casts a wary eye on
air power developments in China.
Produced by the nations de-
fence ministry, the document
touches on all aspects of Japans
security situation, and outlines
plans for developing its combat
capabilities and indigenous de-
fence industry.
The report places strong em-
phasis on the F-35A acquisition,
noting that Japanese companies
have been working to develop the
manufacturing processes related
to a 2011 decision to obtain 42 of
the conventional take-off and
landing type.
It is important for Japanese
companies to participate in the
manufacturing process and to
come into contact with cutting-
edge ghter aircraft technology
and knowledge, in order to en-
sure safety and high operational
availability, resulting in the safe
and efcient management of
[Japan Air Self-Defence Force]
F-35As, the document says.
Following discussions with re-
lated parties such as the US gov-
ernment, the participation of Jap-
anese companies in the nal
assembly and check out [FACO]
L
o
c
k
h
e
e
d

M
a
r
t
in
for airframe and the manufacture
of certain engine and radar parts
was decided in scal year 2013.
In FY2014, the companies
plan to further participate in the
manufacturing process, the en-
gine FACO and the production of
parts within the electro-optical
distributed aperture system.
Produced by Northrop Grum-
man, the latter is a core element
of the F-35, effectively giving the
aircrafts pilot 360 visibility of
the battlespace.
Lockheed and Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries are deep in the
process of developing a Japanese
FACO facility.
Tokyos rst four F-35As will
be produced at Lockheeds Fort
Worth site in Texas, with deliver-
ies to commence from the second
quarter of 2016. The nations re-
maining 38 ghters will be as-
sembled in Japan.
The white paper makes specif-
ic mention of several air power
developments in China, and esti-
mates that the nations air force
and navy have around 2,580
combat aircraft. China is not
only improving its air-defence
capabilities for its national terri-
tory, but also aiming to build up
capabilities for air superiority
and anti-surface and anti-ship at-
tacks, the report says. Further
attention needs to be paid to
these activities.
Japan also uses the publication
to repeat its displeasure at Bei-
jings unilateral establishment of
an air defence identication
zone over the East China Sea in
late 2013. Impinging on interna-
tional airspace, the controversial
zone is opposed by countries in-
cluding Japan and the USA.
Tokyo has 42 of
the type on order
DEFENCE
12-25 August 2014
|
|
19 fightglobal.com
Grounding order
after Dhruv crash
DEFENCE P20
C
r
o
w
n

C
o
p
y
r
ig
h
t
The RAF has operated the type in Afghanistan since late 2007
P
ia
g
g
io

A
e
r
o
Piaggio Aero is developing the unmanned P180 Avanti II variant
T
he UK Ministry of Defence is
to bring the 10 General
Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehi-
cles operated by the Royal Air
Force into the services core eet.
Approval was recently granted
for funding to allow the current
capability to be maintained until
the indigenous Scavenger medi-
um-altitude, long-endurance
UAV enters service towards the
end of the decade.
Conrmation of the move was
revealed in a paper published by
the House of Commons Defence
Committee on 22 July, which in-
cluded responses from the gov-
ernment to questions on the UKs
UAV operations.
The RAF has own Reapers in
Afghanistan since late 2007 under
an urgent operational capability
requirement. According to the re-
port, the MoD will retain the
Reaper for contingent purposes
mainly for intelligence, surveil-
lance and reconnaissance tasks
once the mission in Afghanistan
ceases and until the Scavenger
development is complete.
Reaper and [the Thales]
Watchkeeper are both in the core
programme and, on current
plans, the former will be replaced
from 2018 onwards through the
Scavenger programme, it says.
Funding for the Reapers will
now come from the MoDs budget,
rather than the Treasury. Plans are
also in place to retain the British
Armys Lockheed Martin Desert
Hawk 3 and Prox Dynamics Black
Hornet UAVs, pending a nal de-
cision later this year.
Development and deployment
of the armys Watchkeeper has
been a drawn-out process, with
the system having secured de-
layed release to service approval
in February 2014. However, the
question of whether the equip-
ment will be deployed to Afghan-
istan remains unanswered.
CRITICISM
In its response, the government
plays down criticism from the
committee, saying: Watchkeeper
was procured as an enduring ca-
pability and not specically for
operations in Afghanistan. It
cites a number of factors that con-
tributed to development delays,
including the limited prime
contractor experience of Thales
in delivering UAVs.
Lessons learned from operat-
ing leased Elbit Systems Hermes
450s and from the Watchkeeper
programme have been fed into fu-
ture developments such as Scav-
enger and the UKs Future Com-
bat Air System activity, plus the
Royal Navys Boeing/Insitu Scan
Eagle operations, it adds.
Meanwhile, a third phase of
ight trials is planned for 2015
using the UKs BAE Systems-led
Taranis unmanned combat air
system demonstrator, to gain fur-
ther understanding of the radar
cross section of the air vehicle
during operations.
STRATEGY BETH STEVENSON LONDON
UK MoD conrms
Reaper retention
Funding granted to continue using feet for contingent
purposes until indigenous Scavenger enters service
I
taly is evaluating the Piaggio
Aero P1HH Hammerhead un-
manned air vehicle as a likely re-
placement for its air forces eet
of General Atomics Aeronautical
Systems Predator As from later
this decade.
The medium-altitude, long-
endurance Hammerhead is being
developed by Piaggio Aero as an
unmanned variant of its twin-
pusher P180 Avanti II business
aircraft, but the company has yet
to attract a launch customer.
However, Gen Gianni Candot-
ti, head of air and space planning
at the Italian air force, says the
service is keeping a close eye on
the Hammerheads development.
Speaking at a conference in
Rome in late July, Candotti said
the air forces UAV requirement
covers a number of missions, in-
cluding intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance (ISR) and air-
to-ground operations.
Among the foreseen candi-
dates, the Hammerhead should
lead if it will satisfy the require-
ments set for its development,
demonstration and certication
process, he says.
Italys Armaero procurement
body is monitoring the progress
of the Hammerhead, and will be
the military certication body for
the type.
Rome was the rst European
operator of the A-model Predator,
and has subsequently upgraded its
eet to the enhanced A+ standard.
However, with in-service sup-
port from the manufacturer likely
to end later this decade, Candotti
says the air force is now evaluat-
ing possible replacements.
The service is also planning an
enhancement programme for its
Predator Bs a number of which
are currently deployed in Af-
ghanistan in support of the
NATO-led mission.
Improvements are likely to in-
clude the integration of the Selex
ES Seaspray maritime radar,
alongside an unspecied Israeli-
made ISR pod, Candotti says. Ad-
ditionally, Italy is evaluating the
replacement of its E3R Strix-C
8kg (18lb)-class mini-UAVs, ei-
ther with an updated version or
an entirely new platform.
Rome is also changing the
training provided to UAV opera-
tors. Previously, personnel have
been deployed to the USA for in-
struction, but in the future such
training activity will be conduct-
ed in Italy.
REPLACEMENT LUCA PERUZZI GENOA
Hammerhead circles for
Italian UAV requirement
Among the foreseen
candidates, the
Hammerhead should
lead if it will satisfy
the requirements
GEN GIANNI CANDOTTI
Italian air force
DEFENCE
fightglobal.com 20
|
|
12-25 August 2014
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with the latest news on The DEW Line:
ightglobal.com/dewline
T
he next generation of weap-
ons technology that replaces
the Lockheed Martin F-22 and
F-35 may not be a single-seat
a ircraft or even a ghter, but the
end result should have a larger
magazine, according to the retir-
ing head of the US Air Forces Air
Combat Command (ACC).
Bringing to light at least ve
years of internal discussions about
a sixth-generation ghter, Gen
Mike Hostages remarks on 30 July
at an event hosted by the Air
Force Association (AFA) illustrate
the rapidly evolving nature of the
air dominance mission.
It isnt necessarily another
single-seat ghter, says Hostage,
in an audio recording posted on-
line by the AFA. Ive been telling
the teams that work for me: Dont
start thinking single-engine [or]
twin-engine. Dont be thinking in
terms of a platform.
The ACC in 2009 issued a re-
quest for information, which
A
irbus Helicopters has
defended the NH Industries
(NHI) NH90 programme, saying
issues raised by the Dutch and
Australian governments are
under control.
Wolfgang Schoder, executive
vice-president of light and govern-
mental programmes at the NHI
consortiums majority stakehold-
er, says the NH90 is a mature
helicopter, which is being deliv-
ered according to our contracts.
The Netherlands in June sus-
pended further deliveries of the
NFH naval variant until a persis-
tent corrosion issue is solved. NHI
will roll out both corrective and
preventative measures, Schoder
says, such as more stringent clean-
ing and inspection regimes and
minor changes to the design.
Some materials which are
used are not appropriate and we
will correct that, he says. You
always foresee [some corrosion]
on a naval helicopter, but it is
very difcult to avoid it 100%.
You have to bring it to a level
thats manageable, but we
should have been prepared bet-
ter for that.
Schoder stops short of dismiss-
ing a late July report by the Aus-
tralian National Audit Ofce,
which criticised the performance
of the nations MRH90 variant,
but describes it as being based
on very old information.
Per-hour costs are coming
down as the number of ying
hours increases, he says, noting:
There is no concern that we
are not on the right track.
SAFETY
Grounding order after Dhruv crash
Indias air force feet of Hindustan Aeronautics Dhruv advanced light
helicopters remains grounded following the crash of a Mk III produc-
tion standard aircraft on 25 July, killing all seven personnel on board.
The type hasnt been fown since the crash, and checks are on
going, an air force spokesperson confrms. Flightglobals Ascend
Fleets database records the service as having 46 of the 5.5t utility
helicopters, with the Mk III variant having entered service in 2011.
Ascend records the recent loss as the ninth crash involving the
Dhruv in India and with export users Ecuador and Nepal, including
fve fatal incidents.
R
e
x

F
e
a
t
u
r
e
s
ENHANCEMENTS DOMINIC PERRY MUNICH
Airbus says issues with
NH90 are under control
The Raptor is able to
enter highly-defended
airspace, but with only
an eight-missile load
U
S

A
ir

F
o
r
c
e
REQUIREMENT STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
USAFs future ghter to punch harder
Retiring head of Air Combat Command says sixth-generation air dominance asset must carry more weapons than F-22
sought industry feedback on
sixth-generation air dominance
technologies, including ground-
based and non-kinetic solutions
to airborne threats.
If its a button that makes all
our adversaries fall to the ground,
Im okay with that, Hostage says.
Since 2009, the USAF has
released a variety of reports on
future air dominance technolo-
gies, including a concept for a
tailless supersonic air vehicle. It
has also studied new air domi-
nance weapons, although the sta-
tus of a next-generation air-to-air
missile is shrouded in secrecy.
Industry, however, has been
promoting platform-based con-
cepts, with Boeing, Lockheed and
Northrop Grumman all having re-
leased concept designs for a sixth-
generation ghter featuring super-
sonic, tailless characteristics.
For Hostage, a key limitation of
relying on a single platform ap-
pears to be the magazine of on-
board weapons. The F-22 can pen-
etrate highly-defended airspace,
he says, but its internal weapons
bay is limited to eight missiles.
I can only whack eight bad
guys in the process, Hostage
says. Id like to go there and
whack a whole bunch of them.
Although the F-22 entered ser-
vice in 2006 and the F-35A is not
scheduled to achieve initial op-
erational capability with the air
force until scal year 2016, Hos-
tage thinks the service is already
behind schedule with plans for a
sixth-generation weapon system.
Were behind the timeline to
get something on the ramp. Im
living with an ancient eet at the
moment, he says.
SAFETY IN
AVIATION NORTH
AMERICA
Washington D.C, USA
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October 2014
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Are there creative ways to achieve
divisional buy-in? How can we
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Risk checklists: How far have
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In association with:
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Sun Country Airlines
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SVP Flight Safety, Security and Quality
Aeromexico
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WBAT Project Lead
UTRS
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programmes in development:
ightglobal.com/bizavprogrammes
22
|
|
12-25 August 2014
BUSINESS AVIATION
STRATEGY STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
Business jet pecking order
under review at Bombardier
Learjet 85 entry into service date debate folded into wide-ranging priority assessment
B
ombardier is linking an
internal debate over the entry
into service date for the Learjet 85
to a wide-ranging review of pri-
orities that includes the ight test
programmes of the Global 7000
and 8000.
The scope of the review sug-
gests Bombardier could re-order
its development priorities, with
the Learjet 85 potentially falling
behind the Global 7000 and 8000
business jets in the pecking order.
We have three ight test
programmes under way or [that]
will be launched soon, says
Bombardier chief executive
Pierre Beaudoin, grouping the
Learjet 85 with the Global jets
and the CSeries programme.
Before announcing entry into
service of the Learjet 85, he says,
I want us to revisit and look at
our resources and to manage our
priorities.
The Global 7000s entry into
service date is in 2016, followed
by the Global 8000 in 2017.
The CSeries twinjet airliner is
scheduled for delivery in the
second half of 2015.
Bombardier originally planned
to deliver the Learjet 85 in 2013,
but unspecied problems with
the aircrafts structural design led
to long delays.
The midsize business jet fea-
tures a fuselage and wings made
with composite material, and en-
tered ight testing in the rst
quarter. The ight test vehicle
continues to y, but Bombardier
has not provided specic updates
on its progress.
The entry into service date for
the Learjet 85 has been under
review at the Canadian airframer
for more than a year.
Weight loss regime ahead for PC-24
UNVEILING DOMINIC PERRY STANS
T
wo of Cessnas business jet
programmes reached devel-
opment milestones in late July, as
they move towards certication
and service entry over the com-
ing 12 months.
The second production-con-
forming Citation Latitude serial
002 took to the skies on 25 July
for a 2h 42min ight. During the
sortie, the midsize business jet
reached an altitude of 45,000ft
and a maximum speed of 305kt
(656km/h) at Mach 0.80.
Two Pratt & Whitney Canada
PW306D-powered Latitudes a
prototype and a production ex-
ample have logged over 330h in
more than 150 ights, the Textron
Aviation subsidiary says.
The nine-seat twinjet is sched-
uled for certication and service
entry next year, featuring an all-
new fuselage with a 1.8m (5.9ft)-
high cabin, a Garmin G5000 avi-
onics suite and Cessnas Clarity
cabin management system.
According to Flightglobals
Ascend Fleets database, Cessna
has bagged orders for 27 Lati-
tudes to date.
Meanwhile, Cessnas rst pro-
duction-conforming Citation
CJ3+ made its maiden ight on 28
July. The type performed as ex-
pected during a 1h 13min ight
above Wichita, Kansas.
The Williams International
FJ44-3A-powered CJ3+ is a re-
vamped version of the 10-year-old
CJ3 and is earmarked for certica-
tion later this year. It features
Garmins G3000 avionics suite
and a redesigned cockpit and
cabin. Ascends data shows orders
for 20 $8 million CJ3+s so far.
C
e
s
s
n
a
The CJ3+ has bagged 20 orders
P
ila
t
u
s

A
ir
c
r
a
f
t
Pilatuss superlight jet was rolled out on Swiss national day
P
ilatus has rolled out the rst
example of its PC-24 business
aircraft kicking off an anticipat-
ed two year certication cam-
paign for the Swiss airframers
rst jet-powered type.
Unveiled at a ceremony at
Buochs airport, adjacent to the
manufacturers Stans assembly
line, on 1 August Swiss national
day production for the Williams
International FJ44-4A-powered
superlight business jet is already
sold out for the next three years.
The event also celebrated the
manufacturers 75th anniversary.
Oscar Schwenk, Pilatus chair-
man, says the programme is
going great, with the types
maiden sortie tentatively sched-
uled for March next year.
The initial prototype will be
used for envelope expansion
work from the very beginning,
Schwenk says. The design is
okay as far as we can tell, but you
only nd out for sure when you
are airborne. We want to open all
corners of the envelope and see
what happens.
A second PC-24, to be used for
systems testing, will roll off the
DEVELOPMENT
KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
Citation duo hit
milestones on
road to service
assembly line in Stans around
February 2015. A third will arrive
after a further six months.
Not all is proceeding entirely
to plan, however.
First ight has slipped by a
quarter although Schwenk
waves this off as nothing given
the context and the jet is, by his
own admission, too heavy. By ex-
actly how much he declines to
say, save for noting that we are
still within the limits of the
never- exceed weight, but we
want to be better.
Efforts to shed excess mass are
ongoing, he says, adding that Pil-
atus has two years in which to
achieve its target. Besides this, he
adds, weight loss programmes
can eventually become a price-
sensitive issue.
When you are building an air-
craft, every day is a compromise.
Either you are too heavy, or not
fast enough or not innovative
enough on the avionics, he says.
Certication and rst delivery
of the PC-24 is currently expected
in early 2017.
For news on Bombardiers
business jet family, go to:
ightglobal.com/bomberbizjets
GENERAL AVIATION
12-25 August 2014
|
|
23 fightglobal.com
Going East or West?
SPECIAL REPORT P24
A
surfeit of new hardware
announced at the Experi-
mental Aircraft Associations
AirVenture y-in in Oshkosh did
little to satisfy general aviation air-
craft owners concerns about the
cost and feasibility of a mandate to
equip the national eet with new
air trafc surveillance systems.
Tens of thousands of GA air-
craft have not yet been equipped
with automatic dependent sur-
veillance broadcast (ADS-B)
hardware, despite a growing
number of technical options en-
tering the market.
The US Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration (FAA) requires all
aircraft operating in controlled air-
space to transmit GPS-based loca-
tion data augmented by the wide
area augmentation system
(WAAS) by 1 January 2020.
This ADS-B system will augment
radar tracking, providing all users
of the NextGen air trafc control
system with far more accurate and
up-to-date position information.
However, some private aircraft
owners remain concerned about
the cost to equip the technology.
Among products announced
or teased at Oshkosh, the L-3 Avi-
ation Products Lynx offered the
lowest-cost means of compliance,
with the basic model priced at
just under $2,000. Other compli-
ant transceivers released by
Aspen Avionics and Bendix/King
range in price up to $3,500.
Driving the equipment cost is
an FAA performance require-
ment that will drive most aircraft
owners to install a WAAS-aug-
mented GPS signal, says Jens
Hennig, vice-president of opera-
tions at the General Aviation
Manufacturers Association.
GAMA accepts the WAAS re-
quirement based on research that
shows 80,000 in a eet of about
200,000 general aviation aircraft
are already equipped with a
WAAS positioning source.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association (AOPA), which has
protested against the ADS-B
mandate, is urging the FAA and
industry to seek lower-cost
WAAS technology, or allow the
general aviation community to
use less expensive and less pre-
cise technology.
The GA community is, how-
ever, unlikely to be relieved from
the timing of the 2020 mandate,
according to Hennig and FAA
ofcials.
In the early 1990s, the FAA
cancelled the microwave landing
system programme after some
aircraft owners spent thousands
to make their aircraft compliant.
That memory has likely kept
many GA owners from equipping
ADS-B until it is clear the pro-
gramme will work.
The FAA, however, can point
to several signs that should add
condence to the system, Hennig
says. The agency has completed
installation of a nationwide net-
work of ADS-B ground stations,
and ADS-B has been operational
in national airspace since 2010.
Indeed, two FAA ofcials pre-
sent at an AOPA-sponsored panel
were almost unequivocal when
asked what the chances were of
the mandate being delayed.
Almost zero, says Robert
Nichols, director of the FAAs
surveillance and broadcast ser-
vices ofce.
AOPA, meanwhile, prefers to
reserve judgment.
S
afe Flight has unveiled its
answer to a challenge set by
the US Federal Aviation Admin-
istration (FAA) to dramatically
reduce low-altitude stalls in
general aviation.
The SCx angle of attack (AoA)
indicator was available for sale
for experimental and kit-built air-
craft at the Experimental Aircraft
Associations AirVenture y-in in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The FAA, meanwhile, is fast-
tracking the process for the SCx to
receive Part 23 certication, al-
lowing the sensor and indicator
display to be installed on factory-
built aircraft. We expect to have
[approval] by the end of the year,
says Ken Bannon, director of cor-
porate and commercial sales.
AoA sensors are well known
in military and transport-rated
commercial aircraft, but have
only recently appeared on the
general aviation market.
The SCx joins the Bendix/King
KLR 10 as the second of just two
AoA sensors currently available to
general aviation pilots. Start-up
company Icon Aircraft has un-
veiled a bespoke AoA sensor for
its A5 amphibian, however.
Statistics show uncommanded
stalls are the most deadly mistake
made by general aviation pilots,
accounting for 40% of all fatal ac-
cidents, says Talis Berg, director
of marketing for White Plains,
New York-based Safe Flight.
The Safe Flight system costs
$1,495, and includes a leading
edge-mounted transducer and a
cockpit mounted digital display.
Part 23 certication, if ap-
proved, will open the SCx to the
wider retrot and forward-t
market of factory-built aircraft.
AVIONICS STEPHEN TRIMBLE OSHKOSH
Safe Flight stall sensor unveiled
L
aunch customer DLR Luftret-
tung has taken delivery of the
rst Airbus Helicopters EC145 T2
the newest variant of the
medium-twin rotorcraft.
Upgrades over the previous
iteration of the venerable helicop-
ter include the manufacturers
new Helionix avionics suite, an
enclosed fenestron tail rotor, a
completely new carbonbre tail
boom and uprated Turbomeca
Arriel 2E engines.
DRF Luftrettung has 20 of the
type on order for emergency med-
ical service operations across
Germany. The rst example will
be inducted into its Munich oper-
ation by year-end.
Meanwhile, Indonesias Dera-
zona Helicopters has ordered a
single AS350 B3e Ecureil. The
light, single-engined type is
scheduled for delivery in the
fourth quarter and will be used
for utility missions.
According to Airbus Helicop-
ters there are 17 single- and twin-
engined Ecureuil helicopters op-
erating in Indonesia.
EQUIPMENT STEPHEN TRIMBLE OSHKOSH
GA industry wary
of ADS-B mandate
Chance of 2020 requirement being delayed almost zero,
but sector concerned by costs and feasibility of FAA ruling
ACQUISITIONS
Airbus bags Ecureil order,
drops off frst EC145 T2
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Indonesias Derazona Helicopters has ordered a single AS350 B3e
Tens of thousands of
GA aircraft have not
yet been equipped
with ADS-B hardware,
despite a growing
number of options
fightglobal.com
RUSSIA
SPECIAL REPORT
24
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12-25 August 2014
As Russias aerospace industry continues to grapple with the
generational challenge of casting off the deadweight of its Soviet
legacy while building on the strong roots of its engineering
strengths and solid sales history in developing markets,
companies are nding that Western customers remain difcult
to convince while collaboration is giving way to competition in
China. And, this year, the international politics of Ukrainian
unrest is adding a heavy dose of uncertainty
GOING EAST
OR WEST?
fightglobal.com 12-25 August 2014
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RUSSIA
SPECIAL REPORT
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CONTENTS
26 Overview Feeling Ukraine strain
28 Irkut Bullish on MC-21
30 Frigate Ecojet Niche radical
32 Helicopters Civil market calling
34 RAC MiG Legacy leverage
36 Ilyushin Finance Looking abroad
37 Antonov New focus on West
Clockwise from main: Irkut is riding a Yak, Sukhoi seeks Western buyers, MiG eyes a
fifth generation, Mils Mi-17 maintains altitude and Frigage Ecojet believes in radical
fightglobal.com 26
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12-25 August 2014
RUSSIA
SPECIAL REPORT
A
t rst glance, the Russian presence at this
years Farnborough reected the con-
dence of the countrys resurgent aerospace sec-
tor and the value with which its key players
regard the biennial air show.
All the industrys big names had sizeable
chalets or stands, including United Aircraft
(UAC), the holding company for most of the
countrys aircraft brands, as well as Russian
Helicopters and defence export agency Roson-
boronexport. UAC company Irkut had its own
exhibition area featuring a mock-up of the in-
development MC-21 narrowbody while an-
other subsidiary, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC),
put two Superjet 100s on static display along-
side its Italian partner Superjet International.
However, closer inspection revealed just how
seriously the Russian contingent had been af-
fected by the Ukrainian crisis.
There were no ying displays from the
thrust-vectoring Sukhoi Su-35 or Russian
Helicopters coaxial Kamov Ka-52 Alligator
as there were at last years Paris air show, when
both types made their overseas air show de-
buts. In fact, sensitivities over the situation in
Ukraine meant military aircraft kept away.
The cluster of Russian chalets had a dis-
tinctly empty feel. Almost half the Russian
executives who wanted to be at the show
were either not granted visas in time to attend
or refused them outright. The UK Foreign Of-
ce said that while foreign delegations are in-
OVERVIEW
United
front
The threat of heightened sanctions
could put the brakes on what has
been a successful reorganisation
of Russias aviation industry
MURDO MORRISON FARNBOROUGH
term co-operation, and this will not be affect-
ed by changes in the political situation,
Pogosyan said through a translator. He drew a
distinction between Russias military pro-
grammes where our main suppliers are do-
mestic, and foreign suppliers can be quickly
matched in the domestic market and com-
mercial projects, where the countrys industry
is highly integrated with the West. All our
international partners, says Pogosyan, are
keen on further co-operation. These partners
include Snecma and Alenia Aermacchi on
the Superjet and Pratt & Whitney, Rockwell
Collins and United Technologies Aerospace
Systems on the MC-21.
Pogosyan was speaking before the latest
round of US and European sanctions imposed
in the wake of the Malaysia Airlines MH17
incident. However, it is true that short of a
total breakdown of relations between Russia
and the West there is mutual interest in
these relationships continuing.
Russias emergent industry may need West-
ern support more than US and European
heavy weights rely on Moscows still slow-sell-
ing aircraft programmes, but Russia does hold
some aces as Pogosyan was keen to point out.
Russia is a major world exporter of titanium,
including to Airbus and Boeing. We are all in-
terested in co-operation, he noted.
Russias industry has gone through a pain-
ful transition since the fall of communism. In
Soviet times, the countrys vastness and a cap-
tive market of client states meant a steady de-
mand for its commercial aircraft which
were insulated from competition from the
West while the Cold War ensured that mili-
tary production lines were kept busy. The
economic chaos and peace dividend of the
vited to attend Farnborough as ofcial guests
of the government, this year no invitations
were issued to representatives of the Russian
administration because of the countrys ac-
tions in Ukraine.
Speaking at a brieng during the show, a
consultant advising UAC blamed UK govern-
ment budget cuts rather than any political
response to Ukraine for the majority of the
no-shows. The agency that handles visa ap-
plications for the embassy in Moscow simply
did not have enough staff to process them in
time, he suggested.
FURIOUS
The Foreign Ofce statement provoked a furi-
ous response from Russian deputy prime
minister Dmitry Rogozin. I recommend our
delegation to wind up its participation in the
show and return home, he tweeted at the
start of the show. That did not happen. By
contrast, Mikhail Pogosyan, United Aircrafts
president and the most senior gure in Rus-
sian aerospace, was putting on a brave face.
Speaking at a brieng midway through the
show, he insisted that the extensive links be-
tween UAC units such as SCAC and Irkut and
Western aerospace companies would contin-
ue. The aircraft industry is focused on long-
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The creation of United
Aircraft in 2006 was an
attempt to inject life back
into Russias industry
Mexicos Interjet is currently the only Western operator of the Superjet 100
12-25 August 2014
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RUSSIA
SPECIAL REPORT
bureau behind a range of military ghters, as
well as the Superjet 100 is being integrated
with Irkut, which is responsible for the MC-21
and already has Beriev and Yakovlev maker
of the Yak-130 jet trainer under its wing.
Tupolev is being merged with Kazan-based
production facility KAPO into a single entity.
Likewise, military aircraft designer Mikoyan
(MiG) is being integrated with Nizhny
Novgorod-based factory Sokol responsible
for building many of its ghters over the
years.
AUTONOMY
Pogosyan wants to create an Airbus Group-
type structure in Russia. It would retain the
brands and autonomy of the design houses,
but group the businesses into divisions repre-
senting the main markets: military and com-
mercial as well as transport and specialised
which would take in Ilyushin and Beriev.
UAC already has a unied management
structure and set of accounts, however, those
accounts do not look healthy. In 2013, pre-tax
losses rose to Rb12.9 billion as a result of rising
investment costs for the SSJ100 and MC-21.
Revenue was Rb220 billion ($6.2 billion), but
Pogosyan wants to grow that to $20 billion by
2020, as well as deliver consistent prots.
Internal streamlining will only get Pogosy-
an so far towards that objective, however.
United Aircraft must convince not just the
countrys own carriers, but foreign airlines
also that its aircraft are as good if not better
than anything from the USA, Europe, Cana-
da, Brazil, Japan and even China.
It is not proving easy. While SCAC has had
reasonable success within the former Soviet
Union and in Southeast Asia, there remains
just one Western customer for its partner Su-
perjet International Mexican low-cost carri-
er Interjet. The vast bulk of orders too for the
MC-21 are from Russian customers. That is no
disaster domestic demand from airlines
anxious to replace ageing Soviet types is con-
siderable. But both SCAC and Irkut will be
keen to broaden their international customer
base if they are to be taken seriously as a com-
petitor for the likes of Embraer, Bombardier,
Airbus and Boeing.
1990s was a disaster for Russias aerospace
sector. When the countrys fortunes, and those
of its neighbours, began improving it was to
Airbus and Boeing not to Ilyushin, Tupolev
and Yakovlev that airlines turned when it
came to renewing their eets.
The creation of United Aircraft in 2006 was
an attempt to inject life back into Russias in-
dustry by bringing its independent design bu-
reaus under one management structure.
Military programmes still one of Russias
huge strengths would come under one um-
brella, even as Western input was already being
sought to develop regional and narrowbody air-
craft families with the same build-quality,
brand integrity, comfort levels and aftermarket
support as their counterparts in Europe and
North America. However, while the Russian
industry has come a long way in less than a
decade, it is still very much a work in progress.
Much of that effort involves internal reor-
ganisation. In Soviet times, aircraft production
was allocated to factories around the country
as part of a command economy. However, Rus-
sias design bureaus remained ercely autono-
mous. They also had their own cultures and
competed for the best talent. Ensuring these
bureaus work together as well as integrating
them vertically with production facilities has
proven one of the toughest tasks when it comes
to industrial consolidation.
Several changes are under way or have al-
ready been completed. Sukhoi the design
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In its 2013 report, Sukhoi reported 182
Superjet 100 orders, 154 of them from identi-
ed customers. It has now delivered around
40 Superjets 21 of them last year. However,
its orderbook has already been overtaken by
Embraers E2 E-Jet, which was launched only
last year. With the MC-21 due to y next year,
its tally stands at around 175 rm orders.
However, Pogosyan believes the two pro-
grammes can deliver 800 and 1,000 aircraft,
respectively, giving United Aircraft an ambi-
tious 15% of the regional market and around
7% of narrowbody sales.
Both the Superjet and MC-21 have to shift
between 300 and 400 units for the pro-
grammes to recoup their investment, he says.
With production of relatively modern legacy
aircraft such as the Tupolev Tu-204 and
Antonov An-148 designed in Ukraine but
assembled in Russia in low single gures, it
remains to be seen whether airlines will take
Pogosyan at his word when he says: We offer
not copies but modern, innovative products
which move the market forward.
Not that Pogosyan has it much easier when
it comes to the military market. United Air-
crafts agship, the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA, is a
fth-generation stealth ghter that made its
debut at the MAKS air show in 2011.
However, the Russian government has still
to commit to an order, and a re on a proto-
type in June delayed efforts to have the air-
craft ready for delivery by 2016. Pogosyan be-
lieves that together with a possible order from
Russias biggest export customer, India, the
PAK-FA could amass as many as 600 sales.
No one knows how long the Ukrainian cri-
sis will last, but some of the goodwill that sur-
rounded Russias efforts to rebuild its com-
mercial aerospace industry and increase
foreign co-operation has certainly eroded.
Iran-style pariah status appears a long way
off few in Europe or the USA are in a rush to
block Russias exports of gas, titanium and
other natural resources but pressure could
increase on US and European aerospace rms
to ease back on co-operation.
Booking is well under way for the 2015
Paris air show. Russias presence after 2013s
show of force will be an interesting gauge of
whether its integration with the West has
taken a step backwards.
We offer not copies but
innovative products which
move the market forward
MIKHAIL POGOSYAN
President, United Aircraft
Read more on UAC and the Superjet plant
at ightglobal.com/unitedaircraft and
ightglobal.com/superjetkomsomolsk Two SSJ100s were on display at the Farnborough air show
The Su-35 made its overseas air
show debut at Paris in 2013
fightglobal.com 28
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SPECIAL REPORT
PW1500G engine aboard one of Bombardiers
CSeries prototypes while engaged in ground
testing. A variant of the same Pratt & Whitney
geared-fan powerplant the PW1400G will
propel the MC-21, but Demchenko seems un-
troubled by the Canadian mishap, dismissing
it as just a regular thing that happens when
you start [testing] a new engine.
GOOD SITUATION
He still anticipates receiving the rst pair of
PW1400Gs in 2015. There are no problems
that cannot be solved, he says. It is just a
matter of tests and I believe Pratt & Whitney
will be very fast to deal with these issues and
successfully solve them.
Our situation is very good. The CSeries is
going ahead of our aircraft so all the minor
diseases for that engine will be cured at that
stage, and we will receive an engine in very
good shape.
Windtunnel tests and stand tests conduct-
ed last year at the Moscow-based Central
Aero hydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) on a
number of MC-21 fuselage sections, including
the wing box, have helped validate the de-
sign, says Demchenko. Although slight modi-
cations were required to one, Demchenko
the aviation business we are all very supersti-
tious that is the reason why I do not like per-
formance ights during air shows, he says.
Optimism and superstition are the hall-
marks of our profession, he adds. If you are
pessimistic you will never be able to design
an aircraft.
Break-even for the programme depends on
at least 300 deliveries, and Demchenko
believes it will have netted the required
orders by entry into service, currently sched-
uled for 2017.
Giving its sales so far a B+, he points out
that Irkuts commercial performance cannot
be directly compared with that of its big West-
ern rivals, given their inherent advantages.
When Boeing or Airbus start selling a paper
aircraft they have been in the market for a
long time they have their reputation and
around 70% of the airlines are their custom-
ers, he says.
Assembly of the rst three airframes des-
tined for both ground- and ight-test activities
has commenced at the companys Irkutsk fac-
tory, and work continues to nalise the as-
sembly line later this year.
One slight potential issue reared its head at
the end of May, however, with the failure of a
IRKUT
Irkut above
the rest
The airframer is condent its
unusual mix of jet trainer sales
and next-generation airliner
development will pay dividends
DOMINIC PERRY MOSCOW
S
peaking candidly, Oleg Demchenko says
he believes his grandchildren will y in
the MC-21. It is a bullish statement from the
Irkut president and says much about his faith
in the longevity and sales prospects for an air-
liner that has yet to roll out, let alone perform
its maiden ight.
Still, with a claimed rm backlog of 175 or-
ders and a further 75 aircraft covered by tenta-
tive commitments, alongside a programme
that has not experienced any disasters over
the last 12 months, Demchenko could be for-
given an air of quiet condence. Not, of
course, that he would admit to that. Here in
Bangladesh will receive
the first of its 24-strong
Yak-130 order next year
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Budaev says it is unlikely that the -400 will
get the go-ahead. We will probably make an-
other product, but not the -400.
We have spoken with airlines and some
airlines want a 240-seat aircraft, but those
numbers are not enough to start a third mem-
ber for the MC-21 family, he says.
The other potential area of doubt is what
the narrowbody will actually be called. Last
year, Russias deputy prime minister Dmitry
Rogozin suggested that the twinjet would
adopt the Yak-242 designation. Demchenko
says he would prefer switching to the
says it has not affected the twinjets develop-
ment timeline. You always come to this kind
of situation because it is the only way to de-
sign an aircraft. We are fully keeping [to] the
schedule, he says.
Irkut intends to complete assembly of the
initial test aircraft next year, with rst ight
potentially following next year. But Dem-
chenko declines to be drawn on exactly when
the narrowbody will take to the skies.
It is hard to say in which month nal as-
sembly will be nished. In front there are a
large number of tests to be performed, he
says. In any aircraft building company in the
world there may be all kinds of surprises.
Nonetheless, during a Farnborough air
show brieng Irkuts vice-president of sales &
marketing Kirill Budaev said it is aiming to
complete the wing-to-body join of the MC-21
by early 2015 and to roll out the aircraft by the
end of that year. First ight would follw in
early 2016, he says. Were trying to do our
best on the schedule, but lets be realistic, all
programmes shift a little, but the shift will be
reasonable, Budaev says.
Meanwhile, says Demchenko, develop-
ment work on the alternative Aviadvigatel
PD-14 turbofan for the MC-21 continues, with
the rst engine beginning bench tests in July.
Flight trials of the indigenously-developed
powerplant aboard an Ilysushin Il-76 ying
testbed will begin next year, he says, ahead of
a planned 2017 certication.
This is our national programme and it has
very large support from the government,
Demchenko adds. Two key issues remain un-
resolved, however. First, Irkuts initial plans
for the MC-21 call for a three-aicraft family
spanning the range from 150 to 212 seats. The
baseline -300, which will accommodate 180
passengers, is the lead aircraft and will be fol-
lowed by the 150-seat -200 shrink variant.
QUESTIONS
Irkut plans to release key documentation for
this model later this year, but question marks
still surround the future of the largest planned
family member, the -400.
On the third aircraft we have not made our
plans yet, we do not know what kind of air-
craft it is going to be, says Demchenko. This
aircraft is more like a widebody aircraft but
today we are specialising in manufacturing
narrowbodies so we will have to take a mutu-
al decision together with [parent company]
United Aircraft about what kind of aircraft
will be the next one.
That decision will be taken somewhere
this year says Demchenko. We are trying to
study this issue. Because when you design
and build an aircraft you should understand
the market very well. The nal word will be
said by airlines because we keep our eyes
open to what is going on in the world.

Yak-242 to better reect the design bureau be-
hind the twinjet. A designer is like a writer,
he says. If there is no name on the title page
of the book he will be very upset for a long
time. MC-21 was conceived as a neutral
moniker to avoid any conict when Irkut and
then design partner Ilyushin were planning to
launch a new programme.
REBRANDING
Demchenko says that although he is for the
Yak-242 he is happy to hold re on any re-
branding. It is quite possible that we are
going to come up with this kind of name, but
now the name is not important.
Meanwhile, on the military side, Irkut has
two strings to its bow. First is the assembly of
the SM and MK variants of the Sukhoi Su-30
combat aircraft, which it carries out at Irkutsk
for both domestic and international custom-
ers such as India. And second, it produces the
successful Yak-130 combat trainer, which
Demchenko describes as his favourite baby.
So far 35 examples have been delivered to
the Russian air force ight school from a total
order for 55. Demchenko anticipates a follow-
on deal will be signed next year for a total of
not less than 60 aircraft for delivery in the
2016-2020 timeframe.
In the meantime, other Yak-130s are being
produced for the export market. Algeria al-
ready has its 16-strong eet in service, and
Belorussia has so far received six of the train-
ers. Demchenko anticipates its eventual re-
quirement will total 15-20 of the Ivchenko-
Progress AI-222-powered jets.
Bangladesh, too, has committed to the
Yak-130 and it will receive the rst of its 24 air-
craft next year. More sensitive though are de-
liveries to Syria, given the civil war there.
Demchenko says Irkut plans to honour the
contract, but only when international permis-
sions allow.
Assembly of the Su-30 is carried
out at Irkutsk for both domestic
and international customers
Development on the MC-21 continues
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Frigate Ecojet to direct the programme,
taking over all rights to the project. Former
United Aircraft and NPO Saturn executive
Vasily Danilov was recruited to lead the effort.
A little over a week later on 11 July, Frigate
Ecojet announced a second round of windtun-
nel testing would begin later this year to vali-
date the performance characteristics of the fu-
selage. To take place in the European Transonic
Windtunnel in Cologne, Germany, Frigate
Ecojet says the main objective of the trials
which will run until January 2015 is to iden-
tify aerodynamic parameters that most closely
resemble actual ight conditions.
An earlier phase of windtunnel evaluations
carried out in 2013 at the TsAGI Central Insti-
tute of Aerohydrodynamics in Moscow con-
rmed the initial conguration, the rm says,
but since then the design has been enhanced.
The model to be used during the tests will
be manufactured by Bremen-based Deharde
Maschinenbau a company which, says Frig-
ate, specialises in the design and manufacture
of both windtunnel models and full scale ight
articles. Germanys ThyssenKrupp System
Engineering will oversee the test programme.
CRITICAL
Additionally, the company will produce a
14m-long section of the fuselage to validate
the shapes ability to withstand pressurisa-
tion, Grachev says. Company documents sug-
gest testing of the barrel is likely to be con-
ducted by another German rm, IMA
Dresden, which has previously carried out
similar tasks for the Airbus A380.
Grachev says the project is now in the de-
nition phase, and a design freeze is anticipat-
ed by June next year. This will usher in a criti-
cal period for the company as it looks to sign
up the programmes key suppliers.
Grachev rules out developing a new engine
specically for the twinjet, instead preferring
to see what the market can offer in the 18-
25t thrust class about 39,000-55,000lb-
thrust (173-245kN). However, those require-
ments seem to rule out the next-generation
FRIGATE ECOJET
Trials and
tribulations
Frigate Ecojet is positive that its
elliptical-fuselage twinjet will nd
a niche in international markets
but theres a lot of work still to do
W
hereas other parts of the Russian aero-
space industry are typically inward
looking a fact of life when under state own-
ership the countrys newest pretender to the
aeronautical throne has a much more interna-
tional outlook.
Based in a nondescript Moscow ofce
building, the Rosavia consortium last year
launched its concept for a new high-capacity,
medium-haul airliner dubbed the Frigate
Ecojet. Featuring a highly elliptical fuselage
and a triple-aisle interior, the clean-sheet
twinjet is designed, the company says, to ad-
dress a market for a 300-350-seat widebody
that can be efciently operated on routes of
around 1,890nm (3,500km), particularly from
slot-constrained airports.
The concept dates back a number of years
to research and designs produced during the
Soviet era. However, the programmes active
phase, says marketing director Sergey
Grachev, is covered by the last three years.
Rosavia is aiming to achieve rst ight in
2018-2019, with the aircraft to enter serial
production and commercial service around
2021, following EASA certication.
Grachev admits the timeline is an ambi-
tious one. It is a very tight schedule we
need to concentrate all our focus to full this
plan, he says.
However, there are signs that the pro-
gramme is accelerating. On 3 July, Rosavia an-
nounced it had created a specic company
Overall, Demchenko is targeting a 40%
share of the market for advanced jet trainers,
although he describes this as a very modest
projection. In fact, he argues that there are
only two aircraft in the segment, the Yak-130
and the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 which is
hardly surprising given their shared origins.
But more important than simply offering the
Yak-130 to customers, says Demchenko, is the
ability to provide a whole combat trainer com-
plex covering the aircraft itself, simulators and
training for both pilots and engineers.
And Irkut will add to that offering next year
when it performs rst ight of its new turbo-
prop-powered Yak-152 basic trainer. Initially
destined for delivery to the Russian air force in
2015, which requires at least 200 units, Dem-
chenko is eyeing a total market including non-
military customers of 1,000 aircraft.
Progress can additionally be discerned in
Irkuts nancial performance.
In the period to 31 December 2013, revenue
grew to a record $1.9 billion, from $1.53 bil-
lion the year before. Pre-tax prot was $54
million a margin of 2.8%.
The company attributes the success to two
strands: the increased production of both the
Su-30 and Yak-130.
However, key to sustaining the nancial
performance will be the successful execution
of the MC-21 programme. But assuming Dem-
chenkos grandchildren do become passen-
gers on the twinjet, the benet could be felt for
years to come.

Rosavia is aiming to achieve first flight for the clean-sheet airliner in 2018-2019
The Yak-130 has been a cash cow for Irkut
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powerplants being developed for narrowbody
applications, with Pratt & Whitneys
PW1100G for the Airbus A320neo capped at
35,000lb-thrust, for example, and the CFM
International Leap-1A at 32,900lb-thrust.
A derated version of the Rolls-Royce Trent
1000 could creep into the upper end of that
range, but so far the engine manufacturer has
not certicated anything below 69,200lb-thrust.
Nonetheless, Grachev says the company
has started communications with a number
of engine manufacturers to discuss possibili-
ties, and is aiming to nalise an engine selec-
tion within the next 12 months.
Other possibilities could include Russian-
built engines, including the future Aviadviga-
tel PD-18R geared turbofan which would
boast 39,600-44,100lb-thrust and the same
manufacturers PS-90A20.
Proposed developments at rival airframers
could spur engine development, adds
Grachev. Boeing has already hinted at studies
exploring a replacement for the 757, with ob-
servers putting its requirement in the
30,000-50,000lb-thrust bracket
The message from the market is that a pro-
ject for this kind of engine will maybe become
a reality, he says.
Of course, any 757 successor would be a
rival of sorts to the Frigate Ecojet. But, says
Gravhev, this would only tackle a small share
of the market and does not specically ad-
dress Frigates target segment of 1,890nm legs
with 300 passengers, own from slot-restrict-
ed airports where airlines are already operat-
ing aircraft not optimised for these routes.
A revived 757 would be a reaction to the
demands of the market, he adds, although he
notes that a typical offering from Boeing or
Airbus is designed around the average cus-
tomer, rather than every customer. The Frigate
Ecojet would, he argues, allow carriers to re-
place two narrowbody ights with a single
widebody service, cutting costs and freeing
up airport capacity.
Grachev adds: We need to change the clas-
sical mindset of airlines. We will not compete
with Boeing or Airbus but introduce some-
thing special. We hope we are bringing choice
to the market.
Early discussions have already been held
with a number of undisclosed airlines, he
adds, but the twinjet is being pitched at those
that think differently. He cites Ryanair and
AirAsia as examples, as carriers working to a
classical model are unlikely to be con-
vinced by the programmes potential.
An analysis carried out by Flightglobal in
2013 into the short- and medium-haul mar-
kets for widebodies concluded that 50% of all
widebody passenger scheduled sectors own
at that time were shorter than 2,500nm, and
70% under 4,000nm. Only a tiny proportion
under 0.4% exceed the 8,000nm that long-
range widebody twins are capable of ying.
Writing in the same report, Rob Morris, head
of consultancy at Flightglobals advisory ser-
vice Ascend, says: Aircraft optimised for
shorter range have typically not sold well as
airlines (and more importantly nanciers) be-
lieve range exibility is key to their eet plan-
ning decisions, and consequently residual
value retention.
FLEXIBILITY
Nonetheless, he suggests airlines at present
seem more likely to order regional variants
of long-haul airliners than anything opti-
mised for the segment, and will accept the
lower performance in return for better eet
commonality and scheduling exibility.
Grachev is undeterred, however. Pointing
to research conducted by IATA Consulting, he
says there is a market over a 10-15-year period
for around 600 aircraft in the segment, and he
believes Frigate Ecojet will provide at least
250 of these. That would be enough for us,
but it is a pessimistic view, he says.
In fact, he cites the relative success in
sales terms at least of the Bombardier
CSeries against the smallest members of the
We will not compete with
Boeing or Airbus but [will]
introduce something special
SERGEY GRACHEV
Marketing director, Frigate Ecojet

Early designs feature a highly elliptical fuselage and a 300-350-seat cabin layout
The type is designed to address a market
for a widebody that can be efficiently
operated on routes of around 1,890nm
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crawling incrementally closer to certication.
But despite the mounting delays, Aleksandr
Mikheev, general director of the Moscow-
headquartered manufacturer, remains largely
untroubled. Although he admits that the pro-
gramme slippage does cause concern, he
notes that delays are inevitable on new plat-
forms. If you recall those recent launches of
Airbus and Boeing, they have also experi-
enced some delays and problems in that [ini-
tial] stage of development, he says.
Progress is being made, of course. Static
ground tests of the Ka-62 are under way and
assembly of the next prototype is advancing
according to the production plan, says
Mikheev. He still expects certication and
rst delivery to be achieved in 2016. The
Ka-62 is an important product for Russian
Helicopters in part because of the high degree
of Western content on the aircraft, including
French-made Turbomeca Ardiden 3G en-
gines. It also looks as though it has been de-
signed to appeal to customers who want an
aircraft that does not resemble, to put it blunt-
ly, a Russian helicopter.
Mikheev describes it as an advanced high-
tech helicopter that meets international re-
quirements for safety, comfort and maintain-
ability and at the same time retains all
RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS
Up to the
challenge
Russian Helicopters ambitious
plans encompass both domestic
expansion and securing a greater
share of the global market
I
f you wanted proof that undoubted success in
the military segment does not automatically
translate into the civil sphere then you could
look no further than Russian Helicopters.
While its military products are in some
cases class-leading whatever you think of the
Mi-17s appearance it continues to sell in
droves the companys two latest civil devel-
opmental programmes have teething troubles.
The Ka-62, a 6.5t rotorcraft that features a great
deal of Western content, is slipping ever later.
First ight was originally due last year, but that
has now been pushed into the second half of
2014. And the Mi-38, a 15.6t-class helicopter
that made its rst ight in 2003, has been
The Mi-38 is crawling incrementally closer to certification
The companys Mi-17 has been massively successful
Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A320neo
families. Look at the sales of the smallest 737
or the A319neo, he says. The CSeries can
tackle them.
Sometimes I ask who our competitor is I
think we dont have a direct competitor. In re-
ality it is something like the [out of production]
Airbus A300 or the Ilysuhin Il-86, he says.
Production at full rate will be around 25
aircraft per year, Grachev says, although the
where and how of that assembly work is still
up for discussion.
Frigate Ecojet continues its search for po-
tential production sites for the widebody. The
company has so far identied a number of vi-
able locations across both western and eastern
Europe interestingly none in Russia al-
though company documents suggest various
plants in Germany have made the shortlist. It
aims to make a nal selection later this year.
The initial 14m fuselage section for evalua-
tion work is to be fabricated by a German
company known for working with alumini-
um but not necessarily in the aerospace in-
dustry, as competencies can be transferred
across. The rm is nalising the technical
preparations, Grachev says, adding that we
hope in the coming months [to] start to devel-
op and produce this barrel.
This unorthodox approach was partly driv-
en by the likelihood that if Frigate went to one
of the big aerostructure manufacturers re-
questing a one-off job, this would be met ini-
tially with a no, ultimately followed by a
very expensive yes. In this case we try to
look for different possibilities, says Grachev.
How many of its own factories does Apple
have? None. Thats why we looked outside [of
aerospace], he says. It is using aluminium
rather than composite, however, as it is a
proven solution that decreases technical risk.
Discussions over investment in the pro-
gramme as a joint venture alongside a poten-
tial strategic partner are also ongoing,
Grachev adds, with funding also coming from
Frigate Ecojets parent Rosavia.
Ultimately, however, the company will
sink or swim based on pulling in orders for
the unusually shaped jet. The Ecojet is a tar-
geted solution for a certain market niche.
We are proposing a product that is tailor-
made for certain operations, argues Grachev.
It doesnt matter how it looks. If it gives you
the possibility of making more money then
who cares?
Aircraft optimised for shorter
range [do not sell] well. Airlines
believe range exibility is key
ROB MORRIS
Head of consultancy, Ascend

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traditional qualities of Russian helicopters.
From my point of view, it has a clear com-
petitive advantage on the international mar-
ket, including the Western market, he says.
Meanwhile, on the Mi-38 programme, nal
assembly of the fourth and nal ight-test arti-
cle has commenced at Russian Helicopters
Kazan production facility. This follows the
maiden sortie of the third ying prototype on
29 September last year. Fitted with new Rus-
sian-built Klimov TV7-117V engines and avi-
onics from Transas, the Mi-38 is conceived as a
multirole helicopter. Certication is envisioned
late next year, with serial production following
shortly thereafter. However, it is a programme
with its roots in a now-dissolved joint venture
with the then-Eurocopter and appears to be
stumbling, rather than racing, to the nish line.
COMPLEX
Mikheev acknowledges the Mi-38s long and
painful gestation, noting that it has survived
many complex phases in the past. He cites
both economic and political reasons as causes
for the schedule slippage, but says that re-
newed government attention and a stable
Russian economy had a favourable impact
on progress of the programme. He says:
Today, with the help of public funding and
our groups own efforts and resources, it has
entered the nal stage.
However, with a maximum take-off weight
of 15.6t, the Mi-38 sits very much in its own
class. The only comparable helicopter is the
AgustaWestland AW101, which has yet to net a
single civil sale and long-range offshore oil and
gas missions are typically conducted by rotor-
craft in the 12t bracket. Nonetheless, Mikheev
thinks those additional tonnes and the capac-
ity for up to 30 passengers are a selling point
rather than a disadvantage. It indicates the ex-
istence of a certain free market niche that the
Mi-38 may successfully ll, he says. Unique
advantages of [its] cargo-passenger cabin size,
high speed and range make this helicopter one
of the best deals for operation in the oil and gas
industry, Mikheev points out, although when
he says this, he is thinking more of facilities in
Russias northern seas, rather than those off the
north coast of Scotland.
Still, there is some good news in the civil
sphere, with the latest A2 variant of the leg-
endary Mi-171 making strong progress. A sec-
ond ight-test prototype of the 13t helicopter
is in nal assembly and will join the certica-
tion effort later this year.
Further out, there is also the potential de-
velopment of new rotorcraft, under the aus-
pices of the Russian Advanced Commercial
Helicopter (RACHEL) programme. Envisaged
as a 10-12t-class aircraft, Russian Helicopters
is presently dening the concept of the pro-
gramme, says Mikheev.
DEBATE
However, there is still debate whether this
will simply be a very modern conventional
helicopter or a genuine high-speed rotorcraft
along the lines of the Airbus Helicopters X3 or
Sikorsky X2 technology demonstrators.
As an adjunct to the RACHEL project there
is a secondary industry-wide research effort to
grow the know-how and technological exper-
tise to produce a high-speed rotary-wing air-
craft with a speed of over 500km/h [270kt]
says Mikheev. But he urges caution, noting
that at the moment, we have not received in-
terest from current operators [showing a re-
quirement for] high speed itself.
Of course, all this work in the civil arena
and that is without mentioning the Kazan
Ansat or the latest iteration of the renowned
Ka-32 does not mean that Russian Helicop-
ters is ignoring the military market. Far from
it, says Mikheev, pointing out that the
manufacturer is working consistently to en-
hance its line-up.
Our latest attack helicopters, the Mi-28N
Night Hunter and Ka-52 Alligator, which are
supplied to the Russian air force and offered
for export, are among the most advanced and
efcient military helicopters.
The company is working to upgrade and
improve the qualities of these helicopters,
based on their practical use in the army, says
Mikheev. Enhancements to the Mi-28N
include the addition of a dual-control system
to enable its use for pilot training while retain-
ing its offensive capability.
Training of a pilot on a real attack helicop-
ter, and not just on a simulator, is a unique op-
portunity which, judging by reviews, many
Western pilots envy. I am sure that the dual-
control modication will increase the export
The airframers Ka-52 (second left) and Mi-28N are in service with the Russian air force, while the Ansat is aimed at the civil market
Flight tests of the Mi-171A2 (middle) are ongoing, as the Ka-32 continues its evolution

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potential of the Night Hunter, says
Mikheev. And although he declines to com-
ment, recent reports have linked Pakistan as
the latest potential customer for the Mi-28NE.
HELICOPTER CLUSTER
More widely, Russian Helicopters is also
planning the creation of a helicopter cluster
to unite eight separate businesses in Bataysk
in the southwest of the country. Intended to
occupy around 800 hectares (1,980 acres) of
land at the disused Bataysk airbase, it will see
the relocation of production from the Rostver-
tol factory in nearby Rostov-on-Don and will
employ 10,000 people directly and around
the same number in the supply chain.
Design of the new operation will be com-
pleted in 2015 and construction work will
start the same year. The project is due to nish
in 2019, which will also see the launch of one
of the projects key elements a facility
dedicated to ight-test operations.
Other elements of the cluster will include a
service and repair centre for the Russian mili-
tary, a composites component production fa-
cility, a branch of the manufacturers Helicop-
ter Academy and potentially the production
line for any rotorcraft produced under the
RACHEL programme.
The expansion of the business has been un-
derpinned by a solid nancial performance.
In the six years from 2007 to 2013, helicopter
production increased almost threefold. And
last year Russian Helicopters increased reve-
nue to Rb140 billion ($4.07 billion) and
EBITDA to Rb26.3 billion. Although deliver-
ies were slightly down in 2013, Mikheev pins
this on adapted customer schedules, rather
than a declining orderbook. Last years output
puts the company third in the world for pro-
duction of helicopters over 1.3t, he adds.
We are growing rapidly, and that gives us
some condence, says Mikheev. In the next
few years, our strategic goals are to strengthen
the companys position as a leading player in
the global aerospace industry, to expand our
model range, streamline production and de-
velop our after-sales service offering.
Overall, it hopes to increase its share of the
global rotorcraft market from 14% to 20%
based on the value of deliveries.
Our achievements will also make a signi-
cant contribution to supporting Russias
image as one of the few countries that is suc-
cessfully developing high-tech helicopter pro-
duction, he adds.
Our achievements will make
a signicant contribution to
supporting Russias image
ALEKSANDR MIKHEEV
General director, Russian Helicopters
T
Hunter, says
eclines to com-
ked Pakistan as
or the Mi-28NE.
opters is also
icopter cluster
sses in Bataysk
ry. Intended to
1,980 acres) of
base, it will see
om the Rostver- rr
n-Don and will
ly and around
y chain.
n will be com-
tion work will
is due to nish
e launch of one
ts a facility
ons.
r will include a
e Russian mili-
production fa-
turers Helicop-
will make
ution to
image
s
MIG
A legacy of
innovation
Russias most iconic ghter
manufacturer is working hard to
leverage its experience on the
next generation of combat aircraft
I
t is probably fair to say that Sergey Korotkov,
general director of RAC MiG for the past ve
years, has ghters in his blood.
Not only does he head Russias most iconic
manufacturer of combat aircraft albeit one
that has fallen from its Soviet-era pedestal
he also has a 30-year stint at sister manufac-
turer Sukhoi under his belt, ending as the
rms deputy general director.
With the latter manufacturer seemingly
very much the favoured sibling under the par-
entage of United Aircraft (UAC), Korotkov
could be forgiven for feeling a little hard done
by, or even the odd pang of jealousy. But not a
bit of it, he insists.
Actually I think I am quite happy to work at
MiG, as I have the opportunity to compare dif-
ferent schools of designing aircraft. So that
knowledge I gained during those 30 years I now
have the opportunity to polish with the ve
years working at MiG, he says.
Although still describing Sukhoi the de-
sign bureau he joined straight from university
as the motherland, he is relishing the op-
portunity at MiG, and says the entire compa-
ny is proud of the product we manufacture.
And despite a certain and inevitable rivalry
between the two airframers, Korotkov thinks
they can co-exist. The Su-35 is a remarkable
aircraft, but the MiG-35 is in no way less re-
markable, he says.
But there are still hurdles to overcome. Its
most modern ghter the MiG-35 has yet to
receive an order from the Russian govern-
ment, which in the interim signed for another
batch of 16 MiG-29SMTs, seen by many as
simply a means of keeping the companys
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Sukhoi has its T-50/PAK-FA fth-genera-
tion ghter, but MiG has so far revealed little
about its future direction. Korotkov, however,
indicates that it could press ahead with plans
for a similarly stealthy type using the MiG-35
as a foundation for the introduction of new
technologies. Korotkov says concepts for a
new aircraft have already been worked on by
company engineers.
Although he does not detail how advanced
the studies are, Korotkov believes it is very
likely that the new combat aircraft will be
developed. However, he says the most im-
portant thing is that it should be ordered.
CONFLICT
Such a time-consuming project, which re-
quires quite a big amount of money, would
need to have a dened end-user before it is
commenced, he says. He also plays down sug-
gestions that any work on a fth-generation
ghter would bring MiG into conict with
Sukhoi and its PAK-FA.
The two aircraft are are quite different pro-
jects and each would be targeted to resolve
their own mission, he says.
The maximum take-off weight of the cur-
rent MiG-35 is around 5t lighter than that of
the larger T-50, and Korotkov suggests it will
provide greater efciency for the majority of
projected missions. We consider that the
MiG-35 is that very platform which might, in
the future, form the foundation of a fth-gen-
eration ghter, he says.
In the meantime, a backlog over 100 air-
craft as far as Korotkov will reveal
stretches out until at least 2016, with future
contracts likely to push this into the mid-
2020s at least. And we feel from a very far
away perspective that is somewhere around
2025, so there we think the turn will come to

those projects we are at present developing or
thinking or planning for, he says.
Unmanned air vehicles are still notably ab-
sent from MiGs line-up, although it did sign a
research and development contract in 2013 to
push forward an unmanned combat air vehi-
cle design, based on its earlier Skat concept.
Korotkov concedes that much of the work
in the unmanned segment is being performed
under the UAC umbrella, but points out that
its previous studies should allow the compa-
ny to create something which will be suf-
cient at meeting the requirements of the time.
We are looking in different directions. You
cant make universal soldiers, so different di-
rections are being touched upon, he says.
The Su-35 is a remarkable
aircraft, but the MiG-35 is in
no way less remarkable
SERGEY KOROTKOV
General director, RAC MiG
Lukhovitsy production line ticking over. But
Korotkov says all the relevant documentation
covering a deal for an undisclosed number of
MiG-35s is with the nations defence ministry,
and he hopes it will be concluded this year.
Export deals are also being pursued, with
Egypt recently linked to a potential 24-unit
purchase. We are working on them, says
Korotkov. But at the moment we have con-
centrated all our efforts on the defence minis-
try of the Russian Federation. It is a very nice
signal for the export customer when the de-
fence ministry takes this or that product.
Although MiG in 2011 failed to make the
shortlist for Indias long-running medium
multirole combat aircraft requirement, Korot-
kov believes this helped underline the capa-
bilities of the MiG-35. Im in no way disap-
pointed, that bid proved the features of that
aircraft and [I] hope other customers will ap-
preciate that, he says. It proves that the en-
gineering decisions implemented in the air-
craft were correct, he says.
That experience actually helped us in in
the implementation and realisation of other
projects we have been successful in, so we do
not think we have spent the money in vain.
Investment in future programmes is key,
however, and last year MiGs development
spending grew to Rb1.6 billion ($46.6 million)
up by 150% on 2012s gure. But what that
aircraft will look like is the big question. Upgrading the fleet of MiG-29s in service with 25 nations could be a money-spinner
The MiG-35 has yet to receive an
order from the Russian government
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ILYUSHIN FINANCE
Doing more
with lessor
With 100 aircraft to place, a
new ownership structure and a
potential rebranding, Ilyushin
Finance has a busy time ahead
B
usy times surely lie ahead for Ilyushin
Finance. Not only does the Russian lessor
have around 100 aircraft to place over the
coming years with a further 50 in the pipe-
line but it is also dealing with a major own-
ership change and potential rebranding as it
looks to disentangle itself from its largely do-
mestic origins and grow into a more
globalised business.
Ilyushin Finances ownership structure has
long been seen as something of a millstone,
with Russian aerospace giant United Aircraft
holding a 49% stake and the state-owned
Vnesheconombank (VEB) a further 21%.
The plan is for UAC to exit the business,
with its shares taken up instead by VEB. In
addition, the remaining 5.44% holding of
Russian tycoon Alexander Lebedev is also up
for sale as its corporate structure is reshaped.
Aleksandr Rubtsov, chief executive of
Ilyushin Finance, says the sale of the UAC
shares is almost nalised, although it will take
a few more months to complete.
Government approval for the transaction
has been given, but several conditions cover-
ing the sale have been attached which need
to be removed, he says.
However, all that is proceeding in the back-
ground. The day-to-day focus for Ilyushin Fi-
nance is to place the aircraft on its books,
which number at least 100, including next-
generation narrowbodies from Bombardier
and Irkut.
That number could be swollen soon too, if
Bombardier and Russian holding company
Rostec rm their pact to localise production
of the Q400 turboprop to a new facility at Uly-
anovsk. Unveiled at the MAKS air show in
August 2013, the deal is also vital to the tenta-
tive commitments from Ilyushin Finance and
Rostec-owned Avia Capital Services, each
signing for 50 Q400s. Rubtsov hopes the two
parties can iron out any remaining differences
in the coming weeks.
There are a few issues still to be solved but
I believe they are quite close, he says, citing
potential sales of up to 200 aircraft in the com-
mercial sector and another 150 non-commer-
cial aircraft. There is a substantial market for
turboprops in Russia and the CIS, he says.
And from a lessors perspective, the turbo-
prop has not been that attractive, so that mar-
ket is very interesting for us.
But with the Bombardier deal slow to be -
nalised, Russia appears to be growing impa-
tient with the delays. Rubtsov reveals that
Moscow is seriously considering transfer-
ring assembly of the Ilyushin Il-114 turboprop
from Uzbekistans TAPO factory to a Russian
facility and resuming production of the air-
craft. However, Rubtsov notes that from a
commercial perspective, the Q400 is the more
attractive aircraft, not least because extensive
modernisation of the Il-114, including new
engines, would be required.
It will take signicantly more time. It is on
the table because it will protect more jobs in
Russia, says Rubtsov. The timing is a very
important issue. If there is no deal with Bom-
bardier this year, the Russian government
wont want to wait and the window of oppor-
tunity is not endless.
Although those turboprops would add an-
other commercial avenue, in the meantime it
The other big area of business for the rm
is upgrading the around 900-strong eet of
MiG-29 ghters in service with 25 nations. Op-
erational since the 1980s, the customers of the
Soviet-era type understand that enhancements
are quite economically viable in comparison
with procuring new platforms, Korotkov says.
The company is also continuing its upgrade
programme for the Russian air forces eet of
MiG-31 interceptors, taking them to an en-
hanced BM standard. For us it is a very seri-
ous project, says Korotkov. This is practically
a unique interceptor platform which for 30
years has not lost its usefulness.
Korotkov describes the ve-year pro-
gramme, which is more than two-thirds com-
plete, as unique and very intellectual.
Under Korotkovs stewardship there are
signs of nancial stability, also. Its most re-
cent accounts show MiG had a record year,
with production, revenue and prot all rising.
Contracts worth Rb10 billion were also
signed, it says. The nancial growth has part-
ly been due to the reshaping and restructuring
common to all of UACs businesses, with MiG
now a much more streamlined and unied
operation. And although it is still only
halfway through 2014, Korotkov is condent
that this year will prove equally impressive:
We expect to exceed the gures of 2013 this
year, he adds.
MIG-29 GLOBAL FLEET
Operator Inventory On order
Algeria 32
Azerbaijan 13
Bangladesh 8
Belarus 38
Bulgaria 15
Cuba 3
Eritrea 5
India (air force) 66
India (navy) 23 22
Iran 20
Kazakhstan 39
North Korea 35
Myanmar 31
Peru 19
Poland 31
Malaysia 10
Russia (air force) 254 16
Russia (navy) 4 20
Serbia 4
Slovakia 8
Sudan 11
Syria 20 12
Turkmenistan 24
Ukraine 20
Uzbekistan 39
Yemen 24 32
SOURCE: Flightglobals Milicas Database

12-25 August 2014
|
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37 fightglobal.com
RUSSIA
SPECIAL REPORT
ANTONOV
Pain in
Ukraine
After a period of severe upheaval,
Antonov is chasing co-operation
with the West while also eyeing
Chinas lucrative export market
STEPHEN TRIMBLE FARNBOROUGH
A
ntonov hosted a high-level Russian dele-
gation in Kiev on 3 December 2013 and
seemed quite pleased with the outcome.
In discussions with Ukrainian political of-
cials and Antonov executives, the head of
Russias defence industry, Dmitry Rogozin,
expressed support for the long delayed An-70
military transport. According to Antonov, Ro-
gozin even entertained the idea of restarting
assembly of the An-124 Ruslan and building a
second example of the An-225 Mriya the
largest aircraft ever built.
With Antonov still struggling to gain ground
in the commercial market, strong Russian mili-
tary support offered a lifeline for the Kiev-
based design bureau and aircraft producer.
The emphasis of the negotiations was in
constructive, economically benecial devel-
opment of joint aviation programmes, An-
tonovs communiqu reads.
The meeting was held even as events were
unfolding that would rapidly sever Antonovs
ties to its longtime patron.
PROTESTS
A few weeks before Rogozins visit, then-
Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych
made a fateful decision to shun a trade agree-
ment with the European Union. Largely
peaceful protests over that choice erupted in
bloody clashes with the police on 18 Febru-
ary, leading to the toppling of Yanukovychs
government ve days later. Pro-Russian forces
now occupy Crimea and large areas of eastern
Ukraine, where ghting with nationalist
troops continues.
For Antonov, Yanukovychs sudden depar-
ture and the rise of a nationalist government
led to several strategic complications not
least the loss of access to its biggest customer
and supply chain partner. It also quickly led
to an internal power struggle, with the new
government calling for Antonov to re
Dmytro Kiva from his position as chairman
although he remains general designer. Thou-
sands of Antonov workers have protested Ki-
vas removal in the streets of Kiev.
It was against this backdrop that Antonov
appeared at the Farnborough air show in July
with a specic message to the world: not only
is basing its short-term strategy on three
narrowbody types: the Sukhoi Superjet 100,
Bombardiers CSeries and the Irkut MC-21.
Over the next ve years there is quite a bit
of work to be done, says Rubtsov.
We are not ruling out some widebody pro-
jects in the future two to three years, but now
we need to do quite a bit of work to get the
aircraft placed.
Further orders have been ruled out for now
as the lessor needs to be careful not to get
overloaded, or overstretch our nancial re-
sources. Deals for eight Superjet 100s were
signed at the recent Farnborough air show
and in addition, it is working with a number
of potential clients from Russia and the CIS
for some of the 32 CS300s it has on rm order.
We are very active right now, says Rubtsov.

The CSeries, though, continues to cause
concern. With issues surrounding the Pratt &
Whitney engine and subsequently another
potential delay of the CSeries entry in to ser-
vice, this now makes us review all possible
options regarding this deal, he says.
But if Bombardier can manage to stay on
track and certicate the twinjet on time, Rubt-
sov believes it will be a breakthrough air-
plane in terms of performance. He adds:
There is a certain degree of caution from air-
lines over performance; that is why they are
delaying their decision even though they
think its going to be a great airplane.
The third pillar of its strategy is the MC-21.
The Russian twinjet has around 60% com-
monality with the CSeries, notably its Pratt &
Whitney geared turbofan engines and Rock-
well Collins avionics, enabling airlines to op-
erate the two types together with relative ease.
Although Rubtsov says the programme is
meeting its targets at present and early reports
are promising, of course, the devil is in the
detail and we dont know what kind of teeth-
ing problems they will nd when the aircraft
starts ying.
Its order for 50 of the narrowbodies is for
the 180-seat -300 variant, to be powered by
the PW1400G engine.
However, assuming Irkut launches the
higher-capacity -400, with a decision expect-
ed later this year, then a further order could
materialise, this time using the Russian-made
Aviadvigatel PD-14 powerplant.
These would need to be slightly uprated to
32,000lb (142kN) thrust from the current
30,000lb level, but Rubstov describes the air-
frame and engine as a good combination.
Rounding out Ilyushin Finances portfolio
are a number of Russian or Ukrainian types,
notably the Antonov An-148 and Tupolev
Tu-204.
No further orders of either are planned,
says Rubtsov, although he is full of praise for
the performance of the Antonovs in harsh op-
erating conditions and their overall reliability.
However, with relations between Russia
and Ukraine highly strained, there are real
concerns about the programme, which fea-
tures around 70% Russian content and pro-
duction located in both countries.
Rubtsov says it would be a major blow
for both countries if it were to falter as a result
of the ongoing political unrest.
For Ilyushin Finance, there remains one
outstanding issue: exactly what to call itself
when the nal link with the Ilyushin design
house is severed.
However, any potential rebranding is on
hold until the ownership issues are resolved,
says Rubtsov.
It is a rare privilege to decide the name of a
company a privilege of the major controlling
shareholder, he says.
B
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We are not ruling out some
widebody projects in the
future two to three years
ALEKSANDR RUBTSOV
Chief executive, Ilyushin Finance
Bombardiers CSeries will
be an essential part of the
companys future strategy
fightglobal.com 38
|
|
12-25 August 2014
RUSSIA
SPECIAL REPORT
was the company still alive, but it was
looking for new industrial partners and com-
mercial customers. We feel Antonov will use
this situation to be stronger, Viktor Konarev,
head of Antonov marketing, said in an inter-
view with Flight International.
Antonov needs to co-operate with West-
ern countries, Konarev says. We need to di-
versify our supply chain and our partners,
and its possible to provide our products
around the world. I think that this situation is
very good for us. We need to survive and we
need to nd a new partner, new suppliers.
Some analysts in the West, however, do not
share Konarevs optimism about the compa-
nys ability to survive a permanent economic
and industrial split with Russia.
The old Soviet system split design and
production into different entities and facili-
ties. That makes it easy for Russia to strangle
Antonov, says Richard Aboulaa, vice-presi-
dent of analysis for the Teal Group.
Given Russias prioritisation of [United Air-
craft Corporation] projects, and given the lack
of a large indigenous market and the lack of ac-
cess to production facilities, the political cli-
mate could easily result in Antonovs death. A
rapprochement between Ukraine and Russia is
about the only way Antonov can survive as a
signicant design bureau, Aboulaa says.
In its 68-year history, Antonov has elded a
diverse mix of commercial and military trans-
port aircraft ranging from the propeller-driv-
en An-2 to the Buran shuttle-carrying An-225.
Most recently, Antonov has sought to capi-
talise on demand for 70- to 90-seat regional
jets with the An-148/158 family. The An-148
entered service a decade ago, with the An-158
following in 2011.
REPLACEMENTS
The turbofan-powered twinjets are offered as
replacements for Soviet-era airliners and the
previous generation of Western regional jets,
such as the Fokker 100 and BAe 146, says Rob
Morris, head of consultancy at Ascend, a
Flightglobal advisory service.
Antonov has succeeded in attracting orders
from the old sphere of inuence, with Cuba,
Kazakhstan, North Korea and Russia itself
among its customers. However, the manufac-
turer has been less successful in delivering
the aircraft, averaging less than four aircraft
shipments annually since 2008.
To date, the manufacturers delivery per-
formance has failed to meet the promise, cre-
ating a negative market perception which An-
tonov will undoubtedly nd hard to overturn
in the near- and medium-term, Morris says.
Antonov assembles the An-148/-158 family
at two locations: Kiev and Voronezh, Uzbeki-
stan. The Kiev plant is also the location where
the An-70 test eet was assembled in the mid-
1990s, then modernised in 2012. When the
An-70 rst ew in 1994 it was considered a
technological marvel. The type was the rst
aircraft powered only by propfans, and was
Antonovs rst y-by-wire aircraft.
The programme suffered several setbacks
in the test phase, including an aircraft crash
near Omsk. But the biggest obstacle was the
launch of the Airbus A400M Atlas, giving po-
tential European buyers an alternative to the
Lockheed Martin C-130J.
Despite the unrest in Ukraine, testing on a
modernised An-70 continued throughout the
rst half of 2014. In June, Antonov an-
nounced the test aircraft had completed an 8h
ight as part of its certication campaign.
Russian support for the An-70 programme
has ebbed and owed, but it seemed to be a
solid customer until the revolution in Kiev
began. As a Russian order now looks unlikely,
Antonov is still wary about trying to sell the
An-70 into Europe against the A400M.
Instead, Antonov is working to market the
An-70 in India where, Konarev says, it is
being pondered as the government considers
a future multirole transport programme.
Antonovs best hope for survival lies per-
haps further east, but the path ahead will not
be an easy one. China has already made a do-
mestic industry of license-producing and
copying Ukrainian air transport designs.
More recently, however, an increasingly ca-
pable Chinese industry is developing its own
transport aircraft. The Xian MA-60/MA-600 is
based on the An-24 but the MA-700 now in
development is a new design.
With few better options, however, Antonov
will focus its efforts in the near-term on un-
locking the Chinese commercial transport mar-
ket to new products, such as the An-148/158.
China is the greatest market, and its really
important for us to supply our products in
China, Konarev says. We need to take the
certicate to operate our aircraft in other coun-
tries to China. We are working in this direction
to take the EASA certicate and the FAA cer-
ticate and have them validated in China.

The firm considered manufacturing a second An-225 Mriya the largest aircraft ever built
Antonov has sought to capitalise on demand for regional jets with the An-148
The An-70 test fleet was assembled in the
mid-1990s at the companys Kiev plant
A
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READER SERVICES
12-25 August 2014
|
|
39 fightglobal.com
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From an EASA Part 147 Approved Training Organisation
EWIS (all target groups)
Human Factors
Fuel Tank Safety
Part 145 & M
Dangerous Goods by Air

group
www.resourcegroup.co.uk/att
+44 (0) 1285 772 690
expert solutions, adding value
Aircraft spares Equipment,
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42| Flight International | 12-18 August 2014 ightglobal.com
Build your career
Try Flightglobal Trainings new site for the fastest
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Scan with your smart phone
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flightglobal.com/jobs
EMAIL recruitment.services@rbi.co.uk CALL +44 (20) 8652 4900 FAX +44 (20) 8652 4877
Getting careers off the ground
flightglobal.com 12-18 August 2014 | Flight International | 43
Job Vacancy Notification for S92 EASA TRE Pilots
BRUNEI SHELL PETROLEUM COMPANY SENDIRIAN BERHAD (BSP)
Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sendirian Berhad (BSP) is a dynamic, world-class company and one of the biggest energy companies in Asia. BSPs activity is focussed on
the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas from onshore and offshore fields. BSP has a long history in Brunei of more than 80 years and is at the leading
edge of energy technology. BSP puts safety and environment at the heart of everything it does and invests in the people and community of Brunei Darussalam.
Brunei Shell Petroleum Aviation Department (SAV) operates its own Sikorsky S92 aircraft and AW 139 helicopters to provide support to the offshore exploration and production
activities in Brunei. SAV has achieved an outstanding helicopter safety record while successfully delivering a high level of involvement by Brunei citizens in all phases of its
operations. SAV has a unique place within Royal Dutch Shell, as BSP is the only Shell company that owns, operates and maintains helicopters as an internal activity.
SAV is now seeking motivated S92 TRE pilots to join this world-renowned aviation organization.
Essential Qualifications and Experience
Valid EASA ATPL (H) IR or equivalent license acceptable to the Brunei Department of Civil Aviation
Valid EASA S92 TRE qualification.
A minimum of 5000 hours total flying hours.
A minimum of 1500 hours in command of multi-engine helicopters, of which at least 500 hours must be in command in the offshore oil and gas role
Benefits
Competitive salary (with no personal income tax). An initial appointment of 2 years with potential subsequent contract renewal. Company housing, healthcare and
recreational activities provided. A safe living environment with excellent travel links to other countries in Asia.
It is a requirement that you attach the following mandatory items when you register via BSP Recruitment website:
1) Recent Curriculum Vitae (CV), indicating full personal details and working experiences
2) Scanned copy of valid passport, aircrew medical and EASA license.
3) Scanned copy of the highest academic qualification certificate
Please visit BSP Recruitment website for the position description, closing date and Frequently Asked Questions at: www.bsp.com.bn/main/jobs/jobs.asp
For queries, contact the Recruitment team at: +673 337 3689 or +673 337 6679 (Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. 4 p.m. Local Time) or e-mail at RecruitmentBN@shell.com
Online Aviation Training
From an EASA Part 147 Approved Training Organisation
EWIS (all target groups)
Human Factors
Fuel Tank Safety
Part 145 & M
Dangerous Goods by Air

group
www.resourcegroup.co.uk/att
+44 (0) 1285 772 690
expert solutions, adding value
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44| Flight International | 12-18 August 2014 flightglobal.com
Air Trafc Control
Ofcers
The Public Services Department of the States of Guernsey is seeking
qualied Air Trafc Control Ofcers to provide ADI and APS services at
Guernsey Airport.
Candidates will hold a valid ATCO Licence issued in accordance with
Commission Regulation (EU) No. 805/2011 together with valid ADI
and APS Rating and Unit Licence Endorsements, and a current EASA Class
3 Medical Certicate. An OJTI or Examiner Endorsement would be
an advantage.
ATC at Guernsey Airport provides ADI and APS services in Class D airspace
to a varied mix of trafc ranging from microlights to short haul airliners.
An APS service is provided to Alderney Airport. A major airport
rehabilitation project has recently been completed, and a new Thales
PSR/Mode S MSSR radar will shortly become operational. RNAV
approaches are in frequent use at both islands.
The successful candidate will attract a salary range of 49,312 and
81,626 plus shift allowance, according to experience. An advantageous
relocation package is offered.
Contact: Mr Frank McMeiken, Manager Air Trafc Control, Guernsey
Airport on 01481 234950 or email: frank.mcmeiken@gov.gg
Closing date: 19 August 2014
Please apply online at www.gov.gg/jobs.
The eRecruitment team can be contacted at
eRecruitment@gov.gg or tel: 01481 747394.
Cobham Aviation Services Helicopter Services is a part
of the Cobham group that specialises in the provision,
operation and support of helicopters and associated
services for military and government applications world-
wide.
Qualified Pilot Instructor
Trinidad & Tobago
Based in Trinidad and reporting to the Program Manager,
you will provide instruction to members of the
Trinidadian Air Guard on the AW139.
The ideal applicant will have the following qualifications
and experience:
Ex UK Military A1 or A2 OHI,
AW139 Experience/Qualified,
Extensive Military Maritime experience,
ATPL(H)/CPL(H)/IR.
This is an accompanied position, which includes housing,
a vehicle and international Health Care Cover.
To apply, email your CV with a brief summary of your
career to date to graham.barnes@cobham.com or send
your application to Magda Roch, HR Advisor, Cobham
Aviation Services, Helicopter Services, Jameson House,
Lutyens Close, Chineham Court, Basingstoke, RG24 8AG.
Closing Date: 23 August 2014
British International Helicopters (BIH) is one of the UKs largest
domestically owned helicopter operators.
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As365N2 Helicopter Captain - Newquay
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Pl(as(s(ndCVand(ov(iingl(tt(itoanne.burton@rigbygroupplc.com
Resource Group are now looking for A320 rated and experienced
Captains for a long term contract. Our premier client Fastjet PLC,
the pan-African lo-cost airline operates international routes from
East African bases operating to full European safety standards.
Candidates should have a full ATPL licence (ICAO/EASA/FAA all
acceptable) with PIC privileges, a current A320 rating and a full
Class 1 Medical. Applications are also welcomed from current
A330/A340 Captains, who would be willing to undergo a CCQ
course to the A320. Maximum age on application is 63.
Minimum hours requirements:
Total Time: 4500 hours minimum
Time on aircraft over 50 tons: 1500 hours minimum
PIC on A320/A330/A340 500 hours minimum
Initially based in Dar es Salaam, but with new bases in East Africa
coming up, there is a new enhanced contract now available for
successful applicants including a substantial net salary,
accommodation, per diems, end of contract bonus and ticketing
allowances. A roster pattern of 6 weeks on, 2 weeks off is on offer.
Interested applicants should register online at
www.resourcegroup.co.uk/fcs
A320 Captains *NEW CONTRACT TERMS*
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flightglobal.com 12-18 August 2014 | Flight International | 45
Hello Tomorrow
Fly with an airline
thats moving up
Join Emirates as a pilot to enjoy unparalleled
professional stability and faster career
progression. With a eet of over 200 modern
aircraft and more than 295 on order, we are
one of the fastest growing and most protable
airlines in the world. To move up with us,
apply today.
Where could you be tomorrow?
emirates.com/pilots
Tax-free salary Global network Generous benets Comprehensive insurance
46 | Flight International |12-18 August 2014 ightglobal.com
Email: recruitment@sigmaaviationservices.com
www.sigmaaviationservices.com
Tel: +353 1 669 8224
Fax: +353 1 669 8201
Email: recruitment@sigmaaviationservices.com
www.sigmaaviationservices.com
The preferred company for Stress (Fatigue & DT), GFEM,
Composites), Aeronautical Research. Business units:
Contract staff, Workpackages, Innovation and New
Concepts, Aeronautical Research. www.bishop-gmbh.com
Contact bishop.peter@bishop-gmbh.com
Tel 0049-(0)40-866-258-10 Fax 0049-(0)40-866-258-20

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youre in safe hands with us
Call: +44 (0)1524 381 544
Email: info@safehands.aero
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To advertise in this
Employment Services Index
call +44 (0) 20 8652 4900
fax +44 (0) 20 8261 8434
email recruitment.services@rbi.co.uk
Please note that calls may
be monitored for training purposes
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WORKING WEEK
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Antinori: Interested in meeting new people from an early age
WORK EXPERIENCE THIERRY ANTINORI
Thierry Antinori is executive vice-president and chief commercial offcer with rapidly expanding Dubai-based
airline Emirates, which he joined after working with various European fag carriers for two decades
Innovative, modern and ambitious
For more employee work
experiences, pay a visit to
ightglobal.com/workingweek
If you would like to feature in
Working Week, or you know
someone who does, email your
pitch to kate.sarseld@
ightglobal.com
12-25 August 2014
|
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47
Why did you decide to pursue a
career in aviation?
From a young age I have always
been interested in meeting new
people and experiencing new
environments. What better way
is there to get to know the world
and the people that make up its
many diverse cultures than by
working in aviation and covering
the globe?
How did your career path lead
you to Emirates?
These days, all roads or should
that be routes lead to Dubai,
and after 20 years working with
European ag carriers, Emirates
was the natural next step. With
any career you always want to
work for the best and for a brand
you admire, and for me this
brand was Emirates. I already
knew the Dubai mindset that
no goal is too big and no chal-
lenge too difcult. It is this can-
do positive attitude that I gravi-
tate toward, and no airline says
can-do more than Emirates.
The epitome of a 21st century
airline, Emirates embodies all
that I love about aviation it is
bold, innovative, modern and
growing every day, and Im glad
to have the opportunity to play a
key role in this.
How have your previous roles
helped you?
Every job brings its own set of
challenges, and these challenges
provide great learning opportu-
nities. Throughout my career Ive
had the chance to work across
many different cultures, particu-
larly in Europe. This has given
me tremendous insight and
perspective in connecting with
people, and has proven especial-
ly useful in my role at Emirates,
where we have staff representing
over 140 different nationalities.
What do you enjoy most about
your position?
Leading and working with
people from all around the globe
and working for an airline that
values innovation make my job
incredibly satisfying. But per-
haps the most rewarding aspect
of my job is being able to see
customers experience the Emir-
ates product rst-hand. We con-
tinue to be the drivers of change
in our industry, from the quality
of our cabins to being the rst
airline to fully recognise the
potential of planes such as the
Airbus A380. At Emirates the
glass is always half full. We
know we can never rest on our
laurels, and so we invest our
prots directly back into our
product. Our customers recog-
nise our dedication, and it is this
investment that differentiates us
from our competitors.
What are the biggest
challenges?
Increasing revenue quality amid
double-digit yearly growth is
certainly a challenge, but one
that I feel we have mastered in
the last few years. The key to suc-
cess is tacking adversity head-on,
staying on top of changing
market conditions and most
importantly, teamwork.
Emirates is one of the worlds
most highly respected airline
brands. How has it established
such a strong position and what
is it doing to stay ahead?
Our investment in our staff and
our product offering has played a
key role in our success. Were y-
ing a young eet of aircraft which
really inspires our staff and helps
us to maintain a quality service.
In July well take possession of
our 50th A380 an aircraft that
enables us to deliver the world-
class innovations in passenger
experience that dene Emirates,
and that our employees can be
proud of. Our sponsorship pro-
gramme has also gone a long way
to growing the visibility of the
Emirates brand in the UK, with
key partnerships such as our
support of Arsenal football club,
Lancashire and Durham county
cricket clubs and the 2014 Com-
monwealth Games in Glasgow.
This all ts into our Hello To-
morrow branding, which re-
minds our customers and Emir-
ates employees of the
commitment weve made to
being an industry leader.
Training courses to take you there
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Build your career
A new era of military transport has begun.
Stronger and faster.
The KC-390 represents the beginning of a new era in military transport. Its a multi-mission, rugged,
easily-operated aircraft that will establish new standards for speed and capacity in its category,
as well as representing the lowest life-cycle cost in the market. The KC-390 is an innovative project
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protect people, territories and assets.

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