Industry news

Airbus successfully tested its first fully automatic vision-based take-off

Airbus has successfully performed 8 take-offs with an Airbus A350-1000 test aircraft using a fully automatic vision-based system.

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Latécoère acquires Bombardier’s EWIS activities

Russian MC-21 and Chinese C919 medium-haul aircraft methodically continue their flight tests

Boeing 737 MAX: wiring under study

Airbus stays at 768 net sales in 2019

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Airbus successfully tested its first fully automatic vision-based take-off

Airbus has successfully performed 8 take-offs with an Airbus A350-1000 test aircraft using a fully automatic vision-based system.

Read article

Latécoère acquires Bombardier’s EWIS activities

Latécoère and Bombardier agree on the condition of the acquisition of the Electrical Wiring Interconnection System assets in Querétaro, Mexico, under which the French company will supply Bombardier with EWIS.

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Industry

Russian MC-21 and Chinese C919 medium-haul aircraft methodically continue their flight tests

Whilst the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX continues, the Russian Irkut MC-21-300 and Chinese Comac C919 medium-haul aircraft are methodically continuing their flight test programs.

Industry

Boeing 737 MAX: wiring under study

The audit carried out by Boeing about its 737 MAX, at the request of the FAA, revealed a potential risk due to the proximity between two bundles of wires playing an important role in the control of aircraft tail.

Defence

Tempest: Rolls-Royce manufactures electrical starter generator

The future sixth-generation British combat aircraft, Tempest, intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon within the RAF, will benefit from additional electrical systems, including an embedded turbine engine starting device developed by Rolls-Royce.

Industry

Airbus stays at 768 net sales in 2019

Spirit Airlines having decided to confirm its 100 Airbus A320neos in 2020, Airbus did not near 900 net sales in 2019 but rather 800 thanks to the A321XLR and the A330neo.

Space

Maxar sells its Canadian subsidiary MDA

On December 30, Maxar announced the sale its Canadian commercial unit MDA to Northern Private Capital, a private investment company based in Toronto.

Defence

Italy boosts Piaggio Aerospace activity with several orders

Piaggio Aerospace ends 2019 with three new contracts worth €246 million. The Italian Ministry of Defense signs contract for nine copies of Avanti EVO turboprop aircraft as well as the modernization of the 18 copies in service within the Italian Armed Forces and technical-logistic support for Chinook.

Industry

Leonardo launches the Aerotech Academy

Leonardo and Federico II, University of Naples, Italy, institute the Aerotech Academy, an advanced training course on leading engineering issues, to start in March 2020.

MRO

EASA awards maintenance certification 145 to EME Aero

On December 12, 2019, EME Aero — a 50/50 joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and MTU Aero Engines — obtains EASA 145 certification as a maintenance organization.

Defence

Crash of a Su-57

A Sukhoi Su-57 crashed into the taiga, in Khabarovsk Krai territory. The pilot managed to eject. According to the preliminary investigation, the cause is due to a malfunction of the tail flight controls.

Industry

Boeing: Dennis Muilenburg resigns

Dennis Muilenburg, Chief Executive Officer and Board director of Boeing, resigns. He will be replaced by David Calhoun, currently Chairman of the Board of Directors. Greg Smith, CFO, will take over the interim.

Industry

Aeronautics: a growing industry for Europe

An ASD Communication study shows the crucial place of the aeronautical and defense industry in Europe.

Industry

Lisi Aerospace on the Pratt & Whitney GTF

MTU Aero Engines and Lisi Aerospace sign a major contract to supply high pressure compressor blades for the Pratt & Whitney GTF, whose variants equip the Airbus A220 as well as the A320neo and Embraer E2 families.

Industry

Boeing 737 MAX: no return before the second quarter of 2020

According to the U.S. investment bank Jefferies, deliveries of the Boeing 737 MAX should start from the second quarter of 2020. Delivery of stored aircraft won’t end before the end of 2020.

Industry

Boeing suspends production of the 737 MAX

Boeing has decided to suspend production of the 737 MAX from January 2020. Faced with a longer than expected re-certification, Boeing had no other choice.

Defence

The SLON blown at TsAGI

The future strategic transport aircraft to succeed the Antonov An-124 Ruslan is currently undergoing a wind tunnel testing campaign at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) in Zhukovsky, Russia.

Industry

Gulfstream relocates its European parts distribution Center in Amsterdam

Gulfstream moves the European Customer Support Parts Distribution Center from the London area to near Amsterdam, in preparation for Brexit.

Defence

Russian Helicopters expects to sign a big contract in 2020

Russian Helicopters is moving towards the signature of a contract with Moscow for its Kamov Ka-52M attack helicopter project, according to Andrei Boginsky, General Director of the company.

Defence

The first modernized Tu-160M starts testing

Russia has assembled its first Tupolev Tu-160M, a strategic missile transport bomber that began its ground tests, preliminary to flight tests.

Defence

FCAS: Safran and MTU Aero Engines define partnership

Safran Aircraft Engines and MTU Aero Engines finally settled the details concerning their partnership to develop the engine of the next-generation European fighter aircraft NGF.

Industry

Boeing 737 MAX: The FAA takes full control of certification

Boeing lost its authorization to certify 737 MAX twin-jets for the flight as a result of an FAA decision to prohibit the manufacturer from issuing its own certificates of airworthiness.

Industry

UAC plans to produce six MC-21s for 2021

United Aircraft Corporation plans to manufacture six MC-21s in 2021 and twice as many aircraft of the type in 2022, bringing production to 72 by 2025.

Industry

Piaggio Aerospace launches call for tenders

The Italian Ministry of Economic Development formally authorized the execution of the program for the re-launch of Piaggio Aerospace. The Italian manufacturer seeks a new owner interested in “its entirety”.

Dubai Airshow 2019

Dubai Airshow 2019: Mubadala rationalizes its MRO business activity with Sanad

The Abu Dhabi Emirate government's Mubadala Investment fund has decided to rationalize its various activities in the MRO sector within a single subsidiary called Sanad.

Industry

CAAC authorizes AFI KLM E&M for CFM LEAP maintenance

Following on from its approval by the EASA and FAA, the AFI KLM E&M group has now received authorization from the CAAC to carry out maintenance operations on CFM International LEAP engines.

Industry

Boeing announces debut of the 737 MAX 10

On November 22, thousands of employees gathered at the Boeing’s Renton, Washington, factory for the debut of the first 737 MAX 10.

Dubai Airshow 2019

Dubai Airshow 2019: Bolloré Logistics carries CFM engines to India

Bolloré Logistics will carry out CFM56 et CFM Leap engine transportation toward India under a contract signed at the Dubai Airshow 2019 with CFM Aircraft Engine Support South Asia Private Ltd.

Industry

Rolls-Royce Trent 700 to power new Airbus BelugaXL

The Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engine receives EASA certification to power the new Airbus BelugaXL air transporter.

Dubai Airshow 2019

Dubai Airshow 2019: Airbus anticipates a near-tripling of fleets serving the Gulf and the Emirates

The global fleet of operators serving the Arabian Gulf and the United Arab Emirates could rise to 1,730 aircraft in 2038 (against 630 today), with passenger traffic forecast to grow 5.8% per annum over the next 20 years.

Dubai Airshow 2019

Dubai Airshow 2019: UAE launch Edge

The Dubai Airshow 2019 will be the opportunity for the new conglomerate of defense Edge, launched by the United Arab Emirates, to set up partnerships with European and American manufacturers.

Industry

Boeing 737 MAX: four more steps before returning to flight

The Seattle-based aircraft manufacturer announced it was aiming for the resumption of deliveries of the Boeing 737 MAX in December 2019. The return to flying service of the aircraft, which will occur at best in the first quarter of 2020, will depend upon passing four stages.

Civil Aviation

CFM International records $4 billion order from Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways announces an order worth $4 billion for CFM LEAP-1A engines. CFM International’s engines will equip 50 Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Industry

Airbus reaches 542 net sales

With the contract awarded by IndiGo, Airbus net sales have increased from 127 to 542 in one month since the beginning of the year. The order backlog will continue to grow with contracts in the line. Airbus is about to score better than in 2018.

Civil Aviation

China: CFM concludes $1 billion agreement

Colorful Guizhou Airlines selects CFM LEAP-1A to power its future fleet of Airbus A320neo. The deal also includes five spare engines.

Industry

Trent 1000 TEN, the turbine blade issue solved in 2021

Rolls-Royce is going to delay the introduction of the new high pressure turbine blade redesigned for the Trent 1000 TEN, after discovering it will not be as durable as initially expected.

Industry

Safran and AECC strengthen industrial cooperation on helicopter engine

Safran and Aero Engine Corporation of China sign a MoU to strengthen industrial cooperation on the WZ16 French-Chinese helicopter engine.

Industry

The Airbus A350 will also be delivered from China

The visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron to China was also the opportunity for Airbus to expand its industrial partnerships, particularly at the Tianjin site where the A350 will also be delivered.

Industry

KLM UK Engineering and West Atlantic UK extend contract

KLM UK Engineering, a subsidiary of AFI KLM E&M, and West Atlantic UK sign contract extension for airframe heavy maintenance on Boeing 737 Freighters.

Industry

Bombardier sells its aerostructures business to Spirit AeroSystems

Bombardier announces a definitive agreement to sell its aerostructures business to Spirit AeroSystems Holding. The Canadian aircraft manufacturer will further focus on its two strong growth pillars, trains and business aircraft.

Industry

Liebherr-Aerospace supplies Rolls-Royce with pneumatic valves for new business jet engine

Liebherr-Aerospace has been selected to supply all pneumatic components for Rolls-Royce’s next-generation business jet engine Pearl 700: the design, manufacture and maintenance of the pneumatic valves and related actuators are handled by Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS, Toulouse, France.

Industry

Collins Aerospace expands in Morocco

Collins Aerospace expands the size of the Ratier-Figeac Morocco site in Casablanca by 40% to ensure its load plan on the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 777X.

Industry

LiFi aboard commercial aircraft

Latécoère, Signify and Huneed Technologies have signed a memorandum of understanding that paves the way to a revolutionary industrialization of cabin lighting technology. Meanwhile, Air France first tests LiFi.

Civil Aviation

IndiGo: a merciless commercial battle between CFM and Pratt & Whitney

Behind the new order from IndiGo, the engine manufacturers CFM International and Pratt & Whitney are fighting a merciless battle to win the propulsion of the 300 Airbus A320neo aircraft.

Industry

The 5th prototype of Comac’s C919 takes off

The fifth prototype of the Chinese commercial single-aisle aircraft Comac C919 took off for the first time from Shanghai Puding Airport on October 24, 2019. The aircraft completed a flight of one hour and thirty-seven minutes.

Industry

Rolls-Royce gets a new flying testbed

The Boeing 747-400, registered VH-OJU, into service at Qantas for 20 years will start a new career at Rolls-Royce as a flying testbed, after travelling with the Australian airline for over 70 million kilometers, the equivalent of almost 100 round trips to the moon.

Industry

Lockheed Martin selects Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience

Lockheed Martin has decided to roll out Dassault Systèmes' 3DExperience platform to support its digital engineering initiatives.

Industry

Airbus inaugurates its test center for hybrid and electric propulsion

Airbus has officially opened its E-Aircraft Systems House test facility at its Taufkirchen/Ottobrunn site. With a surface area of more than 3,000 m2, it is dedicated to research in hybrid and electric propulsion technologies as well as alternative fuels.