Meggitt chief Twigger announces retirement
Terry Twigger, CEO of aircraft parts supplier Meggitt is to retire on May 1 , to be replaced by finance director Stephen Young. The news saw Meggitt's shares rise 4%, helped by upgrades from Merrill Lynch and RBC.
The Daily Telegraph, 10th January 2013, p.B5.
Top Japan airlines ground Boeing 787s after emergency
Japan's two main airlines have grounded their Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one was forced to make an emergency landing because of battery problems. All Nippon Airways (ANA) grounded its fleet of 17 Dreamliners when its flight NH 692 from Yamaguchi Ube was forced to land shortly after take-off. Japan Airlines followed suit, saying it would ground its fleet of seven 787s from 16 January until further notice. This is the latest setback for Boeing and its problem-hit Dreamliner planes. In recent weeks, Dreamliners have suffered issues including fuel leaks, a cracked cockpit window, brake problems and an electrical fire. 'You're nearing the tipping point where they need to regard this as a serious crisis,' said Richard Aboulafia, a senior analyst with the Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia. 'This is going to change people's perception of the aircraft if they don't act quickly.'
BBC news online, 16th January 2013.
Boeing reports sales, production records for 2012
Boeing has announced that it booked 1,203 net commercial airplane orders in 2012, the second-largest number in its history. The company also delivered 601 airplanes, the most since 1999. Boeing's unfilled commercial airplane orders at the end of the year stood at 4,373, also the most in its history. The 737 programme broke the record for orders for any Boeing model in a single year, accumulating 1,124 net orders. The 737 MAX - the new engine variant of the 737 - recorded 914 of those orders, bringing total orders to date to 1,064. In addition, the Next-Generation 737 set a new single-year record with 415 deliveries to customers worldwide. The 737 programme also celebrated its 10,000th order in 2012. The 777, which totaled 83 deliveries in 2012 and surpassed 1,000 since launch, won 68 net orders. With 31 deliveries in 2012, the 747-8 Intercontinental and Freighter have received positive reviews from customers and are performing as expected in service.
CompositesWorld.com Weekly, 8 Jan. 2013. http://tinyurl.com/acgjk9t
Five to contest US Army UAV deals
The US Army has awarded a contract worth up to a combined $248M to five companies for the future supply of hand-launched small unmanned air vehicles. AeroVironment, Altavian, Elbit Systems, Innovative Automation Technologies and Lockheed Martin are eligible to bid against each other for individual requirements. The new deal extends a similar arrangement for contracting such equipment signed by the service in 2005. (Item contains no further information).
Flight International, 15-21 Jan. 2013. p.8.
Field narrows in UK maritime UAS contest
The UK's requirement for a maritime unmanned air system capability from later this year has come down to a contest between Boeing and EADS company Cassidian, with two other potential contractors having opted against tabling bids. Boeing Defence UK is offering the Boeing/Insitu ScanEagle for the initial two year requirement, while Cassidian has confirmed that it is putting forward AAI's Aerosonde. Lockheed Martin UK Integrated Systems and Qinetiq both decided not to submit proposals. The Ministry of Defence intends to sign a contract by early February, with the maritime UAS service to be provided until at least 31 May 2015 from Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Royal Navy surface vessels.
Flight International, 15-21 Jan. 2013. p.20.
Lockheed Martin buys into engine aftermarket
Reports that the company is expanding into the 'attractive adjacent market opportunity' of civil aero engine maintenance by acquiring the GE CF34 and CFM International CFM56 operations of bankrupt Aveos in Montreal. The Aveos operation will become part of Lockheed's engine MRO business, which includes Kelly Aviation Center in San Antonio. Aveos shut down on bankruptcy in March 2012, leaving Lufthansa Technik to take over Air Canada engine support. AJ Walter has bought another part of the Aveos engine repair business. (Item contains no further information).
Flight International, 15-21 Jan. 2013. p.27.
GE forges joint venture with welding expert
In order to enhance its supply chain to handle rising jet engine volumes and to secure 'critical skills in welding and fabrication', GE Aviation has established a 50-50 joint venture in Butte, Montana with one of its existing component parts suppliers, Seacast, to produce tubes, ducts, and small structural castings for GE jet engines. The move follows closely on a GE agreement to buy the aviation business of Italian engine components maker Avio from its private equity owner Cinven for $4.3bn (Item contains no further information).
Flight International, 15-21 Jan. 2013. p.27.
Safran
Retired French air force general Stéphane Abrial has joined Safran as advisor to chief executive Jean-Paul Herteman. A fighter pilot, Abrial led France's 5th Fighter Wing in the 1991 Gulf war, led a Mirage 2000 conversion team for the Greek air force, and served with the Luftwaffe as a pilot and flight commander. He was French air force chief of staff before being appointed Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia - the first non-US officer in one of NATO's two strategic commander roles, which he held until retirement in September 2012. (Item contains no further information).
Flight International, 15-21 Jan. 2013. p.27.
Optimizing materials selection in automotive and aerospace structures
Discusses the future of composites in the automotive and aerospace industries. Says that, although cost is an issue at present, emerging technologies will see falls. With more competitive pricing, the total carbon fibre reinforced polymer marker will reach $36bn by 2020, with aerospace at $14.4bn and the automotive sector at $2.7bn. Notes, however, that there are developments in advanced metals which will still have a place in both sectors. In aerospace, predicts that carbon fibre and titanium will be increasingly used in ribs, stringers and bulkheads. For the automotive sector predicts that carbon fibre will take some of aluminium's share in powertrain parts that don't need high thermal stability.
High Performance Composites, Jan. 2013. pp.7-8. http://tinyurl.com/5tvnf5v
High Performance Composites for Aircraft Interiors
Reports on the conference held in September 2012 which focused on ways to get more composites into aircraft interiors. Papers covered: the outlook for composite materials, with the interiors market holds more potential than that for aircraft structures; certification standards and test methods for flammability; HexMC, a new moulding compound for structural aerospace applications; and the redesign of aircraft seating to reduce weight and optimise capacity.
High Performance Composites, Jan. 2013. pp.20-23. http://tinyurl.com/5tvnf5v
A400M wing assembly: challenge of integrating composites
Reports on a visit to the Airbus Military airlifter wing assembly facility at Filton. It is at this facility that Airbus completes the work of integrating wing spars, wingskins and other large composite structures into the A400M's wing. More than 30% of the A400M's aerostructure comprises composites and the company has used its experience with carbon fibre composites on this aircraft to do the same - more easily - on the A350 XWB. The assembly facility is organised in three stages: stage 1 involves primary wing box structural assembly; stage 2 includes addition of fasteners and minor structural work, wiring and other components in systems preparation, as well as testing; and stage 3 involves the addition of electrical harnesses, more wiring and piping, and full functional testing.
High Performance Composites, Jan. 2013. pp.26-31. http://tinyurl.com/5tvnf5v
