Aerospace
News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
AIA Releases 2017 U.S. Aerospace and Defense Report
According to the report, the industry supported 2.4 million jobs in 2016 and generated $872 billion in sales.
Aircraft
Will Hybrid Airships Really Take Off?
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and Hybrid Air Vehicles are both vying for a potentially very lucrative market, should it emerge.
Aircraft
Paris Airshow Inspires Unique Airbus Formation
Airbus flew this unique formation a few weeks before the Paris Air Show.
Paris Welcomes 51st Salon du Bourget
This year's Paris Air Show features about 2,400 exhibitors, up 100 from last year.
Aircraft
Paris Airshow Preview
The aerospace highlight of 2017, the 52nd Paris Airshow in mid-June looks set to be bigger and better than ever.
Maintenance and Modifications
ATP's Custom Alerting Reduces Discrepancy Downtime
The new custom alerting feature in ATP's ChronicX emails notifications automatically about recurring defects.
Rotorcraft
Lockheed Martin Earnings, Sikorsky Deliveries Down
Sikorsky's civil helicopter sales have been hit particularly hard by the global energy slump.
AIN Publications Appoints Matt Thurber Editor-in-chief
Matt Thurber takes reins effective June 1, 2017.
Regulations and Government
NTSB Marks 50th Anniversary
In the five decades since being established, it has made more than 14,500 recommendations to improve transportation safety.
Maintenance and Modifications
ARSA Seeks Timely FAA Action on Parts Equivalency
After no action on a request filed in February, the association is urging that the FAA hammer out its differences with EASA on commercial parts.
Regulations and Government
DOT IG Auditing FAA Drone Operation Waivers
Audit objectives will be to assess FAA’s processes for granting waivers, and its risk-based oversight of UAS operators with waivers.
Regulations and Government
Draft AC Published on Datalink Use
Draft Advisory Circular would apply to pilots, certificate holders, operators and program managers conducting datalink communication operations.
Airports
Projects Will Temporarily Close Boston Logan Runway
Runway 4R/22L at Boston Logan Airport is scheduled to be closed from May 15 through late June to enable the repaving and marking of the runway.
Avionics
Eagle Cap Simplifies Charts Layers in Aviation Apps
Eagle Cap Software's Aviation Charting Service will greatly simplify creating map-based aviation software applications.
ATC
Eurocontrol Implements New ATC Sectors
Overall European air traffic is expected to increase by 14 percent between 2016 and 2023, according to Eurocontrol.
Regulations and Government
EASA: U.S. Operators Can't Use MMEL in Europe
U.S. Part 91 twin turboprops and jets flown in Europe must now operate with a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) developed for that specific aircraft
Safety
ICAO Punts on Airspace Risk Assessment
The agency’s limitations in this role have been “revealed” since launching its conflict zone information repository after the 2014 downing of flight MH17.
ATC
Push-button Communication Comes To Miami ATC
Miami is the latest ATC facility to go on line with digital communications, bringing to 55 the number of airport towers operating with Data Comm.
ATC
FAA Cautions about Transponder and ADS-B Testing
In one instance, an ADS-B OUT system ground test created a false airborne target that generated a TCAS resolution advisory on an airliner on approach.
Engines
Safran Bullish On Zodiac Deal, Silvercrest and Leap Engines
French aerospace group Safran reported revenue and profit group for 2016.
Aircraft
Airbus Bolstered by Strong Commercial Backlog
New airliner sales fell in 2016 but the overall backlog of almost 6,900 aircraft is strong.
Aircraft
Boeing Rolls Out First 787-10 Assembled in South Carolina
The ceremony at Boeing's facility in North Charleston, S.C., featured a speech by President Donald Trump.
Aircraft
Machinists Union Fails in Bid to Organize Boeing South Carolina
Employees of the 787 Dreamliner final assembly facility voted against joining the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers.
Maintenance and Modifications
Fulcrum Labs Rolls out New A&P Technician Prep Course
Developed in conjuction with the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, the computer-based course offers self-paced progress.
Avionics
Coming Soon: Crowd-sourced Wx Radar
Honeywell expects to debut its new EFB-based realtime weather reporting service this year.
Regulations and Government
Opioids Being Added To FAA Drug-testing Rules
Hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone and oxycodone would be added to the FAA’s urine testing requirements for commercial pilots and aircraft mechanics.
Aircraft
Safran To Buy Zodiac Aerospace for €8.5 Billion
Deal expected to accelerate recovery of Zodiac’s seats and interiors business
Regulations and Government
FAA To Hold Meetings on New SoCal Satnav Routes
Airspace improvements in Southern California that will replace dozens of existing conventional air routes with new satellite-based routes.
Engines
Rolls-Royce Settles Corruption Case with $812 Million in Fines
The UK's Serious Fraud Office found that intermediaries gave improper payments and gifts to secure orders for Rolls-Royce engines.
ATC
SpaceX Launch Begins Era of Space-Based ADS-B Tracking
SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying the first 10 Iridium Next satellites with ADS-B payloads.
