Tag: aircraft

HAL to Produce Forgings for CFM International LEAP Engines

FlightGlobal reports that Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Safran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for HAL to produce engine forgings for CFM International LEAP engines at its foundry and forge location in India. The MoU “calls for Indian company to produce engine forgings for the LEAP engine at its foundry & forge location in Bengaluru, says HAL.” The LEAP series “is produced by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran.” Safran Aircraft Engines CEO Jean-Paul Alary said, “We are delighted to expand our collaboration with HAL, which is already part of the LEAP supply chain through our joint-venture in Bengaluru dedicated to the production of aero-engines pipes.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal – Subscription Publication)

European Airlines Say Sustainable Fuel Goals Could Lead to Higher Fares

Reuters reports, “European airline chiefs said on Thursday the industry needs to make more money and may consolidate further to pay for sustainability targets, a trend likely to lead to higher fares for passengers on top of rising demand for air travel.” The EU “has adopted rules requiring flights departing from EU airports to carry a progressively increasing amount of SAF, starting with 2% of total fuel in 2025.”
Full Story (Reuters)

How Airports Can Prepare for Future Electric Aircraft Operations

Aviation Today reports that engineering firm WSP “has taken the lead in assisting airports in the preparations for electric aircraft. With electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles on the horizon, WSP is working closely with clients to integrate these groundbreaking advancements into their master plans.” A significant project currently underway “is WSP’s collaboration with Philadelphia International Airport, where they are incorporating provisions for a state-of-the-art vertiport facility into the airport’s master plan update.” This approach “demonstrates the airport’s commitment to embracing advanced air mobility and ensuring seamless integration of eVTOLs into their operations.” WSP is also “spearheading the master plan for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, which encompasses the redevelopment of an existing vertiport to accommodate electric aircraft.”
Full Story (Aviation Today)

NASA’s X-57 Program Concludes with No Flight

Aviation Week reported that after struggling for years “with a variety of technical problems and setbacks, NASA has decided to conclude its X-57 Maxwell electric aircraft demonstrator program at the end of September without attempting a flight.” The program “announced its decision on June 23 on a conference call with reporters.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

Airbus Seeing New Materials Shortages Emerge in Aerospace Supply Chain

Aviation Week reports that “Airbus is seeing new materials shortages emerge in the aerospace supply chain as other issues that have dominated in recent months begin to settle down.” Airbus Chief Operating Officer Alberto Gutierrez told ShowNews at the Paris Air Show that there are “new difficulties with raw materials, particularly aerospace steel.” According to Aviation Week, “steel is used in some aircraft parts that are exposed to particularly strong forces, such as the landing gear, and it is also used in castings and forgings.” Gutierrez said that the lead time for steel orders “used to be eight months – now it is 20 months.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

Boeing Partners with Aurora to Enhance KC-46A Pegasus’ Defensive Capabilities

Janes reports that The Boeing Company announced at the Paris Air Show on June 20 that it will partner with “Aurora Flight Sciences to enhance the defensive capabilities of its KC-46A Pegasus tanker-transport aircraft.” Boeing said that Aurora Flight Sciences is “leading the research and conceptual design of composite components geared at enhancing operational survivability for aerial refuelling and mobility missions. … This work will also focus on producibility and manufacturing at Aurora’s Columbus, Mississippi, manufacturing facility.” According to Boeing, the KC-46A Pegasus “already features defensive systems and data integration for multimission aerial refuelling support closer to the battlespace than existing tankers.” Boeing said, “With more data for the crew and fleet, including recent Block 1 upgrades to further enhance connectivity, the Pegasus can see and relay threat information to joint force warfighters for greater fleet survivability and mission success.”
Full Story (Janes)

Lockheed Martin Picks GE’s CF6-80E1 Engine to Power its LMXT Tanker

Breaking Defense reports that Lockheed Martin has chosen “GE Aerospace’s CF6-80E1 engine to power the aerospace giant’s LMXT tanker pitch for the Air Force, the two companies announced” Tuesday. Larry Gallogly, Lockheed Martin’s campaign director for the LMXT, said during a briefing with reporters, “We have endeavored through our supply chain to make sure we were getting the absolute best bang for the buck, so to speak, and providing the best engine for the LMXT. We’re very happy to announce that competition is now complete, and we have selected an iconic United States company, General Electric, to provide the CF6-80E1 engine for the LMXT.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)