Number 03 – 15 January 2024

“Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought.” Albert Szent-Gyorgi

New R7 billion airport project coming to South Africa

The new Cape Winelands Airport near Durbanville, Cape Town is set to cost an estimated R7 billion and the expansion programme expected to take flight in 2027, promising to create thousands of jobs during the pre- and post-construction period. Deon Cloete managing director of Cape Winelands Airport said, “This facility represents a commitment to providing world-class transportation options, promoting tourism, and stimulating economic growth in our beautiful region.”

The company forecasts that by 2050, the airport will handle 25% of the passenger market into Cape Town estimated in the region of two million global visitors and three million domestic travellers annually.

MMC for Economic Growth in the City of Cape Town, Alderman James Vos, said that he is “proud to publicly endorse the development of the new Cape Winelands Airport to be built in the Northern District of our city as this project promises to transform Cape Town’s land and skyscape; ushering in a new era of opportunity and prosperity.”

Subject to regulatory approval, the airport has said that its transformation will include the development of key airport infrastructure such as:

• Realigned runway – The airport currently has four runways, which it plans to convert and extend one of these to a Code 4F runway built to a new orientation, capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft
• New terminal building
• Cargo processing facility
• New hangers
• Fuelling facilities
• Hotel accommodation
• Heliport
• Warehousing and logistics facilities
• Facilities for light manufacturing and industrial purposes
• Airline food processing facilities
• Educational and commercial office spaces
• Retail spaces
• Event and conference venues.

One of the arguments for the construction of the airport is to position itself as a viable ‘planning alternate airport’. These are designated airports that flight crews plan to divert to in case of unexpected events or emergencies during a flight. When planning for fuel requirements on long-haul flights inbound to Cape Town, airlines typically consider OR Tambo International Airport as their alternate airport, located at a distance of 1,270km away. This means airlines need to carry an extra two hours’ worth of fuel on each flight. The airport positions itself as a viable alternative for airlines as they would have a much closer planning alternate airport, being only 25 kilometres away from the Cape Town International Airport.

Editor comments: The Cape Town metropolitan region has an urgent requirement for an alternative to the ACSA owned and managed Cape Town International Airport, mainly due to ASCA’s inability to take its General Aviation customers seriously. Over many years I have listened to numerous complaints about how ACSA’s attitude has troubled various aviation businesses that would like to establish themselves at the main airport. As long as the new proposed airport is established as a proper business and not a BBEEE project, this will work exceptionally well. The last thing the Western Cape region needs is yet another failed airport management situation that is clearly evident at Lanseria International airport that due to its unfriendly policies has chased General Aviation away to other airports in the region and now stands with many large empty hangars. 

Young Aviators interview with Puzey family

Armscor testing UAVs at Alkantpan

Armscor’s Alkantpan test range has been placed back on the map with 16 tests of all kinds being undertaken on the 85 000-hectare Northern Cape Province shooting range in the past financial year, up from two in the 2021/22 financial year. The range hosted its first loitering munitions testing, where ground targets were engaged by aerial vehicles fitted with explosive devices during the period under review. According to the report UAVs are also a significant highlight. There was a significant increase in requests received, during the reporting period, with actual UAV testing anticipated in the near future. Of the 16 tests at the range, these included weapons ranging from 20 to 127 mm being fired.

Alkantpan is now in its 36th year of existence with sparse vegetation, low rainfall and long firing distances easily accommodated on the 67 km long and 13 km wide range making it well suited for conventional ammunition testing (longer range testing can also be conducted once approval from neighbouring farms is obtained, whilst inert ammunition testing can be undertaken up to 80 km.

While the Armscor 2022/23 annual report gives no Alkantpan user names, previous reports have and they include the German Bundeswehr and Diehl Defence Bodensee Geraete Technik (BGT) Defence, also from Germany and Italy’s Oto Melara. Rheinmetall Waffen Munition and Rheinmetall Defence of Germany as well as the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) of The Netherlands conducted tests with German and South African qualified ammunition previously. Past South African users include Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), Denel (in the form of its Dynamics, Land Systems and Pretoria Metal Pressings operations), BAE Systems, Reutech Fuchs and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), with some tests demonstrations for foreign customers.

EAA Chapter 322 January meeting

EAA Chapter 322 (Johannesburg) held its first meeting of the year at Tedderfield Air Park on Saturday morning and the excellent talk was all about fuel vaporisation, especially the differences between Avgas and Mogas (95 car fuel). When I arrived (by road) there were many visiting aircraft already parked outside the south side hangars and the venue had been fully prepared with ‘borrie roll’ breakfast laid on. The superb talk by Ian Beaton and Theo Arrenbrecht about their shared RV-10 fuel system was an eye opener to me as I am sure it was to most of the audience present. Well done to Neil Bowden and the Chapter 322 committee as well as to Alan Stewart and the Tedderfield Air Park team for your superb hospitality.

The full story with pictures and a video will be published in the February edition of African Pilot.

Aviation events 2024
January

20 January
SAC Gauteng Regionals at Heidelberg airfield
Contact Natalie Stark E-mail: natalie@stark.co.za

27 January
EAA Young Aviators meeting at Eagles Creek from 13h00
Contact Kerry Puzey E-mail: kerry.p@puzey.co.za

27 January
SAPFA Rand Airport Challenge
Contact Frank Eckard E-mail: frank.eckhard@mweb.co.za  Cell: 083 269 1516

27 January
SAPFA AGM 14h00 at Rand Airport
Contact leon Boutell E-mail: leon@lbaa.co.za  Cell: 076 294 1363

February

3 February
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering at EAA Auditorium
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

8 February
MayDay SA golf day and industry dinner Serengeti Estate
Contact WhatsApp 083 797 7001 Website: www.mayday-sa.org.za

9 February
CAASA AGM and awards at CAASA House Lanseria
Contact Melissa Sewgolam E-mail: Melissa@caasa.co.za Cell: 082 847 3403

12 to 14 February
African Air Expo and conference CTICC, Cape Town
Website: www.airexpo.co.za

17 February
EAA Chapter 322 fly-in breakfast to Kitty Hawk
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

20 to 25 February
Singapore Airshow
Editorial Matt Driskill E-mail: matt.driskill@asianaviation.com
Advertising Kay Rolland E-mail: kay.rolland@asianaviation.com

26 to 29 February
HAI Heli-Expo Anaheim Convention Centre, California, USA
Website: www.heliexpo.com

March

2 March
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering at EAA Auditorium
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

2 March
SAA Museum Society Specialised Tour limited to nine adults
Contact E-mail: events@saamuseum.co.za Cell: 076 879 5044

8 March
DCA Industry Roadshow Stellenbosch, Cape Town
Contact Ms Charmaine Shibambo E-mail: shibamboc@caa.co.za

8 to 10 March
Aero Club Airweek venue Middleburg airfield
Contact Sandra Strydom E-mail: sandra@aeroclub.org.za Tel: 011 082 1100

9 March
SAPFA ANR at Middleburg airfield
Contact Iaan Myburgh E-mail: iaanmyburgh@gmail.com Cell: 082 449 2531

15 March
DCA Industry Roadshow Mangaung, Free State
Contact Ms Charmaine Shibambo E-mail: shibamboc@caa.co.za

16 March
EAA Chapter 322 fly-in breakfast to Brits airfield
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

22 & 23 March
Stellenbosch airshow – Fashkosh
Contact Anton Theart E-mail: gm@stelfly.co.za Cell: 079 873 4567

African air forces grappling with aircraft maintenance

The South African Air Force was one of the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its fighter jet fleet was among the most advanced overall on the continent, consisting of Saab JAS 39 Gripens, Bae Hawks and Rooivalk attack helicopters. However, more than 70% of the entire SAAF fleet has been grounded due to a lack of maintenance. The SAAF says the problem has been underfunding for maintenance and repair. The Rooivalks were in the midst of a 15-year overhaul of engine and transmission systems, but government officials said there was insufficient funding to do anything more than overhaul four engines.

Officials grounded the Gripen fleet in August 2021 after budget cuts and contractual hiccups left the air force without a maintenance contract. Without maintenance, they were not approved for flight, leaving the country without its main fighter jet.

This is a common problem for African countries seeking to build an air force by purchasing aircraft but not budgeting for the cost of keeping them in the air. They either fail to budget sufficient money for maintenance or are forced to cut expenses. With the air forces usually being the smallest branches of the military throughout Africa, there is a consistent lack of funding to maintain a viable, useful air fleet. Researchers say it all begins with African countries purchasing the incorrect aircraft. In ‘African Airpower: a concept,’ a 2020 paper, author-educator Stephen Burgess wrote that many air forces “struggle to maintain disparate fleets of operational aircraft.” He added: “While the fleets may look reasonably good on paper, the majority of aircraft are frequently grounded due to insufficient maintenance or lack of spare parts.” Another problem, he said, was something known as “a fleet of ones” a fleet consisting of just one or two of too many kinds of platforms.

Kenya Air Force Commander Major General John Mugaravai Omenda said that problem is commonplace. During the 2023 African Air Chiefs Symposium in Dakar, Senegal, he told Africa Defence Forum (ADF) that his country’s wide assortment of military aircraft can be difficult to maintain, especially are far as parts are concerned. “Variety of aircraft is the first challenge,” he said. “So, we need to source wide and large for spares. Most of these assets are aged and their support is rapidly declining. It is a bit demanding in terms of acquisition of these parts and training of the technicians to maintain them.”

The 2023 World Air Forces Report shows the extent of the problem of too many platforms in African air forces. The continent has 54 countries, but only 28 have air forces. There are a huge variety of fleets. Some examples:

• Zambia, regarded as having one of southern Africa’s best air forces, has a total fleet of about 100 aircraft, with 16 different platforms. Of those platforms, three have only one aircraft; four platforms have only two.
• Tanzania has about 40 aircraft, with 14 platforms. Three platforms have one aircraft each; seven more platforms have just two.
• Kenya has about 80 aircraft, with 18 platforms. Eight of its platforms have no more than three aircraft.

Having too many platforms creates a host of problems. It is difficult to stock sufficient spare parts for so many varied aircraft. Each type has its own maintenance issues and requires special training to repair. Many have to be sent to other countries for repairs. Many times, spares are no longer available and it is hard to train pilots to fly so many types of aircraft.

Burgess noted that some of Africa’s air forces also have a problem with staffing. “A less talked about challenge is retention,” he wrote. “Few African air forces have service commitments. In many countries, the minute an airman is adequately trained in key aerospace disciplines, he becomes extremely marketable to the civilian aerospace industry and separates from the service. Thus, air forces are left with an inadequate number of motivated airmen, many of whom are doing admirable work with insufficient training. The result is inevitable; largely grounded fleets, poor flight safety records and poor reputations within the defence structure.” Burgess wrote that, “in most cases, an air force would be best served operating no more than a few platforms with enough of each aircraft to maximise training and supply efficiencies.”

Air ambulance helicopter crashed next to church for ‘undetermined reasons’

On 11 January 2022 the NTSB said the Airbus EC135 P2+ (N531LN), operated by Air Methods as LifeNet and conducted as a helicopter air ambulance suffered an inflight upset for undetermined reasons before it crashed outside of a church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. Almost two years after the crash, the NTSB is unable to determine a reason for the sudden altitude change which caused the rotor system to speed up and engine power loss. The medical flight was transporting a young patient to a nearby Children’s Hospital. The pilot suffered serious injuries and the three passengers, including an infant, were unharmed. The report said that recovered data from different sources on the helicopter did not explain why the aircraft rolled inverted during the altitude excursion, relayed crewmembers. Surveillance footage showed the copter in a near-vertical, nose-down, spiralling descent. The NTSB said the pilot arrested the rotation and recovered the helicopter from the dive but could not climb or hover without sufficient engine power, resulting in a hard landing next to a church.

Data indicated that the main rotor system overspeed that likely occurred during the dive manoeuvre resulted in the overspeed of both engine power turbines. This was due to the sudden reduction in load from the main rotor. With the power turbine overspeed, both of the engine control systems, functioning independently of each other, would function as designed and revert to manual mode while at a minimum fuel flow rate. The NTSB said that both of the engines continued running at low power without automatic governing, which resulted in insufficient power to continue a normal flight and the engine twist grips remained in a normal fly position during the rest of the flight.

Arizona accident pilot arrested in Utah after four years on the run

Though no anomalies were found with the tanks, both fuel caps were missing at the accident site, leading investigators to conclude that the pilot failed to replace them before take-off. On 10 January 2024 the St George News (Utah) reported that, as the result of a traffic stop, the Utah State Highway Patrol has arrested a man facing charges related to a four-year-old fatal aircraft accident. Arizonan Christopher Anderson (47) was wanted on federal charges including involuntary manslaughter related to the crash of a 1958 Piper PA-22 he was flying in January 2019. The passenger, his girlfriend of 3.5 years, was killed.

Among other discrepancies related to the accident investigation, FAA records revealed that Anderson was issued a student pilot certificate in 2014, but despite numerous reports that he regularly flew with passengers, he had never been issued a private pilot’s certificate. In addition, Anderson failed to report to the FAA that he has been an insulin-dependent diabetic since 2002 and used an insulin pump for self-treatment. Such a condition is disqualifying for a pilot certificate. Heidi Dowland (38) Anderson’s girlfriend was the non-pilot owner of the aircraft and was Anderson’s passenger on the fatal flight. She reportedly bought the TriPacer for Anderson to fly.

According to information from numerous sources cited in Kathryn’s Report, the accident flight was the second leg of a trip that began at Meadview, Arizona, where Dowland had a lake house, stopping for fuel at Kingman Municipal Airport (KIGM) and on to Glendale Municipal Airport (KGEU) to meet with Dowland’s sister. The couple had flown from their home base, Prescott Municipal Airport (KPRC), the previous afternoon to Pearce Ferry Airport (L25), a dirt airstrip in Meadview, to attend a birthday party for a friend at a local bar.

Based on a text from Dowland to her sister, the trip to Glendale launched from Pearce Ferry Airport at around 10h00 the next day. It remains unclear whether Anderson actually refuelled the TriPacer at Kingman about a half-hour after leaving L25, but he later told first responders that 10 minutes after take-off from Kingman, the engine lost power and he tried to return to the airport. It crash-landed in rough terrain, rolled over and ended up on its back in a ravine. Dowland died at the scene and Anderson was seriously injured. He crawled from the wreckage and walked to a road where a motorist spotted him and called 911. Anderson was transported to a local hospital and later moved to a larger hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The examination of the aircraft showed no evidence of fuel in the tanks or surrounding ground. It also revealed that both fuel caps were missing, drawing investigators to the conclusion that Anderson failed to replace them after re-fuelling and that whatever fuel was in the tanks quickly siphoned off in flight. As a result, an official cause of the accident is listed as fuel exhaustion.

Though the party reportedly lasted into the early morning hours, Anderson’s emergency treatment revealed no evidence of excessive alcohol but did reveal that his blood sugar level was two times normal, suggesting he had used his insulin pump recently. Anderson was uncooperative in the investigation, including refusing to supply documentation of pilot credentials. He was ultimately charged by a federal court in Arizona with one count of involuntary manslaughter within an aircraft jurisdiction and a second count of registration violations involving aircraft, according to the arrest warrant quoted by the St George paper. According to the report, he is scheduled to make an initial appearance in St. George (Utah) District Court and is currently being held in a local jail.

Flight diverted after violent family feud

On 3 January things might be a little tense around the dinner table for Canadian family members thrown off an Air Canada flight. The flight from Toronto to Calgary diverted to Winnipeg because of violent fracas involving two family members. The investigation has determined that Air Canada flight #137 was en route from Toronto to Calgary, when a 16-year-old male passenger, from Grande Prairie (in northern Alberta), assaulted an adult male passenger who was identified as a family member.

Other officials said passengers and cabin crew hauled the teen off the family member. He was restrained and taken into custody in Winnipeg before being taken to a hospital. The adult male suffered minor injuries, but his pain may continue in other ways. Airlines typically try to recover the cost of a diversion such as this and it always runs in the tens of thousands of dollars. The teen would be too young to be named in that kind of lawsuit. The plane was able to continue its journey after the family was taken off and arrived in Calgary about three hours late.

Delta Air Lines orders 20 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft

Delta Air Lines has chosen Airbus to meet its needs for modern efficient widebodies having placed its first order for the A350-1000 aircraft, which will be a new aircraft type in Delta’s fleet. “The A350-1000 will be the largest, most capable aircraft in Delta’s fleet and is an important step forward for our international expansion,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer. “The aircraft complements our fleet and offers an elevated customer experience, with more premium seats and best-in-class amenities, as well as expanded cargo capabilities.”

Delta Air Lines currently operates more than 450 Airbus aircraft from all of the Airbus product families from the A220 to the A350-900, with more than 200 additional aircraft on order. Once added to the fleet, Delta will benefit from the A350-1000’s operational efficiency, which results in reduced fuel burn and emissions and lower operating and maintenance costs, while passengers will enjoy the comfort of the Airbus Airspace cabin with its spacious and quiet cabin, wide seats, high ceilings and customisable ambient lighting designed to reduce fatigue and jetlag on long flights.

The A350 is the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft and the long-range leader in the 300–410-seater category, flying efficiently on any sector from short-haul to ultra-long-haul routes up to 9,700nm. Its clean sheet design includes state-of-the-art technologies, aerodynamics, lightweight materials and latest generation engines that together deliver 25% advantage in fuel burn, operating costs and CO₂ emissions, as well as 50% noise footprint reduction compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. The A350 has more than 1,206 orders from 58 customers from around the world.

Boeing subcontractor subject of lawsuit over QC deficiencies

Weeks before a catastrophic incident involving a Boeing 737 MAX 9, workers had raised warnings about defective production procedures. On 9 January reporters at Jacobin.com posted a story citing documents filed in federal court from workers at Spirit AeroSystems, the Boeing subcontractor that reportedly manufactured the door plug that departed a Boeing 737 MAX 9 on 5 January over Portland, Oregon. As part of the federal securities lawsuit, a Spirit employee allegedly told his superiors about an ‘excessive number of defects,’ later telling a colleague he ‘believed it was just a matter of time until a major defect escaped to a customer.’ According to the court filing, the company ignored the warnings.

Broadly, the lawsuit alleges that Spirit deliberately covered up systemic quality-control deficiencies, encouraged employees to underplay defects and retaliated against workers who spoke out about their safety concerns.

The complaints speak to Boeing’s allegedly insufficient oversight of subcontractors such as Spirit; and the FAA’s inability to effectively regulate quality control. According to the Jacobin report, William McGee, former panel member advising the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and now a senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economics Liberty Project, said, “The FAA’s chronic, systemic and longtime funding gap is a key problem in having the staffing, resources and travel budgets to provide proper oversight. Ultimately, the FAA has failed to provide adequate policing of outsourced work, both at aircraft manufacturing facilities and at airline maintenance facilities.”

According to Jacobin reporters, Spirit received a $75 million public subsidy from the US DOT in 2021 and reported greater than $5 billion in revenues in 2022. A class action lawsuit launched in May 2023 and amended in December claimed that Spirit management ‘concealed from investors that Spirit suffered from widespread and sustained quality failures. These failures included defects such as the routine presence of foreign object debris (FOD) in Spirit products, missing fasteners, peeling paint and poor skin quality. Such constant quality failures resulted, in part, from Spirit’s culture, which prioritised production numbers and short-term financial outcomes over product quality.’

One quality control inspector reported in the court filings that management at Spirit was placing inspectors in ‘a very uncomfortable situation’ by asking them to inaccurately record the number of defects. In an ethics complaint, the inspector wrote, “We are being asked to purposely record inaccurate information.” according to the complaint the inspector conveyed his concerns in a direct email to Spirit CEO, Tom Gentile.

French Air Force orders 42 Rafale F4 fighters from Dassault

The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has placed an order for 42 Rafale F4 combat aircraft, to be destined for the French Air and Space Force (AAE). “This investment of more than €5 billion will irrigate many territories,” declared Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, adding that it will secure over 7,000 jobs in more than 400 companies in France. This order is intended to close the capacity gap created by the sale of 24 second-hand aircraft to Greece and Croatia in recent years. It was originally expected to be placed in 2023, with the aircraft delivered between 2027 and 2030.  

“France’s military industrial sovereignty is an exception in Europe,” commented Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. “It guarantees the superiority of our combat aviation. It is also an asset for diplomatic influence and an economic strength in export trade.”

Addressing the challenges currently faced by the French Air Force, Parliament member Frank Giletti revealed in a report that French fighter pilots were projected to fly only 147 hours in 2023, falling below NATO standards of a minimum of 180 flight hours per combat pilot annually. Giletti emphasised the detrimental impact of this deficit given the current strategic context demanding heightened operational readiness. The French Ministry of the Armed Forces attributed the shortfall to aircraft availability, citing the sale-export of Rafales to Croatia as a limiting factor. Deputy Chief of Staff Frederic Parisot had previously warned of the training shortage extending for two years, contingent on timely deliveries of future orders.

Bombardier awarded US Army prototyping contract for HADES spy plane

Last week the US Army announced had awarded Bombardier Defence with a contract for what will be among the service’s first business jets-turned-spy aircraft prototypes. The contract awarded 12 December 2023 is for one Global 6500 jet with options to buy two others to be used for the Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES), project designed to replace the RC-12 Guardrail.

Ural Airlines Airbus A320 stranded in field to be ‘dismantled’

FlightMode, a Russian aviation Telegram channel, said that after a thorough evaluation has been completed, the decision has been made to dismantle the plane for parts and not attempt to fly the Airbus A320 out of the field as was previously proposed. The Telegram channel reported on 10 January  2024, that financial restraints meant any further attempts to rescue the plane intact had been exhausted. All assets on the Ural Airlines plane that can be reused in the future will be removed and transported from the field. There has been no official statement by Ural Airlines and when approached by the Russian website 66.RU, the airlines said, “no decisions will be made until the end of the investigation”. 

On 12 September 2023, the flight crew aboard the A320 were forced to land in the field just outside Novosibirsk, in southern Siberia while diverting to Novosibirsk Airport. The aircraft had been due to land at Omsk Tsentralny Airport but the Airbus A320 experienced a failure of its hydraulic system and selected to land at OVB instead. After an initial report into the incident was published on 31 October 2023, the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia (Rosaviatsiya) came out and said a new investigation was needed due to ‘newly discovered circumstances’. On 17 November Izvestia reported that Rosaviatsiya had ‘identified 15 errors and contradictions’ with the original report. Among its concerns the Russian agency was particularly troubled by the ‘unacceptably low level’ of the pilots training and discrepancies found in the report. The pilots were asked to resign but they refused.

Rolls-Royce starts new set of hydrogen research tests

Rolls-Royce recently announced it has started a new set of ground-breaking hydrogen research tests. Both Rolls-Royce and its partner easyJet are committed to being at the forefront of the development of hydrogen combustion engine technology capable of powering a range of aircraft, including those in the narrowbody market segment, from the mid-2030s onwards. The latest set of tests, to prove aerospace cryogenic liquid hydrogen pump systems, have begun at Rolls-Royce’s facility at Solihull, UK. These will address a key engineering challenge of taking low-pressure liquid hydrogen, chilled below -250°C, and pressurising it so that it can then be pumped into an engine to be combusted.

Rolls-Royce has identified three technology challenges in the journey to enabling hydrogen for use in aviation: fuel combustion, fuel delivery and fuel systems integration with an engine. All elements must be confirmed to operate safely. In September, Rolls-Royce set a world first when tests on a full annular combustor of a Pearl 700 engine at DLR in Cologne running on 100% hydrogen proved the fuel can be combusted at conditions that represent maximum take-off thrust. The Solihull tests now mark the start of understanding the fuel delivery element. Initial tests have focused on chilling the pump and understanding its behaviour at cryogenic conditions. Further testing will resume early next year.

LATAM orders Boeing 787s powered by GEnx

LATAM group recently announced an order for five more Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The purchase ranks the South American airline group as the largest operators of Dreamliners in Latin America. With this order, together with the already scheduled deliveries of this model in the upcoming years, LATAM group will reach a total of 46 Boeing 787 airplanes. Representing an increase of 20 airplanes of this model compared to the pre-pandemic fleet, this investment reinforces the group’s commitment to have one of the most modern and efficient fleets in South America. In addition, LATAM group has decided to equip the next Boeing 787s it receives with GEnx engines by GE Aerospace, becoming the first airline in South America to have these engines known for their high performance and efficiency.

The GEnx engine family has more than 50 million flight hours since entry into service in 2011 and is the fastest-selling, high-thrust engine in GE history with nearly 3,000 engines in service and on backlog, including spares, according to data from its manufacturer. Currently, the airline group has 332 aircraft, 56 Boeing passenger aircraft (models 767, 777 and 787) and 256 Airbus aircraft (models A319, A320, A320neo, A321 and A321neo). In addition LATAM Cargo has 20 cargo aircraft.

EVA Air finalises order for 18 A350-1000s and 15 A321neos with Airbus

Taiwan’s EVA Air has finalised a firm order with Airbus for the purchase of 18 long-range A350-1000s and 15 single-aisle A321neos. This sees the airline become the latest global carrier to select the A350-1000 for its future long-haul requirements. In addition, the A321neo aircraft will bring new levels of efficiency for the carrier’s regional network. The long-range A350 is available in two sizes, with the A350-900 typically seating up to 350 passengers in a standard three-class configuration and the larger A350-1000 seating up to 410 passengers.

Powered by versions of the latest generation Rolls-Royce engines, the aircraft can fly up to 9,700 nautical miles / 18,000 kilometres non-stop, using 25% less fuel than previous-generation types and with a similar reduction in carbon emissions. For passengers, the A350 offers the highest levels of in-flight comfort with the quietest cabin, new lighting systems and the latest in-flight connectivity. The reduced cabin pressure also ensures that passengers arrive in better shape. The A350 family has won more than 1,000 firm orders from 60 customers worldwide, with more than 570 aircraft currently in the fleets of 39 operators, flying primarily on long-haul routes.

Study shows that the US leads world in space launched in 2023

According to a study released, the United States led the world, far surpassing both China and Russia, in the number of space launches and satellites placed on orbit in 2023. But rather than the US government it is one US company, billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX, responsible for that victory, a situation that is not new, but one that has been exacerbated since 2019 and the firm’s first launch for its Starlink mega-constellation to provide global internet access. The numbers capture a number of key trends, including Russia’s failure “to keep up with evolving launch capabilities by the other space powers,” said Victoria Samson, head Secure World Foundation’s Washington Office. “It also highlights how much SpaceX dominates the US launch market now. This is part of a larger trend where commercial launches are generally speaking overtaking the launch market,” she added. “We have over half the launch attempts being undertaken by commercial companies, a big shift in space players.”

And while the US Defence Department and the Space Force have welcomed the surge in commercial launch capacity because of the attendant reduction in costs to orbit, the current US dependency on the ever-more controversial Musk has increasingly raised concerns within the national security space community. In his annual report on global Space Activities for 2023, astronomer and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell calculates that there were a record 223 attempted space launches world-wide in 2023, up from 186 in 2022 and more than double the 85 attempts made in 2016.

The number of satellites successfully orbited in 2023 also hit a record high at 2,917, versus 2,485 in 2022 and only 216 in 2016. Only 66 of these satellites are owned and / or operated by militaries and to no space watcher’s surprise, the vast bulk were commercial, the report finds. The total number of ‘catalogued’ objects in space larger than 10 centimetres in diameter that can be traced to an owner, including both active payloads and dangerous space junk also jumped to 27,896 in 2023, up from 26,623 in 2022 and 18,525 in 2016.

McDowell, whose day job is at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, based his analysis on open-sources, including US Space Command’s Space-Track.org website that is populated by sanitised observational data about objects on orbit generated by the Space Surveillance Network operated by the Space Force’s18th Space Defence Squadron. Other sources include the not-for-profit Celestrak and the United Nations registry of space objects, among others.

Of the launch attempts, the US was responsible for 109, China 67 and Russia 19. Perhaps as interesting, India for the first time out-launched Europe, seven to three. North Korea also set a self-record with three launch attempts, after abandoning its efforts following a launch in 2016. Of course, not all launches are successes. Of the 223 attempts, McDowell found that 212 rockets got their payloads into orbit. The US accounted for five failures; China – one and North Korea – two. Both Russia, Europe and India all managed to ace their launches.

The report further breaks down global launch attempts by category: government, commercial launches contracted by governments, commercial launches carrying government payloads and purely commercial launches. Commercial launches globally far outpace governmental ones. The report states: ‘78 were carried out by governments; 11 by commercial companies under contract to their host governments and 134 by commercial companies for commercial customers, including foreign governments.’ However, the most stunning statistic coming out of this section of the report is that world-wide, SpaceX alone accounts for 98 of the launch attempts, with the mid-sized Falcon 9 rocket alone accounting for 91 of these. Doing the math, that means without SpaceX, the US would have launched only 11 rockets rather than 109, twice China’s 67.

The US also accounted for far and away the most satellites successfully placed into their planned orbits last year, across all the operational regions of space, the report shows. The count: US, 2,234; China, 213; Russia, 67 and Europe, 253. India accounted for nine and North Korea one. McDowell’s calculations show the bulk of those satellites worldwide belong to SpaceX’s Starlkink internet constellation in low Earth orbit. The company placed a total of 1,937 Starlinks on orbit in 2023.

Refined version of Hyundai-backed eVTOL makes its debut at CES show

On 9 January Hyundai Motor Group-backed Supernal chose the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to introduce its four-passenger S-A2 air taxi. yesterday (Jan. 9). A prototype of the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle is expected to fly by year-end. Service entry is pegged at 2028. The V-tail S-A2 uses eight tilting motors mounted forward and aft of the wing on four pylons. All eight rotors are used for vertical lift with the front motors turning upward and the rear, equipped with higher-aspect-ratio blades, turning downward. All the power units rotate to a horizontal position for cruise flight, expected to yield cruise speeds of 125 mph at 1,500 feet. Current battery capacity is said to enable practical flight segments of up to 40 miles, typical of many regular helicopter missions, according to Supernal. The noise footprint is expected to be 65 dB on take-off and landing and 45 dB in cruise.

The predecessor to the S-A2, the S-A1, had four fixed rotors for vertical flight and four propellers for cruise flight. It was introduced at the 2020 edition of the CES show. Supernal Chief Technology Officer Ben Diachan said the new propulsion configuration is more efficient. “It makes for greater redundancy and increases the safety by having this nice symmetry.” he said. Supernal tapped designers from Hyundai’s automotive group to help design colour schemes, materials, interior lighting and other aesthetics. The company also plans to leverage Hyundai’s mass manufacturing critical mass to make the S-A2 more cost-effective than rival eVTOLs.

Sirius Aviation to launch world’s first hydrogen-powered VTOL aircraft

Swiss aviation startup, Sirius Aviation AG has officially announced the launch of the revolutionary Sirius Jet, the world’s first hydrogen-powered VTOL aircraft. On Wednesday, 17 January 2024 at Payerne Airport in Switzerland, Sirius Aviation AG is launching the first public inaugural ignition and grand unveiling of the aircraft’s ground-breaking hydrogen-electric ducted fan propulsion system. A game-changing aircraft, crafted in collaboration with BMW’s Designworks and Sauber Group, this marks a major milestone in sustainable aviation, emphasising the company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and safety. The Sirius Jet is a high-performance, zero-emission VTOL aircraft, propelled by a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. Leveraging jet aerodynamics with airplane and helicopter versatility, it achieves extended flight distances, impressive speeds and high altitudes at near-silent levels.

In 2025, the Sirius Jet will take flight in two versions: Sirius Business Jet, tailored to private jet needs and Sirius Millennium Jet, crafted for commercial aviation. A revolutionary leap that will reshape the global transportation industry. Sirius Aviation AG’s hydrogen powered regional concept is distinct from existing eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) in that it relies purely on electric power, not a fuel tank. Sirius is designed with a hydrogen power plant which supplies 100% of its power, allowing the stealthy jet to rely on a battery merely for 90 seconds per flight.

Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. announces launch of AnyMile drone-based logistics operations

Last week Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. announced the launch of the full suite of its AnyMile™ drone-based logistics and operations management platform. Drone operators, corporate shippers and transportation and logistics companies can now tap into AnyMile’s comprehensive feature set that provides access to shipment, fleet and service management applications, enabling operators to profitably accelerate and scale operations while reducing their carbon footprint. An Alpha version of AnyMile was announced at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

In addition, the new AnyMile Manufacturer Portal enables drone manufacturers to promote their vehicles to prospective buyers that are expanding or maintaining their fleet operations. They can educate potential buyers about various vehicles with marketing collateral, performance and warranty information, usage instructions, maintenance schedules and procedures and more. Financing options may be made available on the platform. According to Allied Markets Research, the drone industry is expected to reach a valuation of $52.32 billion by 2031, due to a growing demand for time-efficient deliveries, including last-mile.

AnyMile supports all known categories of drones; multi-rotor, fixed-wing, single-rotor or fixed-wing hybrid VTOL and eVTOL to provide an end-to-end resource planning and management system. The platform is integrated with an Uncrewed Traffic Management System (UTM) from OneSky for the safe and efficient operations of drones, in low-altitude airspace. Additional AnyMile features include the ability to schedule cargo pick up at a specific location, tracking delivery to multiple destinations; live maps; set up of terminal and station locations; management of drone maintenance tasks and performance of routine operational tasks, such as generating customer invoices, key performance indicators (KPIs), booking services for drones including refuelling, servicing and much more.

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