Farnborough Show News - July 14, 2008 - (Page 46)

FA R N B O R O U G H 2 0 0 8 ATC Revamp Seen Cutting Fuel Use by 15% Modernization of air traffic control could bring fuel savings of as much as 15% a year, according to Marion C. Blakey, who headed the world’s largest civil aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, until last year. She is here at Farnborough for the first time in her new role as president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, the trade group that represents the U.S. aerospace industry. Like the Society of British Aerospace Companies, its membership is becoming increasingly international (indeed, many companies belong to both) reflecting the greater globalization of the industry. And that makes the AIA’s voice ever more important as companies–and nations—both cooperate and compete with each other. In air traffic management, though, cooperation rather than competition will help airlines save fuel and fight soaring oil prices. “It is an absolute priority for companies on both sides of the Atlantic to press their governments on the need for compatible satellite-based air traffic management systems,” she said. The technology is there, but political will is needed to accelerate implementation both of Single Sky in Europe and the Next Gen ATM system in the U.S. “We also have to look for ways the airlines can afford to equip to be able to use the new technologies,” Blakey said. And in Europe there could be substantial gains as the inefficiencies in airspace management are removed. “That’s why I say there is a lot that industry can do to urge our respective governments to address those issues,” she noted. Blakey said there must also be discussion of the environmental improvements that industry can advance from technology and operational standpoints. For example, “a few years ago we were not particularly focused on things like washing of engines” which can Tanker Dispute Could Bring Rift Europe should be aware that protectionist sentiment can be fueled by “overheated rhetoric” in an American election year, cautions AIA president and CEO Marion C. Blakey. The lightning rod is the U.S. Air Force tanker contract, where the General Accounting Office sustained an appeal by Boeing against the award to a team comprising Northrop Grumman and Airbus. The AIA does not take sides in individual campaigns, but Blakey notes that Europe and the U.S. have been selling military equipment to each other for decades. “As an industry we are very committed to free trade, and that goes with there being a level playing field and fair competition.” Both Boeing and Northrop Grumman are members of the AIA. Could Airbus become one too if it set up a U.S. production line in Alabama to build tankers there? “There are two criteria—the issues of foreign government ownership and of manufacturing in the U.S. would both have to be resolved first,” Blakey said. AIA president & CEO Marion Blakey. bring improvements now. But she cautioned against artificial controls such as Europe’s inclusion of aviation in its emissions trading scheme, which will put a greater financial burden on airlines when they can least afford it. “The position of the United States and U.S. manufacturers is that we need to have a global system, not one that is imposed region by region,” Blakey said. “Aviation needs to contribute its share [toward environmental improvement], but it does need to be done on a global basis.” —John Morris Out of the Shadows: the New F/A-XX Almost unseen, an entirely new combat aircraft project has emerged in the United States. Under its Advanced Navy Strike initiative, also known as F/A-XX, the U.S. Navy has started to outline its options for what might follow-on from the Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Realizing that its current Hornet force is wearing out, unwilling to become an all-JSF force and unhappy about committing just yet to unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs), the Navy has started to cast around for alternatives. The new platform could be manned or unmanned—F/A-XX concepts show both approaches. The aircraft would be subsonic, with an unrefuelled strike range of between 1,800 and 3,000 nmi for the most advanced designs. The unmanned options would have a mission endurance of 50 hours. For the manned versions the Navy is considering a sustainable aircrew endurance of up to 10 hours. While these are 46 its current planning figures the Navy admits that such a demanding manned endurance might well be too long. At the same time it may well be possible to exceed 50 hours of unmanned flight. Boeing is one of the potential bidders for any future program. For now the F/A-XX is an unfunded and amorphous project that may well evolve into something else, or disappear entirely. Boeing says that Advanced Navy Strike is a future project that is “down the road alongside the USAF’s Next Generation Bomber”. However the NGB is planned to be operational in 2018 and the F/A-XX platform is unlikely to be needed for another decade beyond that. Affirming his interest in the F/A-XX requirement, Boeing’s Chris Chadwick, president, Precision Engagement and Mobility Systems says, “The U.S. Navy and Air Force are looking at next-generation ‘sixth-generation’ concepts. These are all on the drawing board now.” Chadwick notes that there are likely to be export restrictions on whatever does emerge as “U.S. needs will be the number one priority.” —Robert Hewson “The U.S. Navy and Air Force are looking at nextgeneration ‘sixth-generation’ concepts. These are all on the drawing board now.” —Chris Chadwick, president, Boeing Precision Engagement and Mobility Systems July 14, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Farnborough Show News - July 14, 2008

Farnborough Show News - July 14, 2008 Contents Thirty More Years CFM Reveals New Engine Boeing Reduces Forecast UAVs’ Quiet Revolution Finmeccanica: U.S. Success A Plethora of AESAs BAE North America Plus L-3 Becomes a Prime Better Late Than Never A Peek Behind the Curtain China’s J-10 Revealed Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner Breaking LM’s Hegemony

Farnborough Show News - July 14, 2008

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