Bell, PhotonFirst to Mature Fiber Optic SHM for Rotorcraft The collaboration will mature FBG-based sensing for condition-based maintenance on Bell rotorcraft, drawing on PhotonFirst’s experience embedding optical fibers in composite aerospace structures. By Grace Stubbins Bell Textron Inc. (Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.) and PhotonFirst Technologies B.V. (Alkmaar, The Netherlands) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to further explore and mature the...Read More

Boeing and FAA hold final meeting to clear 737 Max 10 for certification By Jon Ostrower Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday morning held a type certification board meeting (TCBM), the final step before the long-awaited regulatory approval of the 737 Max 10, according to three people familiar with the milestone. Following the completion of the TCBM, which...Read More

Inside Heart’s Hybrid-electric Airliner Redesign CEO Anders Forslund explains why Heart returned to a series-hybrid design By Hanneke Weitering For two years, Heart Aerospace promoted one hybrid-electric airliner concept while working toward another. The ES-30, with two turboprop engines and two electric motors spread across four nacelles, remained the start-up’s public design through August, when it flew an all-electric demonstrator...Read More

FAA Orders Airbus A380 Engine Replacements After Uncontained Failure Forces Aborted Take-off By Aaron Bailey The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered that turbine components on certain Airbus A380 engines be replaced after an uncontained failure resulted in the superjumbo aborting a takeoff. This directive was issued on October 8 and targets the 15 high-pressure turbine interstage seals that are on...Read More

eVTOL Training: Evolving, But Not There Yet By Robert Moorman The training infrastructure needed to support commercial eVTOL operations is beginning to take shape, but significant gaps remain. The training of eVTOL pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs) is just beginning as various Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) move toward certification and delivery of their clean energy transports. While test pilots...Read More

Airbus targets 100 aircraft per month for A320 successor Plan would exceed the A320neo family’s still-unreached 75-aircraft target as manufacturer seeks faster development and 20-30% lower fuel burn By Ricardo Meier Airbus is preparing its next-generation single-aisle aircraft for a production rate of around 100 jets per month , an unprecedented industrial target that would significantly exceed the output planned...Read More

Aircraft Parts: Private Equity Spikes Costs, Sustainability in Question By Russ Niles One of the biggest players in aircraft parts and systems says it’s investing in its aviation companies and intends to continue strengthening “their manufacturing and service capabilities and better serve aircraft owners and operators.” The quote is part of a written response by Arcline, an investment company that...Read More

Airbus advises some A330neo operators to anticipate tail inspections Potential checks follow an isolated quality problem found during production, while the final aircraft population is still being determined with EASA By Ricardo Meier Airbus has advised some A330neo operators to anticipate possible inspections of the aircraft’s horizontal tail plane during scheduled maintenance after a quality problem was found on a...Read More

BOAC’s First Transatlantic Jet Service By Lee Cross Fouth of October in 1958, British Overseas Aircraft Corporation (BOAC) launched the world’s first jet-powered transatlantic flight. Using the de Havilland Comet 4, BOAC beat rival Pan American to the post by just three weeks, operating the first jet service across the North Atlantic to New York. This was despite Pan Am...Read More

EASA grounds Elixir fleet after fatal test flight accident All Elixir aircraft have been grounded following a fatal accident involving an aircraft operated by the French manufacturer. EASA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive on Friday 2 October suspending all flight operations by the type from 3 October. The directive applies to every Elixir aircraft, regardless of serial number, and has...Read More