Europe is drawing up plans to build ground and flight demonstrators for commercial and regional aircraft.

The global aviation community appears to agree in principle to broad new equipage architectures for a next-generation air traffic management (ATM) system under an International Civil Aviation Organization plan that defines airborne and ground navigation infrastructure upgrades through 2028. Details of the Block 0-3 aviation system block upgrades (ASBU), and the specific modules within the blocks, were debated by delegates from 191 member countries as part of the 12th Air Navigation Conference (ANC) in Montreal Nov. 19-30.

Software to keep engineers apprised of the latest iteration of an aircraft's design has long been in use. At its most basic, parametric software gives a 3-D view that allows everyone, for instance, to see where a wire bundle may be positioned.

Almost three months after India relaxed its foreign investment rules in the aviation sector, international airlines are eying, albeit cautiously, minority stakes in the country's local carriers. Cash-strapped private airlines Jet Airways and SpiceJet are considering selling stakes to foreign companies, says a civil aviation ministry official. While Jet Airways is in talks with Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways, low-cost local airline SpiceJet is said to be trying to interest Qatar Airways and Malaysia's AirAsia into taking part ownership.

Boeing still sees a long-term boost for the 747-8.

Fiscal 2014—not 2013—will be the worst year for federal contractors, including defense companies, if the automatic budget cuts known as sequestration take effect in January 2013, says Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president and counsel at the Professional Services Council. That is because sequestration will not cause a sharp drop-off in contracting opportunities until then. Federal contract spending will return to growth thereafter, but under lower top-line budgets outlined by the 2011 law known as the Budget Control Act.

Airbus has moved the A350-900 static test airframe from its final assembly hall at Toulouse across the airport to the L34 static test building. The airframe will be put into a rig in advance of about one year of static testing, which will include ultimate-load evaluations and margin research. The static test airframe is for the first A350 to have undergone final assembly. One other airframe, MSN001, is in the final assembly jigs in the Roger Beteille hall. MSN001 will be the first A350 to fly. Airbus says first flight will take place next summer.

Volga-Dnepr builds a hangar in the UAE to service passenger and cargo airlines.