There are many things that composites take away from aerospace—weight, corrosion, part count, manufacturing complexity—and many that they give, such as stiff, strong structures that open the door to innovative, easier-to-maintain designs. Boeing has been the big leader in composite airframes, but in propulsion, GE Aviation has been out front. With its own innovations, Snecma, its partner in the CFM International engine alliance, has joined GE in that leadership role.

When International Airlines Group (IAG) was formed by the merger of British Airways and Iberia, CEO Willie Walsh announced a grand list of acquisition targets. Only a year and several iterations of the European banking crisis later, part of IAG is now up for grabs.

The Indian government faces a dilemma over whether to turn beleaguered Air India over to a private entity or allow the relic of state ownership to limp along in its zombie state. Privatization could be the only way to save Air India, says Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh. A pilot strike that held the government hostage for two months and bled the already cash-strapped airline of nearly 6 billion rupees ($110 million) finally reached resolution July 4. During the strike, the civil aviation ministry seriously considered divesting Air India.

Jim McNerney on commercial and defense plans and programs.

Volga-Dnepr tends to plan on a supersized scale—it transports oversized cargo, such as a 60-ton truck-mounted pump—and considers its mission to be building “air bridges” across the world.

There is a subtle sea change underway in the fight for the multibillion-dollar twin-aisle airliner market. According to Boeing, the battle for range is over and the battle for production rate is about to begin.

The article “Going Out on Top” (AW&ST July 2, p. 31) was attributed to the wrong author. Northern California Bureau Chief Michael Mecham was the writer.

What's in the works for 737 MAX, A320NEO and CSeries