The ultra-low-cost-carrier model is proving just as successful in the U.S. as it has in Europe, with airlines achieving financial performance that most legacy carriers cannot come close to matching.
China is close to volume production of aero-engines that can handle higher internal temperatures, increasing performance, durability or both, very probably for use in combat aircraft. The shift is revealed in market inquiries for large supplies of rhenium, a rare metal that increases the temperature-resistance of turbine blades. Timing of production of the new or upgraded engines is unclear, but the metal is needed from 2016. Likely, some is intended for stockpiling.
'Solid Preference?' ( AW&ST May 26/June 2, p. 24) could be dealing with faulty figures. The cost-per-launch target value of €70 million ($95 million) for a future Ariane 6 vehicle was established by the European Space Agency (ESA) in early 2012 in its NELS study (New European Launch Service), based on the price Russia—prime competitor for geostationary transfer orbit launches—was charging for Proton services.
Counter Craft” ( AW&ST May 12, p. 30) reports on some measures being taken to counter the threat of shoulder-launched infrared missiles. Speaking specifically about the Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasure (Music) systems, an executive of Elbit Systems was quoted as saying live-fire tests were conducted “with the goal of bringing them into the most extreme scenarios, and the result was a 100% success.”
The Face to Face interview with Chris Chadwick, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security ( AW&ST May 26/June 2 , p. 69), continues a trend of interviews that makes one wonder if the questions were written after the responses were provided. In this instance, Chadwick is asked 10 questions, and in only four does he actually answer the specific query. Essentially, we receive variations of the company line: “We are doing great.”
As China’s well-funded push to build up its aero-engine industry gathers strength, details are emerging of new aviation powerplants in early development. Three of these—a turboprop, turboshaft and turbofan—form a family built on a common core, a cost-effective development practice that the Western industry now rarely uses. Two others, turbofans for commercial aircraft, are based on the common approach of scaling turbo machinery up or down to meet different thrust requirements.
