It’s time for another aviation news roundup, where we sum up the month’s biggest and most important headlines.
Whether you’re in bizav, commercial aviation, MRO, avionics, aerospace or defense, there’s something for everyone in this bunch, so check it out and get caught up on the latest industry news now.
Northrop Grumman Wins USAF Contract
It’s been the talk of the industry for months: Who would win the U.S. Air Force’s contract for long-range strike bombers? Would it be Lockheed? Boeing? Turns out it was neither, and Virginia-based Northrop Grumman was awarded the contract just last week. The deal, which is set up in two phases, is worth upwards of $77 billion.
Unmanned Firefighting May Be on the Horizon
Kaman may have forever altered the air firefighting industry when it demoed its unmanned aircraft in mid-October. Dubbed the K-MAX, the aircraft can uses a Bambi bucket to perform spot drop and trailing drops. It is controlled via remote control or autonomous piloting, and a thermal imaging camera makes it easy for the operator to determine hot spots. The K-MAX was demoed for 2.5 hours (it has a 2.75-hour endurance) and is expected to cost between $11 and $15 million per aircraft.
NASA Releases Never-Before-Seen Apollo Pictures
If you’re a true space and AV geek, NASA delivered you quite a treat last month. Hundreds of photos from Apollo missions 7 through 17 were released into the public domain. Together, they deliver an unbelievable glimpse at what the lunar landings were like, from both inside the aircraft and on the Moon’s surface.
Drone Registration Required by Mid-December
In an Oct. 19 press conference, the U.S. Transportation Department revealed plans to force drone owners to register their devices by mid-December, or face fines and penalties from the FAA. Though the exact penalties were not outlined, more details are expected to emerge as the rule is finalized.
BizAv Forecast Predicts Big Growth in North American Market
According to a bizav forecast released by Jetcraft last month, the next 10 years will see the North Americans dominate the industry. By 2024, the report says, more than 8,700 aircraft and $271 billion in revenues will be delivered, with Bombardier holding the biggest market share. Dassault will have the biggest game-changer as far as aircraft go, and Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney Canada will continue to be huge players as well. Full details of the report are available at baviation.cn.
easyJet Looks to Increase Female Pilot Representation
In an address to the British Air Transport Association, easyJet president Carolyn McCall said the budget airline is looking to double its number of female pilots in the next year. To do this, the airline will work with pilot training programs to recruit more females and will offer training loans to those who qualify. If accomplished, easyJet’s pilot makeup would be 12 percent female, 88 percent male.
No-Fly Day Protests NextGen Delays
Protests against NextGen changes were held in eight major cities last month, including Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego and Minneapolis. Protestors say the changes NextGen has brought have increased noise levels in quiet, residential areas, disturbing residents and families. According to the organizer of the Phoenix event, more than 20,000 noise complaints have been filed since NextGen was introduced. In the year before that, it was a mere 298.
There you have it: the month’s biggest headlines all in one handy place. Stay tuned to the blog for more aviation news, marketing advice and guidance. We’ll have a new post every week!
