Editorial opinion – Page 25
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Opinion
OPINION: Why the F-35B's IOC milestone matters
Sometimes a purely symbolic achievement actually means something.
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Opinion
OPINION: MH370 debris provides clues, but no answers
When the excitement over the debris discovery on Reunion dissipates, there will be a realisation that the balance between known and unknown has tipped only fractionally in the investigators’ favour.
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Opinion
OPINION: Safety standards challenge for Virgin Galactic
The new and exciting commercial spaceflight sector must recover from the damaging loss of SpaceShipTwo, but the imposition of unrealistic safety standards could keep it Earth-bound
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Opinion
OPINION: Regulations are shutting down light-sport innovation
When a general aviation aircraft enters the market with critical new safety features, it should only be a positive story. But when such additions were made possible only because Icon Aircraft’s sporty A5 seaplane falls outside the standard Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), the story becomes “embarrassing”, says former Cessna chief ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Helicopter manufacturing remains overcrowded
Lockheed Martin’s proposed $9 billion acquisition of helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky is not as transformative as it might initially appear.
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Opinion
OPINION: Breaking records is no longer simply about doing things better
Setting records can be much harder than it looks. In this age of big budgets, high technology, computer simulation and exotic materials, it can take some doing to convince people that doing something new was in fact difficult – not to mention dangerous.
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Opinion
OPINION: UK's MFTS process could be replicated internationally
According to an old military maxim, it is essential to “train as you fight”, if an armed service is to remain effective under the toughest of operating conditions.
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Opinion
OPINION: Can Russian-Chinese widebody project take off?
Russia and China may be inching closer to what could be the most ambitious aircraft programme of the next decade: a jointly developed widebody.
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Opinion
OPINION: Rolls-Royce must think big after profits warning
Rolls-Royce, says its finance director David Smith, is “seeing the negative effects of a very successful outcome last year”. For sure, to be a victim of success is better than being a victim of failure, but it would be happier times for the world’s number two aero engine maker if ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Ageing US nuclear bombers not fit for a superpower
The United States’ nuclear bomber force has something of a morale problem.
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Opinion
OPINION: First 'ski-jump' test for F-35B is good news for UK
Over the course of little more than one week, the UK’s carrier-based aviation ambitions have at last become almost tangible.
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Opinion
OPINION: Boeing set for crisis-free chief executive switch
Jim McNerney’s announced plan to step aside as chief executive affords Boeing a smooth leadership transition at the top of the company for the first time since 1996.
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Opinion
OPINION: Freight regrets for Airbus
Since Airbus handed over the last A300-600F in 2007 its freighter strategy has been far more miss than hit.
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Opinion
OPINION: Were there really no surprises at Le Bourget?
It was supposed to be the “industrialisation” air show at Le Bourget this year.
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Opinion
OPINION: Why Dassault's wide-cabin 5X will succeed
The industry got its first glimpse of the all-new and eagerly-anticipated Falcon 5X at a dedicated roll-out ceremony on 2 June.
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Opinion
OPINION: After a $100bn spend, it's time for F-35 to deliver
More than $100 billion has already been spent on developing, testing, fixing and producing about 130 Lockheed Martin F-35s for the US government. In a few weeks or months, the US taxpayer also will have the first 10 combat-ready F-35Bs for that investment.
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Opinion
OPINION: Supply chain faces difficult decisions
To John Leahy, consultants who warn of a perilous orders bubble are the equivalent of armchair generals, spouting sceptically on an army’s military achievements from the comfort of their firesides while the real generals do the hard work of winning the war. “They don’t know what they’re talking about,” he ...
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Opinion
OPINION: The trials and tribulations of Canada's procurement process
In a country as wild – and in parts inhospitable – as Canada, and with a coastline that stretches far up into the Arctic, a fleet of search and rescue aircraft as rugged as the landscape is vital.
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Opinion
OPINION: Why Europe is lagging behind with MALE ambitions
The governments of France, Germany and Italy have signed a declaration of intent to proceed with a study to define a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle, to bring an end to European reliance on foreign designs.
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Opinion
OPINION: Why business jet builders must keep their nerve
Business jet buyers are a fickle lot. Most airlines expect a new commercial aircraft to provide reliable service for at least 12 years before a replacement is even considered. But the average owner of a corporate aircraft starts looking for an upgrade in about half that time.