Editorial opinion – Page 11
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Opinion
OPINION: Franco-German future fighter still has many hurdles to overcome
Announcing that France and Germany were pressing ahead with development studies for a joint future fighter, French defence minister Florence Parly signed off her Tweet with a flourish. "Ca avance!" she wrote; "It's moving!"
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Opinion
OPINION: Pilots need proper training for envelope protection
Investigations into the Lion Air Boeing 737 Max tragedy last month are examining any role that a new automated stability system may have played.
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Opinion
OPINION: Bombardier's commercial aerospace exit is self-inflicted
Once upon a time, in the not so distant past, Bombardier was the third-largest manufacturer of commercial aircraft in the world, behind the industry’s big two of Airbus and Boeing.
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OpinionOPINION: Western industry must rethink relationship with China
On the surface, Airshow China this year was much the same as in 2016. A Sino-Russian joint venture had a mockup of a new widebody, the CR929, and the Comac ARJ21 garnered the customary orders from a Chinese lessor. Western airframers had a big presence, as usual, and tier ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Airbus faces nagging question over what comes next
First flight of the A330-800 on 6 November was a significant milestone for Airbus. As well as confirming the progress of the second and last of its A330neo variants, it also apparently draws a line under Toulouse’s current product development efforts.
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Opinion
OPINION: Tasks mount for Airbus chief-in-waiting
When former UK chancellor of the exchequer Reginald Maudling was turfed out of office by the Labour government's victory in the 1964 general election, he left a note to Jim Callaghan, his successor.
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Opinion
OPINION: F-35 win in Belgium should come as no shock to Europe
Belgium’s selection of the Lockheed Martin F-35 to replace its F-16 fleet is not that surprising a step; Brussels had long seemed set on acquiring the type.
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Opinion
OPINION: Aerospace industry should welcome Chinese investment
President Trump may portray China as the enemy in his drive to create American jobs for American workers, but (whisper it within earshot of the Oval Office), many hundreds of US citizens – in heartland states such as Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin – are grateful to Chinese employers for their ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Boeing investment in UK is needed as Brexit looms
For Boeing, the official opening of its new UK parts manufacturing factory probably fell on the wrong date – coming, as it did, less than a week after London was revealed to be in the market for $3.5 billion-worth of new Chinook helicopters.
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Opinion
OPINION: Aviation's climate of change
Between local air pollution and greenhouse gas, aviation is under fire. As our environment report illustrates, airports are air quality health hazards. And while aviation today is a relatively small source of CO2 emissions, it is destined to become a major driver of global warming as other activities, less reliant ...
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OpinionOPINION: Are business jets ready to soar again?
Signs at this year’s NBAA convention proclaimed: “The future of business aviation starts here.” For once, there were plenty of indications that 2018 could be a turning point for the sector – 10 harrowing years after the financial crisis – and particularly in its largest market, the USA.
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OpinionOPINION: Alliance power-play as Al Baker vents his frustrations
Irritations with partner airlines have prompted Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker to question the value of being in a global alliance. Frustrated by what he sees as obstructive behaviour by Oneworld partners American Airlines and Qantas, he is threatening to withdraw the carrier unless things change.
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OpinionOPINION: Can Faury fly as Enders' successor at Airbus?
Guillaume Faury – named as successor to Airbus chief executive Tom Enders – has big paratrooper boots to fill. The former military man has achieved during six years as head of Europe’s aerospace behemoth what many believed could never happen. He brought a squabbling alliance of political and industrial egos ...
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OpinionOPINION: Can Boeing use T-X win to revive fighter prospects?
It may seem premature, given that the champagne corks have only just finished popping in St Louis, Missouri – home to Boeing’s fighter business – on the back of its win in the US Air Force’s T-X trainer contest, but thoughts must surely be turning to what comes next.
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OpinionOPINION: Lack of women pilots exposes industry failing
When Qatar Airways chief Akbar Al Baker earlier this year made his ill-chosen, off-the-cuff remarks about the inability of women to run airlines, he did the industry a favour in that his comment highlighted – albeit rather uncomfortably – a huge gender gap that extends from the boardroom to the ...
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OpinionOPINION: Is US Air Force really too small?
Size matters, as the old adage goes. But how big is big enough, when it comes to the world’s most powerful air force maintaining its status?
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OpinionOPINION: How Airbus's Leahy succession plan misfired
It was never going to be easy for Airbus to replace its “billion dollar salesman” John Leahy. And just eight months into its post-Leahy journey, Toulouse has already had to make unscheduled turnback.
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OpinionOPINION: Can aviation overcome drone collision risk?
As of January this year, there had been just seven reported collisions between drones and manned aircraft globally, none of which were in the UK.
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OpinionOPINION: Interjet's sweet SSJ100 deal turns sour
Mexican airline Interjet's attempt to step back from remarks that it is considering selling its Sukhoi Superjet 100 fleet is the latest development in a five-year-long service history that has been marked by operational challenges.
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Opinion
OPINION: Air France-KLM bucks the nativist trend
In a world where inward-looking political sensibilities are zeitgeist, the appointment of Canadian national Ben Smith as the new chief executive of Air France-KLM was a welcome surprise.