Our first issue of the year’s forecasts package sees our writers review some of the hottest aviation topics likely to grab the headlines over the coming 12 months. From the pandemic-driven challenges facing airlines around the globe to the health of future defence programmes and Boeing’s corporate recovery, we have it covered.
2021 drew to a close with major procurement decisions made by two fighter buyers – the United Arab Emirates and Finland, which respectively picked the Dassault Rafale and Lockheed Martin F-35 – plus Air-France-KLM and Qantas, both shifting their allegiance from the 737NG to rival Airbus narrowbodies.
Leonardo Helicopters chief executive Gian Piero Cutillo outlines his optimism for the coming year, and a belief that its traditional rotorcraft will be in high demand for many more years. Plus, we visit 2Excel Aviation, and cover its rapid journey from The Blades aerobatic display team to preparing the Excalibur testbed in support of the UK’s Tempest future combat air system.
Also this issue, we ask whether single-pilot operations could become reality on commercial flights, and get an insight into the work of Jenny Tung – an “aircraft whisperer” supporting Air Canada’s corporate charter fleet.
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A late flurry of fighter competition activity as 2021 drew to a close saw the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sign a surprise deal to acquire 80 Dassault Rafales and Lockheed Martin triumph in Finland’s 64-aircraft HX process.
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Defections of two long-time narrowbody customers – Air France-KLM and Qantas – to Boeing’s arch-rival in Toulouse does not mean the 737 Max is a worse aircraft than the A320neo, but the comparative strength of Airbus’s single-aisle strategy appears to be a winning formula.
Pratt & Whitney in 2024 will begin delivering an updated version of its PW1100G geared turbofan (GTF) that the company says has more power and is 1% more fuel efficient than the current variant.
UK engineering services provider 2Excel Aviation has signed a new five-year strategic partnership with Leonardo, with the pact including joint work on a flying testbed to support the nation’s Tempest future combat air system programme.
Gian Piero Cutillo has been in charge of the Italian aerospace firm’s helicopter division since 2017 and over that time has delivered steady growth and acquisitions. But with the rotorcraft market set to be shaken up by the arrival of new competitors and technologies, how is the manufacturer preparing for the future?
Our special package of forecast articles looks at a dozen topics which are likely to be in the headlines during the coming 12 months.
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Despite early optimism, it is clear that the pandemic is not finished with us, and disruption will remain an occupational hazard for airlines for some time
In 2021, North American airlines raced to restore capacity as worries about Covid-19 eased – and paid the price. They may not be in such a rush this time.
One of the most interesting battles between the big two airframers in 2022 will be in new-build large twinjet freighters, with strong offerings on the market from both.
Can the MC-21, set to enter service in the next year, break the Airbus/Boeing narrowbody duopoly in an era of increasing Western hostility to Moscow?
Details of the US Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter are top secret, but some hints about its key technologies are beginning to appear.
After more than 30 miserable months, could the airframer be about to put the Max grounding behind it and restore its prior formidable reputation?
Covid-19 put a halt to a feast of mergers over recent years, but signs are that appetites for acquisitions are growing as the industry recovers.
Singapore Airlines may have launched the type – and is slowly bringing it back into service – but does the superjumbo have a future in the Asia-Pacific?
The KF-21 is South Korea’s boldest aerospace development. Can Seoul turn the home-grown fighter into a key defence asset and export success?
It will soon be 75 years since mankind broke the sound barrier. With a huge focus on cutting carbon, is there a market for supersonic commercial jets?
Latin America’s airlines had a tougher pandemic than most, with little direct government support despite tight travel restrictions. Can they build back?
Could single-pilot commercial airliner operations become reality? Manufacturers and regulators want to know if removing a crew member from the cockpit is feasible – but unions are unconvinced.
A deployed maintenance engineer supporting Air Canada’s corporate charter fleet, Jenny Tung is an ‘aircraft whisperer’ able to fix any fault – a skill developed from her early experience repairing cars
The lighter side of Flight International.
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Stung by two recent major airline defections from its 737 operator family, the embattled US airframer needs to cut the advantage held by Airbus with its hot-selling A321neo-model twinjets.
FlyZero’s mid-size concept has done more than capture public imagination – it offers a true glimpse of what is to come, says project director Chris Gear.
