All Opinion articles – Page 29
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OpinionOPINION: Pratt & Whitney right to innovate with geared turbofan
In the late-1980s, Pratt & Whitney had a flash of inspiration. Reduction gears for gas turbines already existed, but the only reliable gearboxes for airliner-sized engines were the size of houses. If P&W could scale down the gearbox into a package weighing less than 150kg, they could change the industry.
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Opinion
OPINION: Why Red Arrows have put safety first for Farnborough
For the first time in living memory, next month’s Farnborough air show will not be able to call on the awe-inspiring aerobatic skills of the pride of the Royal Air Force: the Red Arrows. A shining icon of the UK’s aerospace prowess, the team will be performing only a number ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Counting the cost of H225 grounding
How do you calculate the cost of an accident? Beyond, that is, the simple, unquantifiable human tragedy of the event.
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OpinionOPINION: Can MC-21 restore Russian pride?
Some 25 years after the fall of communism, Russia’s aviation industry remains globally competitive in fixed-wing combat aircraft and military helicopters. But despite more than two decades of investment and dedication, its once-mighty airliner industry is, at best, a global afterthought, ranking far below post-Cold War upstarts in Brazil and ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Harbin closure is harsh Legacy for Embraer
Late in 2002, and after much industry anticipation, Embraer confirmed an agreement with AVIC to build ERJ-145s in China – and Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry was born.
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Opinion
OPINION: Is Airbus caution right approach for 'A350-2000'?
Enthusiasm for ambitious projects seems to be in short supply in the commercial aircraft industry.
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Opinion
OPINION: Business jet makers hit by values slump
Business aviation is not burdened by the uncompromising rules of economics in the way its commercial cousin is. While airline bosses fret about their equipment’s operating costs and depreciation rates, a business jet – especially a privately-owned, top-end model – is an aspirational product, where brand values may matter more ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Has industry been unfair to Bombardier?
It was 1994, and Airbus was already becoming more than a mere nuisance to Boeing. Tensions spiked at the Farnborough air show, when then-Boeing president Ron Woodard accused his opposite number at Airbus of lying: “I’ve watched him and his nose does grow when he talks.” Airbus repaid the Pinocchio-themed ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Is aviation close to environmental breakthrough?
As a solution to our energy and pollution crises, open-rotor aircraft engines have long been akin to nuclear fusion – promising, but 30 years away. But as our special environment report in this issue reveals, breakthroughs may be imminent.
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Opinion
OPINION: McCain takes aim at F-35
A single organisation based in a monochrome office complex across a motorway from the Pentagon manages a global supply chain with a projected 35-year value of roughly $450 billion; more than the GDP of Austria. Its name is the bureaucratic-sounding Joint Program Office (JPO), and it manages, of course, the ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Who might star in Europe's next airline consolidation phase?
A new round of consolidation could be on the cards in Europe – particularly in the leisure sector. But which carriers seem most ripe for acquisition?
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OpinionOPINION: How Perlan mission evokes spirit of adventure
Riding a mountain wave is a lifelong dream for many glider pilots. Once detected, these invisible, oscillating wind currents streaming down from the tops of mountain ranges can loft unpowered aircraft high into the stratosphere. Later this year, the partly Airbus-sponsored Perlan project plans to reach 90,000ft with a two-member ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Why business jet makers are turning to the military
Spare a thought for the small handful of large-cabin business jet manufacturers, because times have been pretty tough of late, with sales taking a tumble.
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Opinion
OPINION: Back to square one for North Sea helicopter safety?
Just when the offshore transportation industry appeared to have emerged from its most recent safety crisis, it is immediately plunged into the next.
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Opinion
OPINION: Can Scorpion jet fight its way to sales success?
When commercial aircraft product launches are stage-managed with a careful unveiling of billions of dollars worth of orders from a few hand-picked customers, the sight of a new military aircraft propelled into development with no announced buyers can come across as a rarity bordering on reckless.
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Opinion
OPINION: Bombardier's new sales Delta for CSeries
Trawl back through Bombardier’s press release archive searching for CSeries stories and two things will quickly become apparent.
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Opinion
OPINION: Why Japan's X-2 fighter is more than a symbol of pride
The first flight of the Mitsubishi X-2 will go down as a milestone in North Asia’s journey to develop advanced combat aircraft.
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Opinion
OPINION: Accident reports must acknowledge pilot pressures
French investigation authority BEA’s final analysis of the Germanwings Airbus A320 crash last year contains 20 mentions of the word “suicide” including, notably, in the primary conclusion over probable cause.
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Opinion
OPINION: The unknown impact of UAV collisions
If a recent report is to be believed, the 137 crew and passengers of British Airways flight 727 on 17 April were among the unluckiest people on the planet. It appears their Airbus A320 collided with a small drone on approach to London Heathrow airport from Geneva. The exact circumstances ...
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Opinion
OPINION: Will fighter aircraft become obsolete?
Are fighter jets still of any use in modern air warfare? A quick glance at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s annual tabulation of weapons exports would certainly suggest so. From Asia to the Middle East, demand for machines designed mainly for air superiority continues to be strong.