Bombardier Global 8000
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DAY 3
PARIS AIRSHOW NEWS
JUNE 18, 2025
The Airbus Racer helicopter demonstrator, part of the Paris show’s aerial display, features an innovative box-wing design and can fly at speeds of more than 217 knots.
U.S. HINTS AT TARIFF COMPROMISE
By Sarah Rose & Kerry Lynch
Divisions over U.S. tariffs have been in plain sight at the Paris Air Show, with political leaders from multiple aerospace nations trying to find a way through or around the problem. Canada this week signaled its intent to decouple from its immediate neighbor and forge closer ties with Europe, while U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hinted that the Trump Administration may consider removing aviation from its standoff with what it views as trade adversaries.
Speaking during a fireside chat yesterday with Aerospace Industries Association president and CEO Eric Fanning,
Duffy insisted that the U.S. is legitimately using tariffs to rebalance trade deficits. However, he acknowledged that free trade has benefited aviation. “It’s been remarkable,” he said.
“The White House understands that. If you go there and see the new parts of what they are doing, it’s a lot.”
On this basis, the U.S. position could be about to change.
“I would make the point that we should take aviation off the negotiating table going back to 1979 [when the Agreement on Trade and Civil Aircraft was signed], and that only helps us,”
Duffy stated. “This would take negotiation leverage away from some of our partners, and that would be beneficial to the U.S.”
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AIRCRAFT
Republic to trial eCTOL
U.S. airline will start market trials with allelectric airplane later this year | 20
OEM Otto selects Florida for assembly Start-up business jet manufacturer signs to build plant in Jacksonville | 17
WORKFORCE
CAE releases 10-year talent forecast
New report says the aviation industry will need to recruit 1.5M people by 2034 | 10
DEFENSE Loyal wingmen face off General Atomics and Anduril display collaborative combat aircraft as they compete for USAF contract | 4 airshow repor ts
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DAVID M c INTOSH
U.S. ATC needs urgent funding, Duffy says
By Kerry Lynch
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Du ff y stressed the urgency of getting additional funding to support the FAA’s ambitions to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system. Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have proposed $12.5 billion in such funding, a figure that some in the industry are hoping will end up closer to $20 billion.
“I want the full amount,” Duffy noted while speaking during a Tuesday afternoon fireside chat with Aerospace Industries Association president and CEO Eric Fanning at the Paris Air Show. “But I don’t need the full amount. I think this is the best way to do it.” He added that he hopes to have at least enough funding to take care of telecommunications and radar improvements and start the process of upgrading the other systems.
As for the current vehicle for that funding, the so-called “big, beautiful bill”—more formally known as the budget reconciliation package—he noted, “This is the one vehicle we have to get the most amount of money.”
Whether that gets through Congress is still uncertain. But on the funding, Duffy said, “Senators know I keep pushing. It’s a rarity that this is bipartisan.”
In the wide-ranging interview with Fanning, Duffy was asked about certification pace in light of the wave of advanced air mobility vehicles coming down the pike. He responded that mindset matters. Duffy said he understands why the FAA was set up the way it was—“it’s a different kind of body”—but noted that it also has its problems.
However, Duffy added that he has looked at those issues in tandem with FAA leadership. “We’re excited about the technology…We want the jobs. We want to deploy the innovation.”
He said it’s not good for the country if barriers push testing and development of such programs to other places.
He likened the certification approach to
Goldilocks—not too hot, not too cold. “We have to do things just right,” not too slow or fast, he said. Decision-making involves risk, and some people avoid that, thereby slowing progress, he argued. “That’s not our philosophy. If you take jobs to lead, you should lead.”
Duffy was also asked whether the White
dealt with—how do we get more controllers?”
He pointed to the various steps that can slow the process, such as getting the physical and awaiting medical reports. The target this year was to cycle 2,000 controller candidates through its Oklahoma City academy. But one of the primary problems is a 35% washout rate.
One solution is to provide extra support to candidates who are “kind of on the line,” he said. In addition, the agency has concluded that not all classes at the academy need to be taught by controllers, so it is bringing in other professors to help expand capacity where it can.
House plans to name another U.S. ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a position that has been filled only on an acting basis since Sully Sullenberger left the role in July 2022. Duffy said he has heard from the White House about potential candidates. “The President is actually thinking about it. Obviously, you need an ambassador.”
Another area brought up in the chat involved the controller workforce. “It’s amazing how slow [hiring] is and how hard. This is one of the most complicated things we’ve
Duffy believes the FAA will hit the target now, and the agency is targeting as many as 2,500 next year. “I don’t want to overpromise or underdeliver. But we are expanding.”
He also pointed to e ff orts on retention, such as offering bonuses and improving efforts to draw in military controllers. “Australia and New Zealand are stealing our controllers, offering them more money, so maybe we look at deploying the same philosophy,” Duffy said. “I can’t announce anything right now, but something like that could be in the works.” z
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wants the federal government to invest at least $12.5 billion in a major overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure.
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Loyal-wingman rivals face off here in Paris
By David Donald
General Atomics’ YFQ-42A and Anduril’s YFQ-44A collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) are on display in full-scale form for the first time at the 2025 Paris Air Show as the two companies are bidding for potentially large USAF contracts. In April, the USAF downselected the companies to design, manufacture, and test production-representative uncrewed aircraft for Increment 1 of its CCA program.
Large numbers of CCAs—also referred to as loyal wingmen, adjuncts, or remote carriers—are envisioned by the USAF to support crewed fighters, including fifth-generation warplanes such as the F-35 and F-22 and the forthcoming sixth-generation F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft that Boeing is developing.
CCAs can act as force multipliers, bringing additional combat mass to the battlespace at relatively low cost. They can also act as extra eyes and ears to improve overall situational awareness and to protect forces through defense suppression and electronic warfare.
General Atomics’ offering, based on the company’s Gambit family of CCA designs, is
similar in configuration to the XQ-67A Offboard Sensing Station (OBSS) UAV, which flew last year and acted as a prototype for the YFQ-42A. Further systems have been tested on the company’s MQ-20 Avenger jet-powered uncrewed aircraft. On May 7, the first YFQ-42A began ground tests, with the aim of performing a first flight this summer.
While General Atomics is known for its many years of building uncrewed air vehicles, primarily the Predator and Reaper series, Anduril is not so well-known, although it has developed a range of autonomous air systems. The company has focused on driving out unnecessary complexities from the YFQ-44A Fury design, resulting in a modular vehicle that is optimized for large-scale production at low cost. It, too, began ground testing last month.
Fury uses off-the-shelf components, including the powerplant from a business jet, and simple component designs that a wide range of suppliers could easily produce. Open-source architecture allows the Fury to be configured for different missions and with di ff erent payloads. It also provides for different customer nations to install their own sovereign capabilities. z
General Atomics, Saab propose affordable AEW
General Atomics has partnered with Saab to develop an airborne early warning and control capability that could be carried by its MQ-9B family of remotely piloted aircraft, including SkyGuardian, SeaGuardian, Protector, and the potentially carrier-capable MQ-9B short takeo and landing (STOL) variant now in development.
Under the proposal, the MQ-9B would carry a Saab-supplied airborne early warning (AEW) radar and associated systems, with data downlinked to ground bases, aircraft, or surface vessels. Saab has developed its successful Erieye AEW radar family, of which the latest service variant—Erieye ER—is integrated into the GlobalEye platform based on the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 business jet.
The MQ-9B proposal is being pitched at operators who already use crewed AEW aircraft to extend their e ective coverage without putting personnel into danger, as well as operators who wish to have AEW capability but do not have the budget for acquiring or operating large, crewed platforms. D.D.
Anduril YFQ-44A Fury
General Atomics YFQ-42A
Leonardo, Bombardier join forces on maritime jet
By Charles Alcock
Leonardo and Bombardier Defense are launching a collaboration to explore opportunities for maritime multi-mission aircraft, the companies said yesterday at the Paris Air Show.
Under the non-exclusive memorandum of understanding, they will evaluate the possibility of integrating Leonardo systems into the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet.
The platform would combine Leonardo’s Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance (ATOS) system with its customizable mission sensors. According to the companies, the joint work might lead to other versions of the aircraft that could include acoustic mission systems and sensors.
Bombardier Defense has delivered more than 500 special-mission aircraft for a variety of military, security, and humanitarian operations. z
Under an MoU signed in Paris, Bombardier’s Global 6500 could be fitted with maritime systems and sensors from Leonardo.
It’s the Mona Luna, not the Moona Lisa
Venturi Space’s autonomous Mona Luna is making its debut here at the Paris Air Show, with a view to provide Europe with a fully-functional version of the lunar rover by 2030. Key features of the 750-kg, all-electric vehicle include the ability to carry various payloads and a top speed of 20 kph.
Honeywell, Near Earth
fly autononous AW139
By David Donald
Honeywell and Near Earth Autonomy successfully completed the first autonomous flight of a Leonardo AW139 helicopter last month, the partners announced yesterday.
Conducted in Phoenix, the flight was undertaken in support of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program, proving the feasibility of deploying autonomous uncrewed aircraft to deliver supplies in contested environments.
ALC aims to develop and implement
logistics systems that reduce risk to personnel while accelerating supply operations and increasing capacity. Further testing of the Honeywell/Near Earth Autonomy system will involve automated obstacle avoidance and integration into military logistics workflows.
The Marines first looked into uncrewed resupply helicopters in the late 2000s, resulting in a pair of Kaman K-Max cargo-lift helicopters being converted for optionally piloted operations. After extensive trials in the U.S., the Marines deployed them for evaluation in Afghanistan between 2011 and 2013. z
Sikorsky S-97 advances cutting-edge technology
By David Donald
Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider compound helicopter is making its international debut this week at the Paris Air Show. The type embodies the company’s X2 technology, which was first tested on a technology demonstrator of the same name that first flew in 2008. The S-97 formed the basis for the company’s S-102 Raider X, which was proposed for the U.S. Army’s Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) requirement.
Although the FARA program was canceled by the Army in 2024, with Sikorsky having built a single unflown prototype, the two S-97s have continued to be used as development tools. These helicopters fly on average once a week to trial new technologies for the continued advancement of the X2 concept and for applications to other Sikorsky types such as the S-70 Hawk family.
Sikorsky’s X2-based proposal for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) Black
Hawk replacement, the SB-1 Defiant developed in partnership with Boeing, lost out to Bell’s MV-75 tiltrotor design.
At the heart of X2 technology is a shortdiameter, variable-speed coaxial main rotor layout employing highly rigid blades that offset the risk of retreating blade stall. A tailmounted pusher propeller provides most of the thrust in forward flight, giving the S-97 a top speed of around 210 knots, while other X2 family members have reached 250 knots. Flight control is by fly-by-wire, and the propeller is variable pitch, including reverse, and can be used for deceleration.
For the pilot, this feature is very useful, as the helicopter can be brought to hover or land with no need to raise the nose, which greatly reduces the pilot’s forward hemisphere visibility at a critical stage of flight. Other flight characteristic advantages provided by the propeller are the ability to make tight turns and accelerate out of them, making the helicopter less vulnerable over the battlefield. The S-97
can fly sideways at up to 50 knots.
Despite the loss of the FLRAA competition and the cancellation of FARA, Sikorsky views X2 technology as having a key part to play in future rotary-wing projects. A major opportunity is NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability, for which Lockheed Martin/ Sikorsky was awarded a concept study in July 2024. That is due to be delivered in the fourth quarter, along with those from Airbus and Leonardo.
Rotor Blown Wings are another technology that Sikorsky is actively developing and testing as part of a DARPA program. The first 115pound demonstrator began flight trials last year, paving the way for a 330-pound vehicle to fly next year. The rotor-blown wing concept is for a tail-sitting UAV that takes off and lands vertically on the thrust from wing-mounted propellers before transitioning to wing-borne flight. The small-scale demonstrator reached 86 knots during initial trials.
Harnessing the advantages of both fixedand rotary-wing air vehicles but without the need for complex mechanisms such as tilting wings or rotors, frees the vehicle from runway independence and facilitates maritime operations. However, the rotor-blown wing concept does require new control laws, as well as advanced autonomous systems. z
DAVID M c INTOSH
The Sikorsky S-97 Raider is making its international debut this week at the Paris salon.
1.5 million recruits needed by 2034
By Charles Alcock
The civil aviation industry will need to recruit around 1.5 million professionals worldwide by 2034, according to the latest aviation talent forecast released by training organization CAE on Monday at the Paris Air Show. The latest edition of the biennial study includes air traffic controllers for the first time, saying that 71,000 controllers will be needed over the next 10 years, in addition to large
numbers of pilots, maintenance technicians, and cabin crew.
According to the forecast, nearly 1.3 million airline professionals will be required, including 267,000 pilots, 347,000 technicians, and 678,000 cabin crew. A large proportion of these employees will be needed in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, the business aviation sector will need 102,000 professionals over
Tunisia signs for Subaru Bell 412EPXs
A purchase agreement covering 12 Subaru Bell 412EPXs has been signed on behalf of the Tunisian air force, which is expanding a rotary-wing fleet that already includes 39 Bell helicopters. The sale to Tunisia is the first for the 412EPX in Africa. Meanwhile, the Tunisian national guard has recently begun operating the Bell 429.
Subaru (formerly Fuji) built earlier Bell helicopters under license for the Japanese military, and it co-developed the 412EPX version
Tunsia’s air force inked a deal for a dozen Subaru Bell 412EPX helicopters this week at the Paris Air Show.
of the 412EPI to answer its army requirement for a new utility transport. The helicopter will be delivered to the Japanese army with the local designation UH-2.
The Bell 412 has proven popular with parapublic operators, which together with military air arms comprise 54% of the global fleet. Recent customers include the Japanese coast guard, San Diego Fire and Rescue, and the interior ministries of Croatia and the Sarajevo Canton. D.D.
According to CAE’s just-released aviation talent forecast, the industry will need to hire 1.5 million professionals—including pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians—over the next decade.
the same period, including 33,000 pilots and 69,000 technicians.
“The need for 1.5 million new aviation professionals by 2034 is being driven by record demand for air travel and a significant wave of retirements that is expected across all categories,” said Marie-Christine Cloutier, CAE’s v-p for strategy, performance, air traffic services, and marketing.
“With commercial and business aviation fleets expected to see double-digit increases over the next 10 years, the industry must take action to attract, train, and retrain personnel. Highly skilled aviation professionals are not just a necessity for the safety of the air transport system, they are the foundation for the successful expansion and resilience of the global aviation sector.”
CAE said the industry needs a comprehensive training environment to ensure that qualified candidates make it through graduation and into the workforce. The report found that across all professionals, dropout and failure rates are high. In the U.S. alone, 30% of paid air traffic control students do not complete their training, according to the National Airspace System Safety Review Team.
This week, the Aerospace Industries Association and McKinsey released a study showing that the aerospace and defense industry is facing an increasingly serious workforce challenge. The “Accelerating Progress—Maximizing the Return on Talent in A&D” report said the industry needs to urgently adopt a new approach and make more sustained investments to attract and retain talent. z
Archer lands
order from IKN
By Charles Alcock
Archer Aviation this week expanded its network of Launch Edition customers for its four-passenger Midnight eVTOL air taxi through an agreement with Indonesian conglomerate Industri Ketahanan Nasional (IKN). The $250 million deal, announced on Monday here in Paris, includes a provisional sales agreement covering up to 50 Midnight aircraft.
As with Archer’s other Launch Edition partners—Abu Dhabi Aviation and Ethiopian Airlines—IKN will work with its local regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Indonesia, to prepare regulatory framework for
commercial operations. Besides developing an air-taxi network for Jakarta, the partners will develop other eVTOL use cases such as logistics and environmental surveillance to support the new capital city, Ibu Kota Nusantara.
Archer CEO Adam Goldstein told AIN that the company will deliver an aircraft in the coming weeks to the UAE for flight testing in Abu Dhabi. The UAE government is
permitting limited operations—first autonomous and later piloted—to advance its bid for the world’s first commercial air-taxi services. Rival manufacturer Joby Aviation also intends to launch services in the UAE and has an exclusive agreement to operate in Dubai. Last week, Archer said it raised a further $850 million to support efforts to complete FAA type certification of Midnight. z
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Customer care center is Airbus’ mission control
By Charlotte Bailey
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, Airbus’ recently opened customer care center serves as a “mission control” facility to support more than 1,000 clients worldwide, including airlines, lessors, and repair organizations. The facility, which has been optimized for team integration through open-plan spaces and shared-use areas, has as its focal point a multidisciplinary room on the ground floor, twice the size of its predecessor, where specialists respond to aircraft-on-ground (AOG) occurrences within five hours.
Each year, Airbus fields 100,000 service requests, of which around 90% are for routine support and classified as “non-urgent.” However, the remaining 10% of calls to the Airbus Technical Aircraft on Ground Centre (AIRTAC) team are often a vital lifeline to resolve an AOG issue not yet covered in published documentation. Of these, 55% are typically structural, 42% systems-related, and 3% classed as “abnormal.”
Although AIRTAC can solve around half of the problems on-site (supported by a sister center in China), Gilles de Cevins, Airbus’ head of in-service engineering, said the manufacturer is publishing more technical solutions to advance customer autonomy. Artificial intelligence has an increasing role to play in the search for accelerated resolutions, but he stressed that engineers will always decide on the action to take.
Cristina Aguilar Grieder, Airbus Services’ senior vice president, told reporters during a tour last week that she aims for the facility become “one of the key reasons customers come back [to Airbus].” Alongside time-critical technical support, the center and its global network of partners provides services across the entire lifecycle of an aircraft, fulfilling the manufacturer’s support obligations while offering additional paid-for parts, training, and digital solutions.
With the 2,000 Airbus aircraft operating today set to surpass 18,000 in 2030, Airbus’s 8,600 customer care employees are set to get busier. z
GE, Kratos collab on small turbofan
GE Aerospace and Kratos Turbine Technologies, a division of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, are launching a joint development program for small turbofan engines to support the next generation of a ordable drones and uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (CCA).
This builds on their e ort announced two years ago to produce small turbofan engines for expendable vehicles, starting with the 800-pound-thrust GEK800 for cruise missiles.
Now the partners have revealed plans to produce the GEK1500, a 1,500-poundthrust engine intended to power reusable aircraft in uncrewed combat applications such as CCAs. The U.S. Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance initiative calls for CCAs to operate alongside a future crewed fighter platform.
Slightly larger than the GEK800, the GEK1500 is intended “for the lower end of the CCA market,” Steve “Doogie” Russell, v-p and general manager at GE Aerospace Edison Works, said during a pre-Paris Air Show media briefing at the company’s Evendale, Ohio headquarters.
The first GEK1500 engine prototype is slated for demonstration in 2026, noted Mark Rettig, v-p and general manager of GE Aerospace’s Edison Works Advanced Programs.
Meanwhile, a GEK800 demonstrator is undergoing testing at GE Aerospace’s Evandale facility, and the company is also preparing to build the first production-conforming engine in December or January, according to Craig Young, GE’s executive engineering director for hypersonic propulsion and small UAV engines. H.W.
Airbus’ AIRTAC is essentially the company’s ER team for urgent AOG situations.
Lockheed’s Brussels hub puts mission in focus
By David Donald
In late spring, Lockheed Martin opened its Digital Engagement Center (DEC) in Brussels, the first of its kind outside of the U.S. The center caters to a wide variety of needs, such as operational analysis and wargaming, with a focus on the mission outcome rather than the platforms that conduct the mission.
This move to a mission-centric focus represents a fundamental shift in approach to military planning at many levels as threat scenarios rapidly evolve and proliferate in the digital era. According to the U.S.-based defense group, meeting these challenges places increasing demand on the resilient networking of disparate sensors and platforms to harness their full value in a holistic manner.
Lockheed Martin sited its European DEC close to Brussels Airport and adjacent to NATO headquarters. The location places it at the heart of military decision-making in Europe, facilitating engagement with not only the alliance’s armed forces and their leaders, but also the continent’s defense industry. It is connected to six other centers in the U.S., including the company’s major “Lighthouse” facility in Suffolk, Virginia.
Demonstrating operational vignettes in the DEC can rapidly highlight strengths and weaknesses. For instance, indicating where additional sensors and effectors are required to maximize the coverage and effectiveness of a networked air defense system. Factors such as terrain can be modeled so that areas of radar masking can be highlighted. The system can run analytical scenarios where individual systems can be altered iteratively to illustrate the effect of a change, say, in location or type of a sensor or effector.
The operational analysis tool can also be used to analyze and aid the development of the algorithms that reside in the network and its command and control operations. The DEC itself can be constantly updated with new technology.
The DEC can be rapidly configured—in a few hours to a few days, depending on the customer needs—to match individual requirements, and displays the simulations in an immersive graphic presentation that is easy to interpret. While Lockheed Martin’s products are prominent among Europe’s defense equipment, the center can be programmed to analyze any system, regardless of provider. Similarly, the DEC showcases the benefits of interoperability between services and between armed forces of different nations within an alliance such as NATO.
and successful conduct of individual operations. It is of great value for determining how to meet new challenges, and also how to do so in a more cost-effective manner by “training” networks to match appropriate effectors to the threats without any loss o f effectiveness.
One challenge that has dominated the thoughts of military leaders and analysts in recent weeks is the emerging “sub-tactical” threat, as graphically evidenced by the audacious Spider’s Web operation conducted by Ukraine on June 1. Previously, military commanders had thought in terms of strategic (space and upper atmosphere), operational (long-range), and tactical (short-range, battlefield) tiers of threats, but the Ukrainian attack on Russian bomber bases using drones launched from close to the bases represents a new tier.
Advanced commercial technologies, such as artificial intelligence, edge computing and Lockheed Martin’s 5G.MIL networking solutions, are used in the creation of scenarios, along with a library of systems characteristics covering a range of NATO and potentially hostile platforms and systems. Artificial intelligence is particularly useful in the creation of content and the rapid running of various options within a given scenario.
Making Defense More Cost-effective
Through these capabilities, Lockheed Martin said the DEC is a powerful tool for informing system acquisition and development, creation of operational doctrine, design of effective defensive environments,
Lockheed’s Digital Engagement Center in Brussels offers wargaming and operational analysis. The facility— the company’s first of its kind outside the U.S.—focuses on mission outcomes.
Gen. Phillip Breedlove, who was Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) between 2013 and 2016, recently opined that no country in the world was yet able to meet this sub-tactical threat, although Ukraine itself was probably the closest to it. An attack of this type poses significant difficulties in threat detection and the time available for defenses to engage due to the very short distances from launch to attack, further compounded by the use of swarming tactics.
The former SACEUR also noted that, while the challenges of the other tiers of the defensive layer cake are understood, the emerging sub-tactical layer required the rapid development of new systems and tactics. This is clearly something in which the DEC could play an important role. z
eVTOL programs prompt innovation at Honeywell
By Charles Alcock
Tangible evidence of eVTOL aircraft nearing the start of commercial services has left Honeywell feeling vindicated for investing in dedicated R&D efforts in this sector five years ago. According to Dave Shilliday, who is general manager of the group’s advanced air mobility (AAM) business unit, working with start-ups chasing rapid paths to market—such as Archer Aviation and Vertical Aerospace— has made the aerospace group “more agile.”
The fruits of Honeywell’s labors include fly-by-wire flight controls and sidesticks specifically developed to meet the size and weight limitations of eVTOL architectures. For Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 vehicle, Honeywell is now providing inceptors based on work done for the Orion space program.
“In terms of innovation, these companies are less constrained by definitions of what each system needs to encompass than legacy OEMs,” Shilliday told AIN. “They are more concerned about the problems they are trying to solve than what came before.”
Shilliday believes the AAM business model is reaching a tipping point, with some governments signaling a willingness to encourage early use cases. In the U.S., President Donald Trump’s recent executive order expanding beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations includes plans for an “eVTOL integration pilot program.”
This September, the U.S. government will issue a request for proposals from companies wanting to conduct trial eVTOL operations
under waivers. Similarly, authorities in the UAE are clearing the way for flights to be permitted in protective airspace corridors.
AI Guides Human-machine Collaboration
In Europe, Honeywell’s innovation center at Brno in the Czech Republic is focused on efforts to boost safety and operational efficiency by reducing the workload of pilots.
The DARWIN (Digital Assistants for Reducing Workload and Increasing Collaboration) project involves defining the best approach to splitting responsibilities between human pilots and automated systems.
The project team, which is backed by the Single European Sky ATM Research body, is applying artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor pilots for signs of drowsiness or sleep.
“This is about human-machine collaboration, looking at how to manage workload and how to automate the flight deck,” explained Jolana Dvorska, the senior research and development manager at the Brno facility. “We want to enhance decisions and give decision support. In some cases, the [automated] assistants can take over the decision while the pilot focuses on thinking.”
Honeywell plans to start a demonstration campaign in the first quarter of 2026 after installing the DARWIN equipment in an aircraft for in-flight human-factors trials. “The AI generates data from the aircraft and uses algorithms to assess decisions. It’s critical but needs to be explainable and certifiable,” Dvorska concluded. z
Astronautics forms systems business
Astronautics Corp. of America established a dedicated system solutions business unit for its portfolio of displays and cockpit integration, in addition to connected aircraft solutions product lines. The unit will focus on delivering integrated systems designed with Astronautics’ avionics, as well as those from its subsidiaries and other suppliers, to help address obsolescence, cybersecurity certification compliance, and mission capability needs for commercial and military aircraft.
Eytan Saletsky, director of system solutions at Astronautics, is leading the new business unit. He joined the company in February 2023 and has more than 35 years of integrated systems program experience, including more than 20 years at CMC Electronics.
Creation of the business line comes as Astronautics is completing two system solutions programs and was recently named a key supplier on a third. These include upgrading 12 Erickson S-65 Air Crane cockpits with custom-tailored avionics to support their crane and firefighting missions. The upgrade includes Astronautics’ Badger Pro+ Gen 2.0 smart 6-by-8-inch multifunction displays, engine data concentrator unit, and AeroSync Mission connectivity module.
Astronautics is delivering a full avionics system with Badger Pro+ Gen 2.0 MFDs at the core for Enaer’s Pillan II trainer that will replace T-35 trainers in the Chilean Air Force. It also was tapped to develop and integrate avionics for the Radia WindRunner.
“Given the steady increase in our orderbook of systems programs, now is the right time to formalize a system solutions unit and bring Astronautics back into the systems business,” said Astronautics president Robert Atac. “We are expanding on our pedigree of successful systems integration programs.” K.L.
Vertical VX4
In a deal announced here in Paris, Otto Aviation is building an 850,000sq-ft aircraft manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, Florida.
New bizjet maker sets Otto-pilot for Florida
By Kerry Lynch
Business jet developer Otto Aviation received a nearly $500 million package from the state of Florida to establish a manufacturing facility and headquarters in Jacksonville as it moves forward on its ambitions to bring its Phanom 3500 business jet to market. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the plans on Monday while opening the Florida pavilion at the Paris Air Show.
Based at Jacksonville Cecil Airport, the plant will occupy nearly a 100-acre parcel and serve as the primary site for final assembly of the Phantom twinjet. Otto is relocating from Fort Worth, Texas, to Jacksonville and will begin operations in Hangar 825, which was built by the U.S. Navy for aircraft fleet operations as it develops the 850,000-sq-ft manufacturing plant.
In announcing the incentives, the state estimated that the facility would generate 389 highskilled and high-wage jobs, calling it one of the most significant advanced manufacturing developments in Northeast Florida in recent years.
The package includes more than $430 million in corporate income tax credits and high-impact performance incentive grants, along with a $35 million incentive package approved by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority and a $20 million revenue enhancement value grant from the city of Jacksonville.
The incentive package comes as Otto
prepares to assemble and fly the light jet in 2027, with service entry expected in 2030. Speaking to reporters yesterday at the Paris show, Otto Aviation CEO Paul Touw said he anticipates building up to 1,600 Phantom 3500s between 2030 and 2040, with about one-third of production accounted for, including upcoming order
announcements expected in September.
In addition to the $500 million incentive package, Touw said Otto has raised more than $170 million to date and is expected to close on another round of funding by year-end. “Right now, the aircraft is at a stage where our design is mostly locked down,” he said, noting that the parts for flight-test vehicle one will arrive in Hangar 825 next year in preparation for assembly.
Otto is leveraging laminar-flow aerodynamics and advanced manufacturing techniques to develop an aircraft that will offer about a 50% performance gain versus current business jets.
On the manufacturing side, Otto is leveraging high-precision manufacturing techniques used for stealth aircraft, including resin transfer molding for the carbon fiber. “The gross margins on this aircraft are relatively high compared to the competition because it’s cheaper to manufacture,” he said.
Touw called the Phanom 3500 a “trifecta” because it will also be cheaper to operate and maintain. The aircraft is expected to have a 51,000-foot ceiling, 3,500-nm range, and 3,454-foot balanced field length. Laminar-flow technologies are estimated to cut drag by 35% versus existing business aircraft offerings. z
Embraer C-390 lands Dutch aeromedical role
The Dutch governnment yesterday placed an order with Embraer for one roll-on/roll-off aeromedical evacuation system for its C-390 Millennium fleet. This application expands the capabilities of the multirole Embraer airplane.
DHC logs more orders for refurbished Dash 8s
By Sarah Rose
Skyward Express inked an agreement this week with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada to refurbish Dash 8-400 turboprop twin. As part of its commitment to “keep the fleet flying,” the OEM has launched a program to refurbish and remarket Dash 8-400s in response to customer demand.
“We are proud of the momentum behind our refurbishment program and the confidence shown by our stakeholders,” said De Havilland CEO Brian Chafe. “This aircraft is engineered to meet the real-world challenges faced by operators every day, whether in high-frequency airline service or in specialized operations in remote regions such as in the Canadian North.”
Launched in 2023 and formally announced
Luminair orders trio of Falcon 900LXs
German private charter operator Luminair is adding three Falcon 900LX trijets to its fleet under an agreement announced with Dassault Aviation on Tuesday at the Paris Air Show. The Falcons will be delivered before year-end, joining a trio of Cessna Citation XLS business jets that have been in service since the Hamburg-based company earned its air operator certificate.
According to company founder Algernon Trotter, Luminair is seeking to attract customers who are coming to the end of fractional ownership contracts they signed immediately after Covid. He told AIN that the Citations have been in demand as the European summer season gathers momentum. Since the start of 2025, these three twinjets have logged a combined 957 flight hours on trips to 168 destinations.
The Falcon 900X’s three-zone cabin was one
at the Farnborough International Airshow last year, the OEM refurbishment program enables De Havilland Canada to acquire Dash 8 airframes and deliver them to operators following a certified refurbishment process.
The initiative has spurred investment in more than 40 Dash 8 turboprop twins to date. DHC has delivered 13 refurbished aircraft to nine operators, and another 12 are currently undergoing makeovers.
Three Dash 8-400s are being delivered to the SkyAlyne consortium to support the government of Canada’s Future Aircrew Training program for the Royal Canadian Air Force. These stored production aircraft are being modified for a special-mission configuration. In response to customer demand, De Havilland Canada has expanded the program to include Dash 8-100, -200, and -300 variants. z
European private jet charter firm Luminair signs a deal for three Falcon trijets.
of the main features that influenced Luminair’s choice as it seeks to appeal to family groups requiring transatlantic-range aircraft. Trotter said the other main option considered was the Falcon 2000. The company will be the first fleet operator of the 900LX, according to Dassault Falcon head of civil aviation Carlos Brana.
Trotter said that, based on past experience, having a charter fleet of between 20 and 50 aircraft is the optimum size. C.A.
NEWS CLIPS
Wizz Air has selected Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G-JM geared turbofan (GTF) engine to power 177 Airbus A321neo narrowbodies currently on order, Pratt & Whitney announced yesterday. The Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier previously selected the GTF engine to power its fleet of 276 Airbus A320neo, A321neo, and A321XLR aircraft.
Embraer and All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Monday consummated a purchase agreement announced in February for fifteen 190-E2s, with options for five more. The contract marks the first from ANA for Embraer products, and the 190-E2s will become the first of the next generation E-Jets to operate in Japan.
Safran and Bombardier signed a letter of intent to explore opportunities for collaboration and foster the joint development of innovative, high-performance, and reliable technologies for defense. The initiative aims to harness complementary technological expertise and enable the rapid industrial scale-up of new solutions.
Italy’s ELT Group and Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop sensor and digital technology innovations, as well as the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to electromagnetic spectrum operation.
Safran will develop a more powerful version of the M88 engine for future versions of Dassault’s Rafale fighter, including the M5. The M88 T-Rex will offer a thrust increase with afterburner of 19,800 pounds. According to Dassault , the engine will use novel materials, next-generation cooling circuits, and a redesigned nozzle.
Falcon Aviation Services has ordered a Leonardo AW139 helicopter for its charter fleet. The contract, signed yesterday in Paris, calls for delivery of the VVIP-configured medium-twin helicopter in 2027. Falcon Aviation Services already operates an AW139, as well as a number of AW109 GrandNew light twins, AW169 intermediate twins, and AW189 super-medium models.
Curtiss-Wright touts mission-critical tech
By Sarah Rose
Curtiss-Wright is highlighting a series of advancements in its aerospace technology offerings, including a major product line expansion and new collaborations supporting sustainable aviation, this week at the Paris Air Show. The company is also showcasing a range of aerospace solutions for commercial and defense platforms.
Company demonstrations this week at the airshow include a fully integrated flight test and control system, next-generation arresting system, and electromechanical
wingfold actuator. A side-by-side surface treatment display will highlight fatigue and corrosion resistance improvements in engine components.
“Our portfolio of ruggedized, safety, and mission-critical technologies is producing tremendous value for our customers,” said Curtiss-Wright chair and CEO Lynn M. Bamford.
The company’s sensors and actuation division has broadened its product portfolio with the addition of Weed Instrument’s aerospace temperature sensors as part of the recent acquisition of Ultra Energy. These sensors use proprietary platinum RTD (resistance
JD2E working with Smith Myers, CarteNav, and Teledyne on mission system training
Mission systems providers Smith Myers, CarteNav, and Teledyne have teamed up with simulation specialist JD2E to demonstrate integrated mission system training. On display this week during the Paris Air Show, JD2E’s deployable mission operation station (DMOS) combines Smith Myers’ Artemis system with CarteNav’s advanced integrated multi-sensing surveillance (AIMS-ISR) mission software and the Teledyne FLIR Star Safire series airborne sensor.
DMOS combines real-time mass cellular handset identification and tracking through Artemis, augmented-reality mapping overlays via AIMS-ISR, and automated sensor steering with the Safire airborne sensor.
North Carolinabased CurtissWright is providing a semi-aerolastic hinge for the Airbus UpNext program’s eXtra performance WING demonstrator.
temperature detector) technology and are crucial for precise temperature monitoring in engines, fuel systems, and air management systems. The addition complements Curtiss-Wright’s existing position, proximity, and speed sensors and further enhances its aerospace capabilities.
Additionally, Curtiss-Wright is supplying its Nano Motion Controller to Airbus UpNext for the eXtra performance WING demonstrator program. The controller supports a semi-aeroelastic hinge function intended to improve aerodynamic efficiency.
As part of the WING program, the system is scheduled for integration into a modified Cessna Citation VII in the third quarter, with ground and flight testing planned through 2026. This project aligns with broader industry efforts to explore technologies aimed at reducing fuel consumption in future aircraft platforms. z
Noting that more than 100 aircrews have already trained on the JD2E DMOS with a fully integrated Artemis system, Smith Myers managing director Andrew Munro said, “The integration exemplifies how advanced technology can enhance mission success across diverse environments.”
“AIMS-ISR has long been integrated with Artemis and Teledyne FLIR’s advanced sensor solutions, providing operators a single local operating picture to simplify complex operations and do their critical jobs even better,” added Scott Richardson, v-p of product for CarteNav. K.L.
The demonstration at Paris is designed to show the real-world synergy between the mission-critical components, as well as the versatility of the applications. This includes maritime, border control, disaster relief, aerial firefighting, and search-and-rescue missions.
Beta Alia market trials to start soon
By Charles Alcock
Republic Airways has agreed to buy at least one example of Beta Technologies’ Alia CX300 electric airplane and will use it to train its pilots and plan routes. Under a memorandum of understanding announced on Monday at the Paris Air Show, the carrier is set to take delivery of the first aircraft— under special airworthiness certificate rules—in the fourth quarter, with options to add more examples as its plans for commercial services firm up.
The CX300 operates in conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) mode, with Beta also working on the Alia 250, an eVTOL version. The company, which has already opened its manufacturing facility in Burlington, Vermont, is taking this approach with a view to getting the CX300 certified in 2026.
“The CTOL aircraft will get well established [in the market] by operating commercial flights sooner [than rival eVTOL models],” Beta founder and CEO Kyle Clark
told reporters. “I’m confident we’ll get there first. The VTOL aircraft is just the same [as the CX300]; you’re just adopting a really good flap setting.”
Beta is now earning testing credits for FAA certification by conducting extensive, real-world flights under a market survey
Deliveries of TBM 900 series continue to soar
Daher Aircraft will hand over the keys to this TBM 960 tomorrow morning to an undisclosed U.S. customer. This delivery marks the 600th handover of a TBM 900-series airplane.
By year-end, U.S. airline Republic Airways will begin real-world market trials with an all-electric Beta Technologies Alia CX300 airplane.
provision permitted by the special airworthiness certificate rules. The Alia model that will open the flying display each day at the Paris Air Show this week is conducting a European tour that started at Shannon on the west coast of Ireland and will end in July when the aircraft is delivered to launch customer Bristow in Norway. The helicopter operator will conduct six months of flight trials.
According to Clark, the CX300 is expected to operate cargo services before progressing to passenger operations that could include routes that are not commercially viable with current aircraft. Initial versions will carry four passengers, but Beta believes subsequent models could be larger with between six and eight seats.
During a recent 45-minute flight from East Hampton to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, an Alia aircraft consumed $7 worth of electrical power versus several hundred dollars worth of fuel in a helicopter, according to Beta. Republic president and chief commercial officer Matt Koscal was a passenger on that flight.
Later this year, Beta plans to deliver another example of the Alia to Air New Zealand. The company also offers customers its “Charge Cube” equipment, which can recharge the aircraft in under an hour. z
DAVID M c INTOSH
DAVID M c INTOSH
Tariff compromise
continued from page 1
Duffy insisted that the U.S. is resolute in its determination to rebalance trade by imposing tariffs and removing other barriers to American exports. “If you drive around a European city, how many American cars do you see? Not many. If you drive around America, [you see] many European cars,” he said.
“There was a time that we needed to help countries and let them freely sell into the U.S., and we allowed them to set barriers to protect their industries, but we’re well beyond postWorld War II. It’s different economies,” Duffy commented. “The fight is right. It’s the right fight to have.”
Canada: Time to Decouple from U.S.
At the Paris air show, Canadian minister of industry Mélanie Joly doubled down on prime minister Mark Carney’s position that the country is currently in a “trade war” with the U.S. She applauded the decision by some Canada-based aerospace companies that are diversifying from the U.S. market.
“I think Canadians were shocked by the decision by the Trump Administration in February to impose illegal and unjustifiable tariffs, which later was a direct attack on our workers, particularly in the auto sector and particularly also in the steel and aluminum sectors,” she said. “What business people themselves have seen is that they need to do much more eastwest business, not necessarily north-south
Rafale roars
Dassault’s Rafale fighter once again turns heads at the Paris Air Show flying display, with its tight turns and steep vertical climbs.
like how Canada is currently organized.”
Joly also stressed the importance of free trade agreements with other countries. “We already have a free trade agreement with the EU. We have one also with the UK. We’re the only G7 country that has a free trade agreement with all G7 countries,” she said.
“With the U.S. right now, that free trade agreement is in question, but our strategy is to make sure that as a government we can lead the way, and then business people are able to benefit from the opening of doors that we’re doing, particularly now in France and in Europe.”
When asked if that also expanded into conversations around rearming Europe and making its defense industry more autonomous from the U.S., Joly said. “The conversation started six months ago and it was well seen by many member states of Europe.”
“We have the same geopolitical stance on many things, including Ukraine, and we have the same vision of ‘stronger together’ through NATO. Canada needs to do its own work in investing in defense. I think we have a lot to bring to the table.”
Meanwhile, on Monday, the UK aerospace industry was boosted by news that President Donald Trump has agreed to waive all tariffs on its exports to the U.S. This concession was part of the finalization of a trade deal between the UK and the U.S.
During the G7 meeting in Canada, Trump continued to insist that he would not accept the European Union’s proposals for a trade deal. He recently threatened European states with a 50% tariff on most goods. z
Vietjet buys A321neos
Vietjet delivered the airliner deal of the second day at the Paris Air Show when it signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus covering orders for 100 A321neo narrowbodies, with options for another 50 of the airliners. The Vietnamese carrier’s CEO, Dinh Viet Phuong, was at Le Bourget to sign the agreement with Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus’ executive v-p for commercial aircraft sales.
The airline, which already has a fleet of more than 100 Airbus jets, recently placed an additional order for A330neo widebodies. “Together, the A321neo and A330neo will be perfect partners for Vietjet to continue to spread its wings, e ciently matching capacity more closely to demand across its network,” de Saint-Exupéry said.
As of the end of May, more than 7,000 A321neos had been ordered by some 90 operators. According to Airbus, the single-aisle airliner, which is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines, has delivered a 20% reduction in fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions, as well as being 50% quieter than previous-generation narrowbodies.
On Monday, Frontier Airlines selected GTF engines to power 91 A321neos it has on order. The first of these aircraft is due to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines signed a purchase agreement yesterday for a pair of De Havilland Canada Twin Otter Classic 300-Gs. The carrier will operate the short-takeoff-andlanding turboprop twins to remote communities in East Africa.
“The addition of the Twin Otter 300-G to our fleet reflects our strategy to expand domestic connectivity and support socio-economic growth in Ethiopia and across Africa,” said Mesfin Tasew, group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “We selected the 300-G for its proven performance in di cult environments and its modern enhancements that align with our operational and sustainability goals.” C.A.
Where ‘what ifs’
Where ‘what ifs’