Airnews, April 2011
Next Salvo in Europe versus America
IT SEEMS competition between European and American aerospace manufacturers for lucrative aircraft deals around the world is escalating from a previously on-going skirmish to an all-out, winner take all, no holds barred confrontation to say the least. Everyone is fully aware of the cut-throat competition between Boeing and Airbus for orders for commercial airliners which is ongoing and has been so for more than 40 years with no end in sight. More recently has been the fierce competition for the United States airborne tanker order with Boeing having cried “foul” after the contract was initially awarded to Airbus and its US partners. The US Government ultimately withdrew the Airbus contract and threw it into the melting pot for the two giants to begin their fight anew. Subsequently Boeing issued a string of press releases saying how many jobs would be created in this state and that; how much money would be injected into those states’ coffers and how much better its aircraft were compared with those of the competition etc.
This ploy worked because the contract has now been awarded to Boeing (see Page 51) which will be building the B767-derived KC- 46A to ultimately replace 179 of the USAF’s fleet of 400 KC-135 tankers.
Similar “battles” are being fought in various parts of the world in varying degrees of intensity and mainly between America and Europe, but with Brazil, Russia and China being thorns in the side of the two “biggies”. For instance, South Africa is a target for the airlifter competition and Embraer is competing against Hawker Beechcraft for a $950-million contract for a light attack aircraft – the Tucano versus the AT-6.
Now on the horizon is a deal that could be worth billions of dollars and determine one of the primary fighter jets in Asia for decades to come. This new developing battle is resulting in something unexpected. Our US editor, Ed Hirsch, reports that European aircraft makers are trying to convince Japan to do something it has never done before — snub America.
US ‘planes have long been Tokyo’s overwhelming favourite, but Japan appears to be wobbling under a strong sales pitch for the Eurofighter Typhoon, coupled with problems and restrictions that have made the American alternatives less attractive. The stakes are high. The contract is expected to be worth upward of $10-billion, and the chosen fighter will be the showcase aircraft for Washington’s chief ally in the region at a time when both China and Russia are modernising their air forces. Going European, some analysts say, also could complicate future US-Japan air defence cooperation. Lobbying has intensified as Japan nears a long-delayed decision on what will be its next generation of fighters.
Because of Japan’s close military ties with Washington, options such as the Lockheed F- 35 and Boeing F/A-18 have long been the top contenders, and analysts say the US advantage remains strong.
But the four-country consortium that builds the Eurofighter is benefiting from a tail wind created by the US decision not to sell Japan what it really wanted — the stealthy F-22 “Raptor” — and by production delays and cost overruns that have shadowed the F-35. The Eurofighter Typhoon is built by a consortium of European military manufacturers led by BAE Systems, the German-French EADS and Italy’s Finmeccanica. The Europeans may also be willing to try harder than the US to get the deal — the Eurofighter is badly in need of some victories on the sales front.
Last year, Italian Minister Ignazio La Russa said his country would reduce its order of Eurofighter jets by 25 aircraft to save €2- billion, while the UK is considering defence cuts of up to 20 percent.
SHAKE, RATTLE, ROLL
It seems that Boeing has the right idea to keep the airline cockpit crews alert – give them a jolt and “shake, rattle and roll” for their landing procedure.
Vibrating cockpit seats are proposed for pilot alerts during approach. Boeing has floated the possibility of using vibrating cockpit seats as an alternative mechanism to visual and aural indicators on the flight deck. Its suggestion is contained in a newly published patent document that details a proposal for a module mounted beneath the pilot’s seat which, once triggered, would provide a tactile signal to the crew. Although the document mentions various types of alerts requiring immediate pilot action – such as terrain-avoidance or stall-warning alarms – it says there are several other instances during flight where the crew may need to act in a less-urgent manner, to maintain safety.
These include making position reports by voice or datalink or reporting to air traffic control before top-of-descent. “Certain physiological factors may have an effect on the ability of the flight crew to remain alert to perform such flight interaction tasks,” it says. It mentions the risks associated with fatigue, as well as the requirement for crews to control rest periods during non-critical stages of flight.
“There exists a potential need for a system and method for alerting a flight crew of the need to perform a task by increasing the level of stimulation that is provided to the flight crew,” it adds, although there is no indication of any immediate plans for application. The patent document, whose authors include Boeing’s chief test pilot, Frank Santoni, describes a mechanism comprising two travelling probes capable of vibrating at various amplitudes, frequencies and durations, depending on the nature of the required alert. This could be pre-programmed to ensure timely intervention at specific points in the flight.
But the document also shows that it could be activated, if necessary, by external interaction from air traffic control. Boeing’s document suggests the mechanism may provide over-flight prevention capability. The system could also be used to obtain the attention of pilots who are not responding to radio calls. ATC will give them a jolt if they do not respond.
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