Briefing: August 2017

The Paris Air Show opened in June with the usual displays of military hardware and the latest passenger jets, but new and emerging technologies also attracted a lot of attention. Volocopter, a German company that has been developing a two-seat electric VTOL, announced it will work with the government of Dubai to test fly semi-autonomous air taxis by the end of this year. Boom unveiled the final design for a subscale prototype of its supersonic airliner, and said it will fly next year, with three GE engines. Airbus said its working on a new helicopter with a box-wing design that will cruise at 215 knots while maximizing efficiency. The Racer demonstrator will fly in 2020, Airbus said.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, July 05, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The Paris Air Show highlighted emerging aviation technologies, including electric VTOL air taxis, a supersonic jet prototype, and an efficient new helicopter design.
U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft experienced severe oxygen system malfunctions, leading to pilot deaths and fleet groundings for T-45, F-18, and F-35 jets, with the root cause still unknown.
The Trump administration proposed privatizing the U.S. air traffic control system, a plan supported by major airlines but strongly opposed by general aviation groups.
Textron's new Cessna Turbo Skyhawk JT-A, powered by a turbodiesel engine burning Jet-A fuel and offering increased range and speed, received FAA and EASA certification.

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SPOTLIGHT ON NEW TECHNOLOGY AT PARIS AIR SHOW

The Paris Air Show opened in June with the usual displays of military hardware and the latest passenger jets, but new and emerging technologies also attracted a lot of attention. Volocopter, a German company that has been developing a two-seat electric VTOL, announced it will work with the government of Dubai to test fly semi-autonomous air taxis by the end of this year. Boom unveiled the final design for a subscale prototype of its supersonic airliner, and said it will fly next year, with three GE engines. Airbus said it’s working on a new helicopter with a “box-wing” design that will cruise at 215 knots while maximizing efficiency. The Racer demonstrator will fly in 2020, Airbus said.

MILITARY AIRPLANE OXYGEN SYSTEMS BLAMED FOR PILOT DEATHS

Reports by military pilots about oxygen-system malfunctions have been frequent in recent years, but in June the Navy said the problems in T-45 and F-18 series aircraft were a factor in the deaths of at least four pilots. The announcement was made in a report commissioned in March after Navy flight instructors and students refused to fly T-45 trainers, citing breathing problems, dizziness, and other issues. The Navy said it’s not sure what’s causing the problems. “To date, finding a solution…has proved elusive,” the report said. Also in June, the U.S. Air Force grounded its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, after five incidents in which pilots complained of hypoxia-related issues.