News in brief

Radome

• The UK’s Electric Aviation Group (EAG) which is developing the 90-seat H2ERA hydrogen-electric regional aircraft, has announced it has launched a megawatt-class fuel cell spin-off business for large aircraft. Smart Megawatt Stack (SMS) Fuel Cell Systems will work to accelerate and commercialise hydrogen fuel cells to decarbonise aviation and the wider transport sector.
• Russia’s Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsiya) has certificated Irkut’s MC-21-300 narrowbody passenger aircraft. A division of United Aircraft Corporation owned by Rostec State Corporation, Irkut is planning to continue flight testing the MC-21 in 2022 at high-altitude conditions, strong crosswinds and low and high temperatures. The aircraft was first flown in 2017. 
• On 3 January, Airbus launched a new consolidated aerostructures arm, Airbus Atlantic, bringing together facilities in Europe, North Africa and Canada. The new group includes sites in Nantes, Toulouse and Saint-Nazaire in France, Tunis and Casablanca in North Africa and Mirabel, as well as Saint-Laurent in Canada.
• US company Archer Aviation has flown its new eVTOL Maker aircraft for the first time. The two-seat demonstrator conducted a hover flight on 16 December at Archer’s test facility in California. Archer plans to unveil a four-seat production version of the Maker in 2023. 
• Boom Supersonic has entered a three-year strategic partnership with the US Air Force. The Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) contract will accelerate research and development on Boom’s 65-88 seat Overture supersonic airliner. 

• On 7 January, Iraqi flag carrier Iraqi Airways took delivery of its first Airbus A220 single-aisle airliner. The aircraft, the first of five on order, joins ten Boeing 787s and 16 737 MAXs to be delivered as part of a major fleet revamp.
• European low-cost carrier Ryanair is to pull out of its Frankfurt Main, Germany base, at the end of March, citing increased airport charges. The airline opened a hub there in 2017, which grew, along with Amsterdam Schiphol, to become the carrier’s largest bases. The airline says increased fees and raised passenger taxes, despite the downturn in flights caused by Covid, was the reason for the withdrawal. 
• Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has emerged from Chapter 11 proceedings, four months after filing for bankruptcy protection. The airline has reduced its fleet size by over 20% and ceased operating some unprofitable routes. 
• Brazil has approved a takeover by Brazilian international carrier GOL of domestic Brazilian carrier MAP Transportes Aéreos. GOL first announced its proposed acquisition of the smaller airline in June 2021. 
• A number of airline flights were temporarily cancelled at Almaty international airport in Kazakhstan after security forces battled with anti-government protesters attempting to seize control of the airport in early January, with services restored on 13th.

• RAF Shawbury has become the first UK base to become operational with the new ‘Project Marshall’ military ATM system. The base is the first to receive the new £1.5bn ATM system, a contract which was awarded to consortium Aquila Air Traffic Management Services in 2014. It will now be rolled out over a further 60 MoD sites in the next two years.
• Lockheed Martin has announced that it exceeded its project delivery target for 2021 of 39 F-35 Lightning II fighters by delivering 142 F-35s. This compares with 120 F-35s delivered in 2020. Over 750 F-35s have now been delivered to both US and foreign customers. The company expects to deliver 151 aircraft in 2022. 
• Airbus Helicopters has received an order from the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) to develop prototypes of the new H160M Guépard helicopter, plus an initial order for 30 aircraft. Based on Airbus’ H160 utility helicopter, the H160M will be equipped with the Safran Euroflir 410 electro-optical system, Thales FlytX cockpit avionics suite, AirMaster C radar, satellite communication and tactical data link systems, MBDA ANL anti-ship missile and guns. The French Ministry for the Armed Forces is expected to order 169 H160Ms with first deliveries to begin in 2027. 
• UK training provider Inzpire has been contracted to provide ISR training to the Latvian Air Force. The five-week course is expected to support the Latvian AF procurement of a new ISR UAV platform. 

• On 13 January Virgin Orbit successfully launched a LauncherOne air-dropped rocket from its Boeing 747 carrier aircraft flying off the coast of California. The rocket was carrying seven small CubeSats into low Earth orbit for NASA, the US military, SatRevolution and Spire.
• NASA has said that it is to extend the operations of the International Space Station (ISS) up to 2030 and to continue working with international partners in Europe, Japan, Canada and Russia throughout the rest of this decade. 
• Thales Alenia Space has won a contract to build two software-defined satellites (SDSs) for Intelsat. A joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, Thales Alenia Space is to deliver the two satellites, IS-41 and IS-44, for a planned entry into service in 2025. 
• A third test launch of Russia’s new heavy-lift Angara A5 rocket was incomplete after the failure of an upper stage that stranded a dummy payload in a low orbit. The rocket was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on 27 December but the Persei upper stage only reached a low orbit, well below the intended target. 

• A YouTuber who filmed himself baling out of a vintage Taylorcraft with an engine failure has come under scrutiny from viewers who believe that the stunt was faked. Trevor Jacob was filming himself flying over mountains in California in November and uploaded a 16-minute video, which showed him parachuting to safety after the engine failed. However, viewers noted he was wearing a skydiving rig and wrist altimeter, was flying at a higher than normal altitude, and did not attempt to restart the engine or glide to safety. The FAA is now investigating.
• France’s Dassault Aviation has reported its delivery and order figures for 2021 – delivering five more Falcon bizjets than it forecast. The company handed over 30 Falcon bizjets in 2021, while it took in 51 net orders for new aircraft – giving a total backlog of 55 airframes.
• UK regional airliner leasing firm Falko has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Embraer urban mobility spin-off Eve with a commitment for 200 of its eVTOL air taxis. The order would support a global network of eVTOL operators, with Falko collaborating with Eve to identify early adopters from Falko’s existing customers.
• British-Belgian Zara Rutherford, age 19, has become the youngest woman to fly around the world solo after landing back in Belgium, after a five-month adventure in a Shark UL aircraft. Setting of on 18 August 2021, her flight involved 60 stops.