Paris Air Show

Future cockpits, ITAR hassles, F-35 software issues, Airbus A320neo orders, empty U.S. pavilion among perspectives from Paris Air Show

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:25:20 GMT

AVIONICS INTELLIGENCE VIDEO BLOG: 5 July 2011. Last month's Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, France had its share of new airplane orders but it also had future cockpit designs, F-35 software developments, journalist test flights, and more. John McHale's Avionics Intelligence Video Blog touches on these subjects and gives perspective on defense electronics supplier gripes such as International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) headaches.

Paris Air Show Report: a big effort, and worth it

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:00:00 GMT

As I write this, the staff of Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence is putting the final touches on the 2011 edition of the Paris Air Show Report, a daily e-newsletter and department on our Web sites containing all the news from the show that's relevant to the aerospace and defense electronics industry.

Paris Air Show Report has Military & Aerospace Electronics, Avionics Intelligence editors running overtime

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:30:40 GMT

THE MIL & AERO VIDEO BLOG, 28 June 2011. Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence combined last week to produce 81 stories covering the most relevant news from the Paris Air Show for the electronics, avionics, and electro-optics industries. The effort has left the staffs that produced these stories feeling ... well, a little ragged.

Next-generation Typhoon radar from Eurofighter and Euroradar to deploy in 2015

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:30:20 GMT

PARIS, 25 June 2011. Eurofighter and Euroradar consortia officials announced at the Paris Air Show this week that they have agreed to continue full scale development program of the next generation E-Scan radar with an entry into service targeted for 2015. Supported by the Eurofighter partner nations -- the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Spain -- Eurofighter GmbH and Euroradar engineers began full scale development of the new CAPTOR-E radar last year.

F-35 training jets funding approved by Norway

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:10:50 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas, 25 June 2011. Members of the Norwegian parliament gave approval for funding of four F-35 Lightning II training jets from Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] during the Paris Air Show this week. These F35s will bridge the gap between Norway's older F-16s, which are phased out by 2023.

Paris Air Show opens to French public, Airbus A380 returns to the skies

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:20:40 GMT

PARIS AIR SHOW BLOG, 24 June 2011. The Paris Air Show opened to the French public today who were fortunate enough to get views of the Airbus A380 in flight -- after a small delay earlier in the week. They also poured into the various exhibition halls with mothers clutching babies while checking out huge jet engines -- not an image you see every day.

Bombardier takes orders today for 10 CS100 jetliners, bringing its Paris aircraft sales total to 46

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:41:00 GMT

PARIS, 24 June 2011. Canadian commercial jet manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace on Montreal inked a last-minute deal today at the Paris Air Show to provide 10 of the company's CS100 jetliners to a first-time European buyer that does not want to be identified. The deal brings Bombardier aircraft sales at the 2011 Paris Air Show to 46 firm orders and purchase rights on another 26 aircraft. Friday's deal for 10 CS100 jetliners is worth about $628 million, Bombardier officials say. The CS100 seats 110 to 125 passengers, and has a maximum range of more than 4,000 nautical miles.

Honeywell Primus avionics system viewed above 20,000 feet from right-hand seat

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:00:30 GMT

PARIS AIR SHOW BLOG, 24 June 2011. I've seen the Honeywell Primus avionics system many times at trade shows, but yesterday at the Paris Air Show I had my first in-flight demonstration from the right-hand seat of FLIR Systems' Pilatus PC12 turbo-prop aircraft courtesy of the pilot -- Ethan Lewis -- and fellow pilot and FLIR President Bill Sundermeier, who's seat I took. Sundermeier only had one rule for me: "DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!"

Airbus sets air show sales record at Paris, receiving commitments for 730 aircraft worth $72.2 billion

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:10:40 GMT

PARIS, 24 June 2011. As business transactions wind up this week at the 2011 Paris Air Show in LeBourget, France, European aircraft manufacturer Airbus in Toulouse, France, set a record for commercial aircraft sales at any air show ever, winning business for 730 aircraft worth a total of $72.2 billion, Airbus officials say. The company's aircraft business announced at the show consists of firm purchase orders for 418 aircraft worth $44 billion, and memoranda of understanding for 312 worth $28.2 billion, company officials say.

SWIR, infrared HD, and low-light images of France from 17,000 feet

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:40:40 GMT

PARIS AIR SHOW BLOG, 24 June 2011. Officials at FLIR Systems gave a press demonstration of their Star SAFIRE 380-high-definition (HD) electro-optical/infrared sensor at 17,000 feet above the French countryside in a Pilatus PC12 turbo prop aircraft during this week's Paris Air Show. The system toggled quickly between short-wave infrared (SWIR), infrared HD, and low-level light, fields of view during the demonstration.

Paris Air Show wrapup: green is the theme, market returns to strength, Airbus tops Boeing in airplane orders

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:41:00 GMT

PARIS, 23 June 2011. The 2011 edition of the Paris Air Show kicked off with an environmental theme most notably Boeing flying to the show using Honeywell bio-fuel and the new solar aircraft -- Solar Impulse -- making visits to Paris. However, as the real spirit of the show was a commercial aviation market continuing its recovery from the economic doldrums of the global recession.

Recently introduced A320neo passenger jet family claims star status at Paris Air Show, Airbus says

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:35:40 GMT

PARIS, 23 June 2011. The 2011 Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France -- probably the biggest aerospace and defense show in the world this year -- is wrapping up today, and French aircraft manufacturer Airbus in Toulouse, France, is claiming its recently introduced fuel-efficient A320neo to be the star of the show. By company count late Thursday afternoon, Airbus had taken orders for 667 A320neos at the Paris Air Show this year, with additional orders still possible before show's end Sunday.

Passenger jetliner profile: the Airbus A320neo family of single-aisle narrow-body commercial airliner

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:50:10 GMT

PARIS, 23 June 2011. The Airbus A320neo passenger jetliner, which is shaping up to be one of the superstars of the 2011 Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, is the latest version of the Toulouse, France-based aircraft manufacturer's venerable A320 family of single-aisle narrow-body commercial airliners. the A320neo, which stands for new engine option, features modern fuel-efficient engines and upturned winglets, which Airbus calls "sharklets," to make the most of aerodynamic efficiency. The twin-engine Airbus A320neo family consists of the latest-model A320, A321, and A319.

Airbus takes orders for 274 passenger jets today, bringing the company's Paris Air Show total to 726

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:10:10 GMT

PARIS, 23 June 2011. European passenger jet manufacturer Airbus in Toulouse, France, continued its sales juggernaut today at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, signing orders for 274 more passenger jetliners, which by rough count brings Airbus total aircraft sales at the 2011 Paris Air Show to 726. Show sales for Airbus archrival Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, meanwhile, have been quiet since Wednesday. By far most of the aircraft Airbus has sold at the show have been the A320neo, which is a new-engine version of the single-aisle medium-range Airbus A320.

Embraer chooses autothrottle system avionics for future KC-390 military transport jet from Esterline

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:20:20 GMT

PARIS, 23 June 2011. Military transport aircraft designers at Embraer SA Defense and Security segment in São José dos Campos, Brazil, needed an autothrottle system avionics for the company's future KC-390 military transport jet. They found their solution from the Esterline Technologies Corp. Control Systems segment in Bellevue, Wash. Embraer officials made the announcement this week at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France. The KC-390 military transport jet's autothrottle system will have two throttles and integrated controls for controlling other systems.

New airplanes at Paris Air Show

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:10:50 GMT

PARIS AIR SHOW BLOG, 23 June 2011. A few new aircraft were introduced or just made their first appearances the Paris Air Show this week. Some of the highlights include the Boeing 787 and Intercontinental 747-8 passenger and freighter models, which made their first appearances at the show while AgustaWestland showcased its new AW149 twin helicopter for military applications.

New AFDX product family announced by TTTech

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:25:40 GMT

PARIS, 23 June 2011. TTTech officials announced the launch of the company's new Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet (AFDX) product family at the Paris Air Show this week. The AFDX line is compatible with TTTech's deterministic aerospace data bus solution products -- such as TTP and TTEthernet.

F-35 program leadership frustrated with calls that the program is too expensive

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:10:40 GMT

PARIS AIR SHOW BLOG, 23 June 2011. I got a sense during the press briefing for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at the Paris Air Show this week that the program leadership is starting to get tired of having to defend the cost of the program.

Airbus takes big lead over Boeing in Paris Air Show passenger jet sales: 452 for Airbus, 142 for Boeing

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:26:00 GMT

PARIS, 22 June, 2011. Even though the Paris Air Show -- and its alternate-year sibling the Farnborough International Airshow -- offer a dizzying variety of new aircraft, aviation products, and major business transactions, the main attraction of these international events is the competition for passenger jet sales between aerospace giants Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, and Airbus in Toulouse, France. For this year in Paris, many of the industry experts predicted Airbus would come out on top of this annual grudge match before an international audience. It is looking like Airbus will prevail in the Paris Boeing-Airbus jet sales competition this year, but I had no idea it would be by this much.

Airbus takes orders for 187 passenger jetliners Wednesday, bringing 2011 Paris Air Show total to 452

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:20:40 GMT

PARIS, 22 June 2011. European passenger jet manufacturer Airbus of Toulouse, France, took orders for 187 passenger aircraft today at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, bringing the company's total aircraft sales at the 2011 Paris Air Show to 452. Aircraft involved are the Airbus A320 and A319 families. the aviation companies involved in the deals are Aviation Lease & Finance Co. (ALAFCO) in Kuwait City, Kuwait; LAN Airlines in Santiago, Chile; Republic Airways Holdings Inc. in Indianapolis; and AviancaTaca Holding Co. in Bogota, Colombia.