THE AIRBORNE EMERGENCY ROOM - BREXIT - BRACE FOR IMPACT THE RISE AND FALL OF JET AIRWAYS BOOM COUNTS DOWN TO SUPERSONIC TESTING (2024)

October 2019AEROSPACE BREXIT – BRACE FOR IMPACT THE RISE AND FALL OF JET AIRWAYS BOOM COUNTS DOWN TO SUPERSONIC TESTING www.aerosociety.com THE AIRBORNE EMERGENCYOctober 2019 ROOM ON CALL WITH YOUR LOCALVolume 46 Number 10 AIR AMBULANCERoyal Aeronautical Society

EXPERT FORUMMODERATOR: DR. RAFAEL RAMIREZ, DIRECTOR, OXFORD SCENARIOS PROGRAMOn 14-15 November 2019, the world’s aviation industry leaders will gather at the London home of the Royal Aeronautical Society for a forum on the global megatrends and their importance to our industry. WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND? The objective of the forum is to develop a plausible investigation of these potentially disruptive trends and to co-create a shared vision of the future. Senior Aviation Executives with a strategic perspective will want their voices to be heard in this important dialogue. 14 –15 NOVEMBER 2019 NO.4 HAMILTON PLACE, LONDON Registration Non-member £1450.00 + VAT RAeS Corporate Partner or Member £1200.00 + VAT www.aerosociety.com/megatrends Please contact conferences@aerosociety.com to register your interest to attend the forum

Volume 46 Number 10 The airborne Supersonic AAKSS Boom SupersionicOctober 2019 emergency room countdown A look at the vital 32 Boom Supersonic 14 work of air ambulance charity AAKSS in prepares its XB-1 technology providing helicopter demonstrator for emergency medical flight testing. services.ContentsCorrespondence on all aerospace matters is welcome at: The Editor, AEROSPACE, No.4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK publications@aerosociety.com Comment Regulars 4 Radome 12 Transmission The latest aviation and Your letters, emails, tweets aeronautical intelligence, and social media feedback. analysis and comment. Storm warnings 10 Antenna 58 The Last Word Keith Hayward looks back at the first 100 years of Howard Wheeldon considers The addition of Italy to the UK’s Team Tempest future combat technology the rapid turnover of UK commercial air transport and Defence ministers and the the future prospects for low- programme last month provided a welcome boost and a sign of gathering effect on high-level policy. cost long distance flights. momentum, some 15 months after the programme was unveiled and Sweden announcing its involvement in July. However, despite these early commitments, time is ticking on and, if Tempest and its associated Features technology strands are to enter service in the 2040s, then any new partners will need to be added quickly. Team Tempest is set to attempt something highly radical – to break the increasing cost/time paradigm for military aircraft. Crucially the more international partners climb aboard, 29 the more risk there is of the programme going at the pace of the slowest 18 WFP Andrew Drwiega nation – a factor that the team will be well aware of. Whatever model for international partnership Tempest uses, then it will also need to be able to Flying to the rescue How UNHAS uses air withstand external geopolitical shocks – Brexit being just one. Over the transport to bring relief Channel, the Franco-German-Spanish FCAS also faces its own challenges. supplies to countries hit by Taiwan showcase Paris and Berlin have diverging views on making the aircraft nuclear- famine and disaster. A report on the 2019 Taipei capable and Germany’s principled stance on defence exports could also Aerospace and Defense 22 At Brexit’s cliff edge Technology Exhibition. be a point of contention for French industry hoping to sell the fighter on The possible impact of the international market – dominated as it is now by autocratic regimes. Brexit on the UK aerospace sector over the short and Meanwhile, new FCAS partner Spain, the recipient of Eurofighter and longer term. A400M production lines, has stunned Berlin and Paris by selected home team Indra to be its FCAS industrial lead – rather than Airbus. With the future of European military aerospace at stake, expect this sort of jockeying 26 36 for position and industrial benefits to continue as these programmes solidify and gather steam. College of Art Boeing Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief tim.robinson@aerosociety.com Flight towards a brave Fitting into Jet Airways’ new world shoesNEWS IN BRIEF What will be the key societal, technological and structural How the collapse of Jet Airways benefitted those trends over the next 20 Indian carriers that remain in Editor-in-Chief Editorial Office 2019 AEROSPACE subscription years? business. Tim Robinson Royal Aeronautical Society rates: Non-members, £170 +44 (0)20 7670 4353 No.4 Hamilton Place Please send your order to: 41 Afterburner tim.robinson@aerosociety.com London W1J 7BQ, UK Wayne J Davis, RAeS, No.4 Hamilton +44 (0)20 7670 4300 Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK. Deputy Editor publications@aerosociety.com +44 (0)20 7670 4354 Bill Read +44 (0)20 7670 4351 www.aerosociety.com aerosubs@aerosociety.com bill.read@aerosociety.com AEROSPACE is published by the Royal Any member not requiring a print 42 Message from our President Aeronautical Society (RAeS). version of this magazine, please Production Manager contact: membership@aerosociety.com 43 Message from our Chief Executive Wayne J Davis Chief Executive Online +44 (0)20 7670 4354 Sir Brian Burridge CBE FRAeS USA: Periodical postage paid at 44 Book Reviews wayne.davis@aerosociety.com Advertising Champlain New York and additional offices. 47 Library Additions +44 (0)20 7670 4346 Publications Co-ordinator Chris Male partners@aerosociety.com Postmaster: Send address changes 48 Cool Aeronautics Additional features and content are +44 (0)20 7670 4352 Unless specifically attributed, no to IMS of New York, PO Box 1518, 50 The Comet Inquiry available to view online on chris.male@aerosociety.com Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA. www.aerosociety.com/aerospaceinsight material in AEROSPACE shall be taken to represent the opinion of the RAeS. 52 Diary Including: Publications Executive ISSN 2052-451X Annabel Hallam Reproduction of material used in this 54 Obituary At Brexit’s cliff edge, Loyal wingman and loyal +44 (0)20 7670 4361 publication is not permitted without the packs, Cybersecurity and aviation, AEROSPACE annabel.hallam@aerosociety.com written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. 56 Elections magazine at 50, In the September issue of Printed by Buxton Press Limited, AEROSPACE, Cool Aeronautics 2019, Book Review Editor Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire AI and legal liability in aerospace, Brian Riddle brian.riddle@aerosociety.com SK17 6AE, UK Flying to the rescue. Distributed by Royal Mail Front cover: An Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (AAKSS) AW169 air ambulance helicopter. (AAKSS) @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 13

Radome INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT Drone support As well as the escort drones, designed to be deployed by the ekranoplan itself, the 2050 Future Marines would be supported by ‘grunt drones’ to transport equipment and ‘ghost’ drones to confuse the enemy with holographic decoys. Silent raider The design team envisage the commando ekranoplan would use hybrid-electric propulsion. As well as being eco-friendly, it would also allow the craft to switch to silent battery mode in the last phase of flight − to sneak up on enemy-held coastlines with ultra stealth. The ekranoplan would have a range of around 100nm. W DEFENCE Commando ekranoplan In a vision of future military opeations, a team of 15 the UK's best young engineers from UK Naval Engineering Science and Technology forum (UKNEST) were tasked to imagine the equipment and weapons of the Royal Marines in 2050. This included hi-tech suits, with jump packs, rail guns and 'grunt' drones. To replace today's landing craft and helicopters for an amphibious assault in 2050, the team gravitated towards designing high-speed (300kt) wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) vehicles, explained one of the team members, Eirini Trivyza, a naval architect from Babco*ck International. The craft would be able to deploy long-distances over the horizon from the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier mothership to stealthily penetrate hostile enemy defences and deliver Royal Marines to the target.4 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

Neural-nettedescortsThe ekranoplan landing craftwould be escorted byautonomous escort drones -linked by a neural networkcommand system. The ducted fandrones feature a modular payloadand would be armed with eitherdirected energy or conventionalweapons, such as micro-missilesor equipped with ISR sensors. Troop transport The commando ekranoplan landing craft wouldBy sea or by land feature a crew of one or two, with space for up to 24 commandos inside. The smooth, low-With a boat-shaped hull, the wing-in-ground profile ekranoplan landing craft uses shape-effect vehicle is designed to operate over changing materials that unfold,water. However, the wing pods house petal-like, as doors for the commandos towheeled landing gear, allowing it to also fly quickly disembark once at the target.from land bases and deploy from the reardeck of the QEC. Commando Ekranoplan specifications Maximum passenger capacity 24 commandos plus 2 crew Speed 300ks Royal Navy Range100miles @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 5

Radome . News roundup from DSEI exhibition DEFENCE Italy partners on MBDA shows off future concepts Tempest The biggest news in the air sector from this year’s DSEI defence exhibition, saw Italy sign up to partner on the UK's Team Tempest future combat air systems programme. Signing a government-to-government statement of intent on 10 September, Italy became the second nation (after Sweden in July) to agree to co-operate on the Tempest ‘sixth generation’ combat aircraft project. The governmental signing was followed by an industrial agreement − involving Italian companies Avio Aero, Elettronica, Leonardo and MBDA Italy. Italian aerospace and defence group Leonardo is already a key part of Team Tempest via its UK radar, sensors and defensive aids division. In additional synergies, MBDA Italy also operates the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 like the RAF − with the country also hosting a F-35 final assembly On display alongside the Tempest fighter mock-up were potential weapon concepts and check-out facility. from MBDA. New at DSEI were tandem within-visual range air-to-air missiles, 'increased calibre' WVR AAAM, hard-kill self defence and ground attack micromissiles and SPEAR EW. MBDA and Leonado have been awarded a £10m DSEI also saw the UK MoD announce a £100m contract to General Atomics contract for development of the SPEAR EW. Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) to complete testing and evaluation activities for the RAF's Protector RG1 armed UAV. Protector − a variant of the GA-ASI MQ-9B SkyGuardian, is set to be delivered to the RAF from 2021, with 16 air vehicles to be Inzpire BLOS GECO acquired. Unlike the Reaper it will be certificated to fly routinely in controlled now in service airspace. Over at the Inzpire stand, operations. The enhanced the company revealed electronic flight bag (EFB) that its upgraded GECO and mission map tablet, mission support tablet has now features satellite now entered operational beyond line-of-sight service with Joint communications allowing Helicopter Command − dynamic re-tasking and £100m for Protector testing with RAF Chinook crews using it on deployed enhanced situational awareness of other users. MoD NEWS IN BRIEF to represent the industrial Mexico – declaring it killed the pilot and Cardiff The Government of Spain interests of Spain and The UK's QinetiQ unveiled operationally ready for City footballer Emiliano has selected defence and work on equal terms its newest target drone, commercial suborbital Sala have revealed that aerospace group Indra with French and German the Banshee NG, at the flights. Space America Sala had elevated levels to be the national prime national co-ordinators.” DSEI exhibition. The features hangars for of carbon monoxide in his contractor for its role in transonic Banshee NG is WhiteKnight 2 and bloodstream. The UK AAIB the pan-European FCAS US carrier Mesa Airlines agile up to 9G, features a SpaceShip2, as well as issued a Special Bulletin future fighter programme has signed a memorandum lower radar cross section mission control and a VIP over the findings, noting the with France and Germany. of understanding for (RCS) for more realistic astronaut lounge. Virgin pilot would have received The decision to nominate 50 76-seat Mitsubishi threat, but is able to Galactic now has a waiting similar levels and warning Indra came as a shock SpaceJet M100 regional use existing Banshee list of over 600 space pilots of piston and turbine to Airbus Spain, widely airliners plus an additional infrastructure. tourists. aircraft of the dangers expected to lead the 50 purchase rights. First of incapacitation due to project from Madrid. Airbus deliveries of the SpaceJets Virgin Galactic has officially Aviation accident specialists carbon monoxide poisoning. Spain has responded with: (formerly known as the opened its new $200m investigating the crash of a “Only Airbus has the scale, MRJ) could begin from headquarters and space Piper Malibu in the English According to The Seattle capabilities and experience 2024. tourist terminal in New Channel on 21 January that Times, the former Chief6 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

AIR TRANSPORT GENERAL AVIATION Pilots strike cripples 1,000th Super Puma British Airways delivered On 6 September at a destined for the German ceremony at its Marignane Federal Police aviation wing facility in France, Airbus – which already has three Helicopters delivered examples in service. First the 1,000th Super Puma flight of the Super PumaBritish Airways helicopter. The milestone (as the AS332) was in aircraft, a H215, was September 1978. A 48hr walkout by British Airways pilots on 9-10 September saw 195,000 passengers affected and close to 100% of the airline’s 1,700 flights grounded in industrial action over pay and benefits. As AEROSPACE goes to press, a further one-day strike is planned Airbus Helicopters for 27 September, with The Sun newspaper reporting that a ten-day megastrike is being planned for November. BA has offered pilots a 11.5% pay rise over three years but pilot union BALPA is pressing for a profit-sharing deal for its members. AEROSPACE DEFENCE Setback for 777X as cargo Oil spike fears as Saudi facility attacked door blown off in testing As AEROSPACE goes to press, there were fears of a global rise in oil prices Boeing has temporarily operations. The incident after state-owned Armaco facilities in suspended ground testing happened at 99% of final Saudi Arabia were struck by up to 10 of its new 777X widebody test loads. First flight of drones and/or cruise missiles on 14 after a cargo door blew the Boeing 777X has September. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi off during a high-pressure already been pushed back rebels claimed responsibility for the stress test at its Everett to 2020 after an issue strike on two facilities in the north east plant in Washington state. with its GE-9X engines. in of Saudi, with one facility at Abqaiq, The incident occurred a statement Boeing said: the world's largest oil processing plant. during final ground testing “We do not expect that The attacks have reportedly caused of the static test aircraft, this will have a significant enough damage to cut the Kingdom’s oil where the airframe is impact on aircraft design production in half. Planet Labs stressed to extreme forces or on our overall test beyond normal flight program schedule.” Technical Pilot for connectivity between the Saab’s Linkoping base in Proton rocket, to arrive at will be delivered in 2021, the Boeing 737MAX UK and the European Sweden on 26 August. the Red Planet in 2021. with the aircraft being used has pleaded the Fifth Union in the event that Brazil has ordered 28 The Rover will undergo to provide air ambulance Amendment in refusing to the UK leaves the EU single-seat Gripen Es and further testing in France services across the entire provide documents to the without a deal. The existing eight two-seat Fs. before being mated to the country. US Justice Department agreement to ensure Russian descent module investigation into the that essential aviation ESA’s Mars Rover, and German cruise Singapore-based grounded airliner. Pleading connections lasted until 30 Rosalind Franklin, has spacecraft. Clermont Group has the Fifth refers to the right March 2020 but has now been fully assembled completed the acquisition of a suspect or person been extended for a further at the Airbus factory Switzerland’s Pilatus has of Israel-based Eviation under investigation not to seven months. in Stevenage, ahead won an order for six of Aircraft which is self-incriminate. of being packed up its new PC-24 business/ developing the all-electric Saab has flown the for shipping to France utility jets from the Alice commuter aircraft. The European Commission first Gripen E to be for testing. The joint Swedish air ambulance Clermont already owns has extended contingency delivered to Brazil. The European/Russian rover organisation, KSA. magniX which provides agreements designed fighter made its first is set to launch for Mars The first medevac- the electric motor used on to maintain basic air 65min test flight from in July 2020 on a Russian equipped PC-24 for KSA the Alice. @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 7

Radome AIR TRANSPORT SPACEFLIGHT Sales surge for Comac The first Indian mission to land on the Moon ended in disappointment on 7 September after the ISRO space ARJ21 agency lost contact with the Chandrayaan 2/Vikram space probe seconds before it was meant to touch Three Chinese carriers, Air ARJ21-700s with each deal down. ISRO has since said it has spotted the Vikram lander on its side on the Lunar surface – but has been China, China Eastern Airlines worth $1.33bn. Deliveries unable to make contact with the probe – which also and China Southern Airlines are scheduled from 2020 was set to deploy a mini-rover had it landed safely. have all placed orders for to 2024. Comac now has An investigation is now underway into the cause of the Chinese-built Comac orders for 338 ARJ21s, with the crash, with speculation that centred on data that ARJ21-700 regional airliner. the type first having flown showed an anomaly in the descent rate, which could Each airline has ordered 35 in 2008. have led to a hard landing. India loses contact with Moon Peng Chen probe on landing ISRO AEROSPACE DEFENCE A previously unknown Swedish start-up, Heart Aerospace, has emerged to announce US approves new F-16V that it intends to develop an all-electric 19-seater 400km range regional airliner called the ES-19 – with the goal of certification by 2025. With support from a Swedish sale to Taiwan green aviation initiative, the company is planning to fly a concept demonstrator of the ES-19 in 2022. The US has officially US administrations have approved the sale of 66 new been cautious in approving Lockheed Martin F-16V new fighter sales due to fighters to Taiwan Lo the hostile reaction ck in a deal worth a from Beijing − the he ed M reported $8bn. last sale being artin Taiwan is already made in 1992. The upgrading US approval drew its aging 144 fierce criticism from Swedish start-up aims to develop F-16A/Bs to the mainland China, which Heart Aerospace V standard and has been has threatened to impose all-electric airliner by 2025 aiming to modernise its sanctions on US companies fighter force but previous involved in the deal. NEWS IN BRIEF first flight. The date and ‘hop’, soaring to 150m to helicopter. The landmark Moscow, the Yak-40 will be UAE flag carrier Emirates location of the 32min demonstrate its vertical rotorcraft went to converted with a 500kW has withdrawn two Airbus flight were not given in landing capabilities. Austrian operator Hubi-fly electric motor driving a A380s to be used as video footage of the 6t The rocket, a prototype Helikopter. The handover propeller in the nose, and a spares. The carrier, which V-tailed drone released for Elon Musk’s larger of the 200th Jet Ranger X 400kW electric generator currently has further by the defence ministry. Starship, is designed to comes two and a half years driven by a gas turbine. A380s on order, has The Russian MoD says trial the Raptor engine after the first delivery in Power will also come from announced that it will that the type will have an and vertical landing March 2017. 100kW of rechargeable begin to reduce its A380 endurance of over 24hrs. for this spacecraft in batteries for take-off and fleet from the mid 2020s The project is understood development. The vertical Russia’s Central Institute of climb. CIAM aims to fly the either retiring aircraft or not to have begun in 2011 test flight took place in Aviation Motor Engineering hybrid-electric testbed in renewing leases. with a contract to Sokol Boca Chica, South Texas. (CIAM) is to develop 2020-21. Aircraft Plant and Tranzas. and fly a hybrid-electric The Russian MoD has Bell has achieved the demonstrator based on a China Airlines has revealed that the twin- On 27 August, SpaceX’s milestone of the 200th modified Yak-40 regional confirmed a $2.1bn engine Altius-U MALE Starhopper demonstrator delivery of its Model jet. Revealed at the MAKS order for six Boeing 777 UAV has undertaken its made its highest ever 505 Jet Ranger X light 2019 air show near Freighters.8 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

GENERAL AVIATION DEFENCE Volocopter reveals newest China to navalise J-20 eVTOL design stealth fighter? According to South China contention against the Morning Post, the twin- rival Shenyang FC-31 engined Chengdu J-20 fighter, which has yet stealth fighter has been to secure a domestic or selected by China’s military international customer. leadership as the future For China’s new aircraft combat aircraft to equip carriers, the Navy is to the Chinese navy’s next switch from ‘ski-jump’ generation aircraft carriers. carriers to conventional The J-20 heavy fighter, launch and recovery, butVolocopter already in service with the use electromagnetic PLAAF, was reportedly in catapults. German eVTOL company Volocopter has unveiled a new design for a two-seat electric aerial taxi – the VoloCity. The AIR TRANSPORT 18-rotor air vehicle, which features a range of 35km, has Embraer has delivered the first example of the second of its re-engined and re-winged been designed to meet safety certification for urban aerial E-jets family, the E195-E2, to Brazilian airline Azul. With the first example acquired through mobility aircraft from the European Aviation Safety Agency lessor AerCap, Azul is set to take a further 56 136-seat E195-E2s into its fleet. (EASA). It builds on over 1,000 test flights of previous Volocopter prototypes. SPACEFLIGHT Russian robo-spaceman returns to Earth On 6 September, was demonstrated, with Embraer delivers first E195-E2 Embraer Roscosmos' Skybot F-850 the ultimate goal that it will humanoid robot returned perform spacewalks. to Earth onboard a Soyuz MS-14 capsule after a 16- AEROSPACE day mission to the ISS. Use of tools aboard the ISS INFOGRAPHIC: BAE Systems to acquire Prismatic − two HAPS prototypes set for flight tests in 2020 ON THE MOVE PHASA-35® Potential Applications Powered by This ultra-lightweight solar powered Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) has the potential to remain the Sun Eddie Wilson has airborne for up to a year, pushing the boundaries Environmental replaced Michael O'Leary of aviation technology. surveillance as CE of Ryanair from 1 September. O'Leary, Significantly more Disaster relief meanwhile moves to cost effective than current satellite technology Group Chief Executive Border protection under the resructuring. 35-metre Maritime and Rupert Hogg, CE and wingspan military surveillance the same as an Airbus A320 Paul Loo, CCO of Cathay Mobile and internet Pacific, have resigned communications to remote areas after controversy over airline staff taking part in Flies at the upper Weighs just 150kg BAE Systems Hong Kong democracy regions of the Earth’s including a 15kg payload atmosphere at 65,000 ft protests. @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 9

antenna: Global Outlook and Analysis with HOWARD WHEELDON New day and yet another New Secretary of State A new Prime Minister appointed and brings personal military experience to the role. yet another new Secretary of State Having left the Army, Wallace went on to work for Defence in the form of Ben with the international defence technology and Wallace, MP for Wyre and Preston research-based company QinetiQ before becoming North and who is remarkably the an MP. As Security Minister in Theresa May’s seventh to hold this crucially important Cabinet administration, Wallace had been quick to dismiss post over the past ten years. fears expressed by former Chief of the Secret It takes a considerable amount of time for a Intelligence Service (MI6) Sir Richard Dearlove new Secretary of State and the various ministers who, together with former Chief of the Defence appointed to the team to learn and come to Staff, Lord Guthrie, claimed that Theresa May’s terms with their briefs. The lack of consistency in EU withdrawal agreement threatened UK national Government is the cause of huge angst within the security and would damage the UK’s relationship defence community and the cost in both time and with NATO, the US and other leading security and THE NEW PRIME effort bringing new ministers up to scratch is perhaps intelligence partners such as Canada, Australia and MINISTER HAS not something that should be quite so easily ignored New Zealand. AS YET MADE these days by those who choose them. The hope will be that the personal defence- Those within the military and particularly that related experience that Wallace brings with him to NO SPECIFIC happen to find themselves working inside the the post, translates not only into improvements for COMMITMENT Ministry of Defence work hard to bring ministerial defence but also in Cabinet, but will also provide a TO INCREASE appointees up to scratch. Various base visits are better understanding by Government of the crucial FUTURE arranged for new ministers to meet with military importance of defence at this time. I am sure that personnel and to learn about capability that the Wallace realises the need to increase investment DEFENCE military has. For service chiefs and senior civil in defence overall and also to provide better FUNDING – servants, the need to get to know their new support to those who serve within the military and OTHER THAN political masters and build relationships is always their families. Let us at least hope that he does! considered a priority. The omens for this are good. In July the STATING THAT With, as yet, no indication from the new PM Government announced an above inflation pay DEFENCE or Chancellor of the Exchequer of the direction rise for the armed forces of 2.9% to be paid in SHOULD ‘GET of travel for the defence budget from here on, September and backdated to 1 April. With this WHAT IT NEEDS’. I venture to suggest that we are unlikely to overall rise, the lowest-paid soldiers, sailors and see much in the way of direct policy change airmen will receive a 6% increase to bring them or enhancement until well into next year. That in line with the living wage. That announcement assumes the current Government survives and was universally welcomed but whether it will be I would add here that, given that the five-year seen as enough to attract and retain the talent comprehensive spending review has for this year that the UK’s armed forces need, remains to be been abandoned in favour of a one-year plan, seen. In this case, the omens are less postive. we can be all but certain that a full defence and Figures published in August show that the Army security review will now take place in 2020. had a target shortfall of no fewer than 7,000 trained troops (the current target size remains A military man at 82,000) while both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force witnessed small net losses against Thankfully, just as his predecessor Penny Mordaunt set targets. It is clear that issues in respect of had been a Royal Naval Reservist, having served recruitment and retention are major factors that with the Scots Guards following training at the will need to be resolved by Wallace during his Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Ben Wallace period at the MoD.10 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

Veteran supportSo, what are the other priorities for the newDefence Secretary? Very close to the top of hislist is ensuring that, once and for all, veteranswho served the nation so well in the past will notbe prosecuted for their previous actions unlessnew evidence is found. We already know thatthe Government is working on legislation to dealwith legacy issues that date from the NorthernIreland troubles but it is no use Wallace sayingthat: “the Government had to make sure veteranswere not treated badly”, if there was not sufficientlegislation on the statute book to protect them. The appointment of Plymouth Moor ViewMP Johnny Mercer as Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State in both the MoD and CabinetOffice, together with Cabinet Office Minister,Oliver Dowden to be jointly responsible fora new Office of Veterans’ Affairs shows thatthe Government is serious about bringing this UK Govdisgraceful interlude in the management ofour military affairs to an end. Mercer is himselfa former Army officer and one who has beenperhaps the most vociferous in respect of The Secretary of State Debate in respect of issues such asraising this vexing issue in public and proffering for Defence Ben Wallace national interest and maintaining sovereignsupport to veterans. These moves will also (centre), seen here with (manufacturing) capability has been growing and Prime Minister Borisprovide reassurance and necessary motivation these are matters that neither Boris Johnson or Johnson (right), onboard ato military personnel that will hopefully translate Vanguard class submarine his new Secretary of State for Defence can ignore.to improved recruitment and retention. at HMNB Clyde. Linked to this debate perhaps is whether the Government should, on national interest grounds,A spending spike? intervene in the agreed $5bn takeover bid by US buyout firm Advent International CorporationUnlike Jeremy Hunt, who was Boris Johnson’s for the UK-based international defence andopponent in the recent Tory leadership contest aerospace group Cobham.and who said that he wanted to see defence I can make no comment here in relation tospending doubled, the new PM has, as yet, the value that Cobham and Advent Internationalmade no specific commitment to increase future have agreed but, having found myself somewhatdefence funding – other than stating that defence embroiled in the issues of national interest concernsshould get what it needs. That language is, I expressed by some, I do have a view. From thefear, suggestive that we should expect to see a outset I should say that I have no concerns overspike in the defence budget under the present the prospect of Cobham being American-owned.Government. That, if the deal goes through, Advent will eventually Leaving aside the increasingly difficult break Cobham up and sell-off various parts of itssituation in Iran, following the seizing of a international and domestic UK businesses probablyBritish-registered tanker in the Straits of Hormuz goes without saying. Having personally spokenwhich exposed more than a degree of capacity too and listened to the various national interestweakness in the Royal Navy, one of the first concerns expressed by former Cobham directorsissues that Wallace will need to resolve internally and shareholders, I would say that it is up to theis ensuring that orders worth around £1bn for a Government to decide what, if any, of Cobham’sfleet of supply ships for the Royal Navy are given many defence and aerospace-related UK intereststo British-based shipyards rather than abroad. should be considered as being in the nationalIt is interesting to note that one of the new interest. If the Government does believe thst somedefence ministers appointed by Boris Johnson, are, then it must ensure that the new ownersAnne-Marie Trevelyan, had previously called on commit to retaining them in the UK. However, Ithe Government to ensure that the order for the do not believe that Cobham is deserving of carte-supply ships remained in Britain. blanche protection on national interest grounds. @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 11

Transmission LETTERS AND ONLINE f Defending against SR-71 Blackbird AEROselfie winner lasers @THGPhoto [On Sr-71 lecture] I’ve just had the USN/Erik Hildebrandt pleasure of listening to Colonel Richard Graham speak on the missions he flew over Murmansk while flying the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird out of Det 4 at Miles M.52 RAF Mildenhall, courtesy Supercarrier USS Gerald of the @AeroSociety Mike Drew [On classic R Ford. Cranwell branch. A lecture series – the Miles fantastic insight into those M.52 project] It should Ameen Budagher [On operations. have been flown by ‘Winkle’ UK joins hypersonics Brown through the sound arms race(3)] Will make all barrier, instead it was other armaments present given to the Americans and in the immediate AEROSPACE at 50 by our Government. Any The winner of the #AEROselfie contest in which readers future absolute. The other connection between the @AerospaceSA [On were challenged to take a selfie of themselves with a issue here is how to cancellation of the Miles AEROSPACE magazine at copy of AEROSPACE in any location around the world is defend against hypersonic M.52 and the Americans 50(1)] Congratulations! A Esperanza Cuena Gómez who took this picture in her home weapons. We are talking breaking the sound great milestone. town of Seville, also home of Airbus Defence and Space about lasers and electro- barrier with Yeager shortly in Spain. Her prize is a set of Isle of Man 100 Years of magnetic pulse (high afterwards is purely Transatlantic Flight commemorative stamps. energy). That’s why the coincidental or even down new Ford class super to the UK Government carriers will produce more Is ‘Buy British’ practical for defence procurement? giving it away – come to electricity than anything @knowlesm [On ‘Buy RAF your own conclusion. floating on water. This is British’ defence industrial going to be an expensive strategy] More like AEROSPACE at 50 endeavour. protectionist nonsense. David J Pilkington [On Buy the best kit for the AEROSPACE magazine forces, wherever it’s from. at 50(1)] Perfect timing! I Maintain it here for long just received a letter from term jobs. If UK-made kit the RAeS acknowledging isn’t the best, then get that I joined 50 years ago. industry to research and The forthcoming RAF E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning Thanks for the Kestrel invest to become more and control aircraft is based on a US Boeing 737 platform. stickpin. competitive. How will we export if we’ve pulled the drawbridge up? @MugfordSimon I hope @warfareyachtie Same this is true as we need stands with the RN i to build more in the UK, and Army. Operational @sheldonsmiths hopefully RBLS, the facility capability must remain at Passenger flight Strategy resilience comes at Methyr Tydfil, possibly the forefront of people’s centenary from sovereign capability. a bigger role for Supacat minds. If British industry Not from importing. May and Tempest and other can’t meet that for the seem jingoistic but it’s such projects are evidence price laid out, then tough. strategically smart. of this. It’s not too late, it’s No one will care where it @Satcom_Guru [On well overdue but it needs was built when rounds are 100 years of international strategy and linking with coming in, so long as it passenger flights(4] Really @Mark_Bate_UK Define apprenticeships. works and we have enough great article. Fascinating In September issue ‘Buy British’, as this is of them. that airships are in the of AEROSPACE news again. vague and easily includes a foreign entity registered @war_student You guys in the UK, such as Elbit, don’t think Tempest will @MichaelJPryce After a Geoffrey Wardle A very drag it slightly back to a third of a century, is there good read especially the @Jetcitystar Gotta love Boeing, etc. more favourable position? anything left worth saving? loyal wingman article(2). those giants of the sky.12 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

National Aerospace The use of software code in automated flight Camp ‘19 @jonititan Interesting accept different practices automated flight article in as reasonable? @SpaceX @AeroSociety have some interesting tools AEROSPACE September and ideas along this line. issue(5). Focuses on @bazelbuild is just one traceability in software/ of the interesting things. AI which is historically an youtu.be/t_3bckhV_YI aero focus. Elsewhere test- This is why one of my key driven design has become interests both for aircraft widespread, even with the and software design is the@PeterKDoyle [On practical limit to the tests use of automated tools toRAeS Careers at National that can be conceived and traceability. The current Even with this costly allow faster iteration aroundAerospace Camp ’19] run. However, this ignores system has a long DO-178 approach, stories the design cycle. OODA forThank you RAeS Careers the increasingly complex development cycle, the trickle out of systems design if you will. It wouldTeam for delivering talks execution architecture Loyal Wingman(3) article in needing to be reset be very funny if aircraftto well over 100 of our below high level code. the same issue highlights following a crossing of software started followingRAF Air Cadets at National Was it compiled code or ‘Undermining both of these the dateline. If we accept approaches from cloudAerospace Camp ‘19 runtime? Which compiler? is the dismal update rate of high costs, long lead computing. Microservices?today! @RAeSCareers Does the CPU have any modern fighter software’. times and that we cannot Containerisation?@qaic_rafac @2ftsCamp opportunistic execution If systems are always quickly integrate new Distributed computing?@2ftsaerospace features? #TDD and high cost and long lead, features, what do we get in Failure tolerance in the@bw_businesswest testing in general have the opportunity cost of exchange? Safe software? @kubernetesio sense?@WestofEnglandCA their limits but so does innovation is sky high. Has the time come to@C_SkillsHub@Newquay_Space Air-to-surface Meteor @mrgerrydoyle Wow, Chinese youth visit mulled that is interesting. Is that saying it would have aNew mission for Typhoon? @TimRuff3 [On dual selectable anti-radiation role Meteor missile mode or would this be a @hewasahero [On New concept] MBDA had a different flavour of missile Typhoon loadout spotted green painted Meteor in altogether? at DSEI] I think the new the Land Precision Fires cloaking device needs presentation. Launched more work. from a Boxer variant, it @Gabriel64869839 went a little under the When Italy joined in on AGM-88E AARGM, @RaeSCareers [On radar... but it could have they asked for details of youth visit from Chinese had a Brimstone/Spear @TheWoracle I’ll get my the seeker for possible Society of Aeronautics seeker in its nose.... coat. adoption into Meteor. and Astronautics] Looking A Meteor anti-radiation forward to a lovely summer variant was repeatedly evening and dining as we @Yod_Cyclist A bit of a @AndyNetherwood considered but so far welcome the CSAA youth light warhead for that role. Quite a bit of right boot hasn’t progressed. It would visitors from China to learn required to counter the also be F-35 (including more about @AeroSociety @IanPsDarkCorner and #aerospace careers asymmetric drag. @richardhastin67 B) compatible. Would be Have you not seen that @4HamiltonPlace Sounds a damn good idea! GREAT to resurrect the before? It’s clearly a Joint @bluestrawb4hp idea. Attack Complex Kinetic Environment Targeting @frasercrosan No need system! to worry about that – it will have burnt off in 1,000ft. 1. https://www.aerosociety.com/news/aerospace-magazine-at-50/ 2. AEROSPACE, September 2019, p 14, Loyal wingman and loyal pack 3. AEROSPACE, September 2019, p 24, Accelerating air and space power @MugfordSimon Could 4 AEROSPACE, August 2019, p 40, The birth of air travel @ianmac67_SE I’m sure 5. AEROSPACE, September 2019, p 32, Automated flight do with some conformal the DASS has never been fuel tanks on that bird! Online abused so much in the history of Typhoon... Additional features and content are available to view online at http://media.aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight @aerosociety i linkedin.com/raes Find us on LinkedIn f facebook.com/raes Find us on Facebook. www.aerosociety.com www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 13

GENERAL AVIATION Helicopter air ambulance operationsAAKSS The airborne emergency room Air ambulances offer a vital service providing the speedy delivery of medical professionals to the injured requiring immediate treatment, often in inaccessible places. MICHAEL J GETHING reports. T o a chap of my generation, who has been TV news stories and documentaries covering the focussed on military aviation for 40-odd subject in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was time to look at years, the term ‘air ambulance’ instantly equivalent capabilities on the civil side. conjures up the opening sequence of the M*A*S*H TV series, with a pair of Bell 47 The busiest air ambulance unit in the Sioux helicopters approaching the landing pad of the UK 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Fast forward from war-torn Korea in the early 1950s to present As a supporter of my local Air Ambulance Kent Above: A casualty is day sleepy Surrey and the changes are remarkable Surrey Sussex (AAKSS) charity, its operating base at delivered to the roof heli- to say the least. Aware of the advances in military Redhill aerodrome seemed the place to start. From pad of a London hospital medical evacuation procedure, courtesy of various there, AAKSS provides a Helicopter Emergency by AAKSS AW169 HEMS. 14 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

Medical Service (HEMS) across an area of 3,600m², stabilising the patient for the onwards journey” to thespanning three counties (plus a small part of north appropriate trauma centre.Hampshire) and two unitary authorities (effectivelythe whole south-east of England below London), Kit onboardwith a combined population of around 4.7m. Notsurprisingly, with an average of six or seven call-outs The on-board medical kit for the MD902, described AAKSS WASper day, according to Leigh Curtis, Executive Director by de Coverly as ‘compact and bijou’, comprises ONE OF THEof service delivery at AAKSS: “it is the busiest air a patient litter, ventilator, full diagnostic patient-ambulance unit in the UK”. monitoring system and an advanced airway kit; FIRST UK AIR The charity uses two main helicopters – Leonardo plus four units of blood, four units of plasma and a AMBULANCEAW169s (G-KSST and G-KSSC), with an MD902 selection of sedation and anaesthetic drugs, loaded UNITS TO BEExplorer (G-KSSA) as an onsite back-up – leased onto the helicopter as part of the ‘scrambling’ NIGHT-CAPABLEfrom Specialist Aviation Services, which provides process. These elements, together with the otherthe flight crews (many former military pilots) and medical equipment are packaged in ‘themed’ totemaintenance support, operating on a three-shift bags for specific injuries. “Everything you’d expect24/7 rotation. (At the time of my visit, however, to find in a hospital emergency room,” said de‘SST’ was away on scheduled maintenance and a Coverly.second MD902 Explorer (G-KSSH) was filling in.) The AW169 fit mirrors the MD902 but with aThe company is also responsible for providing HEMS larger cabin with four seats and a different designhelicopters to several other air ambulance charities of patient litter with the oxygen facility underneatharound the country, including Essex & Herts, Dorset & in the litter mount. The first of the AW169s wasSomerset, and Cornwall. one of the first off the production line and was essentially, a prototype as the UK CAA neededWaiting for the call to qualify the oxygen facility mount installation and other medical modifications. The charity hasWhen a call comes in for HEMS, if the location recently installed a state-of-the-art AW169 cabinis within 15 minutes flying time of Redhill, the simulator at its Redhill base, with full video/audioMD902 (call sign HeliMed21), cruising at 120kt, is recording facilities, to allow initial and on-going‘scrambled’, while the AW169 (HeliMed60), cruising training to be conducted by the medical team in fullat 130-140kt, is held for locations beyond. As might kit, including helmets with all the background noisebe expected, all missions are subject to weather, associated with real missions. There is a full play-temperature, payload weights, timings and fuel back debrief capability, allowing the team to learnlimitations. from their mistakes. This is the first such facility to The oldest MD902 (‘SSH’) – a former police be established in the UK.helicopter – is the heavier of the two and has The medical team comprises a doctor ofan analogue co*ckpit with two ATC radios, GPS, consultant level (an experienced anaesthetist ortransponder, VOR, NDB, ADF and radar altimeter, emergency medical specialist) and a paramedic Below: The GoodSAM remote video streamingwhile the other (‘SSA’) – previously used as a HEMS (again experienced and often in the first year of a system allows medicsplatform in the US – is lighter and fitted with a T-CAS Masters degree in Advanced Paramedic Practice). to remote assess the(Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) and The medical team usually works with AAKSS for a condition of patitents usinga better GPS. The larger AW169s have a similar year, taking their skills back into NHS at the end (in bystanders smartphones..system but with a digital co*ckpit, and can carry agreater payload. MD902 ‘SSH’ is only used for daylight operations,while the AW169s and MD902 ‘SSA’ are nightcapable. “The crew wear ANVIS night-vision gogglesusing the latest white phosphor image intensifiertubes”, Captain Kevin Goddard, one of the SpecialistAviation Services pilots, told AEROSPACE. TheAAKSS was one of the first UK air ambulance unitsto be night-capable. Goddard explained that, for transit and trainingflights, the helicopters operate under commercial ATCrules, using the regular call-sign but on emergencycall-outs (to accident location and patient transfer)it becomes Helimed60ALPHA, when they becomepriority flights, bringing the emergency room to thecasualty. The job of the medical team, according toRichard de Coverly, AAKSS’ Operations Manager AAKSS(and paramedic): “is not fixing [the injury] but @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 15

GENERAL AVIATION Helicopter air ambulance operationsAAKSS a similar way that military medical reservists have the HEMS. These usually involve significant trauma, Above: One of the two improved trauma treatment). Some, however, share such as chest, brain or bleeding injuries. Leonardo AW169 HEMS their time between the charity and NHS on a 50:50 helicopters operated by AAKSS. basis. Live video streaming Right: Right: AW169 HEMS helicopters in The ‘Dispatcher’ For the future, internet technology could add formation. further to the timeliness of getting the HEMS to Below: One of the pre- The non-flying member of the team and, in some the casualty. Together with SECAMB, AAKSS has packed trauma packages ways the most important, according to Curtis, is evaluated the use of GoodSAM – an advanced used by the medical team the Dispatcher, who is responsible for screening emergency alerting and dispatching platform – to at AAKSS. incoming 999 calls to identify those incidents assess casualties at incident scenes. This involves Above opposite page: requiring the HEMS, liaising with other emergency the use of the ubiquitous smart phone to stream The interior of an AAKSS services and arranging the logistical support live video of the casualty back to the Dispatcher, operated Leonardo required. This is done at the operations room of the helping them make the time-critical dispatch AW169 HEMS helicopter. South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB), decision, rather than just the caller’s description of where the AAKSS Dispatcher has a work station the casualty’s injuries, consciousness or state of with full access to the 999 call logs that come in. breathing. With a career background in ambulance dispatch, During the pilot study running from March newly-recuited Dispatchers undergo a four week to December 2018 (and published in the AAKSS training package, covering the purpose of HEMS Scandanavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and (what, how and why), aviation, meteorology and the Emergency Medicine in May 2019), video footage rapid dispatch process. was received directly from 19 emergency calls, Uppermost in the Dispatcher’s mind is the with all of the public making the calls agreeing to importance of the so-called Golden Hour of live stream via their smart phone to help the people treatment so, as the incidents log onto the involved in the real-time incident. This function, via computer, the Dispatcher screens the calls, looking the link, works by the Dispatcher requesting the for certain crucial elements, such as a rolled-over person calling the emergency services to activate vehicle, a fall from height or a car/cycle collision, their smart phone video camera, which then and tries to identify those that will mostly benefit securely streams live footage from the incident 16 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

direct to the AAKSS operations room. No appis required, only a video-capable mobile phone.Once the Dispatcher has ensured the caller is safeto approach the scene, permission to link to ismade via a text message. The incident video is notrecorded on the user’s phone. This technology makes it possible fordispatchers to make an instant-on-scene videoconnection with the person who has made theemergency call in order to accurately assessthe scale of the incident and direct the mostappropriate emergency vehicle, in this study anair ambulance. The study also suggested the useof the video streaming reduces the stress of theperson reporting the accident. More detailed trialsare planned for later this year or early 2020. The incident information is fed back to theAAKSS operations room at Redhill, where the teamthere have access to weather and location data AAKSSacross their patch, and the helicopter is ‘scrambled’.The Captain immediately heads to the helicopterand begins engine start-up, the doctor picks up thedrugs and blood supplies from their environmental Once the patient is stabilised and ready for transit,secure storage. The paramedic secures the incident the helicopter takes off and heads for the nearestdata, while the co-pilot takes the location data hospital with the appropriate trauma facilities, asand enters it into an iPad navigation system, using dictated by the patient’s most immediate need. WhileAirbox software. some hospitals have on-site landing pads, others do not. The Captain either makes an ad-hoc landing or, in the more urban areas, uses the closest of a Leonardo number of pre-surveyed landing sites, where the patient is off-loaded for ground transfer. At night, the helicopter would use the closest of a number of pre-surveyed landing sites suitable for night operations, where they receive the patient from either ambulance or police car transfer. Uniting air ambulances? Over the recent August Bank Holiday, the AAKSS flew 13 missions and, with some 32 Air Ambulance units around the UK, there is an obvious need for this capability in the country. All these organisations are principally funded by charitable donations. At over £3,000 per mission, the AAKSS, alone, needs over £11m per annum to operate, 60% of which is raised entirely by lotteries and raffles. One cannot According to Captain Goddard, the aim is: “to help wondering whether the time is ripe for all airaviate before we medicate” and the helicopter is ambulance operations to merge into one nationwideusually airborne and heading in the right direction organisation, along the lines of the Royal Nationalin five minutes. Sometimes, however, as further Lifeboat Institution.information is received en-route, the need for That said, there is no doubt of the essential workairborne assistance can be negated and the team that is done by AAKSS and other regional units inhead back to Redhill. providing this life-saving capability. Their patients For daylight operations, once over the incident are all someone’s father, mother, brother, sister, child,location the Captain takes the most convenient husband or wife and, as Leigh Curtis succinctlylanding site and the medical team gets to work. observed: “we aim to put families back together”. The author wishes to thank the staff of Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex for their generous assistance in preparing this feature. @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 17

Flying to the rescue BILL READ FRAeS looks at the work of the United National Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in transporting food, relief supplies and aid workers to famine, disaster and conflict-ridden areas of the world. F or over 50 years, the World Food UNHAS Programme (WFP) has provided emergency assistance, to save lives in Aviation is vital in supporting humanitarian a wide variety of conflict, post-conflict operations, as well as being crucial in emergency or natural disaster situations. In 2018, response situations when aid must be delivered the WFP delivered supplies to provide relief support quickly to affected populations. Airdrops are used for a number of emergencies, including an Ebola in situations when inaccessible roads, insecurity outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or lack of proximity to a waterway make access WFP Aviation earthquakes in Papua New Guinea, a cyclone in the impossible other than by air. Socotra island in Yemen and floods in Somalia. The WFP operates the United Nations However, while humanitarian relief has saved Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), a common lives and restored the livelihoods of millions, it does service created in 2004 to provide ‘safe, reliable not always solve the root causes which led to the and cost-efficient air transport’ to all organisations Annual Report 2018 crisis, meaning that they could happen again. In involved in relief operations. UNHAS provides air addition to shipping food and other essential supplies transport services to around 700 organisations, to disaster areas, another aim of the WFP is to including non-government organisations (NGOs), ‘embed resilience’ so that communities can recover UN agencies, donor organisations, diplomatic and rebuild after disasters and thus reduce the need missions and government facilitating humanitarian for on-going crisis response. “As well as food, we response. It also transports light relief cargo, such also fly in workers who can assess the situation and as medical supplies, food and high-value organise its distribution,” explained Philippe Martou, equipment.WFP/Tomson Phiri Chief, Aviation Service, Supply Chain Division, World The WFP also co-ordinates airlifts from other Food Programme. “Our work has increased in recent organisations or governments. Every month UNHAS years due to an increase in global conflicts. Our aim is transports an average of 24,000 passengers not just to relieve problems when they occur but also and over 450t of light cargo to over 300 regular to try to reduce the need for future assistance.” destinations. 18 AEROSPACE / OCTOBER 2019

A320s and Boeing 737s, are also used to transport Main pic: Cans of humanitarian workers to local airports before vegetable oil are transferring to a smaller regional aircraft. parachuted out of a WFP-chartered aircraft in “Our aircraft are a mix of everything,” explained Ganyiel, Greater Upper Martou. “With emergencies, everybody comes in with Nile, South Sudan. different types of aircraft and we are supporting and managing the flow of different carriers with differentApproved operators capabilities. We have larger aircraft which carry passengers and cargo into ‘hub’ airports and smallerUNHAS does not manage any aircraft of its own aircraft, such as Caravans, Dash 8s or helicopters,but contracts aircraft from other operators. “We on ‘spoke’ routes which can land on unmade dirtdon’t operate our own aircraft but we charter airstrips.them from approved air carriers,” said Martou. “By “Transporting cargo is one type of business chartering rather than operating aircraft we have while, with passengers, we have another type more flexibility in choosing the appropriate of business,” said Martou. “We also carry aircraft.” The chartered operators need to passengers from 700 different agencies with be compliant with both International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (ICAO SARPs) and the United Nations Aviation Standards for Peacekeepingand Humanitarian Air TransportOperations (UNAVSTADS).Operators are approved by the WFPAviation Safety Unit (ASU). Basedin Rome with regional offices inJohannesburg, Nairobi and Sharjah,the ASU conducts safety evaluationof commercial air operators acrossall regions for possible inclusion in theList of Registered Air Operators (LORA).In 2018, ASU completed 150 evaluationsof different air operators. There are currently around 100 approvedoperators from around the world which allows WFPto access a range of air assets for rapid deploymentto different emergency scenarios - thus reducinglead time and mobilisation costs when emergenciesstrike. humanitarian workers going both in and out. We also do evacuations which can be either securityAircraft types evacuations or medical evacuations. One recent security evacuation was from Khartoum when we“We get aircraft from various air carriers worldwide, relocated non-critical staff and dependents.”such as North America, Europe, Russia and Africa,” UNWHAS in 2018 386,330said Martou. “They have to be shortlisted, checked Missionsand audited and then they come on the list. We askthem for a particular requirement and a particular UNHAS uses aircraft to transport aid workers Passengerscountry – for example for a 12-seater aircraft with and medical staff, as well as food and reliefSTOL capabilities to operate in DRC or a passengerjet to operate between Jordan and Yemen.” UNHAS currently manages around 60 aircraft, cargo to remote areas hit by conflict, famine or natural disaster. In 2018 the Aviation Service supported WFP operations in 17 countries. These 323 Regular destinationincluding helicopters in ongoing operations. There include South Sudan where, since 2013, WFP 3,655are also an additional 40 aircraft with ‘standby’ has airdropped food to vulnerable communitiescontracts to be used in the event of a sudden in hard-to-reach areas where 7m people areemergency. Typical aircraft used include Cessna reportedly in need of assistance. The airdrop Passengers208 Caravans, Beech 1900Ds, Dornier 228s and operation was conducted from three strategic 1,362328s, various Embraers, De Havilland Canada hubs in South Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda. InDash 8 -100s, -200s and –300s, as well as Mil 2018, WFP airdropped 60,667 tonnes of food toand Bell helicopters. Larger aircraft, such as Airbus 81 drop zones. The WFP is currently managing 25 People evacuated @aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com OCTOBER 2019 19