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Aerospace group Embraer reports a smaller loss for the third quarter, in year-on-year terms

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Brazil-based global major aerospace group Embraer reported its results for the third quarter of this year (3Q22) in São Paulo, Brazil, on Monday. The group reported a net loss (attributable to Embraer shareholders) for the quarter of $30.2-million. This, however, represented a significant year-on-year (y-o-y) improvement: during the third quarter of last year (3Q21), it had recorded a net loss of $45-million. At the end of 3Q22 the group had a net debt of $1.3-billion. Again, this was a significant y-o-y improvement, the net debt at the end of 3Q21 having been $1.8-billion. “The decrease in the company’s net debt position is a result of cash generation during the last four quarters and also Embraer’s liability management strategy to reduce the gross debt and the interest expenses,” said the company.

First ever flight of a military aircraft using only sustainable fuel successfully conducted in UK

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The UK Royal Air Force (RAF), in conjunction with major airframe manufacturer Airbus, aeroengine group Rolls-Royce, fuel producer Air bp, leasing company AirTanker, and the Defence Equipment and Support Agency of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), have cooperated to execute the first ever 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) flight using a military aircraft that was currently in service. The aircraft was an Airbus Voyager, the British designation for the A330 Multirole Tanker Transport, itself a military version of the A330 widebody airliner. This was also the first 100% SAF flight in UK airspace by any type of aircraft. The aircraft took off from RAF Station (base) Brize Norton and the flight, in which both engines were powered by 100% SAF, lasted 90 minutes. The flight test crew was composed of a mix of RAF, Airbus and Rolls-Royce personnel, and replicated an air-to-air refuelling sortie. The flight was observed by senior RAF officers and industry executives.

US company successfully flies hybrid-electric version of established feederliner aircraft

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US electric aircraft startup company Ampaire (founded 2016) has successfully flown its Eco Caravan hybrid-electric conversion of the Cessna Grand Caravan regional ‘feederliner’ aircraft, which is normally powered by a single turboprop engine. In the Eco Caravan conversion, the turboprop is replaced by Ampaire’s fully-integrated hybrid-electric propulsion system. The maiden flight of the Eco Caravan took place on Friday, at Camarillo in the US State of California. “Aviation is the hardest industry to decarbonise,” pointed out Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker. “Fully-electric aircraft are range limited because of the weight and energy capacity of current-generation batteries. Hybrid-electric aircraft, however, can preserve the range and utility of today’s aircraft. That is why we are focused on hybrid-electric propulsion for a series of increasingly capable regional aircraft. It’s a way for the airline industry to decarbonise more quickly and also to benefit from lower operating costs.”

Parliamentary committee says defence force needs practical funding solutions

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The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has warned that the funding challenges facing the National Defence Force remains unresolved and that, if a solution is not found, it could spell disaster for the safety and security of the country. The committee, led by chairperson Cyril Xaba, this week undertook an oversight visit to the Bloemspruit Air Force Base to assess, among others, the successes of the base and the challenges the base faces. The base is home to the locally made Rooivalk combat helicopter, 16 Squadron and Helicopter Flying School.

Rolls-Royce and easyJet announce successful engine test using hydrogen as fuel

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UK-based global major power and propulsion group Rolls-Royce reported on Monday that it had successfully run one of its aircraft engines using hydrogen as a fuel. This was a global milestone, the first time a modern aero engine had been run with hydrogen fuel. The test was a product of the company’s partnership with UK-based budget airline easyJet. The test involved an AE 2100-A regional jet engine (designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce North America) and was conducted at the UK Ministry of Defence aerospace research and flight test complex at Boscombe Down in England. The tests were conducted on the ground, using an outdoor test facility.

US unveils first-in-the-world sixth-generation combat aircraft

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The US Air Force and major US aerospace and defence group Northrop Grumman jointly unveiled the world’s first sixth-generation jet combat aircraft, the B-21 Raider strategic bomber, late on Friday (South African time). The aircraft is considered sixth generation because, among other things, it employs stealth and ‘information advantage’ technologies with an open information technology architecture. Its information advantage comes from its advanced sensors, data collection and fusion capabilities. The B-21 will be capable of networking to multiple systems, and in all domains (air, sea, land, space, cyber) across the ‘battlespace’. The aircraft has also been designed to be flown either with its crew on board, or remotely, with its crew on the ground.

Embraer has refined its very low- to zero-carbon aircraft design concept programme

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Brazil-based major aerospace and defence group Embraer on Monday gave an update on its Energia initiative to achieve net-zero commercial aviation by 2050. Energia was launched in November last year, with four concepts for small zero-carbon regional airliners, ranging in size from a nine-seater to a 50-seater, with four different potential propulsion technologies – electric, hybrid-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and hydrogen fuel- or sustainable aviation fuel- (SAF) powered gas turbine, power plants. The manufacturer has now narrowed its study down to just two size categories (19-seat and 30-seat) and two propulsion technologies – hybrid-electric and hydrogen fuel cell. The hybrid-electric concept aircraft are designated the E19-HE and E30-HE, while the hydrogen fuel cell (also being referred to as hydrogen-electric) aircraft are the E19-H2FC and the E30-H2FC. The numerals 19 and 30 refer to the passenger capacities of the designs.

Britain, Italy and Japan merge their 6th-generation fighter programmes

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The UK, Italy and Japan announced on Friday that they were going to jointly develop a sixth-generation multirole fighter, in what is now designated the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). This effectively merges the pre-existing but separate Anglo-Italian Tempest and Japanese F-X sixth-generation fighter programmes. The importance of this development, in technological and industrial as well as defence terms, was highlighted by the fact that in the UK, for example, the announcement was made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and not by Defence Secretary (Cabinet Minister) Ben Wallace.

Airbus successfully launches and controls a drone from another aircraft

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Airbus Defence and Space, part of the Europe-based Airbus group, announced on Monday that it had, for the first time, both successfully launched and controlled an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, from an A400M military airlift aircraft. Early this year, the company had successfully launched a drone from an A400M, but the drone had not been controlled after launch. The drone employed in the latest test was a modified Airbus Do-DT25, and its launch device had been developed in just six months. After being released from its carrier aircraft, the DT25’s engines were ignited and it was flown. The A400M crew then handed over control of the drone to a ground operator, who safely landed it.

Half of newly announced Maatla orders completed, deliveries under way

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Paramount Land Systems, a subsidiary of aerospace and defence group Paramount, reports that 50% of the newly announced Maatla 4x4 light-protected vehicle (LPV) contracts have already been completed with deliveries underway to customer countries. The new multirole Maatla – meaning power in Setswana – was launched at this year’s African Aerospace and Defence Exhibition in September – an event where Paramount announced the first Maatla contracts for 50 vehicles.

International JV chosen to develop control technologies for next-generation aeroengine

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International joint venture (JV) FADEC Alliance has been chosen to design and develop the electronic control system for the CFM International RISE demonstrator engine programme. FADEC Alliance is a JV between US-based global major aeroengine company GE Aerospace and FADEC International. RISE is an acronym for Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines. It is a demonstrator programme to prove capabilities and concepts needed for the next-generation CFM engine, including such technologies as open fan architecture, electrified engine accessories, hybrid-electric capability, and hydrogen propulsion. CFM hopes to develop its next-generation engine by the mid-2030s.

New space weather centre to provide real-time solar storm forecasts

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For the South African National Space Agency’s (SANSA’s) Hermanus facility, 2022 has been the year of space weather – in August, its new Space Weather Centre (SWC) began operations, although its formal launch took place in November. (Hermanus is a coastal town in the Western Cape province, some 122 km south-east of Cape Town.) The SWC is recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as a regional space weather centre and is the only such facility in Africa. Its establishment ...

Airbus increased airliner deliveries by 8% last year, in comparison with 2021

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Europe-based global major aerospace group Airbus has released its commercial aircraft deliveries and order totals for last year. Deliveries totalled 661 airliners to 84 customers. (This total excludes two A350-900 widebody airliners recorded in December 2021 as having been sold to Russian carrier Aeroflot, but which could not be delivered due to sanctions imposed on Russia, following its invasion of Ukraine.) The figure for 2021 had been 611. “In 2022 we served 84 customers with 661 deliveries, an increase of 8% compared to 2021,” noted Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. “That’s obviously less than we were targeting but given the complexity of the operating environment I want to thank the teams and our partners for the hard work and the ultimate result.”

Boeing reports its airliner and freighter deliveries and orders during 2022

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Giant US aerospace group Boeing has reported its totals for commercial aircraft deliveries and orders during last year. Total deliveries last year came to 480, including 44 freighter versions of the company’s airliner families. “We worked hard in 2022 to stabilise 737 production, resume 787 deliveries, launch the 777-8 Freighter and, most importantly, meet our customer commitments,” reported Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Stan Deal. “As the airline industry expands its recovery, we are seeing strong demand across our product family, particularly the highly efficient 737 MAX and the 787 Dreamliner.”

Airbus, Dutch technology group partner on developing laser communications

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Europe-based global major aerospace and defence group Airbus has entered into a partnership with Dutch high-technology industrial company VDL Group to develop and produce a laser communication terminal for aircraft. Designated UltraAir, the terminal would be based on development work jointly undertaken by Airbus and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Laser communications systems could transmit 1 000 times more data at ten times the speed of current radio networks. Laser systems were also immune to interference and detection, while being very difficult to intercept, because of the narrowness of their beams. This would also allow laser communications terminals to be lighter, need less power, and be more secure than radio networks.

Chinese company completes its first cargo conversion of an Airbus A321 airliner

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Chinese major maintenance, repair and overhaul organisation (MRO) HAECO Xiamen announced on Tuesday that it had completed its first conversion of an Airbus A321-200 airliner into a freighter aircraft (making the aircraft an A321-200PCF). It had executed the conversion in partnership with US company 321 Precision Conversions. 321 Precision Conversions, a joint venture Precision Aircraft Solutions and Aircraft Transport Services Group, has the Supplemental Type Certificate from the US Federal ...

NASA awards Boeing contract to make and test-fly full-size airliner technology demonstratorv

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The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) on Wednesday awarded US major aerospace group Boeing a commercial aviation technology development contract, under which the manufacturer will build a full-scale demonstrator aircraft to test and evaluate technologies to reduce fuel expenditure and so also greenhouse gas emissions. Although globally most famous for its space research, Nasa, as its full name signals, is also one of the world’s top aeronautical research agencies. Nasa ...

Largest hydrogen-electric test-bed aircraft to date makes successful first flight

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Zero-emissions aviation company ZeroAvia conducted, on Thursday afternoon, the first test flight of the biggest aircraft to date powered by a hydrogen-electric engine. The aircraft was a Dornier Do 228 19-seater passenger aircraft, modified into a test bed, with one of its two turboprop engines replaced by a ZeroAvia hydrogen-electric powertrain. A UK-US enterprise, ZeroAvia conducted the flight at Cotswold Airport in England. The flight lasted ten minutes and involved the aircraft taxiing, taking off, flying a full circuit and landing again. Retaining a conventional Honeywell TPE-331 turboprop engine on its starboard (right) wing, the company’s 600 kW hydrogen-electric power unit was fitted to its port (left) wing. The enterprise reported that all systems “performed as expected”.

Airbus Helicopters claims 52% of the global civil and ‘parapublic’ helicopter market in 2022

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Airbus Helicopters, a subsidiary of the Europe-based global major Airbus aerospace and defence group, announced on Wednesday that it had won gross orders totalling 374 helicopters last year, with net orders coming to 362. Deliveries during 2022 totalled 344 helicopters, up from the 338 delivered in 2021. Preliminary data indicated that the company secured 52% of the global civil and ‘parapublic’ (law enforcement, emergency medical, civil security and related missions) helicopter markets last year. “2022 was a year in which Airbus Helicopters solidified its recovery, in a context of instability with the war in Ukraine and a fragile supply chain,” affirmed company CEO Bruno Even. “I’d like to thank customers for their continued trust in Airbus Helicopters. Our teams will continue to work hard to meet their needs and deliver on our commitments in 2023.”

Boeing announces mixed results for 2022

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US giant aerospace and defence group Boeing has released its results for 2022. While revenues were up 7%, year-on-year (y/y), to $66.608-billion (from $62.286-billion), other indicators deteriorated, y/y. Net loss went from $4.29-billion in 2021 to $5.053-billion in 2022, and the loss from operations last year came to $3.547-billion in comparison to 2021’s loss of $2.902-billion. There was, however, a dramatic turnaround in operating cash flow, from negative $3.416-billion in 2021 to positive $3.512-billion in 2022. Free cash flow (that is, operating cash flow minus additions to property, plant and equipment) went from negative $4.396-billion to positive $2.290-billion. (All these figures were calculated by the group using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, better known as GAAP.)

DBSA highlights successful progress of PPP refurbishing 1 Military Hospital

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The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has highlighted the potential of strategic public-private partnerships (PPP) to ensure the proper management and maintenance of State-owned healthcare facilities, and indeed other key public infrastructure, in the future. The financial institution cited the example of the country’s first PPP health infrastructure rehabilitation programme, currently under way at the South African National Defence Force’s 1 Military Hospital, in Pretoria. The DBSA ...

French Navy frigate will visit Durban this week

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The French Embassy in Pretoria announced on Monday that the French Navy’s patrol frigate Nivôse was to enter Durban on Tuesday, for a four-day visit to South Africa’s largest port. The ship would depart on Saturday. The visit served to highlight the bilateral maritime cooperation between the two countries, the Embassy noted. It would also serve to strengthen the cooperation between the French and South African armed forces.

Boeing delivers last ever 747 Jumbo jet

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On Tuesday, US aerospace giant Boeing delivered the last-ever 747, marking the end of the production of one of the most important types in commercial aviation history. The first-ever wide-body airliner, it revolutionised the economics of air travel, changing the sector forever. The 747 made its first flight on February 9, 1969, and made its first revenue flight (from New York to London) on January 21, 1970. The airline that ordered it and was the first to operate it was the once-iconic but now ...

University of Nottingham clean aviation projects receive £10m in funding

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Several projects led by the University of Nottingham’s Institute of Aerospace Technology (IAT) have received £10-million to fund research into the future of net-zero aviation. HECATE, NEWBORN and HERA are all part of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, the European Union’s research and innovation programme for making the aviation industry ready for a sustainable future.

Artificial intelligence successfully flies an experimental version of a tactical fighter jet

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US major aerospace and defence group Lockheed Martin announced, from the world-renowned Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in the US State of California on Tuesday, that the VISTA X-62A research and development (R&D) aircraft had recently been flown by an artificial intelligence (AI) “agent” for more than 17 hours. This was the first time an AI had “engaged” on a tactical aircraft. VISTA is an acronym for Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft. The X-62A is a modified F-16D tactical fighter (which is the two-seat version of the F-16C) and was originally redesignated as the NF-16D. Its further redesignation to X-62A signalled its role as a dedicated R&D aircraft, of national importance. The modified aircraft was developed by Lockheed Martin’s famous Skunk Works, jointly with US science and technology company Calspan.

Defence export council seeking opportunities in the Middle East

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Membership organisation the South African Aerospace Maritime Defence Export Council CEO Sandile Ndlovu will embark on a mission to seek export opportunities in the Middle East for the South African manufacturing companies operating in the aerospace, maritime and defence industries. Ndlovu will be one of the businesspeople whose companies will be participating in the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) that will take place in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from February 20 to 24.

The preliminaries for the relocation of the SA Navy’s KwaZulu-Natal base are going well

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South Africa’s national port infrastructure and marine services agency, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), has given the assurance that the preliminaries for the project to establish a new base for the South African Navy (SA Navy) at Richards Bay are progressing well. In return for the new base, the SA Navy will transfer its current Naval Station Durban, located on Sailsbury Island in Durban harbour, to TNPA. The relocation project will involve an investment of more than R9-billion. It was officially announced on Tuesday in an address by Chief of the SA Navy Vice Admiral Monde Lobese. TNPA will use the naval station site (which long ago ceased to be an island) to expand the facilities of Durban port, which is the country’s largest and busiest port.

Boeing ramps up its acquisition of sustainable aviation fuels

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Giant US aerospace and defence giant Boeing has announced that it is to increases its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) purchases by more than 100% this year, in comparison with last year. The SAF, which will total 21.2-million litres, will be a SAF/conventional jet fuel blend produced by the world’s top SAF producer, Neste. The blended fuel will be supplied to Boeing through EPIC Fuels, Signature Aviation and Avfuel. It will be used to support the operations of the Boeing Commercial Airplanes business.

Embraer reports increased year-on-year commercial and business jet deliveries in 2022

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The world’s number three manufacturer of commercial jets, Brazil-based Embraer, has reported that it delivered 159 commercial and business jets last year. This represented a 12.7% increase over the figure for 2021. Of the 2022 deliveries, 80 were handed over to customers during the fourth quarter. (Embraer is also active in the defence, security and space sectors.) As of December 31, the company had a firm commercial jet order backlog of $17.5-billion. This included a $1.17-billion firm order from Spanish (Canary Islands) airline Binter for 15 new E195-E2 airliners, placed during the fourth quarter.

South African electronics company participating in global major defence show

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South African electronics company Etion Create, which recently became a Reunert group company, is highlighting its new brand identity along with its defence products at the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) in the United Arab Emirates. IDEX is the biggest such event in the Middle East (ME), so is of global significance, and the 2023 show opened on Monday. Reunert is a large South African industrial group, which can trace its history back to 1888 and has been listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange since 1948. Etion Create is now part of the group’s Applied Electronics business “segment”. Reunert’s other two business segments are Electrical Engineering and “ICT”.

Paramount Group unveils new logo at IDEX

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Aerospace and defence company Paramount Group has introduced what it says is an evolution of its brand by redeveloping its logo, which was unveiled at the International Defence Expo, which is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Founded in South Africa in 1994, Paramount Group has manufactured and supplied armoured vehicles, aircraft, naval vessels, sensors and other technologies to more than 25 countries across the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Central Asia and South East Asia.

United Airlines, partners launch fund to stimulate sustainable aviation fuel development

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Major US carrier United Airlines (United) has announced the establishment, jointly with a number of corporate partners, of a “first-of-its-kind” fund, worth more than $100-million, to support the development of sustainable aviation. Entitled the United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, it is an investment vehicle to support startup companies focused on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) research, technology and production. The airline’s inaugural partners in this fund are Air Canada, GE Aerospace, Honeywell and JPMorgan Chase. Other companies can become partners in the fund, if they so desire. United is one of only two American operators to directly connect the US with South Africa. It operates from Newark/New York to both Johannesburg and Cape Town and back, as well as between Washington DC and Cape Town.

Sanral, Transnet, Denel among SOEs to receive fiscal support in 2023/24

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As State-owned entities (SOEs) continue to rely on government bailouts and dominate the guarantee portfolio of the fiscus, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced conditional in-year allocations to various SOEs in the National Budget speech delivered on February 22. These include allocations to arms maker Denel, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) and freight utility Transnet to the tune of R30-billion, to enable these entities to “continue supporting economic growth”.

Rolls-Royce reports improved results for 2022

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UK-based global major power and propulsion systems group Rolls-Royce released its results for 2022 on Thursday. It reported that last year it had recorded improvements in its orders, revenue, profit and cash flow. It also reduced its net debt. The group reported underlying revenues for last year of £12.691-billion (as against £10.947-billion in 2021) and statutory revenues of £13.520-billion (2021: £11.218-billion). Underlying operating profit in 2022 came to £0.652-billion (2021: ...

Company provides solutions to combat local industry decline

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Despite the current state of the South African defence industry not being what it was two decades ago, protected mobility specialists OTT Group of companies is providing solutions to not only save the industry but to also enable longevity. The OTT Group, together with sister company OTT Solutions, launched the Ratel Service Life Extension Program at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo last year.  

Parliament’s Defence Committee anxious about maintenance of SANDF equipment

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Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence reported on Friday its concerns about the maintenance of the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) prime mission equipment (PME). In a press release, the Committee noted that it had had a meeting on Thursday with Armscor, the Department of Defence agency responsible, among other duties, for acquiring materiel and services for the SANDF. In particular, the Committee was concerned that, currently, spares for SANDF PME tended to be acquired on a reactive, and not on a proactive, basis. It called for the development and implementation of “pragmatic solutions” to ensure that PME was “adequate for deployment”.

Largest fuel-cell-powered aircraft to date has made successful first flight

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A new record has been set for the largest aircraft yet to be flown with a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. The new record was set by US company Universal Hydrogen, using a modified 40-passenger De Havilland Canada Dash 8 regional airliner. The previous record, involving a 19-seater aircraft, modified by a UK-US company, was set only six weeks ago. The Dash 8 is normally powered by two turboprop engines, but the testbed aircraft had one of these removed and replaced with a Universal Hydrogen megawatt-class fuel-cell-electric powertrain. The aircraft took off from Grant County International Airport, at Moses Lake, in the US State of Washington (not to be confused with Washington DC). The flight lasted 15 minutes and the aircraft achieved an altitude of 3 500 ft (1 066.8 m) above mean sea level.




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