June 25, 2025 - No. 26 In This Issue : FAA Q&A Lays Down The Law On Banning 100LL : Boeing 777X Certification Nears as it Moves Closer to Launch : NTSB urges quick fix on Boeing plane engines to prevent smoke from filling cabin after a bird strike : Supplier to helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky to hire more than 40 in CT, open facility in Enfield : Engineering Marvel Behind Boeing 777X Largest Engine in the World : Pratt Sees JetZero As ‘Interesting Opportunity’ For Revamped PW2000 : Trump wants to bring manufacturing jobs back. The aviation industry can't hire fast enough : First electronic warfare Shark aircraft received by Ukraine for anti-drone missions : With the “Ultrafan 30”, Rolls-Royce wants to power narrow-body jets again : Kratos Selects Oklahoma For New Turbofan Production Site : JetZero Takes The Wraps Off Blended Wing Body Development Plans FAA Q&A Lays Down The Law On Banning 100LL Wording leaves little doubt as to complying with terms of the Reauthorization Act of 2024. Mark Phelps Thursday, June 19, 2025 An FAA Q&A statement issued today (June 19) leaves little room for ambiguity when it comes to the mandate to keep 100LL fuel available, nationwide, regardless of efforts to ban its sale in favor of existing unleaded options. The statement cites Grant Assurance 40 (Access to Leaded Aviation Gasoline) established by Section 770 of last year’s Reauthorization legislation. According to the Q&A summary, “Grant Assurance 40 prohibits airports from restricting 100LL availability until an alternative fuel meets the established criteria. Most importantly, the Q&A document explains that no unleaded fuel currently meets the criteria as established in Section 770.” The curt answer to Question 4 (Do any of the high-octane unleaded fuels meet the criteria in Section 770?) leaves little doubt. “No. As of April 2025, there is no fuel that meets the criteria of 47107(22)(B)(i) and (ii). For example, a fuel would have to be authorized for all aircraft and no fuel has been authorized for the rotorcraft fleet. The FAA will provide additional information when the criteria is met.” As for the teeth to enforce the mandate, the Q&A document adds, “In order to maintain Airport Compliance Program integrity, FAA personnel may participate in limited oversight to detect recurring deficiencies, system weaknesses, or prohibited actions by sponsors.” It also notes that Congress included a civil penalty option available in the case of any alleged violation investigation. Boeing 777X Certification Nears as it Moves Closer to Launch The 777X family builds on the legacy of Boeing’s original 777 series with major upgrades in size, technology, and passenger comfort. By Natalia Shelley June 19, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. SEATTLE- Boeing has reaffirmed that its long-delayed 777X widebody family is now on track to enter service this decade. The 777-9 will debut in 2026, followed by the 777-8 Freighter in 2028 and the 777-8 passenger variant by the end of the decade. Speaking at the Paris Air Show, Boeing executives expressed renewed confidence in the timeline after resolving key structural issues and gaining FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) support for advancing the certification process. Photo: Clément Alloing Boeing Closer to 777X Certification The 777X program — comprising the 777-9, 777-8, and a dedicated freighter version — was first announced in 2013 at the Dubai Airshow. Despite over a decade of development setbacks, the aircraft now appears poised for commercial debut. Justin Hale, customer lead for the 777X, confirmed with the Seattle Times at the Paris Air Show that Boeing is aligning its manufacturing and regulatory milestones to meet the revised timeline. The 777-9 will enter service first in 2026, becoming Boeing’s largest commercial aircraft. It will be followed by the 777-8F freighter in 2028 and the 777-8 passenger jet “toward the end of the decade.” These aircraft offer advanced aerodynamics, improved fuel efficiency, and significant passenger and cargo upgrades over legacy models like the 777-300ER and 747 freighter. Photo: Clément Alloing Addressing Technical Hurdles The 777X program has faced years of regulatory delays, heightened scrutiny following the 737 MAX incidents, and manufacturing issues. FAA approval for official flight testing was granted only in July 2024 — four years after the 777-9 began preliminary flights. However, Boeing’s optimism has grown under new FAA leadership. A major setback in 2024 involved cracks in the aircraft’s thrust link — a titanium structure connecting the engine to the airframe. Boeing engineers identified a vibration issue caused by airflow restrictions near a cooling port. To address it, the company redesigned the part with thicker titanium, closed the airflow gap, and added reinforced insulation. Since the fix, no further issues have been reported in test flights. CEO Kelly Ortberg emphasized the need for a streamlined certification process, citing progress but noting that more work is required before entry into service. Photo: Clément Alloing A Redefined Passenger and Cargo Experience The 777X family builds on the legacy of Boeing’s original 777 series with major upgrades in size, technology, and passenger comfort. The 777-9, 3 meters longer than the 777-300ER, will accommodate 30 more passengers. Meanwhile, the 777-8, slightly shorter than the 777-300ER, will add seating through redesigned door placement and interior layout. Cabin innovations include wider seats, higher-placed windows aligned with eye level, and redesigned stowage bins for more spacious interiors. These features aim to position the 777X as a next-generation flagship for long-haul operations. The 777-8F freighter, designed to replace the retiring 747 cargo fleet, will be 7 meters longer than the current 777F and capable of carrying seven additional cargo pallets, significantly enhancing operational efficiency for air freight operators. Remaining Concerns Boeing has secured 535 orders from 14 airlines for the 777X program. However, some leasing companies remain cautious. John Plueger, CEO of Air Lease Corporation, voiced concerns about long-term secondary market demand for the aircraft after their first leasing cycle. Air Lease has not placed orders for the 777X or other yet-to-be-certified Boeing jets like the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10, citing narrow customer interest. Plueger warned that any additional delays “only hurt” the program’s momentum. Nevertheless, Boeing remains focused on expanding its customer base and completing certifications for all pending models, aiming to restore confidence across the industry. Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates. Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News NTSB urges quick fix on Boeing plane engines to prevent smoke from filling cabin after a bird strike A worker wearing a mask walks past a Boeing 737 Max 9 as it is prepared for a flight from Renton Municipal Airport, Nov. 18, 2020, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) BY JOSH FUNK Updated 6:10 PM CDT, June 18, 2025 Safety experts recommended Wednesday that the engines on Boeing’s troubled 737 Max airplanes be modified quickly to prevent smoke from filling the cockpit or cabin after a safety feature is activated following a bird strike. The problem detailed by the National Transportation Safety Board emerged after two bird strikes involving Southwest Airlines planes in 2023 — one in Havana, Cuba, and another in New Orleans. The Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing already warned airlines and pilots about the problem and the engine maker has been working on a fix. The NTSB said that the engines CFM International makes for the Boeing plane can inadvertently release oil into the hot engine when the safety feature, called a load reduction device, is activated after a bird strike or similar engine issue. The resulting smoke feeds directly into either the cockpit or passenger cabin depending on which engine was struck. Similar engine models with the same safety feature are also used on Airbus A320neo planes and C919 planes made by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. The NTSB urged European and Chinese aviation safety regulators to evaluate those engine models to determine if they could also be susceptible to the smoke problem. Safety device solved one problem but created another The new safety device that CFM added to its engines solved one problem by limiting damage when an engine starts to come apart, but created a new problem by releasing the oil that burns and generates smoke. “This is a case of an unintended consequence of a new and innovative safety idea where if the fan gets unbalanced that this is a way to alleviate the load and thereby doing less damage to the engine, the engine pylon, all of that,” said aviation safety expert John Cox, who is CEO of the Safety Operating Systems consulting firm. CFM said in a statement that it is “aligned with the NTSB’s recommendations and the work is already underway, in close partnership with our airframers, to enhance the capability of this important system.” The company, which is a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, confirmed it is working on a software update for the 737 Max’s engines and said it is evaluating similar engine models. Boeing said it is working with CFM on the update and the planemaker supports NTSB’s recommendations. Boeing also updated some of the checklists pilots rely on to help them take appropriate actions. The NTSB investigated a December 2023 incident in which a Southwest Airlines plane struck a bird while taking off from New Orleans and had to land quickly after thick smoke filled the cockpit — even making it hard for the pilot to see the instrument panel or his copilot. In an incident nine months earlier involving another Southwest 737 Max, smoke filled the cabin after a bird strike after takeoff in Havana. Air from the left engine on a 737 Max flows directly into the cockpit while air from the right engine flows into the passenger cabin. FAA says it will require airlines to implement a permanent fix when it’s available While these incidents were both bird strikes, the NTSB said this could happen in certain other circumstances. The FAA said in a statement that it agrees with the NTSB recommendations and when “the engine manufacturer develops a permanent mitigation, we will require operators to implement it within an appropriate timeframe.” Pilots can act to limit smoke in the plane by manually cutting off airflow from the engines, but smoke can quickly start to fill the cabin within a few seconds. The engine manufacturer is working on a software update that should do that automatically, but that’s not expected to be ready until sometime in the first quarter of next year. The NTSB said in its report that several pilots who fly Boeing 737s told investigators they weren’t aware of these incidents despite the efforts Boeing and the FAA have made. The NTSB said “it is critical to ensure that pilots who fly airplanes equipped with CFM LEAP-1B engines are fully aware of the potential for smoke in the cockpit.” Airbus didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. A Southwest spokesperson said the airline has been in close contact with the FAA, Boeing and the engine maker since the incidents and notified its pilots after they happened. The spokesperson said the airline continues to address the issue through its training and safety management systems. Persistent troubles for the 737 Max The Boeing 737 Max planes have been the focus since they were involved in both incidents, and there has been a history of other problems with that plane. The Max version of Boeing’s bestselling 737 airplane has been the source of persistent troubles for Boeing after two of the jets crashed. The crashes, one in Indonesia in 2018 and another in Ethiopia in 2019, killed 346 people. The problem in those crashes stemmed from a sensor providing faulty readings that pushed the nose down, leaving pilots unable to regain control. After the second crash, Max jets were grounded worldwide until the company redesigned the system. Last month, the Justice Department reached a deal to allow Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the Max before the two crashes. Worries about the plane flared up again after a door plug blew off a Max operated by Alaska Airlines, leading regulators to cap Boeing’s production at 38 jets per month. The NTSB plans to meet next Tuesday to discuss what investigators found about that incident. Supplier to helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky to hire more than 40 in CT, open facility in Enfield By Paul Schott, Staff Writer Updated June 17, 2025 7:26 p.m. This file photo shows a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter transporting soldiers to a training site. Aerospace-components manufacturer WHI Global LLC has signed contracts to produce parts for the UH-60, and it is building a production facility in Enfield, Conn., state officials have announced. Aerospace-components maker WHI Global LLC plans to hire more than 40 people to work at its under-construction facility in Enfield, where it will produce parts for the UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter manufactured by Stratford-based Sikorsky, state officials announced Tuesday. WHI is investing $12 million in its 80,000-square-foot complex at 215 Moody Road, which will be its first location in Connecticut, according to Gov. Ned Lamont's office and AdvanceCT, an economic-development nonprofit. They announced WHI's expansion from the Paris Air Show, where a Connecticut delegation, including Lamont, is in attendance. “This is fantastic news for Connecticut and fantastic news for our growing aerospace and defense industry,” Lamont said in a written statement. “WHI is joining the top aerospace component market in the country and will be able to hire from the best manufacturing talent pool in the world. It’s fitting that we are announcing this new facility here at the Paris Air Show, in front of the entire global industry.” Following its expected opening later this year, the Enfield facility will support “advanced composite manufacturing capabilities,” including layup, bonding, rubber vulcanization and compression molding, according to a news release from AdvanceCT. WHI's neighbors will include the main U.S. offices of Lego, but the toy maker is planning to move the hub to Boston by the end of next year. “WHI is experiencing sustained growth, so we are eager to get our new Enfield facility online,” WHI CEO Al Altieri said in a statement. “Our new operation will help us keep pace with the demand for our products and design for the future needs of our clients.” The new hub in Enfield will complement WHI's other facilities, which are in Springfield, Massachusetts; Fairfield, New Jersey; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Fort Worth, Texas. “This investment reflects our confidence in WHI’s long-term growth trajectory and aligns with RVE’s strategy of building enduring value,” David Caputo, managing partner of investment firm RVE Partners, a backer of WHI, said in a statement. “We’re proud to support WHI as it expands its footprint and strengthens its market position.” WHI subsidiary Aerobond Composites, which has signed new contracts with Sikorsky for the UH-60 Black Hawk parts, has been a Sikorsky supplier since at least 2008, according to Sikorsky officials. In addition to the Black Hawk production, it has supported other helicopters, including the CH-53K heavy-lift aircraft. “We congratulate WHI on its new facility in Connecticut where it will join more than 365 Sikorsky suppliers in the state that work with us to support national defense, humanitarian response and other important missions,” Sikorsky officials said in a statement. AdvertisementArticle continues below this ad To support WHI's expansion to Connecticut, the company has been “working closely with AdvanceCT to help navigate the many benefits offered to manufacturers opening new facilities” in Connecticut, according to the AdvanceCT news release. “Here at the Paris Air Show, Connecticut is in its element,” AdvanceCT CEO and President John Bourdeaux said in a statement. “We are proud to welcome WHI to our state and delighted they will be part of our thriving aerospace industry.” The state's backing for WHI does not include funding. “There are no agreements in place with DECD regarding incentives,” Jim Watson, a spokesman for the state Department of Economic and Community Development, said. Engineering Marvel Behind Boeing 777X Largest Engine in the World During ground testing in 2017, the GE9X achieved a remarkable thrust output of 134,300 pounds-force, establishing a new world record officially recognised by Guinness World Records. By Helen William June 18, 2025 The aviation industry continues to push boundaries in aircraft design, with Boeing’s latest widebody twin-engine aircraft exemplifying this relentless pursuit of innovation. The Boeing 777X represents a significant leap forward in commercial aviation, featuring GE9X, the world’s largest and most powerful jet engines to propel what will become the longest passenger aircraft ever constructed. Photo: FRAME | YouTube Boeing 777X GE9X Engines The Boeing 777X stands as Boeing’s most ambitious commercial aircraft project, scheduled for service entry in 2026 with German carrier Lufthansa (LH) leading the inaugural operations. The aircraft’s impressive specifications include a remarkable length of 251 feet 9 inches for the 777-9 variant, surpassing even the iconic Boeing 747-8 and the double-decker Airbus A380 in overall length. This massive twin-engine aircraft can accommodate over 425 passengers in the larger 777-9 configuration, while the smaller 777-8 variant seats approximately 395 passengers. The powerplant driving this aviation giant is the General Electric GE9X, which holds the distinction of being the world’s largest commercial jet engine. These engines feature an extraordinary fan diameter of 134 inches and deliver a thrust rating of 110,000 pounds-force, establishing new benchmarks in commercial aviation propulsion technology. GE9X Engine for Boeing 777-9; Photo: By Dan Nevill from Seattle | Wikimedia Commons Engine Specifications The GE9X engines powering the 777X represent a masterpiece of aerospace engineering. Each engine weighs approximately 21,000 pounds and measures 184 inches in overall diameter, including the nacelle housing. The fan diameter alone spans 134 inches, which is 6 inches larger than the GE90 engines that power the current Boeing 777-200 and 777-300 aircraft. The engine incorporates 16 carbon fibre composite fan blades, 6 fewer than its predecessor, the GE90. This reduction in blade count, combined with the use of advanced materials, significantly reduces the overall engine weight while maintaining exceptional performance. The engine’s impressive specifications become even more remarkable when considering its air-handling capabilities. Operating at a high bypass ratio of 10:1, the GE9X can process and propel up to 3,850 pounds of air every second when operating at maximum thrust. This massive air-moving capacity contributes significantly to the engine’s exceptional efficiency and performance characteristics. Photo: Boeing Massive Engine Size The Boeing 777X’s substantial size and maximum takeoff weight of 775,000 pounds demanded an engine capable of generating tremendous thrust for safe operations. Despite the GE9X’s impressive 110,000 pounds-force thrust rating, this figure represents less power than the GE90-115B engine, which produces 115,000 pounds-force. However, this apparent reduction in power requirements stems from the 777X’s highly efficient aerodynamic design. The aircraft features expansive wings that cover 5,025 square feet, generating exceptional lift characteristics. These wings enable the 777X to achieve up to 20 per cent better fuel efficiency compared to the Boeing 777-300ER. According to GE9X program manager Ted Ingling, Boeing’s engineering team accomplished remarkable efficiency improvements in the aircraft’s lift-to-drag ratio, reducing the thrust requirements despite the aircraft’s larger size. When comparing the 777X’s twin-engine configuration to other large commercial aircraft, the power advantage becomes apparent. The Airbus A380 utilises 4 engines, each producing approximately 75,000 pounds-force of thrust, while the Boeing 747-8 employs four engines rated at 66,500 pounds-force each. The 777X achieves similar performance capabilities with just two engines, demonstrating the remarkable efficiency of its design approach. Photo: Boeing Noise Reduction Technology Despite its massive size, the GE9X incorporates advanced noise reduction technologies that make it surprisingly quiet during operation. The engine’s high bypass ratio of 10:1 not only improves fuel efficiency but also significantly reduces noise levels by directing more air around the engine core rather than through it. General Electric has stated that the GE9X represents the quietest turbofan engine the company has ever produced per pound of static thrust generated. Rather than relying on traditional chevrons for noise reduction, which can create drag penalties, the GE9X incorporates innovative nozzle design technology that eliminates these efficiency compromises. The engine also features sophisticated honeycomb acoustic treatment within its exhaust system. This technology involves drilling thousands of microscopic holes in the composite skin materials to capture and dampen noise emissions. Photo- GE Aerospace Testing and Certification Process The GE9X underwent what General Electric describes as the most rigorous testing program in the company’s commercial aircraft engine history. This extensive testing regime included 27,000 operational cycles and 17,000 hours of comprehensive testing, including 1,600 cycles specifically dedicated to dust ingestion testing to simulate real-world operating conditions. During ground testing in 2017, the GE9X achieved a remarkable thrust output of 134,300 pounds-force, establishing a new world record officially recognised by Guinness World Records. The engine’s certification process involved 72 test flights totalling over 430 hours of flight time, demonstrating its reliability and performance capabilities across various operating conditions. The Boeing 777X completed its maiden flight in January 2020, featuring an approximately four-hour journey from Paine Field (PAE) to Boeing Field (BFI). While the program experienced some delays due to various technical challenges, the GE9X successfully obtained FAA type certification in 2020, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for the aircraft program. Photo- GE Aerospace Production and Market Outlook General Electric has commenced full-scale production of the GE9X engines at its Durham, North Carolina, facility, with new engines regularly completing manufacturing and proceeding to testing facilities in Ohio before shipment to Boeing’s Everett assembly plant. Boeing has accumulated over 480 orders for passenger versions of the 777X, plus an additional 59 commitments for the freighter variant. The majority of these orders specify the larger 777-9 variant, with approximately 440 orders, while the shorter 777-8 has attracted over 40 orders. Major customers include Emirates (EK) and Qatar Airways (QR), with launch customer Lufthansa (LH) scheduled to receive its first 777-9 delivery in late 2026. To support the global 777X fleet, General Electric plans to invest over one billion dollars during the next four years to enhance maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities worldwide. Photo: Boeing Bottom Line The Boeing 777X’s massive GE9X engines represent the culmination of decades of aerospace engineering advancement, combining unprecedented size with remarkable efficiency and environmental performance. As the aircraft approaches service entry, the GE9X engines will likely influence future engine development programs and demonstrate the continuing evolution of commercial aviation technology. Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates. Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News Pratt Sees JetZero As ‘Interesting Opportunity’ For Revamped PW2000 Share LE BOURGET—Pratt & Whitney says the blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft in development by California-based startup JetZero is an “interesting opportunity” for the potential launch of an updated version of the PW2000, an engine which first entered commercial service on the Boeing 757 in January 1983. Speaking at the Paris Air Show, Pratt Commercial Engines President Rick Deurloo says that he met here with JetZero to discuss the program and plans to visit the company’s Long Beach facility. Two PW2040 versions of the engine have been shipped to JetZero to power the BWB demonstrator which is set to fly in September 2027 under a $235 million cost-sharing U.S. Air Force contract awarded in 2023. The dual-role demonstrator is intended to provide the basis for the follow-on potential development of a new-generation military tanker-transport and a more efficient midmarket airliner. “I think JetZero is a really interesting opportunity,” Deurloo tells Aviation Week. “I'm not going to speculate on the defense side, what might happen or not happen. I think it's a really intriguing airplane, but we'll have to see how that plays out.” Although Pratt originally proposed a version of its PW1000G for the demonstrator, these were replaced by PW2040s after the Air Force requested more powerful engines. Pratt has also made a modernized version of the older engine the basis for its bid for the proposed follow-on Z4 production model. Other engine concepts were also recently presented by GE Aerospace/CFM International, Rolls-Royce and Kratos-owned FTT at the company’s last airline advisory group meeting. Despite the ongoing industry push for higher bypass ratio engines well beyond the PW2000’s 6:1 ratio, JetZero says a lower bypass better meets the BWB’s performance goals while also achieving the design limit of 80% maximum continuous thrust. Any noise and cruise efficiency penalties are compensated for by airframe shielding and the BWB’s lift-drag performance, the startup says. “A lower bypass ratio engine works better for us,” JetZero President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Da Silva says. He emphasizes the requirement is “not a low bypass, but lower.” The target is in the 6.5:1 to 8:1 bypass ratio range. “That’s perfectly fine. We don't need to go to 11:1 to 13:1, which is great for mid 30s cruise [35,000 ft], and maybe a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 180,000 lb. to 200,000 lb. We are going be around 280,000 lb. to 290,000 lb. MTOW on the production airplane and we want to fly at 45,000 ft.—so more like a Gulfstream,” he adds. Although the engine would require a new full authority digital engine control system, updated materials and a modern, low-emissions combustor to meet modern standards, the upgraded PW2000 engine could also suit Air Force requirements for a potential re-engining candidate for the Boeing C-17 airlifter. The current C-17 is powered by the F117, a military version of the PW2000. The Air Force issued a request for information for suitable re-engining powerplants in 2024. Trump wants to bring manufacturing jobs back. The aviation industry can't hire fast enough Story by Leslie Josephs • President Donald Trump has long touted the importance of manufacturing jobs in America. • But the U.S. aviation industry is facing a wave of retirements for aircraft technicians and other skilled aviation workers. • Airlines and aerospace companies are trying to get more younger people interested in the field. LAFAYETTE, Ind. — President Donald Trump has said he wants to bolster manufacturing jobs and other technical employment in the United States. But in the aviation industry, finding skilled workers to make airplanes and engines — and maintaining those jobs for years to come — has been a struggle. The average age of a certified aircraft mechanic in the U.S. is 54, and 40% of them are over the age of 60, according to a joint 2024 report from the Aviation Technician Education Council and consulting firm Oliver Wyman, which cites Federal Aviation Administration data. The U.S. will be short 25,000 aircraft technicians by 2028, according to the report. "A lot of them were hired on in the '80s and early '90s. You just start doing some math and you start saying at some point they're going to retire," said American Airlines Chief Operating Officer David Seymour, who oversees the carrier's more than 6,000 daily flights. To boost their ranks, airlines and big manufacturers of airplanes and their thousands of components are trying to get more younger people interested in the field. 'Lost a lot of talent' Technicians work on an engine at GE Aerospace's engine shop in Lafayette, Indiana. The industry was already facing a retirement wave when Covid hit, and companies cut or offered buyouts to experienced workers — from those who build aircraft to those who maintain them to keep flying. "People forget that the aerospace industry was in a pretty serious ramp at the time pre-Covid. And then frankly, of course overnight we went from ramping to zero demand over time. And so we lost a lot of talent," said Christian Meisner, GE Aerospace's chief human resources officer. GE, along with its French joint venture partner Safran, makes the bestselling engines that power Boeing and Airbus top-selling jetliners, and has been ramping up hiring, though it is also dependent on a web of smaller suppliers that have also been getting back up to speed since the pandemic. Meisner said that the company has a strong retention rate and that some employees earn their FAA licenses to work on airplane engines or airframes on the job. At GE's engine plant in Lafayette, Indiana, about an hour outside of Indianapolis, base pay averages between $80,000 and $90,000 a year, based on qualifications and experience, the company said. Median pay for aircraft technicians or mechanics was $79,140 a year in the U.S. in 2024, compared with a nationwide median income of $49,500, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency projects 13,400 job openings in the field each year over the next decade. American's Seymour said that with new pay raises, technicians could make $130,000 a year at the top of their pay scale in nine years at the carrier. While many experts don't expect jobs that have been shipped abroad like clothing manufacturing to come back to the U.S., high-value sectors tend to pay much more and are more likely to stick around. But hiring can still be difficult in a sector that is seen as politically important and symbolic to the country's economic power. The impending worker shortages aren't just for those who repair aircraft and engines. A shortfall of air traffic controllers has also stifled airline growth and raised concerns about safety in recent years. The Trump administration has said it will raise wages and ramp up hiring to try to reverse yearslong shortfalls. Manufacturing is about 9% of U.S. employment but "we all have a bit of a fetish with manufacturing because we focus on it more and than other sectors," said Gordon Hanson, a professor of urban policy at Harvard University. Students at Aviation High School in Queens, N.Y. The U.S. unemployment rate in May held steady at 4.2%. One problem with manufacturing jobs, Hanson said, is that workers aren't very geographically mobile, and if factories reopen or hiring ramps up, that could make it harder to attract employees from other places. "You're asking the local labor market to supply workers," Hanson added. Wages for technicians that repair aircraft at airlines, as well as big manufacturers like Boeing, have gone up in recent years, with skilled workers still in short supply and travel and airplane demand robust. But some workers said that's not enough. "We need to increase wages," said Sarah MacLeod, executive director of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association. Most of the companies the association works with are small businesses. She warned that the "entire world is going to feel this workforce shortage. You already can't get your houses built. You already can't do XYZ. I think and pray that aerospace can actually lead the recovery of that." Looking to the future Students work on an airplane engine at Aviation High School in Queens. Getting FAA licenses can take years, but the reward can be high. Some students are considering forgoing traditional four-year college degrees straight out of high school to get into the industry. "I'm thinking about going to college, but it's whichever really comes first. If they give me an opportunity to go to the airlines, I'd like to do that," said Sam Mucciardi, a senior at Aviation High School in Queens, New York. The public school offers its roughly 2,000 students the option to stay on for a fifth year to earn their FAA licenses with training at the school. "I stay late after school every day to work on the planes and, probably a little bit too much ... but I still really enjoy it," Mucciardi said. "That's what I put my all my heart into." The school, which has been teaching students how to maintain aircraft since the 1930s, is fielding more demand from airlines in recent years. "After a program like ours, typically you'd go to the regional airlines first, like the Endeavors, the Envoys," said Aviation High School Principal Steven Jackson. "Lately, because of the huge technician need, there's been more students going directly into American, Delta, United, but you have the whole range." He said the school received about 5,000 applications this year from students. A student at the hangar of Aviation High School in Queens, N.Y. Students at the school learn at the campus in the Sunnyside section of Queens but also at other facilities at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Seymour said American has teamed up with high schools before, but is now going even younger and working with some junior highs to raise awareness about the career path. "It is getting into the high schools and showing that a career in aerospace as an engineer or frankly, on a production floor, is not your grandparents' manufacturing. It is high tech," GE's Meisner said. "You're talking about laser-guided machine, precision machining operations, exotic coatings and metals." Krystal Godinez, who has lived in the Lafayette area for about 14 years, graduated last summer from GE's first apprentice program class at the facility after about two years. She said she previously worked in the automotive industry. "I feel like what I do here … definitely does matter. It's like taking all those extra steps, make sure everything is correct," she said. "We're there to kind of keep people safe out there and make them feel safe." American's Seymour was optimistic that younger people are changing their tune. "There was a period of time when people said 'I want a computer, I want tech,'" he said. "There are people who want to get their hands dirty." -- CNBC's Erin Black contributed to this article. First electronic warfare Shark aircraft received by Ukraine for anti-drone missions This Czech-Slovak plane can disrupt navigation and video signals from drones like Shahed and Orlan. by Yuri Zoria 22/06/2025 Czech-Slovak light aircraft Shark. Photo: Shark.aero First electronic warfare Shark aircraft received by Ukraine for anti-drone missions Ukraine has acquired its first lightweight two-seater SHARK aircraft from Czech-Slovak firm SHARK.AERO, equipped with an electronic warfare system specifically tailored to counter drone threats like Shahed and Orlan. This aircraft should not be confused with the Ukrainian high-resolution reconnaissance drone Shark, developed by Ukrspecsystems. This comes amid Russia’s daily explosive drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, with strikes often involving up to several hundred drones targeting residential areas. As air defenses grow increasingly strained and US anti-air supplies halted under the Trump administration, Ukraine is turning to every available means to counter the threat — from mobile fire teams with machine guns and interceptor drones to anti-air missiles. Despite these efforts, dozens of drones have recently breached defenses, damaging apartment buildings and injuring civilians. Aircraft unveiled at Paris Air Show According to Militarnyi, French aviation analyst Ate Chuet reported the delivery after meeting a SHARK.AERO representative during the 2025 Paris Air Show. The company spokesperson explained their design approach: “We decided to create a SHARK focused on electronic warfare in Ukraine. We simply equipped it with an antenna for detecting and tracking drone threats. We can detect the electromagnetic profiles of different drones such as Shahed, Orlan, etc. Once detected, we can neutralize them with jammers mounted under the aircraft.” How the EW system works The Shark’s electronic warfare (EW) suite consists of two components: one targets the GNSS positioning system, and the other jams the video and control links of drones. The jamming container is mounted under the aircraft’s fuselage, aligned with its center of mass. Operating at an altitude of 1800 meters, it can suppress enemy systems within a 4.5-kilometer radius. Tactical capabilities against guided drones While Shahed drones also use inertial navigation systems in addition to GNSS, such systems are primarily intended to compensate for deviations in small, jamming-affected zones. Since these systems accumulate error over time, extended jamming via airborne platforms like the Shark can significantly divert drones from their intended paths, even if it does not cause immediate failure. The aircraft’s cruising range at 270 km/h is approximately 2,000 kilometers, and in fuel-saving mode, it can stay airborne for nearly 12 hours. The maximum speed is 300 km/h. The Shark is also equipped with a parachute system capable of safely landing the entire aircraft in emergencies, which can be triggered by either the pilot or navigator. For high-altitude operations, it includes an oxygen generator, allowing it to fly up to 5,500 meters. With the “Ultrafan 30”, Rolls-Royce wants to power narrow-body jets again Ricardo Meier June 20, 2025 The UK manufacturer has revealed plans for a smaller variant of its high-dilution-ratio turbofan to re-enter the market for aircraft that will replace the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320 UltraFan tested by Rolls-Royce Boeing 747 (Rolls-Royce) Rolls-Royce is determined to return to the narrow-body jet engine market. To this end, the British company has revealed plans for a smaller variant of the UltraFan, its high-efficiency design developed several years ago. According to the manufacturer, in addition to the UltraFan 80, designed for large widebodies, the series will include the UltraFan 30, a turbofan with a diameter of about 90 inches. This is an engine larger than a Pratt & Whitney GTF and can generate a thrust of over 30,000 lbs. The secret lies in the high bypass ratio, 15:1 compared to up to 12:1 of today’s most advanced rivals. To achieve this performance, Rolls-Royce is betting on lightweight materials, including ceramic blades and a variable pitch fan system, among other technologies. UltraFan engine (Rolls-Royce) Table of Contents • A safer alternative than the “open-fan” • Engine line and participation in the V2500 A safer alternative than the “open-fan” The company’s plan is to complete the first test units by 2028 and then prepare flight tests by the end of the decade, possibly on board its Boeing 747-200 testbed. According to Rolls-Royce, the UltraFan 30 could prove to be very economical, although slightly below what the RISE project from CFM (GE and Safran) could achieve. CFM Rise engine (CFM) The two manufacturers are working on the open-fan concept, a type of jet engine with external blades capable of reducing consumption by around 20% compared to current turbofans. But the configuration is a commercial risk, according to Rolls-Royce executives, because it will require changes in the aircraft design. Despite this, Airbus has considered using the open-fan engine to replace the A320neo. Engine line and participation in the V2500 The commercial launch of the UltraFan, however, is hampered by the project’s costs. Rolls-Royce said it is seeking a partnership to share responsibilities and that it may or may not be another manufacturer. For many decades, the company had an important line of engines for commercial aircraft, which ranged from the Spey to the Tay, which powered smaller jets in the 1960s and 1980s, the AE 3007, used by the Embraer ERJ, and the BR700, one of whose versions was chosen for the Boeing 717 (ex-MD-95). Airbus A321 with V2500 engines (Xiangrui HUANG) In 1983, Rolls-Royce joined forces with Pratt & Whitney, JAEC and MTU to create International Aero Engine, a joint venture that produced the V2500 turbofan, one of the engines that powers the first-generation A320 family. But the UK manufacturer sold its stake in 2012, ending its presence in the narrow-body jet market. The possible return of the UltraFan is likely to be welcomed by the air travel market, which is struggling with aircraft production delays often caused by current engines. Kratos Selects Oklahoma For New Turbofan Production Site Share Steve Trimble June 15, 2025 Engines produced at the Oklahoma site could power the Kratos X-58 Valkyrie. Credit: Kratos PARIS—Kratos will assemble a new family of low-cost turbofan engines for uncrewed aircraft systems and cruise missiles in Bristow, Oklahoma, a company executive announced June 15 on the eve of the Paris Air Show. The 50,000-ft.2 facility will open in 2026 with two assembly lines for the GEK800 and GEK1500, two engines developed over the last decade by Kratos Turbine Technology (KTT) and since 2023 with GE Aerospace. KTT President Stacey Rock shared the news at an event in Paris hosted by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. The Kratos/GE partnership is investing upfront in manufacturing facilities ahead of a production order, Rock said. The GEK800 and GEK1500, whose thrust ratings align with their respective designations, are designed to enter a market dominated by more expensive turbofans made by Williams International, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce. Kratos started working on a new architecture for a lower-cost turbofan designed for expendable or attritable vehicles a decade ago. The design leverages structural material and suppliers that are common with the automotive industry, Rock said. KTT and GE expect to build only a small number of parts themselves, and contract with potentially hundreds of traditionally automotive suppliers for most of the content, he added. The Bristow facility will open with two assembly lines capable of delivering hundreds of engines a year and can scale up further with more lines based on demand. “As we get into the first quarter of 2027, obviously what we're producing will depend on the contracts for production that we get, and that as we sit here today—I can't say which engine those first production orders will come for,” Rock said. A potential candidate is a new engine to power the Kratos X-58 Valkyrie, which is the focus of ongoing experiment with the U.S. Marine Corps. The Defense Department also has proposed concepts for a host of new low-cost cruise missiles. JetZero Takes The Wraps Off Blended Wing Body Development Plans Share Guy Norris June 20, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. United Airlines has made an initial investment in JetZero that paves the way for a firm order for as many as 100 Z4s and options for another 100. A little more than two years after JetZero revealed ambitious plans to challenge the Airbus-Boeing air transport duopoly by developing a blended wing body (BWB) airliner, the California company remains on track to fly a full-scale demonstrator by late 2027. In development under a $235 million cost-sharing U.S. Air Force contract awarded in 2023, the dual-role demonstrator is intended to provide the basis for the follow-on development of a new-generation military tanker-transport and a more efficient midmarket airliner. • The demonstrator’s design review is finalized • Greensboro, North Carolina, is selected for serial production The startup acknowledges the huge task of building the demonstrator—an imposing twin-engine design with the same wingspan as a Boeing B-52. However, it is development of the proposed Z4 follow-on production model that begs the question: Can JetZero really pull this off? The answer is an unequivocal “yes,” according to co-founder and CEO Tom O’Leary, who says JetZero is winning the battle for credibility by taking a pragmatic approach to testing, development, certification and production. Underpinning this strategy is the plan to use Part 25-certified and commercial-off-the-shelf components for about 80% of the aircraft’s systems and equipment. But reaching this stage has not been easy. Despite the potential for fuel-efficiency gains of up to 50% compared with current tube-and-wing designs and a 200-250-passenger midmarket sector largely ignored by Airbus and Boeing, JetZero’s initial business plans were met with skepticism, O’Leary says. Potential investors and supporters “would be looking at us and say: ‘What are you guys, like eight people? You do realize there’s a global duopoly, right?’ ” he recalls. The challenge was “daunting, but not impossible,” he says. “So how did we turn that impossibility into inevitability? We went to the Air Force, and NASA helped us. They walked us into the Air Force, which was looking for a 21st-century airplane for a 21st-century problem, which is the tyranny of distance in the Pacific. The Air Force said: ‘We’d like to see a full-scale demonstration of this because that capability could really be a game-changer.’ ” Since the initial Air Force contract award in August 2023, JetZero’s project has continued to gather momentum. Bolstered in April by the addition of United Airlines to the growing list of publicly named carriers—alongside Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines—willing to reveal an investment in the project, the company has focused on building a comprehensive group of industry suppliers and recruiting a team of experts covering everything from structures and systems to certification and manufacturing. “We have over $300 million that’s committed to the program,” O’Leary says. “We’ve spent barely half of what’s been committed. To tap into all of the more than $150 million remaining, a lot of which comes from the Air Force, we do have financial milestones that we need to hit, and we’re in the middle of raising our Series B funding to achieve those goals. That’s going very well because we have a demand signal that’s very strong and very clear.” Operating in stealth mode for the first three years since its founding in 2020 by BWB veteran Mark Page and former Tesla and Beta Technologies executive O’Leary, the company expanded in 2024 into its current 285,000-ft.2, seven-building headquarters in Long Beach. The site is home to JetZero’s business operations, design team, cabin lab, fabrication shop, scale-model program and aero labs—including a flying qualities lab, iron-bird systems test rig and integrated test facility. Manufacturing of the demonstrator is underway at Northrop Grumman’s Scaled Composites facility in Mojave, California. Serial production of the Z4 BWB will take place at a manufacturing and final assembly site in Greensboro, North Carolina. The site, which was announced in June after an exhaustive nationwide competition among 24 locations in 13 states, forms part of a $4.7 billion investment plan designed to create 14,500 regional aerospace jobs. From a hardware perspective for the demonstrator, “we are much more advanced than you think,” says Florentina Viscotchi, head of engineering and formerly head of the Airbus A220 corporate jet program. Work has begun to lay out the composite structure of the cockpit, while the fuel tanks already are built. Among other components and assemblies under development, she adds: “The wing test article has been built, and now we are on the path to building that jig so we can build the final shape of the wing.” JetZero tests interoperability of electrical and electronic systems, including flight control computers and sidesticks, in its Integration Test Facility lab. Credit: JetZero Design of the production version is underway in parallel, aided by input from JetZero’s airline working group. “They give us feedback, and we take that into account in our product design. As a matter of fact, very soon, we will have a full baseline definition for that product, and that is an essential piece from which we continue driving trade studies,” Viscotchi says. The working group’s input already has informed meaningful changes to the configuration of both the demonstrator and production unit. For example, when JetZero completed a critical design review (CDR) of the demonstrator in May, it incorporated key changes to simplify the landing gear configuration made at the behest of the group. The revised gear arrangement sees the main landing gear legs moved forward and a conventional design replacing the originally proposed articulating pivot-gear nose leg. JetZero says the changes, which will be validated in upcoming wind tunnel tests, will not delay flight tests of the proof-of-concept BWB aircraft in late 2027. Page conceived the pivot-gear concept, originally called the pivot piston, to solve a conundrum facing BWB designs. Due to their short moment arm in pitch, blended-wing configurations require the main landing gear to be near the center of gravity (CG) for takeoff rotation. Although this improves low-speed pitch authority, the internal area used for stowage of the main and nose gears dramatically increases the overall depth of the aircraft, making it too big and heavy for the single-aisle or midsize market. By pivoting the nose gear, the design enabled the main gear to be moved farther aft, behind the cabin-pressure vessel rather than beneath it, freeing up space to allow a single deck configuration. On takeoff, the nose gear is designed to pivot and extend, raising the nose and creating extra lift from the body, which allows the aircraft to rotate around a “virtual” CG with minimal elevon download forces. But the airlines within its advisory group wanted a simpler design, JetZero President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Da Silva says. “The more we talked to the FAA and the airlines, everybody was ‘derisk, derisk, derisk,’” he notes. “So we looked at moving the main gear forward, closer to the CG of the airplane.” The additional lift from the body still “will enable liftoff speed to be slower, reducing demand for high takeoff thrust,” says the head of flight sciences, Hsin-Yi Yen. He explains that the initial design will meet its performance goals with relatively small trailing-edge flaps and without the need for leading-edge high-lift slats. Although the new configuration will require an internal redesign for the production model, JetZero faces fewer gear-retraction design restrictions on the demonstrator, which has been designed purely for proving the BWB’s aerodynamic qualities and does not carry any payload. The “Franken-demonstrator” will incorporate systems and components from several existing aircraft, including main landing gear from a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, nose gear and Pratt & Whitney PW2040 engines from a Boeing 757 and a hybrid electrical system combining elements from a Boeing 767 and Boeing C-17. “We’re iterating on the production airplane design,” Da Silva says. “We still want to keep the same thickness, and we have a lot of potential to move up the passenger floor and create space underneath. So it is still a single deck, but it does have a half-deck under it, which could fit the landing gear as well as LD3-45 containers.” Such cargo containers are used in the Airbus A320/A321. The pivot nose gear remains an option for future proposed follow-on Z3-family variants in the A320-Boeing 737 single-aisle replacement class. “We may go back to that design on a smaller-scale airplane, but at the size that we’re at [with the Z4,] the articulating nose gear was very big and complex and heavy,” Da Silva says. “We had a very workable design, and it works really well. We’re about to test another scale version of it.” Creation of additional lower deck space also may help to answer other questions posed by the working group. “Airlines have given us feedback because in the single-deck configuration: You must load bags into the ‘armpit’ of the airplane, and you can’t load it all from one side. You need to have two loaders,” Da Silva says. “From an airline ground-operations perspective, it is a little bit more of a challenge. So they tasked us to find different solutions.” Further details of the redesign will be unveiled after completion of the CDR. Operators “will be pleased with the outcome of that decision,” Viscotchi says. “I can’t tell you more at this point, but we do have that configuration nailed down. This is the configuration that will be used for the demonstrator, as well as for the product.” JetZero also is discussing propulsion options for the production version with engine suppliers including Pratt & Whitney, which is providing PW2040s for the demonstrator. BWB engine concepts also were presented by GE Aerospace-CFM International, Rolls-Royce and Kratos-owned FTT at JetZero’s recent airline advisory group meeting. Although Pratt appears to be in a leading position to supply the powerplant for the initial production aircraft, Viscotchi says the goal is to offer a choice of engines. “We’ve also heard loud and clear from those airlines that a dual-engine source is a very important item to consider,” she says. Citing her previous experience working on the A220, which is exclusively powered by Pratt, Viscotchi notes that offering a choice “allows me to keep that guy on their toes.” JetZero is asking engine-makers for propulsion systems that are optimized for top-of-climb thrust to suit a balanced power demand from takeoff to cruise altitudes of up to 45,000 ft. This, in turn, calls for engines with lower bypass ratios than the latest generation of turbofans, in service ones, in development or ones under study for aircraft in the 2030s. Although seemingly counterintuitive in an age of ever-increasing bypass ratios, the company says a lower bypass better meets the aircraft’s performance goals while achieving the design limit of 80% maximum continuous thrust. Any noise and cruise efficiency penalties are compensated for by airframe shielding and the BWB’s lift-drag performance, JetZero says. “A lower-bypass-ratio engine works better for us,” Da Silva says, emphasizing that the requirement is “not a low bypass, but lower.” The target is in the 6.5:1-8:1 bypass-ratio range. “That’s perfectly fine,” he notes. “We don’t need to go to 11:1-13:1, which is great for mid-30s cruise [35,000 ft.] and maybe a maximum takeoff weight [MTOW] of 180,000-200,000 lb. We are going be around 280,000-290,000 lb. MTOW on the production airplane, and we want to fly at 45,000 ft., so more like a Gulfstream.” The Z4 engines will be the first commercial airliner turbofans to be mounted over-wing since the Rolls-Royce-Snecma M45 on the VFW614 regional jet. While both the VFW614 and the more recently developed GE Aerospace-Honda HF120-powered HA-420 HondaJet business aircraft were designed with a single strut mount, the Z4 engine will be supported on a split pylon with a gap between the struts for boundary layer diversion. The semiburied nacelles are designed to prevent inlet distortion by channeling the boundary layer beneath the engine. Although some of the boundary layer still may be ingested at high thrust and low airspeed, the exit of the diverter is positioned below the nozzle, where it will draw a vacuum, enabling the diverter intake flow rate to match that of the engine inlet. Final design release for the nacelle is scheduled for mid-2026, and the finished product is expected to be ready for installation on the demonstrator in early 2027. JetZero says it also is working with Pratt and the airline group on methods for servicing the engine on the Z4. Large side-of-body structural members, represented in the Z4 cabin mockup, indicate the interface area between the noncylindrical cabin pressure vessel and the wing. Credit: Guy Norris/AW&ST Through 2024 and early 2025, the focus for aerodynamic testing has been on a series of subscale aircraft, data from which continues to be fed into the flying qualities lab for flight controls development. Initial work through the first part of this year included tests of Subscale Vehicle (SV) 1, in which the first 6.25%-scale BWB model was attached to the back of a truck for open-air, high-speed runs. “It’s like a moving wind tunnel,” Da Silva says. “It allows us to do a lot of the tests that you would do in a wind tunnel by running a truck up and down the runway. Long Beach Airport has been very collaborative with us. They shut down a taxiway, and we can go up and down at 60-plus mph with a big, 11-ft.-wingspan airplane attached to the back of a pickup truck.” JetZero’s decision to refocus on the smaller SV test series comes after the loss of the larger and more expensive 12.5%-scale air vehicle (AV-1) in a battery fire following its first flight in June 2024. AV-1 was designed to inform the development of flight controls. “We can do all that in a 6.25% model at one-eighth the cost,” Da Silva says. “So that allows us to build multiple models, experiment as we go and fly at a higher tempo. “We’re targeting about mid-July for when we feel that we have all the control laws and configuration firmed up on the SV program,” he continues. “Then we can choose to fly the second 12.5%-scale vehicle, AV-2, or not.” Results will be incorporated into the overall aerodynamic database, with contributions coming from further low- and high-speed wind tunnel tests planned for this year and early in 2026. Aerodynamic data from refined computational fluid dynamics analysis scheduled for the third quarter of 2025 also will be fed into the flying qualities lab. This will be augmented with results from the high-speed wind tunnel work scheduled for early next year, leading to the planned completion of flight control law tests before mid-2026. The flying qualities lab enables rapid prototyping of flight control software and “ensures we can develop a very safe pilot-in-the-loop fly-by-wire flight control system,” control law engineer Gerald Arzoumanian says. “By ‘safe,’ in this case we mean to have precise handling qualities and low pilot workload in normal or abnormal conditions.” Veteran flight control law developer and test pilot Scott Buethe, who will fly the demonstrator along with former Virgin Orbit test pilot Mathew Stannard, says the BWB flight control architecture incorporates several special features. “We’ve designed the flight control system so that you can introduce side slip, and it basically just keeps the wings level for you,” Buethe says. “So we decoupled yaw and roll.” Although tailless in the conventional sense, the BWB will have wingtip-mounted vertical rudders, two sets of multisegment ailerons inboard and outboard and elevators mounted on the trailing edge of the body. Designed to have less gust sensitivity than the 737, the aileron segments are configured to deploy in an alternating up and down—or “crow-foot”— sequence to create vortex drag for yaw control and speed brake control. “A big part of what we are designing here is the control mixer,” Buethe says, referring to the system that blends the input of all the aircraft control surfaces. Sized to carry about 250 passengers up to 5,000 nm, the Z4 main cabin has four major parallel compartments and additional premium seating in the forward section. Credit: JetZero The flight deck also features BAE Systems-developed active side-stick controllers derived from systems on the Lockheed Martin F-35 and later introduced on Gulfstream G500/600 business jets. JetZero would be the first airliner/large transport to utilize the active sticks, which move together and improve feedback and situational awareness for the pilots. While focusing on tailoring the flight control system for envelope protection, the JetZero approach is intended to combine the best of the control philosophies used by Airbus and Boeing. Airbus prioritizes pitch stability by providing automatic trim to maintain 1g flight, while Boeing focuses on speed stability. “Airbus has no speed stability,” Buethe says. “That’s great for up-and-away and normal flight but not so great for landing. We plan to have speed stability for takeoff and landing but not up-and-away. So we aren’t locked into one thing for each phase of flight, we’re going to have what’s most appropriate for that phase of flight. We intend to blend the best of all worlds. “If you have a private pilot’s license and can fly a Cessna 172, you’ll be able to fly this aircraft,” he adds. “And if you fly a Boeing or an Airbus or a business jet or a military jet, you will be able to jump in this aircraft and fly it from Day 1 without any difference.” Validation of avionics hardware and software functionality, including interoperability, is underway in the Integration Test Facility (ITF). Based around a geometrically accurate cockpit, the ITF is configured with aircraft-equivalent wiring and powered by an aircraft-level electrical distribution system. Developed with Michigan-based real-time test systems specialists Applied Dynamics International (ADI), the ITF builds on “some of the best practices that we could learn out of others we have done for companies like Rolls-Royce and some of the best practices from BAE Systems,” ADI President and CEO Scott James says. “These labs are going to shorten this [test and development] program in a significant way,” James says. “Then when the aircraft moves into sustainment, these labs are going to be continuously busy as well.” In later phases, the ITF and Iron Bird, a related full-size mechanical systems test rig, “will be used as new software drops from the system suppliers come out,” he notes. “They may be used to solve bugs or maybe for revenue-generating upgrades for the aircraft. These labs will be used in a way that really minimizes the cost to the customer.” “We are really relying on the ITF to move us along in the process,” JetZero avionics architecture engineer TeAnn Nguyen says. “We’re using it all the way from software—how we think we want everything to work—to how we expect everything to work and then on to how it actually does work,” she says. “As we receive real line-replaceable units, we will use the brains of various systems like the fuel control computers, the flight control computers, the engine [full authority digital engine control] and so on. We can put those into the system, communicate with them directly as they would be on the aircraft and kind of work out those integration issues, as well as look at things like injecting faults.” The ITF is more advanced than earlier facilities, Mason Gawler, simulation engineer and labs lead for JetZero, says. “[In previous integration facilities], you get behind schedule because of late hardware delivery, so you can only start testing when everything comes in,” he says. “But with this lab, we’ve simulated all those systems already that we haven’t got in, so we can start integrating. For example, I’m sending air data exactly how the pitot tube will send it to the flight control computers right now, without the pitot tube being there.” JetZero also is working on different structural solutions for the BWB’s noncylindrical composite pressure vessel. “We’re currently evaluating the trade space for options of different structural architectures that make the most sense,” Structures Manager Michael Galvin says. “Just like any other aircraft program, whatever we ultimately choose has to buy its way onto the airplane.” JetZero’s Greensboro, North Carolina, facility is planned to eventually produce up to 20 Z4 BWBs per month. Credit: JetZero Through a partnership with composites company Hexcel, along with the Wichita-based National Institute for Aviation Research, M4 Engineering and Mississippi State University’s Advanced Composites Institute, JetZero is working under an FAA program to study the feasibility of using stitched-resin-infused composites on a Part 25 aircraft. Building on the work conducted in the 2000s by Boeing and NASA under the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (Prseus) program, the FAA’s Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) program is targeted at supporting technologies for “advanced noncylindrical pressure-vessel designs at unprecedented production rates.” Through Prseus, NASA and Boeing achieved a skin gauge 35% thinner than on the 787 with a stitched structure that was “fail safe” compared with the safe-life thicker laminate composite structures of today. Tests conducted on an 85%-scale BWB pressure vessel validated the strength and delamination resistance of the material and paved the way for the follow-on studies underway at JetZero. “We haven’t made any final decisions for architecture on the production variant of the aircraft, but we’re evaluating the trade space of traditional pre-preg materials, out-of-autoclave materials and stitched resin-infused architecture as well,” Galvin says. In the next few months, JetZero and Scaled Composites aim to have completed all major tooling, with external airframe design loads released around the same time. Final structure design release is expected in the third quarter. The nose section of the demonstrator is scheduled to be completed in early 2026; the wings and center and aft body should follow around midyear. For manufacturing of the Z4, “we have a very conservative, metered approach to production,” Da Silva says. “We are looking at a five-year gradual production ramp-up, which may be six [years]. “If anybody gets into this business with the assumption that everything is going to go swimmingly and it’s going to work exactly as planned, they are fools, so you have to go in with an optimistic approach but a realistic plan,” he adds. Following a timescale roughly two years behind that of the demonstrator, JetZero provisionally plans to hold a CDR for the Z4 in mid-2027, leading to production prototypes around 2029. This first batch of aircraft is planned to be built at a rate of three per month, gradually expanding to five per month. The production rate is expected to continue to accelerate, so by the end of the fifth full year of production, the site could be making up to 20 aircraft per month. “We believe 20 a month for an airplane of this size and complexity is very feasible in the first factory,” Da Silva says, adding that the production methodology is modeled on that of Airbus rather than Boeing. “One has production processes dating back to the 1940s; the other has production processes that were created in the 1970s,” he says. “The difference in technology between the two production processes allows Airbus to replicate factories and final assembly lines a lot easier than Boeing. “Now imagine how much technology was created between 1974 and today, when they are able to build their production final assembly line with computing power and AI data mining,” he continues. “So we intend to create a production system that is repeatable in a very easy manner.” JetZero is engaging digital assets to help with the design of the factory as well as the aircraft itself by using Siemens’ Xcelerator open digital business platform. “We are partnering with them on the design, simulation and development of the aircraft,” says Tom Tengan, director of digital enterprise at Siemens. “They are using our technology to augment their engineering and design teams so they can run the aircraft in a virtual development phase through its paces and verify that the aircraft works and is able to meet all of the requirements.” Siemens also is working with the company on a tailored version of an aerospace digital thread. “The digital thread is the connected business elements of how a product goes through its life cycle and what information has to move from phase to phase of its development,” Tengan says. “We’re working with JetZero to define that and make sure we have the data handoffs and connectivity throughout the life cycle as they design and simulate and validate their product.” Siemens is helping JetZero plan the automation, layout and power requirements for the assembly site, too. This includes planning for “composites, fiber layup capabilities and the assembly capabilities required if they want to use automated guided vehicles, as well as moving tools and parts and components and subsystems around the factory,” Tengan says. “We are helping with traffic management of how everything in the factory is going to move, including the people on the shop floor, as well as safety around the robots and the robot cells for automated fiber placement and things of that nature.” “Our plan is to build the factory in phases,” Da Silva notes. “We have Phase 1, which will support up to five a month, and then Phase 2 goes to 10 [per month]. Phase 3 goes to 20. You replicate the first line to go to 10, so you have two lines going, and then you replicate the same building to double the rate.” JetZero plans to produce the center body and has issued requests for information to industry for what it calls the remaining “four corners”—the outer wings, cockpit and wedge empennage. “The center body, which is the fuselage-to-wing section, is where the big intellectual property is, so we will retain that no matter what,” Da Silva asserts. The four corner sections are “all simple pre-preg composites and things that other people have already done,” he adds. —With Steve Trimble and Joe Anselmo in Long Beach Curt Lewis