September 24, 2025 - No. 39 In This Issue : Sustainable aviation fuel sales agreement signed for Hawaiian Airlines Osaka-Honolulu flights : Delta Partners With Aerospace Company Making New Hybrid Electric Jet : World-first steel experiment may advance nuclear fusion and hydrogen aircraft : US firm tests air-breathing supersonic ramjet engine tech in milestone flight : Air Force Officials Say They’re Poised to Solve the Longstanding ‘Valley of Death’ : Airbus Preps Morphing Wing For 2026 Test To Feed A320 Successor Study : Pentagon’s Bold Pivot: Keeping the E-7 Alive : Scientist reveals the first hypersonic engine capable of taking off at Mach 6 from a runway. : Airbus Begins Assembly of This New Widebody Aircraft Variant : Textron Aviation rolls out first production Cessna Citation Ascend : New aircraft mechanic program takes flight in Colorado Sustainable aviation fuel sales agreement signed for Hawaiian Airlines Osaka-Honolulu flights August 30, 2025 · 11:00 PM CDT Hawaiian Airlines will blend sustainable aviation fuel on select flights between Osaka and Honolulu. Hawaiian Airlines today announced it will be incorporating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on flights between Osaka, Japan, and Honolulu, Hawai‘i under a sales agreement between parent company Alaska Air Group Inc., and Cosmo Oil Marketing Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Cosmo Energy Holdings Co., Ltd. Fuel deliveries beginning this month at Kansai International Airport will mark the first time Hawaiian Airlines has introduced SAF – which can lower life-cycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel. “Japan is an important international market for Hawaiian Airlines, and we appreciate Cosmo’s investment in locally sourced SAF – the most effective technology to lower our carbon emissions – that we are now using on our flights between Osaka and Honolulu,” said Alanna James, Sustainability innovation director at Hawaiian Airlines. The SAF traded under this agreement was commercialized following Cosmo’s receipt of a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization subsidy from the Japanese government in 2021, aimed at establishing a supply chain model for SAF production from used cooking oil sourced domestically in Japan. Cosmo Energy Group’s facility will be the first to mass produce SAF in Japan and the SAF will come with ISCC CORSIA and ISCC EU certifications. These certifications are part of the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification initiative, which recognizes compliance with international standards for sustainable products. The fuel will be produced by SAFFAIRE SKY ENERGY LLC, a joint venture formed by Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., JGC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, and REVO International Inc. The initiative supports Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines’ strategy to reduce carbon emissions and grow the SAF market. The Cosmo Energy Group has worked to establish a supply chain to deliver Japan’s first locally made SAF, with the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Group is also helping build social momentum through initiatives such as an ongoing pilot program to collect household used cooking oil at service stations for repurposing into SAF feedstock. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines – both founded more than 90 years ago to connect communities, bring people together, transport products, and enable economic growth – are committed to stewarding their environmental impact to create a durable long-term future for the company. As the most fuel-efficient premium US carriers, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have an ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 through investments in SAF, technology and fleet modernization, among other initiatives. Delta Partners With Aerospace Company Making New Hybrid Electric Jet Delta expands its Sustainable Skies Lab with Maeve’s hybrid-electric regional jet, advancing efficiency and next-gen aviation. By Kashyap Velani September 20, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. ATLANTA- Delta Air Lines (DL) partners with Maeve Aerospace to develop the MAEVE Jet, a hybrid electric regional aircraft that reduces fuel consumption and emissions by up to 40 percent using conventional jet fuel. Additional lifecycle emissions reductions occur with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), aligning with Delta’s net-zero emissions goal by 2050. This partnership positions Delta as Maeve’s North American global airline partner, providing operational expertise to enhance the jet’s design. The MAEVE Jet introduces a first of its kind interpretation of regional aircraft, offering narrow body economics and comfort for short-haul operations with a five abreast, single aisle configuration. Photo: Delta Air Lines Maeve Aerospace’s Hybrid Electric Jet Maeve Aerospace designs the MAEVE Jet to achieve up to 40 percent fuel reduction through a hybrid electric engine architecture that provides power assistance at low altitude operations. This setup optimizes the power plant and wing for lower fuel consumption and supports the efficient integration of more electric aircraft systems. Delta lends its fleet innovation knowledge to tailor the MAEVE Jet for the US market, setting new standards for sustainable regional flights. The aircraft remains compatible with both conventional jet fuel and SAF, enabling deeper emissions cuts over its lifecycle. As the fifth revolutionary fleet partner in Delta’s Sustainable Skies Lab, Maeve complements innovations across short, medium, and long-haul markets. This milestone advances Delta’s 2023 Sustainability Roadmap by accelerating solutions for a more sustainable future of travel. Photo: Maeve Aerospace Delta’s Sustainability Strategy Delta’s strategy centers on 3 key pillars: what we fly, how we fly, and the fuel we use. Investments include next generation aircraft, scaling SAF usage, optimizing flight operations, and reducing weight onboard to save jet fuel, taking a holistic approach to decarbonizing air travel. Other Sustainable Skies Lab partners include JetZero with its blended wing body mainline aircraft, Joby with their home to airport air offering, and Airbus and Boeing, both exploring aerodynamic design solutions. These collaborations drive fuel savings, elevate customer experience, and prioritize safety. “Delta is proud to collaborate with Maeve to help shape the next chapter of regional aviation and accelerate progress toward a more sustainable future of flight,” said Kristen Bojko, Vice President of Fleet at Delta Air Lines. “As we work toward the next generation of aircraft, we look to partners like Maeve who embody the bold, forward-thinking innovation we champion at Delta, solutions that advance aircraft design, enhance operational efficiency, elevate employee and customer experiences, and cut emissions. While driving toward transformative technologies that strengthen our network and redefine regional air travel remains a key priority, we’re equally focused on safety and a more sustainable future of flight.” “It’s a privilege to have Delta as a partner in the development of groundbreaking technologies and processes,” shared Martin Nuesseler, Chief Technology Officer at Maeve Aerospace. “Their expertise in fleet innovation and commitment to aviation sustainability is unmatched, and we’re proud to work together to tailor the MAEVE Jet for the US market.” Photo: Clément Alloing Regional Operations with Green Taxi Delta partners with Green Taxi Aerospace through its Sustainable Skies Lab to develop electric aircraft taxiing technology that reduces fuel use, operating costs, taxi time, and carbon emissions. The system optimizes for regional aircraft at airports, with Delta contributing decades of operational experience. Green Taxi’s vision extends far beyond a single aircraft model or airline, promoting broader industry adoption. This initiative exemplifies Delta’s approach to impact what it controls today while innovating future technologies like scaling sustainable aviation fuel and revolutionary fleet development. 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 World-first steel experiment may advance nuclear fusion and hydrogen aircraft Hydrogen weakens metals, causing unexpected cracks and failures. Updated: Sep 09, 2025 05:12 AM EST Nuclear particle accelerator at Argonne named ATLAS. Representative image. Argonne National Laboratory Hydrogen is set to become a key energy source, fueling everything from aircraft and heavy-duty vehicles to cars and homes. However, hydrogen comes with problems in weakening metals, causing unexpected cracks and failures. In a world-first experiment, the University of Oxford and Brookhaven National Laboratory researchers have used real-time 3D imaging to understand hydrogen’s effect on stainless steel. The team studied in real-time how tiny defects inside stainless steel behave when exposed to hydrogen. The findings could support the development of safer, more reliable hydrogen fuel systems for applications like aircraft, fusion reactors, pipelines, and storage tanks. “Hydrogen has great potential as a clean energy carrier, but it’s notorious for making materials it comes in contact with more brittle. For the first time, we have directly observed how hydrogen changes the way defects in stainless steel behave deep inside the metal, under realistic conditions,” said Dr. David Yang, lead researcher from the Brookhaven National Laboratory. “This knowledge is essential for designing alloys that are more resilient in extreme environments, including future hydrogen-powered aircraft and nuclear fusion plants,” Yang added. Advanced X-ray imaging technique Hydrogen is considered an ideal clean fuel for difficult-to-decarbonize sectors like shipping and aviation. However, hydrogen embrittlement risks the integrity of metal components like high-pressure vessels and pipelines. In a unique experiment, researchers used an ultra-bright X-ray beam at the Advanced Photon Source in the US to peer inside a speck of stainless steel (roughly 700 nanometres in diameter). Using the Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging technique, they watched in real-time as hydrogen was introduced. This allowed them to track the behavior of internal defects in steel known as dislocations due to the presence of hydrogen. The team observed three critical changes. • Firstly, hydrogen made defects (dislocations) move and reshape more easily, acting like a “lubricant at the atomic level.” • Secondly, the team observed that the defects showed an unexpected upward movement (climb). It indicated that hydrogen allows for atomic rearrangements that are not typically possible at room temperature, making the metal less hard and more vulnerable. • And finally, as hydrogen accumulated, it reduced the stress around the defects—a process the team calls hydrogen elastic shielding. This essentially shields the metal from internal stress, weakening it from within. Materials for hydrogen-based applications The team stated that the unexpected failure of metals exposed to hydrogen is due to the gas allowing internal defects to move with greater ease and in new ways. “Using coherent X-ray diffraction, a non-destructive method, we were able to watch atomic-scale events unfold in real time inside solid metal without cutting open the sample,” said Prof. Felix Hofmann, the study’s principal investigator from Oxford. “Some of the results really surprised us by showing behaviour we weren’t expecting,” Hofmann added. This research will help engineers model and predict materials’ performance in hydrogen-rich environments. The findings can be used to improve the multi-scale simulation frameworks that industries rely on to develop hydrogen-powered aircraft, vehicles, and infrastructure. It also paves the way for developing novel alloys specifically engineered to resist hydrogen embrittlement. The findings, which complement data from electron microscopy and simulations, will be used to develop models for the industry and to plan future experiments on how hydrogen affects other defects. The study was published in the journal Advanced Materials. US firm tests air-breathing supersonic ramjet engine tech in milestone flight Pentagon-backed ATLAS program aims to extend the range of future munitions with solid fuel ramjet propulsion. Updated: Sep 23, 2025 11:00 AM EST Sujita Sinha GE Aerospace ran three successful supersonic ATLAS ramjet flights at Kennedy Space Center. GE Aerospace GE Aerospace announced on September 22 that it has completed supersonic captive carry flight tests of its Atmospheric Test of Launched Airbreathing System (ATLAS) Flight Test Vehicle. The milestone took place at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and marks an important step in advancing solid fuel ramjet (SFRJ) propulsion technology. During the test campaign, the ATLAS system was carried on a Starfighter F-104 aircraft. According to the company, the system successfully reached supersonic speeds across three flights. The company confirmed that the results validated the in-flight performance of solid fuel ramjets. “This marks a pivotal moment for GE Aerospace as we showcase our solid fuel ramjet technology in flight for the first time,” said Mark Rettig, vice president & general manager of Edison Works Business & Technology Development at GE Aerospace. “Captive carry testing of reusable flight test hardware allows for more frequent testing in realistic atmospheric conditions to better understand system behavior.” Pentagon-funded development The project is funded through Title III of the Defense Production Act, with support from the Pentagon. The goal is to scale up air-breathing propulsion technology to extend the range of future munitions. The aviation firm said the data collected from the ATLAS program will be valuable for designing next-generation systems requiring higher speed, longer range, and better responsiveness. The company is investing in multiple high-speed and hypersonic propulsion technologies as part of its broader defense strategy. Expanding hypersonic portfolio The aerospace giant has been expanding its capabilities in this field over the past few years. In 2022, the company acquired Innoveering, a firm specializing in hypersonic propulsion systems. Earlier this year, GE also announced upgrades to its testing infrastructure at facilities in Ohio, New York, and Niskayuna. These improvements allow mission-relevant, higher-Mach testing at a scale that was not possible before. Alongside the ATLAS announcement, the company revealed successful demonstrations of two rotating detonation combustion (RDC) engines at its Aerospace Research Center in Niskayuna. The tests involved a missile-scale ramjet and a dual-mode ramjet designed for high-speed aircraft. Rotating detonation combustion advances The RDC tests demonstrated robust performance and showed a threefold increase in engine airflow compared to earlier hypersonic demonstrators. “We’ve proven that GE Aerospace’s rotating detonation combustion designs are scalable,” said Rettig. “In just 10 months, our team advanced from its legacy ramjet to a 3X scale demonstrator with RDC. This rapid progress underscores the maturity of our technology and the strength of our roadmap toward integrated high-speed propulsion solutions.” RDC technology allows fuel and air to combust through detonation waves rather than conventional combustion methods. This enables higher thrust and efficiency while reducing engine size and weight. Testing began in July at the firm’s continuous flow propulsion facility. The work was made possible through collaboration between GE Aerospace engineers, the acquired Innoveering team, and the company’s research center. These milestones build on GE’s 2024 achievement, when it took a dual-mode ramjet from concept to testing in less than a year. GE Aerospace’s Edison Works division continues to drive innovation in defense propulsion and systems. Air Force Officials Say They’re Poised to Solve the Longstanding ‘Valley of Death’ Aug. 28, 2025 | By Shaun Waterman The Air Force is finally poised to deal with the “Valley of Death” problem—the gulf between the invention of an innovative new technology and its deployment at scale to warfighters— leaders of the department’s science and technology enterprise told defense industry executives Aug 27. New organizations like the provisional Integrated Capabilities Command and the Air Force Materiel Command Integrated Development Office are looking not at exciting new technologies that are emerging, but at operational problems that need solving, said Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Technology, and Engineering Janet Wolfson. She spoke at a panel discussion during the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technology Conference. Traditionally, the Air Force has thought of—and purchased—capabilities on a per-platform basis: Buying aircraft, missiles or other equipment. But the new organizations are looking not at platforms, but at “mission threads”—the sequence of capabilities required to execute a particular mission. They are thus able to identify key bottlenecks, roadblocks and missing capabilities, Wolfson said. “They’re really laying out how solving this one problem, here’s all the things that it can fix,” she told Air & Space Forces Magazine in a brief interview after the panel, “Think of it like Pick-up Sticks. If I pull the right one, all the others move too.” But identifying key missing capabilities is only half of the solution, she added. “Getting that buy-in from Pentagon headquarters to help us … fund them” is also essential, she said, “And that’s what I’m optimistic about.” The new administration has given reformers a mandate of sorts, she said, “We can break stuff, and throw out bad processes.” But the breakthrough was the fruit of many years’ work, she added. “This is something that has been working through the Air Force for a long time. … It just takes time to really formulate how to go after these complicated things.” Looking at mission threads end-to-end to identify capability gaps and problems is the key change, explained Brig. Gen. Matthew Groves, the director of capability development for the ICC. “In the past, you might have seen capabilities that were developed within Air Force stovepipes, within Air Combat Command or Air Mobility Command. And those were never integrated together until they got to a fairly high level in the process,” he told reporters after the panel. One example of a stovepiped capability proffered later by an industry executive who was not authorized to speak to the media was F-22 communications. The fifth-generation fighter was initially developed without much thought being given to how it would communicate with other platforms, leading to problems later on. ICC, Groves added, is intended to “create that collaborative and integrated approach from the beginning to ensure that we are not just developing some shiny new thing that goes 10 percent faster, but rather working on the entire mission set.” The idea, he said, is to combine “our requirements work, our capabilities, development, and our resource recommendations together so that when an industry partner or an S&T lab has an idea, they can actually see the whole path from prototype to product,” from the first research contract to a program of record. “That’s how we avoid innovations rusting in a warehouse and instead deliver real, scalable, interoperable, joint fighting capabilities,” he said. ICC, as designed, is meant to absorb different requirements roles that belonged to Air Combat Command, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Air Mobility Command, centralizing the process of buying cutting-edge technology in a single organization. Priority areas for the ICC “include, but are not limited to, [Command, Control and Computers, or] C3, cyber warfare and autonomous systems,” Groves told the panel. The ICC, initially stood up in a provisional capability last September, has been in limbo for six months. In February, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Department of the Air Force to pause work on the ICC and other changes planned in 2024 as part of then-Secretary Frank Kendall’s “Re-Optimization for Great Power Competition” initiative. Officials said this was to give the department’s then-unconfirmed new leadership, Secretary Troy E. Meink and Undersecretary Matthew Lohmeier, the chance to review the plans. Meink was sworn in May 16 and Lohmeier in July, but there is still no word on the future of the ICC, Groves said, adding that though he had not personally met the new secretary, “I know that [he] is very well informed about everything we’re doing.” He said the uncertainty over the future was not a problem for the ICC: “We’re pushing forward with the work that needs to be done.” A big piece of that work is creating a clear, unified “demand signal” for industry, plainly identifying the breakthrough capabilities the department sought, said Lorenzo Vallone, the technical director of the Integrated Development Office in Air Force Materiel Command, the procurement shop that buys most enterprise software and other IT for the department. Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, left, Air Force Materiel Command commander, and Amanda Gentry, AFMC Integrated Development Office director, unveil the IDO emblem during the AFMC IDO Stand-up ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force December 17, 2024. The IDO serves as the acquisition partner to the Integrated Capabilities Command (Provisional), U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Dietrick IDO was created to be the procurement counterpart to the requirements work done by ICC, and the two are working together to ensure industry gets a single unified demand signal, Vallone said. The two organizations have already held joint industry days and are working on a white paper “to come out shortly here in the near future.” The paper will focus on “emerging disruptive technologies,” he added. “We’re looking at advanced materials and manufacturing. We’re looking at directed energy or scalable non kinetic capabilities … AI and machine learning, human-machine teaming, and machine-to-machine learning. We’re looking, of course, at autonomous and unmanned systems, and interoperability between autonomous and manned systems. We’re looking at the integration of the air and space domains, and that’s about policy in that area. And lastly, we’re looking at hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, with regards to weapons and vehicles.” To succeed in eliminating the Valley of Death, it is critical that requirements generation, research, resource allocationm and procurement are all in lockstep, said Air Force Research Laboratory Commander Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei. Program Executive Officers who manage the big acquisition programs the department runs, are at the coalface, he said—they are the ones who have to actually execute on the new vision. “This panel is great,” Bartolomei said, “What would have been perfect, is if we had the 20 PEOs sitting up here.” PEOs are stepping up, he added, “One of the things that we’re seeing that is really encouraging is innovation-friendly acquisition portfolios,” he said, singling out the program office for Command, Control, Computers and Battle Management. Acquisition leaders like C3BM PEO Maj. Gen. Luke Cropsey are “really leaning forward” with a modular open systems approach that sets hardware and software standards to ensure that, for example, a radar targeting system designed by one vendor can talk to a remotely guided missile designed by another. “They’re growing the ecosystem for the vendors in those acquisitions to be able to be more nimble,” he said. Other PEOs were developing, in partnership with industry, a blueprint called a government reference architecture, a core set of rules and interfaces that vendors have to follow to ensure interoperability between their solutions, explained Bartolomei. He compared the architecture and the more mature technologies designed to meet its requirements to a Christmas tree, and the cutting-edge technologies being developed by AFRL and elsewhere to its ornaments. “We can hang different ornaments on that Christmas tree, and they can be more potent and more effective,” he said. He cited the old adage that “technology oftentimes doesn’t know its application until that moment,” appealing to industry to respond to the demand signal. “I think you and your teammates might be sitting on things that we [in the military] haven’t even discovered,” he said. “And that excites me.” Airbus Preps Morphing Wing For 2026 Test To Feed A320 Successor Study Thierry Dubois September 16, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. Before taxi tests in 2026, the aircraft with Airbus' Extra Performance Wing is slated to undergo ground vibration and wing-loading tests this year. Credit: Airbus UpNext Under the Extra Performance Wing research and technology project, Airbus is exploring what could become a major aerodynamic improvement on a future narrowbody. Airbus is conducting the research as part of its technology selection process for an A320 successor—called the next-generation single-aisle (NGSA)—that could enter service in 2037-38. Bruno Fichefeux, Airbus’ head of future programs, said in July that the OEM’s Extra Performance Wing (X-Wing) could be one of those technologies. • The wing will feature adaptive profile for greater efficiency and high aspect ratio for lower drag • Transition boxes link the demo wing to a Cessna fuselage The X-Wing project, funded by France, Germany and the UK, is integrated with Airbus’ Wing of Tomorrow research and technology program. Engineers involved in Wing of Tomorrow also study manufacturing improvements. Airbus UpNext, the airframer’s innovation arm, has installed the composite, high-aspect-ratio wing—intended to demonstrate 5-10% better efficiency—on a modified Cessna Citation VII business jet. The design of the X-Wing combines the reduced drag of a high-aspect-ratio wing with the greater efficiency of an adaptive profile. Since a longer wingspan usually comes with higher weight, Airbus will test features that should keep weight unchanged. Increasing the aspect ratio reduces the wingtip vortex and therefore drag. However, because the wing must withstand extreme turbulence, increasing the wingspan generally calls for strengthening its structure, which in turn increases weight. As a solution, Airbus UpNext engineers have designed a hinged wingtip. At the root of the wingtip extension, a semi-aeroelastic hinge is triggered in strong turbulence, thereby freeing the wingtip and alleviating the loads induced by that turbulence. The need for reinforcement is thus eliminated. To make the profile adaptive, the demonstration wing’s trailing edge is fitted with three flaps. Each flap has four multifunctional trailing edges, or tabs, that can change position very quickly. Like a bird’s wing, the demonstrator’s wing will adapt to flight conditions—altitude, speed and aircraft weight. The flaps can retract to modify the chord, and the tabs can move to alter camber. The aspect ratio on the converted Citation VII’s wing exceeds 15 (an increase from approximately 10 on an A320). The test wing spans approximately 20 m (66 ft.), including the 2-m movable tip sections. The design is representative of a commercial single-aisle aircraft at a one-third scale factor. Airbus UpNext tested a one-fourth-scale aerodynamic model in a low-speed wind tunnel at Airbus’ site in Filton, England, earlier in the project. Aerotec & Concept, a specialist in business aircraft conversion, is in charge of carrying out the modification design. In June, Aerotec & Concept had installed most of the wing, overcoming the challenge of relatively unknown construction at the fuselage-wing interface on a non-Airbus aircraft. The modification includes metal transition boxes, measuring 1 m in span, on each side of the fuselage to link the root area with the composite wing. Each transition box also accommodates an attachment for the main landing gear. In addition, the box serves as a fuel tank because the composite wing does not carry fuel. “Since June, we have installed the folding part of the wing and accompanying actuators at the interface,” Sébastien Blanc, X-Wing technical director, says. Technicians also reinstalled the engines, which the two companies had removed to protect them from the dust-generating process of cutting out the original wing. More recently, engineers have performed a power-on test and are now evaluating the wiring and interconnection system. The replacement of the conventional flight control system took several months, and testing began Sept. 10. Airbus UpNext wants the control system to be representative of Airbus commercial aircraft, so the company decided to install fly-by-wire technology. Technicians are equipping the Citation with computers and local electric actuators. “Every control surface, including in the empennage, will be fly-by-wire,” Franck Delaplace, X-Wing demonstrator leader, says. In parallel, the aircraft is receiving sensors dedicated to the test campaign. Videogrammetry—the use of video to measure how distances change between target objects—will contribute to various measurements. The X-Wing project will assess wing deformation, especially the movement of control surfaces, such as ailerons and spoilers. The technique relies on black circular markers on an easy-to-install stippled rendering. Airbus has designed a transition box as an interface between the demonstration wing and the Cessna fuselage. Credit: Airbus UpNext To keep down costs of safety requirements, the aircraft is designed to fly uncrewed. Flight-test pilots will control the aircraft remotely from the ground, allowing Airbus UpNext to test the new technologies to their limits. Technicians are removing the control columns and installing a remote control system, in addition to replacing the transparent windshield with a metallic one. In the cockpit, a lidar sensor will enable the aircraft to “see” turbulence 0.5-1 sec. ahead and move the control surfaces accordingly. “We already tested the dedicated communication system for remote control,” Blanc adds. Airbus has applied to French civil aviation authority DGAC for a permit to fly. The demonstrator will take off from Cazaux, in the southwest of France, and fly over the Bay of Biscay. Airbus UpNext plans to submit the aircraft to ground vibration testing also this year. Wing-loading trials—less severe than in certification tests—are planned to follow by year-end. “The idea is just to correlate test measurements with models,” Blanc says. Taxi tests are scheduled for the second quarter of 2026, and the first flight is expected in mid-2026. “We can use the demonstrator until the end of 2026, and we intend to fly as many hours as possible by then,” Blanc says. Pentagon’s Bold Pivot: Keeping the E-7 Alive Sept. 21, 2025 | By Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula USAF (Ret.) In a decisive move that strengthens transatlantic defense ties while preserving critical air superiority, the Trump administration and the Department of War deserve commendation for revising their fiscal 2026 budget submission, which sought to cancel the E-7 airborne early warning and control aircraft. By reversing that decision, the administration has now addressed a looming capability gap and deepened NATO interoperability at a moment of mounting global threats. First fielded in the 1970s, the E-3 AWACS was pivotal in coalition operations for decades. With its distinctive profile, the E-3’s air battle management system enabled coalition forces to dominate the air. But all good things come to an end. The E-3’s aging Boeing 707 airframe and dated technology—often requiring hand-crafted or 3D-printed replacement parts—have become unsustainable. Maintenance costs are projected to reach nearly $10 billion through the mid-2030s. The E-7 in contrast, is built on the Boeing 737 airframe and equipped with Northrop Grumman’s advanced multi-role electronically scanned array radar. It provides far superior air battle management, surveillance, and command and control. Capable of tracking hundreds of targets at extended ranges with faster scan rates and lower sustainment costs than the outdated E-3, the E-7 is essential for ensuring air dominance in contested environments. The United Kingdom’s historic role in building this next-generation AEW&C aircraft is worth noting here. The U.S. Air Force’s decision to partner with the UK, announced on Sept. 18, 2025, by the British Ministry of Defence, was a strategic masterstroke. Birmingham’s advanced facilities will modify E-7A prototypes for the U.S. Air Force, securing a modern replacement for the E-3 while creating a shared industrial base with a key ally. According to Global Defense News, the effort generates 150 skilled jobs in the UK and integrates more than 40 British suppliers into NATO’s supply chain—enhancing resilience against global disruptions. Final delivery and certification will be overseen by U.S. engineers, cementing a bilateral partnership that strengthens both nations’ defense ecosystems. As noted by the BBC, this transatlantic alignment also supports the UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy, which is investing £250 million (about $337 million) in regional growth and skills training. Synchronizing U.S. and UK production ensures accelerated fleet upgrades and surge capacity in times of crisis—a point underscored by Dr. Rachel Croft of the Royal United Services Institute. Such foresight is critical as NATO’s eastern flank comes under greater pressure and China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force fields advanced systems like the KJ-500, threatening the U.S. edge in air battle management across the Pacific. Importantly, this course correction reflects a recognition of reality. Earlier Pentagon proposals to rely exclusively on space-based sensors and the Navy’s E-2 aircraft carried significant risk. In a rare public intervention, six former Air Force Chiefs of Staff, joined by 13 other retired senior generals, warned congressional leaders of the dangers of eliminating a dedicated theater-capable airborne battle management capability. Space-based systems are promising but not yet guaranteed. They still face technical challenges and could be vulnerable to anti-satellite weapons. U.S. Space Force leaders themselves support a layered approach that incorporates resilient airborne platforms like the E-7. Additionally, the Navy’s E-2, with its smaller crew, shorter radar range, and incompatibility with Air Force tankers, is simply not suited to replace the E-3’s theater-wide air battle management, command and control mission. The FY2026 budget’s proposal for just five aircraft was wholly inadequate to cover a fleet once numbering more than 30. By integrating seamlessly with fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 and F-35—and eventually the next-generation F-47—the E-7 will anchor a modernized air battle management/command-and-control architecture that strengthens NATO’s deterrence and modernizes a crucial capability for all other U.S. global operations. This decision demonstrates the administration’s commitment to sustaining air superiority and recognizes the centrality of the air domain in future conflicts. The bottom line is clear: the E-7 is not merely a replacement for the E-3—it is a keystone capability for 21st-century air dominance. The administration deserves credit for ensuring this program moves forward. Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), is Dean of AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Scientist reveals the first hypersonic engine capable of taking off at Mach 6 from a runway. A breakthrough that could shrink continents and rewire security while staying grounded on runways worldwide soon Rubila Bob Published on 16 September 2025 © hypersonic engine A new chapter in high-speed flight opens with a bold claim and a working prototype. The breakthrough centers on a compact, efficient hypersonic engine designed to leave a normal runway and reach blistering velocity. The promise is simple: less hardware, more thrust, new missions. The story starts with a real flight test, careful engineering, and a team that pushed through five intense years. The result challenges the old trade-offs that slowed innovation and kept extreme speed out of everyday use. How rotating detonation moves runway aircraft into extreme speed Forgotten old cooking tricks people rarely use anymore How to clean and banish mold from a shower Venus Aerospace, a Houston startup, validated a rotating detonation rocket engine during a flight on May 27, 2025, at Spaceport America in New Mexico. The combustion mode uses self-sustaining detonation waves. The effect is high pressure and strong thrust in a tighter package. CEO Sassie Duggleby called it the payoff for five years of focused work. The concept existed for decades. Proving it in flight changes the risk picture. Real-world testing exposes heat, turbulence, and vibration that lab benches mute. Passing those trials shows the engine’s structure, pumps, and controls can survive the stress. That matters as much as raw thrust. The architecture stays compact. Fewer parts reduce failure points while allowing better fuel routing, thermal control, and inspection. Lighter systems also free designers to add cooling channels, sensors, or shielding where it counts. The aim is practical performance without exotic ground gear or fragile staging. Why the hypersonic engine rewrites design rules from runway to Mach 6 Venus links the rotating-detonation core with its VDR2 air-breathing detonation ramjet for cruise. The staged system shifts from takeoff thrust to sustained hypersonic mode at altitude. Designers avoid auxiliary boosters. That means less mass, simpler maintenance, and shorter cycles between flights. Cost curves improve as parts count falls. Mach 6 equals roughly 7,350 km/h at cruise. At that speed, range and time compress into new schedules. CTO Andrew Duggleby frames the benefit around reliability and scale. A stable detonation regime gives repeatable thrust. That makes planning and certification more realistic, which unlocks test pacing and fleet growth. Integration matters as much as chemistry. Controls must manage inlet shape, fuel timing, and shock behavior. Sensors feed fast loops that trim heat, pressure, and vibration. Software links the rocket-based start with the air-breathing phase. Power without control burns margins; power with control creates safe envelopes. Practical gains for travel, defense, and rapid response Civil use comes first through a reusable craft concept called Stargazer M4. The target is about Mach 4. That would shrink long-haul flights. Los Angeles to Tokyo could drop from eleven hours to under two. Cabin loads, thermal limits, and scheduling still need proof, yet use cases are clear. Defense planners see reach and tempo. Reconnaissance shifts from timing windows to near-instant options. Strike systems gain range and survivability. Launch crews need less gear when runway operations handle most missions. A fieldable hypersonic engine multiplies platforms that exploit speed without large ground fleets or staging sites. Best practice starts with heat maps and materials. Designers route cooling through walls and leading edges. They set maintenance by stress data, not by calendar. Flight profiles add margin during climb and descent. Training centers teach crews to manage energy, not only airspeed, because energy drives every limit at these regimes. A busy American race backed by large checks and rapid milestones Venus is not alone. Anduril tests solid hypersonic rocket engines for Navy needs in the Mach 5–7 band. Castelion, led by former SpaceX talent, aims at affordable hypersonic strike systems with production targeted for 2027. Ursa Major and Draper pursue liquid-fueled options designed for extreme velocity and lean operations. Hermeus develops Quarterhorse and the Halcyon airliner concept, pitched to link London and New York in ninety minutes. The Pentagon funds test beds and low-cost drones, including a $1.45 billion contract to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. Money accelerates flight hours, component swaps, and the feedback loops that mature engines. Global rivalry shapes the pace. Reports cite Chinese investment in massive fusion centers, advanced spy satellites with facial recognition, solar megaprojects, and quantum programs. Each signal adds pressure. The message is simple: whoever scales, certifies, and sustains operations first gains leverage across space, air, and deterrence. Global pressure pushes the hypersonic engine from idea to viable fleets Rotating detonation dates back to theory and rig tests. Flight makes it concrete. Proving controlled detonation in the sky changes how teams design tanks, nozzles, ducts, and mounts. Compact engines restructure airframes. They open room for fuel, cooling, or payload while cutting support equipment on the ground. Sustainability needs attention too. Fewer starts, smoother shutdowns, and smarter routing reduce waste and parts wear. Teams design for inspection access and quick swaps. The supply chain focuses on heat-resistant alloys, precision machining, and additive builds. Each improvement lowers turnaround time and increases utilization. Next steps are clear. Expand the envelope, refine the model, and publish repeatable cycles. Add abort modes that protect crews and hardware. Plan routes that balance noise, airspace, and weather. With that discipline, a fleet moves beyond demonstrations. The path turns from clips and headlines to daily schedules and revenue. What today’s breakthrough means for tomorrow’s flight paths A runway-launched hypersonic engine alters timelines for travelers and strategists alike. Venus Aerospace’s flight, the five-year push behind it, and the maturing U.S. ecosystem signal a pivot from talk to traction. If upcoming tests hold, shorter trips, quicker response, and leaner ground support stop being wishful and become normal planning. Airbus Begins Assembly of This New Widebody Aircarft Variant Once completed, Airbus expects the aircraft to serve airlines and logistics companies seeking reduced emissions and operational savings. By Bhavya Velani September 13, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. TOULOUSE- Airbus has started production of its first A350 freighter after completing delivery of all major components to its final assembly line. The aircraft, designated MSN 700, is now entering the build phase with the fuselage and wings ready for integration. Airbus plans to conduct the first flight tests in 2026, with entry into service targeted for the second half of 2027. Sections of the fuselage were transported from facilities in France and Germany to Toulouse (TLS) using Beluga XL aircraft designed for oversized cargo. Photo: Airbus Airbus A350F Assembly at Toulouse The transition to assembly marks a significant step in the A350F program. Central fuselage sections arrived in Toulouse on 19 August, followed by forward sections two days later. The rear fuselage, built in Hamburg (HAM), completed the delivery of primary structures. Airbus confirmed that assembly of these parts will begin within weeks. The A350F is derived from the A350-1000 passenger aircraft but re-engineered for dedicated cargo operations. Airbus has emphasized that the design meets evolving demand for fuel-efficient, high-capacity freighters. The A350F will be capable of carrying around 111 tonnes of payload over 4,700 nautical miles. Its main deck cargo door, measuring 175 inches wide, is one of the largest in its class and enables faster, more efficient loading operations. Two prototypes are being built to support a certification and test program scheduled to run throughout 2026 and 2027. Once completed, Airbus expects the aircraft to serve airlines and logistics companies seeking reduced emissions and operational savings. The freighter’s development responds to rising global demand for new-generation cargo aircraft. With air cargo traffic expected to grow steadily in the coming decade, airlines are under pressure to replace older, less efficient models. Airbus is positioning the A350F as a solution that combines fuel efficiency, capacity, and lower operating costs. Photo: Airbus About the A350F ‘Game Changer’ Aircraft Airbus is positioning the Airbus A350F as the next major step in air cargo, aiming to meet both rising global trade demands and stricter environmental rules. The aircraft is being developed to address the projected need for more than 900 new freighters by 2044. From its hub in Toulouse (TLS), Airbus is building the A350F with customer input, promising a new-generation freighter that reduces CO₂ emissions, improves efficiency, and supports the transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Meeting Future Cargo Demands The A350F is the only new-build freighter designed from the ground up to comply with the ICAO CO₂ emissions standards that take effect in 2027. This makes it a forward-looking solution for airlines and logistics companies planning long-term fleet renewals. Its design combines advanced aerodynamics, a carbon fiber airframe, and Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, resulting in at least 20% lower fuel burn and CO₂ emissions compared with today’s freighters. Beyond emissions, the aircraft is also engineered for quieter operations, reducing noise impact on airport communities worldwide. The A350F is certified to operate with up to 50% SAF at entry into service, with the capability to reach 100% by 2030. This aligns with industry-wide goals to cut aviation’s carbon footprint. Photo: Airbus Innovation Shaped by Cargo Operators Unlike passenger-to-freighter conversions, the A350F was designed with direct input from cargo airlines. One standout feature is the largest main deck cargo door in its class, which allows faster and more flexible loading. Its optimised fuselage, high internal volume, and strengthened floor design support flexible pallet and container loading. This helps operators balance payload distribution and maximize capacity. Importantly, the A350F can perform the benchmark Hong Kong (HKG) to Anchorage (ANC) route with full payload, meeting one of the cargo industry’s toughest operational tests. These features make the aircraft versatile enough to handle everything from express parcels to heavy industrial shipments. Built on Proven A350 Technology The A350F benefits from the reliability of the A350 passenger family, which has logged millions of flight hours and achieved a 99.5% operational reliability rate in 2024. Airlines already flying the A350 will see reduced training costs and maintenance efficiencies thanks to commonality in type ratings, engines, and spare parts. This cross-compatibility ensures the A350F integrates smoothly into existing fleets, supported by Airbus’s global maintenance and service network. Photo: Airbus Capacity and Versatility The freighter is designed to carry up to 111 tonnes of cargo, giving airlines the ability to move both high-volume shipments and heavy, outsize goods across long-haul routes. It is built to handle a wide range of freight types, including: • Express and e-commerce parcels • Pharmaceuticals and perishables needing temperature control • High-value electronics • Livestock transport • Oversized industrial equipment This makes the A350F one of the most versatile cargo aircraft on order today. Why Next-Generation Freighters Matter Global trade growth, the boom in e-commerce, and the retirement of aging freighter fleets are reshaping the cargo market. Airlines need efficient aircraft that burn less fuel, emit fewer emissions, and deliver higher reliability. The A350F directly addresses these needs. By combining proven passenger aircraft technology with freighter-specific design, it offers airlines a dependable platform ready for the decades ahead. 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 Textron Aviation rolls out first production Cessna Citation Ascend By Stephen Pope September 16, 2025, 01:02 (UTC +3) 1 comment Business Aviation Textron Aviation Textron Aviation marked a milestone in its latest business jet program with the rollout of the first production Cessna Citation Ascend in Wichita, Kansas. The twinjet, a continuation of the manufacturer’s Citation 560XL series, is anticipated to receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later this year. Employees gathered at the company’s Wichita factory to celebrate the rollout, which Textron Aviation described as a key step toward bringing its latest Citation model to customers’ hangars. “Today is a big celebration and thank you to everyone who has been a part of building up to this point,” said Todd McKee, Senior Vice President of Integrated Supply Chain for Textron Aviation. “It is your craftsmanship that continues to make milestones like this possible. By infusing new technology and bringing new features to the market, we continue to drive the future for us to build these legendary aircraft.” The Ascend joins a family of midsize Citation jets that has seen more than 1,000 units delivered in the last 25 years. Textron, Cessna’s parent company, said the 560XL line has remained popular among owners and operators thanks to its combination of performance, cabin comfort, mission flexibility, and operating economics. The rollout of the first production Ascend marks the third aircraft in the program, following two earlier test articles that make up the Citation Ascend flight test fleet. The prototype completed its first flight in 2023, while the second jet, a conforming production test aircraft known as P1, began flying in June 2024. Together, those aircraft have been accumulating flight hours and undergoing extensive systems and certification testing, paving the way for FAA approval later this year. With the Ascend jet building on a decades-old legacy, this latest iteration updates the airplane with modern cabin features and cockpit technologies drawn from larger Citation models. One of the most notable upgrades in the Ascend is its redesigned passenger compartment. It offers a flat-floor layout that maximizes legroom and provides added flexibility for passengers during flight, Cessna noted. Standard seating is arranged for nine, and designers have equipped the interior with 19 USB charging ports and three universal outlets, ensuring every occupant has access to power for personal devices. The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines, which offer both improved fuel efficiency and increased thrust compared with earlier versions. In the cockpit, pilots will find Garmin’s G5000 avionics suite, with the latest hardware and software iterations. The system includes autothrottle technology, bringing a level of automation and workload reduction not previously available in this segment of the Citation family. Another advancement comes in the form of the aircraft’s auxiliary power system. The Ascend is fitted with a Honeywell RE100 [XL] APU that is approved for unattended operations, giving crews added flexibility on the ground and providing extra convenience for operators. Textron Aviation emphasized that the Citation Ascend was designed with customer feedback in mind, reflecting a desire for performance improvements alongside enhanced cabin comfort. The result, the company says, is an aircraft that blends the efficiency of the 560XL line with the modern luxuries and technologies found in newer Citation models such as the Latitude and Longitude. When Textron Aviation launched the Citation Ascend at the EBACE convention in Geneva in 2023, the purchase price was announced as $16.725 million in 2023 dollars. New aircraft mechanic program takes flight in Colorado By General Aviation News Staff September 11, 2025 · 1 Comment LOVELAND, Colorado — Aims Community College has launched a new Aircraft Maintenance Technician program to meet the demand for aviation mechanics. Classes begin in January 2026 at the new Aircraft Maintenance Training Center (AMTC) at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL) in Loveland. Prospective students can apply to the program to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Aircraft Maintenance Technician degree in two years, over six semesters. The college will add certificate options as the program evolves, according to officials. Aims also is developing career pathways and partnership programs with aviation and aerospace employers, officials added. “While everyone who travels can feel there’s a pilot shortage, the need for aircraft mechanics is even greater,” said Eric Himler, Executive Director of Aviation Programs at Aims. “This program is an opportunity for Aims to be part of the solution in creating aircraft mechanics that will help ease that shortage locally, statewide and nationally.” Industry and FAA data project a shortage of 25,000 aircraft technicians in the U.S. by 2028 and anticipate a global need for more than 700,000 technicians over the next 30 years. “Currently, the average age of a certified aircraft technician is 54 years old and 40% are over 60,” said Michael Sasso, Director of the Aircraft Maintenance Program at Aims. “This is a long and lucrative career path and now is the time to train the next generation of skilled technicians.” The Aircraft Maintenance Technician program is eligible for federal financial aid, veteran education benefits, and industry scholarships, college officials noted. For more information: Aims.co/Aircraft-Tech Curt Lewis