October 1, 2025 - No. 40 In This Issue : USAF must focus maintainers on key planes as readiness suffers: Meink : EASA Approves Boeing 737 Drag-Reduction Finlets : Sikorsky awarded $16M for presidential helicopter upgrade : U.S. Navy awards $10.8B contract for heavy-lift helicopters : Aviation Mechanic Shortage Set to Worsen : US Air Force selects Blue Origin and Anduril for rocket cargo delivery project: report : Air Power (on X) : SpaceX’s Daily Engine-Building Breakthrough (Video) : Air Austral plans to get rid of A220 fleet due to engine reliability issues : Boeing 7J7 – The Futuristic 737 and 727 Replacement That Never Took Off (Video) : Boeing and P&W Seek FAA Extensions on 777 Engine Redesign USAF must focus maintainers on key planes as readiness suffers: Meink By Stephen Losey Monday, Sep 22, 2025 Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said Monday that the service must focus more maintenance resources on high-priority aircraft that can survive in a contested environment. Pictured, Staff Sgt. Zachary Warner connects external belly air to an RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft during preflight checks at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, on March 6. (Charles Haymond/U.S. Air Force) NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The U.S. Air Force must focus its limited maintenance resources on aircraft that are capable of surviving in a contested environment, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said Monday. In a keynote address at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air Space Cyber conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Meink highlighted the service’s lackluster aircraft readiness as one of its major challenges. “We have some of the best aircraft,” Meink said, citing the F-22 and F-35 fighters and the B-2 bomber as examples. The scope of the readiness challenge “surprised me a bit,” Meink said. “I knew there was a readiness challenge,” Meink said. “I didn’t appreciate how significant that readiness challenge was.” The Air Force’s aircraft readiness rates have steadily trended down for several years, and last year hit a recent low. The fiscal 2024 fleet-wide mission-capable rate — which measures how many aircraft are able to carry out their missions on an average day — hit 62%, meaning nearly four in every 10 aircraft were unable to perform their job at any given time. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin raised alarms about the decline at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in March. During that speech, Allvin displayed a chart showing another statistic, aircraft availability, which had declined from 73% in 1994 to 54% in 2024. One major factor driving declining readiness rates, experts agree, is that the Air Force’s planes are decades old — and getting older all the time. Allvin’s chart in March showed that over the past three decades, the average aircraft age in the fleet almost doubled from 17 to nearly 32 years old. Meink said Monday that the Air Force has “some of the best aircraft” of any military, and praised the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the B-2 Spirit bomber. But he pointed to Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, where F-22s are stationed, as an example of the problems the Air Force is facing. The F-22 is “a phenomenal platform,” Meink said. “But when I go out to Langley and there’s a number of aircraft, nonoperational, sitting around the ramp that aren’t even being worked on because we simply don’t have the parts to do that — that’s a problem, right? We have to fix that.” In an afternoon roundtable with reporters, Meink said maintenance and sustainment have been a major cost driver for the Air Force over the last roughly 15 years. Lawmakers, the administration and top Pentagon leadership are working to help increase the Air Force’s maintenance budget, he said. But with the Air Force’s resources stretched thin, Meink said, it must be efficient and focus maintainers on its top priorities — systems that will be able to survive in a future war’s highly contested airspace. “If a system is not capable of operating in a contested environment, then we need to be second-guessing and/or thinking about how much money we’re dumping into readiness on those platforms,” Meink said. And as the Air Force retires older, outdated aircraft, Meink said, it will be able to shift skilled maintainers and other resources to planes that will be needed in a future conflict. Meink pointed to Ukraine’s success in using modified quadcopters worth a few thousand dollars to destroy multimillion-dollar Russian drones as an example of the new air warfare environment the U.S. will have to operate in. Meink said the Air Force also must hold its contractors accountable for the reliability of their systems. “When we’re getting a part that’s supposed to last 400 hours, and it lasts 100 hours, that’s unacceptable,” Meink said. “We need to work with the government and contractors to make the right investments to improve the serviceability and reliability of our weapon systems and the parts we’re putting in those weapon systems.” William Bailey, who is performing the duties of the assistant Air Force secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said the increasing modularity of new aircraft and other in-the-works systems will allow them to be more easily maintained and replaced. Bailey also said the acquisition community plans to conduct a deep dive into the service’s supply chains to identify where “pinch points” are holding up the delivery of vital spare parts. The Air Force must use also advanced data analytic techniques to better understand the state of its weapon systems, Meink said. EASA Approves Boeing 737 Drag-Reduction Finlets Osman Jamil Sep 26, 2025 11:05 AM EST Note: See photos in the original article. ‍DALLAS — The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved the retrofit of aerodynamic drag-reducing fins, also known as "finlets," on the Boeing 737-700, -800, and -900ER aircraft. These finlets are designed by “Vortex Control Technologies” and are mounted on the aft fuselage of the plane to direct and manage the airflow to reduce drag produced from vortices and flow breakup. The retrofit is efficacious in improving fuel efficiency, yielding economic and environmentally beneficial results for operators. Source: Vortex Control Technologies Proven Performance and Wider Implementation As reported by Flight Global, the company’s CEO, Gil Morfan, stated that this has been in the making for several years. The certification grants European Airlines access to a technology that has already been substantiated by thorough testing as well as by in-service verification among U.S. carriers. The company reports that the finlets offer quantifiable fuel and carbon reductions, a step towards the industry's sustainability goals. Photo: Vortex Control Technologies SunExpress Pioneers EU Implementation Although Turkey is not an EASA member state, SunExpress became the first European airline to test the technology, retrofitting the first five of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Following the successful test, the airline is now expanding the retrofit of its fleet of over 40 737-800 aircraft. SunExpress Chief Operations Officer Cemil Sayar explains that the program supports the airline's reduction targets for carbon emissions, as well as its focus on efficiency. The use of finlets is an effective and affordable measure for airlines seeking incremental fuel reduction and emissions reduction without requiring fundamental structural changes. Now that EASA has certified the measure, we anticipate that other European operators will follow SunExpress's lead in fitting the technology across their fleets. Sikorsky awarded $16M for presidential helicopter upgrade NewsAviation By Colton Jones Sep 23, 2025 Modified date: Sep 23, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. File photo by Eric Huynh Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin company, has been awarded a $16 million order to build and test new rotor blades for the VH-92A presidential helicopter program. According to the Department of Defense announcement, the order covers material to construct and assemble main rotor blade test articles and facilities, as well as system test and evaluation support for ground and flight testing. These efforts are tied to the Navy’s VH-92A power margin increment two rotor blade design, integration, testing, and certification. Work will be carried out across several states, with the bulk taking place in Stratford, Connecticut, where Sikorsky is based. Additional work locations include Newtown, Pennsylvania; Lynn, Massachusetts; Salt Lake City, Utah; Norcross, Georgia; Berlin, Connecticut; West Chester, Ohio; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Plainview, New York. The contract is expected to be completed by December 2027. The Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River, Maryland, is managing the contracting activity. The order, issued under a previously established agreement, was not competed. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test, and evaluation funds for the Navy, totaling $3,639,848, will be obligated at the time of award. The VH-92A Patriot is the presidential transport helicopter, tasked with providing worldwide vertical-lift support for the President of the United States. Built on the FAA-certified Sikorsky S-92 airframe, the VH-92A integrates a government-defined mission communications system and an executive interior. The Marine Corps’ Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) currently operates the VH-92A as the “White Top” presidential helicopter, replacing the aging VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N White Hawk. Internationally, the Republic of Korea Air Force also employs a version of the S-92 airframe in its presidential fleet. While similar in appearance, the Korean aircraft is not identical to the U.S. Marine Corps’ VH-92A, which incorporates a tailored communications suite and additional mission-specific modifications. The VH-92A program has faced high-profile delays in recent years, particularly as the Navy and contractors worked to resolve integration challenges involving its mission systems. This latest rotor blade development effort is aimed at increasing the helicopter’s power margin, ensuring the platform meets demanding performance standards for the presidential role. U.S. Navy awards $10.8B contract for heavy-lift helicopters NewsMaritime Security PRESS RELEASES By Colton Jones Sep 27, 2025 Modified date: Sep 27, 2025 File photo by Channah Chilton Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has received a $10.8 billion contract from the U.S. Navy to produce up to 99 CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps over the next five years. The agreement, the largest-quantity order for the platform to date, will support deliveries between 2029 and 2034 and sustain thousands of jobs across Sikorsky’s manufacturing base and its nationwide supplier network. The heavy-lift helicopter is intended to transport troops, equipment, and supplies across contested environments while maintaining high levels of survivability and reliability. “This award reflects trust and confidence in Sikorsky to deliver these technologically advanced, heavy-lift helicopters that will revolutionize the Marine Corps’ operational capabilities by adding unrivaled power, performance, survivability and dependability to the fleet,” said Rich Benton, Sikorsky vice president and general manager. “The multi-year contract enables Sikorsky to partner with the Department of the Navy to drive long-term affordability, optimize production efficiencies and stabilize our supply chain and workforce, ensuring the Marines maintain the strategic advantage with the CH-53K in a rapidly evolving battlespace.” The contract consolidates five separate procurement lots — Lots 9 through 13 — into a single five-year agreement. This structure is designed to provide cost stability and ensure a consistent supply chain. According to Sikorsky, the deal will support material flow from 267 suppliers across 37 U.S. states and 17 suppliers in eight allied nations. It also provides the U.S. government with flexibility to procure aircraft for the Marine Corps or potential foreign military sales customers, underscoring the helicopter’s export potential as allied militaries look to enhance their heavy-lift capabilities. To date, Sikorsky has delivered 20 CH-53K helicopters to the Marine Corps, with another 63 aircraft from previous production lots currently in various stages of manufacturing and assembly. “This contract represents a huge ‘win’ for the entire CH-53K team,” said Col. Kate Fleeger, Program Manager, H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopter Program Office (PMA-261). “The contract allows Sikorsky to bundle purchase orders from suppliers to achieve better pricing and pass the savings on to the government, giving us the ability to provide dependable delivery to the fleet and a consistent and predictable timeline for the transition from the CH-53E to the CH-53K.” The Marine Corps is in the process of replacing its aging CH-53E Super Stallion fleet with the CH-53K, which offers improved lift capacity, advanced fly-by-wire flight controls, and enhanced survivability features suited for future conflicts. One CH-53K fleet squadron has already transitioned to the new platform, and additional aircraft are operating in developmental, operational, and training squadrons to meet ongoing mission requirements. Sikorsky designed the CH-53K to transport personnel and heavy equipment across hostile territory and to operate effectively in austere conditions. With a maximum external lift capacity exceeding 36,000 pounds, the aircraft can carry vehicles, artillery, and other large payloads over long distances — a capability central to the Marine Corps’ expeditionary and distributed operations concepts. The Department of the Navy declared Full Rate Production for the CH-53K program in December 2022, paving the way for accelerated deliveries and larger procurement batches. The Marine Corps’ Program of Record currently stands at 200 aircraft, a fleet size expected to support decades of global Aviation Mechanic Shortage Set to Worsen Aviation mechanic shortage projected through 2035 as fleet growth outpaces supply and examiner capacity. Matt Ryan Monday, September 22, 2025 [Credit: Shutterstock/industryviews] Key Takeaways: A newly published report by the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) and Oliver Wyman reaffirmed a growing aviation mechanic shortage for 2025 despite comparatively high total certificate issuance. According to the report’s findings, the FAA issued 9,013 new mechanic certificates in 2024—the second-highest total since records began in 1999—with the nation’s 208 FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools (AMTS) producing about two-thirds of the new mechanics. AMTS enrollment rose 9.5% last year, and overall certification rates climbed to 63% as more schools embedded progressive FAA testing into the training cycle. Even so, demand is accelerating. The North American commercial fleet is projected to grow about 13% over the next decade, and an aging in-service fleet plus high utilization point to what the report calls an MRO “super cycle.” Despite steady gains on the supply side, the study forecasts a shortfall of certificated mechanics equal to roughly 10% of commercial aviation needs in 2025, or about 5,338 mechanics, widening in the near-term but easing to an estimated gap of 4,200 by 2035. The broader maintenance workforce deficit is projected at 17,800 personnel this year and more than 22,000 in 2027. The average mechanic age is 54, and the share of veterans transitioning into civilian maintenance roles fell nearly 14% in 2024, with fewer than 10% of experienced veterans moving into comparable jobs, ATEC and Oliver Wyman found. ATEC says about one-third of A&P training seats are empty even as many schools keep waitlists, a mismatch the report said is driven in part by attrition and faculty shortages. Examiner availability is also tight, the report noted. US Air Force selects Blue Origin and Anduril for rocket cargo delivery project: report News By Elizabeth Howell published September 12, 2025 Each company received at least $1M for point-to-point rocket transportation. (Image credit: Blue Origin) The U.S. Air Force has asked two more companies to explore how to deliver rocket-flown cargo to any point in the world within one hour, according to a media report. Blue Origin, which launches brief suborbital missions for astronauts and cargo using its New Shepard rocket and is expanding into deep space launches with its New Glenn rocket, is one of the contractors selected. The other is Anduril Industries, which builds autonomous systems such as uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) as a defense-technology contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. Blue Origin received $1.3 million and Anduril $1 million in August under an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) program, manager Daniel Brown told SpaceNews in a statement published Sunday (Sept. 7). The program is called Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL), and news about the awards first broke in late August in outlets such as TechCrunch. You may like • • NASA wants new spacecraft to reach 'difficult-to-reach orbits' around Earth and in deep space • US Air Force cancels plans to build Starship landing pads on island bird sanctuary • Blue Origin to fly AI-powered space surveillance sensor on 1st flight of Blue Ring spacecraft Click here for more Space.com videos... Brown added Blue's award would examine how to alter its space vehicles for point-to-point transport. Blue did not comment on the award on X, but posted on Aug. 6 about a visit by Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Purdy. Purdy has numerous positions in the Air Force, including acting assistant secretary and service acquisition executive for space. Anduril's award, Brown said, will be for "design and analysis to integrate multiple potential government payloads into a rocket cargo delivery container, or re-entry system." Anduril also did not post about REGAL, but an August press release from the company highlighted its ability to build solid rocket motors. REGAL aims to use rockets as point-to-point space transportation for the newly renamed Department of Defense (DoD), now called the Department of War. The program will be to "deliver DoD cargo anywhere on the planet in less than one hour through service-type contracts, similar to agreements DoD uses today with commercial airlines," a procurement description published in 2021 states. Some of the expected uses include "emergency resupply to restore loss of mission capability, humanitarian relief [and] disaster relief," the description adds. Virgin Galactic, NASA teaming up on superfast 'point to point' flight AFRL chose to undertake the program after key changes in American private launch services in recent decades, contracting opportunity documents state: "The U.S. commercial market is building the largest rockets ever, at the lowest prices per pound ever, and with second stages able [to] reenter the atmosphere and be recovered for multiple uses. These advances in the U.S. commercial launch market fueled a new assessment of point-to-point space transportation for DoD logistics." The REGAL award is a first for Blue Origin and Anduril, SpaceNews reported, although space companies have received similar ones before: Sierra Space received an award in October 2024, and Rocket Lab in May 2025. Blue Origin also signed a 2021 cooperative agreement with U.S. Transportation Command concerning "rocket-powered logistics," SpaceNews added. Other point-to-point shipment contracts are being studied by the military. For example, Sierra — developing an uncrewed Dream Chaser spacecraft for International Space Station cargo missions — also signed an agreement with DoD transportation command in 2022. Blue Origin, founded by Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos, has completed 34 crewed or uncrewed missions to space. The 35th launch, a transportation effort, was postponed several times in August — most recently due to an avionics issue. Air Power Note: See photo in the original article. The second Northrop Grumman B-21 bomber prototype is set to fly soon, confirmed by Gen. Bussiere of AFGSC. While B-21 production numbers remain classified, at least six airframes are believed to be in production, with two of those slated to fly early next year. SpaceX’s Daily Engine-Building Breakthrough Discover how SpaceX is achieving the impossible: producing one Raptor engine every 24 hours. From rapid iteration and innovative materials to the McGregor testing facility, learn what makes this engine the muscle behind the Starship program. Air Austral plans to get rid of A220 fleet due to engine reliability issues Miquel Ros Air Austral / Airbus Air Austral, an airline based in the island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean, plans to replace its Airbus A220 fleet, financial newspaper La Tribune reports. The carrier has reportedly taken this decision in light of continued reliability issues with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines that have plagued at least two of its three A220s. Air Austral became the first A220 operator in the Indian Ocean basin, with Airbus delivering the first unit of the type in July 2021. The carrier used its A220s to operate a short and medium haul network linking Roland Garros international Airport (RUN), in the French overseas department of La Réunion, to destinations in Madagascar, Mauritius and South Africa. Air Austral also operates five widebody aircraft (three Boeing 777-300ER and two Boeing 787-8) on long-haul routes to mainland France and Asia. According to data from ch-aviation, as of September 25, 2025, two of the three aircraft of this type in Air Austral’s fleet are inactive. One of these aircraft, with registration F-OMER, is listed as stored, while F-OTER is shown as undergoing maintenance. The global GTF engine problem Technical issues related to GTF engines have been a constant source of trouble for several A220 operators, which have seen operations seriously disrupted. airBaltic, the largest single-type A220 operator, has notoriously been affected. The Riga-based carrier was forced to cancel 4,670 flights in the 2025 summer season due to engine reliability issues. This is believed to have been one of the factors that has impacted on the airline’s performance the most, ultimately leading to the departure of the previous CEO Martin Gauss. Egyptair also gave up on the A220, selling its entire 12-aircraft fleet to leasing firm Azorra in early 2024. SWISS is another airline said to be considering a replacement for this aircraft type after several of its A220s were grounded for prolonged periods of time due to persistent GTF engine issues. No details are known about Air Austral’s plan to dispose of its A220 fleet, although the airline is said to be exploring the possibility of aircraft from the A320neo family or Boeing 737 MAXs as replacements. Boeing 7J7 – The Futuristic 737 and 727 Replacement That Never Took Off In the 1980s, Boeing unveiled the 7J7, a revolutionary concept built to replace both the 727 and 737. With prop-fan engines, carbon fiber structures, and a twin-aisle cabin, it promised speed with massive fuel savings - but skepticism and shifting oil prices killed the dream. Boeing and P&W Seek FAA Extensions on 777 Engine Redesign By Natalia Shelley August 29, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. EAST HARTFORD– Pratt & Whitney (PW) and Boeing are asking the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for more time and regulatory exemptions tied to safety-driven redesigns of PW4000-112 turbofans used on Boeing 777s. The move comes after multiple in-flight fan-blade failures involving PW4000-powered United Airlines (UA) 777s operating from airports including Denver (DEN), which led to severe engine damage, debris release, and in one case, fire. Photo: Clément Alloing Boeing and P&W Seek FAA Extensions Pratt & Whitney filed a request on 25 August with the FAA seeking exemption from a fan-blade failure testing rule. The company argues this approval would allow it to introduce PW4000-112 design improvements while ensuring the continued operation of Boeing 777 aircraft in the fleets of major U.S. carriers. Although not named, United Airlines remains the only U.S. operator of PW4000-powered 777s, with 52 in service. Both Boeing and Pratt & Whitney face a March 4, 2028, FAA deadline requiring that all PW4000-powered 777s be modified with approved design changes. This mandate does not apply to other 777s powered by GE Aerospace’s GE90 or Rolls-Royce Trent engines. In May, Boeing requested an additional five years, which would push the compliance date to March 4, 2033, citing the complexity of the redesign and limited maintenance shop capacity for retrofits. Photo: By John Murphy – Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31532724 Joint Redesign Efforts The two companies are pursuing a collaborative solution. Pratt & Whitney is responsible for hardware updates within the engine, while Boeing is redesigning inlet and nacelle structures to withstand fan-blade-out events. These changes build on earlier temporary measures approved by the FAA in 2022, which allowed airlines to return grounded 777s to service after the 2021 United Airlines incident. According to Boeing, the redesign includes updates to the engine core case fastening system to prevent flange separation and modifications to external hardware aimed at reducing the severity of engine fires. Pratt & Whitney, an RTX subsidiary, emphasizes that the new design will maintain an equivalent level of safety despite the requested regulatory exemption. Photo: NTSB Via Reuters Safety Incidents That Triggered Action Three serious fan-blade failures highlighted vulnerabilities in the PW4000-112 engines. The most notable occurred in February 2021 when United Airlines Flight 328, a 777-200, suffered a blade fracture shortly after takeoff from Denver (DEN). The engine sustained major structural damage, ignited a fire, and scattered debris across a residential area. Investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that the blade failure stemmed from metal fatigue. Similar PW4000-related failures were recorded in 2018 with another United Airlines 777-200 and in 2020 with a Japan Airlines (JL) 777-200. Each event led regulators in the U.S., UK, and Japan to ground PW4000-powered 777s pending inspection and modification programs. Photo: Cado Photo FAA Oversight and Industry Response The FAA initially gave Boeing until March 2027 to finalize design changes, with airlines required to comply by March 2028. However, Boeing and Pratt & Whitney now maintain that more time is necessary to identify a fully compliant integrated solution. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has expressed concern about extending the timeline another five years, arguing that a permanent fix should be expedited. United Airlines, however, supports the extension, calling the current deadline unrealistic given the scale of required modifications. FAA officials have acknowledged the complexity of the request and indicated that final decisions on exemptions may take longer than the standard 120-day review period. Photo: Andrew Thomas | Flickr What This Means for Airlines and Passengers For now, PW4000-powered Boeing 777s remain in service under a rigorous inspection regime. Regulators, airlines, and manufacturers are aligned on the priority of safety, but the timeline for permanent design fixes remains in flux. The outcome of these FAA exemption requests will determine whether operators like United Airlines can continue flying these widebody jets without disruption while the redesign process continues into the next decade. 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. Curt Lewis