Leeham News
• Scott Hamilton
Scott Hamilton’s final day as a full-fledged participant in Leeham News and Analysis includes a Pontifications column examining what he characterizes as disturbing trends at Airbus. The available summary does not specify the trends, but marks a transition for a longstanding aerospace industry analyst.
Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)
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Mahindra Aerostructures will manufacture and supply fuselage skins for Airbus A320neo-family aircraft from its Bengaluru facility, covering rear-fuselage and tail sections for delivery to Germany. The award adds more complex aerostructure work to Airbus’s expanding Indian supply chain as the manufacturer increases sourcing and production.
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Scott Hamilton’s final day as a full-fledged participant in Leeham News and Analysis includes a Pontifications column examining what he characterizes as disturbing trends at Airbus. The available summary does not specify the trends, but marks a transition for a longstanding aerospace industry analyst.
Pauls Calitis, the new CEO of Lisbon-based euroAtlantic Airways, says the carrier plans to maintain both Boeing and Airbus widebody fleets as it expands its ACMI offering. The strategy reflects customer requirements for aircraft availability and operational flexibility across the wet-lease market.
Turkish Aerospace has flown the first Hürjet advanced jet trainer built for the Turkish Air Force, marking the program’s move from prototypes toward operational production. Separately, Saab has conducted the maiden flight of the two-seat Gripen F, beginning Swedish testing ahead of delivery to Brazil.
Airbus has introduced an A380 returned from long-term storage as its latest FlightLab, a flying testbed for technologies under consideration for future commercial aircraft. The platform will support development and validation of next-generation propulsion concepts and other systems before potential integration into new aircraft programs.
The first production-standard Hürjet advanced jet trainer completed an 18-minute maiden flight on Aug. 30, marking the program’s shift from prototype development toward operational aircraft for the Turkish Air Force. Spain has agreed to buy 30 Hürjets, with deliveries targeted for 2028.
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration is seeking industry proposals for a 14-month study defining the requirements, design and technologies for a future sixth-generation fighter. The envisioned tailless aircraft would feature broadband stealth, adaptive-cycle engines and internal weapons bays, with propulsion remaining a central challenge.
India is preparing what could become one of the world’s largest military transport aircraft purchases, with Embraer’s C-390, Lockheed Martin’s C-130J and Airbus’ A400M competing for a requirement of up to 60 aircraft. The decision is likely to weigh industrial, strategic and support considerations alongside performance.
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