AMD Reporting from Paris

(Above) Piaggio Aero P.1HH HammerHead Unveiled at Paris Airshow
The Piaggio Aero P.1HH HammerHead is a new, state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) designed for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions whose combination of performance and operational characteristics is at the very top end of the UAS MALE category.

An unmatched combination of range, wide operative speeds, fast climb gradient, high operative ceiling and variety of payloads, provides end-users with a powerful yet flexible Defense System that outperforms other MALE Systems, identifying the P.1HH HammerHead as a Super MALE UAS.

P.1HH HammerHead, is suited for a wide range of ISR, Defense and Security missions, and defines an unsurpassed mission role flexibility and sets a new frontier of CONcept of OPerationS (CONOPS) for Defense. The P.1HH HammerHead Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is derived from the successful Piaggio Aero P.180 Avanti II business aviation aircraft, the fastest twin turboprop aircraft in the world with a proven, uneventful, service record of more than 20 years and 800.000 flight hours.

(Above) Eurocopter AS332 M1 "Super Puma" Swiss Air Force "TH06"
On display at the Paris Air Show is the Eurocopter AS33s M1 with a length of 16.29m (including mainrotor it is 18.70m); rotor diameter of 15.60m; height of 4.95m; crew of 2 pilots and 1 loadmaster; passenger capacity of 18; speed maximum of 310km/h - 167kts; a maximum range of 800km - 430NM; and 2x Turbomeca "Makita" 1A1 engines.

Embraer / Boeing
Embraer and Boeing are partnering on the sales and marketing of Embraer's KC-390 – a multi-mission mobility and aerial refueling aircraft with advanced capabilities in the medium-sized airlift market. Under the agreement, Boeing is the lead for KC-390 sales, sustainment, and training opportunities in the U.S., UK, and select Middle East markets. Embraer will manufacture the aircraft and collaborate on sales, sustainment, and training.

Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, entered into an agreement with global technology company Taleris to launch groundbreaking new technology, which can help predict potential maintenance faults and recommend preventive action.

Taleris’ web-based prognostics service, a part of its Intelligent Operations offering, is a first for the commercial airline industry and will be used to monitor Etihad Airways’ fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The prognostics technology will leverage the Industrial Internet to increase the airline’s overall operational efficiency.

BOC Aviation / CFM
BOC Aviation has selected CFM engines to power new Airbus A320 family aircraft. The order, which is comprised of 10 LEAP-1A-powered Airbus A320neo and 10 CFM56-5B-powered A320ceo aircraft, is valued at US$460 million at list price.  

Boeing
Boeing officials continue with non-stop announcements during the Paris Air Show.

• A memorandum of understanding has been signed with Air Lease Corporation (ALC) to purchase 33 airplanes. The Los Angeles, Calif.-based leasing company has committed to order three 787-9 and 30 787-10X Dreamliners. 
• Additionally, Boeing officials announced the launch of the 787-10 Dreamliner, the third member of the fuel-efficient 787 family. Commitments for 102 airplanes from five customers across Europe, Asia, and North America provide a strong foundation to support development and production of the newest Dreamliner.
• Customer launch commitments for the 787-10 include Air Lease Corp., with 30 airplanes; GE Capital Aviation Services, with 10; International Airlines Group / British Airways, with 12, subject to shareholder approval; Singapore Airlines, with 30; and United Airlines, with 20 airplanes. 
• Boeing also highlighted its twin-aisle family, noting that with the offering of the 777X, it will have an airplane serving every major segment of the market. The 747-8, 777 and 787 Dreamliner families of airplanes offer a complete family with a high degree of commonality.
• Also, in a briefing at the show, Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager, Airplane Development, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, outlined the company's strategy for its environmentally progressive, reliable airplanes in the context of evolving market demand and volatile fuel prices. 

GE Aviation
More announcements from GE Aviation on Day 2:

• LATAM Airlines Group and GE Aviation signed a memorandum of understanding for a 10-year OnPoint solution agreement for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of 120 CF6-80C2 engines that power its Boeing 767 aircraft. The OnPoint solution agreement is valued at more than US$500 million over the life of the contract.
• GE Aviation launched the TRUEngine program on its CF34 engines with Azul, Flybe, GoJet, Jetscape, LOT, and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The CF34 TRUEngine launch expands the TRUEngine designation from CFM56, CF6, and GEnx engines.
• United Airlines selected GEnx-1B engines to power its firm order for 20 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners and the remaining 15 firm 787 Dreamliners from a previous order. The engine order for the 35 aircraft plus five firmed aircraft options from last year are valued at more than US$1.8 billion list price. With this order and the six Dreamliners currently operated by the airline, United has ordered 65 GEnx-1B-powered 787s, making United the largest GEnx-1B operator.
• Air Canada has committed to a 15-year OnPoint solution agreement for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of its GEnx-1B engines that power its Boeing 787 aircraft. The value of the OnPoint solution agreement is not disclosed.

Royal Brunei Airlines / AFI KLM E&M
Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and AFI KLM E&M have inked a long-term engineering partnership agreement to support the entry into service of RB's fleet of five Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Under the partnership agreement, AFI KLM E&M will provide RB with a wide range of engineering services including fleet technical support, component spares and repair services. 

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University / Diamond Aircraft Industries
During the 50th Annual International Paris Air Show, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University President Dr. John P. Johnson and Diamond Aircraft Industries CEO and owner Christian Dries signed a partnership agreement to establish the global manufacturer’s presence at the university’s Daytona Beach Campus.

As part of the agreement, Diamond will expand its current international Research & Development program and other initiatives working with Embry-Riddle students, staff, and faculty from the university’s engineering and aviation colleges as well as its Eagle Flight Research Center.

Aerojet Rocketdyne
Aerojet Rocketdyne, a GenCorp company, and Experimental Design Bureau (EDB) Fakel of Kaliningrad, Russia, announced the signing of an extension to the teaming agreement between the two companies. 

The agreement provides Aerojet Rocketdyne with the right to market and sell Fakel's low-power Hall thrusters in the United States market.

Earlier News

Mission to Mars
Apollo 11 astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, speaks to a group in the U.S. Pavilion at the Paris Air Show about landing on the moon. His new book, published by National Geographic, is entitled, Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration, written with Leonard David. 

Aldrin speaks out as a vital advocate for the continuing quest to push the boundaries of the universe as we know it. In his latest book, Aldrin plots out the path he proposes for taking humans to Mars by 2035. 

Best known for his Apollo 11 moonwalk, Aldrin holds a doctorate degree in astronautics and, at the age of 82, continues to wield influence as an international advocate of space science and planetary exploration.

GE Aviation
It has been a busy first day at Paris, with officials from Evendale, Ohio-based GE Aviation making several announcements, including plans to break ground this year on an advanced composite component factory near Asheville, N.C.

In Europe, GE Aviation’s aerostructures business has begun the development of a 9,000m² composites production facility at its Hamble, U.K., site as part of a five-year, $50 million-plus investment at the site to support the company’s manufacture of wing components for the Airbus A350 XWB jetliner family.

GE Aviation officials also say they expect to produce 3,800 commercial and military aircraft engines with its partners in 2014, continuing an upward production trend.

Among the jet engine total are GEnx-1B engines, which will power 10 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners that GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) has made a commitment to order. The engines are valued at close to US$500 million list price.

GEnx-1B engines also are being selected to power six Boeing 787 Dreamliners for which Xiamen Airlines just signed a letter of intent (LOI) with GE Aviation. The LOI also includes a 10-year OnPoint solution agreement for GE to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul of the airline’s GEnx fleet. The list price of the engine order and the OnPoint solution agreement are valued at more than US$560 million over the life of the engines. Delivery of the aircraft will begin next year.

Please watch this page for more news from the Paris Air Show.