Samwise Aeronautical Mechanics
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Airbus and MTU Form Joint Venture to Develop Hydrogen Fuel Cell Aircraft Engine
Airbus and MTU Aero Engines have agreed to form a joint venture dedicated to developing a fully electric hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system for commercial aviation. The announcement follows an MoU signed at the June 2025 Paris Air Show. The venture will combine Airbus’s liquid hydrogen and fuel cell expertise with MTU’s engine design, validation, and certification capabilities. The hydrogen fuel cell generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water vapor and eliminating CO&sub2; and NO⊂x; in flight. The joint venture is expected to begin formal operations in 2027, pending regulatory approvals and completion of European social processes. No entry-into-service target was disclosed.
Airbus Accelerates A220 Stretch Assessments as Demand Evidence Mounts
Airbus Canada CEO Guillaume Chevasson confirmed the company has “accelerated” internal assessments of a stretched A220 variant, with all signs pointing toward a formal launch decision. The proposed stretch adds two fuselage plugs — one forward and one aft of the wing — lifting high-density capacity to 185 seats. The wing remains unchanged. Powered exclusively by Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine, the aircraft is unofficially designated the A220-500 based on its original CS 500 lineage. Customer feedback emphasizes simplicity and a short time to market over complex redesign. Chevasson stopped short of confirming a 2026 launch decision, but said Airbus has “worked very hard” on the assessment.
Sources: Leeham News and Analysis Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
MTU Maintenance Opens Fort Worth Leap Engine Overhaul Shop, Inducts First CFM Engine
MTU Maintenance opened its 43,000-square-metre overhaul facility in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 8 and inducted its first engine: a CFM International Leap-1B from Gol Linhas Aéreas. The shop is one of only six Premier MRO facilities globally licensed for Leap-1A and -1B overhauls, and also offers in-house engine repairs under the CFM Premier MRO network. The facility currently employs just over 200 technicians, with plans to scale to 1,200 by 2032. MTU targets 10 Leap overhauls this year, ramping to 240 annual shop visits once both the Leap and GEnx programs reach full operational capacity. GEnx services are planned before the end of the decade.
Sources: Aviation Week Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Edgewing Receives $6.1 Billion Contract to Advance GCAP Sixth-Generation Fighter Development
Edgewing — the joint venture of BAE Systems, Leonardo, and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement — received a combined £4.6 billion ($6.1 billion) contract from the UK, Italy, and Japan to advance the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). The 18-month contract funds completion of the advanced concept and assessment phase and initiates detailed design and development of the sixth-generation stealth aircraft targeted for service in 2035. The UK’s Defence Investment Plan allocates £8.6 billion to GCAP through the end of the decade. Each partner nation contributed approximately £1.53 billion to the new contract. Japan has set a firm 2035 operational deadline for initial GCAP capability.
Sources: Aviation International News Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
General Dynamics Delivers 1,000th F-35 Composite Nose Radome from Virginia Facility
General Dynamics Mission Systems’ Airborne Composites & Structures facility in Marion, Virginia, delivered its 1,000th F-35 nose radome on July 9. The composite radome shields the aircraft’s radar antenna while maintaining aerodynamic performance and supporting navigation and communications systems. Production spans U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force F-35 variants as well as an expanding list of foreign military operators. The Marion facility has produced more than 65,000 radomes across more than 50 aircraft types over 75 years of operation. The milestone reflects sustained composite manufacturing output as F-35 deliveries continue globally and international partner procurements accelerate through the 2020s.
Sources: CompositesWorld Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
VC-25B Bridge Air Force One Completes International Debut on Turkey NATO Mission
The U.S. Air Force’s VC-25B Bridge presidential aircraft completed its international debut on July 8, carrying President Trump from Joint Base Andrews to Ankara, Turkey, for the NATO summit. The aircraft is a Boeing 747-8i donated by Qatar and converted by L3Harris in approximately ten months at a cost of around $400 million. Trump switched to the legacy VC-25A for part of the Turkey visit; the Air Force acknowledged the rapid conversion omitted “some of the less commonly used mission sets,” likely including certain self-defense systems and hardened communications equipment. The two Boeing-built standard VC-25Bs are now targeted for 2028 delivery.
Sources: Aviation A2Z Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
FAA Issues Supplemental NPRM on CH-47D Forward Transmission Support Beam Fittings
The FAA issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking on July 8 for restricted category Model CH-47D helicopters, revising a prior NPRM affecting forward transmission support beam fittings. The action expands required inspections to all right-hand (RH) forward transmission support beam fittings regardless of part number, narrows the specific inspection area, and adjusts reporting compliance timelines. The rulemaking is documented under Docket No. FAA-2025-5394, Project Identifier AD-2025-01194-R. Operators and interested parties must submit comments by August 24, 2026. Restricted category CH-47D helicopters are employed in civil special-mission operations including firefighting, heavy-lift cargo, and logging activities across North America.
Sources: Federal Register Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Curated by JD · samwise.agency