Samwise Aeronautical Mechanics
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
NTSB Hearing Finds at Least 10 Prior Pylon Bearing Failures Preceded Fatal UPS MD-11F Crash
A National Transportation Safety Board public hearing this week into the November 2025 fatal crash of a UPS MD-11F at Louisville revealed that investigators identified at least 10 prior cases of pylon aft mount assembly bearing cracking or fracture on the type. The aft mount failure caused the aircraft’s left CF6 engine to separate immediately after rotation, resulting in a crash that killed three crew on board and 12 people on the ground. Testimony also disclosed that the accident aircraft was a last-minute substitution — the originally scheduled jet had been grounded pre-flight for a fuel leak. The FAA has grounded all MD-11F operations pending the investigation.
Sources: FlightGlobal
Airbus and Lufthansa Technik Extend AeroShark Drag-Reduction Films to A330 Wings and Tail Surfaces
Airbus and Lufthansa Technik have entered a technical collaboration to extend the application of AeroShark riblet films to the A330ceo’s wings and empennage — broadening the technology beyond its previous use on fuselage and nacelle surfaces. The microstructured films, which mimic shark skin to shift turbulent boundary layers outward, are already in service on Boeing 777 and 747 variants. The combined modification is expected to cut fuel consumption by more than 2% on long-haul A330ceo operations. Over 1,200 A330-200s and -300s remain in service globally, making the type a significant target for the retrofit. Airbus’s technical cooperation addresses structural certification requirements for applying films to primary surfaces.
Sources: Aviation Week, FlightGlobal
GE Aerospace Secures Air Force Funding for GE426 Medium-Thrust Engine for Uncrewed Fighters
GE Aerospace has secured a U.S. Air Force contract to advance development of the GE426, a medium thrust-class turbofan intended to power uncrewed combat aircraft. Announced May 19, the contract covers maturation of the GE426 prototype through a preliminary design review and refinement of production and delivery planning. The engine is rated at 4,000–6,000 lb thrust, with GE stating the design is scalable to approximately 9,000 lb. The GE426 targets the Collaborative Combat Aircraft category — larger and more capable than the 1,500 lb-thrust GEK1500 GE is co-developing with Kratos for smaller autonomous platforms. Contract value was not disclosed.
Sources: FlightGlobal
Boeing Says 777-9 Change Incorporation Will Take Years, Declines to Give a Schedule
Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg confirmed during the company’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call that incorporating required changes into its inventory of more than 30 stored 777-9s will take years to complete, but declined to provide a specific schedule. Change incorporation — retrofitting production improvements, certification-driven modifications, and quality corrections into already-built airframes — is complex on the 777X because some aircraft date to 2019. Structural changes, which require more time than system updates, are among the primary drivers. Certification is still expected in the second half of 2026, with first delivery now targeted for 2027. Boeing has not disclosed how many of the stored 777-9s require structural rework.
Sources: Leeham News
Emirates Breaks Ground on $5.1 Billion MRO Engineering Complex at Dubai World Central
Emirates Group has commenced construction on a 1.1 million m² engineering facility at Dubai World Central airport, valued at $5.1 billion. A groundbreaking ceremony attended by airline and government officials was held May 18. The facility, to be delivered by China Railway Construction Corporation by mid-2030, will be the largest steel structure in the Gulf Co-operation Council and includes hangars for 28 widebody aircraft simultaneously, dedicated landing gear and paint facilities, and an administrative and training centre. Emirates Group chief Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the complex will position the airline as a “strategic engineering partner” for the global aviation industry.
Sources: FlightGlobal, Aviation Week
BAE Systems Opens $65 Million Endicott Facility for High-Voltage Aircraft Battery Systems
BAE Systems has opened a 150,000 ft² expansion of its Endicott, New York campus dedicated to the development and manufacture of high-voltage energy storage systems for hybrid- and all-electric aircraft and ground vehicles. The $65 million facility consolidates battery development, integration, and manufacturing under one roof — addressing a supply chain gap as aviation electrification programs accelerate. The Endicott site specializes in power and propulsion electronics for both military and civil aviation, supporting programs from regional hybrid-electric demonstrators to advanced air mobility platforms. High-voltage energy storage remains a key technical bottleneck in practical electric-propulsion aircraft development.
Sources: Aviation Week
Lufthansa Supervisory Board Approves 20 Additional A350-900 and 787-9 Widebodies at $7.7 Billion
Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s Supervisory Board has approved an order for 20 additional long-haul aircraft — 10 Airbus A350-900s and 10 Boeing 787-9s — valued at approximately $7.7 billion at catalogue prices, with deliveries scheduled between 2032 and 2034. Lufthansa has not yet assigned the aircraft to specific carriers within the group. Both types rely heavily on carbon-fibre composite primary structures — the A350 uses composites for approximately 53% of its airframe by weight, and the 787 for roughly 50%. The order reflects Lufthansa’s ongoing commitment to composite-intensive widebody aircraft for long-haul fleet renewal as older quad-jets retire.
Sources: FlightGlobal, Aviation Week
Curated by JD · samwise.agency