by Elsie Clark | May 18, 2026 | Flight Ops IT, Innovation
A new microsensor developed by a startup at the University of Surrey can detect ice build-up on an aircraft’s wings in real time.
Surrey Sensors say their 3cm-long sensors will help pilots understand what’s happening to their wings during a flight and ultimately make aviation safer. Dr David Birch, one of the leaders of the project, said:
What’s important is not just detecting ice, but understanding how it is affecting the aircraft’s performance. Combining different sensing approaches will help to make these measurements far more robust – particularly in the harsh conditions where current systems are most vulnerable.
Developed in collaboration with the Canadian Flight Test Centre of Excellence, the sensor could also make aircraft more fuel-efficient by reducing reliance on anti-icing systems. Alistair Chapman, Director of Marketing at Certification Center Canada, added:
Knowing your stall margin in all phases of flight is critical. Combining these technologies will both further address this safety issue and open up new possibilities for a rotary environment. Together, Surrey Sensors Limited and Flight Test Centre of Excellence are poised to set new standards in aerospace safety, efficiency and environmental sustainability through innovative airflow sensing technologies.
Even incremental layers of ice on plane wings can significantly disrupt aircraft aerodynamics. When ice builds up, airflow is reduced, cutting lift, increasing drag, and making take-off more dangerous.
While climate change is mostly associated with rising heat, it increases the frequency of extreme weather of all kinds – including freezing temperatures, hail, and snowstorms. As these events will only become more regular, it is essential that the aviation industry develop better systems for monitoring ice on aircraft to ensure safety on all flights.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to discuss the future of safe, efficient flight ops.
For more like this, see:
by Elsie Clark | May 5, 2026 | AI & ML, Avionics, Connectivity, Flight Ops IT, Innovation, MRO IT, Sustainability
Aerospace Tech Week (ATW) have unveiled the agenda for the next edition of the event, taking place in November. This year the conference will be held in London for the first time, bringing together innovators across the industry while highlighting the UK’s dynamic aviation and aerospace value chain. The agenda covers the technologies disrupting the industry right now, from AI and avionics to digital MRO and sustainable aviation fuel.
Big players attending the event include executives from Airbus, Boeing, easyJet, Lufthansa, Thales, Safran, Leonardo, and many more. And through partnerships with ADS, the Aerospace Technology Institute, EUROCAE, and the European Aerospace Cluster Partnership, we’re making ATW 2026 the most impactful edition of the event yet.
Sessions you won’t want to miss:
Keynote panel: Aerospace 2030: Navigating the roadmap towards a resilient, intelligent, and sustainable aerospace. Featuring:
- Nick Earl VP UK, Safran
- Greg Ombach, Senior VP and Head of Disruptive Research, Technology, and Innovation, Airbus
- Ajay Chakravarthy, Chief AI Officer, Thales
- Giancarlo Buono,Group Director Safety and Airspace Regulation, Board Member, UK, Civil Aviation Authority
Workshop: Next steps for hydrogen propulsion
- Led by Helen Leadbetter, Technical Strategy Lead – Zero Emissions Flight, Civil Aviation Authority
Panel: Mastering data quality for the next steps in predictive maintenance. Featuring:
- Craig Lynch, Predictive Maintenance Specialist, easyJet
- Honor Powrie, Senior Director, Data & Analytics, ge
- Yannick Nkengsa, Manager, Aircraft Software & Data, Air Canada
Keynote panel: Towards sustainable skies: Strategies and innovations to green the future of aerospace. Featuring:
- Jonathon Counsell, Group Director of Sustainability, IAG
- Julien Manhes, Head of SAF & CDR, Airbus
- Stéphane Albert, Associate Director, Strategic Sustainability, Pratt and Whitney
- Steven Gillard, Regional Director, Europe & METACA Sustainability + Chair of UK Jet Zero Task Force, Boeing
Presentation: From requirements to practice: The WG-72 toolbox for Part-IS cybersecurity compliance.
- Anna Guégan, Senior Technical Programme Manager, EUROCAE
Keynote panel: Connected sovereign skies: Engineering a resilient UK & European airspace. Featuring:
- Sven Graeble, EVP, Head of Strategic Space Initiatives, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
- Gareth Hetheridge, CIO & Director of Digital, Leonardo
Talent summit, in conversation with Women In Aerospace: Practical advice for forging a career in Aerospace. Featuring:
- Mamatha Maheshwarappa, Head of R&D, UK Space Agency
- Chiara Palla, Coordinator & Program Manager, Women in Aerospace UK Chapter
Excited yet? Check out the full agenda here.
And don’t forget to register your attendance to join us in London in November.
For more like this, see:
by Elsie Clark | Mar 4, 2026 | AI & ML, Avionics, Connectivity, Flight Ops IT, Innovation, MRO IT, Sustainability
Aerospace Tech Week, the premier international exhibition and conference for the aerospace technology community, is proud to announce a new partnership with ADS Group as the event prepares to launch its inaugural UK edition in London.
The move to the UK marks an exciting new chapter for Aerospace Tech Week, which has established itself as the event for senior executives and technical leaders across the aviation and aerospace sectors. The United Kingdom provides a natural home for the show’s next evolution. World-class engineering, global-leading MRO capability, pioneering sustainability research, and an unmatched supply chain make this industry a cornerstone of British economic and industrial strength. It deserves an event that reflects that ambition.
To mark this milestone, Aerospace Tech Week is delighted to partner with ADS Group, the UK’s leading trade association representing the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. ADS supports over 1,800 member companies across the UK, championing their interests, enabling business growth, and advocating for the policies and investment that keep British industry globally competitive. The partnership will help ensure that Aerospace Tech Week’s London edition is deeply connected to the UK industry community from day one.
Daniel Boyle, General Manager at Aerospace Tech Week said:
Aerospace Tech Week brings together the leaders shaping the future of aviation technology, so partnering with ADS is a natural fit. As the UK’s leading trade association for aerospace, defence, security and space, ADS represents a powerful network of innovators and industry stakeholders. We are delighted to be working together to strengthen engagement across the ecosystem and ensure Aerospace Tech Week continues to provide real value, meaningful connections and forward-looking insight for the industry.
Balaji Srimoolanathan, Aerospace Director at ADS Group said:
We are pleased to partner with Aerospace Tech Week as it launches its first UK edition, and to have another opportunity to showcase the innovation, ambition and global competitiveness of the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space industries. Aerospace Tech Week provides an important platform for industrial collaboration across the entire ecosystem. With more than 1,800 member companies spanning the full breadth of the supply chain, we are committed to forming partnerships that connect industry with new opportunities, new technologies and new international relationships. We look forward to supporting a successful inaugural event and ensuring the UK’s world leading expertise is front and centre as the sector continues to innovate, export and grow.
Aerospace Tech Week’s inaugural UK edition will bring together airlines, MROs, ANSPs, OEMs and their partners to explore the latest developments across avionics, connected aircraft, MRO IT, flight operations technology, cybersecurity, sustainability and more.
For further information, to register, or to enquire about exhibition and sponsorship opportunities, click here.
About Aerospace Tech Week | 11 – 12 November 2026, Excel London
Aerospace Tech Week is a conference and exhibition focused on driving innovation and technology advancements in the aerospace sector. Bringing together senior executives and technical leaders, ATW connects the whole value chain of aerospace to discuss, connect, and collaborate on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities.
In 2026, the event will reunite its community of 1,500 industry experts for two inspiring days featuring over 120 speakers. Key topics covered include AI, avionics, MRO, flight ops, and sustainability, while exhibitor and networking programmes spark connections that drive transformations across the industry.
Visit the event website here.
Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest aerospace news and exclusive interviews straight to your inbox
by Elsie Clark | Jan 14, 2026 | AI & ML, Avionics, Connectivity, Flight Ops IT, Innovation, MRO IT, Sustainability
We are excited to announce a significant strategic update to Aerospace Tech Week 2026: the event will now take place in London, UK!
Moving from Munich, Germany to the world-leading Excel exhibition centre means the event can better serve the evolving needs of the aerospace industry. Additionally, new confirmed dates of 11 – 12 November 2026 give us more time to craft our dynamic exhibitor hall and informative agenda.
Lucy Matthews, Senior Conference Producer for Aerospace Tech Week, said:
Moving Aerospace Tech Week to London represents a major step forward for the event. It gives us the opportunity to grow our audience, expand the technical depth of the programme, and deliver our biggest and best edition yet.
Why join us in London?
- A global gateway: Unrivalled international connectivity to attract a truly global visitor base.
- The hub of innovation: Direct access to the UK’s leading aerospace, tech, and investment sectors.
- Enhanced programme: The new dates provide an extended runway to build our most ambitious conference and exhibition to date.
As we prepare for our biggest edition yet, we are now inviting industry leaders to secure their place in the 2026 programme.
Want to be part of the London launch? Whether you are looking to showcase your latest technology on the exhibition floor, lead the conversation as a speaker, or elevate your brand through sponsorship, we want to hear from you.
Click here to speak, sponsor, or exhibit.
Confirmed speakers already including representatives from the UK Ministry of Defence, Oman Air, Airbus, the Civil Aviation Authority, and TAP Maintenance & Engineering.
We look forward to welcoming you and the rest of the global aerospace community to London in November 2026.
About Aerospace Tech Week
Aerospace Tech Week is an event focused on driving innovation and technology advancements in the aerospace sector. Bringing together senior executives and technical leaders, ATW connects the whole value chain of aerospace to discuss, connect, and collaborate on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities.
In 2026 we are excited to reunite our community of 1,500 industry experts for two inspiring days featuring over 120 speakers. Key topics covered include AI, avionics, flight ops, and sustainability, while our exhibitor and networking programmes spark connections that drive transformations across the industry.
Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest aerospace news and exclusive interviews straight to your inbox.
by Elsie Clark | Dec 12, 2025 | Flight Ops IT, Innovation
European aerospace giant Airbus, in collaboration with Delta, Air France and Virgin Atlantic, has successfully completed a critical phase of flight testing for its innovative ‘fello’fly’ project. This uses wake energy retrieval (WER) to significantly cut fuel burn on long-haul routes.
The initiative, which draws direct inspiration from the ‘V’ formation adopted by migrating geese, involves a trailing aircraft positioning itself within the optimal updraft created by the lead jet. This highly precise manoeuvre reduces the trailing aircraft’s drag, resulting in a substantial increase in fuel efficiency for long-haul operations. Airbus and their partners worked under the SESAR Joint Undertaking GEESE project.
An Airbus spokesperson noted:
While the actual wake energy retrieval flights have not been tested yet on commercial flights, the successful completion of the rendezvous process is a crucial first step toward future efficiency gains.
Airbus has stated the method could deliver fuel savings of up to 5% on Transatlantic voyages. Specific flight demonstrators showed a resulting reduction in CO2 emissions of six tonnes per paired operation. Other collaborators included AirNav Ireland, DSNA, EUROCONTROL Network Manager, French bee, and NATS. Airbus described EUROCONTROL’s Innovation hub interface as ‘key’ to proving the concept’s safety in real-world conditions.
The project addresses a critical challenge for the future of commercial aviation, particularly for wide-body routes. For such aircraft flying over oceans, batteries do not represent a viable sustainability solution.
While the technical solution is now proven, the project’s next steps will focus on operational integration. This includes securing the necessary regulatory changes and working with Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) to adapt procedures, ensuring that aircraft can safely fly in the close 1.5-nautical-mile proximity required for WER.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026, where we’ll be joined by leading speakers from EUROCONTROL.
For more like this, see:
by Elsie Clark | Nov 14, 2025 | Flight Ops IT, Innovation
Vietnam Airlines has adopted Lido 4D Flight Planning software for better operational safety and efficiency.
Produced by Lufthansa Systems, the tool enhances real-time situational awareness with updates from weather stations and air traffic control. Sustainability is also a focus, with Lido 4D helping airlines reducing unnecessary emissions and chart optimal flight paths. The solution is a significant step above traditional semi-automated processes, allowing pilots to make decisions more dynamically and adapt to changing circumstances more rapidly.
To Ngoc Giang, Executive Vice President at Vietnam Airlines, commented,
With the support from Lufthansa Systems, we are well-positioned to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future, reinforcing our status as a premier airline in Asia and beyond.
Other airlines who have adopted Lido 4D include ANA, Emirates, and Malaysia Airlines. Vietnam Airlines currently holds a 4-star rating on Skytrax. Tech investment hopes to put them on equal footing with top airlines in APAC and achieve that coveted 5-star rating. More efficient planning will not only reduce their carbon emissions, but pass on benefits to customers such as smoother flights and improved on-time performance (OTP).
Lufthansa Systems, the in-house innovation team from German airline Lufthansa, supports over 350 customers. Vietnam Airlines adds Lido 4D Flight Planning to its existing suite of Lufthansa Systems solutions,, including mPilot, Lido FMS, and Lido AMDB.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to discuss the future of flight ops IT.
For more like this, see:
You must be logged in to post a comment.