The next frontier of aircraft design is taming bug splats. NASA scientists are patenting substances that act like non-stick cookware, blocking dead insects from adhering to surfaces so air flows more smoothly over the wings and fuselage. The new coatings could solve one of aviation’s oldest problems: how to take advantage of a super-smooth flow of air called “laminar flow” that dramatically reduces drag and improves fuel efficiency. Up to now, this has been almost impossible to achieve in the real world because even the smallest debris -- including insect carcasses -- triggers swirling air turbulence that roils the airstream. “I think we’re definitely on the right track,” said Fay Collier, project manager of NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project. “This has been a tremendous step forward.” Out of dozens of materials tested first in wind tunnels and then last year on the wings of a Boeing 757, two were considered successful enough that NASA is preparing to make them available for licensing by private companies. The best material so far has only blocked about 40% of bug splats, and scientists would prefer a higher success rate, leaving more work to be done, Collier said.<br/>
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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has underscored the need for a high-speed rail link to be operating to Sydney's second airport as soon as possible after the first commercial flight takes off in a decade. In a speech to be delivered on Friday, Turnbull will emphasise that a rail link will be crucial not only for the new airport at Badgerys Creek but to spur the western Sydney economy. "[The airport] will be well connected by roads when it opens. But roads are not enough," he will say. "World class airports share a common ingredient – fast and convenient public transport links." He will cite remarks last week from Qatar Airways boss Akbar Al Baker, who said the the lack of high-speed rail links meant the airline would not fly to the new airport. While traffic forecasts suggested the airport would not justify a dedicated rail link until the 2040s, Turnbull will highlight that transport infrastructure would add "enormous value and amenity" to the people of western Sydney. "Instead of resigning ourselves to a two-decade delay, let's lift our ambitions and ask, 'What would it take for rail to be operational at the airport when it opens? Or, if not, how soon afterwards?' " he will ask.<br/>
Two giant, translucent canopies spanning several lanes of roadway and sidewalks outside the domestic terminal will be among the most visible aspects of a $6b expansion and renovation project at the world's busiest airport during the next 20 years, officials announced Thursday. A computer animation unveiled at the Atlanta airport's inaugural "State of the Airport" address shows the massive structures enclosing the drop-off and pickup lanes outside the main terminal and connecting the terminal to parking decks. The canopy will protect travelers from the elements "while making a memorable impression of the world-class stature of Atlanta," said Miguel Southwell, general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airport also plans to update the interior of the domestic passenger terminal and concourses and add a sixth runway and a 400-room hotel, officials said. Parts of the ticketing areas where passengers check in for domestic flights will be "flooded with natural light" when renovations are complete, Southwell said. Work begins on concourse renovations later this year. The project accelerates next year with work on parking decks, passenger gates and the terminal renovation, officials said. Atlanta's airport handled 101.5m passengers last year, more than any other in the world, officials said. Among US airports in 2015, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was second in passenger traffic with nearly 77m. Los Angeles International Airport was third with nearly 75m, according to statistics from those airports. Among other goals for the coming year: improving wait times for passenger security screenings.<br/>
A jet fuel pipeline that supplies to the John F. Kennedy airport ruptured in east New York on Thursday, potentially affecting fuel supply to the airport. The leak has been isolated, the fire department said, adding that there were no injuries or evacuations due to the incident. The rupture on the pipeline operated by Buckeye Partners LP occurred between Linden Boulevard and Junius Street in Brooklyn, ABC7 reported on its website. The pipeline also supplies to LaGuardia and Newark airports, the report added.<br/>
Pratt & Whitney said Thursday its new geared turbofan jetliner engine logged high reliability at its initial customer, Deutsche Lufthansa AG , a day after Qatar Airways raised concern about the engine's performance in hot climates. Lufthansa took delivery of the first Airbus A320neo jet, equipped with the Pratt & Whitney's engines, in January. Launch customer Qatar Airways said on Wednesday the engines were not adequately tested and that it was seeking performance guarantees from Airbus and Pratt. Bob Leduc, president of Pratt & Whitney, said at an investor conference held by parent United Technologies that faulty readings in the cockpit aren't related to engine issues and that a software fix was delivered last week to address that problem. "We're 99% dispatch reliable at Lufthansa," Leduc said. "An engine that's not robust, an engine that's not durable, does not demonstrate 99% dispatch out of the box." The company also introduced a hardware fix to the engines on its production line in late February to address the extra time required to start in certain heat conditions, United Technologies CE Greg Hayes said. Engines with the hardware fix will be delivered in May or June, while those delivered earlier will be retrofitted, Hayes said.<br/>
Gategroup slid to a full-year loss in 2015 as the airline caterer was hit by the strong Swiss franc and restructuring charges, amid pressure from large shareholders to swap out board members with new directors. Zurich-based Gategroup posted a loss attributable to shareholders of CHF63.4m Swiss francs (US$63.55m), compared with a 2014 profit of CHF40.8m francs, the company said.<br/>