Top weapons tester says KC-46A schedule is unworkable

jueves, 19 de enero de 2012

The US Air Force's plan for testing and evaluating the Boeing KC-46A tanker is "not executable" and could overrun the schedule by at least eight months, the US military's top weapons tester said in a new report.

Michael Gilmore, director of the office of test and evaluation for the Department of Defense, sharply criticized the USAF's ability to certify the KC-46A for military operations by the end of Fiscal 2017.

USAF and Boeing officials were not immediately available to comment on Gilmore's report.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/top-weapons-tester-says-kc-46a-schedule-is-unworkable-367087/

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Sukhoi began flight tests of the 3rd serial Su-35S fighter

Moscow, January 17. Today the 3rd serial multi-purpose fighter — Su-35S-3 piloted by test pilot Taras Artsebarsky took off the airfield of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association named after Yuri Gagarin (KnAAPO). Various modes of propulsion and integrated control system as well as stability and controllability characteristics were tested for more than 2 hours. Operation of engines, systems and equipment proved to be flawless.

The Su-35 fighters have already flown more than 400 flights on the flight tests program. The first and second Su-35s were delivered to the 929th State Flight Test Center (GLITS) for the State Joint Tests (SJT), and on August 15 last year they started to implement the agreed program. At the same time the first serial production fighter — Su-35S-1 has also joined the program.

The first and second Su-35s carried out preliminary flight tests. The basic set of flight and technical specifications of the on-board equipment and the characteristics of super maneuverability, stability and control characteristics, the characteristics of the power plant, the work of the navigation system were fully confirmed during the tests. The maximum ground-level speed is 1,400 km/h, speed at altitude — 2400 km/h, the ceiling — 18 thousand meters. The detection range of targets in the “air-to-air” mode is over 400 km. This is significantly higher than that of the combat aircraft currently in service. The onboard OLS (optical locator station) can detect and track multiple targets at ranges exceeding 80 km. The complex is ready to undergo testing for operational use.

The Su-35 is a thoroughly upgraded super-maneuverable multi-role fighter of the 4++ generation. It employs technologies of the fifth generation that assure its superiority over similar class fighters. The special features of the aircraft include a new avionics suite based on digital information control system integrating onboard systems, a new phased antenna array radar with a long aerial target detection range and with an increased number of simultaneously tracked and engaged targets (30 aerial targets tracked and 8 targets engaged plus the tracking of 4 and engagement of 2 ground targets), and new enhanced vectored thrust engines. The Su-35 has a diverse suite of long-, medium- and short-range weapons. It can carry guided aerial munitions for anti-radar and anti-ship actions as well as general purpose munitions, guided and unguided aerial bombs. The radar signature of the fighter has been reduced by several times as compared to that of the fourth-generation aircraft by coating the cockpit with electro-conducting compounds, applying radio absorption coats and reducing the number of protruding sensors. The service life of the aircraft is 6,000 hours flight hours; the life cycle is 30 years of operation. The assigned service life of vectored thrust engines is 4,000 hours.

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La entrega del primer A400M a Francia podría adelantarse hasta finales de este mismo año, según Ureña

"Estamos trabajando para que esté disponible a finales de año", señaló Ureña, quien destacó que otro de los objetivos de cara a 2012 es la venta de 30 nuevos aviones y la entrega de la misma cifra de aparatos.

http://www.cotizalia.com/ultima-hora/2012/01/entrega-primer-a400m-francia-podria-adelantarse-20120117-448381.html

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Prototype GHOST military watercraft claims a world's first (supercavitation+stealth+ship)

Prototype GHOST military watercraft claims a world's first:

GHOST is a prototype military boat, that is claimed to be the world's first super-cavitati...

If you combined a stealth jet fighter and an attack helicopter and stuck them in the water, what would you get? Well, according to the folks at New Hampshire’s Juliet Marine Systems (JMS), you’d get their GHOST marine platform. Privately developed for possible use by the U.S. Navy, the boat would reportedly be invisible to enemy ships’ radar, while also being faster and more economical than existing military vessels. The company’s big claim, however, is that GHOST is the world’s first super-cavitating watercraft. ..
Continue Reading Prototype GHOST military watercraft claims a world's first

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Los pilotos de Iberia convocan a nuevas huelgas para el 25,27 y 30 de Enero

Los pilotos de Iberia convocan a nuevas huelgas para el 25,27 y 30 de Enero: Ante las diversas “trampas e irregularidades” que la dirección de la compañía ha cometido durante la última jornada de huelga del pasado 11 de enero, el sindicato de pilotos de Iberia (Sepla-Iberia) ha vuelto a convocar a una huelga, ahora para los días 25, 27 y 30 de Enero.
Al igual que ha acontecido durante las huelgas del pasado mes de Diciembre, en el sindicato explican qu

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Boeing locks out 747-8 tail fuel tanks on flutter concerns

Boeing locks out 747-8 tail fuel tanks on flutter concerns: In order to meet certification requirements ahead of its first delivery, Boeing will lock out the 12,500l (3,300gal) horizontal stabiliser tail fuel tanks...

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Boeing increases 747-8 family weights

Boeing increases 747-8 family weights: Boeing has increased the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of its 747-8 Intercontinental and 747-8 freighter after its flight loads survey revealed additional...

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Lockheed develops F-35 JSF fuel dump system repair solution

Lockheed develops F-35 JSF fuel dump system repair solution: Lockheed Martin has developed a solution to repair the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft’s fuel dump system in a move to eliminate a potential fire hazard, Lockheed's JSF programme manager Tom Burbage has revealed.

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EASA Demands A380 Wing Crack Inspections

EASA Demands A380 Wing Crack Inspections: EASA is ordering inspections of A380s to assess how a new set of wing cracks affect the Airbus fleet.

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Bell Expected To Introduce Clean Sheet Helicopter 'Soon'

Bell Expected To Introduce Clean Sheet Helicopter 'Soon': Non-Military Aircraft In Development For Long-Haul Offshore Market Bell Helicopter is reportedly getting very close to unveiling its new civilian helicopter, which it is developing for use primarily in the offshore oil market. The aircraft will fill a niche transporting oil and natural gas workers more than 200 miles off shore.

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Mañana se presenta en España el helicóptero Robinson 66

El Robinson R66 es un helicóptero monomotor para cinco pasajeros, diseñado y fabricado en Estados Unidos por Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC). Es algo más rápido y grande que el Robinson 44. También es el primer helicóptero diseñado por Robinson que dispone de un compartimento de carga separado. El R66 recibió su certificado de aeronavegabilidad y de producción por parte de la FAA el 25 de octubre de 2010, empezándose a entregar un mes después.

Noticia completa Mañana se presenta en España el helicóptero Robinson 66

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New Airbus aircraft list prices for 2012

Price adjustment for best-selling, fuel-efficient aircraft.

18 JANUARY 2012 PRESS RELEASE
Airbus has increased the average list prices of its aircraft by 3.9 per cent, except for the A320neo Family price which rises by an average of 6.1 per cent. The new pricing is effective from January 1st 2012.

"Our new pricing reflects the strong demand for our modern, eco-efficient aircraft families," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers."With competition amongst carriers heating up, any tool that helps cut their costs will pay handsome dividends. The A320neo offers a 15% fuel cost savings, making it the blue chip single aisle aircraft investment by anyone's standards."

Airbus is the leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has sold close to 11,500 aircraft and delivered over 7,000 since its first airliner entered service.

The 3.9 per cent price increase has been calculated according to Airbus' standard escalation formula over the January 2011 to January 2012 period.


AIRBUS AIRCRAFT 

2012 AVERAGE LIST PRICES (M$)

                                                       

 

A318

 

 

67.7

 

 

A319

 

 

80.7

 

 

A320

 

 

88.3

 

 

A321

 

 

103.6

 

 

A319neo

 

 

88.8

 

 

A320neo

 

 

96.7

 

 

A321neo

 

 

113.3

 

 

A330-200

 

 

208.6

 

 

A330-200F

 

 

211.5

 

 

A330-300

 

 

231.1

 

 

A350-800

 

 

245.5

 

 

A350-900

 

 

277.7

 

 

A350-1000

 

 

320.6

 

 

A380-800

 

 

389.9

 

Price depends on design weights, engines choice and level of selected customisation.

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