AIA Unveils Its Vision Of Aerospace In 2050

viernes, 15 de marzo de 2019

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US Air Force sees F-15EX as cheap and quick fix

The US Air Force (USAF) is requesting funds from Congress for eight Boeing F-15EX fighters instead of more of its favoured aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter, in a move aimed at cutting costs.


http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-air-force-sees-f-15ex-as-cheap-and-quick-fix-456480/

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Lockheed Martin Finalizes Full-Scale Cislunar Habitat Prototype

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Bombardier Concludes Sale of its Business Aircraft Training Unit to CAE



Montréal Bombardier Inc., Business Aircraft, Press Release


Bombardier March 14, 2019 confirmed the conclusion of the previously announced sale of its flight and technical training activities to CAE, for an enterprise value of $645 million. Net proceeds are expected to be approximately $500 million after the assumption of certain liabilities, fees, and closing adjustments.

“Bombardier and CAE share a deep commitment to providing outstanding support to their customers,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Vice President and General Manager, Customer Experience, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Bombardier’s talented employees and strong relationships with clients, combined with CAE’s network and expertise, will elevate the customer experience. As CAE grows its core training business, Bombardier continues to expand its service offerings and dedicated support, each to the benefit of Bombardier Business Aircraft customers around the world.”

Bombardier and CAE also agreed to continue their Authorized Training Provider (ATP) relationship pursuant to which CAE carries out the training activities for Bombardier Business Aircraft, including from the training centres located in Montréal and Dallas.


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Bombardier’s Challenger 350 Aircraft Outperforms Industry as World’s Most Delivered Business Jet in 2018

Montréal Business Aircraft,  Press Release


  • Bombardier delivered 60 Challenger 350 aircraft in 2018, capturing 58 per cent of the super mid-size segment
  • Challenger 350 aircraft deliveries outpaced other business jet competitors in 2018, leading the industry for the second consecutive year
  • Challenger 300 series aircraft boast more deliveries in the last decade than any other business jet platform
  • The Challenger 350 aircraft features an optimally-balanced wing and engine design for an exceptionally smooth ride





Bombardier’s best-selling Challenger 350 business jet continued to outperform the competition in 2018 as the world’s most delivered business aircraft, leading in the super mid-size segment deliveries. As detailed in the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) annual shipment and billings report published in the first quarter of 2019, Bombardier also led deliveries in the super mid-size segment for a second consecutive year with a total of 60 Challenger 350 aircraft, representing 58 per cent of deliveries in the super mid-size segment.

Bombardier also delivered 23 of its large-segment Challenger 650 business jets in 2018, and the first in a much-anticipated string of Global 7500 business jet deliveries expected to follow in 2019. The GAMA report revealed a 3.8-per-cent jump in overall business jet deliveries for the year.

“This is the second consecutive year that our best-selling Challenger 350 business jet has led the pack in the super mid-size segment and in business jet deliveries worldwide across all segments,” says Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing. “With its unmatched reliability and economics, unrivaled cabin comfort and ultra-smooth ride, this aircraft offers customers an unbeatable value proposition. As business jet shipments show continued strength, we are confident that the Challenger 350 business jet will remain the leading choice of knowledgeable and experienced operators across the globe.”

This latest success builds upon a remarkable tradition of leadership for the popular Challenger 300 platform. In the last decade, the Challenger 300 series aircraft accounted for more deliveries than any other business jet platform in the industry. The tried and true Challenger 300 aircraft series continues to maintain a brisk pace of deliveries, surpassing the 700-delivery mark worldwide in 2018.

Challenger 350 aircraft: Designed with a no-compromise approach, the Challenger 350 aircraft effortlessly blends powerful performance and sleek styling to deliver a class-leading private jet experience. Industry-leading connectivity, immersive sound and ergonomically-positioned touch screens are seamlessly integrated to create an intuitive and incomparable cabin experience. Paired with impressive high-performance attributes, the Challenger 350 aircraft is designed to access challenging airfields, climb faster and cruise efficiently while providing a smooth ride.

The Challenger 350 jet boasts class-defining performance, a true seats-full, tanks-full, 3,200 NM (5,926 km) range capability and can connect Los Angeles to Honolulu*, Los Angeles to Anchorage*, or Los Angeles to New York*, while delivering a smooth ride at the lowest direct operating costs in its category.

About Bombardier

With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

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Lufthansa Group to Buy 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliner Jets



press release



Largest airline group in Europe becomes the newest Dreamliner customer

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Lufthansa Group today completed an order for 20 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes. With the deal, valued at up to $5.8 billion per list prices, the largest airline group in Europe becomes the latest customer for the fastest-selling widebody airplane of all time.

Lufthansa Group has been strategically expanding and modernizing its world-class fleet in recent years. By introducing the super-efficient and long-range 787 family, the airline group will be able to fly farther and reduce fuel costs and emissions by more than 20 percent compared to previous-generation jets.

“We are very pleased that the ultra-modern Boeing 787-9 is now also expanding our long-haul fleet," said Dr. Detlef Kayser, Member of the Executive Board Lufthansa Group, Airlines Resources & Operational Standards. "With the 20 aircraft of this type now ordered, we will reduce our operating costs, reduce complexity in our long haul fleet, improve our environmental performance and provide our passengers with the most modern cabins in their respective category with reference class travel comfort.”

The airline group comprises network airlines such as Lufthansa and SWISS that offer passengers premium service and extensive flight options, and “point-to-point” carriers such as Eurowings that offer competitive flights for price-sensitive customers.

“Lufthansa Group is one of the most respected and innovative companies in the airline industry. We are extremely honored that they have again chosen to build their future with Boeing’s widebody jet family and we greatly look forward to delivering the 787 Dreamliner and the new 777X to Lufthansa in the coming years,” said Kevin McAllister, president & CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Built with lightweight composite materials and powered by advanced engines and a suite of new technologies, the 787 family has helped airlines save 33 billion pounds of fuel and open more than 210 new non-stop routes around the world.

“The 787’s incredible fuel efficiency and range provide tremendous flexibility for Lufthansa Group since its airlines will be able to profitably operate the airplane on a wide range of route networks and business models,” said McAllister.

Lufthansa Group’s passengers will also be able to enjoy the Dreamliner’s larger windows, lower cabin altitude, smooth-ride technology, and other amenities.

More about the 787-9 and the Dreamliner family

At 63 meters (206 feet), the 787-9 can fly 290 passengers, in a typical two-class configuration, up to 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 kilometers). Since its launch, the 787 has won more than 1,400 orders from now 76 customers. Boeing has delivered nearly 800 Dreamliner airplanes to customers around the world.

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Rolls-Royce delivers 100th Trent XWB engine from Dahlewitz, Germany



press release





Rolls-Royce is celebrating another milestone in the Trent XWB success story with the delivery of the 100th Trent XWB engine assembled at the production line in Dahlewitz, Germany. The engine will be delivered to Airbus in Toulouse to power Lufthansa’s latest A350-900 aircraft. The Lufthansa Group, one of Rolls-Royce’s most important airline customers, has operated Trent engines since 2003 and has more than 60 Rolls-Royce powered widebody aircraft in service.

More than 1,700 Trent XWB engines in service and on order worldwide reflecting strong customer demand for the Airbus A350 XWB, and Rolls-Royce has continued to ramp up production, assembling Trent XWB engines in both Derby, UK and Dahlewitz, Germany. Together, both production lines deliver the equivalent of one Trent XWB engine each working day of the week.

The Trent XWB is the world’s fastest-selling widebody engine and the programme continues to mature, recently achieving the milestone of passing three million engine flying hours, four years after the first passenger flight.

Warren East, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce, attended the ceremony and said: “With over 450 engines already delivered and three times that number on firm order the Trent XWB is a key part of our Civil Aerospace product portfolio. We are proud of our teams in Germany and the UK and their successful cooperation, delivering outstanding engines every day and supporting the Airbus A350 assembly line and airline customers worldwide.”

The Trent XWB is the largest of the Trent family and the most efficient large aero engine flying today. Since its maiden flight, the Trent XWB has covered more than 1.5 billion miles – the equivalent of flying to the sun and back eight times. It helps connect 99 cities worldwide with more than 450 different routes, and since entering service the engine has demonstrated excellent reliability, including, for example, being ready to take off at its scheduled departure time more than 99.9% of the time.

Did you know?
  • The Trent XWB powers the world’s longest scheduled flight: 15,345km from Changi, Singapore to Newark, USA.
  • Our leading Trent XWB has travelled more than 10 million miles.
  • At take off each of the engine’s high pressure turbine blades generates around 900 horsepower per blade - similar to a Formula One racing car.

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Rolls-Royce takes major step towards electrifying flight with successful hybrid aero propulsion tests



press release




Rolls-Royce has taken a significant step towards realising our ambition to provide hybrid-electric propulsion systems for the next generation of aviation, with successful ground tests of a hybrid system using our M250 gas turbine – a highly successful engine usually powering helicopters. The tests are part of one of the world’s most comprehensive hybrid aerospace turbine engine development and integration programmes and pave the way for experimental flights on aircraft in 2021.

We successfully tested the hybrid version of the M250 gas turbine in a ground demonstration setting in three operating modes: Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid and Turbo-Electric. The M250 hybrid is planned to be used as a propulsion plant with power ranging from 500kW to 1MW and has the potential to transform aviation power. The system will be used across a range of transport platforms to enable distributed electric propulsion, including EVTOLs (hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles), general aviation aircraft and hybrid helicopters.

Dr Mike Mekhiche, Deputy Director, Rolls-Royce Electrical said: “Rolls-Royce has always been a pioneer in aviation and one of the key elements of our strategy is to champion electrification across all our businesses. The successful testing of the hybrid M250 system is an important step forward in providing a hybrid-electric propulsion system that will enable a new class of quieter and cleaner air transport.”

Rolls-Royce engineers based in the United States, UK and Singapore have developed this engine into a hybrid-electric propulsion system. The M250 gas turbine engine has powered more than 170 varieties of fixed-wing military, civilian aircraft and helicopters since its initial development. Rolls-Royce selected this engine for its maturity, power-density, ease of maintenance, and high reliability. In the past half-century, M250 variants have logged more than 250 million flight hours and nearly 33,000 M250 engines have been delivered to customers.

Complete engine testing took place at our state-of-the-art facility in Indianapolis, US, where each component and sub-system of the hybrid engine was individually tested for electrical performance. These tests included simulating use across take-off, cruise, landing and taxiing and confirmed the system’s suitability for a range of transport platforms including aircraft with a range of up to 1000 miles and weighing up to 2000kg. This would support the Rolls-Royce EVTOL concept which was unveiled during the Farnborough Air Show in the UK last year as well as meeting many other customers’ requirements.

Dr Mekhiche added: “Electrification is one of the most exciting developments in aviation since the birth of the jumbo jet. We are determined to use our pedigree in aerospace to be at the forefront of developing innovative propulsion systems to meet the needs of the next chapter in aviation. When this happens, it’s going to transform the way aero transport is designed and produced, reducing the time required to travel, revolutionising cargo delivery and changing the way we design our cities and infrastructure.”

The Rolls-Royce hybrid electric propulsion system demonstrator integrates a M250 gas turbine engine with a high energy density battery system, electric generators, power converters and an advanced power management and control system. The power management system optimises overall propulsion performance in order for the system to be suitable across a variety of platforms, including EVTOL, while delivering efficiency gains, reduced noise and lower emissions.
Tests were successfully carried across three system configurations:
  • Series Hybrid: In this configuration, the engine operates as a turbo-generator that charges an on-board battery system, and does not contribute to thrust directly. All power required for thrust and other onboard systems is supplied by the battery.
  • Parallel Hybrid: In this configuration, the platform thrust is supplied by a combination of the engine (mechanical thrust) and the electrical system (electrical thrust), while the other power needs of the aircraft are met by the battery.
  • Turbo-Electric mode: In this configuration, the battery system is redundant. The engine operates as a pure turbo-generator supplying electric power for thrust and any other power needs on the aircraft.


The next step is to further advance the hybrid propulsion system towards integration on an aircraft and experimental flights in 2021. The M250 hybrid power pack complements the AE 2100 2.5MW system being developed for larger aircraft, including regional aviation, and is being tested with Airbus on the E-Fan X demonstrator platform.

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Investigators find new clues pointing to potential cause of 737 MAX crashes as FAA details Boeing’s fix – The Seattle Times

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