viernes, 12 de marzo de 2010
Ucrania aprueba la producción del avión Antonov An-70
Ucrania aprueba la producción del avión Antonov An-70
El Gobierno de Ucrania autorizó ayer la inversión de 42 millones de dólares para la producción del avión de transporte militar Antonov An-70, según la disposición del gabinete publicada hoy en la web del Parlamento ucraniano y recogida por Novosti.
Fotos:
Ucrania invertirá 42 millones de dólares en la construcción del An-70
http://www.curimedia.com/2010/03/ucrania-invertir-42-millones-de-dlares-en-la-construccin-del-an-70/
Manufacturing Work Starts on First UK F35 Lightning II Aircraft
Manufacturing work has started on the first F-35 Lightning II aircraft that will be delivered to the UK Ministry of Defence. Quentin Davies, UK Minister of Defence Equipment and Support, marked the occasion by signing the F-35 frame before it was loaded into the assembly jig at the BAE Systems site in Samlesbury, Lancashire.
The frame will come out of the jig in Quarter 3 2010 as an assembled aft fuselage, part of the first UK F-35 Lightning II ever to be built. The UK Ministry of Defence has committed to the purchase of three aircraft to allow testing and training to take place before operational service.
Mr Davies visited BAE Systems' Samlesbury site on 24th February 2010 for an update on various programmes within BAE Systems and to witness the investment taking place on the site.
He said: "Over the previous ten years, the main driver of economic growth in this country has been financial services. Over the next ten years I believe it is going to be manufacturing that is key to the future success of the British economy."
BAE Systems is teamed with prime contractor Lockheed Martin and with Northrop Grumman to deliver the F-35 Lightning II, the world's largest defence programme. The aft fuselage and empennage (vertical and horizontal tails) for each F-35 are designed, engineered and manufactured by BAE Systems at Samlesbury using the latest digital design and precision manufacturing technologies, while the Company's Structural & Dynamic Test facility at Brough, Yorkshire, will take the lead on Static and Fatigue testing for the F-35 programme.
The programme calls on BAE Systems global capabilities, with BAE Systems, Inc., in the US contributing key capabilities including electronic warfare, advanced low observable apertures, advanced countermeasure systems, vehicle management computer and active inceptor systems.
Mick Ord, BAE Systems F-35 Managing Director, said: "The F-35 programme is essential to the sustainment of the UK aerospace manufacturing industry, so it's great to have such support from the UK government. We are working hard with the UK MOD to ensure we provide the tremendous aircraft they require."
The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, advanced sustainment, and lower operational and support costs.
Plant-based fuel is cheap, easy, and ready to power your jet
http://www.gizmag.com/cheap-easy-plant-based-fuel/14468/
Engineers at University of Wisconsin-Madison have found a way to convert 95% of the energy of cellulosic biomass into jet fuel using stable, inexpensive catalysts, basic equipment and minimal processing. The end hydrocarbon product is so similar to jet fuel that it is ready for application by present internal engine designs.
The team's previous research had focused on processes that convert plant-based sugars into transportation fuels, however they found that sugar molecules commonly degrade to form levulinic acid and formic acid which don't readily transform into high-energy liquid fuels.
jueves, 11 de marzo de 2010
Boeing 787 Begins First Flight-Test Operations Outside of Washington
VICTORVILLE, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The second Boeing (NYSE: BA) 787 Dreamliner, ZA002, landed at 10:53 a.m. local time today in Victorville, Calif. This marks the beginning of the first flight-test operations outside of Washington state for the program.
The airplane will be stationed at Victorville for approximately three weeks. The crew will conduct ground effects testing among other activities.
During ground effects testing, the pilots fly the airplane very close to the runway to gather data regarding the aerodynamic effects and performance of the airplane during the takeoff and landing phases of flight. Quantifying this performance is part of the certification requirements for all new airplanes.
"Victorville's airfield is the former George Air Force Base," said Randy Neville, chief pilot for ZA002. "There is ample ramp space for parking and plenty of on-site facilities. There is a long runway and plenty of level, clear land along the approach to the runway. We can operate there without disrupting air traffic control or other commercial aircraft."
A crew of more than 150 employees will be stationed at Victorville while the airplane is there. These include the flight-test engineers and support personnel required to prepare the airplane for each day's flights and to monitor performance and test equipment.
"Our confidence in the reliability of this airplane grows day by day," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "Taking the airplane out of state for the first time is a big step, but one we're ready for."
Remove Before flight, tu podcast aeronáutico, Episodio 04 ya disponible
Como siempre podéis escucharlo en línea, o bien descargarlo.
¡Llegamos volando a nuestro cuarto episodio! Un episodio algo más largo de lo normal, pero por unas buenas razones. Os traemos una entrevista a Mark Torres, piloto de aerolínea que nos hablará de sus experiencias con el 747, del esfuerzo que supone llegar a ser piloto y de su relación con el mundo de la simulación. También un monográfico especial sobre el UNVEX 2010, la primera feria española de UAV (vehículos aéreos no tripulados) cubierta por nuestro enviado especial Jose Manuel Gil. Y por supuesto, la sección de noticias y eventos.
Gracias por volar con nosotros.
Contenidos Episodio 04:
00:00:00 Introducción
00:02:23 Plan de vuelo (sumario)
00:03:14 Entrevista a Mark Torres, piloto de aerolínea.
00:24:11 Monográfico especial: UNVEX'10, 1ª feria española de UAV (Vehículos Aéreos No Tripulados)
01:03:56 Noticias
01:19:03 Eventos
01:22:26 Despedida
Dirección: Jose Miguel Morales & Javier F. Lago
Redacción: Jose Miguel Morales, Ricard Sánchez & Jose Manuel Gil
Locución: Jose Miguel Morales, Ricard Sánchez & Javier F. Lago
Música y edición: Javier F. Lago
Voice Coach: Anna Esquius
Layout & Diseño: Anna Esquius & Javier F. Lago
Producido por Satori Produccions SL (info@satori-produccions.com)
Gracias por volar con nosotros.
Contenidos Episodio 04:
00:00:00 Introducción
00:02:23 Plan de vuelo (sumario)
00:03:14 Entrevista a Mark Torres, piloto de aerolínea.
00:24:11 Monográfico especial: UNVEX'10, 1ª feria española de UAV (Vehículos Aéreos No Tripulados)
01:03:56 Noticias
01:19:03 Eventos
01:22:26 Despedida
Dirección: Jose Miguel Morales & Javier F. Lago
Redacción: Jose Miguel Morales, Ricard Sánchez & Jose Manuel Gil
Locución: Jose Miguel Morales, Ricard Sánchez & Javier F. Lago
Música y edición: Javier F. Lago
Voice Coach: Anna Esquius
Layout & Diseño: Anna Esquius & Javier F. Lago
Producido por Satori Produccions SL (info@satori-produccions.com)
miércoles, 10 de marzo de 2010
Bruselas estudia llevar el conflicto entre EADS y EE UU por los aviones cisterna a la OMC
Bruselas estudia llevar el conflicto entre EADS y EE UU por los aviones cisterna a la OMC
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/economia/Bruselas/estudia/llevar/conflicto/EADS/EE/UU/aviones/cisterna/OMC/elpepueco/20100310elpepueco_9/Tes
París: el cambio en la oferta de los aviones cisterna del Pentágono es grave
ttp://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=303990
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/economia/Bruselas/estudia/llevar/conflicto/EADS/EE/UU/aviones/cisterna/OMC/elpepueco/20100310elpepueco_9/Tes
París: el cambio en la oferta de los aviones cisterna del Pentágono es grave
ttp://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=303990
UAV Navigation presenta el AP040EM2, el AD-INS más pequeño y ligero del mundo
UAV Navigation, compañía especializada en el diseño de sistemas de control de vuelo para aeronaves tripuladas y no tripuladas, presentó en UNVEX'10 el AP040EM2, una solución perfecta para los diseñadores de sistemas que necesiten integrar en sus equipos aviónica miniaturizada.
Aerobatic Racing – The Next Generation of Air Shows
"Two pilots, flying side-by-side about 500 feet apart, race through a series of 8 to 10 aerobatic maneuvers. Rule infractions or incomplete maneuvers result in penalties added to the pilot's overall clocked time. The pilot that completes the aerobatic sequence in the least amount of time wins the race!
Presently, there are two categories of race planes excepted: high-performance aerobatic aircraft (including the Pitts S-2B/C, the Edge-540, the Extra-300/300, the Staudacher S-300, etc.) and warbirds (including the T-28, the T-6/SNJ, or Harvard.) Both similar and dissimilar aircraft compete against one another so pilots must strategically harness each aircraft's unique handling advantages to win."
For full information
Dos pilotos, dos pistas separadas 500ft, una carrera en la que hay que realizar de 8 a 10 maniobras acrobáticas, las maniobras mal hechas o incompletas penalizan... y el piloto que menos tiempo tarde en hacer todas las maniobras gana.
Se admite que compitan dos tipos de aeronaves: acrobáticas de altas prestaciones (Pitts S2 b/c, Edge 540, Extra 300/330 etc) y "Wardbirds" (T-28Trojan, T6 Texan...). Y no compiten por separado... ambas categorías se pueden enfrentar en la misma carrera, con cada piloto exprimiendo de la máquina sus ventajas sobre las otras para ganar la carrera.
AeroNews
y un poco más abajo, el vídeo...
Army approaches million unmanned flying hours
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 5, 2010) -- The Army is fast approaching one million hours of unmanned aviation flight with its unmanned aerial systems.
"Right now it looks like we'll hit probably 1 million total hours sometime next month," said Col. Christopher Carlile, director, U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence. "But it'll take us to around September or October before we'll hit one million hours in support of combat operations."
The colonel said about 90 percent of the Army's unmanned flying hours are in support of combat. The Army aviation community will recognize the milestone in late May with displays at the Pentagon and the Smithsonian Museum in Washington.
Speaking to an audience of Soldiers and defense-industry professionals last week during the 2010 Association of the United States Army's Institute of Land Warfare Winter Symposium and Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Carlile said the Army is prepared for growth in use of unmanned aerial systems and for broadening their mission sets.
"Today we are probably 99 percent-plus for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles for UAS," he said. "Though in the future, there will be new roles."
The colonel said those new roles could include communications relays, sustainment and cargo, for instance.
Training is ramping up for more UAS support as well. Out at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., the Army runs a joint training installation for UAS operators and maintainers. There, they train Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. Carlile said the Army is expected to see an increase in Soldiers that need to be trained at the facility.
"Today we will train, in Fiscal Year 2010, about 800," he said. "By 2018, our requirement is over 3,000 operators."
Unlike other services, the Army finds placing enlisted servicemembers at the controls of a UAS to be most effective, and Carlile said that is not likely to change.
"Army enlisted UAS operators are fully capable and well trained to do anything you give them to do, and it'll shock you when you hear how many hours of operation they have," he said.
Carlile said the Army puts aircraft like the RQ-7 Shadow and the Raven in the lowest units, keeping their ISR capability close to the commanders who will need it.
"One of the greatest things we did was place the Shadow platoon in the brigade combat team in the early days," he said. "It allowed our infantry and our armor officers to realize the potential and know they owned it and know they were going to get it when they asked for it."
Aviation is a complex business, prone to mishap, Carlile said, and the Army has found ways to minimize that by allowing technology in the UAS to do "what it does best."
"What we found is that when the Army adapted that methodology to go toward an automated method to let the equipment do what it does best -- let it come up with automated take off and landing strategy -- what we have seen, it would shock you."
The colonel said that human error accidents and incidents are now nearing the single- digit mark now.
Despite successes of UAS in Iraq and Afghanistan, late in 2009 it was reported in the press that the Defense Department had confirmed that insurgents could intercept unencrypted video feeds from UAS.
On Capitol Hill, Secretary of the Army John McHugh was queried about UAS security by Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama. McHugh said he felt confident about the current status of Army systems.
"The Army greatly values, and commanders feel very strongly, about the Army's need to have these capabilities particularly at a strategic level," the secretary said. "All the services recognized that potential vulnerability early on and have reacted aggressively to it, and we feel comfortable with the systems in place."
"Right now it looks like we'll hit probably 1 million total hours sometime next month," said Col. Christopher Carlile, director, U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence. "But it'll take us to around September or October before we'll hit one million hours in support of combat operations."
The colonel said about 90 percent of the Army's unmanned flying hours are in support of combat. The Army aviation community will recognize the milestone in late May with displays at the Pentagon and the Smithsonian Museum in Washington.
Speaking to an audience of Soldiers and defense-industry professionals last week during the 2010 Association of the United States Army's Institute of Land Warfare Winter Symposium and Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Carlile said the Army is prepared for growth in use of unmanned aerial systems and for broadening their mission sets.
"Today we are probably 99 percent-plus for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles for UAS," he said. "Though in the future, there will be new roles."
The colonel said those new roles could include communications relays, sustainment and cargo, for instance.
Training is ramping up for more UAS support as well. Out at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., the Army runs a joint training installation for UAS operators and maintainers. There, they train Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. Carlile said the Army is expected to see an increase in Soldiers that need to be trained at the facility.
"Today we will train, in Fiscal Year 2010, about 800," he said. "By 2018, our requirement is over 3,000 operators."
Unlike other services, the Army finds placing enlisted servicemembers at the controls of a UAS to be most effective, and Carlile said that is not likely to change.
"Army enlisted UAS operators are fully capable and well trained to do anything you give them to do, and it'll shock you when you hear how many hours of operation they have," he said.
Carlile said the Army puts aircraft like the RQ-7 Shadow and the Raven in the lowest units, keeping their ISR capability close to the commanders who will need it.
"One of the greatest things we did was place the Shadow platoon in the brigade combat team in the early days," he said. "It allowed our infantry and our armor officers to realize the potential and know they owned it and know they were going to get it when they asked for it."
Aviation is a complex business, prone to mishap, Carlile said, and the Army has found ways to minimize that by allowing technology in the UAS to do "what it does best."
"What we found is that when the Army adapted that methodology to go toward an automated method to let the equipment do what it does best -- let it come up with automated take off and landing strategy -- what we have seen, it would shock you."
The colonel said that human error accidents and incidents are now nearing the single- digit mark now.
Despite successes of UAS in Iraq and Afghanistan, late in 2009 it was reported in the press that the Defense Department had confirmed that insurgents could intercept unencrypted video feeds from UAS.
On Capitol Hill, Secretary of the Army John McHugh was queried about UAS security by Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama. McHugh said he felt confident about the current status of Army systems.
"The Army greatly values, and commanders feel very strongly, about the Army's need to have these capabilities particularly at a strategic level," the secretary said. "All the services recognized that potential vulnerability early on and have reacted aggressively to it, and we feel comfortable with the systems in place."
Boeing Receives Phase 1 of Contract for US Air Force QF-16 Drone
ST. LOUIS, March 9, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth approximately $69.7 million for the initial engineering, manufacturing and development of QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Targets to replace the QF-4 fleet. Under the terms of the remainder of the contract, expected to be awarded in coming years, up to 126 QF-16 drones will deliver beginning in 2014.
Boeing engineers and support personnel will convert retired F-16 aircraft into QF-16s for use as aerial targets for newly developed weapons and tactics. The drones, which will be equipped to evaluate how U.S. fighters and weapons will operate against potential adversaries, will be flown within a controlled range and used for testing. They will be able to fly either manned or unmanned.
QF-16 design and development will take place in St. Louis. Ground and flight testing and production will be completed at the Boeing facility in Cecil Field, Fla., near Jacksonville.
"We are honored and prepared to provide the U.S. Air Force, the 691st Armament Systems Squadron, and the QF-16 Program with next-generation, full-scale aerial targets through a low-risk, affordable, technically superior solution," said Steve Waltman, director of Boeing Aircraft Sustainment & Maintenance.
The Boeing-led QF-16 team, which includes BAE Systems in Johnson City, N.Y., meets all requirements presented in the QF-16 design, development and production contract. Collectively, the Boeing team has 33 years of experience with drone systems.
Boeing 'Phantom Eye' Hydrogen Powered Vehicle Takes Shape
ST. LOUIS, March 8, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has begun to build Phantom Eye -- its first unmanned, liquid-hydrogen powered, high altitude long endurance (HALE) demonstrator aircraft.
"The essence of Phantom Eye is its propulsion system," said Darryl Davis, Boeing Phantom Works president. "After five years of technology development, we are now deploying rapid prototyping to bring together an unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV] with a breakthrough liquid-hydrogen propulsion system that will be ready to fly early next year."
Phantom Eye's entire propulsion system -- including the engine, turbo chargers and engine control system -- successfully completed an 80-hour test in an altitude chamber on March 1, clearing the way for the propulsion system and UAV to be assembled.
The twin-engine Phantom Eye demonstrator will have a 150-foot wingspan and be capable of flying for more than four days at altitudes up to 65,000 feet while carrying a payload of up to 450 pounds. Phantom Eye is designed to maintain a persistent presence in the stratosphere over a specific area, while performing missions that could include intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and communication. Boeing also is developing a larger HALE that will stay aloft for more than 10 days and carry payloads of more than 2,000 pounds, and building "Phantom Ray," a fighter-sized UAV that will be a flying test bed for advanced technologies.
"We believe Phantom Eye and Phantom Ray represent two areas where the unmanned aerial vehicle market is heading, and rapid prototyping is the key to getting us there," said Dave Koopersmith, Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft vice president. "These innovative demonstrators reduce technology risks and set the stage for meeting both military and commercial customers' future needs."
Phantom Eye evolved from Boeing's earlier success with the piston-powered Condor that set several records for altitude and endurance in the late 1980s. Boeing, as the Phantom Eye system designer, is working closely with Ball Aerospace, Aurora Flight Sciences, Ford Motor Co. and MAHLE Powertrain to develop the demonstrator.
Phantom Ray evolved from the X-45C program. It is scheduled to make its first flight in December.
Boeing Patent - Sonic Cruiser Meets BWB
It appears there is still interest at Boeing in high-speed airliners, at least within its advanced projects organization. The company has been granted a US patent for a design that is remininscent of both its high-speed Sonic Cruiser and high-capacity Blended Wing Body (BWB), if that's not too odd-sounding a concept.
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