- Adelson o la Comunidad de Madrid deberán indemnizar a Aena con 20 millones
- La altura de los rascacielos (250 metros) influye en el espacio aéreo
martes, 19 de marzo de 2013
El casino de Eurovegas obligará a cerrar el aeropuerto de Cuatro Vientos
Rheinmetall Successfully Tests 50kW High-Energy Laser Weapon
Rheinmetall Successfully Tests 50kW High-Energy Laser Weapon: Rheinmetall has successfully tested its new 50kW high-energy weapon technology demonstrator.
Boeing propone a la FAA una solución para el problema de las baterías
La solución final que Boeing plantea a la FAA reside en cinco puntos:
- Más controles y verificaciones durante la producción de las celdas de las baterías en Japón
- Definir un nivel de carga máxima admisible más bajo, y un mínimo (el que se usa para decidir si la batería está descargada o no) más alto
- Mejora en la instalación de la batería, tanto el cableado como el aislamiento entre celdillas
- El ya famoso "blindaje" de acero inoxidable ignífugo, para si hay problemas de fuego, evitar que salga de esta caja
- Ensayar las baterías para su certificación bajo nuevos estándares industriales(la norma DO311 de la RTCA, Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics es una organización sin ánimo de lucro que colabora con la FAA para desarrollar estándares para aviación). Estos estándares no existían cuando se ensayaron originalmente las baterías. Esta norma se ha diseñado para permitir ensayar baterías de litio y demostrar que son seguras
RAF's Tranche 3A Typhoon to start electromagnetic compatibility testing
RAF's Tranche 3A Typhoon to start electromagnetic compatibility testing: BAE Systems has started electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing of the UK Royal Air Force's (RAF) first Tranche 3A Typhoon multirole combat aircraft.
Una nueva compañía Suiza promete reducir los costes de lanzar satélites casi un 80%
The Swiss shuttle that launches from the top of a plane: Pioneering plan for low cost satellite launches revealed
- Swiss Firm S3 claims it can launch satellites for £7m - a quarter of the current price
- Unmanned shuttle will launch from the top of a modified Airbus A300 at 26,000 feet
- First test launches scheduled for 2017, with plans for spaceports around the world
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2293382/The-Swiss-space-shuttle-launches-plane-Pioneering-plans-low-cost-satellite-launches-revealed.html#ixzz2Nz64yILl
Boeing Selects GE As Engine Partner For 777X Studies
Boeing Selects GE As Engine Partner For 777X Studies: Future 777 Models To Enter Market Near End Of The Decade Boeing's development study on improvements to the 777, known as 777X, will include GE as the engine partner on the twin-aisle airplane expected to enter service near the end of the decade. Boeing says the future 777 models will offer increased fuel efficiency and range.
Embraer Signs Jacksonville, FL Airport Lease For A-29 Assembly Facility
Embraer Signs Jacksonville, FL Airport Lease For A-29 Assembly Facility: Preparation Of The Facility Is Underway In NE Florida Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. has signed a 10-year lease on a 40,000-square-foot hangar in which the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for the U.S. Air Force Light Air Support (LAS) program will be assembled. Preparation of the facility is currently underway. The LAS aircraft are urgently needed to support the successful withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Evo Morales negocia en Toulouse la compra de aviones y helicópteros
Evo Morales negocia en Toulouse la compra de aviones y helicópteros:
Toulouse.- El presidente boliviano Evo Morales, que visitó la pasada semana la factoría de Airbus en Toulouse y se reunió con los principales directivos de la empresa, estudió con ellos la compra de aviones para la aerolínea estatal Boliviana de Aviación (BoA). También mostró su interés en adquirir helicópteros a Eurocopter.
Toulouse.- El presidente boliviano Evo Morales, que visitó la pasada semana la factoría de Airbus en Toulouse y se reunió con los principales directivos de la empresa, estudió con ellos la compra de aviones para la aerolínea estatal Boliviana de Aviación (BoA). También mostró su interés en adquirir helicópteros a Eurocopter.
Boeing Rolls Out First Next-Generation 737 at Higher Production Rate
RENTON, Wash., March 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) has rolled out the first Next-Generation 737 built at the new production rate of 38 airplanes a month. Panamanian customer Copa Airlines will take delivery of the 737-800 in early April.
The airplane will now undergo functional, systems and flight testing over the next three weeks before being delivered.
Boeing is in the process of increasing the production rate on its 737 program from 35 to 38 airplanes per month because of market demand for the world's best-selling commercial jetliner. Next year, the 737 production rate will increase to 42 airplanes per month.
Copa Airlines operates a fleet of more than 50 Next-Generation 737s.
The airplane will now undergo functional, systems and flight testing over the next three weeks before being delivered.
Boeing is in the process of increasing the production rate on its 737 program from 35 to 38 airplanes per month because of market demand for the world's best-selling commercial jetliner. Next year, the 737 production rate will increase to 42 airplanes per month.
Copa Airlines operates a fleet of more than 50 Next-Generation 737s.
Boeing Provides Details on 787 Battery Improvements
EVERETT, Wash., March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today that a comprehensive set of improvements that will add several layers of additional safety features to the lithium-ion batteries on 787 commercial jetliners are in production and could be ready for initial installation within the next few weeks. New enclosures for 787 batteries also are being built and will be installed in airplanes in the weeks ahead.
These improvements, which continue to undergo extensive certification testing, will allow operators to resume commercial flights with their 787s as soon as testing is complete and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other international regulators grant their final approval.
The improvements include enhanced production and operating processes, improved battery design features and a new battery enclosure.
"As soon as our testing is complete and we obtain regulatory approvals, we will be positioned to help our customers implement these changes and begin the process of getting their 787s back in the air," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. "Passengers can be assured that we have completed a thorough review of the battery system and made numerous improvements that we believe will make it a safer, more reliable battery system." Battery system changes include changes to the battery itself, the battery charging unit and the battery installation.
Earlier this week the FAA approved Boeing's certification plan, which lays out the discrete testing to be done to demonstrate that the battery improvements address the conditions laid out in the Airworthiness Directive that has suspended 787 commercial operations.
Development Team Created Solution
The enhancements to the battery system address causal factors identified by the Boeing technical team as possible causes of battery failure. The technical team's findings also were verified by an independent group of lithium-ion battery experts from a number of industries, universities and national laboratories.
"We've come up with a comprehensive set of solutions that result in a safer battery system," said Mike Sinnett, vice president and chief project engineer, 787 program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We have found a number of ways to improve the battery system and we don't let safety improvements go once they are identified. We incorporate them into our processes and products."
Enhanced Production Controls and Operating Processes
The first layer of improvements is taking place during the manufacture of the batteries in Japan. Boeing teamed with Thales, the provider of the integrated power conversion system, and battery maker GS Yuasa to develop and institute enhanced production standards and tests to further reduce any possibility for variation in the production of the individual cells as well as the overall battery.
"We've all developed a better understanding of the sensitivities of this technology to variations during the manufacturing process," said Sinnett. "And we all feel the need to increase monitoring of this process on an ongoing basis."
Four new or revised tests have been added to screen cell production, which now includes 10 distinct tests. Each cell will go through more rigorous testing in the month following its manufacture including a 14-day test during which readings of discharge rates are being taken every hour. This new procedure started in early February and the first cells through the process are already complete. There are more than a dozen production acceptance tests that must be completed for each battery.
Boeing, Thales and GS Yuasa have also decided to narrow the acceptable level of charge for the battery, both by lowering the highest charge allowed and raising the lower level allowed for discharge. Two pieces of equipment in the battery system – the battery monitoring unit and the charger are being redesigned to the narrower definition. The battery charger will also be adapted to soften the charging cycle to put less stress on the battery during charging.
Improved Battery Design Features
Changes inside the battery will help to reduce the chances of a battery fault developing and help to further isolate any fault that does occur so that it won't cause issues with other parts of the battery.
To better insulate each of the cells in the battery from one another and from the battery box, two kinds of insulation will be added. An electrical insulator is being wrapped around each battery cell to electrically isolate cells from each other and from the battery case, even in the event of a failure. Electrical and thermal insulation installed above, below and between the cells will help keep the heat of the cells from impacting each other.
Wire sleeving and the wiring inside the battery will be upgraded to be more resistant to heat and chafing and new fasteners will attach the metallic bars that connect the eight cells of the battery. These fasteners include a locking mechanism.
Finally, a set of changes is being made to the battery case that contains the battery cells and the battery management unit. Small holes at the bottom will allow moisture to drain away from the battery and larger holes on the sides will allow a failed battery to vent with less impact to other parts of the battery.
New Battery Enclosure
The battery case will sit in a new enclosure made of stainless steel. This enclosure will isolate the battery from the rest of the equipment in the electronic equipment bays. It also will ensure there can be no fire inside the enclosure, thus adding another layer of protection to the battery system. The enclosure features a direct vent to carry battery vapors outside the airplane.
New titanium fixtures are being installed in the electronics equipment bays to ensure the housing is properly supported.
"Our first lines of improvements, the manufacturing tests and operations improvements, significantly reduce the likelihood of a battery failure. The second line of improvements, changes to the battery, helps stop an event and minimize the effect of a failure within the battery if it does occur. And the third line of improvements, the addition of the new enclosure, isolates the battery so that even if all the cells vent, there is no fire in the enclosure and there is no significant impact to the airplane," said Sinnett.
Testing Status
Testing to gain FAA approval of the battery enhancements has already started, with the FAA's permission.
During engineering testing, which occurs prior to certification testing, the team demonstrated that the new housing could safely contain a battery failure that included the failure of all eight cells within the battery. The "ultimate" load is the equivalent of 1.5 times the maximum force ever expected to be encountered during a battery failure. The housing easily withstood this pressure and did not fail until the pressure was more than three times the ultimate load.
Through another test, the team demonstrated that fire cannot occur within the new enclosure. Its design eliminates oxygen, making the containment unit self-inerting. Inerting is a step above fire detection and extinguishing as it prevents a fire from ever occurring. The design also vents all vapors by venting directly outside of the airplane rather than into the equipment bay.
"We put this new design through a rigorous set of tests. We tried to find a way to introduce a fire in the containment but it just wouldn't happen. Even when we introduced a flammable gas in the presence of an ignition source, the absence of oxygen meant there was no fire.
"We drew from the new industry standard, DO311, established by RTCA, to establish our testing plan," said Sinnett. "These standards weren't available when we set the testing plan for the baseline battery and they helped us ensure the new design is robust and safe. We intend to show, during certification, that the 787 battery meets all objectives of DO-311 and only deviates from specific requirements where the 787-unique items are not covered by the standards." RTCA is a not-for-profit organization that serves as a federal advisory committee in establishing guidelines for the aviation industry.
Working towards Resuming Flights
"We are following all of the necessary protocols to get our new design fully approved and properly installed so that we can help our customers start flying as soon as possible. We're simultaneously moving out on an effort to resume deliveries but completing our certification work and getting the delivered fleet flying again is our first priority," said Conner. "Our customers and their passengers have been incredibly patient as we have worked through this process and we thank them very sincerely for their continued support and confidence in the 787.
"The more-electric architecture of the 787 brings real value not just to the airlines but to our industry. By reducing fuel use, we are reducing our environmental footprint. This battery technology is an important part of the more-electric architecture, which is helping us to cut fuel use by more than 10 billion gallons of fuel over the life of this program.
"New technologies require extra attention and hard work, but the benefits are real."
European Investment Bank supports EADS innovation programmes
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and EADS have announced the signature of a € 300 million finance contract in support of EADS Group's innovation and R&D programmes. This loan reflects the long-standing quality partnership that has formed between the EIB and EADS over the past ten years. It represents the second tranche of a first agreement signed in August 2011, whereby the EIB already made available € 500 million to EADS. This new finance contract brings the total volume of the EIB support under this agreement to € 800 million.
This is a flagship financing operation for the EIB, one of the first major loans to finance innovation in Europe since the Member States unanimously decided to give the bank of the European Union the means to stimulate the economy by increasing its capital by € 10 billion. This commitment so early in 2013 enables the Bank to step up its support for innovation and projects fostering growth and employment in Europe.
This project is focused on developing innovative products aimed at reducing the impact of aviation on the environment in terms of energy efficiency, pollutant emissions (CO2, nitrogen) and noise. It will serve to develop effective solutions that will have a direct impact on aeronautics design and production, e.g. by improving aircraft aerodynamics and optimising safety and flight control systems.
EIB Vice-President Philippe de Fontaine Vive welcomed the signature: "This first major loan following the EIB's capital increase demonstrates our priority commitment to innovation and R&D in Europe. The Bank aims to help develop a successful and competitive economy by focusing on leading-edge technologies, which hold the key to the future in terms of sustainable economic development. This sector is also a source of employment for young people."
"Innovation and research are at the heart of EADS' mission and essential to guarantee the long-term success of the group. The EIB is one of our privileged finance partners, which has been supporting EADS for several years in developing ever innovative technologies.
We very much appreciate this new agreement which demonstrates the solidity of our relationship and our joint will to accompany the sustainable development of air transport", said Harald Wilhelm, Chief Financial Officer of EADS & Airbus.
About EIB
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.
This is a flagship financing operation for the EIB, one of the first major loans to finance innovation in Europe since the Member States unanimously decided to give the bank of the European Union the means to stimulate the economy by increasing its capital by € 10 billion. This commitment so early in 2013 enables the Bank to step up its support for innovation and projects fostering growth and employment in Europe.
This project is focused on developing innovative products aimed at reducing the impact of aviation on the environment in terms of energy efficiency, pollutant emissions (CO2, nitrogen) and noise. It will serve to develop effective solutions that will have a direct impact on aeronautics design and production, e.g. by improving aircraft aerodynamics and optimising safety and flight control systems.
EIB Vice-President Philippe de Fontaine Vive welcomed the signature: "This first major loan following the EIB's capital increase demonstrates our priority commitment to innovation and R&D in Europe. The Bank aims to help develop a successful and competitive economy by focusing on leading-edge technologies, which hold the key to the future in terms of sustainable economic development. This sector is also a source of employment for young people."
"Innovation and research are at the heart of EADS' mission and essential to guarantee the long-term success of the group. The EIB is one of our privileged finance partners, which has been supporting EADS for several years in developing ever innovative technologies.
We very much appreciate this new agreement which demonstrates the solidity of our relationship and our joint will to accompany the sustainable development of air transport", said Harald Wilhelm, Chief Financial Officer of EADS & Airbus.
About EIB
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.
Turkish Airlines places its biggest order ever with Airbus & Lion Air orders 234 A320 Family aircraft
Turkish Airlines places its biggest order ever with Airbus
Turkish Airlines, the largest airline in Turkey, has signed a contract for up to 117 A320 Family aircraft (25 A321ceo, 4 A320neo, 53 A321neo and options for 35 additional A321neo aircraft). This order is the largest ever placed by a Turkish carrier. The engine selection will be made at a later date."We are placing our biggest ever order with Airbus," said Faruk Cizmecioglu, Chief Marketing Officer. "At Turkish Airlines our customers expect the best. The A320 Family with its economic benefits combined with superior cabin comfort will greatly contribute to meet our ambitious growth plans."
"We are delighted with this new order from Turkish Airlines, which takes us above 2,000 NEO orders in a little over two years after launch" said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. "This order confirms that the NEO is the most cost effective and profitable solution for airlines with ambitious growth plans. The 15 per cent fuel saving and the widest cabin in its class give Turkish Airlines a big competitive advantage."
Turkish Airlines already operates 75 A320 Family aircraft. The new order will help Turkish Airlines expand their short to medium-haul routes from their Istanbul hub, while the aircraft's commonality with their existing Airbus fleet will generate additional cost-savings.
Incorporating new engines and large Sharklet wing tip devices, the A320neo Family will deliver fuel savings of 15 percent. In addition, the A320neo Family will provide a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions and reduced engine noise. The A320neo will enter into service from late 2015, followed by the A319neo and A321neo in 2016.
More than 9,150 A320 Family aircraft have been ordered and more than 5,450 delivered to more than 385 customers and operators worldwide reaffirming its position as the world's best-selling single-aisle aircraft Family. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.
Lion Air orders 234 A320 Family aircraft
Indonesia's Lion Air has placed a firm order with Airbus for 234 A320 Family aircraft, comprising 109 A320neo, 65 A321neo and 60 A320ceo. The deal sees the carrier become a new customer for Airbus.The order was finalised today at a special ceremony at the Elysée Palace in Paris in the presence of President François Hollande of France, who witnessed the signing of documents by Rusdi Kirana, Co-Founder and CEO of Lion Air Group and Fabrice Brégier, President & CEO, Airbus.
In a single class layout the A320 can seat up to 180 passengers, while the A321 can carry up to 236 with the latest cabin configuration options. Lion Air Group will use the aircraft to meet growth requirements on its expanding domestic and regional route network. The carrier will announce engine selections for the aircraft in the near future.
"The fuel-efficient A320 Family will enable Lion Air to achieve the lowest possible operating costs and continue to offer the most competitive fares in the Asian region," said Rusdi Kirana, Co-Founder and CEO of Lion Air Group. "This landmark order will ensure that the Lion Air Group will continue its expansion with one of the most modern and advanced fleets in the world."
"This announcement marks our first order from Lion Air - one of Asia's fastest-growing and most successful low cost carriers," said Fabrice Brégier, President & CEO, Airbus. "The news underscores the market-leading position of the A320 Family, which continues to attract new customers for both the current and new engine options. We very much look forward to welcoming Lion Air as a major new operator of Airbus aircraft."
Offering the lowest operating costs in its class, the A320 Family is the world's best-selling single-aisle product line. To date, some 9,400 aircraft have been ordered and more than 5.400 delivered to over 380 customers and operators worldwide. The A320ceo and A320neo share over 95 percent airframe commonality, enabling seamless operation of the various models in a single fleet.
Since taking to the skies in 2000, Jakarta-based Lion Air has become one of Asia's fastest-growing airlines. Today the Group operates an extensive network covering over 70 destinations in Indonesia and South East Asia