viernes, 19 de agosto de 2016

Boeing Awarded $2.8B for KC-46A Tanker Initial Production [feedly]

Boeing Awarded $2.8B for KC-46A Tanker Initial Production
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=129760

EVERETT, Wash., Aug. 18, 2016 – The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] $2.8 billion on Aug. 18 for KC-46A tanker low-rate initial production.

The award includes the first two "production lots" of 7 and 12 planes respectively, as well as spare parts. Including future options, Boeing plans to build a total of 179 of the 767-based refueling aircraft for the Air Force to replace their KC-135 fleet.

"The KC-46 tanker will provide the Air Force unprecedented refueling capabilities, operational flexibility and combat readiness," said Leanne Caret, Boeing Defense, Space & Security president and CEO. "It's an important day for the company and program. We're excited about building low-rate initial production aircraft, and it's only possible because of the hard work of the joint Boeing-Air Force team."

This step forward follows a Defense Acquisition Board review and announcement that the KC-46 program completed "Milestone C" -- a set of required ground- and flight-test tests – and is approved for initial production. Those tests included refueling flights with F-16, F/A-18, AV-8B, KC-10, C-17 and A-10 aircraft and a cargo handling demo.

Boeing received an initial contract in 2011 to design and develop the U.S. Air Force's next-generation tanker aircraft. As part of that contract Boeing built four test aircraft – two configured as 767-2Cs and two as KC-46A tankers. The test aircraft have completed more than 1,000 flight hours to date.

The KC-46A is a multirole tanker that can refuel all allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures and can carry passengers, cargo and patients.

 Boeing is assembling KC-46 aircraft at its Everett, Wash., facility. The company will begin delivering tankers to the Air Force in 2017.
 

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Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release may be "forward-looking" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements relating to our future plans, business prospects, financial condition and operating results, as well as any other statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions, which may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by federal securities laws. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effect of economic conditions in the United States and globally, general industry conditions as they may impact us or our customers, and our reliance on our commercial customers, our U.S. government customers, our suppliers and the worldwide market, as well as the other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Aeroflot to take another 10 Superjets [feedly]

Aeroflot to take another 10 Superjets
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/aeroflot-to-take-another-10-superjets-428653/

Russian flag carrier Aeroflot has committed to acquiring an additional batch of 10 Sukhoi Superjet regional airliners from the leasing arm of state-owned Sberbank.

Civilian Hercules: Movin’ On Down the Line: First LM-100J Commercial Freighter Meets Major Production Milestones [feedly]

Movin' On Down the Line: First LM-100J Commercial Freighter Meets Major Production Milestones
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2016/august/first-lm-100j-commercial-freighter-meets-major-production-milestones.html



MARIETTA, Georgia, Aug. 18, 2016 – The first LM-100J commercial freighter continues to make significant progress, reaching major production milestones at the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) facility here.

The LM-100J is the commercial version of Lockheed Martin's proven C-130J Super Hercules aircraft — the unmatched airlifter of choice for 16 nations. The LM-100J will perform as a commercial, multi-purpose air freighter capable of rapid and efficient cargo transport.

Recent production accomplishments include the completion of the aircraft wings; delivery of the empennage, manufactured by the Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd. (TLMAL) joint venture in India; commencement of cabtop construction; and the arrival of the LM-100J's cargo deck, manufactured at Lockheed Martin's facility in Meridian, Mississippi.

"As this first LM-100J Super Hercules freighter progresses in production, so does a new era in commercial aircraft operations," said George Shultz, vice president and general manager, Air Mobility & Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin. "Our existing L-100 operators have repeatedly shared with us that the only replacement for a Herc is a Super Herc,and we are proud to meet this demand with the LM-100J. There is a significant global requirement for commercial freight operations to support operations in more austere areas. The LM-100J will not only meet these demands, but exceed them by delivering new and unmatched capabilities to the commercial marketspace by transporting cargo on any runway, anywhere, all the time."

The first LM-100J will progress through final production phases over the next few months, with an anticipated first flight in the first half of 2017. 

The LM-100J incorporates technological developments and improvements over the existing L-100s that have resulted from years of military C-130J operational experience — including more than 1.3 million flight hours. The result of this experience and advancement translates to an aircraft that will deliver reliable service in a multi-role platform for decades to come. 

Learn more about the LM-100J at www.lockheedmartin.com/lm100j

Canadians Study Lifting Fuselage For Future Business, Regional Jets [feedly]

Canadians Study Lifting Fuselage For Future Business, Regional Jets
http://demo2.aviationweek.com/awinbizav/canadians-study-lifting-fuselage-future-business-regional-jets

Designers looking for fuel savings and emissions reductions beyond those possible with today's conventional tube-and-wing configurations face additional challenges when the aircraft are smaller, such as regional and business jets.

read more

Integrated Collision Avoidance System Undergoing Phased USAF Testing

The U.S. Air Force is more than midway through the first phase of flight tests of the Automatic Integrated Collision Avoidance System (Auto ICAS), thought to be the world’s first fully automatic integrated combat flight safety system designed to prevent both air-to-air and air-to-ground collisions. Auto ICAS builds principally on the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS), which has been officially credited with saving at least three F-16s and their pilots since ...

Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research. Phase II - Volume I; Truss Braced Wing


Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research. Phase II - Volume I; Truss Braced Wing Design Exploration

Abstract: This report summarizes the Truss Braced Wing (TBW) work accomplished by the Boeing Subsonic Ultra Green AircraftResearch (SUGAR) team, consisting of Boeing Research and Technology, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, General Electric, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, NextGen Aeronautics, and Microcraft. A multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) environment defined the geometry that was further refined for the updated SUGAR High TBW configuration. Airfoil shapes were tested in the NASA TCT facility, and an aeroelastic model was tested in the NASA TDT facility. Flutter suppression was successfully demonstrated using control laws derived from test system ID data and analysis models. Aeroelastic impacts for the TBW design are manageable and smaller than assumed in Phase I. Flutter analysis of TBW designs need to include pre-load and large displacement non-linear effects to obtain a reasonable match to test data. With the updated performance and sizing, fuel burn and energy use is reduced by 54% compared to the SUGAR Free current technology Baseline (Goal 60%). Use of the unducted fan version of the engine reduces fuel burn and energy by 56% compared to the Baseline. Technology development roadmaps were updated, and an airport compatibility analysis established feasibility of a folding wing aircraft at existing airports.




Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research: Phase II- Volume III-Truss Braced Wing Aeroelastic Test Report

Abstract: This Test Report summarizes the Truss Braced Wing (TBW) Aeroelastic Test (Task 3.1) work accomplished by the Boeing Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) team, which includes the time period of February 2012 through June 2014. The team consisted of Boeing Research and Technology, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Virginia Tech, and NextGen Aeronautics. The model was fabricated by NextGen Aeronautics and designed to meet dynamically scaled requirements from the sized full scale TBW FEM. The test of the dynamically scaled SUGAR TBW half model was broken up into open loop testing in December 2013 and closed loop testing from January 2014 to April 2014. Results showed the flutter mechanism to primarily be a coalescence of 2nd bending mode and 1st torsion mode around 10 Hz, as predicted by analysis. Results also showed significant change in flutter speed as angle of attack was varied. This nonlinear behavior can be explained by including preload and large displacement changes to the structural stiffness and mass matrices in the flutter analysis. Control laws derived from both test system ID and FEM19 state space models were successful in suppressing flutter. The control laws were robust and suppressed flutter for a variety of Mach, dynamic pressures, and angle of attacks investigated.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20150017040.pdf

Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research: Phase 2. Volume 2; Hybrid Electric Design Exploration






This report summarizes the hybrid electric concept design, analysis, and modeling work accomplished by the BoeingSubsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) team, consisting of Boeing Research and Technology, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, General Electric, and Georgia Tech.Performance and sizing tasks were conducted for hybrid electric versions of a conventional tube-and-wing aircraft and a hybrid wing body. The high wing Truss Braced Wing (TBW) SUGAR Volt was updated based on results from the TBW work (documented separately) and new engine performance models. Energy cost and acoustic analyses were conducted and technology roadmaps were updated for hybrid electric and battery technology. NOx emissions were calculated for landing and takeoff (LTO) and cruise. NPSS models were developed for hybrid electric components and tested using an integrated analysis of superconducting and non-superconducting hybrid electric engines. The hybrid electric SUGAR Volt was shown to produce significant emissions and fuel burn reductions beyond those achieved by the conventionally powered SUGAR High and was able to meet the NASA goals for fuel burn. Total energy utilization was not decreased but reduced energy cost can be achieved for some scenarios. The team was not able to identify a technology development path to meet NASA's noise goals

pdf: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20150017039.pdf

Mission Analysis and Aircraft Sizing of a Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft

The purpose of this study was to explore advanced airframe and propulsion technologies for a small regional transportaircraft concept (approximately 50 passengers), with the goal of creating a conceptual design that delivers significant cost and performance advantages over current aircraft in that class. In turn, this could encourage airlines to open up new markets, reestablish service at smaller airports, and increase mobility and connectivity for all passengers. To meet these study goals, hybrid-electric propulsion was analyzed as the primary enabling technology. The advanced regionalaircraft is analyzed with four levels of electrification, 0 percent electric with 100 percent conventional, 25 percent electric with 75 percent conventional, 50 percent electric with 50 percent conventional, and 75 percent electric with 25 percent conventional for comparison purposes. Engine models were developed to represent projected future turboprop engine performance with advanced technology and estimates of the engine weights and flowpath dimensions were developed. A low-order multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) environment was created that could capture the unique features of parallel hybrid-electric aircraft. It is determined that at the size and range of the advanced turboprop: The battery specific energy must be 750 watt-hours per kilogram or greater for the total energy to be less than for a conventional aircraft. A hybrid vehicle would likely not be economically feasible with a battery specific energy of 500 or 750 watt-hours per kilogram based on the higher gross weight, operating empty weight, and energy costs compared to a conventional turboprop. The battery specific energy would need to reach 1000 watt-hours per kilogram by 2030 to make the electrification of its propulsion an economically feasible option. A shorter range and/or an altered propulsion-airframe integration could provide more favorable results.

Report: Flight simulators to lead growth of the global military simulation and virtual training market [feedly]

Report: Flight simulators to lead growth of the global military simulation and virtual training market
http://www.airforce-technology.com/news/newsreport-flight-simulators-to-lead-growth-of-the-global-military-simulation-and-virtual-training-market-4983147

The flight simulators segment of the simulation and virtual training market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.72%, according to a new report from Strategic Defence Intelligence (SDI).