The US Air Force skipped a more extensive competition for its nearly $1 billion hypersonic cruise missile development contract due to lack of available funds to pay multiple sources to develop alternative prototypes. ----
The Department of Defense agreed with a Government Accountability Office report that it should resolve the Lockheed Martin F-35 s critical deficiencies before requesting funds to pay for full-rate production of the aircraft. ----
China's state propulsion company plans to develop an engine for the Craic CR929 Sino-Russian widebody airliner in part by scaling up the core of its CJ-1000 narrowbody engine.
The ship-to-shore system will build on Skyways, the mail delivery drone that Airbus is currently testing in conjunction with the Singaporean mail service.
Bridger Aerospace is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the Department of Interior ("DOI") to supply unmanned service support for wild land fire management on a "call when needed" basis. The five-year IDIQ contract, which is the first of its kind awarded by DOI, will allow DOI to deploy contractor-operated and maintained small unmanned air systems ("UAS") that are ready when needed to support wildland fire operations, search and rescue, emergency management and other resource missions in the Continental United States and Alaska. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bridger-aerospace-team-selected-by-department-of-interior-for-call-when-needed-unmanned-type-1-air-attack-service-contract-300660498.html
CINCINNATI, June 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WKHS), an American technology company focused on providing sustainable and cost-effective solutions to the commercial transportation sector, announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepted their application for Type Certification for their SureFly eVTOL aircraft. The June 1st application is an important step forward, as the SureFly design appears to be the first hybrid-electric eVTOL multi-copter to reach this important milestone with the FAA.
SureFly has been designed to create a new type of aircraft that is intended to be easy to operate, safe to fly and expected to be moderately priced relative to a conventional helicopter. SureFly has eight electrically driven props that are powered via a piston or turbine based generator. The craft also has a small lithium battery that is designed to power the motors for a safe descent and landing in the rare event that the generator should fail while in flight. In addition to these redundancies, the SureFly design has a ballistic parachute that works above 100ft of altitude.
The SureFly system features a state of the art fly-by-wire control system that enables single joystick control of the craft. The lightweight carbon fiber fuselage and large front windshield also lend a level of comfort and safety for the pilot and passenger. The SureFly can accommodate a pilot and passenger or a pilot and cargo for a wide variety of applications.
"The FAA has yet to certify an aircraft like SureFly," said Steve Burns, CEO of Workhorse Group. "We have been working closely with the FAA while we have been under our Experiment Certification status, and we feel that their acceptance of our Type Certification application represents a vote of confidence in our team, our product and the future of electric vertical take and landing aircraft here in the United States."
Because the FAA has not certificated an aircraft like SureFly before, and because this is truly a first-of-its-kind design, much of the FAA's regulatory certification framework does not apply to SureFly, so Workhorse is working closely with top experts in the field to develop new certification requirements that fit a hybrid-electric eVTOL like SureFly.
You can check out a video of the progress SureFly has made over the past few months, all leading up to their recent untethered hovers, here: https://youtu.be/5yFZAPdYCck.
About SureFly The Surefly is a two-place hybrid-electric eVTOL multi-copter aircraft developed by Workhorse in Loveland, Ohio. It is designed to carry about 400 pounds of payload approximately 70 miles, at a speed of about 70 miles per hour, day or night. The aircraft utilizes a fly-by-wire flight control system designed to maintain the flight envelope of the aircraft. With eight independent motors, each driving its own rotor system, the aircraft has the system redundancy required to land safely should a motor fail. A parachute deploys as the final backup, should the aircraft encounter an unsafe situation. The aircraft is quiet, comfortable, and practical.
About Workhorse Group Inc. Workhorse is a technology company focused on providing sustainable and cost-effective solutions to the commercial transportation sector. As an American original equipment manufacturer, we design and build high performance battery-electric vehicles including trucks and aircraft. We also develop cloud-based, real-time telematics performance monitoring systems that are fully integrated with our vehicles and enable fleet operators to optimize energy and route efficiency. All Workhorse vehicles are designed to make the movement of people and goods more efficient and less harmful to the environment. For additional information visit www.workhorse.com.
Forward Looking Statement This press release includes forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "should," "seeks," "future," "continue," or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: our limited operations and need to expand in the near future to fulfill product orders; risks associated with obtaining orders and executing upon such orders; the ability to protect our intellectual property; the potential lack of market acceptance of our products; potential competition; our inability to retain key members of our management team; our inability to raise additional capital to fund our operations and business plan; our inability to maintain our listing of our securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market; our ability to continue as a going concern; our liquidity and other risks and uncertainties and other factors discussed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Workhorse expressly disclaims any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Read more...
CHICAGO, June 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced its investment in Kittyhawk, a San Francisco, Calif.-based company offering a unified approach to the safe operation of commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Kittyhawk's technology will support development of a UAS Traffic Management System (UTM) that enables piloted and autonomous air vehicles to safely coexist.
Kittyhawk pioneered enterprise software and mobile-based apps that integrate real-time UAS flight operations and management solutions all in one platform. Since its founding in 2015, Kittyhawk has grown its customer base to include industry leaders in media, insurance, energy, rail transportation and fire and emergency management agencies that rely on it for end-to-end drone operations.
"When paired with the broad portfolio of complementary data service offerings within Boeing, Kittyhawk is poised to help us shape the future of safe autonomous flight," said Brian Schettler, managing director of Boeing HorizonX Ventures. "We are excited to explore new capabilities made possible through foresight, expertise and a focus on holistic solutions that support the safe integration of unmanned systems into the national airspace."
Kittyhawk is partnering with Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen to expand unmanned operations by participating in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC). LAANC is a collaborative effort to create UTM processes that integrate unmanned aircraft, cargo delivery and beyond visual line of sight operations safely into the airspace.
"Boeing's world-renowned aviation expertise and resources will help Kittyhawk continue to mature our enterprise offerings," said Joshua Ziering, founder and chief pilot of Kittyhawk. "Boeing's long history of forging new industries within the aerospace sector will also help as Kittyhawk continues its mission to create robust, open and interoperable standards to empower the commercial drone industry. We have a unique opportunity to pioneer a new aviation industry and having the support of Boeing will give Kittyhawk the resources and expertise we need to be truly disruptive in this space."
Boeing HorizonX Ventures participated in this seed funding round led by Bonfire Ventures, with participation by Freestyle Capital. The Boeing HorizonX Ventures investment portfolio is made up of companies specializing in technologies for aerospace and manufacturing innovations, including autonomous systems, energy storage, advanced materials, augmented reality systems and software, machine learning, hybrid-electric propulsion and Internet of Things connectivity.
Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 150 countries.
Newest additions to the Global family demonstrating overwhelmingly positive response from customers and business aircraft industry
Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft are perfectly suited for operations in Asia, offering global reach to key cities around the world
New aircraft join HK Bellawings Jet Limited’s existing fleet of Challenger and Global business aircraft
Bombardier announced today that it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) for up to 18 Global 6500 and Global 7500 business jets with HK Bellawings Jet Limited, a leading aircraft management company based in Hong Kong. If all firm orders and options are exercised, the transaction would be valued at approximately $1.14 billion U.S. based on 2018 list prices.
“We’re thrilled with the tremendous response we have received since launching our newest Global aircraft just days ago,” said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Our leading Global aircraft will contribute to the continued success of HK Bellawings Jet Limited and its operations in the region.”
“We are glad to announce our letter of intent to purchase 18 Global 6500 and Global 7500 on the first day of EBACE. Global 6500 and Global 7500 are the top-of-the-range aircraft from Bombardier’s latest generation. The two models align with HK Bellawings’ rapid development to be a one-stop business aviation solution, empowering us to reach higher and further in the long run,” HK Bellawings’ President Mr. Zhang Yijia said.
The recently launched Global 6500 jet and the renamed Global 7500 aircraft set the standard with the longest range and the largest cabins in their respective classes—all while offering Bombardier’s signature smooth ride.
The Global 6500 aircraft joins the high-performing Global aircraft family, offering additional range and speed, as well as highly favorable operating costs versus smaller competing aircraft with less range. The Global 6500 can connect Hong Kong or Singapore with London.
The Global 7500 aircraft now has an unmatched range of 7,700 nautical miles, a full 300 nautical miles further than initial commitments. It is the only business aircraft that can connect New York to Hong Kong, and Singapore to San Francisco, nonstop.
Based in Hong Kong, HK Bellawings Jet Limited is a distinguished business jet management company dedicated to providing a diverse array of professional, highly efficient and comprehensive business aviation services and solutions, which include business jet management, aircraft maintenance, travel concierge service, aircraft acquisition service, and business aviation consultancy. They operate a fleet of Challenger and Global business aircraft.
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Geneva, Switzerland, May 30, 2018 – Embraer’s Legacy 450 medium cabin business jet set a new speed record on a recent flight between Portland, Maine in the United States and Farnborough in the United Kingdom, according to the U.S. National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The record-setting flight occurred on March 7, 2018, with two pilots and two passengers on a ferry flight of Embraer’s new Legacy 450 demonstrator aircraft, which debuted at EBACE with new seat designs and the lowest cabin altitude in its class (5,800 ft.).
The flight departed at 9:25 a.m. (EST) from Portland International Jetport Airport (KPWM) and landed at Farnborough Airport (EGLF) at 8:30 p.m. (GMT), achieving an average speed of 521.89 mph (840 kph).
The Legacy 450 landed with fuel reserves in excess of those required for NBAA IFR as well as for critical operations. The flight lasted six hours and five minutes, covering a distance of 2,756 nautical miles (5,105 km).
The Legacy 450 has a full range capability of 2,904 nm (5,378 km) with four passengers and NBAA IFR Reserves, and it can operate at up to Mach 0.83 with an altitude ceiling of 45,000 ft. The aircraft’s cabin altitude is the lowest in its class, at 5,800 ft. The aircraft’s environmental control system also preserves a sea-level cabin altitude while flying under 27,050 ft.
The NAA has confirmed this flight as a U.S. record and the flight data along with air traffic control documentation has been submitted to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale for validation as a world record.
Tecnam announced today June 4th the EASA and FAA certification approval of the Leica City Mapper installation on the P2006T SMP.
The Leica CityMapper is specifically designed for 3D city modelling and urban mapping. It is the world’s first hybrid airborne sensor combining both oblique and nadir imaging as well as a LiDAR system.
The Tecnam P2006T SMP has been produced to support a wide range of special missions and applications, such as search and rescue, reconnaissance, immigration surveillance/border patrol, drug trafficking and law enforcement roles. It is fully able to replace, support and drastically reduce the use of far more expensive and complicated assets such as the deployment of CS/FAR 25 airplanes, helicopters and coast guard vessels. the Tecnam P2006T SMP achieves a step change in the delivering of aerial mapping missions by establishing a cost effective and unique solution for special mission operators.
Unbeatable value, low ownership, operating and maintenance costs coupled with innovative design and combined with the Rotax ‘912S’ engines efficiency ensures the Tecnam P2006T SMP affords high mission reliability as well as lower noise emissions.
With a payload capacity optimized for CityMapper (plus a PAV100 gyro stabilized mount), the Tecnam P2006T SMP can easily perform mapping missions of up to 4 hours with both a pilot and camera operator on board.
The P2006T SMP’s high wing and retractable landing gear allows for a ‘no view obstruction’ for external cameras and operator FoV (Field of View). This potentially may make the difference between mission success and failure or as a worst case, poor collected data package.
“In just four years since we introduced the TECNAM P2006T SMP, it has firmly established itself as the aerial platform of choice with so many operators around the globe. Today with the option of the Leica City Mapper sensor embodiment, the SMP offers our customers the highest quality/price ratio currently available on the market.” said Fabio Russo, Chief Project R&D and Product Development.
Last 17thof May 2018, H3PS(acronym for “High Power High Scalability Aircraft Hybrid Powertrain”) kick off meeting took place in Capua (Italy), at TECNAM headquarters, coordinator of the project. The European Commission and INEA Agency has selected and financed H3PS project among 31 submitted proposals on the call Mobility for Growth (Topic MG-1.4-2016-2017) under HORIZON 2020.
The objective of the project is to put the basis for the development, manufacturing and in-flight test of a parallel hybrid powertrain for General Aviation by the involvement of three European GA market leaders: TECNAM, BRP-ROTAX and SIEMENS. The R&D departments of these three innovative European companies, will join their experience to present a concrete performing alternative to state-of-the-art propulsion that will dramatically reduce environmental impact of today’s General Aviation four seats aircraft.
Through the project’s kick off meeting, participants discussed the status of the research area, project goals, and expectations of the different stakeholders with respect to the project outcome.
Fabio Russo, Head of R&D and Product Development of TECNAM and Project Manager of H3PS, explains the expected impact from H3PS: “We are excited to contribute with H3PS project to the main EU challenges in transportation sector, particularly leadership position of its aeronautics industry and reliable and sustainable air transport system. The project will allow broadening the horizons of knowledge in the field of parallel hybrid propulsion systems. By developing electrical components, including a parallel hybrid drive system for GA segment, the project will introduce the most advanced technologies for all-electric aircraft and thus stimulating innovation. Together with other Research and Innovation Actions funded under H2020 umbrella and focused on development of different hybrid configuration, European aircraft and propulsion leaders will play an essential role both on conventional aircraft efficiency growth as well as on future and most innovative configurations”
Athens, Airbus and Wilhelmsen Ships Service have entered into a strategic collaboration to drive the development of an end-to-end service for safe deliveries of parcels with an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), in the maritime industry.
The announcement was made today at the biennial Posidonia maritime exhibition taking place in Athens, Greece, with the MoU signed by Airbus’ and Wilhelmsen’s representatives.
Skyways is an experimental project aimed at developing a safe and commercially viable aerial unmanned delivery system for use in dense urban cities in its first trial phase. The project is being led by a team in Singapore, where plans are progressing towards the launch of a first trial system at the National University of Singapore in July.
The MoU signature with Wilhelmsen paves the way for the start of a second trial phase which will cover the delivery of goods from the Singapore coast to ships anchored at bay – commonly known as ‘shore-to-ship’.
Under this collaboration, Airbus is the overall Skyways system architect and provider, contributing its expertise in aeronautical vertical lift solutions and experiences from its first trial phase, to develop the UAS for shore-to-ship deliveries. The UAS is an innovative system-of-systems that includes aviation-standard UAVs, ground control stations, air navigation systems, and operational and maintenance procedures. Wilhelmsen, with its wealth of experience in ship agency services, will develop and provide customer services, and ensure compliance of the UAS operations with maritime safety and security regulations.
The initial two-week shore-to-ship pilot trial will begin in the third quarter of 2018, delivering parcels to vessels anchored off the coast of Singapore – one of the world’s busiest ports. Command and delivery centres will be set up at the pier to facilitate the deliveries, with an initial delivery range of up to 3km from the shoreline. A second delivery station will be positioned at an open space in Marina South to extend delivery coverage to more anchored vessels.
Airbus’ Skyways lead Leo Jeoh, said: “This collaboration with Wilhelmsen, the first of its kind in the region, gives us a unique test bed where we can trial, refine and shape the future of shore-to-ship drone technologies. This also serves as an exciting opportunity to bring together the strong domain expertise of both Airbus and Wilhelmsen, to pioneer the future of UAS in the maritime industry.”
“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with a forward thinking, industry leader like Airbus. When we announced last year that we were pursuing drone delivery, we were greeted with a fair amount of scepticism, but our collaboration with Airbus, shows we really do mean business,” said Marius Johansen, Vice President Commercial, Ships Agency at Wilhelmsen Ships Service.
“As an outward looking company, eager to utilise technology to help improve our customers’ experiences, drone delivery is a perfect fit for our agency business. As part of our standard husbandry services, we organise the delivery of essential spares, medical supplies and cash to master via launch boat day in and day out all over the world. Delivery by drone is much more cost effective, quicker, and frankly safer for all involved.”
While drones have already been mooted as one way to deliver items on shore and at sea, the use of UAS in the maritime industry shapes the possibility to enlarge existing ship agency services’ portfolio, increase productivity by up to six times, lower delivery costs by up to 90%, reduce carbon footprint, and significantly mitigate risks of accidents associated with launch-boat deliveries.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of €59 billion restated for IFRS 15 and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
Transport aircraft one step closer to first flight in summer 2018
The first BelugaXL has passed the Ground Vibration Test (GVT), a requirement for certification of the aircraft that paves the way towards its maiden flight in summer 2018.
The objective of this test is to measure the dynamic behaviour of the aircraft and confirm theoretical models of various flight conditions, such as manoeuvring, flying in gusty conditions and landing. The test data also helps clear the aircraft’s flight enveloppe.
The GVT of the BelugaXL was performed by ONERA in collaboration with DLR over eight testing days using several hundreds of external accelerometers while the aircraft was stimulated by external shakers or seismic exciters.
The BelugaXL was launched in November 2014 to address the transport and ramp-up capacity requirements for Airbus beyond 2019. The new oversize air transporters are based on the A330-200 Freighter, with a large re-use of existing components and equipment. The first of five BelugaXLs will fly in summer 2018 and enter into service in 2019.
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