Bombardier to Introduce Head-up Display and Enhanced Vision System Option on Best-selling Challenger 350 Aircraft

Business Aircraft, Press Release

• Lightweight Head-up Display (HUD) from Rockwell Collins will make the best equipped cockpit in the super mid-size segment even better
• The Head-up Display and Enhanced Vision System (EVS) will be available as an option on new Challenger 350 aircraft orders and as a retrofit on in-service models
• The HUD and EVS bring unparalleled situational awareness and improvements in low-visibility conditions
• The Challenger 350 jet was the top-selling aircraft of the super mid-size segment in 2017, and provides optimal cabin comfort with an ultra-quiet in-flight experience

Montreal, July 9, 2018 - Bombardier today announced that it will be offering Head-up Display and Enhanced Vision System as an option on its best-selling Challenger 350 business jets. The HUD and EVS will complement the Challenger 350 aircraft’s best-in-class baseline offering. These systems will further expand the advanced avionics functionalities of the aircraft, such as the powerful Synthetic Vision System (SVS) and sophisticated MultiScan™ weather radar, to reduce pilot workload and enhance overall situational awareness.

“Added to the Challenger 350 aircraft’s already well-equipped flight deck, the HUD and EVS option will enhance the pilot’s situational awareness to provide passengers with an even smoother flight,” said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “The Challenger 350 jet leads the market in unit sales, and our commitment to continuously innovate and elevate this aircraft clearly demonstrates our promise to offer our customers nothing but the finest experience on board the industry's best-selling business jet.”

The Challenger 350 jet features the best-equipped cockpit in its class. With the addition of the lightweight HUD, the aircraft will allow pilots to fly eyes forward in all phases of flight, most crucially during takeoff and landing. The flight deck on the Challenger 350 aircraft provides critical flight information onto the HUD’s transparent screen. Without needing to look down, pilots can respond with greater speed and precision, while they simultaneously assess their surroundings.

For maximum situational awareness in all flight conditions, the HUD is elevated with a powerful enhanced vision system. The advanced EVS camera transmits live infrared imagery from outside the aircraft to the HUD, revealing runway lighting, surrounding terrain and possible obstacles on the runway. The HUD and EVS combination enables pilots to land with greater confidence. The HUD and EVS will be available as an option on new Challenger 350 aircraft orders and can be installed as a retrofit on in-service models in Bombardier’s extensive network of service centres.

The Challenger 350 aircraft boasts outstanding short-field performance and climbs quickly and directly to 43,000 feet, allowing passengers to reach their destinations efficiently. The aircraft is currently undertaking steep approach certification at London City Airport, a singular advantage that will give operators direct access to one of the world’s great financial centres. Final certification is expected imminently.

Challenger 350 aircraft: Designed with a no-compromise approach, the Challenger 350 aircraft effortlessly blends powerful performance and sleek styling to deliver an unrivalled 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. Standing the test of time, the Challenger 300 aircraft series are the best-selling business jets of the last decade.

Airbus to showcase innovative products and services at the Farnborough International Airshow 2018

press release




Toulouse, 11 July 2018 - Airbus SE will present a broad portfolio of innovative products and services at the Farnborough International Airshow 2018 that meet the aerospace industry’s requirements for today and tomorrow.



In the flying and static displays, Airbus will showcase its modern and highly efficient range of commercial aircraft able to seat between 100 and more than 600 passengers. The static display will feature two A220-300s (a test aircraft and an airBaltic aircraft), which, along with the smaller A220-100, represent the newest members of the Airbus single-aisle Family following the recent agreement to take a majority stake in the 100-150 seat aircraft programme. An A321neo will also be on display on the Wednesday of the show week. Airbus’ latest wide-body models, the A330-900neo and A350-1000, will each participate in the Farnborough flying display for the first time. The A330neo, which features new wings and new generation engines, is due to go into service in 2018. Meanwhile, the A350-1000 offers the very latest in aerodynamics and advanced technologies to provide unrivalled efficiencies on long-haul routes. An A330-900neo of launch customer TAP Air Portugal and an A350-1000 of launch operator Qatar Airways will also be on the static display. At the larger end of the Airbus portfolio, a Hi Fly A380 will be on static display during the latter part of the week showing the flexibility of the double-decker aircraft.



Airbus Helicopters will present key market-leading product and capabilities as well as highlight research and development in unmanned solutions. On the static display will be a single-engine H125 helicopter equipped with special sensors and a telemetry kit that allow pilot and aircraft performance to be streamed in real-time to the ground for training applications. The aircraft is due to be handed over during the show to QinetiQ for use with the UK-based Empire Test Pilots’ School. Visitors to Farnborough will also see a full scale mock-up of the VSR700 rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which can bring beyond the horizon surveillance capability to naval ships.



Meanwhile, Airbus Defence and Space will demonstrate its broad product portfolio of military aircraft, space systems, secure communications and UAVs. An A400M military transporter in special Royal Air Force colours will take part in both the flying and static displays. Equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, the A400M can perform strategic and tactical transport missions and also undertake air-to-air refuelling. Also featured will be the world record holding Zephyr, Airbus’ solar-electric stratospheric unmanned aircraft that combines the advantage of a satellite with the flexibility and persistence of a UAV. Airbus will showcase its world leading secure communications networking and cyber security capability at one of the interactive ‘bubble’ displays at the Airbus Pavilion. Space expertise will feature strongly, including the environmental monitoring programme Copernicus where Airbus designs and manufactures Sentinel satellites. In the show’s ‘Space Zone’, Airbus will exhibit the ExoMars rover prototype that will drive on a simulated Martian surface. The ‘Network for the Sky’ airborne communications solution will also be presented for the first time.



The interactive ‘bubble’ displays in the Pavilion will present four broad key themes for Airbus by illustrating certain related activities. The ‘Future of Flight’ display will show how Airbus is further improving its portfolio and changing the future of mobility with aircraft such as the single-aisle A321LR that can serve new long-haul markets, the H160 helicopter and Urban Air Mobility initiatives such as Vahana and CityAirbus. The ‘Secure World’ display will showcase Airbus’ vision for defence and security including the Future Air Power family of connected systems to respond to the threats of tomorrow. The ‘From Data to Insight’ display will demonstrate how Airbus is harnessing the power of data through digitalisation initiatives such as the Skywise data platform. Another display area will demonstrate how Airbus is committed to developing a sustainable future together with its key partners and stakeholders. Featured projects include the Blade wing laminar flow demonstrator programme conducted under the European Clean Sky research programme. As the second largest supplier to the Royal Air Force and biggest supplier of large aircraft, Airbus will also show its strong support for the RAF’s centenary celebrations.



The Farnborough International Airshow runs from July 16 to 22. Accredited journalists are welcome to visit the Airbus Pavilion’s dedicated press area (OE13) where the majority of announcements will be made. Updates will be available on a dedicated event page of the Airbus Website while aircraft visits can be arranged for accredited media at 09:30am each week day.

Airbus-led consortium to provide European Union with seamless satellite-based coverage of Europe at unprecedented scale and speed

Press Release




Toulouse, 12 July 2018 – The European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) have awarded an Airbus-led consortium a contract for the provision of satellite-based seamless coverage of the whole of Europe at very high-resolution. The consortium includes Airbus Defence and Space, Planet, Deimos Imaging, IGN-France and space4environment. This agreement is part of the Copernicus Earth Observation programme for the European Union (EU).



As part of the contract, six million square kilometres over 39 countries will be covered in 2018 with freshly acquired very high-resolution optical satellite imagery. The result-based approach of the procurement has led European EO industry to federate and respond with a coordinated offer bringing together the strengths of each partner. The contracted solution leverages the latest in remote sensing and imagery processing technologies to deliver new data at an unprecedented scale and speed. The data will feed the geo-information services coordinated by the European Environment Agency with which European institutions and governments implement their environmental and land management policies.



“This contract shows the confidence of ESA in Airbus and its partners to fulfill such a demanding satellite imagery programme,” said François Lombard, Head of the Intelligence Business at Airbus Defence and Space. “We are very proud to drive a consortium gathering such a unique combination of assets and together, we are confident we will deliver high quality full European coverage in record time.”



The high revisit rate of Planet’s imaging system will allow it to image regions that are often covered in cloud, such as Northern Europe or the Alps, while Deimos Imaging and Airbus satellite resources will concentrate on Southern and Central Europe, where higher resolutions are required to map dense urban and suburban areas. A dynamic acquisition strategy and imaging redundancy within the consortium will guarantee the achievement of the coverage objective. Valid images, cloud and haze free, will be selected and combined with a specific Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in order to meet the European Commission and ESA geolocation accuracy specifications.



“This is an important partnership for Planet as it brings together major players in the private and public sectors to leverage our global, daily imagery to do something that has historically been very difficult to achieve,” said Will Marshall, CEO and cofounder of Planet. “Europe is very much ahead of the curve in terms of public-private cooperation and turning data into a public good, and we’re proud to be a part of this.”



“We are very excited to be part of this landmark project,” said Fabrizio Pirondini, CEO at Deimos Imaging. “Our company has enjoyed a long, successful history of supplying satellite products and services to European public entities, such as ESA and EMSA. This contract, one of the largest we have been awarded in our history, demonstrates the value of our partnerships, as well as our increasing role as a key provider of imagery and geo-information products worldwide.”

This dataset will be available to institutional users on a European and national level, and it will serve to create updated information about land cover, as well as land use (for example forests, urban areas, or lakes and rivers) over 39 countries in Europe.

Airbus performs world’s first automatic air-to-air refuelling contact with large aircraft receiver

Press Release

https://youtu.be/0pK3XU2RKns

Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A acts as receiver from A310 tanker



Madrid, 12 July 2018 – Airbus Defence and Space has followed its earlier achievement in demonstrating Automatic Air-to-Air (A3R) refuelling of a fighter with another world-first – the same operation performed with a large receiver aircraft.




In a joint operation with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which is collaborating with Airbus in development of this pioneering technology, Airbus’ A310 company development tanker performed seven automatic contacts with a RAAF KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport, also made by Airbus.



The system requires no additional equipment on the receiver and is intended to reduce refuelling boom operator workload, improve safety, and optimise the rate of air-to-air refuelling (AAR) in operational conditions to maximise aerial superiority. Airbus has begun work towards introducing the system on the current production A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (A330 MRTT).



During initial approach of the receiver, boom control is performed by the tanker’s Air Refuelling Operator (ARO) as usual. Innovative passive techniques such as image processing are then used to determine the receiver’s refuelling receptacle position and when the automated system is activated, a fully automated flight control system flies and maintains the boom aligned with the receiver’s receptacle. The telescopic beam inside the boom can be controlled in a range of ways including: manually by the ARO; a relative distance-keeping mode; or full auto-mode to perform the contact.



In the 20 June flight off the southern Spanish coast, the A310 tanker performed the scheduled seven contacts over a two-hour test period.



David Piatti, who again acted as Airbus Test ARO, or “boomer”, on the A310, said: “It was extremely impressive to see how accurately the A3R system tracks the receiver. It can be very useful to be able to refuel another tanker or transport, for example to extend its deployment range or to avoid taking fuel back to base, but it is also a challenging operation and this system has the potential to reduce workload and the risk involved.”



The trial was conducted in conjunction with Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers from the RAAF’s Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU).



Squadron Leader Lawry Benier, Executive Officer for ARDU, said the RAAF were assisting Airbus Defence & Space on the development of A3R and other technologies to increase the utility of the KC-30A within a battlespace.



“It’s very encouraging to come to Spain and see the progress that’s been made with A3R, and be able to witness it firsthand refuelling our KC-30A,” Squadron Leader Benier said.



“Refuelling large receivers is a role RAAF has conducted extensively on operations and exercises, allowing us to extend the reach and responsiveness of our air mobility fleet, as well as keep surveillance aircraft in the air for longer.”