[video] Worlds first 9 bladed prop started the flight test program

https://youtu.be/1Z8D2MG1-8Q

Press release

Worlds first 9 bladed prop started the flight test program on March 11th 2019 and initial results are very promising.

Function, Handling and Operation on the aircraft is like those props have been in service already for years.

This new development for low noise, high performance future airplanes driven by electric powered engines, turbine engines or geared piston engines for propellers with low RPM.

Depending on propeller driven airplane designs, top speeds of up to 430 KTAS are realizable with such a installation, by reducing at the same time the fuel consumption to a turbo prop from a jet.

MT-Propeller proves with this milestone that the innovation in propeller driven airplanes is just at the beginning.

Flying a Jet comfort airplane powered with props combined with the lowest fuel consumption becomes a near future.

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STARLUX Airlines orders 17 A350 XWB aircraft for long-haul services

press release




STARLUX Airlines of Taiwan has signed a firm order with Airbus for 17 widebody aircraft, comprising 12 A350-1000s and five A350-900s.

The new airline plans to deploy these aircraft on its premier long-haul services from Taipei to Europe and North America, as well as selected destinations within the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are very glad to sign the official purchase agreement today for Airbus widebodies. The A350’s combination of extra-long-range capability, significantly lower operating costs and high passenger comfort were key factors in our decision,” K.W. Chang, Founder and Chairman of STARLUX Airlines said. “STARLUX is committed to becoming one of the best airlines in the world. We are positive that with the A350 XWB, we will be able to spread our wings to further destinations, bringing our best-in-class services to more people over the world in the near future.”

"What K. W. and STARLUX are proving is that when you start from a clean sheet, you make no compromises. Every STARLUX A350-1000 takes off 45 tonnes lighter than its alternative. Imagine the savings! And will fly up to 1,000 more miles than the alternative, enabling STARLUX to serve U.S. East Coast destinations nonstop! Imagine the extra market and revenue!” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “Both the A350-1000 and A350-900 offer true long-range capability, greater passenger comfort, yet all the economic benefits of fleet commonality. We salute STARLUX's strategic choice with gratitude and we will be there to support their legitimate ambition."

The A350 XWB is the world’s most modern and eco-efficient aircraft family shaping the future of air travel. It is the long-range leader in the large widebody market (300 to 400+ seats). The A350 XWB offers by design unrivalled operational flexibility and efficiency for all market segments up to ultra-long haul (9,700 nm). It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25% reduction in fuel burn and emissions. The A350 XWB’s Airspace by Airbus cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle and offers passengers and crews the most modern in-flight products for the most comfortable flying experience.

At the end of February 2019, the A350 XWB Family had received 852 firm orders from 48 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.

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[video] Boeing's CEO on 737 max

https://youtu.be/L5ETnDQ0yQk

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Letter from Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg to Airlines, Passengers and the Aviation Community

press release




We know lives depend on the work we do, and our teams embrace that responsibility with a deep sense of commitment every day. Our purpose at Boeing is to bring family, friends and loved ones together with our commercial airplanes—safely. The tragic losses of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610 affect us all, uniting people and nations in shared grief for all those in mourning. Our hearts are heavy, and we continue to extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board.

Safety is at the core of who we are at Boeing, and ensuring safe and reliable travel on our airplanes is an enduring value and our absolute commitment to everyone. This overarching focus on safety spans and binds together our entire global aerospace industry and communities. We're united with our airline customers, international regulators and government authorities in our efforts to support the most recent investigation, understand the facts of what happened and help prevent future tragedies. Based on facts from the Lion Air Flight 610 accident and emerging data as it becomes available from the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident, we're taking actions to fully ensure the safety of the 737 MAX. We also understand and regret the challenges for our customers and the flying public caused by the fleet's grounding.

Work is progressing thoroughly and rapidly to learn more about the Ethiopian Airlines accident and understand the information from the airplane's cockpit voice and flight data recorders. Our team is on-site with investigators to support the investigation and provide technical expertise. The Ethiopia Accident Investigation Bureau will determine when and how it's appropriate to release additional details.

Boeing has been in the business of aviation safety for more than 100 years, and we'll continue providing the best products, training and support to our global airline customers and pilots. This is an ongoing and relentless commitment to make safe airplanes even safer. Soon we'll release a software update and related pilot training for the 737 MAX that will address concerns discovered in the aftermath of the Lion Air Flight 610 accident. We've been working in full cooperation with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Transportation and the National Transportation Safety Board on all issues relating to both the Lion Air and the Ethiopian Airlines accidents since the Lion Air accident occurred in October last year.

Our entire team is devoted to the quality and safety of the aircraft we design, produce and support. I've dedicated my entire career to Boeing, working shoulder to shoulder with our amazing people and customers for more than three decades, and I personally share their deep sense of commitment. Recently, I spent time with our team members at our 737 production facility in Renton, Wash., and once again saw firsthand the pride our people feel in their work and the pain we're all experiencing in light of these tragedies. The importance of our work demands the utmost integrity and excellence—that's what I see in our team, and we'll never rest in pursuit of it.

Our mission is to connect people and nations, protect freedom, explore our world and the vastness of space, and inspire the next generation of aerospace dreamers and doers—and we'll fulfill that mission only by upholding and living our values. That's what safety means to us. Together, we'll keep working to earn and keep the trust people have placed in Boeing. Dennis Muilenburg
Chairman, President and CEO
The Boeing Company

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C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (“CSALP”) to become Airbus Canada Limited Partnership

press release







CSALP is pleased to announce it will soon change its name to Airbus Canada Limited Partnership.

The new name reflects the majority interest of Airbus in the limited partnership since July 1, 2018. The organisation will adopt the Airbus logo as its single visual identity.

“The new name is the logical next step after the aircraft was rebranded as the Airbus A220 on July 10th 2018, further strengthening customer confidence in the A220 as a full member of the Airbus aircraft family. It is therefore natural that our new name better reflects our organization as part of Airbus as well as signaling our distinct heritage and cultural identity here in Canada,” said Philippe Balducchi, CEO of the entity and Airbus Head of Country, Canada.

Over the course of the coming months, the new name will be formally adopted and applied to the existing documentation, materials and branded items. The Airbus and Bombardier logos will continue to be displayed side-by-side on the building exteriors in Mirabel, reflecting production activities on the site for both the Airbus A220 and Bombardier CRJ aircraft families.

About the limited partnership


Headquartered in Mirabel, Québec, the organisation is responsible for the development and manufacturing of the Airbus A220 family of single-aisle passenger aircraft. Majority owned by Airbus SE, partners include Bombardier Inc. and Investissement Québec (acting as mandatory for the government of Québec). The organisation employs approximately 2,200 at its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Mirabel. The second A220 manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama will start production in mid-2019.

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Rolls-Royce takes major step towards electrifying flight with successful hybrid aero propulsion tests

Press Release





Rolls-Royce has taken a significant step towards realising our ambition to provide hybrid-electric propulsion systems for the next generation of aviation, with successful ground tests of a hybrid system using our M250 gas turbine – a highly successful engine usually powering helicopters. The tests are part of one of the world’s most comprehensive hybrid aerospace turbine engine development and integration programmes and pave the way for experimental flights on aircraft in 2021.

We successfully tested the hybrid version of the M250 gas turbine in a ground demonstration setting in three operating modes: Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid and Turbo-Electric. The M250 hybrid is planned to be used as a propulsion plant with power ranging from 500kW to 1MW and has the potential to transform aviation power. The system will be used across a range of transport platforms to enable distributed electric propulsion, including EVTOLs (hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles), general aviation aircraft and hybrid helicopters.

Dr Mike Mekhiche, Deputy Director, Rolls-Royce Electrical said: “Rolls-Royce has always been a pioneer in aviation and one of the key elements of our strategy is to champion electrification across all our businesses. The successful testing of the hybrid M250 system is an important step forward in providing a hybrid-electric propulsion system that will enable a new class of quieter and cleaner air transport.”

Rolls-Royce engineers based in the United States, UK and Singapore have developed this engine into a hybrid-electric propulsion system. The M250 gas turbine engine has powered more than 170 varieties of fixed-wing military, civilian aircraft and helicopters since its initial development. Rolls-Royce selected this engine for its maturity, power-density, ease of maintenance, and high reliability. In the past half-century, M250 variants have logged more than 250 million flight hours and nearly 33,000 M250 engines have been delivered to customers.

Complete engine testing took place at our state-of-the-art facility in Indianapolis, US, where each component and sub-system of the hybrid engine was individually tested for electrical performance. These tests included simulating use across take-off, cruise, landing and taxiing and confirmed the system’s suitability for a range of transport platforms including aircraft with a range of up to 1000 miles and weighing up to 2000kg. This would support the Rolls-Royce EVTOL concept which was unveiled during the Farnborough Air Show in the UK last year as well as meeting many other customers’ requirements.

Dr Mekhiche added: “Electrification is one of the most exciting developments in aviation since the birth of the jumbo jet. We are determined to use our pedigree in aerospace to be at the forefront of developing innovative propulsion systems to meet the needs of the next chapter in aviation. When this happens, it’s going to transform the way aero transport is designed and produced, reducing the time required to travel, revolutionising cargo delivery and changing the way we design our cities and infrastructure.”

The Rolls-Royce hybrid electric propulsion system demonstrator integrates a M250 gas turbine engine with a high energy density battery system, electric generators, power converters and an advanced power management and control system. The power management system optimises overall propulsion performance in order for the system to be suitable across a variety of platforms, including EVTOL, while delivering efficiency gains, reduced noise and lower emissions.
Tests were successfully carried across three system configurations:
Series Hybrid: In this configuration, the engine operates as a turbo-generator that charges an on-board battery system, and does not contribute to thrust directly. All power required for thrust and other onboard systems is supplied by the battery.
Parallel Hybrid: In this configuration, the platform thrust is supplied by a combination of the engine (mechanical thrust) and the electrical system (electrical thrust), while the other power needs of the aircraft are met by the battery.
Turbo-Electric mode: In this configuration, the battery system is redundant. The engine operates as a pure turbo-generator supplying electric power for thrust and any other power needs on the aircraft.

The next step is to further advance the hybrid propulsion system towards integration on an aircraft and experimental flights in 2021. The M250 hybrid power pack complements the AE 2100 2.5MW system being developed for larger aircraft, including regional aviation, and is being tested with Airbus on the E-Fan X demonstrator platform.

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