martes, 30 de mayo de 2023

Russia, Ukraine trade drone attacks on capital cities


Russia shot down drones targeting Moscow early Tuesday, with the Kremlin's Ministry of Defense accusing Ukraine of conducting a "terrorist attack" on its capital city hours after it bombarded Kyiv with drones of its own. All eight apparent Ukrainian drones were intercepted, according to the Russian defense ministry, which said in a statement on Telegram that five were shot down with ant


How drone warfare has evolved in Ukraine



From tiny quadcopters buzzing over frontline trenches with cameras and grenades to flying bombs lugging warheads weighing dozens of kilograms (pounds) into Kyiv and Moscow, drones have marked the Ukraine war like none before it. In recent months, invading Russian troops have sent waves of Iranian-made Shahed explosive drones at Kyiv and other major cities, while Ukraine has launched unmanned


“The father of them all”: How the Barracuda drone’s legacy flies on | Airbus

Some 20 years ago, Airbus pioneers made a unique drone technology demonstrator fly in just 40 months. After six test campaigns, the Barracuda was retired. But its technologies will fly on - in two of Europe's largest defence projects: the Eurodrone and the Future Combat Air System.


https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2023-05-the-father-of-them-all-how-the-barracuda-drones-legacy-flies-on?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss 

Polar POD hits the road: discover the PolarPODibus



The PolarPODibus, a minibus that is currently travelling across France visiting schools, colleges and places of scientific, technical and industrial significance, is the cornerstone of the Polar POD expedition's educational programme. The PolarPODibus aims to provide an insight into the Polar POD expedition and improve understanding of its scientific objectives


[España] 40M€ para paliar la obsolescencia de los F5 de Talavera la Real

Acuerdo marco  de 40 millones para paliar las Obsolescencias de los F5 y más de 20 millones para el acuerdo marco de lasnraciones de campaña. Fecha definitiva de retiro F5 en 2030.





https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/consejodeministros/referencias/Paginas/2023/refc20230529.aspx#avion 

lunes, 29 de mayo de 2023

Chinese aircraft carrier passes through Taiwan Strait


Three Chinese ships, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, which an expert said was an "unusual" display of Beijing's military might during a prolonged period of tensions

Airfares will rise to fund decarbonization of aviation: IATA



Passengers will "bear the cost" of the airline industry's transition to net zero through higher airfares, the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned.

New UK airline buys Airbus A380

UK-based Global Airlines, a new long-haul airline, announces the acquisition of its first Airbus A380 from Doric Aviation. Global Airlines is planning to operate transatlantic…

https://aviationnews.eu/news/2023/05/new-uk-airline-buys-airbus-a380/ 

China's C919 jetliner goes into commercial operation

China's first domestically made large passenger jet, the C919, completed its inaugural commercial flight.


https://www.cctvplus.com/news/20230528/8326546.shtml#!language=1 

Russia sending nuclear arms to Belarus in Ukraine fight


Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday that Russia had begun moving nuclear weapons to its territory, which borders the European Union, ratcheting up tensions with the West over the Ukraine conflict. On the diplomatic front, Russia's foreign ministry announced a visit to Moscow by China's special envoy for Ukraine, Li Hui - Beijing's latest effort to broker an end to the fight…



Multi-launch deal signed for OTV missions from Spaceport Nova Scotia


Maritime Launch Services Inc. (NEO: MAXQ, OTCQB: MAXQF) reports that its launch manifest on its medium class launch vehicles has been committed through the end of 2027. With a recent multi-mission Agreement signed for launching client OTVs from a manufacturer in the EU, Maritime Launch has secured medium-class launch vehicle capacity on multiple missions on a rideshare and dedicated payloa…

Bjorn’s Corner: New aircraft technologies. Part 14. Airframe for lower friction drag



This is a summary of the article Part 14P. Airframe for lower friction drag. The article discusses in detail a Blended Wing Body (BWB) type airframe and how it reduces the wetted... Read More



jueves, 25 de mayo de 2023

The ban on short domestic flights in France, a measure devoid of substance

An article in the French newspaper "Le Monde" discusses the ban on short domestic flights in France and highlights that the measure lacks substance and will have limited effects on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The ban, which aims to replace easily replaceable flights with alternative modes of transport, only applies to three routes: Paris-Orly to […]


https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/air-france-klm-group/air-france/the-ban-on-short-domestic-flights-in-france-a-measure-devoid-of-substance/ 

Virgin Orbit crashes out of the space race as assets are sold off

Sir Richard Branson's space launch company Virgin Orbit has closed its doors and ceased to exist after the United States Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware broke it up and sold off its assets to bidders. This comes after a failed attempt to conduct the first launch from Britain in January.

Continue Reading



https://newatlas.com/space/virgin-orbit-crashes-space-race-assets-sold-off/ 

Latest generation A220 begins demo tour of Southeast Asia



Airbus has begun a demonstration tour of Southeast Asia with its latest generation A220. The aircraft arrived today at the Langkawi International Airshow (LIMA 2023) taking place in Malaysia, where it will be on static display for the first day of the show and will also undertake a demonstration flight for industry guests and members of the media.


Pontifications: Looking ahead to a major Defense procurement: Boeing vs Lockheed-Airbus


Decisions by the US Air Force in Washington (DC) on whether to require competition for its next round of aerial refueling tanker aircraft are still months away. But so far, the USAF... Read More



F-117 Nighthawks Soar Over Alaska | The Drive

F-117s have been expanding the geographical footprint of their post-retirement operations and have now ventured outside the lower 48 states. 


https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f-117-nighthawks-soar-over-alaska 

Bombardier achieves important milestones on EcoJet research project

The initial phase of flight testing using a small-scale model of a blended-wing-body aircraft has been successfully completed. The next phase, involving a larger scaled […]


https://www.aviation24.be/manufacturers/bombardier/bombardier-achieves-important-milestones-on-ecojet-research-project/ 

Hypersonic rival bids for Virgin Orbit’s 747

According to reports, Stratolaunch is set to pay the bankrupt business in cash immediately for 'Cosmic Girl' should the deal be accepted.


https://australianaviation.com.au/2023/05/hypersonic-rival-bids-for-virgin-orbits-747/ 

AFRL conducts Swarm technology demonstration


The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, conducted a demonstration, April 5, 2023, of its high-power microwave counter drone weapon, the Tactical High-power Operational Responder, or THOR, as it engaged a swarm of multiple targets at the Chestnut Test Site, Kirtland Air Force Base. …

Space Forge enables reusable satellites with new way of returning from space to Earth


Space Forge reveals their patent protected design of a planet-friendly reusable re-entry system, which will enable the low cost and reliable return of satellites to Earth. Although the cost of launching satellites into space has become lower through the use of reusability, all current commercial space return vehicles use ablative heat shields which require replacement after every flight. S



Aerial refuelling without human intervention

 

Aerial refuelling is an increasingly vital capability for military force projection, and Airbus-developed technology to automate the in-flight "topping off" of aircraft will revolutionise this process – with wider applications for both the defence and civil aviation sectors.



Percepto receives FAA waiver to scale shielded BVLOS operations


FAA waiver allows Percepto to operate beyond visual line of sight close to structures without ground-based systems, providing scalability for the industry and cost-savings for customers




AeroVironment introduces VTOL kit for Puma AE UAS


AeroVironment, Inc. introduced the Puma™ vertical take-off and landing kit, designed for plug-and-play integration into Puma 2 AE and Puma 3 AE small unmanned aircraft systems



Japan to push disarmament in Hiroshima, with modest hopes



Japan hosts G7 leaders in Hiroshima this week hoping to drive home the dangers of nuclear weapons and push for progress on disarmament. But with North Korea and Russia making nuclear threats, and China growing its arsenal, there may be little appetite for bold action on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's stated goal of a "world free of nuclear weapons." Here are some questions and answers…


Darpa introduces X65 aircraft "CRANE ("Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors)

Introducing the X-65! The xplane DARPA is developing to fly without traditional, exterior-moving flight controls just received its official designation. CRANE aims to build an experimental uncrewed vehicle that maneuvers by controlling air flow around the aircraft. More: 


https://www.darpa.mil/program/control-of-revolutionary-aircraft-with-novel-effectors 

sábado, 13 de mayo de 2023

KLM doubles sustainable fuel surcharge to cover cost of more SAF


The Dutch carrier in January 2022 added a surcharge of between €1 and €12 ($1.09-$13.09), depending on distance flown and cabin class, to tickets from Amsterdam, to help fund the use of a 0.5% SAF blend on all Schiphol-departing flights. 



Armed Overwatch special-ops turboprop enters low-rate production

The head of acquisitions at US Special Operations Command say the low-altitude, close-air-support Sky Warden turboprop being built by L3Harris and Air Tractor is now in first-run low-rate initial production, after being selected for the Armed Overwatch programme in 2022.


https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/armed-overwatch-special-ops-turboprop-enters-low-rate-production/153252.article 

Celebrating the Past, Tecnam Eyes Growth in Future

Hosting celebrations of the 75-year aviation heritage of its Pascale founding family, Tecnam is looking forward to the future with three new facilities under development that will enable it to ramp up production of its newest models—the P2012 and P-Mentor—to meet growing demand.


https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-05-12/celebrating-past-tecnam-eyes-growth-future 

Search Suspended for Survivors of Downed Learjet

Search-and-rescue operations were suspended for three occupants of a Bombardier Learjet 36A that crashed into the sea off the California coast.


https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-05-11/search-suspended-survivors-downed-learjet 

Germany’s DLR sounds positive on noise-reduction testing

German researchers are analysing hundreds of gigabytes of acoustic data following a series of windtunnel tests analysing the interaction between engines and aircraft in different configurations.

https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/germanys-dlr-sounds-positive-on-noise-reduction-testing/153248.article 

Hybrid airship enters the transfer portal



Lockheed Martin, a global aerospace and defense company, has recently announced that it has successfully transitioned the hybrid airship intellectual property (IP) and related assets to AT2 Aerospace. This newly-formed commercial company is based in Santa Clarita, California and will be responsible for continuing the development of hybrid airships for commercial and humanitarian applications glo…


SOCOM looking for new high-speed vertical take-off and landing aircraft

The USA's Special Operations Command is partnering with the Pentagon's secretive technology development agency to develop a prototype for a clean sheet aircraft with fixed wing speeds and VTOL capability



https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/socom-looking-for-new-high-speed-vertical-take-off-and-landing-aircraft/153202.article 

Comisión Nacional Técnica de ULM - RFAE: Cto. España AirSport Challenge 2023

El próximo 10 de junio se celebrará en el aeródromo de Olocau (Valencia) el Cto. de España AirSport Challenge, disciplina de recién creación en el Working Group ANR de la Comisión Internacional de ULM de la Federación Internacional.

Las participaciones serán abiertas a todo tipo de aeronaves, tanto ULM como el resto de AG y deportiva, ya sean ala fija, autogiros y/o trike. Todas ellas compuestas por tripulaciones de dos personas.


https://www.ctnulm.org/p/inscripciones.html?m=1 

U.S. Shields B-21 Bomber Bases From China Or Other Foreign Encroachments

In a move to better track potential surveillance activity near sensitive U.S. bases, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has named eight military sites as candidates for enhanced vetting, adding to about 200 sites already covered under older legislation from 2018. For each of the 8 new sites, CFIUS would evaluate reported foreign property acquisitions within 100 miles of each base.



https://www.forbes.com/sites/craighooper/2023/05/08/us-shields-b-21-bomber-bases-from-china-or-other-foreign-encroachments/?sh=35cac62f6877 

EASA Proposing Noise Standards for eVTOLs

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-05-08/easa-proposing-noise-standards-evtols-0 

EASA is proposing the use of heavy-helicopter noise limits for eVTOLs until it can gather more data on the new vehicles to refine these standards.

W. House says tech giants have 'moral' duty on AI


The White House on Thursday told the CEOs of US AI giants that they have a "moral" responsibility to protect society from the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. Vice President Kamala Harris had summoned the heads of Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic to strategize about the impact of AI, afraid that companies are running blindly into technology that could pose serious harms

Ryanair Latest To Drop Twitter Customer Support As API Changes Hit Airlines

On May 8th, Ryanair announced via Twitter that it would no longer allow customers to contact the airline's customer service department on the social media platform. By disabling Twitter direct messaging, the airline has limited the number of methods passengers may use to contact customer service. The airline claims that it did so due to recent changes in the network's policies. Ryanair is not the first airline to do this, nor is it likely to be the last.


https://simpleflying.com/ryanair-drops-twitter-customer-support/ 

Ukraine says downed hypersonic missile in 'historic' first time


Ukraine said Saturday that it had for the first time downed a Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missile during a wave of Russian attacks in the night between last Wednesday and Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who unveiled the Kinzhal missile in 2018, has termed it "an ideal weapon" that is extremely difficult for missile defences to intercept.


AFRL field-tests AI robot to improve DAF manufacturing capability



Researchers from the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, have combined efforts with The Ohio State University, or OSU, and industry partners CapSen Robotics and Yaskawa Motoman to successfully demonstrate an autonomous robotic incremental metal forming prototype at the Warner-Robins Air Logistics Complex, or WR-ALC, a tenant of Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, in late January 2023. 


Wind-cheating Morpho combines qualities of copters and fixed-wing drones

Both multicopter and fixed-wing drones use up a lot of battery power when fighting the wind. The Morpho VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) drone addresses this problem with morphing wings that adapt to lessen its wind resistance. In fact, they can even use the wind to the aircraft's advantage.


https://newatlas.com/drones/morpho-quadcopter-fixed-wing-drone/ 

Airbus A330 MRTT performs landmark air-to-air sustainable aviation refuelling mission



One-hundred years since the first ever air-to-air refuelling of an aircraft, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) has carried out a landmark in-flight refuelling exercise with blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using an Airbus Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) Voyager aircraft.



Spirit says 737 manufacturing errors will disrupt deliveries through July

UPDATE: 

The manufacturing errors its team made on Boeing 737 MAX fuselages will cost Spirit AeroSystems at least $31 million to fix, with work on the units still at... Read More