June 2010 Archives

The Farnborough Airshow, the industry's largest event, is only a few weeks away but here's one sight to look forward to: Aero Sekur will display what it calls "integrated package for helicopter survival".

Here's a photo from Aero Sekur:

The company explains:

The shock absorption/flotation system concept that will be previewed at the show is
designed to increase survivability of helicopter crews in the event of forced landing,
either on land or water. Aero Sekur's Non Pyrotechnic Inflation System (N.P.I.S.), as adopted by leading helicopter manufacturers, will also feature on the stand. The N.P.I.S. provides an intelligent, automated inflation system for both life-rafts and flotation systems.

Aero Sekur will be at Hall 4, Stand B8 at the Farnborough airshow. Here at Flightglobal we'll be covering the show in full force, so check back soon for our dedicated page with Farnborough news, interactive daily editions, photos, videos, and even Tweets. If you're attending the show, be sure to RSVP on our Facebook page. Also stop by say hello to us at the show! We'll be working away but always like to meet our readers.

This week Flightglobal publication Flight International in its cover article has a special report on civil flight simulators. Our writers experience NASA's mobile operations station, go Down Under to consider SimJet's range of trainers, visit an FAA-approved spaceflight centre in Philadelphia, "fly" an A330 and describes CAE's CIASTA simulation technology.

On the cover is CAE's photo of its latest 7000 series Airbus A330/A340 simulator. It is pictured at the company's main facility in Montreal.

Also featured in this issue are:

• Signal of Intent: Boeing takes in L-3 in bid for US Army contract with SIGINT version of King Air 350ER
  

• Safe for UAVs: Year-long study led by Thales points the way for unmanned aircraft to fly in civil airspace
  

• Capital Pains: Airlines are struggling to share success
  

You can subscribe to Flight International here or here for the digital version.

This week's Image of the Week (featured on page 5 of Flight International), is taken by AirSpace user gate64, otherwise known as David Hackney. His photo depicts the Breitling Wingwalks performing their act on Stearman Biplanes at this year's Southend Airshow in the UK.

John Hoyte lost his medical category as a BAE Systems 146 captain in 1989, a victim of aerotoxic syndrome, which left him seriously neurologically damaged. He founded the Aerotoxic Association in June 2007.

I set up the Aerotoxic Association several years ago after suffering the neurological damage that ended my flying career. The reason for the delay is that it took me so long to find out what had caused the symptoms I suffered. When I did find out, and had recovered sufficiently to be able to organise myself again, I wanted to ensure my pilot and cabin crew colleagues in the industry have the opportunity to learn about the risks they face, the symptoms of Aerotoxic Syndrome, and how to recognise onboard fume events that might have exposed them to the cockpit and cabin fumes that cause the problem.

The AA is not alone. Last week I attended the three-day annual general meeting in London of the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive, another voluntary association, but specifically dedicated to researching the technical origins of the problem, the thousands of occurrences and studies on record in various countries, and potential solutions like bleed air filtration or the use of engine oil which does not contain the synthetic anti-wear additives that contain toxic organophosphates. Continue reading...

Sky Aircraft has cut first metal for its SK-105 Skylander twin turboprop after making major changes to the design of the light utility aircraft.

The France-based GECI Aviation subsidiary - which is publicly revealing the Skylander's new configuration at ILA in the form of a model on its stand - has meanwhile signed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE defence force to supply 10 cargo versions of the aircraft. Continue reading...

Ultimate load testing on the CSeries' carbonfibre wing demonstrator, meanwhile, will occur in the coming days. However, Bombardier has opted not to go past ultimate load testing and break the wing, as originally intended. Continue reading...

Northrop Grumman intends to spark a hybrid airship revival with a $517 million contract awarded today to deliver three slightly heavier-than-air aircraft to the US Army for deployment to Afghanistan.

Partnering with UK-based Hybrid Air Vehicles, Northrop captured the award for the long-endurance multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV) programme despite a strong rival bid led by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division. Continue reading...

This week Flightglobal publication Flight International in its cover article surveys the candidates in the possible five-way battle to replace the T-38, the mainstay of US Air Force pilot training since 1962 that is being retired.

On the cover is Katsuhiko Tokunaga's photo of Alenia Aermacchi's M-346 as it was deployed for the Dubai air show last November. Alenia hopes to "Master" new trainer deals with the US Air Force and Europe.

Also featured in this issue are:

• Tranche 3B Bid: Eurofighter consortium submits offer for latest batch of 124 Typhoons to four partner nations
  

• To the limit: Bombardier inflicts maximum stress on CSeries carbonfibre wing demonstrator

• Eastern Promise: Is business aviation finally flying in Asia? Our report on the inaugural Asian Business Aviation Show in Macau

You can subscribe to Flight International here or here for the digital version.

This week's Image of the Week (featured on page 3 of Flight International), is taken by AirSpace user Binky Airways, otherwise known as Joseph Cheung. His photo depicts a Lufthansa CityLine E-190 landing on runway 10 at London City Airport. He photographed the aircraft opposite the runway near an office building.

Start a gallery on AirSpace for your chance at having your photograph featured as our Image of the Week.

Frederick Apeloos initially took to the skies in the Belgian air force but now combines two roles at Capital Aircraft Group as first officer flying Citation Jets while working as deputy flight operations and training manage.

How did you get into aviation?

Ever since I was a little boy, I have been intrigued by everything that could fly. I started flying gliders at the age of 15, initially in a civilian club, but one year later I joined the Royal Belgian Air Cadets, an organisation offering glider training, during weekends and school holidays, to youngsters aiming to become a pilot in the Belgian air force.

I joined the Royal Military Academy, where I graduated as an officer in November 2005. Unfortunately, due to setbacks I had to stop my military flight training and take command of an IT section. As IT was my second area of interest, I initially accepted my new role, but I couldn't get rid of the dream of getting into a professional cockpit. So I decided to leave the Belgian air force and start again in civilian aviation.

What were some of the challenges you faced?

When I decided to start my training for the civilian aviation, I had to redo all the training I did in the air force. I gave up my career as an officer and found a job as a flight dispatcher with a major Belgian airline. Sometimes I had to work all night, and go flying in the afternoon. No road is too tough when you want to achieve your goal. There was a possibility to get a Boeing Next Generation 737 type rating, but this was delayed twice. As I was 27 already, and couldn't wait any longer to start flying, I took the opportunity to go flying for CAG, leaving a renowned Belgian airline for a small corporate company. It was all about trust and an "I need to do this" feeling. I am very grateful for the opportunities CAG has given me. Read more...

German aerospace technology centre DLR showed off a range of advanced projects - but none so "blue sky" as the Antares DLR-H2 motor glider, with its world-first capability to take off using only the power from its hydrogen fuel cell. Continue reading...

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 has completed runway water ingestion trials at the company's test centre in Zhukovsky near Moscow.

The tests using Superjet MSN 95003 confirmed that the aircraft's two PowerJet SaM146 engines and auxiliary power unit continued to operate normally while travelling along the wet runway at a full range of speeds preceding take-off. Continue reading...

Yannick Delamarre captured this photo of two A400Ms making a low pass around Toulouse.

At last week's ILA show in Berlin, Lockheed Martin said it thought that its C-130J could serve alongside the A400M in military fleets.

Israir's newest A320-232 (s/n 4354, test registration F-WWDC, final registration 4X-ABF) was captured at Toulouse yesterday sporting a new livery for the carrier. Below the photo is an image of the carrier's previous livery.

Israir's purchase of A320s in 2007 was a breakthrough order for Airbus, who was previously unable to sell commercial jets in the Israeli market due to Boeing's dominance.

Burlesque star Dita Von Teese helped Sir Richard Branson celebrate Virgin Atlantic's 10th anniversary of flying to Las Vegas.

Dita has been immortalised as a one-off Las Vegas-inspired flying lady on the nose of a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400.

Dita and Sir Richard posed for pictures at Las Vegas McCarran Airport yesterday.

See the videos below. The first includes Sir Richard Branson

 

  

• Virgin Atlantic's facebook group
• Runway Girl blog post: VIDEO: Virgin Atlantic reveals in-flight connectivity plan

Fresh from its deployment to investigate Eyjafjallajökull's atmospheric impact, a Dassault Falcon 20E "ash hunter" aircraft belonging to German aerospace centre DLR is on display at the show - with "100 years of the ILA" emblazoned on its nose.

Amid aviation's volcanic crisis the aircraft was deployed to measure ash concentrations at altitudes of between 6,550ft (2,000m) and 39,350ft. Continue reading...

Airbus parent EADS is to make an environmental breakthrough at ILA by flying an aircraft powered by a biofuel composed purely of algae.

The daily flights will be conducted using a Diamond DA42 New Generation light twin powered by Austro Engine AE300s.

As a result of algae's higher energy content, fuel burn will be 1.5 litres per hour (0.4USgal/h) lower than if conventional Jet-A1 fuel were used, says EADS, adding: "Only relatively minor modifications and adjustments had to be made to the aircraft's engines." Continue reading...

This week Flightglobal publication Flight International reviews last week's ILA show in Berlin. The business highlight was undoubtedly Emirates' order for 32 more A380s. We ask if Emirates' bold bet on the A380 reverse the faltering fortunes of Europe's superjumbo.

On the cover is the latest A380 to join Emirates' fleet. The carrier brought it from Hamburg to the Berlin for the ILA show and to mark the carrier's increasing presence in the German market. Photograph by Billypix.

Also featured in this issue are:

• Wizards of Oz: Boeing Recovers Down Under

• Propelling Back: Piston manufacturers had a disastrous 2009. But a leaner industry is coming back fighting

• Regional Slump: Airframer's slow start to year sees orders stay flat in first three months while output falls

You can subscribe to Flight International here or here for the digital version.

This week's Image of the Week (featured on page 5 of Flight International), is taken by AirSpace user DKingImages. His photo depicts a Bell 407 ENG helicopter landing at Renton, Washington after filming a news story. The photo was a taken with a Sigma 10-20mm fish eye lens.

At the ILA show in Berlin (which we are covering here), the C-160 Transall, which has served with Germany's Luftwaffe for 40 years, met the A400M, the aircraft that will replace the C-160, for the very first time. The ILA show also marks the A400M's air show debut.

The Luftwaffe has 83 Transalls in service which will be replaced by 60 A400Ms, Airbus says.

In the photos below, the A400M is on the left and C-160 on the right.

Argentine carrier Aerolineas Argentinas has announced a new livery and corporate image for itself and subsidiary Austral.

The carrier describes its new look as:

Aerolineas Argentinas renews its visual identity keeping certain characteristic elements, such as the condor - currently present with a simple and slender line - but changing its blue color for light blue as a tribute to our flag, with a touch of yellow with reference to the sun. Thus, the Argentine colors rise with every takeoff of an Aerolineas' flight.

Here's a graphic of what the new livery will look like on the carrier's A340. No word yet which aircraft will be the first to receive the new livery, and when it will be unveiled. More images here.

This week Flightglobal publication Flight International takes a look at Poland's aerospace industry in our special report.

The Silkorsky S-70i, featured on the cover, is the international version of the Black Hawk and emblem of Poland's revitalised aerospace industry. Built at Silkorsky subsidiary PZL Mielec, the first example of the type has just begun its flight-test programme in Florida. Photograph by Silkorsky.

Also featured in this issue are:

• Burning Issue: How airlines are learning to use less fuel

• Avanti Avantair: Piaggio operator defies fractional woes as it eyes expansion beyond US home market

• C-212 Offshored: Airbus Military poise to move smallest airlifter assembly to Indonesia to focus on bigger types
  

You can subscribe to Flight International here or here for the digital version.

Cargolux calls the new livery an "evolution" of its existing aircraft branding and provides "a glimpse of a new era for the company that will begin with the arrival of the aircraft in Luxembourg later this year".

This week's Image of the Week (featured on page 5 of Flight International), is taken by AirSpace user andychittock. His photo depicts a Typhoon F2 taken in Wales in the "mac loop", an area he says the RAF and USAF uses for low flying. Because the area is open to the public "you can sit on the sides of the mountains and photograph".

Preparing letters of engagement, requests for proposals and building contracts to provide aircraft spares are daily challenges for Kathy Hammerson, LJ Walch's manager of business development - North America.

What career path led you to today?

Before aviation I worked in a sales office for an aluminium distributor. Livermore, California-based service company LJ Walch was my first job in the aviation industry. I started pulling parts, assembling hardware kits, worked in the purchasing and customer service departments until I took my current position. Somehow the aviation industry has been in my life for many years.

Can you ever predict what will soon be in demand?

Predicting demand is difficult in aviation since all airlines have different maintenance policies on removal intervals.

We do, however, try to offer our customers the option of using new PMA parts that we have developed to save them money on their repair costs and increased reliability with our engineering orders. Read more...

Sikorsky on 25 May reached 181kt (335km/h) with its X2 technology demonstrator. It finished the third of four phases of flight-testing that will see the dual counter-rotating rotor pusher flying at speeds up to or greater than 250kt this summer.

The twelfth flight test marked the first time the company attempted to slow the main rotor - by around 5% - while flying faster to keep the main rotors from approaching supersonic tip speeds. Continue reading...

Three years after Sea Launch spiralled towards bankruptcy following the explosion of its Zenit 3SL rocket, the satellite launch provider is preparing to restart operations.

Both of its land and sea launches use the Zenit rocket. But the more expensive sea-based missions allow a much greater payload - up to 6,100kg (13,440lb) against about 3,600kg - because the sea platform can be positioned exactly on the equator, at a point about 2,250km (1,215nm) south of Hawaii.

At that point the force of the Earth's rotation gives maximum assistance to a rocket, which can lift more payload in exchange for the fuel load it must carry when launched from more northerly or southerly points.

Here's a diagram of how Sea Launch's launch works, as well as an explanation below.

US Air Force and Boeing researchers on 26 May took a leap towards harnessing hypersonic vehicles for space access or weapons applications with the longest-ever supersonic combustion ramjet-powered flight, off the southern California Pacific coast.

The Boeing Phantom Works-built X-51A Waverider achieved 140s burn of its Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne-built air breathing scramjet engine and accelerated to 70,000ft (21,350m) and Mach 5 before controllers at the Point Mugu naval air warfare centre sea range terminated the mission because of a loss of telemetry. Continue reading and watch a video...

Here's the X-51A Waverider on the B-52's wing:

Preliminary findings from the investigation into the Polish presidential Tupolev Tu-154M crash at Smolensk detail for the first time the accident sequence, and underscore the repeated warnings to the crew about the poor weather conditions.

Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) has been emphasising the co-operation between Russian and Polish investigators during the high-profile inquiry into the 10 April accident, which killed Polish president Lech Kaczynski, and has been issuing frequent updates in a bid to stifle any doubts over the openness of the process. Continue reading...

Here is a Flightglobal graphic of the flight's final moments:

At the occasion of blessing and dedicating its first A330, Hawaiian Airlines had on display next to its A330 a fully-restored 1929 Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker, which was Hawaiian's first aircraft. To read about Hawaiian's history with the CH-300 and to see some circa 1929 photos of the aircraft, have a look here.

Hawaiian says its fist A330, a -200 type, is named "Makali'i" for the constellation Pleiades that helped guide ancient Polynesian voyagers across the Pacific.

The photo below shows Hawaiian Airlines CEO Mark Dunkerley at the podium and joining him on stage (l-r) is Airbus Americas Chairman T. Allan McArtor, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, and Blaine Miyasato, Hawaiian's Vice President of Product Development.

This week Flightglobal publication Flight International has a series of articles previewing the ILA Berlin 2010 show, which runs from 8-13 June at the Berlin Messe. We have a dedicated ILA page with all the latest news, photos, vidoes, and even Tweets here.

Here's our introduction of the show: ILA may struggle for the spotlight against its bigger European rivals, Paris and Farnborough, but the public debut of the A400M and an appearance by Lufthansa's first A380 should make next week's ILA in Berlin a show to remember. In the following package, we check out the progress of the Airbus Military airlifter and another vital pan-European programme, the NH90 helicopter. We assess how engine-maker MTU has made a success of being everybody's friend and prospects for the revived Dornier 228 turboprop. We also look at a cluster project in Hamburg and a research initiative in Bavaria.

Contents

• ILA preview: How Berlin has survived
• A400M: Here at last, but what now?
• NH90: Winning plaudits
• MTU: Serial partner on propulsion
• Ruag: Swiss roll with new Dornier 228
• Hamburg cluster: Beyond Airbus
• Lufthansa Technik: On time A380
• Bauhaus Luftfahrt: Bavarian brains

The cover image is a shot of the first A400M, taken by EXM photographer Alexandre Doumenjou during the aircraft's first flight last December. MSN001 is due to make its debut at ILA.

Also featured in this issue are:

• A350 Hackers: System security is focus for e-enabled A350 XWB
• TU-154 Puzzle: Investigators still baffled as to why pilots of fatal Polish presidential flight ignored warnings
  

You can subscribe to Flight International here or here for the digital version.

Airbus announced that the Mexican Air Force has taken delivery of the first of five C295s it has ordered from Airbus Military. The aircraft is equipped with a palletized loading system and a medical evacuation kit, according to the manufacturer. The second of the five airlifters will be delivered in the coming weeks, with all five handed over to the customer by year end.

The Mexican Navy has operated two C295s since 2009. Last month a torpedo was dropped from a C295 for the first time and Chile received its first C295.