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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 1985.PDF
SHOW REPORT Japan Aerospace 2004 The Japan Aerospace 2004 exhibition attracted 345 exhibitors and on the first day, 6 October, 24,000 attendees. The event's organiser, the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC), was expecting 120,000 visitors over the full five-day event, compared with 110,000 visitors the last time the exhibition was held in 2000. Brendan Sobie reports from Yokohama UNMANNED AIR VEHICLES Fuji applies UAV skills to transport aircraft Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) has begun testing potential commercial aircraft applications for autonomous take-off and landing technologies developed for its fast-growing unmanned air vehicle product line, including a new ver tical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV for situational awareness missions. At Japanese Aerospace, FHI introduced a model of the VTOL flying for ward observation system (FFOS) UAV which entered Japanese military service this year. FHI also displayed a Diamond H36 Dimona with a FABOT autonomous take-off and landing experimental aircraft system. The general manager of Fuji's engineering and development centre, Kazuki Amaoka, says the GPS-backed FABOT system was installed last year and the Dimona has since been flight tested on numerous occasions. Fuji has shown that the aircraft can fly with a back-up pilot only monitoring the controls and is working on developing the technology for potential applications on larger aircraft. "A transport aircraft has two pilots and the idea is we can eliminate one pilot using this system," says Amaoka. He says Fuji has no firm plans yet to test the robot co-pilot concept on other aircraft and is focusing on refining the system. Fuji so far has no direct relationship with NASA's small aircraft transport system, which is demonstrating a similar concept. Fuji began developing UAV technology in 1980 and has been working on the FABOT system for three years. It now has four UAVs in production - the J/AQM-1 air force target drone, the BQM-34AJ navy target drone, the RPH2 agricultural UAV and the new FFOS UAV The first FFOS was delivered to the Japan Defence Agency last year but details of the pro gramme have until now been kept under wraps. Fuji still cannot reveal the UAVs size, but says it is being used for situational awareness missions and to assess damage to field artillery. DEVELOPMENT Mitsubishi shows regional jet model Prototype may fly in 2007 as cabin design takes shape Fuji used a Diamond Dimona to show off its FABOT take-off system Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is focusing on a four-seat abreast configuration with a 2m (79in)- high and 2.8m-wide cabin for its proposed small regional jet. MHI introduced a mock-up of the jet at the Japan Aerospace 2004 exhibition last week, but says- a final configuration will not be established until next year, when it completes the two-year feasibility phase of a five-year research and development project. MHI began the study, half funded by the Japanese govern ment, last year with Fuji Heavy Industries and the Japan Aircraft Development Corporation 0ADC) participating as subcontractors. The project's head engineer, Kazuhide Shinoda, says the team decided to focus on a 2.8m-wide four-abreast cabin with overhead bins large enough to accommodate full regulation size carry-on luggage after discussing preferences with over 10 regional airlines. "The concept is better than the Bombardier CRJ and is equivalent in height to the Embraer 170 with POWERPLANT Engine makers set targets Japanese engine manufacturers are focusing on the 50-seat regional jet market and aim to develop an indigenous engine. The environmentally compatible engine for small aircraft (ECO) project began last year, at the same time as the Mitsubishi-led regional jet study. ECO project leader Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) introduced at Japan Aerospace 2004 an image of a small engine 1m (3ft) in diameter with 1,6001b of take-off thrust. IHI engine technology department manager Junsuke Omi says the project team, which also includes Kawasaki and Mitsubishi, aims to achieve International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Chapter 4 noise standards and ICAO CAEP 4 emission standards. It also aims to reduce operating costs by 15% compared with the General Electric CF34-3 and Rolls-Royce AE3007 regional jet engines. A one-year feasibility study has been completed and the project is in the first year of a six-year research and development phase. In the first three years, element technology will be developed and in the second three years a prototype engine will be tested. Omi says that IHI aims to deliver the first engine in about six years and will later seek to partner either GE or R-R to help market the powerplant. Japan's three engine manufacturers now build only components for commercial engines and have no experience of airline sales. slightly narrower diameter than the 170," says Shinoda. Alternative configurations with three-abreast and narrower four- abreast cabins have been rejected. MHI is studying aircraft seating between 30 and 50 passengers with 31in pitch. A model of a 38-seat jet was at the exhibition, but the length of the fuselage or exact seat ing capacity has not yet been set. "We're trying to finalise configu ration," says Shinoda, adding that informal customer requirement talks with airlines are ongoing. He says the study team has dis cussed powerplants with several foreign engine manufacturers. An engine decision will be made before 2008 and the development schedule partly hinges on whether a new or existing engine is.selected. If an existing engine is selected and MHI decides there is a business case to launch the programme before completion of the research and development study in 2008, a prototype could fly as early as 2007 and the first aircraft could be deliv ered as early as 2010. 18 12-18 OCTOBER 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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