ASAP Aerospace Blog - By Page 13

Gulfstream engineers have developed a way to enhance the quality of the design process. The integration of the new 3-D projection technology will ensure customers get exactly what they envision. This removes the need for a 2-D phase, which required engineers to first create a design on a flat surface. That process did not always deliver the same design intended to, as 2-D designs do not take into account the curved surfaces aircrafts have. That is what makes the addition of the new 3-D technology a revolutionary. The execution of the paint schemes is even better than the already state-of-the-art paining process. In addition, any changes in the design can take place in real time. This provides both technicians and customers with the knowledge of the design throughout the entire painting process, ensuring 100% satisfaction with the completed aircraft.

On May 22, 2016, Chris Ziegler posted an article on The Verge that talks about how Airbus’s subsidiary APWorks has created the world’s first 3D printed motorcycle. APWorks suggest that this motorcycle might be the lightest in the world. The motorcycle weighs approximately 75 pounds or 35 kilograms. The motorcycle is considered to be all electric which is comprised of aluminum. The terminology APworks uses to describe this material is “Scalmalloy” which is comprised of a custom aluminum alloy powder that may or may not have the same amount of strength at as titanium. In order to create the Scalmalloy, APWorks has to compress much of this material together to create the desired custom aluminum.

Chad Trautvetter wrote an article on May 5th 2016 on AIN Online talking about NASA and how it is working on its ATC Aircraft Ground Datalink. Engineers from the NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio NASA are working on an FAA Bombardier Global 5000 plane. NASA was working on a wireless communication system for the aircraft while it was on the ground. This project was coined the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications Systems (or AeroMacs for short). This demonstration took place at the NASA Glenn communication, navigation, and surveillance test facility.

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and NASA are in the process of developing and refining a Dragon spacecraft intended to launch to Mars by 2018.

Effectively immediately, an angle-of-attack (AoA) indicator is now a standard feature across the board for the Cessna 172 cockpit. This standard offers general aviation pilots a most critical tool in preventing loss of control accidents. Cessna, who is a subsidiary of Textron Aviation, launched the Cessna 172 Skyhawk equipped with the Safe Flight SCc AoA system on April 5th at the Sun-n-Fun fly-in in Florida. The exact same technology can now also be found as a priced option for the 206 Turbo Stationair and the Cessna 182 Skylane.

The US Navy just increased its fire power with the brand new Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). Developed by world renowned defense contractor Lockheed Martin, the LRASM is specifically engineered to locate and engage long range enemy targets. Tipping the scales at 2,500 pounds measuring 168 inches long, the LRASM will utilize next generation tracking software to seek out and eliminate a wide variety of enemy vehicles including drones, submarines, aircraft and land targets.

Airbus, the French manufacturer of civil aircrafts, has recently announced that the company has been taking into consideration the redesign of their A380 wide body, double deck aircraft. In its current state, the A380 aircraft is the largest passenger airplane in the world, as it is capable of carrying up to 544 passengers in a four-class configuration. In the single class configuration, the A380 aircraft is capable of carrying up to 853 passengers. In order to accommodate the world’s largest passenger airliner, the airports at which this superjumbo aircraft operates have been upgraded with facilities to better serve this large aircraft.

At the ILA Berlin Air Show next week, Airbus Helicopters plan to reveal its initial concept for a 220kt (410km/h)-cruise helicopter developed under the EU-backed Clean Sky 2 effort. The preliminary design review was intended for program schedule in late 2015 according to research documents leaked to the general public. Originally revealed at the 2014 Farnborough air show under the LifeRCraft (low-impact, fast and efficient rotorcraft) banner, Airbus Helicopter announced its involvement in the high-speed rotorcraft project and envisioned it as the successor to the record breaking X3 high-speed demonstrator.

The United States military will be bringing 6-8 F-15C fighter jets to Finland for education and training with Finland’s Karelian Air Command. This will be the first time any US military aircraft will be a part of any joint exercises in Finland.

Rolls-Royce has just announced that the company has been awarded an order worth over a billion dollars for the Trent 7000 engines and Total Care service support from Garuda Indonesia. The order was signed by his Excellency Joko Wibowo, the President of Indonesia during his visit to the United Kingdom. The order was then signed in London by President and Chief Executive Officer of Garuda Indonesia, Mr. M. Arif Wibowo and the Rolls-Royce President of Civil Aerospace, Eric Schulz who were both welcomed by the UK Prime Minister David Cameron and His Excellency Joko Wibowo himself.