EUROCOPTER launched in early April a series of flights for a new rotary-wing solution that will expand the mission capabilities of Eurocopter helicopters. The optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) program, which was conducted at the French Air Force base in Istres, France, was revealed on April 25 during a demonstration flight. This unmanned demonstration – similar to the previous flights– used a four-dimensional flight plan that was uploaded to the helicopter.  After an automatic takeoff, the EC145 flew the circuit via multiple pre-programmed waypoints, during which the helicopter performed a mid-route hover to deploy a load from the external sling.  The EC145 continued on a return route segment representing a typical observation mission, followed by an automatic landing. Visibility during the EC145’s unmanned flights was provided to the ground station via onboard cameras. With this capability fully validated, Eurocopter is now positioned to pursue OPV flight capabilities for its product line of light, medium and heavy-lift helicopters – enabling these rotorcraft to be flown by pilots or in an unmanned mode.  For more information, please watch the video and follow us @UBIaero and on our Facebook page . Picture by © Eurocopter Jérome Deulin    

Today’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new A320 Family final assembly line at Mobile, Alabama underscored how this new facility will further enhance Airbus’ presence within the key U.S. airline marketplace, while also broadening the company’s global footprint and providing additional flexibility to its worldwide industrial network. At a capacity-crowd event attended by approximately 2,000 invitees, area residents and others, the final assembly line’s creation was hailed as a “game-changing” development in Airbus’ relationship with the United States – where it already is the largest export partner for the country’s aerospace industry, and has evolved as a major aircraft supplier to its customer airlines.  Outlining the new facility’s significance were guest speakers that ranged from the top executives of a major U.S. A320 airline operator and a key avionics supplier for Airbus to a young Mobile student who spoke about opportunities in her community that will be created with the final assembly line.  JetBlue Airways CEO and President David Barger gave his perspective on how Airbus’ $600 million investment in the new Alabama industrial site is viewed by its U.S. customers: “It demonstrates the level of Airbus’ commitment of being close to its important American operator base for A320 aircraft.”  He also announced that JetBlue will receive the very first A320 from the Mobile final assembly line – which is targeted for delivery in 2016.  For more information, please consult the full article here and follow us @UBIaero and on our Facebook page . 

French aerospace company Turbomeca, a subsidiary of SAFRAN , unveiled on March 5 th its latest engine at the Heli-Expo trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new engine, Arrano , is named after the Basque word for ‘’eagle’’ and was known in its development phase as the TM800. Designed for the medium-sized helicopter market, the Arrano engine will be positioned between the Arriel and the Ardiden products. Using technology initially developed for the Tech 800 demonstrator, the Arrano engine will generate 1 100 shp of power. Among the main benefits of the new engine is its fuel consumption, as the Arrano should yield a 10 to 15% reduction in consumption levels, according to Turbomeca. The manufacturer also claims that the Arrano engine will feature improved range and payload, reduced carbon footprint and lower maintenance costs. The Arrano is slated to power Eurocopter’s X4 helicopter. Billed as a replacement for the Eurocopter Dauphin, the medium-twin X4 helicopter is scheduled to enter service in 2016. The introduction of the Arrano will coincide with the development of the X4, and the first tests for the engine are expected to take place in 2014.

  Cessna Aircraft is nearing certification of its four-seat 182 JT-A Skylane equipped with a diesel engine, which is designed to burn jet fuel. With an uncertain future for low-lead aviation gasoline worldwide, Cessna officials said the 182 JT-A – with its 230-horsepower engine – is poised to be an industry game-changer. Outside the United States, 100 low-lead aviation gasoline, or avgas, is much more costly than jet fuel and more difficult to find. Inside the U.S., the costs are about the same and avgas is more readily available — at least for now. A push is on to find a replacement for leaded aviation gasoline. Cessna introduced the model in July. Eventually, Cessna will replace the T182Ts now coming down the production line at its Independence plant with the 182 JT-A. The diesel engine, made by French engine-maker SMA, a division of Safran, is quieter and flies more smoothly in flight than the engine it replaces. “And it uses significantly less fuel,” Brian Cozine, an engineer specialist in advanced design at Cessna, said at a briefing at Cessna’s flight operations building in west Wichita. The $515,000 Cessna 182 JT-A model routinely burns 30 to 40 percent less fuel than comparable avgas engines on the same mission, Cozine said. It also will fly farther — so far, in fact, that pilots will need a rest stop before they need to stop for fuel. “Half tanks will take you almost as far as full gas tanks (in the other models),” Cozine said. At normal cruise, it can burn 11 gallons an hour and fly nonstop for more than seven hours. At a low power setting, it can stay in the air 14 to 16 hours. Although the plane has a diesel engine, it’s not certified to run on diesel fuel, which turns to gel at cold temperatures. The 182 JT-A has been tested in temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees to 108 degrees. Besides Jet A fuel, it will be able to operate on Russia’s TS1 fuel, China’s No. 3 Jet Fuel and JP-8 jet military fuel. The single-engine plane has been well received worldwide, said Jeff Umscheid, business leader for single-engine aircraft at Cessna. Plus, “it’s doing a lot better in the United States domestically than expected,” Umscheid said. Buyers like the fuel savings, lower operating costs and that it’s environmentally friendly, he said. The diesel engine increases the time for an engine overhaul by 25 percent over the previous engine, Umscheid said. Cessna is scheduled for Federal Aviation Administration certification by the end of March, with first delivery in the second quarter followed by certification from European authorities in the third quarter. Flying the new 182 is easier than flying similar airplanes, Cessna officials said. The work load is significantly reduced, said Cessna test pilot Charles Wilcox. “It’s a very carefree operation,” Wilcox said. “Basically, you set the power, and you forget it.” Wilcox demonstrated the ease of operation Monday afternoon. To start, the plane cranked over like a car. There’s no worry about magneto checks, carburetor heat, mixture settings, propeller control, exhaust gas or carbon monoxide emissions. A single black throttle controls the power, and a computer keeps track of pressures and temperatures. “The computer does the work and gives the engines the proper amount of fuel,” Cozine said. If the electrical system should fail, the plane will still fly. Pilots can switch to a mechanical mode, which allows them to meter the fuel to the engine like other models. If the engine quits in mid-flight, say because a pilot failed to switch to the other fuel tank, the plane is easy to restart. Wilcox demonstrated the ability in mid-flight, by shutting down the engine, then adding power. The plane immediately came back to life. That’s something the FAA looks at in certifying airplanes, he said. So what’s next? “We will be pursuing global fuels in other models,” Cozine said. If there is an appropriate engine for the 162 Skycatcher, 172 Skyhawk or 206 Stationair, Cessna will take a look. “We would certainly pursue it when the engines become available,” Cozine said. That’s a few years away. http://www.kansas.com/2013/01/15/2637416/cessna-skylane-with-diesel-engine.html   Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2013/01/15/2637416/cessna-skylane-with-diesel-engine.html#storylink=cpy  

Aircraft makes its first journey ‘on wheels’ Airbus has successfully completed the main structural assembly and system connection of A350 XWB ‘MSN-001’ – the first flight-test aircraft. The aircraft is depicted here on its wheels for the very first time moving out of the main assembly hall (Station 40) at the recently inaugurated “Roger Béteille” A350 XWB Final Assembly Line in Toulouse. It then entered the adjacent indoor ground test station (Station 30). The assembly work performed in Station 40 included the successful electrical power-on of the aircraft’s entire fuselage and wings. Soon work in Station 30 will start by testing the aircraft’s hydraulic system, followed by the full electric and hydraulic power-on of the aircraft which will be completed by around the end of the year. This will mark the start of several weeks of comprehensive functional system testing. After the A350 XWB MSN1 exits station 30, the aircraft will go through a series of extensive production and certification / development tests, be painted and have its engines installed. It will then be delivered to the flight-line and be readied for its first flight in mid-2013. http://www.airbus.com/newsevents/news-events-single/detail/first-flyable-a350-xwb-msn-001-structurally-complete/

  The re-election of President Barack Obama has kept NASA on track to send human explorers to an asteroid, and that means work on a 21st-century spacecraft to fly astronauts to the target space rock and hover nearby — or maybe even pogo off its surface — will go ahead as well. As of 2010, Obama has challenged NASA to   get astronauts to an asteroid by 2025 , and on to Mars by the mid-2030s. Whether or not the space agency can stick to that schedule largely depends on its future budget , experts say, but regardless of the pace, work on the asteroid mission is already under way. The Multi-Mission   Space Exploration Vehicle  (SEV) is a prototype that began its design life as a wheeled moon rover. When the president shifted NASA’s   focus   from the moon-oriented Constellation program set up by the Bush administration, the space agency adapted the SEV to meet the needs of an asteroid mission instead.

(Orlando, Florida, October 29, 2012)   – Dassault Falcon today launched the Falcon 2000LXS offering improved airport performance, payload and cabin comfort compared to the Falcon 2000LX which it will replace in 2014. The 4,000 nm Falcon 2000LXS will allow operators to access more airports because of new full-length inboard slats which give the aircraft category-leading airport performance and balanced field length. “Customers are demanding more of their business jet and that’s what Dassault is delivering in the Falcon 2000LXS.  Like all Falcons, the 2000LXS will offer the best fuel economy and the lowest operating costs in its category,” said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon.  “But, what also needs to be recognized is the continuous evolution and robustness of the Falcon 2000 platform which has set the highest of standards for comfort, reliability and efficiency in business aviation.” With full fuel, the Falcon 2000LXS will have a payload of 2,190 pounds; a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 42,800 lbs with a balanced field length of 4,675 feet, which is over 1,000 feet better than some aircraft in its category. At M.80, the Falcon 2000LXS will offer a range of 4,000 nm (standard aircraft, full fuel, 6 pax, NBAA IFR reserves, 85% Boeing Annual Winds).  It will climb directly to 41,000 feet in 19 minutes, reach a mid-cruise altitude of 45,000 feet and have a certified ceiling of 47,000 feet.  With a typical end-of-flight profile, the Falcon 2000LXS will need just 2,260 feet of runway, no longer than that needed for a turboprop aircraft. To read the complete article, click here.