MRO's Archives - Page 28 of 118 - Aviation, Inflight and Aero Connectivity Consultants

Honeywell to Acquire Saab’s Heads-Up Display Assets

A new agreement includes plans for a three-year collaboration between Saab and Honeywell; the Head-Up Display (HUD) assets will be transferred to Honeywell following the collaboration. (Photo: Saab)

Honeywell and Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab reached an agreement last week regarding the acquisition of Saab’s heads-up display (HUD) assets. The HUDs will be integrated into the Honeywell Anthem flight deck (following a three-year collaboration) and will be available as an option for Honeywell’s Primus Epic flight deck as well.

Vipul Gupta, vice president and general manager, Avionics, Honeywell Aerospace, remarked in the company’s announcement that HUDs can improve situational awareness for pilots and reduce their workload. They also improve airport access as part of an Enhanced Flight Vision System. “The addition of HUDs as part of our wider avionics offerings will provide our customers in business aviation, air transport, and defense segment a great safety tool that can be particularly useful during takeoff and landing, which are typically the most crucial parts of any flight,” Gupta said.

(Photo: Saab)

HUD technology has evolved significantly since its early days and has become an integral part of aviation operations. Leading companies like Honeywell, Collins Aerospace, Thales, and Elbit Systems continue to push the boundaries of HUD development, resulting in advanced systems that enhance pilot situational awareness and safety. With continued advancements in display technology, augmented reality, and integration with other avionics systems, the future of HUDs holds tremendous potential for revolutionizing the aviation industry further.

Thales first introduced the initial version of TopMax, a wearable HUD, in 2016. An upgraded version of the technology was unveiled in 2019 as a lighter, less bulky headset.

(Thales)

Elbit Systems designed a Low-Profile Head-Up Display (LPHUD) series for advanced fighter jets that includes a range of narrow neck HUD systems. The LPHUDs are compatible with advanced 4th, 4.5, and 5th-generation fighter aircraft, and they feature a Large Area Display (LAD).

(Photo: Elbit)

Last October, Collins achieved a technical standard order, or TSO, for its combined vision system (CVS) for business aviation aircraft. Their “advanced CVS algorithms blend the full EVS image and SVS into a single conformal view,” according to the company.

“Whether it’s poor weather, smoke, dust, demanding terrain or busy airports, CVS clearly and automatically displays the critical visual information pilots need to safely operate their aircraft,” explained Craig Brown, general manager of Vision Systems at Collins.

(Collins)

The concept of the heads-up display was first introduced for military aircraft during World War II. These early systems consisted of basic optical components that projected simple targeting information onto a transparent screen.

HUD technology eventually found its way into civil aviation cockpits. In the 1970s, the first commercial aircraft to adopt HUDs was the General Dynamics F-111B. However, it was the introduction of the Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) HUD system in the Boeing 767 that marked a significant milestone for HUD technology in the commercial aviation sector. This development prompted further integration into various aircraft models.

Over the years, some notable advancements in HUD technology have been made:

Augmented Reality (AR) HUDs: AR HUDs have revolutionized the aviation industry by overlaying digital information on the real-world view. These systems provide pilots with real-time data, like navigation cues, flight parameters, and weather conditions, superimposed directly onto their field of view.

Enhanced Display Capabilities: HUDs now offer high-resolution, color displays with wider fields of view, ensuring better readability and improved situational awareness for pilots. These advancements enable pilots to quickly interpret critical information without diverting their attention from the external environment.

Integration with Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS): The integration of HUDs with SVS technology has been instrumental in enhancing pilot situational awareness during low-visibility conditions. By combining real-time sensor data and digital terrain databases, pilots are provided with a virtual representation of the external environment, reducing the risk of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents.

Head-Wearable Displays (HWDs): Recent developments in HWDs, such as smart glasses, offer potential HUD applications in general aviation. These wearable devices can provide pilots with critical flight data and navigation information while maintaining a clear line of sight outside the cockpit.

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Inside the FLARM Collision Avoidance System

(Photos: FLARM)

FLARM (FLight alARM), a traffic and collision avoidance system developed by the company of the same name, is helping pilots to avoid collisions by bolstering their situational awareness. With several aircraft across the world now equipped with this technology, Flarm Technology hopes its collision avoidance system will help maintain the aviation industry’s strong safety record.

FLARM mitigates the risk of in-flight collisions by calculating and sharing an aircraft’s future flight paths with other nearby aircraft all while collecting the same data from surrounding air traffic. Then, using an intelligent motion prediction algorithm, FLARM calculates the collision risk for an aircraft based on an integrated risk model. The system works even in areas with limited radar coverage.

Most FLARM systems incorporate an ADS-B and transponder receiver which incorporates transponder-equipped aircraft into the collision prediction algorithm, the company says. This is particularly important for operations in high-density traffic airspace.

The most recent aircraft to receive this technology is the Bell 214 helicopter. The two-bladed rotorcraft, which was built between 1970 and 1981, has a service ceiling of 16,400 feet and a range of 220 nautical miles. The helicopter has a cruise speed of 140 knots and a length of just under 50 feet. These specifications have made it a popular choice for military and air rescue operations, both sectors of the aviation industry in which a strong collision avoidance system is not only useful, but also a potentially life-saving feature.

When installed by SPAES Aviation, two FLARM antennas were strategically placed on the helicopter to maximize both transmission and signal reception. Equipping the helicopter with FLARM also required integrating the system’s avionics with the existing avionics suite of the Bell 214. Thanks to close collaboration with the customer, SPAES reported that the integration of FLARM with the aircraft’s existing systems and interfaces was a seamless process. Following its installation, SPAES performed extensive testing to validate the performance and functionality of the system, and the results showed that FLARM met the highest industry standards and regulations.

FLARM calculates and broadcasts its future flight path to nearby aircraft. It also receives future flight paths from any nearby aircraft. An algorithm calculates a predicted risk of collision for each aircraft, and pilots are alerted when a collision is imminent.

Operators using FLARM will enjoy several benefits that enhance the safety of flight, the company says. For one, pilots will experience improved situational awareness thanks to the ability to detect nearby traffic, even in low visibility and non-optimal weather conditions. The system also provides visual and audio alerts to pilots, thus helping to ensure that collisions are avoided by allowing pilots to take evasive actions in a timely manner.

“Installing the FLARM collision avoidance system in the Bell 214 helicopter not only elevates safety measures but also instills confidence and reassurance among pilots and operators,” said Joachim Schanz, CEO of SPAES Aviation.

This system is compatible with a variety of aircraft types extending well beyond the Bell 214, FLARM says. Several variations of the system were created to give customers more flexible options when installing FLARM. For example, PowerFLARM Portable was created for aircraft where behind-the-panel installation isn’t possible. With variations accommodating a variety of aircraft designs, FLARM hopes its system will prove to be popular across many industry segments and aircraft types.

While SPAES Aviation installed FLARM on the Bell 214, it offers a variety of products and services that support aircraft operations for customers. The aerospace company dedicates much of its efforts to the development of mission equipment and creating features that help crews in challenging situations and conditions. Its range of avionics services in this area includes entertainment, flight management, GPS, WHEEL ALT, data recording, TCAS, and COM/NAV.

SPAES is a standalone Part 21J design organization and Part 21G production organization. The company has European-wide access to several aviation companies and maintenance organizations.

The company also develops medical systems to support air-rescue crews. Oftentimes these crews are faced with patients in life-threatening conditions, meaning having optimal medical equipment installed on aircraft can save lives. Additionally, SPAES supports firms in engineering projects. For years it has worked with customers to help develop and approve new aviation technologies. The development of aircraft structural components and integration of tactical systems are just two examples of how it helps customers reach their goals through project support, and how it supported customers while integrating FLARM with the Bell 214’s existing systems.

FLARM is one of the partners involved in Switzerland’s U-space Implementation (SUSI). The Swiss U-space Implementation framework was designed by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) to build an open ecosystem for uncrewed traffic management, or UTM, in Switzerland. FLARM is working on electronic identification for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). Regulations have started to require UAS to be identified remotely by electronic means, which is done in combination with a UAS registry database. This improves security and provides easier access to airspace for operators.

The principle of electronic identification (eID) is that a cooperative UAS regularly broadcasts a unique identifier and the current position through a radio frequency digital message. This enables authorized parties to detect, identify, locate, and track UAS anywhere at any time, also in the absence of network connectivity or other infrastructure.

SPAES Aviation’s latest project of installing FLARM on the Bell 214 helicopter demonstrates its dedication to helping customers modernize their fleets and operations with better technology. With more aircraft taking to the skies than ever before, modern collision avoidance solutions will be critical to maintaining safety in the aviation industry.

Coast Guard Issues Draft RFP For Maritime UAS

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) issued a draft RFP for industry comment for maritime UAS for some of its fleet. (Photo: U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt Guadalupe M. Deanda III)

The Coast Guard last week issued a draft request for proposal (RFP) for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that would be operated by contractors aboard some of its cutters, moving a step closer toward a new procurement.

The draft solicitation is for Group II and III UAS, the former having a gross take-off weight between 21 and 55 pounds and the latter weighing less than 1,320 pounds. Currently, the Coast Guard’s high-endurance national security cutters (NSCs) operate with Group II ScanEagle drones, which are owned and operated by Insitu, a unit of Boeing.

The contract with Insitu will soon be ending and the draft RFP will be for continuing a contractor-owned, contractor-operated capability aboard the NSCs, a Coast Guard spokeswoman told Defense Daily on Wednesday.

Insitu formed a partnership in 2021 with two Norwegian companies, Robot Aviation and Andøya Space, to build an uncrewed aviation ecosystem for the Arctic and High North. At the time, the Insitu ScanEagle UAS had flown more than 1.3 million hours.

Previously, the Coast Guard issued two requests for information to help inform requirements for the pending maritime UAS (MUAS) procurement. In addition to the NSCs, the Coast Guard plans to eventually deploy UAS aboard its medium endurance offshore patrol cutters as they come online.

Some of the performance objectives of the MUAS services outlined in the draft RFP include tracing a wide range of targets to include go-fast boats, small wooden boats, self-propelled semi-submersibles, and persons in the water for at least 12 continuous flight hours per day, as well as to be able to do conduct multi-day surge operations that exceed 12 hours of continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flight time for up to five straight days. The MUAS will also support other units with imagery, data, target illumination, communication relay, or other capabilities.

This article was originally published by Defense Daily, a sister publication of Avionics International. It has been edited. Read the original version here >>

Improving Efficiency for Airlines with Weather Sensing Technology

Aleksis Kajava of Vaisala highlights the importance of monitoring weather conditions in the Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA). Pictured above is a plane landing in a crosswind at Leeds Airport. (Photo credit: Chris Procter)

Efficiency and safety are paramount in the fast-paced world of aviation. Weather conditions play a crucial role in flight operations, often causing delays, rerouting, and increased fuel consumption. To address these challenges, Vaisala, a leader in weather awareness technology, is harnessing the power of remote sensing to enhance weather observations and build a more sustainable future for aviation.

The Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) is the busiest part of flight operations, where weather-related incidents and delays frequently occur. While regulatory Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) cover the airport area, they do not extend to the TMA, leaving critical gaps in weather awareness. These gaps can result in suboptimal flight approaches or departures, landing difficulties, and increased emissions.

Vaisala’s approach goes beyond airport boundaries by utilizing various remote sensing technologies, including radar, wind LiDAR, lightning detection, and decision support software. This combination enables total weather awareness and high-resolution nowcasting in the TMA, enabling safety and efficiency. These advancements are particularly significant in an industry grappling with environmental concerns.

In a recent interview with Avionics International, Aleksis Kajava, Sales Director of Weather and Environment for Europe and Latin America at Vaisala, emphasized the importance of enhancing weather observations in the TMA. The company’s state-of-the-art remote sensing equipment enables monitoring of storms, lightning, precipitation, winds, icing, and various severe weather conditions not only at the airport but also around it. By providing such comprehensive data, Vaisala’s solutions benefit airlines such as Saudia by improving flight safety and efficiency, ultimately contributing to the sustainability of aviation.

Aleksis Kajava, Sales Director, Weather and Environment, Europe and Latin America (Vaisala)

“At the end of the day, it’s about the end user, but of course, the air traffic controller is the intermediary there,” Kajava remarked.

Fuel efficiency is a critical aspect of sustainability in aviation. Accurate weather information in the TMA allows aircraft to avoid adverse weather conditions such as turbulence and storms, which might necessitate deviations from flight plans. By equipping airlines and air traffic control with precise information, unnecessary fuel burn due to rerouting to alternative airports can be prevented. Similarly, avoiding long delays in departure reduces fuel consumption. Safety is another vital factor—making the right decisions, such as rerouting or holding aircraft, helps prevent accidents and equipment damage. By enhancing safety, Vaisala’s technology contributes to overall sustainability in the aviation industry.

“Radar, lidar, lightning detection, and decision support software combine for total weather awareness and high-resolution nowcasting.” (Vaisala)

“You may be able to avoid directing flights to holding patterns and burning fuel while in the holding or circling pattern,” said Kajava. “Sometimes you need to make tough decisions like putting the aircraft in a holding pattern or asking the pilot to do another landing to ensure the safety of the flight.”

Noise reduction is an additional benefit derived from accurate weather information. Temperature inversions, wind patterns, and other conditions impact aircraft noise levels. By optimizing runway selection and flight paths based on precise weather data, Vaisala’s technology allows customers to minimize the noise impact on nearby communities, thereby mitigating noise pollution.

(Photo: Shutterstock / Samuel Acosta)

Regarding recent technological advancements, Kajava highlighted several innovations developed by Vaisala. One is a new version of their laser-based wind measurement equipment, capable of three-dimensional wind measurements within a 10-kilometer range around the airport. The company has also introduced an enhanced weather radar specifically designed for measuring severe conditions in airport surroundings. Furthermore, a new family of ceilometers has been developed, enabling the measurement of icing conditions during approaches. Vaisala’s continuous improvements also extend to the user interface, ensuring enhanced data visualization.

Recently launched, Vaisala’s humidity profiler measures the humidity of the atmosphere, which significantly improves short-term weather forecasting around airports. While the humidity profile itself may not be highly relevant, Kajava explained that the enhanced short-term forecasts resulting from this technology significantly benefit thunderstorm weather forecasting. Vaisala collaborates with specialized partners in aviation weather forecasting to explore new tools and applications that leverage this equipment for more precise short-term forecasts.

The newest addition to Vaisala’s family of solid-state radars is the WRS300. (Photo: Vaisala)

Vaisala’s strategic priorities revolve around continuous technology improvement for monitoring weather using remote sensing equipment. The company works closely with internal and external stakeholders to provide operational decision-making information in the most useful format for aviation users. We are helping our customers not just to buy the technology but also to leverage it,” Kajava added.

Vaisala’s equipment is deployed in over 2,000 medium and large-sized airports worldwide. With a presence in 170 countries, the company’s impact on weather monitoring is extensive. Headquartered in Finland, Vaisala has a workforce of over 2,000 employees.

While the development of advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft like drones and air taxis is being pitched as an advancement of logistical support to move cargo and people, a project from university researchers and NASA could allow these aircraft to create more accurate weather predictions.

Researchers at Oklahoma State University have received funding from NASA to improve real-time forecasting of low-level winds and turbulence. This research project, which started in 2020, aims to ensure operational safety for drones in urban and rural environments.

OneWeb Expands Service Across Europe and US

OneWeb started services in 37 new countries in Europe including Austria, Italy, France, and Portugal at the end of May. (Photo: OneWeb)

OneWeb has initiated service across Europe and much of the United States as the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation is working toward global service.

The satellite operator announced on Wednesday that it started service at the end of May in 37 new countries in Europe including Austria, Italy, France, and Portugal, and the West Coast of the U.S.—from Washington to California—as well as the Northeast coast, from Maine to Virginia, and across the Midwest. OneWeb is now reaching regions above the latitude of 35 degrees north.

OneWeb is the second LEO constellation in operation after SpaceX’s Starlink, with 634 satellites. OneWeb’s business model is as a wholesale connectivity provider, working with telecommunications companies and internet service providers that integrate the OneWeb service into their connectivity services. Starlink started out as a direct-to-consumer operation, but Starlink now also does deals with service providers and enterprises like cruise lines and airlines.

OneWeb’s Chief Customer Officer Stephen Beynon said this service supports existing partners and is welcoming new partners as well.

“This expansion is a significant step in our journey to delivering global commercial service for our customers. We are seeing increased demand for our service as we have expanded coverage and grown our portfolio of user terminals for different markets,” Benyon commented. “As our network coverage continues to grow, I am incredibly excited to serve more maritime, government, enterprise, and aviation customers.”

In December 2022, SpaceX performed its first mission for OneWeb, sending 40 satellites to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) on a Falcon 9 rocket. The rocket took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Dec. 8, bringing OneWeb’s constellation to 502 satellites at the time.

This article was originally published by Via Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics International. Click here to read the original version >>

NASA Signs Unfunded Collaborations With Blue Origin, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, and Others on Commercial LEO Projects

A 3D render of Earth viewed from space (Photo: NASA)

NASA announced unfunded Space Act agreements with seven companies on projects related to human spaceflight and the commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) economy. SpaceX, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, Special Aerospace Services, ThinkOrbital, and Vast signed agreements with NASA.

This is NASA’s second Collaboration for Commercial Space Capabilities-2 initiative (CCSC-2). NASA shares technical expertise, assessments, technologies, and data, with the companies involved.

SpaceX is collaborating with NASA on potentially using Starship as both transportation and a destination in LEO, and an integrated LEO architecture of SpaceX’s portfolio including Super Heavy, Dragon, and Starlink.

Blue Origin’s agreement involves developing commercial space transportation with high-frequency U.S. access to orbit for crew and other missions.

Northrop Grumman is working with NASA on its Persistent Platform for autonomous and robotic capabilities for commercial science research and manufacturing capabilities in LEO.

The Special Aerospace Services agreement looks at in-space servicing technology to assemble and service commercial Low-Earth Orbit destinations. ThinkOrbital is collaborating with NASA on its development of ThinkPlatforms that can be used for a variety of applications in LEO, and CONTESA (Construction Technologies for Space Applications). And Vast’s agreement deals with technologies for its microgravity and artificial gravity stations.

NASA said these agreements will foster more competition for future services.

“It is great to see companies invest their own capital toward innovative commercial space capabilities, and we’ve seen how these types of partnerships benefit both the private sector and NASA,” said Phil McAlister, director of commercial spaceflight at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “The companies can leverage NASA’s vast knowledge and experience, and the agency can be a customer for the capabilities included in the agreements in the future.”

This article was originally published by Via Satellite, a sister publication to Avionics International. Click here to read the original version >>

Embraer Launches New Predictive Maintenance System for Executive Jets

Embraer recently launched the next generation of the AHEAD tool for airlines and other customers to implement digital predictive maintenance on E-Jets. (Photos: Embraer)

Embraer Services & Support has launched a next-generation version of its Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis (AHEAD) system, which can help airlines and other customers monitor their aircraft for potential maintenance issues before they break or present critical problems.

Announced at the Paris Air Show last week, AHEAD provides digital predictive maintenance for Embraer’s Executive Jet (also called E-Jet) fleets. More than 1,250 commercial and executive Embraer aircraft are using AHEAD worldwide.

Predictive maintenance, backed by increasingly advanced health and usage monitoring systems integrated into flight-critical aircraft systems, is overtaking reactive maintenance as the industry norm, as Avionics explored in depth in this previous feature.

Using data analysis to detect operational anomalies and possible defects allows operators to fix problems or replace parts before they cause time-consuming, costly, and potentially catastrophic component failures.

“AHEAD uses predictive analytics solutions to forecast when maintenance tasks will be needed by our customers, allowing them to plan maintenance schedules in advance.” (Embraer)

Most modern aircraft broadcast detailed data from sensors arrayed throughout the airframe, which is then analyzed through health and usage monitoring systems, or HUMS. Systems such as AHEAD make data-gathering and analysis much easier for aircraft maintenance shops.

AHEAD integrates and analyzes trends from several systems such as engine parameters, pneumatics, hydraulics, landing gear, navigation, and instruments, Embraer said. The monitoring can detect anomalies and identify patterns that indicate potential issues and systems degradation and prescribe a timeline for addressing those issues.

The system’s new version was developed using the expertise of Embraer Services & Support engineering which has 20 years of experience doing aircraft data analysis for predictive maintenance of E-Jet fleets.

Embraer used that experience to implement 12 new reliability trends for aircraft systems for early degradation detection on E2, predictive capabilities powered by machine learning, and troubleshooting enhancement for Flight Controls No Dispatch.

“AHEAD uses predictive analytics solutions to forecast when maintenance tasks will be needed by our customers, allowing them to plan maintenance schedules in advance. By planning in advance, they can avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce the time that aircraft spend on the ground. This helps our customers optimize their resources and improve operational efficiency,” says Johann Bordais, President and CEO, Embraer Services & Support.

Embraer Services & Support plans to release a new update soon that will contain more reliability trends and tailored maintenance recommendations in real-time, the company said.

Airbus Coordinates Several European Defence Fund Projects

On June 26, the European Commission announced plans to fund 41 collaborative defense research and development projects with a budget totaling €832 million (about $904 million USD). Airbus is participating in 10 of these projects, funded as part of the European Defence Fund. (Photo: European Commission)

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will be participating in 10 projects focused on defense research and development that are funded by the European Commission through its European Defence Fund (EDF). These projects focus on several aspects of aviation and defense, and Airbus’ expertise and extensive resources in the field will help fuel innovation in the sector. Of the 10 projects, Airbus will coordinate four of them.

The European Commission first announced plans to fund 41 research and development projects focused on defense on June 26, 2023. The EDF’s collective support for these programs totaled €832 million. The funding is a response to a call for proposals issued last year, and these EDF proposals will help develop high-end defense capability projects in areas like naval, air, cybersecurity, and space.

Through the funding of projects like this, the European Union will maintain security and strong defense systems and resources. As Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space, explained, “In times where individual nations are protective of their respective national champions, European collaboration is more important than ever to create much-needed scale for defense in Europe. I thank the European Commission for their relentless drive to push cooperation among member states.”

While contributing to 10 projects funded by the European Defence Fund, Airbus will coordinate four of them: the Single European Sky and Interoperability, European Cyber and Information Warfare Toolbox, a Future Air System for European Tactical Transportation, and the space-based Persistent ISR for Defense and Europe Reinforcement.

The Single European Sky is a major attempt to de-fragment European airspace, all while reducing delays, improving safety and flight efficiency, and reducing aviation’s carbon footprint. Europe is a massive aviation market across all sectors, from commercial to private to defense—meaning that the current European Air Traffic Management (ATM) system controls well over 27,000 flights on a daily basis. Despite these impressive volumes, each flight is on average 49 kilometers longer than the direct route, indicating serious inefficiencies in current technology. In fact, the estimated yearly cost of this fragmentation is €4 billion. Therefore, addressing this challenge could result in lower costs for operators and fewer environmental impacts overall.

The next major project that Airbus will coordinate is focused on cybersecurity. The safety of sensitive information stored online is critical to national security. As the European Commission explains, “The continuously and rapidly increasing flow of information in the information environment, facilitated through cyber capabilities, is a well-established fact. We are witnessing an increasing number of malicious actions targeting the information environment.” Facing such challenges, this project will develop technological infrastructure designed to detect threats and deliver countermeasures to keep confidential data safe.

Future Air System for European Tactical Transportation (FASETT) is the third major project Airbus will coordinate. As a part of the EDF’s support for this project, a consortium of developers (including DE Avio, ITP, Aero Engines, Safran, and Rolls Royce Deutschland) led by Airbus’ Defense and Space branch will be granted €30 million to conduct a feasibility study for a brand-new tactical transport aircraft. Planned to last for about 18 months, the study will mainly analyze EU member nations and their needs for new transport aircraft in the 2030s and 2040s. Several of the countries contributing to FASETT—France, Germany, Spain, and Sweden—are also involved in PESCO, a similar project aiming to develop a new military transport aircraft.

The last project Airbus will lead in collaboration with the European Commission is the Space-based Persistent ISR for Defense and Europe Reinforcement (SPIDER). Behind this project is a variety of aerospace companies that span across many of the European Union’s member countries: Aalborg University (Denmark), DATI Group SIA (Latvia), E-GEOS SpA (Italy), Leonardo SpA (Italy), SAFRAN DATA SYSTEMS (France), and many more. The goal of SPIDER is to conduct a feasibility study regarding the development of multi-mission affordable satellite constellations. These would be dedicated to space-based Intelligence/Surveillance/Reconnaissance (ISR) for use by defense agencies. As a result of the study, the consortium behind the project plans to have both a preliminary system design and cost analysis completed.

The European Commission has funded these projects in an attempt to maintain national security for member states while modernizing the infrastructure defense agencies currently use to protect civilians. Given Airbus’ extensive knowledge and resources in the defense sector, it can coordinate vast amounts of research and development alongside other consortium members to help accomplish the European Commission’s goals.

NASA’s X-57 Project Completes Important Research for Electric Flight

NASA will conclude operational activities associated with the X-57 Maxwell all-electric aircraft project by Sept. 30. (Photo: NASA / Carla Thomas)

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell experimental all-electric aircraft will conclude aircraft operation in September of this year. Though the X-57 never took flight due to unforeseen complications involving the propulsion system, the program has conducted research that could help other aircraft developers adopt and understand better methods for the design and production of electric aircraft.

The baseline airframe used to develop the X-57 was an Italian-built Tecnam P2006T. The light, twin-engine aircraft seats four people and can travel at a cruising speed of 145 knots. It has a maximum range of 650 nautical miles and a useful payload of 906 pounds. NASA made many modifications to this airframe, testing electric and more sustainable technologies that could be applied to the design of new aircraft and the retrofitting of existing types.

While the majority of development of the X-57 will be completed by September 2023, the program’s team will officially complete its work several months after that. The steps following development will focus on compiling the knowledge gained from the program to share with other developers in the interest of furthering the widespread adoption of electric aircraft. The resultant technical publications will highlight technology gaps NASA encountered and how they were overcome, knowledge that will support the development of similar technologies from other organizations, NASA said.

The all-electric X-57 (Photo: NASA / Lauren Hughes)

“NASA’s goal is to drive innovation through groundbreaking research and technology development,” said Brad Flick, director of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. “The X-57 project team has done just that by providing foundational information to industry through lessons learned, and we’re seeing the benefits borne out by American commercial aviation companies that are aiming to change the way we fly.”

Though valuable information and knowledge were gained through the X-57 program, the aircraft never actually took flight. Its first flight was originally planned for 2020. Several unforeseen circumstances made it impossible to get the plane airworthy within the program’s timeline. Late into the aircraft’s life cycle, mechanical issues were discovered. This, combined with a lack of components that were critical to developing experimental hardware, meant that X-57 would not be able to fly as a part of the program.

But NASA’s main focus through the X-57 program was design technology rather than flight testing. Mainly, NASA sought to learn more about the electric-propulsion-focused design as well as the airworthiness certification process regulatory bodies like the Federal Aviation Administration would throw at them. Flick said that despite never leaving the ground, X-57 has blazed trails for future electric aircraft development.

“They did things that had never been done before, and that’s never easy. While we prepare to finish this project later this year, I see a long list of achievements to celebrate and an industry that’s better today because of their work,” Flick explained.

Among the program’s major successes was fixing a flaw inherent to the lithium-ion batteries that likely will power the first generation of electric aircraft. The batteries warm up while discharging energy, which if left unchecked could result in overheating. NASA used a collaboration with Utah-based Electric Power Systems to find a new battery design that would not overheat and remain within acceptable temperature limits while powering an aircraft.

In addition to developing a new battery design, the X-57 program also led to the creation of cruise motor controllers, which convert energy from the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries to power electric motors that then drive the propellers. These converters use carbon transistors, allowing them to deliver 98% efficiency. This means they are significantly less susceptible to overheating because they can be cooled by air flowing through the motor. These cruise-control motors have also successfully gone through thermal testing.

Despite the program’s many successes, there were some unplanned obstacles the program team had to overcome when testing electric-propulsion technology on the X-57. For example, it was discovered that electromagnetic interference affected various onboard systems during the integration phase. The team successfully addressed this problem after thorough research by developing filters to eliminate the interference. This, along with the rest of the program’s insights, was added to the technical papers that will be shared with the rest of the industry.

Though met with several roadblocks and unforeseen challenges, the X-57 Maxwell program has performed critical research to help support the development of electric aircraft. NASA and other industry developers and stakeholders should be able to use this research to design aircraft and technologies that make air transport greener and more sustainable.

Joby’s First Production Prototype Receives Special Airworthiness Certificate

The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate for the first aircraft that Joby has built at its production line in Marina, California. (Photos: Joby Aviation)

Joby Aviation has achieved a significant breakthrough, the company shared this week. On Wednesday, Joby announced that its first aircraft, manufactured at its Pilot Production Line in Marina, California, has been granted a Special Airworthiness Certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration. This notable achievement propels Joby into the next phase of flight testing for its groundbreaking production prototype.

Toyota, a strategic partner and investor, worked closely with Joby on the production line and the process of building the aircraft. Toyota has invested roughly $400 million in Joby and is the largest external shareholder. Toyota Motor North America’s President and CEO Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa will soon join Joby’s Board of Directors.

The issuance of the Special Airworthiness Certificate represents a momentous occasion for Joby Aviation. It positions the company to realize its vision of introducing the world’s first-ever electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to customers. Scheduled for delivery to Edwards Air Force Base in 2024, the aircraft will be operated by Joby as part of its Agility Prime contract with the U.S. Air Force. The Agility Prime contract was extended for a third time in April, and it now carries a value of up to $131 million.

Joby’s subscale demonstrator was completed in 2014, and the team has conducted flights with the full-scale demonstrator since 2017. Since 2019, their pre-production prototype aircraft have traversed more than 30,000 miles, gathering invaluable data and experience. The production prototype is a testament to the company’s commitment to enhancing safety and reliability while advancing toward FAA certification and scaling up production.

Joby announced in February of this year that the team had completed the second of five stages in the type certification process. The first stage is defining the Certification Basis. The second stage involves identifying the methods of demonstrating the Means of Compliance.

Joby’s production prototype has been manufactured in adherence to a released design. The aircraft was constructed based on a comprehensive implementation of a quality management system. These milestones are crucial in Joby’s journey towards obtaining the FAA’s type certification.

Joby’s plans include launching commercial passenger operations by 2025. The company recently joined forces with Delta Air Lines in a collaboration to offer travelers emissions-free journeys to and from airports.

Before being transferred to Edwards Air Force Base, the production prototype will undergo initial flight testing. At Edwards Air Force Base, the aircraft will play a pivotal role in demonstrating a diverse range of potential logistics use cases, highlighting the versatility and adaptability of Joby’s technology.

JoeBen Bevirt, the company’s founder and CEO, remarked on the team’s progress, saying that this milestone is the result of significant investment into their technology and processes. “It marks a major step on our journey to scaled production,” he stated.

California Governor Gavin Newsom visited Joby’s facilities in Marina, California, and met with some of the team members. “California is proud to be home to some of the world’s most innovative companies,” he commented. “Joby is changing the game when it comes to the next frontier of flight: zero emission aviation. Our world-leading climate action relies on the technological advances and pioneering spirit of the private sector.”

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