Aerospace & Defense News - Technology North America

AirGuide Business, June 1, 2009

May 31, 2009

William Cohen, who served as defense secretary in the Clinton administration, says in an op-ed for the Washington Times that the recent saber-rattling by North Korea reinforces the need for a U.S. missile shield. May 28, 2009

In an effort to better protect the country's data networks, the government has been collaborating with private defense contractors and sharing the Pentagon's cyberthreat data with IT officials in related industries for almost two years. The program, designed to help stem the estimated USD 100 billion in losses associated with defense-industry breaches in the last two years, is now on track to expand to include other critical industries as part of the Obama administration's push to improve the nation's cybersecurity efforts. May 26, 2009

The U.S. Air Force is conducting fatigue tests on Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15C/D/Es to assess whether the aircraft are suitable for a service life extension program (SLEP). The fleet is expected to be good for about 8,000 flying hours, and Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, military deputy for the Air Force acquisition czar, says a SLEP could take them to 12,000 flying hours. The service is also exploring a SLEP for the F-16, which would take the aircraft from 4,000 flying hours to 8,000 flying hours. Extending the lives of the legacy, fourth-generation fleet is a potentially attractive option as the Air Force faces a shortfall during the transition from F-16s and F-15s to new F-22s and F-35s reported AWST. May 26, 2009

Airship Ventures

Yesterday evening, Airship Ventures' "Eureka" sailed home to Moffett Field after a triumphant visit to Southern California. Last Thursday through Monday, "Eureka" brought her unique flightseeing experience to the entertainment capital of the world and became its newest darling. Within 48 hours of arriving in Southern California, "Eureka" sold out all of her seats. Over the course of her five-day tour, the Zeppelin flew more than 40 flights above the Southern California Coast, treating nearly 500 passengers to an unparalleled view of the world below them. May 27, 2009

Aurora Flight Sciences

Aurora Flight Sciences has developed a version of its Orion unmanned air vehicle that uses a commercially available internal combustion engine for a 454kg (1,000lb) payload capability and five-day endurance. May 26, 2009

BlueBird Aero Systems

BlueBird Aero Systems, the Israeli unmanned air vehicle manufacturer, is planning a test launch of its MicroB system using a standard assault rifle equipped with a bullet trap-based launching device. Chief executive Ronen Nadir says the test will be performed soon, after the receipt of permission from Israel's civil aviation authority. May 28, 2009

Boeing

Boeing 787 Dreamliner is on track for its first test flight next month, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said Wednesday. The company pushed back the 787 delivery schedule for a fourth time in December, making its plane almost two years late and risking cancellations from angry airlines. The plane has been plagued by repeated production delays. McNerney said demand for the 787 is strong despite what he called "market churn." McNerney was referring to order cancellations this year, including 57 canceled 787 orders. Boeing and rival Airbus are suffering as airlines and cargo operators defer plane deliveries amid weak demand in the economic recession. After 60 orders and 60 cancellations, Boeing now has zero net orders for 2009. McNerney said he expects the the first 787 deliveries in the first quarter of 2010. But he said there is always the chance that the schedule could be disrupted by a mechanical issue coming to light during the test flight. May 28, 2009

Boeing

Boeing is confident that the new 787 aircraft will be the company's best plane. "The good news is that we have what I'm confident will be the best-selling airplane of all time, which gives us time to work on profitability," said Jim McNerney, chairman and chief executive. There have already been more than 800 orders for the plane. May 28, 2009

Boeing, Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin

Boeing and Eurofighter have launched a public challenge to Lockheed Martin's widely presumed control of a next-generation fighter contract in Canada. Both challengers unveiled the outlines of a new push to respectively market the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Typhoon to Ottawa as replacements for the Canadian air force's Boeing CF-18 (F/A-18A/B) Hornets by the end of the next decade. May 27, 2009

Boeing, Rolls-Royce

Hamilton Sundstrand Starts Boeing 787 Engines. Hamilton Sundstrand variable frequency starter generators successfully started the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The engine start occurred May 21 on Boeing's ZA001 development aircraft at Boeing's Everett, Wash., facility. There are six starter generators on each Boeing 787: two auxiliary starter generators on the Hamilton Sundstrand-supplied Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), and two variable frequency starter generators (VFSGs) mounted on each Trent 1000 main engine. An integral part of Hamilton Sundstrand's 787 Electric Power Generating and Start System (EPGSS), the starter generators collectively supply nearly 1.5 megawatts of power, which is enough to power about 400 homes, and more than five times the electric power on a current Boeing 767. Combined with the elimination of the high pressure pneumatic system, this results in an overall reduction of power required at cruise. Prior to engine start, the auxiliary starter generators start the APU that supplies power through the Hamilton Sundstrand primary power distribution system to each of the Hamilton Sundstrand starter generators mounted on the Trent 1000 gearbox system, also supplied by Hamilton Sundstrand. The VFSGs spin the main engine for starting, and once the engines come up to speed and are on line, the engine-mounted VFSGs automatically switch from starter mode to generate mode and provide electric power to the airplane. The engine start process employs other Hamilton Sundstrand systems unique to this first more electric airplane, including a series of high power density motor controllers. This engine start is the latest in a series of successful 787 starts for Hamilton Sundstrand, including the May 12 Auxiliary Power Unit start, and the May 16 initial start-up of the Nitrogen Generation System. May 28, 2009