Aviation

Stratolaunch: The world’s largest plane rolls out.

WASHINGTON — Stratolaunch, the company backed by billionaire Paul Allen to develop air-launch systems, rolled out its giant carrier aircraft for the first time May 31 in advance of ground and flight tests.
The aircraft moved out of its hangar at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California for the first time since construction of the giant plane began there several years ago. Two tugs towed the aircraft, resting on its 28-wheel landing gear, just outside the hangar to begin a series of tests.
“This marks the completion of the initial aircraft construction phase and the beginning of the aircraft ground and flight testing phase,” Jean Floyd, chief executive of Stratolaunch Systems, said in a statement about the rollout.

The aircraft’s test program will begin with fueling tests, where each of the plane’s six fuel tanks is independently filled to test their fueling mechanisms and check for leaks. The tanks will then be drained and the plane moved back into the hangar for weight and balance testing, according to a company fact sheet.
Stratolaunch then plans ground and engine tests, including taxi tests at the airport, in the “coming weeks and months,” Floyd said, before the airplane’s first flight. “This is a first-of-its-kind aircraft, so we’re going to be diligent throughout testing and continue to prioritize the safety of our pilots, crew and staff,” he said. “Stratolaunch is on track to perform its first launch demonstration as early as 2019.”
The Stratolaunch aircraft is the largest in the world by wingspan, measuring more than 117 meters from tip to tip. The plane weighs 226,800 kilograms empty, and 50 percent more when fully fueled. It can accommodate payloads weighing nearly 250,000 kilograms, attached to the wing segment between the twin fuselages.
Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, announced Stratolaunch in late 2011. The aircraft’s size was dictated by initial plans to launch medium-sized payloads using a version of SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The companies parted ways a year later, and Stratolaunch then signed a contract with Orbital Sciences Corp. (now Orbital ATK) to develop a new rocket also for medium-class payloads. That project, known as Thunderbolt, has also been set aside.
Stratolaunch is now focused on the growing demand for small satellites. In October 2016, the company announced a new partnership with Orbital ATK where the Stratolaunch aircraft will be used for launches of Pegasus XL rockets, potentially up to three on a single flight.
Floyd, in the statement, said Stratolaunch was also looking at other vehicles as it makes preparations for accommodating Pegasus rockets at its Mojave hangar. “We’re actively exploring a broad spectrum of launch vehicles that will enable us to provide more flexibility to customers,” he said, without identifying the vehicles under consideration.
The company, funded by Allen, has not disclosed how much money it has spent on the project to date. However, in a May 1 panel session here on ultra low-cost access to space, Floyd was asked if his company was ready to spend “hundreds of millions of dollars” on technologies to reduce launch costs. “Definitely yes, and we already have,” he responded.
Floyd, earlier in that panel, said that Allen’s investment in Stratolaunch was not motivated by any potential financial return. “His vision is to change the human condition,” Floyd said of Allen. “He’s not out to make a buck. He’s not out to get a return on investment.”
“I’m not saying he wants to lose money,” he added. “But Paul Allen has never talked to me about, ‘How much money am I going to make if I pull this off?”

Space news

Aerospace

India is set to build a central command for the Air Traffic Control system, called ISHAN

Coutresy : Boeing planes

India’s air traffic growth has led to increased responsibilities for air traffic control. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is considering centralizing air traffic control for aircraft, dividing the country into four regions. The goal is to consolidate India’s segmented airspace into a single entity to improve air traffic management (ATM) efficiency, safety, and smoothness.

Recently, the AAI invited expressions of interest to develop a detailed project report for the Indian Single Sky Harmonized Air Traffic Management (ISHAN) initiative in Nagpur. Under this plan, air traffic controllers in Nagpur would handle domestic flights flying above 25,000 feet, eliminating the need for coordination among controllers in different regions.

For domestic regional flights operating above 25,000 feet, control would shift to the central command in Nagpur. This consolidation aims to enhance airline operations, increase flight handling capacity, and reduce congestion and flight times for passengers.

Currently, the AAI provides ATM services over Indian airspace and adjoining oceanic areas, covering over 2.8 million square nautical miles. This airspace is divided into four flight information regions (FIRs) in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, along with a sub-FIR in Guwahati.

FIRs are responsible for providing air traffic services, including weather information, visibility, and search and rescue assistance. The proposed unification under the ISHAN initiative aligns with the projected growth of the aviation industry, which anticipates a doubling of domestic passenger traffic by 2030.

Aviation

Airbus is set to increase the production rate for the A350 as demand surges

Airbus SE is set to boost production of its advanced A350 widebody jet as it capitalizes on rising demand for long-distance travel and wide-body aircraft, amidst the ongoing crisis affecting its competitor Boeing due to issues with the B737 Max.

The surge in orders for Airbus’s A350 aircraft has instilled confidence in the company, prompting them to ramp up production rates. This move is particularly advantageous as Boeing continues to grapple with production quality issues surrounding its 787 and 777x aircraft.

In 2024 alone, Airbus has received 137 orders for the A350, signaling a need to expand manufacturing capabilities to meet customer demands. With 1,277 orders received and 592 aircraft delivered as of April 2024, Airbus is poised to fulfill pending deliveries efficiently.

The European aircraft manufacturer announced plans to increase production of A350 jets to 12 per month by 2028, surpassing earlier projections aiming for 10 per month by 2026. This decision was disclosed alongside the company’s first-quarter figures.

The Asian market is proving lucrative for the A350, with significant orders from airlines like Indigo and Air India, totaling nearly 70 aircraft commitments for the future. Meanwhile, Airbus is progressing with its A220 and A320 programs, aiming for a monthly production rate of 14 and 75 aircraft, respectively, by 2026. Additionally, the long-range A321XLR is anticipated to commence service in the third quarter of the current year.

In contrast, Boeing has been compelled to scale back production due to regulatory pressures aimed at enhancing factory processes. While Airbus anticipates a positive market outlook, Boeing continues to face challenges with FAA certification and quality approvals, resulting in ongoing delays for its 737 Max and 777x models.

Financially, Boeing reported a significant cash burn of $3.9 billion in the first quarter, leaving it with $7.5 billion in cash and short-term securities by the quarter’s end, down from $16 billion at the beginning of the year. Consequently, Boeing’s stock has plummeted by 38% in the year so far, contrasting with Airbus’s 14% gain, marking Boeing’s lowest performance in over a year.

For a full listing including details on customers and regions, as well as historical data for the previous year, go to the download section below.

March 2024 deliveries: 63 deliveries to 32 customers
March 2024 gross orders: 137
2024 deliveries to date: 142 deliveries to 45 customers

	Single-Aisle	A300/A310	A330	A340	A350	A380	TOTAL
Total Orders	19470	816	1774	377	1277	251	23965
Total Deliveries	11705	816	1598	377	592	251	15339
Aircraft in Operation	11007	271	1482	202	591	234	13787

Aviation

All passengers killed in plane crash, after pilot let his children to control the plane

When boarding a plane, passengers entrust their safety to the skilled hands of the pilot. However, tragedy struck when one of the flight ended in disaster as all passengers lost their lives in a horrific plane crash.

In 1994, during a flight from Moscow to Hong Kong, tragedy struck as an Aeroflot relief pilot made a fateful decision. In a move that would have devastating consequences, the pilot invited his own children into the cockpit to play with the controls. Little did anyone know, this seemingly innocent gesture would lead to the loss of all 75 lives aboard the aircraft.

It was a seemingly innocent act that led to catastrophic results. The relief pilot, Mr. Kudrinsky, invited his two children, Yana, 12, and Eldar, 15, into the cockpit during the late hours of the night. Little did anyone know, this simple gesture would set off a chain of events that would end in tragedy.

Once in the cockpit, the children were allowed to sit in the captain’s chair and play with the controls, unaware that they should have been disabled as the plane was in autopilot mode.

Eldar, perhaps in a moment of curiosity or innocence, held the control column down for a mere 30 seconds. Yet, in those brief moments, the autopilot disengaged, thrusting the aircraft into manual control.

By the time the pilots regained their seats and attempted to regain control, it was too late. Despite their efforts to pull the plane out of a dive, they overcorrected, causing the flight to climb almost vertically, ultimately stalling it.

Final moment Flight 593 crash

In the final moments, as the pilots struggled to stabilize the aircraft, Flight 593 crashed into the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountain range in southern Russia, completely obliterating the plane and claiming the lives of everyone on board.

Investigations revealed a chilling truth: there was no evidence of technical failure. Instead, the crash was attributed to the unthinkable decision to allow inexperienced hands to manipulate the controls of a commercial aircraft.

The black box recording captured the harrowing sequence of events, providing a grim reminder of the human cost of a lapse in judgment. In just over two minutes, the lives of all on board were tragically short, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and unanswered questions.