Aerospace

Lufthansa turning Airbus A350-900 into a Flying Research Lab

Lufthansa orders 22 latest-generation long-haul aircraft with list price of $7.5 billion

Lufthansa turning Airbus A350-900 into a Flying Research Lab: Lufthansa and several research institutes, converting an Airbus A350-900 into a climate research aircraft to predict the weather even more accurately, analyzing climate changes even more precisely and researching even better how the world is developing.

Conversion of “D-AIXJ” has begun:

Converting an aircraft into a climate research plane poses major challenges. Lufthansa has chosen the most modern and economical long-haul jet in its fleet – an Airbus A350-900 named “Erfurt” (registration D-AIXJ). In three stages, the “Erfurt” will now become a flying research laboratory.

Lufthansa turning Airbus A350-900 into a Flying Research Lab

Courtesy: Lufthansa

In Lufthansa Technik’s hangar in Malta, preparations were made for a complex air intake system below the belly. The aircraft weighs in around 1.6 tons container with measuring equipment. The so-called CARIBIC measurement laboratory, acronym “Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the Atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container”

The “Erfurt” is expected to take off from Munich at the end of 2021 for its first flight in the service of climate research, measuring around 100 different trace gases, aerosol, and cloud parameters in the troposphere region.

Cooperation between aviation companies and research institutes:

The A350 conversion, which has now been launched, was preceded by an extremely elaborate planning and development phase of about four years involving more than ten companies (in particular Lufthansa, Lufthansa Technik, Airbus, Safran, enviscope, and Dynatec) as well as the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) as representative of a larger scientific consortium. The Lufthansa Group has been a reliable partner of climate research since 1994 and since it has equipped several aircraft with special instruments. This is now the first time worldwide on an Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Related Topics:a350 airbus Karlsruhe Lufthansa technik

Aerospace

Boeing’s Aurora Flight Sciences Expands Columbus Plant by 50,000 Sqft

Credit:Aurora Flight Sciences

Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing, has launched a significant expansion of its manufacturing facility near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Mississippi.

This ambitious project will add 50,000 square feet of new space, renovate 40,000 square feet of the existing facility, and introduce advanced automation equipment, robotics, and non-destructive inspection technologies. mcas boeing enhancements will support the growing demand for Aurora’s aerospace systems business.

Since its establishment, Aurora Mississippi has specialized in the production of advanced composite components and assemblies for both military and commercial aircraft. The company first opened in 2005 at Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory in Starkville before relocating to its current site in Columbus two years later.

Initially occupying 21,000 square feet, the facility has since grown to encompass over 120,000 square feet, featuring cutting-edge manufacturing technologies such as automated fiber placement. Aurora’s latest expansion is a strategic investment aimed at increasing production capacity for composite components like boeing titanium used in executive jets and the MQ-25TM Stingray composite skins, a key project for its parent company, Boeing.

Additionally, the facility will produce components for NASA’s X-66 sustainable flight demonstrator aircraft, further diversifying its portfolio. Currently employing around 100 full-time staff in Mississippi, Aurora plans to hire more than 60 additional team members by the end of 2025.

Aurora’s expansion project underscores its commitment to Mississippi’s growing aerospace and advanced manufacturing sector. The company maintains strong partnerships with Mississippi State University (MSU) and East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), contributing to research, higher education, and workforce development in advanced manufacturing.

Additionally, Aurora actively supports local K-12 STEM education through summer camps and collaborates with high school vocational education programs. The expansion and renovation project will be carried out in phases over the next two years, with completion expected by 2026. This development marks a significant milestone in Aurora’s ongoing growth and its role in advancing aerospace manufacturing in Mississippi.