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Reduce Fuel Burn With a Dose of BLI

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BLI

It sounds like a cause of heart burn.
Instead, Boundary Layer Ingestion – or BLI – is a promising idea NASA researchers are studying to reduce fuel burn in jet engines, thus reducing emissions and the cost of operating the aircraft.
At its simplest: With BLI, an airplane’s engines are located near the rear of the aircraft so that air flowing over the aircraft body becomes part of the mix of air going into the engine and is then accelerated out the back

 

“The idea isn’t completely new,” said Jim Heidmann, manager of the Advanced Air Transport Technology Project at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “What we’re testing now are new technologies that can help us derive benefits from BLI.”
So, more specifically, what exactly is BLI and how does it lead to potential economic and environmental benefits?
A quick review: When an airplane is flying, it has four major forces acting on it – thrust, drag, weight and lift. Thrust makes an airplane go forward, while drag tries to slow it down. Lift offsets the weight to keep an airplane in the sky.
BLI deals specifically with the drag part of the equation by, ultimately, trying to reduce the total drag an airplane experiences in the sky.
It all starts with the fact that as an airplane flies through the air, a layer of slower moving air begins to build up along the skin of the fuselage and wings, which is fittingly called the boundary layer. This slower moving air causes additional drag.
At the front of the airplane the thickness of the boundary layer is zero, but as the air flows back over the surface of the airplane’s fuselage and wings, the layer grows thicker. By the time it gets to the rear of the airplane it can be a foot or more deep.
In a conventional tube and wing airplane, where the jet engines are hung beneath the wings, that’s the end of the boundary layer story. The slower, drag-inducing airflow just continues off the rear of the airplane to mix with the undisturbed air there.

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Aerospace

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

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Lufthansa orders 22 latest-generation long-haul aircraft with list price of $7.5 billion
  • Orders placed for ten Airbus A350-1000s, five Airbus A350-900s, and seven Boeing 787-9s
  • Fleet modernization further accelerated / substantial contribution to achieving 2030 carbon emission goals
  • Lufthansa Group and Airbus strengthen cooperation on sustainability and future technologies
  • Lufthansa Group to take delivery of 108 latest-generation long-haul aircraft over the next few years
  • Six older aircraft types to be withdrawn in the medium term including the four-engined Boeing 747-400, Airbus A340-600 and Airbus A340-300

The Lufthansa Group is purchasing more state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. The Group Executive Board has resolved to order

  • ten Airbus A350-1000 passenger aircraft
  • five Airbus A350-900 passenger aircraft
  • seven Boeing 787-9 ‘Dreamliner’ passenger aircraft

The orders were approved today by the Supervisory Board of the parent company Deutsche Lufthansa AG. The aircraft concerned will be delivered to the Lufthansa Group from the mid-2020s onwards. Based on list prices, the order is worth a total of about 7.5 billion US dollars and is in line with Group’s mid-term financial planning.

With today’s orders included, the Lufthansa Group will take delivery of 108 state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft such as the Airbus A350-1000, the Airbus A350-900, the Boeing 787-9, and the Boeing 777-9 over the next few years. In doing so, the Group will operate the quietest, most profitable, and most economical long-haul aircraft that are currently in service. On average the new aircraft consume just 2.5 liters of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometers – some 30 percent less than their predecessor aircraft types.

The new long-haul aircraft will also replace older aircraft types. In the medium-term future, six such sub fleets will be taken out of service: the four-engined Boeing 747-400s, Airbus A340-600s and Airbus A340-300s and the two-engined Boeing 777-200s, Boeing 767-300s and Airbus A330-200s. This will reduce the quadjet contingent within the Lufthansa Group fleet to under 15 percent: prior to the pandemic, quad jets made up some 50 percent of the groupwide aircraft fleet.

The Airbus A350-1000

The Airbus A350-1000 will be a new addition to the Lufthansa Group fleet. The aircraft is 73.8 meters long and offers some 15 percent more capacity than the Airbus A350-900. The ten A350-1000s on order should primarily be deployed in premium-heavy markets. Therefore all these aircraft will be equipped with a First Class cabin.

The Airbus A350-900

Lufthansa already operates 21 of these aircraft with sizeable success. With the five aircraft ordered today, the Lufthansa Group will now take delivery of 33 further transports of this long-haul aircraft type.

The Boeing 787-9

Three Boeing 787-9s are presently in Lufthansa Group service. With today’s order included, 36 further Boeing 787-9s will join the Group fleet over the next few years.

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Aerospace

Worlds Ugliest Aircraft

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Worlds Ugliest Aircraft's Passenger Aircraft unusual design

The Super Guppy 

Courtesy- WikipediaCourtesy: Wikipedia

The Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is a large, wide-bodied cargo aircraft that is used for hauling outsize cargo components. It was the successor to the Pregnant Guppy, the first of the Guppy aircraft produced by Aero Spacelines. Five were built in two variants, both of which were colloquially referred to as the “Super Guppy”

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The first, the Super Guppy, or “SG”, was built directly from the fuselage of a C-97J Turbo Stratocruiser, the military version of the 1950s Boeing 377 “Stratocruiser” passenger plane. The fuselage was lengthened to 141 feet (43 m), and ballooned out to a maximum inside diameter of 25 ft (7.6 m), the length of the cargo compartment being 94 ft 6 in (28.8 m). The floor of the cargo compartment was still only 8 ft 9 in (2.7 m) wide, as necessitated by the use of the Stratocruiser fuselage.

Creator: NASA/Kim Shiflett Copyright: For copyright and restrictions refer to http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html Information extracted from IPTC Photo Metadata. Orion Transport Fixture Fit-Checked in NASA's Super Guppy Aircraft ...

Worlds Ugliest Aircraft’s, NASA Orion Transport Fixture Fit-Checked in NASA’s Super Guppy Aircraft (courtesy NASA)

In addition to the fuselage modifications, the Super Guppy used Pratt & Whitney T-34-P-7 turboprop engines for increased power and range, and modified wing and tail surfaces. It could carry a load of 54,000 pounds (24,494 kg) and cruise at 300 mph (480 km/h).

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De-Havilland-DH-106-Comet-C4-aircraft

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The de Havilland DH.106 Comet was the world’s first commercial jet airliner. Early Comet models suffered from metal fatigue, causing a string of accidents. The redesigned Comet 4 series enjoyed a long and productive career of over 30 years.Was operated by Royal Aircraft Establishment Bedford on Nimrod AEW radar trials. The aircraft was later scrapped at Bedford.

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  McDonnell XF-85

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin – Wikipedia

The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin was an American prototype fighter aircraft conceived during World War II by McDonnell Aircraft. It was intended to be deployed from the bomb bay of the giant Convair B-36 bomber as a parasite fighter. The XF-85’s intended role was to defend bombers from hostile interceptors, a need demonstrated during World War II. Two prototypes were constructed before the program was terminated.

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Transavia PL-12 Airtruk

File:AirTruk at Temora Airport October 2018.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The Transavia PL-12 Airtruk is a single-engine agricultural aircraft designed and built by the Transavia Corporation inAustralia. The Airtruk is a shoulder-wing strut braced sesquiplane of all-metal construction, with the cockpit mounted above a tractor engine and short pod fuselage with rear door. The engine cowling, rear fuselage and top decking are of fibreglass. It has a tricycle undercarriage, the main units of which are carried on stub wings. It has twin tail booms with two unconnected tails. Its first flight was in 22 April 1965, and was certified on 10 February 1966The Airtruk is also sometimes known as the Airtruck. Because the name “Airtruck” was registered by the New Zealand companies Bennett Aviation Ltd and Waitomo Aircraft Ltd, for their PL-11, Transavia found another name for their PL-12 (“Airtruk”)

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The PL-11 Airtruck

Transavia Corporation - Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia

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The PL-11 Airtruck was in fact a successful crop-duster, appreciated by the pilots who flew it for a living. Only two were built, in New Zealand, but some of the 118 examples of its successor, the Australian Transavia PL-12 Airtruk, are still at work all over the world. The Airtruck and Airtruk were designed for a specific job—aerial application—rather than adapting a conventional airplane to the task. The pilot was placed high above both the engine and the chemicals hopper, rather than sitting between them waiting to be crushed in a crash, and the perch gave him a superb view for low-level maneuvering.

The Deux-Ponts

Bréguet 763 Deux-Ponts - Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia

If the Lockheed Constellation was a dolphin, the Deux-Ponts was a manatee. Yet it was an excellent airplane, flying for Air France, the French Armée de l’Air and a few smaller operators from 1952 through 1971. With two full passenger decks, it could seat 135 in a pinch, substantially more than its only double-deck competition, the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser—which in fact had only a partial lower deck configured as a cocktail lounge. But it was unpressurized and had a capacity far beyond what any airline of the time needed.

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Short Sturgeon SB3

Short Sturgeon - Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The Short Sturgeon was a planned British carrier-borne reconnaissance bomber whose development began during Second World War with the S.6/43 requirement for a high-performance torpedo bomber, which was later refined into the S.11/43 requirement which was won by the Sturgeon. With the end of the war in the Pacific production of the aircraft carriers from which the Sturgeon was intended to operate was suspended and the original reconnaissance bomber specification was cancelled

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Boeing – Phalcon 707

EL/M-2075 - Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The EL/M-2075 is a solid-state L-band conformal array radar system for use on a Boeing 707 and other aircraft. Phalcon, as the complete AEW mission suite is referred to, is intended for airborne early warning, tactical surveillance of airborne and surface targets and intelligence gathering. It also integrates the command and control capabilities needed to employ this information

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The system can be fitted to a number of aircraft, including the Boeing 707, Boeing 767, Boeing 747 series aircraft. Under a contract signed with Chile in 1989, the first Phalcon system to be installed was fitted to a former LanChile Boeing 707, and was first flown in 1993. In May 1994 the aircraft was delivered to the Chilean Air Force, where it is known as the Condor.

Avro Shackleton

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber, itself being a development of the famous wartime Avro Lancaster bomber. The type is named after the polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.

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Entering service with the RAF in 1951, the Shackleton was used primarily in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) roles; it also became used as a search and rescue (SAR) platform and for performing several other secondary roles such as being a troop-transport. In later life, a small number of the RAF’s Shackletons were subsequently adapted for airborne early warning (AEW) duties, performing in this capacity until the type’s retirement in 1991. The Shackleton was also procured by South Africa, and would be operated by the SAAF between 1957 and 1984.

RAF victor

The Handley Page Victor was a Britishjet-power edstrategic bomber, developed and produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company, which served during the Cold War. It was the third and final of the V-bombers operated by the Royal Air Force(RAF), the other two V-bombers being the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. The Victor had been developed to perform as part of the United Kingdom’s airborne nuclear deterrent. In 1968, the type was retired from the nuclear mission following the discovery of fatigue cracks, which had been exacerbated by the RAF’s adoption of a low-altitude flight profile to avoidinterception.

Classic Collections

GeeBee

The Gee Bee Model R Super Sportster was a special purpose racing aircraft made by Granville Brothers Aircraft of Springfield, Massachusetts at the now-abandoned Springfield Airport (Massachusetts). Gee Bee stands for Granville Brothers. The 1932 R-1 and its sister plane, the R-2, were the successors of the previous year’s Thompson Trophy-winning Model Z.

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hughes XH-17 , helicopter

Hughes XH-17 - Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The XH-17 “Flying Crane” was the first helicopter project for the helicopter division of Hughes Aircraft. The XH-17, which had a two-bladed main rotor system with a diameter of 134 feet (41 m), was capable of flying at a gross weight of more than 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg).

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How has Boeing’s B787 dreamliner turned into a nightmare?

Kamov Ka-226

Kamov Ka-226 - Wikipedia

Courtesy: Wikipedia 

The Kamov Ka-226 “Sergei” is a small, twin-engined Russian utility helicopter. The Ka-226 features an interchangeable mission pod, rather than a conventional cabin, allowing the use of various accommodation or equipment configurations. The Ka-226 entered service in 2002.

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‘No need to revamp the cockpit crew alerting system in B737 max 10’ – Boeing

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Boeing Dream Lifter

File:Boeing 747-400LCF Dreamlifter.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Who will win the Indian Navy’s new fighter jet contract? F/A 18 or Rafale

The Boeing 747 Dreamlifter (formerly Large Cargo Freighter or LCF) is a wide-body cargo aircraft. Cargo is placed in the aircraft by the world’s longest cargo loader. It is an extensively modified Boeing 747-400 and is used exclusively for transporting 787 aircraft parts to Boeing’s assembly plants from suppliers around the world.

The Beluga

File:AirExpo 2014 - Beluga 01.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter) or Beluga, is a version of the standard A300-600 wide-body airliner modified to carry aircraft parts and oversized cargo. It was officially called the Super Transporter at first, but the name Beluga became popular and has now been officially adopted.

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The BelugaXL delivers an “extra-large” role for its team of ...

Airbus The BelugaXL delivers an “extra-large” role for its team

In 1991 Aérospatiale and DASA, two of the major Airbus partners, formed a company to develop a replacement. The starting point was the design for the wide-body twin-enginedAirbus A300: the wings, engines, landing gear, and the lower part of the fuselage are the same as the A300 while the upper part of the fuselage is an enormous horseshoe-shaped structure 7.7 m (25 ft) in diameter

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They are ugly but their work contribution towards Aviation industries is Tremendous and Unique , We love this aircraft all time.

Source: Respective-companies-media-press. Wikipedia,

Twitter: #Worlds_Ugliest_Aircraft.

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12 things to know about Airbus A320 family

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12 things to know about Airbus A320 family

1. First flew on 22 February 1987

Airbus A320 is a narrow-body (single-aisle) jet aircraft which was the first member of the A320
family and it was launched in March 1984 and first flew on 22 February 1987.It was introduced by Air France. The A320 is available in different sub-variants with varying seating capacities like A318,319 and 321.
This jetliner family is considered one of the most versatile and successful in the world.

2. Upgrades and Modification

Airbus A320’s first model release in 1984. later different models were added to to the family,
in 1994, 96 and 2003 respectively. In 2003 this models have been upgraded and modified.
In December 2010, Airbus introduced A320neo (new engine option), which entered service with Lufthansa
in January 2016.15% better fuel economy than Earlier A320s.

 

3. Can operate in extreme weathers 
Airbus A320 is a narrow body aircraft. as a result of its smaller size design, It is used on almost
any commercial route depending on the length of the journey. The Airbus A320 flies throughout the world. This aircraft can land and takeoff on the extreme weather runways from -35 to 52 Celsius degree temperatures.

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4. A320 can fly up to 4600 miles

Depending on the specific model of Airbus A320 used, the aircraft can have a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles (4600 miles ). By 2023, an Airbus A320 with a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles is expected to be available for commercial use.

5. It takes about one month to complete A320.

There are 340,000 parts in the A320 aircraft. About three A320 Family aircraft leave every day one of the A320 Family final assembly lines all over the world.  It takes about one month to complete the final assembly of an A320 Family aircraft. Production lead time of an A320 from the first piece manufactured to the delivery of the aircraft is around 1 year.

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6. Every 2 seconds one A320 takes-off or lands 

A320 operations are very similar to breathing. Every time you take a breath an A320 Family aircraft takes-off or lands (every 2 seconds). The Airbus A320 was ranked as the fastest selling aircraft from 2005 to 2007. The aircraft
has been ordered and flown by more than 130 airlines.

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7. Up to 95% of the Material can be recycled 
At the end of its lifecycle, 85% of an A320 can be recycled in terms of weight. This
figure will go up to 95% in the next few years. Fan diameter of the A320neo Family engines is 2,05 meters. It is larger than most business jet cabins cross section (such as Bombardier Learjet).

8. It can accelerate 200km/h in less than 20 seconds.

The A320 can accelerate from 0 to 200 km/h in less than 20 seconds. This is faster
than a 305 HP Ford Focus RS. At its maximum weight the A321LR weighs more than 7 London Buses.

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Read here : Airbus Hamburg plant 

9. four final assembly lines in three continents for the A320 

There are four final assembly lines in three continents for the A320 Family: Toulouse, France (A320 assembly); Hamburg, Germany (A319, A320 and A321 assembly); Tianjin, China (A319 and A320 assembly); and Mobile, USA (A220, A319, A320 and A321 assembly).

10. Its engine can produce electricity up to 30 standard apartments.

Electric power produced by both A320 Family engines would be sufficient to provide
electricity for 30 standard apartments. The high pressure spool of A320 Family engines during take-off phase turns 11 times faster than a washing machine during the spin cycle.

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Read more : Do they fill Nitrogen in Aircraft tires 

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11. Highest no of Orders and Fastest deliveries record 

A320 FAMILY
Orders and Deliveries
● 15,499 orders from 300+ customers (business case at launch : 600+ aircraft)
● 9,738 deliveries
● 5,761 in backlog

A320neo FAMILY:
Orders and Deliveries
● 7,372 orders from 120 customers
● 1,656 deliveries
● 109 operators (69 CFM, 40 PW)
● 5,716 in backlog

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In-service status
● 6.7+ million flight hours
● 3.4+ million flight cycles

Read here : History of Concorde 

12. Further A320 family extending range up to 4700 nm by 2023 
A321 XLR : The next evolutionary step from the A321LR, now flying Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700nm (+15% than A321LR) with unbeatable fuel efficiency. Providing 30% lower fuel burn per seat than previous generation aircraft.
Entry into service of the A321XLR is planned in 2023.

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10 things we must know about Vistara Airlines

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Vistara airlines

History of TATA group airlines.

The first TATA Airlines was started in October 15, 1932, the Postmaster of Bombay and other dignitaries assembled in the city’s Juhu area to welcome a tiny Puss Moth aircraft carrying post from Karachi. Piloted by J R D Tata, the flight had a historical significance — it was the first such mail service by an Indian company.

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J R D TATA In his book ‘Beyond the Last Blue Mountain: A Life of J R D Tata’, R M Lala writes the airmail service was to originally begin from September 15 of 1932 but the launch had to be postponed as mud flats of Juhu were under water due to heavy monsoon — there was no proper runway or airport. After the second World War, J R D Tata gave a proposal to the government to start an international airline, with the government owning a 49 per cent stake, Tata’s 25 per cent and the public the rest. For domestic operations, there was Indian Airlines.

Tata Airlines became a public company in 1946 and was renamed Air India. Its first flight, a Bombay-Cairo-Geneva-London flight, used a Lockheed Constellation plane. In 1948, Air India became the first Asian airline to start a regular service between Asia and Europe. The tickets for the inaugural Bombay-London flight were priced at Rs 1,720 each.

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Vistara beings with new journey is now stated by Again in Indian Aviation hope it create another milestone for Indian Airlines company.

The name is inspired by ‘vistaar’, a sanskrit word meaning “limitless expanse”.

 

1. Vistara is a full service airline

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Like Jet Airways, Air India and now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, Vistara is a full service airline. What this means is that the passengers won’t have to pay for water or food inside the aircraft like the low-cost carriers (LCCs).

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2. Vistara has three-class configurations

Even as Air India did try to launch premium economy seats it did not push or market it aggressively leaving a void that Vistara aims to fill. The airline has a business, premium economy and economy class seats on its planes to cater to all segments of fliers.

 

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3. More legroom in the economy class

Frequent fliers constantly lament about the reducing legroom in the economy class seats. Vistara looks to woo passengers with 20% more legroom in its economy class. Not only this, the seats in an Vistara aircraft reclines more than its competition.

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4. Back in the airline business after 6 decades

With Vistara, Tata Sons is back in the airline business after 6 decades. Tata Airlines was renamed Air India in 1946 and was nationalised five years hence. The Tatas did try to launch another airline in the 1990s but failed. Even with Vistara, the Group encountered several issues but managed to tide over them.

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5. Only third full-service domestic airline

Vistara today becomes the third full-service airline in India after Jet Airways and Air India. With the aviation sector constantly under pressure with the shutting down of Kingfisher Airlines and clouds over Spicejet’s future, everyone has their eyes on Vistara and its strategy to succeed going forward.

 

6. Market Competition 

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Experts believe that both these airlines will be game-changers in India’s competitive aviation sector, where many players have been crippled by high cost and low fares.“Overall impact on the aviation sector will be positive. Both are strong companies with deep pockets,” said Dhiraj Mathur, executive director at Pricewaterhouse Coopers

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7. Shareholding:

Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata Group, partnered with Singapore Airlines on September 19, 2013, to launch this airline with an initial investment of $100 million. Tata Sons holds 51% stake while the remainder is with Singapore Airlines

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8. Ground handling agreement and Outsourcing strategy:

The airline has tied up with Air India, which will manage its ground-handling and engineering services.

9. Airbus over Boeing:

Singapore Airlines chose Airbus’s A320 for this venture. Aircraft will be leased.

10. Team lead and Direction :

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Tata veteran Prasad Menon is the chairman for TATA SIA Airlines Limited. He also a Chairman for other sector in TATA group of companies

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Story Reports: Business standard , DNA and Quartz

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Aerospace

Virgin Orbit wants to be the ‘Uber for satellites’. Its cost-effectiveness is explained.

Virgin Orbit put the satellite in Space Orbit for an affordable price. The new Uber business in the space.

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Virgin Orbit wants to be the 'Uber for satellites'. Its cost-effectiveness is explained.

The space market is a unique market because so few businesses and organizations are engaged in it. In the past, only government-funded organizations such as NASA from the USA, Russia, India, and China—among many others—were used to send satellites into orbit. Obtaining approval to send satellites through such organizations, which also included receiving geopolitical recommendations, took a fair amount of time. however, private firms have started to enter the industry during the past ten years, like Elon Musk’s SpaceX initiative. It is currently one of the most popular space launch services. However, the same Virgin corporation is also active in the space industry as they launch satellites and rockets using Boeing 747 jumbo jets. which would be a quicker technique for starting a small version satellite.

Meet the world’s first Space Tourists to fly around the Moon(Opens in a new browser tab)

One of Virgin’s two main programs is Virgin Galactic, which runs commercial flights for tourism purposes and offers orbital tours, which are very interesting to many interested tourists. in the same time and space. one more amazon follows Blue Origin One of each was established by Jeff Bezos in the year 2000. However, Virgin is also involved in the Virgin Orbit program, providing services including mid-air rocket and satellite launches.

How Does In-Flight Wi-Fi Really Work?(Opens in a new browser tab)

How does Virgin Orbit operate?

The satellite is carried by a Boeing 747 jumbo jet and launched from a platform atop some space travel. The launches will aid in the expansion of Spire Space Services, a platform that provides customers with quick and scalable access to space through a subscription model, as well as ongoing upgrades and enhancements to the company’s fully deployed satellite constellation. They serve as an example of the growing demand for small satellites. Spire will launch to a variety of orbits, from mid-inclination to polar, all from Virgin Orbit’s first spaceport in Mojave, California, taking full advantage of LauncherOne’s proven adaptability.

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Airbus Beluga delivers Airbus satellite to Kennedy Space Center(Opens in a new browser tab)

Virgin Orbit wants to be the 'Uber for satellites'. Its cost-effectiveness is explained.

Courtesy: Virgin orbit

A second chance for the 747

As is acknowledged, the Boeing 747 is gradually winding down from commercial flight operations due to a decline in demand as well as the need for extensive aircraft maintenance. However, it discovered a new way of life with Virgin Orbit, where it serves as a satellite launch pad. where it will be a component of the one big space mission that greatly enhances satellite networking. In the USA, GE engines are also tested on the Boeing 747. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in the testing of new engines. It can be utilized as a test bed or as a space observatory due to its four engines.

Virgin Orbit wants to be the 'Uber for satellites'. Its cost-effectiveness is explained.

Courtesy: Virgin Orbit

The space’s Virgin has now evolved into UBER.

Many businesses are searching for long-term viability in the market as competition increases. Space exploration is an expensive endeavor, but once you succeed, you can manage your corporation with ease. The space program has joined the private sector in order to compete with other organizations. Virgin Orbit, founded by Richard Branson, aims to become “Uber for satellites.” To launch satellites into orbit, the business uses a rocket hung beneath the wing of a jumbo jet. The business claims its delivery approach offers a significant benefit.

Virgin Orbit wants to be the 'Uber for satellites'. Its cost-effectiveness is explained.

Courtesy: Virgin Orbit

Virgin Orbit and Spire Global collaborate

Spire Global and Virgin Orbit previously demonstrated the flexibility of LauncherOne’s rapid call-up capabilities with the late-load of Spire’s ADLER-1 satellite on board the Above the Clouds mission from Mojave, California in January 2022—a mission that took just 22 days from the initial call-up to payload integration. Building on that achievement, the two companies are working together to provide Spire’s international clientele with speedy and adaptable launch solutions.

Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR), a global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, has entered a legally binding Launch Service Agreement with the top launch provider Virgin Orbit (Nasdaq: VORB), to purchase numerous launches over a number of years, building on their shared track record for productive collaboration in responsive space. In 2023, the first launch is anticipated.

  • Spire Global has committed to purchase multiple launches from Virgin Orbit, starting in 2023.
  • The launches will support Spire’s growing Space Services business as well as upgrades and enhancements to the company’s fully deployed satellite constellation.
  • The launches are part of Virgin Orbit’s growing launch backlog as it heads towards its first international launch later this year from the United Kingdom.
Virgin Orbit wants to be the 'Uber for satellites'. Its cost-effectiveness is explained.

Courtesy: Virgin Orbit

A reasonable cost for orbiting your satellite.

Spire has now been added to Virgin Orbit’s growing list of clients that want both launch site and orbital destination flexibility. Virgin Orbit is committed to offering the commercial, academic, and governmental small satellite industries flexible, inexpensive, quick launch opportunities anytime, anywhere.

Courtesy: Virgin Orbit for more information click here.

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Aerospace

Boeing and Sikorsky are protesting the Army’s FLRAA decision to use the Bell V-280 Tiltrotor

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Sikorsky-Boeing delivers Defiant X proposal to US Army

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 28, 2022 — Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, filed a formal protest today asking the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the U.S. Army’s decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contract.

Meet the Bell 360, the latest rival to the Sikorsky Raider X.(Opens in a new browser tab)

Boeing supports the protest filed by our Team DEFIANT partner, asking the GAO to review the Army’s decision.

Based on a thorough review of the information and feedback provided by the Army, Lockheed Martin Sikorsky, on behalf of Team DEFIANT, is challenging the FLRAA decision. The data and discussions lead us to believe the proposals were not consistently evaluated to deliver the best value in the interest of the Army, our Soldiers and American taxpayers. The critical importance of the FLRAA mission to the Army and our nation requires the most capable, affordable, and lowest-risk solution. We remain confident DEFIANT X is the transformational aircraft the Army requires to accomplish its complex missions today and well into the future.

The Army’s decision to adopt the Bell V-280 Tiltrotor, which will eventually replace the Black Hawk, has drawn criticism from Boeing and Sikorsky.

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The Bell V-280 Valor and the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT aircraft are being developed for the U.S. military as part of the  Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program. Tiltrotor aircraft are able to take off and land vertically like helicopters, but also have the ability to tilt their rotors to fly horizontally like fixed-wing aircraft.

The Bell V-280 Valor is being developed by Bell Textron Inc., a major American aerospace manufacturer, as a joint multirole aircraft for the U.S. Army. It is designed to be able to transport troops and cargo, as well as conduct reconnaissance and other missions. The V-280 has a cruising speed of 280 knots (320 mph) and a range of over 2,100 nautical miles (2,400 miles). It is expected to be operational by the mid-2020s.

US Army and Sikorsky agree on a $2.3 billion purchase of Black Hawk helicopters(Opens in a new browser tab)

Defiant On March 21, 2019, it had its maiden flight. It is a compound helicopter with stiff coaxial rotors and two Honeywell T55 turboshaft engines. This helicopter is a little bit taller than the present Black Hawk and lacks a tail rotor, but it still has a suitable engine that provides the aircraft with forward power, allowing it to reach a top speed of 460 km/h.

The SB>1 DEFIANT is being developed by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, and Boeing as a high-speed, long-range helicopter for the U.S. Army. It is designed to be able to reach speeds of up to 280 knots (320 mph) and has a range of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,150 miles).

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Both the V-280 and the DEFIANT are being developed as part of the U.S. military’s efforts to modernize its vertical lift capabilities and meet the evolving needs of future conflicts. They are expected to offer significant improvements in speed, range, and payload capacity over current helicopter platforms.

The army’s decision to select the V280 aircraft over the Defiant has upset Boeing and Sikorsky. The decision to test the helicopter for taking up the US Army is currently being challenged. Both aircraft have unique capabilities, with the Defiant helicopter being similar to that even while the V280 is a tilt-rotor that provides vertical lift and forward motions.

 

 

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Aircraft comparison

Aircraft comparisons between the Chinese built Comac C919 and the Embraer E195-E2.

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Aircraft comparisons between the Chinese C919 and the Embraer E195-E2.

In this article, we’ll look at the airplane comparison between the Comac C919 and Embraer E195-E2.

China’s COMAC C919 Narrow-body aircraft.

The C919 is the first domestic product of China that will be developed along with COMAC Company for both narrow and wide-body aircraft. The program was launched in 2008, and the first prototype was finished in 2015. It then underwent numerous tests in China to demonstrate its capabilities. Finally, on September 29th, 2022, it received the first Airworthiness Certificate from the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority, and on December 9th, 2022, this aircraft will be delivered to China Eastern Airlines in Shanghai.

Aircraft comparisons between the Chinese built Comac C919 and the Embraer E195-E2.

Courtesy : COMAC

Currently, there have been 800 orders for aircraft from various clients, with the majority of those orders coming from China. As the continuous sanctions imposed by western nations on Russia. If demand increases, China will be a key player in exporting some Comac aircraft to Russia.

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Comparison of global 7500 v/s Gulfstream 700

Brazil’s Embraer E195-E2 Narrow-Body aircraft.

The medium-range jet airliner Embraer 195 E2 was created by the Brazilian company Embraer. For small airline operators, it is the most promising jet because it may be used for regional connections. The aircraft was introduced during the 2013 Paris Air Show. 2016 had seen the launch of the E190-E2’s first variant. And in 2018, it began operating in the operations with Wideroe as its first client.

How Embraer E195 will be the best fit for Air India.

Image Courtesy: Jetline Marvel

It has three different types of aircraft, depending on the number of seats and trip distance. Embraer targets lower fuel consumption of 16–24% and maintenance costs per seat of 15–25%. Built on the first version of the E-Jet, it features a new fly-by-wire system, new pylons, landing gear, horizontal stabilizers, cabin, cabin air system, air cycle machine, and cabin.

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Can the J20 from China match the American F-22? Let’s look at it in Comparison.

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The Airbus A220 is a direct competitor in this market, and its cost is 91.2 million dollars, whereas the E195-E2’s cost is only $60.4 million. Embraer has currently received an order for 227 E195-E2 aircraft, of which 39 have been delivered to customers.

Comac C919 and Embraer E195-E2 specification

  • Comac offers two different seating arrangements, with 168 seats for one class and 158 seats for two classes.
  • Additionally, E195-E2 contains 146 seats for the single class and 120 capacity seats for the two classes.
  • The C919 aircraft is 127.7 feet long, while the Embraer is 136.2 feet long.
  • The c919’s wingspan is 110.3 feet while the Embraer’s is 110.6 feet.
  • The C919 is 39.2 feet tall, while the Embraer is 35.8 feet tall.
  • While the Embraer can carry 16150 kg, the C919 can carry up to 18900 kg.
  • Operating empty, the weighs E195 E2 is 35700 kg and C919  45700 kg, respectively.
  • The maximum takeoff weight for the E195-E2 is 61500 kg and for C919 is 78900 kg.
  • The C919’s range is approximately 5575 km, while the E195’s range is 4917 km.
  • The C919’s CFM engine generates 129.9-kilo newtons of thrust, whereas the Embraer’s two Pratt & Whitney engines can produce up to 102-kilo newtons of thrust.
  • The C 919 has a list price of approximately $99 million, while the Embraer costs $60.1 million.

 

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