STOVL JSF undergoes environmental testing
Lockheed Martin's short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has completed environmental testing at the British Aerospace Military Aircraft and Aero structures division acoustic/thermal facility in Brough, England. The test program used a 1/15th scale model of the X-35B Concept Demonstrator Aircraft, producing exhaust flows at the velocity and temperatures expected for the full-scale aircraft. The exhaust flows were used to model the X-35B's STOVL propulsion system, which includes a three-bearing swivel-duct exhaust nozzle, lift fan, and two roll-control nozzles.
 The 1/15th-scale JSF STOVL model underwent environmental testing at British Aerospace's acoustic/thermal facility in Brough, England. |
The JSF is being developed for three U.S. military services and the UK Royal Navy. Lockheed Martin and the Boeing Company were awarded JSF concept demonstration contracts from the Department of Defense in November 1996.
The tests were conducted to assess environmental effects of the JSF propulsion system in the STOVL mode and involved hundreds of velocity, temperature, pressure, and acoustic level measurements. From these data, engineers were able to assess the environmental effects on the aircraft, ground personnel, ground equipment, and landing surfaces.
British Aerospace has extensive experience with STOVL design, and its acoustic/thermal facility has a history of advanced STOVL environmental testing, which is why they were asked by Lockheed Martin to work on the X-35B's propulsion system team.
Lockheed Martin plans to modify the 1/15th scale model from the X-35B to the Preferred Weapon System Concept STOVL aircraft design and rerun the environmental tests to reconfirm their environmental effects. According to the company, larger-scale testing of the design will be performed later in the U.S.
New restraint system for improved passenger safety
 The Inflatabelt system is installed by attaching to the seat at existing seatbelt-mount locations. |
 The Direct-Thermal Inflator fills the system with cool, clean, particle-free gas. It deploys from the passenger's lap rather than towards the head, as with an automotive airbag. |
An inflatable restraint system called Inflatabelt has been developed by BFGoodrich Aerospace's Aircraft Evacuation Systems Division for the increased protection of passengers of all sizes ranging from small children to large adults. Unlike an automotive-style airbag, which acts as a cushioning barrier between the occupant and a fixed object during a crash event, the Inflatabelt system is designed to position and restrain passengers in their seat, limiting their forward movement during a crash. It deploys from the passenger's lap rather than towards the head as a standard airbag would. By pretensioning the seatbelt, the restraint system removes the slack in the seatbelt and restrains the upper body, eliminating passenger head contact with forward seats and fixed objects during a crash.
The Inflatabelt system, which meets the 16-g regulations, also distributes crash loads over a much larger area so that dynamic forces on the passenger as well as the loads on the seat are reduced significantly. By decreasing the instances of upper-body injuries, the system allows passengers to be alert and conscious following a crash, enabling them to quickly exit the aircraft.
Upon triggering the system, BFGoodrich's Direct-Thermal Inflator (DTI) is used to fill the passenger restraints with cool, clean, particle-free gas. The low temperature at which the system inflates allows for very thin, lightweight fabrics to be used. The entire Inflatabelt system weighs only about 1.5 lb. The DTI also eliminates the potential hazard for burns experienced with traditional automotive airbag inflators. The inflatable restraint vents mainly nitrogen and water vapor immediately following the crash, allowing the passenger to unbuckle the belt and exit the aircraft.
The Inflatabelt system is installed by attaching to the seat at existing seatbelt-mount locations. Its modular design allows quick removal and installation, which is required about every five years for replacement.
Boeing builds another extended range 767
Joining the 767-200/-200ER and 767-300/-300ER is the largest aircraft in the family, the 767-400ER. This addition creates an aircraft family capable of carrying 224 to 304 passengers in a typical two-class seating arrangement.
 The wing, body, and tail sections of the 767-400ER were joined at the Boeing factory. |
Boeing structured its cross-functional teams to be responsible for entire sections of the airplane. Working together with customers and suppliers, this system enabled the company to effectively integrate the larger systems that make up the airplane.
Digital definition also played a huge role in the development of this aircraft. Newly designed aircraft parts were created using the three-dimensional interactive CATIA software, allowing for a higher degree of accuracy. Teams were able to pre-assemble parts at their workstations to check for fit and eliminate any interference. The company also converted many of the 767's original mylar drawings into three-dimensional data. As a result, approximately 80% of the aircraft is now digitally defined. This data was used to create more accurate tools not only for the -400ER, but for the entire 767 family.
Several 767-400ER features are: a state-of-the-art flight deck with large-format displays arranged similar to those of the 777, Next-Generation 737, and 747-400 flight decks; a passenger cabin with curved side-walls and ceilings that create a greater sense of spaciousness; full-cabin, in-flight entertainment, supported by a high-capacity (120 kva) electrical power system; and an all-new main landing gear, which will give this longer version similar handling characteristics to that of the -300.
