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Let's get digital Aviation and defense companies are turning to software tools as a way to create systems and components faster, cheaper, and more efficiently than ever before. Global collaboration is in the air From national to international to global, aerospace programs have become ever more geographically interlinked. Whether military or civil, the need for transworld technology collaboration and partnership is rising to new heights. Creating, customizing aircraft interiors Aircraft designers who have made the transition to digital design tools are expanding their use as the tools extend their capabilities.

Sound sound-research techniques Higher bypass ratios, chevrons, shape memory alloys, and improved aerodynamics are some of the advancing technologies that will help quiet aircraft, and thus help the environment. Display technology perks up HUD, software make big strides in cockpit appearance and flight safety. Going green The global aerospace industry gears up for big changes in fuel burn, emissions, and noise.

Standards take flight Commercial aerospace specifications continue to gain ground as aircraft get more electric. AeroTech: A 'community of practice' 'Something for everybody' is what this SAE conference, hosted by Northrop Grumman, offers aerospace industry engineers and executives. Making flight tests more productive Simulation, testing reduce the size and number of in-flight problems.

Supporting nest-gen propulsion The need for advanced computational and communication systems on board military aircraft make fuel cells an attractive propulsion alternative, and ample access to hydrogen a necessity. Aerospace industry seeks material returns Better use of materials data can pay off for aerospace designers. Transatlantic testing program for the F-35 Europe gets its most comprehensive-ever military airframe test facility.

A deeper dive Simulation and testing continue to evolve, giving engineers more capabilities to find and fix errors before aircraft go into production. Europe: The empty cockpit The growing momentum behind the design and manufacture of UAVs and their potential integration into the global environment is bringing outstanding technology challenges and ooprtunities for the aerospace industry. U.S. manufacturing base shifts into high gear. Both military and civilian contractors are ramping up to meet demands of both war and commerce.

Planning for the future The long lifetimes of aircraft pose big challenges for the many engineers who want to adopt the latest in electronic technologies. Getting it right through test flight Flight testing remains an important component in validation and certification of aircraft. More electric aircraft System design trends for the next generation of aircraft point toward more distributed, but fully intergrated, systems.

Simulating real-time safety Aircraft manufacturers are all pushing for ways to develop software more quickly without sacrificing reliability. Next-generation launchers: Only the tried and true need apply Companies find that some elements of the recipe for success have been handed down for generations. Polar satellites tries to weather storm NPOESS satellites would allow more accurate weather predictions for both military and civilian weather services.

Materials mature The growth of air travel has always been dependent on the development of materials technology for structures and engines. Keeping track of production Aircraft manufacturers are making greater use of RFID and bar code technology, while also using new software that helps them keep production lines running smoothly. Breaking records via fuel management Onboard sensors reported lower-than-expectedfuel-tank readings not far into the around-the-world flight of the GlobalFlyer, jeopardizing the entire mission.

Full throttle for engine solutions Powering aircraft from Mach 2 fighters to tiny hovering UAVs, military engine technology is now operating on a very broad front. Design and production flexibility together with reduced in-service costs are priorities. To the breaking point Test engineers use new rigs and data-acquisition equipment on the latest generation of pneumatics, engines, and airframes. PCs move into the cockpit Pilot training is getting a bit less expensive with the introduction of more portable flight simulations.

Dassault-business aviation pioneer More than four decades of design and engineering evolution have seen the French business jet producer create a wide range of twin-and tri-jet Falcons, from the 20 to the latest 7X. Maintaining reliability Regional airlines and business jet operators care about fuel efficiency, just not as much as engine reliability. Introducing Greg Henderson, SAE President for 2006 The Lockheed Martin executive steps up to take SAE into its next 100 years.

Advanced materials for manufacturability The big three- aluminum, titanium, and composites- duke it out in the sky. Automation makes big advances Aircraft manufacturers continue to adopt new technologies that improve efficiency, speed up production, and reduce worker injuries. Electric braking debuts in military and commercial applications SAE 100 Future look: Goodrich led the development of electromechanical aircraft braking with a highly focused team of experts from three divisions within the company, each working in their own fields of expertise: braking performance, electronic controls, and electromechanical acutators (EAs). Looking into the future with NDT SAE 100 Future look: The need for systemized inspection inthe aircraft industry did not arise until the dramatic increase in air travel that took place in the late 1940s. Electronic warfare SAE 100 Future look: Today's combat aircraft commonly use electronic warfare (EW) receivers and jammers for self protection.

Global technologies Much of the excitement surrounding such aircraft as the point-to-point 787, hub-to-hub A380, and 7X business jet is due to the application of new technologies. Engineering a career With an impending shortage of aerospace engineers, industry and academia team to mold future engineering talent for an increasingly global environment. Taking research to the bank Behind the doors of BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Center. Testing toward perfection In a competitive global market, commercial aircraft need to be lighter, faster to market, cheaper to build, easier to maintain, and safer than ever.

Designing high-bypass nacelle inlets Simulation significantly reduces the time required of engineers at Goodrich to evaluate inlet performance and preliminary designs. Virtually eliminating prototypes IBM PLM Solutions developed by Dassault Systemes have enabled Dassault Aviation to meet the challenges of the executive business jet market with a new virtual platform. DOD looking for faster fixes The U.S. military is in the midst of a mighty push at its bases and depots to shorten the time it takes to get aircraft, trucks, tanks, and other weapon systems out the gate after they arrive for repair. A vision of military and civilian aviation tomorrow SAE 100 Future look: At Dessault Aviation, we believe the quest to fly "higher, faster, and further" that moved moved aviation's pioneers will continue to blaze new trails in the 21st century.

F-35 manufacturing ergonomics addressed Human-factors simulation from Delmia is playing a key role as Northrop Grumman tools up for work on the Joint Strike Fighter. Keeping it together: design, development, and maintenance It is only in relatively recent years that the full meaning of integrating manufacturing and maintenance as part of the design and development processes has been grasped by the aerospace industry. Exploring the boundaries of our solar system SAE 100 Future look: In addition to helping enable NASA's new vision of taking humans back to the moon and paving the way to Mars and beyond, two robotics space science missions are preparing to explore the outermost and innermost edges of our solar system. What's on the horizon for space SAE 100 Future look: Dramatic changes in the Earth's climate are certain to drive humanity's search for alternative fuel sources.

Top technologies for 2004 "Aerospace Engineering's" annual review of the technologies chosen by its readers to be the most significant. Tooling around in the computer Much of the latest software is very capable, but learning how to get the best out of it, and getting the business processes right, is the key to success.

Wiring UAVs The development of electronic architectures for UAVs and UCAVs marks a major step-change in the evolution of military aircraft as significant as the emergence of jet propulsion more than 60 years ago. Distributed simulation A new modeling technique is applied to a HALE UAV power system using detailed subsystem simulations of the turbine engine, generators, and loads. Tradition, transition, and transformation SAE 100 Future look: As the sun sets on the first 100 years of SAE, we refllect on a proud and rich tradition of contribution to the transportation industry. The battle for information flow SAE 100 Future look: Epic Data recognizes that the recent development of highly secure, futuristic real-time information flows provide a tremendous competitive advantage to field commanders making life or death decisions.

Military maneuvers Electronics and avionics designers put control in the pilot's hand. Propelling commercial aircraft GE Aircraft Engines calls upon its engineers, and those of its "competitors," to develop a series of next-generation engines. Bonded repairs Aircraft structure repair is process-sensitive, requiring attention to detail, particularly in terms of both composite and metal surface preparation.

More-electric small turbofan engines The aerospace industry demands continuous improvement of propulsion engines as well as timely response to the new and changing requirements for them. Zero-emissions aircraft Researchers explore the potential application of alternative fuels and propulsion systems for aircraft that include a business jet and single-engine propeller aircraft. Integration releases the reins Cessna's new Citation Mustang launches the company into a new market for business jets, helped by the latest PLM solutions from IBM. Military: general A military flight-control system proposed for use in general aviation uses inverse control to decouple the flight controls and to modify the handling qualities of the aircraft, while employing articficial neural networks to compensate for any modeling errors.

Showing how it's done Engineers are using software to better manage product development data, and applying tools to a new class of problems. NASA goes deep The agency's new long-term space exploration program starts with a return to the moon and will ultimately enable future exploration of Mars and other solar system destinations. Farnborough preview In an event that happens just once every two years, bringing the multitudes together, it is important to get as much technology as possible into the open and to find solutions to hard problems. Seats under crash loading The FAA and academia have conducted aircraft seat drop tests to compare and contrast passenger crash protection. A fluid approach Aerospace engineers have started using CFD software earlier and earlier in the design process.

Advancing the art of manufacturing Use of new manufacturing tools and techniques are allowing aircraft makers to deliver their products faster. A materialistic industry Deciding which material is best suited to construct a part or plane is one of the most complex issues an aerospace engineer faces. Speeding up engine manufacture Fiber optics play a big role in percussion drilling tiny holes.