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Controlling rivet tolerances, and the hole tolerances that these rivets are inserted into, are some of the most important requirements in the manufacture of aircraft. Because of the laminar air flow over the outside of the skin in all aircraft, and the stealth requirements of military aircraft, the rivets must sit flush with the Outside Mode Line of the exterior skin. ...Because of the laminar air flow over the outside of the skin in all aircraft, and the stealth requirements of military aircraft, the rivets must sit flush with the Outside Mode Line of the exterior skin. This countersink depth must be tightly controlled in tolerance, both in the hole diameter & countersink, and also in the manufacture of the rivets. ...In the past, the aircraft OEM's have driven, independently, the rivet manufacturer and the machine manufacturer drilling the holes, to control tighter and tighter tolerances.

In conjunction with National STEM Day, United States Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson took to Twitter to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with a little help from Sesame Street's Elmo and Abby Cadabby. In a brief message, Wilson talked about the importance that STEM education plays in aerospace and defense careers.

Current and future generations of transport aircraft are characterized by a high level of automation. This automation is intended to assist the flight crew and make it possible for a crew of two persons to operate these aircraft for all types of flights, including those of extremely long duration. ...This automation is intended to assist the flight crew and make it possible for a crew of two persons to operate these aircraft for all types of flights, including those of extremely long duration. While one of the design goals of automation is to reduce crew workload, little is known about the true relationship between workload and automation. ...This paper discusses the approaches taken by Airbus Industrie when designing increasing levels of automation into their aircraft. It also addresses the Airbus program of workload research and the need to direct specific attention to the relationship between workload and automation.

This paper discusses the prediction, real time measurement and dynamic allocation of cockpit workload in an aircraft with a crew of two -- one human and one electronic.

The first flight of a delta wing aircraft took place in the United States at the Muroc AFB Flight Test Center on 18 September 1948. ...The first flight of a delta wing aircraft took place in the United States at the Muroc AFB Flight Test Center on 18 September 1948. The aircraft, Convair No. 7002, Air Force S/N 46-682 and designated the XF-92A was piloted by Convair's Manager of Flight Research, E.D. ...Studies and wind tunnel tests for a supersonic interceptor were conducted at the Vultee Division of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation (Convair) in 1945. These studies led to the selection of the 60° delta wing plan form.

This “first of a kind” aircraft soon adopted the name “POGO”. The POGO with its stall proof delta wing had near perfect aerodynamic characteristics in hover, transition and level flight. ...The POGO was one of the very first aircraft to use hydraulic power flight controls - a system used today on all modern fighter and transport aircraft. ...The POGO was one of the very first aircraft to use hydraulic power flight controls - a system used today on all modern fighter and transport aircraft. To accommodate both vertical and horizontal flight, the pilot's seat rotated to align the pilot with his engine controls, his control stick and rudder pedals, and to provide the best possible pilot vision.

Typical aircraft generator parameters are used to predict the paralleling transient vs. initial rotor electrical angle mismatch.

This standard covers the design, performance, and test requirements for high strength, thin wall, commercial sockets, universal sockets, and box wrenches used for the attachment and detachment of metric spline drive, high strength, and high temperature aircraft fasteners. Inclusion of dimensional data in this standard is not intended to imply that all of the products described herein are stock production sizes.

LiquidPiston Inc. has developed a new engine that can run on multiple fuels, including diesel, jet fuel, and gasoline. This platform uses an optimized thermodynamic cycle and a new rotary engine architecture and could increases flight endurance over conventional UAV engines by greater than 50%.

It was anticipated that during X-29 extended duration, high angle-of-attack flight (40 to 70 deg), aircraft ECS performance would significantly degrade. Computer modelling of the system indicated that the performance of the ECS decreased as the angle of attack increased. ...Modifications to improve system performance were analyzed and, as a result of this analysis, ECS hardware modifications have been incorporated on the aircraft. The High-Alpha Flight Test Program has proven the validity of these modifications. To date, the ECS on Ship No. 2 has performed well within its nominal operating parameters in the high-alpha regime.

The X-29 Fuel/Auxiliary Oil Thermal Management System provides total aircraft accessory oil cooling, including both flight and combined hydraulics, Integrated Drive Generator oil, and Accessory Drive Gearbox oil, with onboard fuel.

An extensive high angle-of-attack (AOA) flight testing program has been performed with the X-29-2 (AF 82-0049) forward swept wing research aircraft. The high AOA envelope expansion phase cleared the aircraft to fly in a broad flight regime and produced important data on the high AOA clearance process and data analysis. ...The Vortex Flow Control (VFC) experiment conducted on the X-29 successfully proved the viability of a pneumatic blowing device manipulating forebody vortices to act as an aircraft controller, an historical first. Finally, throughout the aircraft #2 flight test program, important data concerning the aircraft’s air data system, digital flight control system, vertical tail, engine, and subsystems operating in the high AOA environment were gathered. ...Finally, throughout the aircraft #2 flight test program, important data concerning the aircraft’s air data system, digital flight control system, vertical tail, engine, and subsystems operating in the high AOA environment were gathered.

Also discussed are the flight test approach expanding the envelope, typical flight maneuvers performed, X-29A program accomplishments, lessons learned for the Number One aircraft, and future plans with the Number Two aircraft. A schedule for both the Number One and Number Two aircraft is presented. ...The X-29A aircraft is a fascinating combination of integrated technologies incorporated into a unique research aircraft. ...The X-29A aircraft is a fascinating combination of integrated technologies incorporated into a unique research aircraft. The X-29A program is a multiple-agency program with management and other responsibilities divided among the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the U.S.

The X-29A design utilizes components from over thirty different aircraft. Many of the components used on the X-29 have been used on more than one aircraft. This paper will describe the process that was used to select components, design the subsystem, test the system in a laboratory environment where required and finally test the completed subsystem on the aircraft. ...The X-29A is the first X-series experimental aircraft developed in the United States since the mid-sixties. The X-29A is a technology demonstrator aircraft that integrates several different-technologies into one airframe. ...The X-29A is a technology demonstrator aircraft that integrates several different-technologies into one airframe. Among the technologies demonstrated are the aeroservoelastically tailored composite forward swept wings, close coupled canards, discrete variable camber wing, triplex digital flight control system with analog backup, thin supercritical wing, three surface pitch control, large negative static margin and the integration of these technologies into the X-29 airframe.

Agile aircraft (X-29, X-31, F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle, & F-16 Multi-Axis Thrust Vector) test pilots, while flying at high angles of attack, experience difficulty predicting their flight path trajectory. ...To compensate for the loss of this critical element of situational awareness, the X-31 International Test Organization (ITO) installed and evaluated a helmet mounted display (HMD) system into an X-31 aircraft and simulator. Also investigated for incorporation within the HMD system and flight evaluation was another candidate technology for improving situational awareness - three dimensional (3D) audio.

Now in its formative stages, the Military Space Plane, or MSP, strives for operational goals that blur the distinction between traditional spacecraft, launch vehicles and aircraft both from an operability and design standpoint. The X-34 rocket plane being built by Orbital at its Dulles, Virginia facility, represents a reusable technology testbed for evaluating new developments in launch vehicle subsystems and quick turnaround operations.

The X-36 is a remotely piloted 28% scale model of a two-axis-unstable notional future fighter aircraft with canards, a mid-wing and features the absence of any vertical control surfaces, Figure 1. The aircraft was jointly developed by the NASA Ames Research Center and McDonnell Aircraft & Missile Systems and flight tested at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. ...The X-36 is a remotely piloted 28% scale model of a two-axis-unstable notional future fighter aircraft with canards, a mid-wing and features the absence of any vertical control surfaces, Figure 1. ...Objectives of this program were to demonstrate fighter aircraft agility for a vertical tailless configuration and to demonstrate the development of a low cost alternative to full size prototype aircraft.

X-ray is an indispensable aid in locating and determining the extent of incipient failures in structure which is inaccessible by position or covered by multiple layers of metal. It is also the most feasible method for checking oil coolers for contamination; bonded honeycomb panels for water; fuel lines for erosion; and with a 360 deg emission tube, fuselage frames for structural integrity without removing the interior upholstery and panels from the passenger compartment or cargo compartments.