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Mercedes-Benz has taken the wraps off its third-generation Sprinter light commercial vehicle, offering increased versatility, reduced operating costs and new levels of connectivity and technology.

Autonomous flying cars and air-taxis have been the subject of science fiction movies for decades, but Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer has now announced plans to develop a practical – if futuristic – small commercial air vehicle.

The Global 7500 business jet from Bombardier Inc. in Montreal appears to be on the fast track to entering service, thanks in large part to high-tech engineering design, simulation, and test tools. Bombardier engineers and officials are crediting the program’s extensive use of proven engineering tools, digital simulation, innovative ground testing systems for helping to ensure: a mature aircraft at the start of flight testing, an efficient flight validation program, test aircraft that exceed original performance goals, and completion of one lifetime of simulated flights, which exceeds the requirements at time of certification.

Aircraft orders exceed $95 billion in value and are complemented by roughly $3 billion in aircraft engine and engine service agreement contracts announced in the first two days of the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. “The future starts at Farnborough; our exhibition halls are full of innovation that will shape how we fly, enabling us to go further, faster, and with less environmental impact,” says Farnborough International Commercial Director Amanda Stainer.  

As the complexity of aircraft rises, it’s becoming more difficult to ensure that all the mechanical and electrical elements work together well. More and more companies are establishing data management schemes that enable design and manufacturing engineers to work more closely together.

Boeing and U.S Air Force teams recently achieved a major KC-46 Pegasus tanker program milestone, completing all flight testing required for first delivery. This past week, the KC-46 team concluded both its Military Type Certification (MTC) testing and receiver certification testing with KC-135, F-16, and C-17 aircraft.

U.K. Space Agency officials in Swindon, England, are partnering with Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Md., to execute several strategic projects to support the U.K. Spaceflight Program, with a goal of building its first commercial spaceport in Scotland and achieving its first vertical space launch in the early 2020s.

Modeling and simulation continue to help suppliers and OEMs provide systems and vehicles that do more work while conserving fuel, reducing emissions and keeping costs in check. A broad range of tools come into play as engines and aftertreatment systems move through the design cycle.

Standards development teams at SAE International in Warrendale, Pa., have issued 11 new technical documents and revised or reaffirmed another 54 technical reports focused on mobility engineering across the aerospace, automotive, and commercial transportation communities. The new documents, issued throughout June 2018, cover a variety of technical subject areas, including: diagnostic link connector security, mitigation strategies against illumination effects, data dictionary for quantities used in cyber physical exams, requirements for production of metal powder feedstock for use in additive manufacturing of aerospace parts, and laser powder bed fusion process.

A high-fidelity test bed is used to conduct cyber assurance testing for commercial vehicles including long-haul trucks.

To optimize the fan-shroud shape to maximize cooling air mass flow rates through the heat exchangers of heavy-duty trucks, researchers from Argonne National Lab, Cummins and CD-Adapco used the Adjoint approach to optimization.

Nano Dimension Ltd., an additive electronics provider based in Ness Ziona, Israel, has developed the world’s first side-mounting technology for printed circuit boards (PCBs) produced through additive manufacturing (AM) or “3D-printing.” The side mounted designs allow for more functionality on circuit boards, which will impact Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 applications where customized designs and shapes are a growing demand.

Kepler Communications, Inc.’s (Kepler’s) TARS six-unit cubesat – the company’s third satellite scheduled for launch later this year – will feature an innovative smart radiator device (SRD) designed to significantly optimize heat dissipation on communication satellites where environmental conditions have a big impact on transmission signals.

To maximize H130 safety, Dart Aerospace Limited (Dart) has acquired supplemental type certificate (STC) approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for a newly developed emergency float system (EFS) for unexpected water landings.

Continental Aerospace Technologies is partnering with Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH of Austria to provide a new powerplant for the DA50 general aviation aircraft. Continental also recently expanded its portfolio with a “cash and in-kind contribution” investment in Ampaire Inc., an electric aircraft and propulsion company.

To better inform and equip mobility engineers dealing with these challenges, SAE International has released a new book series from Juan R. Pimentel that explores automated vehicle safety concepts and technologies.

The group looks at how to make small electric city cars safe, practical, efficient, and maybe even self-charging.

“We originally thought solar cells would be standard on the airplane’s wings,” says George E. Bye, founder and CEO of Bye Aerospace Bye. “However, with eFlyer’s primary markets being flight training and air taxi services, it makes more sense to make the price of the airplane as reasonable as possible.”

The first Airbus BelugaXL has rolled out of the paint shop, sporting a special, beluga whale-inspired livery selected by Airbus employees.

Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have launched RemoveDEBRIS, the first satellite with space debris-removal capabilities and the largest satellite ever deployed from the ISS. RemoveDEBRIS, a low Earth orbit test bed for determining the efficacy of active debris removal (ADR) systems, is a multinational effort involving space agencies, aerospace experts, and technologies from throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the U.S.