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SAE International is inviting global participation in its AeroTech® aerospace and defense technology conference and exhibition, which is for the first time co-located with ASM International’s AeroMat, at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California, March 15 through 17, 2022.

The first Airbus A330-800 commercial jet, flight test aircraft MSN1888, took off today from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport on its maiden flight over southwestern France during which the aircraft performed dedicated flight-physics tests required for the variant.

The 60th Maintenance Squadron at Travis Air Force Base is the first field unit in the United States Air Force to produce approved nonstructural aircraft parts using 3D printing – an additive manufacturing technique. The first parts: latrine covers on the Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy strategic airlifter.

Unitech Composites, a Unitech Aerospace company in Hayden, Idaho, is providing its Lightweight Armament Support Structure (LASS) composite weapons pylons to maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company Science and Engineering Services (SES) in Columbia, Md., for use on Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters the U.S. Army is supplying to the government of Afghanistan through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

In part two of a two-part series, Richard Gardner discusses various aerospace propulsion innovations and continued work by aerospace engineers and scientists to advance aircraft engine technologies to increase efficiency and lower emissions.

Engineers at Jetoptera in Edmonds, Washington, and GE Aviation in Evandale, Ohio, are collaborating on a 500 pound-force (lbf) class fluidic propulsion system leveraging a gas generator based on GE Aviation’s H-Series turboprop engine. Jetoptera’s Fluidic Propulsion System is, officials say, both revolutionary and a remarkably simple approach to producing thrust for powerful, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL)-capable aircraft.

Boeing officials are expanding the company’s use of Siemens’ Mentor Graphics software as part of its Second Century Enterprise Systems (2CES) initiative, an effort to transform the company and aerospace industry to meet future challenges and achieve maximum value from end-to-end integration of supply chain, manufacturing, engineering, product support, and more. Boeing is harnessing a set of Siemens technologies to enable the next generation of design and manufacturing through increased automation and digitalization.

The X-60A is an air-dropped, liquid oxygen and kerosene propelled rocket developed by Atlanta-based Generation Orbit Launch Services under contract to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Aerospace Systems Directorate High Speed Systems Division. The vehicle propulsion system is the 5,000 pound-force sea level thrust Hadley liquid rocket engine, produced by Colorado-based Ursa Major Technologies.

The U.S. Air Force awarded Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace with an exclusive $1,036,726,575 performance-based sustainment contract to provide end-to-end logistics support for secondary power systems and ground based auxiliary power systems for multiple aircraft types.

Engineers at AeroMobil in Slovakia have developed a special edition of the company’s personal aerial vehicles targeted exclusively at the rapidly growing personal air transportation market in China. AeroMobil has unveiled two Sky Dragon roadable aircraft or flying car concepts, specifically designed for China, based on the AeroMobil 4.0 short takeoff and landing (STOL) and 5.0 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft.

Aerospace manufacturers walk a metaphorical balance beam to continually develop and produce stronger, more efficient materials and components, while addressing all potential failure modes. This is true for safety-critical aircraft components like landing gear systems. Fokker Landing Gear B.V./GKN Aerospace recently equipped its mechanical laboratory with three creep testing machines to verify its manufacturing process control of zinc-plated bolts for aircraft landing gear systems.

After wrapping up a wing swap on 173 Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support attack aircraft, the Boeing Company was awarded with another Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) sustainment contract award from the U.S. Air Force to continue re-winging the rest of the A-10 fleet.

During a public demonstration, an unmodified production Impossible Aerospace Corporation’s US-1 quadcopter, carrying both a FLIR Duo Pro R thermal camera and HD video transmitter, crossed Nevada’s “playa,” or salt flats. In repeated 72-minute flights, the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flew with and against prevailing winds, covering distances of 29 and 21 miles, respectively.

While the pandemic continues, aerospace companies are rising to embrace new and emerging challenges at a time when there’s so much innovation. This innovation can be seen in the emergence of urban air mobility (UAM), the rebirth of supersonic flight, the drive towards a “zero emission” aircraft, and the continued use of autonomous drones for delivery, freight, search & rescue, and defense. There are exciting new developments in space as companies are developing products for commercial exploration and space tourism, and new ways to launch satellites. A new generation of engineering is also emerging in the defense sector and its development of not only aircraft, but also ships, tankers, and even flight trainers.

Airbus SE is shifting its Connected Experience cabin concept into the first stages of reality with cooperative buy-in from gategroup Holding AG, Stelia Aerospace, and Recaro Aircraft Seating. Up until the partnership announcement, Airbus had been collecting extensive market feedback and refining its Internet of Things (IoT) approach to aircraft interiors, with real-time interconnected galleys, in-flight service carts, seats, and overhead bins.

A General Atomics Aeronautical System, Inc. (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) was controlled – from takeoff to landing – by an operator using a GA-ASI certifiable ground control station (CGCS), marking the first time a CGCS was used to control an end-to-end flight and the first step in type-certifying the unit.

Early today at AeroTech Americas – SAE International’s North America-based international aerospace congress – GoFly announced the five Phase II winners of the GoFly Prize for personal mobility vehicles. Each of the innovative winning teams, from the United States, Latvia, Russia, and the Netherlands, were awarded $50,000 in prizes.

Under the OFFSET program, BBN Technologies (a subsidiary of Raytheon) is developing direct and control solutions for swarms of small, autonomous air, and ground vehicles.

The partnership will accelerate the development of inertial measurement units, attitude heading reference solutions, and other technologies established under Europe's Clean Sky 2 and Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) 2020 industry and government collaboration programs.

The long-range, “high subsonic” aircraft is part of AFRL’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, which was established to break the escalating cost trajectory of tactically relevant aircraft and provide an unmanned escort or wingmate aircraft for Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II and Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fifth-generation fighter aircraft.