747-8 Intercontinental Passes 25 Percent Design Milestone
April 28, 2009
EVERETT, Wash., April 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) has passed a major milestone in the design of the 747-8 Intercontinental, completing 25 percent of the design releases for the new passenger airplane. This means a quarter of the information needed to build parts and tools for assembly has been completed and released for fabrication or procurement.
“We have made tremendous progress on the design engineering,” said Mo Yahyavi, vice president and general manager for the 747 Program. “The engineering is proceeding as planned and we are a step closer to bringing the 747-8 Intercontinental to market.”
Since much of the design is the same as the 747-8 Freighter, which Boeing is building first, the engineering focus is on work that is unique to the 747-8 Intercontinental, comprising mostly fuselage and interior design. The most obvious difference is that the 747-8 Intercontinental fuselage will boast an extended upper deck.
On the interior, the airplane will incorporate features from the 787 Dreamliner, including a new curved, upswept architecture that will give passengers a greater sense of space and comfort, while adding more room for personal belongings. The architecture will be accentuated by lighting technology that provides smooth transitions for a more restful flight.
“The 747 family has been a favorite among passengers,” said Michael Teal, 747-8 chief project engineer. “The 747-8 Intercontinental will build on the memorable experiences they’ve had on a 747. The moment passengers step aboard a 747-8 Intercontinental, they will know it’s a brand new airplane and enjoy a more relaxing flying experience.”
As for the airplane’s performance, the 747-8 will be stretched 18.3 feet (5.6 meters) from the 747-400 to provide 467 seats in a three-class configuration and a range of approximately 8,000 nautical miles (14,815 kilometers). It will deliver nearly equivalent trip costs to those of the 747-400 and 13 percent lower seat-mile costs, plus 26 percent greater cargo volume. The 747-8 Intercontinental also will be 16 percent more fuel efficient and create a 30 percent smaller noise footprint than its predecessor.
“The 747-8 Intercontinental will be a great airplane for our customers,” said Yahyavi. “Our team is focused on completing the remaining detailed design needed to deliver the airplane in late 2011.”
The 747-8, which includes the 747-8 Intercontinental and the 747-8 Freighter, was launched in November 2005 by Cargolux Airlines and Nippon Cargo Airlines. Lufthansa was the first airline to order the 747-8 Intercontinental in December 2006.
Comfort Class en Gol
April 26, 2009
Por cuenta de la queda en la demanda por pasajes en primera clase y clase ejecutiva (oriundos de la actual crisis en la economía mundial), la aerolínea brasileña Gol ofrece a sus pasajeros la opción de la clase Comfort en los vuelos operados por Varig (aerolínea del mismo grupo) saliendo de San Pablo y Rio de Janeiro con destinación a Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Caracas y Santiago. El nuevo producto presenta mayor espacio entre los asientos, opciones de comidas calientes y entretenimiento a bordo. El confort class tiene en media una tarifa con mitad del valor de las clases ejecutivas disponibles en el mercado.
En un periodo que las pesquisas de IATA presentan queda de un 25% en las ventas de clase ejecutiva, la nueva clase de Gol tuve las ventas aumentadas en 11%.
Comfort Class na Gol
April 26, 2009
Em razão da queda na demanda por passagens em primeira classe e classe executiva (fruto da atual crise econômica), a companhia aérea Gol oferece aos seus passageiros a opção da classe confort nos vôos operados pela Varig (empresa aérea do mesmo grupo) saindo de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro com destino a Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Caracas e Santiago. O novo produto oferece mais espaço entre as poltronas, opções de refeições quentes e entretenimento de bordo. A comfort class tem, em média, tarifa na metade do valor das classes executivas disponíveis no mercado.
Em um período em que pesquisas da IATA mostraram queda de 25% nas vendas em classe executiva, as vendas da nova classe da Gol aumentaram em 11%.
Embraer’s Phenom 100 Executive Jet Certified by EASA
April 24, 2009
São José dos Campos, April 24, 2009 –
Embraer’s Phenom 100 entry level executive
jet was certified, today, by the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), for day and
night operations – Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), Reduced
Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM), and
flight into known icing conditions. The
aircraft was also certified by the Brazilian
National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência
Nacional de Aviação Civil – ANAC) and by
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
last December.
Future Lynx Is Now The AW159!
April 24, 2009
During a ceremony at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility today it was announced that the Future Lynx has been renamed the AW159, bringing it in line with the other products in the growing AgustaWestland range of commercial and military rotorcraft. The design of the AW159 builds on the heritage of the Lynx family of helicopters, but delivers a much greater mission capability due to its high performance, new fully integrated advanced avionics system and mission equipment packages. The new multi-role military helicopter will now be marketed worldwide as the AW159.
At the ceremony Graham Cole, AgustaWestland’s Managing Director, said “The AW159 is now reality with production well underway and the first aircraft on target to fly in November this year. Rebranding the aircraft the AW159 confirms that the aircraft is now fully a part of AgustaWestland’s unrivalled range of military helicopters. Following in the success of the Lynx and Super Lynx, we see the AW159 becoming a highly successful product in the export market due to its exceptional performance and multi-role capabilities.”
At the same ceremony Lieutenant General Andrew Figgures, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability) also announced that the aircraft would be called the Lynx Wildcat in UK military service, following a long running tradition for the UK services to name its aircraft.
It was confirmed by the Secretary of State for Defence, John Hutton MP, in December 2008 that the Future Lynx contract signed in June 2006 by the UK Ministry of Defence with AgustaWestland, would proceed to full scale production. 62 AW159s will be initially procured by the UK MoD, 34 for the British Army and 28 for the Royal Navy. With a common design, sensor and weapon capability, the multi-role AW159 is optimised for both maritime and battlefield environments, with the versatility and flexibility for it to be rapidly switched from one role to another. The aircraft will be able to perform a wide range of tasks including battlefield reconnaissance, maritime surface attack and utility lift.
The AW159 programme for the UK MoD continues to be on time and on budget and was the first major project to be awarded under the Strategic Partnering Arrangement signed by the UK Ministry of Defence and AgustaWestland in June 2006. AgustaWestland has also signed partnering agreements with a number of key supplier on the Future Lynx programme including Selex Galileo, a Finmeccanica company; GKN Aerospace, LHTEC – a partnership between Rolls-Royce and Honeywell, General Dynamics UK, Thales UK and GE Aviation. The first flight of the aircraft is on schedule to take place in November 2009 with the first airframe having entered final assembly in November 2008, ahead of schedule. AW159 deliveries will commence in 2011 and it will enter operational service with the British Army in 2014 and the Royal Navy in 2015.
NASA Sets Briefing About Shuttle’s Readiness to Service Hubble
April 23, 2009
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — NASA managers have scheduled a news conference on Thursday, April 30 to discuss the status of the next space shuttle launch. The briefing, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is set to begin no earlier than 6 p.m. EDT. It will start after the conclusion of the Flight Readiness Review, a meeting to assess preparations for shuttle Atlantis’ STS-125 mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.
Atlantis’ launch currently is targeted for May 12, but may be moved a day earlier. The readiness review is expected to include the selection of the official launch date.
The briefing participants are:
- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, NASA Headquarters, Washington
- John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston
- Mike Leinbach, Space Shuttle launch director, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
- Michael Luther, Science Mission Directorate associate administrator for Programs, NASA Headquarters
NASA Television and the agency’s Web site will broadcast the news briefing live. Journalists may ask questions from participating NASA locations. Reporters should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm its participation.
Lockheed Martin F-35B Exceeds STOVL Thrust Requirement
April 23, 2009
Hover-Pit Ground Tests Validate Propulsion System and Aircraft Response
FORT WORTH, Texas, April 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant has demonstrated during testing that it produces excess vertical thrust – more than required to carry out its missions. The tests, conducted on a specially instrumented “hover pit,” also validated the performance of aircraft software, controls, thermal management, STOVL-system hardware and other systems.
“The performance level measured was absolutely exceptional,” said J.D. McFarlan, Lockheed Martin F-35 Air Vehicle lead. “We demonstrated 41,100 pounds of vertical thrust against our requirement of 40,550 pounds. This means we will deliver excellent margin for the vertical landing and short takeoff performance we’ve committed to our STOVL customers,” he said. Those customers include the U.S. Marine Corps, the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and the Italian Navy and Air Force.
The F-35B is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135 engine driving a Rolls-Royce lift fan. The F135 is the most powerful engine ever flown in a jet fighter.
During hover-pit testing, the aircraft is anchored to a metal grate 14 feet above a sloped concrete floor, separating the jet from ground effect and enabling it to simulate free-air flight. Sensors measure thrust and the aircraft’s response to pilot inputs. The testing also demonstrates control of the doors associated with the STOVL propulsion system: engine auxiliary inlet, fan inlet, fan exit, roll posts, and doors that open to enable the Rolls-Royce three-bearing swivel duct to articulate and vector engine thrust. In other tests, metal plates are installed atop the hover-pit grate, enabling engineers to observe and chart the outflow of gases from the propulsion system.
The testing demonstrates functional operation of all systems required for vertical flight, and measures the installed forces and moments on the aircraft during STOVL operations. The hover-pit tests are the final series of ground tests before airborne STOVL testing begins.
“We’ve demonstrated critical performance such as inlet pressure recovery, pitching moment, rolling and yawing moment, effective vector angles of the exhaust, and control-input response time,” said Doug Pearson, vice president of the F-35 Integrated Test Force. “Each of these measurements correlates extremely well with our computer models. The outstanding STOVL performance gives us plenty of confidence to begin in-flight transitions to STOVL-mode flight and ultimately our first vertical landing at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., this summer.”
The F-35B is the first aircraft to combine stealth with short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) capability and supersonic speed. The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter. Three variants derived from a common design, developed together and using the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide, will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the Lightning II the most cost-effective fighter program in history.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.
R. Scott Rettig Named CEO of AgustaWestland North America
April 23, 2009
RESTON, Va., April 23 /PRNewswire/ — Today, R. Scott Rettig was announced as the new Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of AgustaWestland North America, AgustaWestland Inc. and AgustaWestlandBell, a joint venture with Bell Helicopter – Textron. Mr. Rettig will oversee the company’s United States Government business operations from its headquarters in Reston, VA. AgustaWestland North America operates under the privileged auspices of a US Government Special Security Agreement.
Mr. Rettig joins AgustaWestland from Selex Sensors & Airborne Systems US Inc., a SELEX Galileo and Finmeccanica company. His Aerospace and Defense career began at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, then Hughes Aircraft Company as Marketing Manager of Airborne programs. Mr. Rettig’s expertise and leadership placed him in numerous executive positions for Ferranti Defense Systems Inc., GEC Avionics, Marconi Avionics, AMS, MBDA and BAE Systems, culminating with his appointment as President and CEO of Selex Sensors & Airborne Systems US Inc. at its founding in 2005. In January 2006 Mr. Rettig was elected to the position of Chairman of the Board.
“Scott brings nearly 30 years of Aerospace and Defense experience to this position,” said Giuseppe Orsi, CEO of AgustaWestland. “He has an excellent reputation in the industry and brings a track record of success and strong customer relations… we look forward to great results from Scott and his team.”
“It is an honor to be appointed to lead AgustaWestland North America and I am proud to be a part of this remarkable enterprise whose products and capabilities I have long admired,” said Mr. Rettig. “There is great potential for the company in the US and I look forward to the opportunity of working closely with our current partners and future customers to ensure our potential is achieved.”
Rettig is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and holds degrees in Political Science, Business and Literature, as well as a Masters in Business Administration. He is an active member of many industrial associations including AFA, AAAA, AIA, MCAA, AHS, NDIA, AUSA, Old Crows, and the Navy League.
Scott and his wife Melissa have three children and reside in Northern Virginia.
AgustaWestland North America, a subsidiary of AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is FOCI mitigated and responsible for the company’s U.S. government programs. AgustaWestland, is a global leader in designing, manufacturing and supporting the world’s most technologically advanced helicopters. With more than 100 years of experience in the aerospace industry, AgustaWestland provides a full range of rotorcraft for every commercial, government and military application, and an unrivalled capability in training and support solutions.
Harris Corporation Awarded $600 Million Contract to Modernize U.S. Strategic Satellite Communications Terminals
April 23, 2009
MELBOURNE, Fla., April 23 /PRNewswire/ — Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has been awarded a 10-year, $600 million contract for the U.S. Army’s Modernization of Enterprise Terminals (MET) program. The next-generation military satellite communications terminals developed for the MET program will provide the worldwide backbone for high-priority military communications and missile defense systems.
As prime contractor, Harris will develop, test and certify four unique terminal configurations during a 30-month, First Article Test phase. In addition, Harris will provide production hardware under the five-year base contract, with five additional option years, and will support field activities such as site preparation, installation, test, operations, and maintenance. The program will be managed by Team DCATS – Project Manager, Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems.
Harris will replace up to eighty AN/GSC-52, AN/GSC-39, AN/FSC-78 and other aging strategic satellite communications terminals around the world with new, simultaneous X- and Ka-band terminals capable of interfacing with the new Wideband Global Satellite constellation as well as with legacy satellite systems. The new terminals will support Internet Protocol and Dedicated Circuit Connectivity within the Global Information Grid, providing critical reach-back capability for the warfighter.
“MET leverages our long and successful track record of success on the AN/GSC-52 terminal modernization program to provide PMDCATS with an advanced, strategic terminal architecture that achieves a high level of equipment and integration commonality, thereby lowering acquisition and logistics costs,” said Wes Covell, president of Defense Programs for Harris Government Communications Systems. “Harris is proud to provide the next generation of strategic, multiband terminals for the Department of Defense, and we look forward to expanding our successful relationship with PMDCATS through the MET program.”
Harris teammates on the MET program include General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, a leader in X- and Ka-band satellite communications products; O’Neil & Associates, a supplier of world-class logistics and interactive, electronic technical manuals; and Janus Research Group, an innovator in training simulation.
The hardware will include various fixed ground terminal configurations; a hardened, transportable terminal; and a small terminal suitable for rooftop mounting. General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies will develop the X-band antenna feed as well as a dual/simultaneous X- and Ka-band antenna feed capable of meeting the stringent requirements for low intermodulation products. They will also develop 12.2-meter antennas for fixed ground terminals, 7.2-meter antennas for transportable terminals, and 4.8-meter antennas for small terminals. The first terminal is scheduled for fielding in early 2011.
Harris Defense Programs develops, supplies, and integrates communications and information processing products, systems, and networks for a diverse base of aerospace, terrestrial and maritime applications supporting U.S. Department of Defense missions. Harris is committed to delivering leading-edge technologies that support the military’s ongoing transformation to network-centric communications.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual revenue of $5.4 billion and 16,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications(R) products, systems, and services.
Pratt & Whitney and ITR Sign $5 Million Part Repair Agreement
April 23, 2009
DALLAS, April 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — MRO Americas — ITR (Turborreactores, S.A. de C.V.) signed a four-year exclusive part repair agreement with Pratt & Whitney’s Dallas Airfoil Repair Operations (DARO) and Turbine Overhaul Services (TOS) worth an estimated $5 million. The agreement will cover turbine blade and vane repairs for the JT8D engine. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.
“Pratt & Whitney has been a trusted and valued service provider for over 10 years,” said Juan Espitia, chief operating officer, ITR. “Each repair is put through a stringent qualification process and is backed by one of the most trusted organizations in the industry: Pratt & Whitney.”
“We look forward to expanding our relationship with ITR,” said Larry Jones, vice president responsible for the JT8D product line, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services. “With more than 80 years of engine business experience, Pratt & Whitney is dedicated to delivering value to our customers with every repair performed.”
Last fall, ITR and Pratt & Whitney signed a letter of intent to establish ITR as a Pratt & Whitney Designated Service Provider (DSP). As a member of the Pratt & Whitney DSP Network, ITR will be a DSP Center of Excellence for JT8D Stator Repair.
The JT8D has been one of the most successful commercial engine programs in aviation history, introduced in 1964 with the inaugural flight of Boeing’s 727-100 aircraft. Many variants of the JT8D family have been produced, covering the thrust range from 14,000 to 17,400 pounds.
ITR is a leader in the provision of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul for the JT8D engine family by repairing more than 1,000 engines supporting passenger and cargo operations on four continents. In recent years, ITR expanded its service portfolio with the implementation of dedicated engineering services, manufacturing of rigid aerospace tubes, complex parts machining and a strategic project for the design and manufacture of Low Pressure Turbines for engines with less than 15,000 pounds of thrust.
ITR is part of the Spanish Consortium Industria de Turbopropulsores S.A. (ITP) a leading aerospace group with a wide range of services on engine repair, Engineering, Research and Development, manufacture, assembly and test of aeronautical engines and gas turbines.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.
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