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Aviation

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AERO GIZMO

GE and NASA to give open-rotor jet engine systems a spin

By Jude Garvey

06:31 June 15, 2009 PDT

GE and NASA plan to test a number of open-rotor fan blade systems for jet aircraft engines...

GE Aviation and NASA will run a wind tunnel test program over the northern summer to evaluate and test counter-rotating fan-blade systems for open-rotor jet engine designs. The newly improved rig for testing was originally used by GE and NASA in the 1980s on scale models of counter-rotating fan systems, which led to the development of the GE36 engine. The test program also demonstrated that an open-rotor jet engine consumed 30 percent less fuel compared to similar-sized conventional jet engines. Just think what a 30 percent drop in fuel consumption would deliver today, not only to an airline industry struggling to keep ticket prices down, but also the positive benefits to the environment. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Boeing P-8A Poseidon lifts-off

By Noel McKeegan

03:35 April 28, 2009 PDT

Boeing P-8A Poseidon 1st Flight (Photo Credit: Jim Anderson)

Boeing's P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine and long-range surveillance aircraft has completed its first flight. In the latest development milestone for the plane scheduled to replace the P-3 Orion, the T-1 test aircraft completed a series of systems checks during three hours and 31 minutes in the skies above Seattle on April 25. Read More

AERO GIZMO

NASA investigating the SMART shape changing helicopter rotor

By David Greig

20:04 March 26, 2009 PDT

NASA wind tunnel tests of the SMART Rotor

Can you imagine a world full of large, relatively quiet rotorcraft making short hops between cities such as New York and Washington, carrying as many as 100 passengers at a time in comfort and safety? This, amongst other technological improvements, would require helicopters with greatly improved rotor blade efficiency, allowing them to travel much quieter, smoother and further with the same amount of fuel. NASA is currently conducting research in their wind tunnels on the SMART rotor hub, which has rotor blades made with shape-changing materials that could one day make this scenario a reality. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Solar Powered hybrid aircraft - Sunseeker II

By Paul Evans

16:58 February 28, 2009 PST

Sunseeker II manned solar plane

A variety of solar powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have been setting world records for flight duration and altitude in recent times, there are even plans for solar powered craft that can remain aloft for years at a time. But it's not just aircraft of the unmanned variety that stand to benefit from solar technology, with planes that carry pilots now starting to take to the skies. Based on glider/sailplane construction methods, the Sunseeker II is the only manned solar airplane flying in the world, and according to SolarFlight, it has logged more time in the air than all other manned solar powered airplanes combined. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Air New Zealand completes biofuel test flight

By Noel McKeegan

19:58 January 1, 2009 PST

Air New Zealand's Captain David Morgan holds samples of the oil and biofuel blend

Air New Zealand has successfully undertaken the world's first commercial aviation test flight using the second-generation biofuel jatropha. A series of key performance tests were conducted at various altitudes during the two hour flight over New Zealand's North Island in which a 50:50 jatropha and Jet A1 fuel blend was used to power one of four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines on the Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400. Read More

AERO GIZMO

WhiteKnightTwo completes historic maiden flight

By Noel McKeegan

17:37 December 22, 2008 PST

WhiteKnightTwo maiden flight
 Photo by Bill Deaver - Mojave Desert News

WhiteKnightTwo (WK2), the carrier aircraft that will become the launch platform for Virgin Galactic's sub-orbital spaceline has taken to the skies over California in its maiden test flight. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A turbofan engines, the mammoth, 140-foot wingspan carbon composite aircraft launched from the Mojave Air and Space Port on Sunday morning and completed an hour long test flight without a hitch. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Finnair's future fleet: flying into the 21st century

By Kyle Sherer

20:54 December 4, 2008 PST

Finnair's A1700-2400 Cruiser
 Image credit: Kauko Helavuo

To celebrate its 85th anniversary, Finnair has served up a blue-sky vision of what the next 85 years of aviation could hold. Concentrating mainly on potential developments in environmentally friendly technology and lightweight material, the Departure 2093 website lists five aircraft that could grace our sky later this century. Read More

AERO GIZMO

SJ30 breaks light jet speed record from London to Dubai

By Kyle Sherer

16:39 November 20, 2008 PST

Emivest Aerospace SJ30

The London to Dubai route is probably going to see a lot of private business air traffic in the coming years and Emivest Aerospace has used it to showcase the high speed capabilities of its SJ30 Business Jet. The aircraft has set a speed record for its class, flying from London to Dubai in seven hours and seven minutes, including a 41-minute refueling stop in Istanbul. Read More

AERO GIZMO

F-35 Lightning II breaks sound barrier

By Kyle Sherer

13:30 November 18, 2008 PST

F-35 JSF
 Photo: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin has promised that its fifth gen F-35 fighter will allow pilots to “do things that were previously considered impossible, and to think things that were previously unthinkable.” Almost two years after its maiden flight, the F-35 Lightning II has reached another development milestone – supersonic flight. Test pilot Jon Beesley accelerated the F-35 AA-1 to Mach 1.05, with a full internal load of dummy weapons. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Biofuel-powered jet completes transcontinental flight

By Noel McKeegan

21:53 November 12, 2008 PST

BioJet 1 during the record breaking flight

Following on from its breakthrough flight in October last year, Green Flight International has set another green-aviation record, this time flying a jet across the U.S. using environmentally-friendly Biofuel. Piloted by President and CEO Douglas Rodante and Chief Pilot Carol Sugars, BioJet 1 completed the flight from Reno, Nevada to Leesburg, Florida in just over 11 hours at altitudes ranging from 13,000 to 17,000 feet. While 1,776 miles where flown on 100% Biofuel, a 50/50 mix of Biofuel and standard jet fuel was used for the remainder of the 2,486 journey in order to compare performance data and also demonstrate the ability to blend these fuel types. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Air New Zealand moves closer to biofuel flight

By Kyle Sherer

16:15 November 2, 2008 PST

Boeing 747-400
 Photo: Boeing

Air New Zealand, Boeing, Rolls-Royce and UOP aim to power one of four engines on a Boeing 747-400 on Jatropha-based fuel. The first test flight using the environmentally sustainable oil is scheduled to take place in Auckland in December after fuel testing is completed. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Zeppelin Airship travel makes U.S. comeback

By Kyle Sherer

17:23 October 14, 2008 PDT

The cabin of the Airship can seat the pilot, flight attendant, and 12 passengers.

Starting this month, Airship Ventures is offering tourists the chance to travel aboard a 246-foot long, semi-rigid Zeppelin NT – the first giant Zeppelin to grace the skies of the US since the Hindenburg tragically caught fire more than 70 years ago. Passengers can enjoy birds-eye views of the San Francisco Bay, Silicon Valley, Sonoma/Napa wine regions, and the Monterey/Big Sur coastline. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Sky Warrior unmanned aircraft demonstrates automatic takeoff and landing

By Noel McKeegan

23:04 October 12, 2008 PDT

Sky Warrior UAS

General Atomics' Sky Warrior unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has for the first time demonstrated automatic takeoff and landing capabilities under control of the Extended Range/Multi-Purpose (ER/MP) One System® Ground Control Station (OSGCS). Three landings and three takeoffs took place during August and September at the El Mirage Flight Operations Center in Adelanto, California and represent another milestone for the system which is due to be fielded in mid 2009. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Pterodactyl-based UAV design for urban combat scenarios

By Kyle Sherer

16:29 October 7, 2008 PDT

Texas Tech University paleontologist Sankar Chaterjee
 Image: Texas Tech University (http:...

Scientists have designed a highly-maneuverable UAV modeled on a 228-million-year-old pterodactyl. The 30-inch robotic craft would alter its wing shape to “squeeze through confined spaces, dive between buildings, travel under overpasses, land on apartment balconies, and sail along the coastline.” Read More

AERO GIZMO

Historic WWII Ford airplane to go under the hammer

By Emily Clark

18:08 October 2, 2008 PDT

1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor airplane

This rare 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor airplane is set to be auctioned in a No Reserve sale by the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company in January 2009. Recently restored to its original specifications, the plane has a fascinating history, having survived bullet fire during the World War II attack at Pearl Harbor. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Historic Moller flying car prototype up for sale

By Noel McKeegan

22:06 October 1, 2008 PDT

M200X VTOL prototype

Moller International is selling its Jetson-like M200X 2-passenger VTOL prototype on eBay. Although it's a long way from the latest designs to rise from the Moller drawing-board like the hybrid flying car, the M200X is a significant piece of aviation history, having completed over 200 manned and unmanned flight demonstrations since 1989. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Fraunhofer develops technology for the bonded aircraft

By Jack Martin

05:44 September 9, 2008 PDT

Fraunhofer develops technology for the bonded aircraft

An aircraft is held together by hundreds of thousands of rivets. Fully automatic machines install rivet holes and rivets with precision in numerous materials. A new hybrid technology combines this mechanical joining technique with adhesive bonding. The lighter an aircraft is, the less fuel it consumes. Given the need to cut carbon dioxide emissions, this is a key aspect of materials research. Aircraft manufacturers are therefore pinning their hopes on particularly lightweight construction materials. These include not only lightweight metals, but also fiber composite plastics, particularly carbon-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). Whenever two CFRP components have to be joined together, this has so far been accomplished primarily by riveting. Read More

AERO GIZMO

AeroVironment receives funding for perch-and-stare micro-UAV

By Noel McKeegan

10:46 August 20, 2008 PDT

AeroVironment's Wasp III UAS

AeroVironment has been awarded $4.6 million in funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a new generation small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) with "perch-and-stare" surveillance capabilities. The micro-air vehicle will be based on the company's smallest existing UAS platform - Wasp. Read More

AERO GIZMO

SpaceShipTwo mothership revealed

By Noel McKeegan

12:19 August 4, 2008 PDT

Commercial Space Flight milestone: WhiteKnightTwo

Virgin Galactic has achieved another milestone in its push to become the world’s first private commercial spaceline with the unveiling of the WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft. Built at the Scaled Composites facility in Mojave, California, the twin fuselage WK2 is a formidable engineering feat. It is the world’s largest all carbon composite aircraft and the main wing, which spans 140 ft, is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever built. Christened “EVE” in honor of Sir Richard Branson's mother, the aircraft can can fly across the US non-stop and reach altitudes of 50,000 ft - the height from which SpaceShipTwo (SS2) will be air launched. Read More

AERO GIZMO

ICON A5 amphibious sportsplane completes first test flight

By Noel McKeegan

03:52 July 16, 2008 PDT

ICON A5 - first flight
 Photo: ICON Aircraft

ICON Aircraft has passed a key hurdle in the development of its innovative, amphibious sport plane design by successfully completing its maiden test flight. The full-scale prototype of the composite carbon fiber, two-seater A5 took to the skies at an undisclosed lake location in California on July 9, demonstrating the aircraft’s performance and flying characteristics during take-off, landing, and low-speed maneuvering flight as well as it on-water capabilities. The versatile A5, which has a folding wing design for easy transport and storage as well as retractable landing gear for flying off land and water, is set to undergo a series of test flights throughout the next year with a view to putting the finishing touches on the design and building a pre-production model for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and ASTM compliance. Production is expected to commence in late 2010. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Etihad buys up big at Farnborough Airshow

By Noel McKeegan

15:52 July 15, 2008 PDT

A 787-9 Dreamliner depicted in Etihad Airways' livery
 Photo: Boeing

Soaring oil prices might be putting the squeeze on margins for airlines around the world, but that hasn't deterred United Arab Emirates national carrier Etihad from splurging more than $20 billion on orders for Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Read More

AERO GIZMO

The Parajet Skycar: Britain's zero-carbon flying dune buggy aims for Timbouctou

By Loz Blain

01:56 July 14, 2008 PDT

Britain's Parajet Skycar

July 14, 2008 The race is well and truly on to develop a functional flying car, and innovators around the world are finding several different ways to accommodate the needs of a road-registerable flying vehicle. The Moller Skycar and Cell Craft G440 use complicated quad-turbine tilting jet engines to achieve VTOL and flight capability. The Terrafugia Transition and Skyblazer roadable aircraft have decided to go for a folding-wing convertible aeroplane design, and Larry Neal's Super Sky Cycle is a simple and cheap modification that turns a standard, safe gyroplane into a road-going trike. And now there's the Parajet Skycar, a Yamaha R1-engined, biodiesel-powered all-terrain dune buggy that's capable of extremely safe flight as a powered paraglider. The Skycar Expedition team plan to take the eye-catching vehicle from London to Timbouctou in 2009, using a combination of flight and driving to battle the tough Saharan terrain. There's a commuter model in the pipeline - and you won't need a pilot's license to fly it. Read More

AERO GIZMO

ICON Aircraft unveils fold-up amphibious sports plane

By Noel McKeegan

17:32 June 15, 2008 PDT

ICON Aircraft unveils fold-up amphibious sports plane

A recurring theme at Gizmag in recent times has been the growing accessibility of the recreational sports aircraft, with manufacturers offering increasingly versatile and user-friendly designs combined with falling price points. Like the Cessna SkyCatcher, the ICON A5, which was officially unveiled last week in Los Angeles, is a case in point. Powered by a 100hp Rotax 912 ULS engine achieving an estimated maximum speed of 105 kts (120 mph) and a range of 300 nm, the amphibious, two-seat, composite carbon fiber plane features a sportscar inspired cockpit and retractable landing gear for flying off land and water, but the standout element is the folding wing design which allows the plane to be towed on the road like a speed boat and stored at home rather than paying for space at an airport. Read More

MILITARY

Airborne Laser completes activation tests

By Kyle Sherer

19:35 June 1, 2008 PDT

Airborne Laser
 Photo: USAF Photo by Jim Shryne

Boeing and the US Missile Defense Agency have completed the first laser activation testing for the Airborne Laser missile defense program. The tests involved circulating water through the laser to verify its integrity, before circulating chemicals through the laser to confirm sequencing and control. Read More

MILITARY

Airborne Laser completes activation tests

By Kyle Sherer

19:35 June 1, 2008 PDT

Airborne Laser
 Photo: USAF Photo by Jim Shryne

Boeing and the US Missile Defense Agency have completed the first laser activation testing for the Airborne Laser missile defense program. The tests involved circulating water through the laser to verify its integrity, before circulating chemicals through the laser to confirm sequencing and control. Read More

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