The DC800 is designed for testing aircraft ground power units by simulating the electrical load of an engine starting. The wheeled unit weighs 110 lb. and stands about 3 ft. high, allowing it to be handled by one engineer. The DC800 draws a continuous load current of up to 800 amps and can be adjusted in 25-amp increments. Voltages lower than 28 v. d.c. can be applied with a corresponding reduction in power and current ratings. The unit's external power supply can be either 110 v. or 220/240 v., single-phase a.c.
A team at Howmet Corp.'s Operhall Research Center has developed a spray forming technology that can reduce the cost of manufacturing round turbine engine components from superalloys while also substantially cutting lead times. The process, called Spraycast-X, was adapted from one developed by Osprey Metals Ltd. of the U.K. for making steel rolls and tubing for less demanding applications than aerospace. Howmet married the Osprey technique of spraying atomized metal with its experience in vacuum-melting of superalloys, to develop Spraycast.
The electronic content of military and civil aircraft will continue to grow during the next five years and beyond, while the consolidation of avionics suppliers will continue. For military aircraft, the avionics share of the total procurement cost of an aircraft will grow from 39% to 42% by 2002. In the research, development, test and evaluation arena, the avionics proportion will rise even faster, from 39% to 45%, according to a prediction by the Electronic Industries Assn. (EIA).
Douglas Andrew will succeed Cliff Paice as group director for economic regulation of the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority, on Apr. 1. Andrew is deputy New Zealand treasury secretary, with oversight for international aviation policy.
Commercial transport engine makers, just like their airframe manufacturing counterparts, are developing new and innovative means of providing products and services to airlines as competition heats up and carriers look for ways to make future costs more predictable. Bob Wolfe, president of the Large Commercial Engines unit at Pratt&Whitney, said the company is planning to offer customers integrated services at the point of sale, including inventory management, spare parts and overhaul packages.
These custom die-cut oxygen mask parts allow quick attachment of a device to a head or limb while applying controlled pressure to hold the mask in place. The strap is made of 1/16-in.-thick natural rubber. The large holes in the strap reduce weight and allow easy stretching. The diaphragms are made from 1/32-in.-thick tan rubber and provide a low-cost way of restricting airflow to one direction. PressCut Industries, 2828 Nagle St., Dallas, Tex. 75220.
Japan's Ministry of Transport and Japanese carriers say they are alarmed at the sharp increase in the number of U.S. military aircraft landings at civilian airports, citing safety concerns over the operations mixture. In 1996, 1,048 U.S. military aircraft landed at 27 civil airports compared with 926 landings in 1995, according to the ministry. U.S. military aircraft are exempt from landing fees under the U.S.-Japan security agreement. Japanese ministry and airline officials say the U.S.
Boeing plans to build about 450 transports in 1998, 100 more than this year. Further production increases from the 40 per month rate expected to be achieved in December have not been ruled out.
Thomson-CSF is set to be privatized during the next three months, an initiative underscoring France's renewed determination to boost its aerospace/defense industry's long-waited restructuring. Offerings to acquire the state-controlled Thomson-CSF company are expected soon, and the winning bidder will be chosen no later than June 30, French government officials said last week.
THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE plans to conclude an order for 18 Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules 2 transports, which are scheduled to replace aging C-130Hs and G222s. The order is expected to be valued at about $1.2 billion. First delivery is tentatively set for 1999. Theoretically, Italy still plans to participate in the proposed European Future Large Aircraft military transport. However, Italian government officials recently expressed doubts about the FLA's fate.
The RS-48 Fodbuster Rocksweeper was developed for use by U.S. forces operating aircraft in overseas locations. The traction-powered sweeper can be hitched to a ground support vehicle and towed by a single operator. The adjustable brush, measuring 14 in. in diameter and 48 in. wide, is made of helically wound nylon bristles. The sweeper can operate at 2-20 mph. and can be towed at up to 35 mph. with the brush raised. Debris are stored in two hoppers that have a capacity of up to 60 lb. each. The F.O.D. Control Corp., 8987-309 E. Tanque Verde Road, Suite 360, Tucson, Ariz.
The XFP-6000 system is designed for collecting the overspray from aerospace chromate coating. Independent tests by LMS Technologies confirmed the system meets or exceeds U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards by eliminating chromium emissions, according to A.J. Dralle Inc. It demonstrated a 78.73% efficiency of 0.3-0.4 micron particles. The three-stage system can be incorporated into older, two-stage paint finishing lines. A.J. Dralle Inc., 17844 W. Bluff Road, Lemont, Ill. 60439.
Last year's air accident and death tolls in Russia and other former Soviet republics have triggered an official warning of serious abuses by some aircraft operators and a call for radical measures to shore up air traffic control. But none of the 57 accidents and 292 fatalities of 1996 were blamed on abusive practices, and the accident rate was the lowest in a dozen years. It has been falling rapidly since 1993, but passenger death tolls have remained high, creating a lasting climate of concern about the deterioration of flight safety.
Japan Airlines, which had earlier forecast a slight profit for fiscal 1996, now expects to report a 14-billion-yen ($115.7-million) loss when the year ends on Mar. 31. The carrier attributed the downturn to high fuel costs and the reduced value of the yen. Earlier, it had forecast a modest profit for the year, about 1 billion yen ($8.3 million). The loss is the first for JAL since 1993, although profits have been modest. In 1995, they were 500 million yen ($4.1 million).
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES INTENDS to equip its entire fleet of 250 Boeing 737 series jets with Fujitsu's Stylistic 1000 tablet PCs for flight crews to use for calculating takeoff and landing data. The laptops will be stowed behind the first officer's seat in a cradle that will keep the battery on trickle charge, but be accessible to both the captain and first officer. Southwest will use it on all four 737 models and expects some decrease in crew training with the standardized system and less possibility of human error, compared with reading data from paper manuals.
The Russian air force continues to deteriorate (see p. 32). Now, Russian officials stationed here report senior military leaders are forming the best of the nation's remaining units into two broad-based, composite strike forces. The new organizations would broadly mirror the U.S. strategy of keeping forces structured to fight two, almost simultaneous, major regional conflicts. One Russian composite strike force is being organized and based in the west to meet emergencies there, while the other would be positioned for operations in the vast eastern regions.
This line of position transducers can be directly connected to data acquisition and control systems, allowing most signal conditioning to be done in the transducer itself. Bridge, regulated, digital and velocity electrical outputs can be specified in place of the standard voltage divider output. The signal conditioning modules can be inside the transducer housing or separate. The devices are available with stock cables and connectors, or custom ones can be specified. Space Age Controls Inc., 38850 20th St. E., Palmdale, Calif. 93550.
A PLASTIC SUBSTRATE BEING DEVELOPED for advanced flat panel displays by Dow Chemical Co. for the U.S. Display Consortium could lead to curved surfaces and panoramic displays for cockpits, according to the consortium CEO. The long-term goal is a cost-effective, lightweight yet durable alternative to glass substrates for all types of liquid crystal displays. The short-term applications will likely be for traditional LCDs, rather than active matrix LCDs, which currently require too high a processing temperature for plastic substrates.
Additional joint ventures, mergers and privatizations are in sight as the European aerospace industry prepares during the next five years to implement long-awaited consolidation initiatives--despite intricate political difficulties, complex legal issues and growing financial uncertainties. Government and company officials, as well as analysts, agree that Europe is rapidly nearing a crossroad and no longer can postpone decisions to streamline its fragmented aerospace industry.
