Boeing tests of a range of advanced technologies to improve fuel burn, noise and efficiency are nearing completion with its 737-800 EcoDemonstrator, the company's first such dedicated flying testbed. The aircraft is on loan from American Airlines, which partnered with Boeing on the effort along with the FAA. The agency is providing $125 million over five years toward the EcoDemonstrator under its Cleen (Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise) environmental program.
This is a family of twin-engine, 70-122-seat regional jet aircraft. The 70-80-passenger 170 made its first flight in February 2002, while the 78-88-seat 175 flew for the first time in June 2003. The 170 and 175 share the 14,200-lb.-thrust General Electric CF34-8E engine. The 94-114-seat 190 made its initial flight in March 2004, while the 106-122-passenger 195 first flew in December 2004. Additionally, Embraer has created the Lineage 1000, a business-jet version of the 190 that began delivery in 2009.
An item in The World in the Sept. 17 issue (page 18) incorrectly stated the speed at which NASA's Mars Curiosity rover will travel. It will travel as much as 40 meters (130 ft.) per Martian sol.
The prototype 767 twin-engine, widebody commercial transport aircraft rolled out in August 1981, with first flight the following month. Through 2011, Boeing produced 1,014 of this commercial transport aircraft. Current models include the 767-200ER, -300ER, -400ER and -300F freighter. Typical two-class seating layouts are 224 seats for the -200ER, 269 for the -300ER and 304 for the -400ER. All three models are sold with a choice of GE CF6-80C2 or Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines. The 767 has found a new lease on life due to the U.S.
The CRJ series is a family of twin-engine, 44-100-seat regional jets. The initial model was the 50-seat CRJ100. It first flew in May 1991, and deliveries started in October 1992. The CRJ100 was replaced by the 50-seat CRJ200, which is powered by a pair of 9,220-lb.-thrust GE CF34-3B1 turbofans. Other variants have included the 44-seat CRJ440, which is also powered by CF34-3B1s; the 64-78-seat CRJ700, powered by two 13,790-lb.-thrust CF34-8C5 turbofans; and the 86-90-seat CRJ900, powered by two 14,255-lb.-thrust CF34-8C5s.
Industry's game of musical chairs around the Pentagon's restaged competitions for presidential-transport and combat-rescue helicopters may have reached a conclusion, with AgustaWestland teaming with Northrop Grumman to once more offer the AW101 for both requirements. Lockheed Martin won the original U.S. Navy VXX presidential helicopter contest with a version of the AW101, but the program was canceled in 2009 following massive budget overruns. Lockheed lost the U.S.
The ERJ 135/140/145 family is a series of twin-engine, 37-50-seat regional jets. The initial model was the 50-seat ERJ 145, which first flew in August 1995; deliveries began in late 1996. The next model was the 37-seat ERJ 135, which made its initial flight in July 1998; deliveries began in July 1999. The 44-passenger ERJ 140 first flew in June 2000, with initial deliveries in July 2001. All models use variants of the Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan.
Linda Celestino of Oman Air is the new president of New York-based Apex. Other new board members are: VP, Alfy Veretto of Virgin America; treasurer, Joan Filippini of Paramount Studios; Ingo Wuggetzer of Airbus; and Ashley Woodall of JetBlue Airways.
Kim Graven-Nielsen has been promoted to CEO from adviser and vice chairman of Nordic Aviation Capital, Billund, Denmark. Soren Overgaard is the new CFO, following a tenure as CFO of Damco Europe and senior positions at the AP Moller Group.
Ryanair is facing an increasingly hostile debate in Spain about alleged safety lapses after the airline was recently forced to divert several flights inbound to Spanish destinations. Its CEO, Michael O'Leary, is fighting back. Spanish Transport Minister Ana Pastor contacted the European Commission to call for more national oversight competencies within the EU. Pastor says “it is good to have lower fares, but we must not have lower safety standards.” The transport ministry added that the regulation should be changed within weeks.
A business aviation-related article in the Sept. 17 issue (page 62) incorrectly identified which Bombardier Global model will offer a 7,300-nm range at Mach 0.85 cruise when it becomes available in 2016. It is the Global 7000.
The 747 is an intercontinental widebody commercial transport aircraft powered by four turbofan engines. First flight and certification occurred in 1969. In February 2010, Boeing first flew aircraft in the new 747-8 series: the 747-8 Intercontinental and 747-8 Freighter. Both versions feature four General Electric GEnx-2B engines rated at 66,500 lb. thrust each. The 747-8I is stretched 5.6 meters (18.4 ft.) compared to the 747-400 to accommodate 467 seats in a three-class configuration.
A twin-turbofan-powered, narrowbody commercial passenger transport aircraft, the C919 targets the international Airbus-Boeing duopoly in narrowbody airliner sales. Variants include the baseline C919-200, which seats up to 168 passengers; the C919-100, a 130-seat model that will compete against the Airbus A319; and the C919-300, a 190-seat model designed to compete with the A321 and Boeing 737-800/-900. Comac has selected the CFM Leap-1C engine to power the C919. Service entry has been planned for 2016, but development is taking longer than anticipated.
The ATR series are turboprop-powered regional transport aircraft. ATR is a joint venture of Alenia Aermacchi and EADS. The ATR 42 was first delivered in 1985 to Air Littoral, while the ATR 72 entered service in 1989. The latest versions are the ATR 42-600 and 72-600. The latter received EASA certification in May 2011. Both -600 variants are powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M engines, rated at 2,400-2,750 shp each. A total of 969 ATR-series aircraft were produced through 2011, with production of 681 forecast for 2012-21.
Mention aircraft structures and advanced materials and it brings to mind the heavy bones—the ribs, spars, planks and beams that make up the skeleton. But developments affecting the outer layers of the aircraft's skin—just millimeters deep, microns even—promise to have a huge impact on weight, cost and efficiency. The skin of an aircraft has taken on new importance with the move to composite airframes, which brings the need to add lightning-strike protection to the non-conductive carbon-fiber materials used in the place of aluminum.
This twin-engine turboprop aircraft family initially was known as the Dash 8 series. The Q100, the original model, made its first flight in June 1983; first deliveries followed in October 1984. The Q100 carried 37-39 passengers and was equipped with 2,150-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120/121 engines. Other models have included the 37-39-passenger Q200 (with 2,150-shp PW123C/D engines) and the 50-56-seat Q300 (with 2,500-shp PW123Bs). Production of the Q100, Q200 and Q300 has ended. The 68-78-seat Q400 (with 6,000-shp PW150As) remains in production.
A 19-seat utility aircraft, the Y-12-II is equipped with Western avionics and Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 engines flat-rated to 620 shp each. The Y-12-IV has winglets, a strengthened undercarriage and redesigned seating. Another Y-12 version is the Y-12E, which is powered by 750-shp PT6A-135 engines. HAI is currently developing the Y-12F, which is substantially different from the earlier Y-12 designs. The Y-12F has a wider fuselage, retractable landing gear, and increased speed, range and payload.
Marvin R. Sambur (see photo) has been appointed president and CEO of Bethesda, Md.-based Burdeshaw Associates, succeeding U.S. Army Gen. (ret.) William W. Hartzog, who will retire but remain a member of the board. Sambur has been president and CEO of ITT Defense and assistant Air Force secretary for acquisition.
The MA60 twin-turboprop transport aircraft is a stretched version of the Xian Y7-200A, in turn a variation on the Antonov An-24. Accommodation can be provided for 52-60 passengers. The aircraft is powered by two 2,750-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J engines. Initial flight and delivery of the MA60 took place in 2000. A freighter version, called the MA60-500, is also marketed. In May 2010, a new variant, the MA600, was awarded certification by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Malini Krishnan, a senior software quality engineer at Rockwell Collins in Hyderabad, India, has been named Rockwell Collins Volunteer for 2012. Her work includes activities to assist children in need and development of a prototype Android application that combines local emergency response systems.
In response to the editorial “To Succeed, First Dare to Fail” (AW&ST Aug. 27, p. 54), it should be noted that in the last several decades, parents have taught children to be more risk averse, and those children have grown up to be decision-makers. There are still risk takers, because what seems risky to one person is not to another with a better background. The two outcomes of risk—elapsed time and money spent—have varied in relative importance throughout aviation's history, depending on mainly uncontrollable external factors.
Your Innovation feature is just a facet of one of the best-written and most informative issues in recent times (AW&ST Sept. 3/10, p. 56). I also enjoyed “Above All, A Pilot” (p. 32) on Neil Armstrong's path to the Moon. Outstanding! Albuquerque, N.M.
James R. Asker's comprehensive tribute to Neil Armstrong was exceptional. I wanted to further comment on his contribution to the X-20 Dyna-Soar program, plus his excellent career timing.
