Aero Gizmo
Airbus A380 becomes the world’s largest private jet
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November 16, 2007 It’s designed to carry up to 800 passengers, but HRH Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal has his eye on one of his very own. Airbus has confirmed that the Saudi Prince has placed the first private order for the $300 million Airbus A380 superjumbo. Read More
Tandem high-flying airships reach up to 140,000ft
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November 15, 2007 JP Aerospace has developed a class of twin balloon, high altitude, low cost utility airships that will be the highest flying airships ever built. Designed for use in telecommunications, reconnaissance and even as rocket or UAV launch platforms, the Tandems fill the gap between free balloons and complex high altitude airships and are capable of flying to heights of 140,000ft.
Reaper UAV takes flight in Afghanistan
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November 12, 2007 Britain's most sophisticated unmanned surveillance system, the Reaper UAV, has been deployed into active service in Afghanistan. Read More
BAE Systems to lead next-generation surveillance program
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November 9, 2007 BAE Systems will head-up the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Autonomous Real-Time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance Imaging System (ARGUS-IS) program after the company received an $18.5 million contract to develop a new class of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) technology. Read More
Boeing P-8A Poseidon to replace P-3 Orion
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November 8, 2007 Boeing will have five P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine test planes completed by March 2009, with full production expected to commence in 2013. One hundred and twenty nine feet long aircraft with a 117 foot wingspan, the long-awaited replacement for the P-3 Orion will be incorporated into the US Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Poseidon is a long-range anti-submarine plane like its predecessor, and will carry five torpedoes, four anti-ship missiles and two satellite guided bombs. Read More
New GPS satellite operational
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November 6, 2007 The fourth in a series of eight modernized Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites that will deliver new capabilities to military and civilian users has been declared fully operational. Launched from Cape Canaveral October 17 as part of the Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M), the new GPS IIR-17M satellite features increased signal power to receivers on the ground, two new military signals for improved accuracy, enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities for the military, and a second signal that will provide civilian GPS users with an open access signal on a different frequency.
Q-Sight lightweight helmet-mounted display
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BAE Systems has developed a new line of lightweight, modular and ergonomic helmet-mounted displays for rotary-wing pilots known as Q-Sight. The four-ounce model is highly integrated with existing gear, compatible with night-vision goggle, attachable to any helmet and easily altered for different missions. Read More
Micro-UAV distance record smashed
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November 4, 2007 A hydrogen fuel-cell powered Micro-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has set a new distance record for craft of its type while only using a quarter of its available fuel. The “Pterosoar” flew 78 miles (120 km) - beating the previous record of 50 miles set in Estonia last year – consuming only 16 of the 64 grams grams of Hydrogen stored on board in a pressurized hydrogen tank, giving the aircraft a potential flight range of 310 miles (500 km). Read More
DARPA provides funding for Aeros' ballast-free airship weight control system
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November 3, 2007 An integral part of the exciting ML866 "superyacht for the sky", Aeros’ Control of Static Heaviness (COSH) system allows airships to adjust their weight in mid-flight without the use of a traditional ballast material. After successful initial tests of the controversial system, Aeros has been awarded funding by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for further demonstrations. Under the program, Aeros will carry out the conceptual design, technology development, hardware development and bench demonstration, finalizing with the flight demonstration of the system on the FAA type certified Aeros 40D non-rigid airship. Read More
Boeing tests hydrogen propulsion system for high-altitude UAV
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October 30, 2007 The Boeing Company has achieved a milestone in the development of its High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft by successfully testing a hydrogen propulsion system in simulated conditions of 65,000 feet. The test, conducted over more than three days using a Ford Motor Company-developed hydrogen engine (a gasoline version of which can be found in the Ford Fusion and Escape Hybrid) is a further step towards the realization of a UAV designed to remain airborne for more than seven days and carry multi-sensor payloads of up to 2,000 pounds. Read More
Eclipse 500 light-weight jet sets new speed record using less fuel
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Eclipse Aviation has set a National Aeronautic Association (NAA) performance record to claim the title of the industry’s fastest jet aircraft weighing 10,000 pounds or less with its twin-engine Eclipse 500. The aircraft averaged 393.32 miles per hour (341.79 knots or 632kph) to beat the existing NAA record on October 7, 2007 on a flight from New York (Westchester) to Atlanta (Peachtree-Dekalb) that took just one hour, 55 minutes, and eight seconds. Not only was the record broken by a margin of 20 percent, but the jet flown by Don Taylor, Senior Fellow at Eclipse Aviation, used approximately 25 percent less fuel than the Cessna Citation Mustang which set the previous mark on September 22, 2007. Read More
World first 100% biodiesel fuel powered jet takes flight
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October 19, 2007 An L-29 military aircraft powered solely by 100% biodiesel fuel has successfully completed a test flight in the skies above Reno, Nevada. Piloted by Carol Sugars and Douglas Rodante, the aircraft reached 17,000 feet without showing any significant drop in performance compared to a jet aircraft running on conventional fuel. Read More
Dual-Cockpit Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System delivered to the U.S. Navy
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October 18, 2007 Boeing has delivered the first factory-installed, dual-cockpit F/A-18F Super Hornet Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) to the U.S. Navy. The system allows the flight crew to rapidly acquire and designate a target simply by looking at it and the new two-seat variant extends this capability to both crew members. Read More
Tarsier runway debris detection system in first commercial trail
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October 15, 2007 A 24-hour debris detection system that continuously scans airport runways and raises the alarm when foreign objects are detected is undergoing its first commercial trial in the United States. QinetiQ’s Tarsier system is undergoing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tests at TF Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island.
DSPCon launches portable, high-speed data acquisition recorder
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October 11, 2007 DSPCon has launched the DataFlex-500TM, a portable, high-speed data recorder designed for field-testing of jet engines, turbine pumps, combat vehicles and precision weapons systems. The unit, weighing less than 22 lbs., features real-time playback, display and analysis, and provides a sustained, continuous recording speed of up to 256,000 samples per second. Read More
"All-environment" visibility solution for helicopters successfully trialled
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October 8, 2007 Helicopter pilots are often faced with demanding environmental conditions that make navigation difficult and lead to grounding of the aircraft as the only safe option – fog, cloud, rain and snow along with flying over featureless terrain or “brownout” conditions caused by dust all present problems for pilots, particularly when landing. International defence company QinetiQ has developed and successfully flight trialled a solution that integrates a range of imaging technologies into a single system with the aim of expanding the operational envelope of the aircraft under these circumstances. Read More
Aeroscraft ML866: superyacht for the sky officially launched
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It’s as big as a superyacht and not quite as fast as a supercar, but it does have a range of over 3000 miles and can do it over land, sea or snow, lingering anywhere you like the view. A new category of aircraft that fits somewhere in between a blimp, airship or dirigible, the Aeroscraft ML866 project was recently presented at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) show in Atlanta, Georgia. The key factor of the ML866 design is that it offers superyacht size and comfort in a platform that can operate independently from airports, meaning that a new class of luxury conveyance is about to become available which appears to trump them all. Read More
Boeing announce plans to accelerate bio-jet fuel development
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October 8, 2007 In a move designed to accelerate the development of viable and sustainable clean fuels for commercial aviation, Boeing will team up with Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce to conduct a biofuel demonstration flight planned for the second half of 2008. Read More
Cessna inundated with demand for new SkyCatcher
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Own your own brand new Cessna for a touch over a hundred grand – it’s an offer many are finding too good to refuse. The Cessna SkyCatcher Light Sports Aircraft seems to be the right product at the right time – the all-metal, high-wing twin-seater monoplane is easy to fly (or learn to fly), very good looking and at a price point that's within a wallet’s stretch for aviation fans. Plus it has one of the most trusted names in aviation written down the side. Perhaps this is why it’s been selling like crazy since its July launch with the company now reporting orders for more than 850 aircraft. Read More
HondaJet interior design concept unveiled
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September 27, 2007 Honda Aircraft Company has released further details of the interior design concept for its forthcoming HondaJet. Expected to set a new standard for interior space and comfort, the focus will be on human fit, ergonomic efficiency and safety for the customer. Billed as the fastest and most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class, first deliveries of the US$3.65 million aircraft are expected in 2010. Read More
EA-18G Growler project delivered on time, under budget
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September 26, 2007 Despite early concerns, Boeing has delivered its new EA-18G Growler carrier planes to the U.S. Navy on time and under budget. Closely related to the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the Growler is specially equipped with tactical jamming pods, self-defense missiles and high-speed anti-radiation missiles to suit its electronic warfare purposes.
Air, land, sea or snow: Lisa’s Akoya microlight leisure plane
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The €300,000 Lisa Akoya seems to open up a new category of aircraft. Designed to fly from airstrip to yacht to ski slope, the sporty multi-access amphibian caters perfectly to the business/leisure niche of the very wealthy. Entirely built from high-tech composite materials and capable of landing on a mere 100-metre strip, the luxurious Akoya also features a swivelling wing to make it storable in a narrow garage or on a yacht. Read More
$30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE
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September 17, 2007 The prize that saw the world's first private spaceship reach beyond the Earth's atmosphere in 2004 is headed for the moon. The X PRIZE Foundation and internet giant Google are offering a US$30 million prize purse in the Google Lunar X PRIZE, a competition to land a privately funded robotic rover on the Moon by 2012. Read More
Solar-powered Zephyr smashes record for the longest unmanned flight
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September 11, 2007 Using new solar array technology and a tailor-built autopilot system, QinetiQ’s Zephyr High Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has nearly doubled the official world record time for the longest duration unmanned flight with a 54 hour flight achieved during trials at the US Military's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Read More
Hypersonic civil aviation: Sydney to Brussels in four hours
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August 30, 2007 Imagine long-distance air-travel that could get you to the other side of the globe in less than a quarter of the time it presently takes? Researchers from Reaction Engines, a company created for design and development of advanced space transport and propulsion systems, are investigating the possibility of hypersonic civil transport in a three year study to examine the feasibility of reducing long-distance flights (e.g. from Brussels to Sydney) to less than 4 hours. Read More
Boeing wins construction bid for Ares I
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August 29, 2007 Boeing has been awarded a lucrative contract worth more than $500 million to create part of a new NASA crew launch vehicle for Ares I, the rocket set to succeed the space shuttle as NASA’s primary vehicle for human exploration in the next decade. Boeing Space Exploration will manufacture a key element which will provide navigation, guidance, control and propulsion required for the ascent of the second-stage Ares I rocket into low-Earth orbit. Read More
Boeing site delivers 3,000th widebody airplane
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August 28, 2007 Airplane manufacturing giant Boeing has announced the completion of its 3,000th aircraft built its Everett site in Washington. Coincidently, the factory is also celebrating 40 years in operation this year. The widebody 777-200ER (Extended Range) model was delivered to Korean Air and joins the a worldwide fleet of Boeing 747, 767 and 777 airplanes that have flown more than 34.5 million flights across 71 billion nautical miles. Read More
Uranus's Rings turn edge-on to Earth for the first time
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August 23, 2007 Uranus is coasting through a brief window of time when its rings are edge-on to Earth. It's not the first time they've been edge-on, which they do every 42 years, but it is the first time they've been edge on since they were discovered. Astronomers peering at the rings with ESO's Very Large Telescope and other space or ground-based telescopes are hence getting an unprecedented view of the fine dust in the system, free from the glare of the bright rocky rings. They may even find a new moon or two. The pic shows Uranus surrounded by its rings and some of the moons, as they appear on a near-infrared image that was obtained in the Ks-band (at wavelength 2.2 _m) with the ISAAC multi-mode instrument on the 8.2-m VLT ANTU telescope. Read More
Atea-01 Rocket: New Zealand to enter space in 2008
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August 20, 20007 New Zealand company, Rocket Lab, has developed a carbon, 5.2 meter sub-orbital rocket that it hopes will spearhead a New Zealand space industry. A full-scale mock up of the Åtea-01 rocket has now been unveiled with plans to launch four rockets from mid 2008 carrying payloads ranging from scientific equipment to small satellites and even the ashes of loved ones into orbit. Read More
The Storch amphibious light-aircraft
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August 16, 2007 Due to improving airplane technology and increasing disposable income, ultra-light aircraft are now becoming accessible to a far wider proportion of the population. Joining the Ramphos in lending weight to this argument is the Storch Amphibian, a light weight amphibious sporting plane available in kit form for around AUD$57K, or ready to fly for under $93K. Read More
Northrop Grumman adds “Sense-and-Avoid” tech to Navy UAVs
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August 10, 2007 Northrop Grumman has announced that it will equip its unmanned aircraft with technology that makes it safer to share airspace with piloted aircraft. Known as “Sense-and-Avoid”, these systems have been in development for more than five years. Read More
Aeroscraft ML866: the ultimate corporate aircraft
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The trend towards radical new aircraft designs aimed at achieving new levels of efficiency and operational capability beyond anything currently gracing our skies is on the rise. Recently Gizmag examined Boeing’s Blended-Wing Body (BWB) and now Aeros have announced the new Aeroscraft ML866 aircraft which utilizes a combination of buoyant and dynamic lift to create usage possibilities that far outstrip currently available aircraft platforms. The ML866 can be utilized as a private air yacht, corporate air vehicle, business office in the sky, or commercial commuter, providing its passengers with far more space than any existing business jet. Read More
Drive, float or fly? Your choice with the affordable Ramphos amphibious flying boat
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August 1, 2007 With disposable income levels running high, expensive hobbies like aviation are coming within the reach of more and more people – and hobby pilots are discovering that small planes are coming down to a price point on a par with a touring motorcycle or midrange car. Owning a small plane has its drawbacks though – storing and transporting them can be difficult, not to mention the fact that you need an airstrip to take off and land from. The Italian Ramphos, however, suffers none of these issues. It’s an amphibious flying boat that’s just as happy taking off and landing on water as on land with its retractable wheels. You can tow it around on a trailer, and like the best of late-night TV exercise equipment, it folds for easy storage. This purpose-built little 2-seater is effortlessly easy to fly, handles like a dream and offers a very affordable, practical and exhilarating way to explore the local lakes and coastlines with maximum thrills for minimum fuss. Read More
Passenger plane design set to evolve in the name of efficiency and emissions control
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July 31, 2007 The standard aircraft design with which we have all become so familiar throughout the 20th century is headed for the scrap heap. Despite its ubiquitous nature, the traditional shape is set to be superseded in the push towards cleaner, greener aircraft that can transport people around the globe using less and less fuel. We wrote recently about Boeing’s Blended-Wing Body (BWB) aircraft, currently in testing – and now a new research group at a Netherlands university has been formed with the explicit goal of consigning the current shape of passenger airliners to the history books. The CleanEra project will investigate BWB, high-tech propeller engines and even UFO-style body shapes in their efforts to produce a light, efficient airliner model that produces less noise and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50% over current designs. Read More
Electric sports plane the highlight of the e-flight initiative
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July 30, 2007 With rising oil prices threatening to put sports aviation out of reach of the average enthusiast, innovators are looking at how the sport might be preserved for the next generation. Sonex and Aeroconversions are two such innovators and in partnership the two companies unveiled their three-prong e-Flight strategy at the recent AirVenture OshKosh trade show. An ethanol conversion of Aeroconversions’ AeroVee powerplant and efficiency enhancements for the engine took a back seat to the prototype electric Waiex aircraft introduced to an appreciative crowd. With battery technologies advancing by the day - gaining power, reliability, endurance and efficiency while constantly shedding size and weight - the partners believe the time is ripe to adapt the brushless Read More
