Flight News On Airbus Single-Aisle Upgrade Tussle & Experts Zero In On Jet-Ice Risk
Airbus takes lead in the single-aisle upgrade tussle as it announces,
New Engines for the A320
Airbus has decide to offer for its best-selling A320 Family new fuel saving engines as an option with airlines now having the choice between CFM Internationals LEAP-X engine and Pratt& Whitney's Pure Power PW1100G engine.
Known as the A320neo, this new engine option also incorporates fuel-saving large wing tip devices called Sharklets.Airbus will start deliveries of the A320neo Family in spring 2016.
Airbus move to offer new engines for its A320 aircraft series is set to intensify competition with Boeing in the biggest part of the civil aviation market and may force its rival to follow suit.
Airbus unveiled its decision after the two companies had circled each other for months over who would make the first move. Boeing panned the announcement as a "attempt to reach the superior performance "of its own 737 aircraft.
The A320neo will not only deliver significant fuel savings of up to 15% ,which represents up to 3600 tones of CO2 savings annually per aircraft,but,in addition,A320neo customers will benefit from a double-digit reduction in NOX emissions, reduced engine noise, lower operating costs and up to 500 nautical miles more range or two tones more payload.
Airbus sees a market potential of 4000 A320neo Family aircraft over the next 15 years. "We are confident that the A320neo will be a great success across all markets and with all types of operators, offering them maximum benefit with minimum change. We are leveraging a reliable, mature aircraft and are making it even more efficient and environmentally friendly," said Tom Enders, Airbus president and CEO.
Over the past months, Airbus has taken the time to carefully assess and weigh up the benefits of the A320neo business case with the allocation of the highly skilled engineering resources needed while securing the engineering skills required on other Airbus aircraft programmes.
"Finding the necessary resources for the A320neo wasn't exactly a walk in the park," Enders added. "The enabler was a devise a stringent phasing of critical engineering assets throughout our various development programmes and to optimize the management and organization of all our programmes and R$D projects. Our international engineering centres, suppliers and partners play a big role in this."
The new engine option is offered on the A321, A320 and A319 models which will require limited modifications, primarily to the wing and pylon areas. The A320neo will have over 95% airframe commonality with the standard A320 Family.
Although the A320neo has the same fuselage as previous iterations, a new wing-engine pylon design is necessary to accommodate the new engines which are larger than the CFM556 and the IAE V2500 turbofans which currently power the A320 Family aircraft. Although existing A320s cannot be retrofitted with the engines and pylons Airbus customers with existing orders for future deliveries can alter these orders to acquire A320neo aircraft instead.
Airbus' new "Sharklet" large wingtip devices have been specially designed to enhance the eco-efficiency and payload-range performance of the A320 Family. Offered as a forward –fit option, Sharklets are expected to result in at least 3,5% lower fuel burn over longer sectors. The A320 will be the first model fitted with Sharklets, which will be delivered around the end of 2012, to be followed by the other A320 Family models from 2013.
Airbus claims the A320 Family is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. With over 6700 aircraft sold, and more than4400 aircraft delivered to some 310 customers and operators worldwide, it boasts 99, 7% reliability and extended servicing periods. The A320 Family is also said to have the lowest operating costs of any single-aisle aircraft.
Added Competition from Boeing
Aviation experts say that Boeing may now have no option but to follow in Airbus' footsteps if it wants to remain competitive."There's a 95% chance that Boeing, too, will decide to re-engine," said Yan Derocles, an analyst at Paris-based Oddo Securities. They don't have any other choice. They can allow themselves six months or so to see what response Airbus gets before making a definitive decision."
Success in the single-aisle market determines the pecking order in the industry because both Airbus and Boeing derive the bulk of their earnings from these aircraft. Airbus made its name with the A320, introduced in 1988 with novelties such as fly-by-wire electronic handling, and has racked up 6745 orders for the series, to leapfrog Boeing as industry leader in 2003.
Airbus has said that engineering the changes on the A320neo would probably cost no more than $2-billion, a fraction of the money a new aircraft would devour.
Both the A320 and B737 are twin-engine models that seat about 125 to 185 people. List prices for each plane range from about $65-million to $95-million, depending on the version. A successor to the A320 will not come before the middle of the next decade because engines will not be advanced enough before then to justify the development expense, Airbus has argued.
Boeing retains the ability to add new engines to its 737 airliner or develop new model, the company has said. The existing 737 will achieve a two percent fuel saving from the middle of this year. By 2012 consumption will have improved by seven percent since the models introduction, it said.
Unlike the A320, the Boeing 737 now only comes with a single engine, made by the CFM International, a joint venture of General Electric Co. and Safran SA.Fitting different engines under the wing would be more challenging for the Chicago-based manufacturer because the aircraft already sits so close to the ground that the landing gear would need to be redesigned to allow clearance for the newer, bigger engines.
Jim Albaugh,CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in an interview last month that the business case for new engines "is not as compelling as we'd like to see," even after Boeing customers including Southwest Airlines Inc. and Ryanair Holding Plc urged manufacturers to offer powering options that would increase fuel efficiency.
Airbus took its time to decide on the new plane, as it was already working on the A350 wide-body airliner that would enter service in 2013 and was trying to increase production on its A380, which has suffered delays, CEO Tom Enders said. Engineers needed for the revised A320 would come from the A380 and A400M programmes, and would not be diverted from the A350, he said.
The new A320,dubbed"neo" for new-engine-option ,promises cash operating costs that are eight percent lower than those of the current model, sales chief John Leahy said in an interview.
He expected that customers would likely wait until later this year before ordering the new variant, which will cost $6-million more. The new engines would likely come from either GE or P&W, he added.
"It was a no brainer," Leahy commented.
"We know the business case is excellent."
Experts Zero In On Jet-Ice Risk
International Aviation Safety experts are targeting an emerging flight hazard: tiny, high-altitude ice crystals than can clog airspeed sensors on jetliners and, in extreme cases, even cause aircraft to lose lift and stop flying.
Boeing and Air France-KLM SA have been leading a broad study delving into this previously little-understood icing phenomenon, according to industry officials briefed on the preliminary findings. The conclusions are likely to prompt a major push for changes in the way regulators, aircraft manufacturers and parts suppliers confront such dangers.
The companies were advocating adoption of tougher industry-wide testing requirements for the sensors, the officials said, along with new procedures and more-precise checklists to help pilots maintain control of commercial jets if their airspeed indicators suddenly malfunction or fail.
The crystals-typically suspended above intense storms and found circulating on top of towering clouds where they are invisible to both pilots and weather radar-are small enough to penetrate heated pitot tubes mounted outside the fuselage. The crystals quickly melt but, under extremely cold conditions, may refreeze, according to the study and independent safety experts, sending incorrect or wildly fluctuating speed indications to the cockpit. Pitot tubes use external air temperature and pressure to calculate changes in speed.
The result can be that autopilots shut off; pilots lose altitude readings and receive false warnings about exceeding allowable speeds. The combination of factors can prompt crews to reduce thrust, momentarily lose control or even inadvertently stall the aircraft.
The study was prompted partly by the June 2009 crash of an Air France Airbus A330 as it flew through a particularly violet storm system on the way to Paris from Rio de Janeiro.All 228 people aboard Flight 447 perished after at least two of its three speed sensors apparently malfunctioned, resulting in a cascade of failures affecting flight-management computers, automated flight controls and other vital systems.
An international team of investigators has not been able to determine exactly why the wide body jet went down, partly because its flight-data and cockpit –voice recorders have not been recovered from the ocean. Airbus officials are gearing up for a fourth attempt, probably early this year, to have rescue crews try to locate the "black boxes."
The high-profile crash-followed by revelations that both Airbus and Air France for years had been aware of chronic pitot tube problems on certain families of jets-sparked a broader review of the relevant science and technology .US and European regulators ordered swift replacement of suspect tubes on hundreds of Airbus aircraft, and began work to draft more-stringent testing standards for next-generation devices.
The Boeing –Air France effort goes further by striving to thoroughly understand the reasons behind the formation and behaviour of the tiny crystals.
The companies also have teamed up to look at what happens to pitot tubes at substantially higher altitudes and colder temperatures than previously considered .Many of today's sensors are certified to operate at up to 40000 feet and minus 40 degrees Celsius, while many experts want details about reliability in conditions around minus 65 degrees Celsius.
Senior Air France officials declined to comment on the conclusions so far, referring questions to aircraft and hardware manufacturers. A Boeing spokesman said it was premature to comment. Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautical Defense and Space Co, has been informed about the study, but officials declined to comment.
Not a New Concept
Concern about ice building up on wings, coating speed sensors and disrupting airflow through engines is hardly a new concept. Going back to the 1940s, when commercial air travel was in its infancy, pilots recognized the dangers of flying through freezing rain.
As technology advanced, pitot tubes became better heated and ice formations could be readily detected by onboard weather radar. Until recently, though, air-safety experts did not fully recognize the heightened dangers posed by the smallest crystals. They also are grappling with the intricacies of how crystals refreeze and distort speed readings.
Safety experts are also increasingly turning their attention to training and emergency techniques aimed at helping pilots maintain steady speed and level flight-particularly at night or in turbulence –despite unreliable speed indications. The FAA is working with manufacturers, industry groups and foreign regulators "to expand the icing environment," or the range of icing conditions, used to certify new sensor designs.
The anti-icing drive could go public early next year as Boeing and other companies solicit additional support and strive for consensus on how pilots should respond to airspeed emergencies .Air France already has made some adjustments in its pilot training.
Many industry experts, however, believe a common approach should be adopted by all airlines, regardless of whether they fly Boeing or Airbus models.
In the wake of the 2009 A330 crash, French investigators identified what they described as more than a dozen "significant "events in which airspeed sensors malfunctioned.
Barely three weeks after that accident, the US National Transportation Safety Board was looking at a pair of international flights, including a Northwest Airlines A330 airliner, which suffered a series of equipment and computer malfunctions similar to those encountered by Air France Flight 447 .The Northwest A330 was cruising at 39000 feet on autopilot near Kagoshima, Japan, when it encountered intense rain and both the captains and co-pilots airspeed indicators immediately showed a huge rollback in the planes forward velocity.
With autopilot and automatic-throttle controls disengaged, the cockpit was filled with beeps and bright warning signals indicating various system problems.
The Northwest crew said the event lasted more than three minutes, but they maintained airspeed, manually flew the most direct route out of the storm and nobody was hurt.
What does the 6M stand for? This is the plane model that KLM flew through a cloud of volcanic ash ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLM_Flight_867 ).
Am I correct in saying that 6M stands for KLM in some way? Is there a list of what these codes mean, and what are they called?
Boeing customized each airplane sold to the individual airlines request. The M designates it was sold to KLM. The 406 designates that it was it the sixth 747-400 delivered to them. It's only a Boeing number. It has nothing to do with the aircrafts registration.
KLM Boeing B747-400 Landing St. Maarten Cockpit view
Aviation Attorney – A Unique History Of Work And Educational Experience
All attorneys need an extremely complicated set of skills in order to be successful and victorious; however, an aviation attorney needs all the skills of any other lawyer plus a very unique history of work and educational experience. Aviation lawyers not only need to be well versed in the typical legal techniques and linguistics, but must also be able to apply that knowledge to the complicated field of aviation law. Therefore, a working knowledge of both private and commercial aviation is required. This necessitates either a strong educational background in commercial flight or direct experience in the flight industry.
Aviation law deals with the legal ramification of commercial, private, and cargo flight accidents, litigation, and assessing and assigning liability where appropriate. While this sounds like an easy enough process, it is far from easy and can be difficult and contentious. Take for example a commercial aircraft that skids off of the runway during takeoff. The airplane in question may have skidded off of the runway because of a mechanical failure - the brakes, wheels, or landing gear did not function properly in which case the manufacturer, the maintenance team, or the airline company may be held liable. If the weather were bad, then the airport authority or the flight tower operator may be held accountable for operating the plane in unsafe circumstances. Finally, the plane may have skidded off of the runway because the pilot or flight team made a mistake in which case the pilot could be held directly accountable.
In order to sift through all of these possibilities for even a simple accident where there is little damage or no injury takes an incredible amount of patience, commitment, and specific knowledge of aviation terminology, physics, and procedural experience. An aviation attorney has usually had some past experience with flight and could have been a commercial pilot in the past. Several lawyers are still currently licensed pilots and fly private planes in their free time. This experience helps a successful lawyer sort through the minutia of the data quickly and efficiently thereby assigning fault and liability more accurately.
Of course not all aviation lawyers were commercial pilots or have a private piloting license. Lawyers that do not have direct piloting experience must find an alternative way to gain the required knowledge that years of experience can earn them. This alternative way is usually through education. Many aviation attorneys, in addition to a law degree which all lawyers have to have, have an additional advanced degree in a field related to flight. These degrees could be in the field of aeronautical engineering, flight design, or flight dynamics. All of these fields help to prepare an individual for the complicated terminology used when trying to sort out an aviation accident.
Aviation law is a complicated legal field. A successful aviation attorney has be well versed in the complex and intricate processes that happen thousands of time a day across the nation at local airports in order to quickly and effectively assign liability where appropriate. In order to do these a lawyer must not only understand the legal aspects of the situation, but the aeronautical aspects of it as well. He or she can do this by either having direct experience as a pilot or through additional education I a related field.
Would joining the Air Force or Navy be a good start for a 20-something female interested in a career in commercial aviation?
Flight school is expensive and the airforce wont just let you get into flying just like that unless you plan on attending the airforce university.If you really want to kick start an aviation career without spending a lot of money look into becoming a flight dispatcher. the schooling is affordable and you get to know a lot about the aviation industry and makes a good foundation for a career in a aviation. you make a decent amount of money too. u need to be 21 to take the exam and 23 to actually use ur license. thats how i started in the aviation industry. the course usually takes 6 months to a year to complete can be done through a community college or an faa approved dispatch school. makes a good foundation if u want to get into flying
Future of Commercial Aviation: Boeing's 787 Dreamliner
Postcard printing can easily be done in 30 minutes. Whether you need to send an "emergency greeting" to Mom, or you need several marketing postcards produced for some chance customers, there are ways to print postcards in a hurry.
It will only involve some creative thinking in your part, an image, and a postcard template and of course your printer. So, if you want to know how to do postcard printing in 30 minutes, follow the five steps below.
1. Get your image – The first step to creating any postcard is to get or create the main postcard image. If you are creating a marketing postcard, hopefully you already have a few stock photos of your products in their most awe-inspiring states.
If not, they you may need to take a couple of quick shots using your digital camera. If you are creating a personal custom postcard, then you might need to take a few artful photos of the place or subject that you want to emphasize. You may even want to take a photo of yourself along with them for that more personal effect. It is best to do all this using a digital camera so that you can immediately see how your images look, and edit or retake shots if necessary. (10 minutes)
2. Get a postcard template – Once you have your primary image secure, it is time to get that postcard template. Postcard templates make the whole postcard printing process easier and faster. All you need to do once you get a postcard template is to just insert all the other custom details that you may need in the postcard. This includes the images, text and other supporting details that will turn the postcard template into your own unique design.
There are many ways to get a postcard template. The simplest and easiest way is to download a few free custom postcard templates over the Internet. Many online postcard printing companies offer free template downloads for postcards. These can be in the form of a few common file formats that you should be able to open and edit. Make sure you choose a postcard template that is perfect for your chosen image so that you will not have discrepancies in the layout and design. (8 minutes)
3. Add your custom image – Once you get your template, open it up and enter some pertinent details. If your template is a simple image file or a more complicated graphics file format, the best software for this job may be a graphics editing program like Adobe Photoshop, Indesign or CorelDraw.
Of course, this all depends on what kind of template you downloaded, but in most cases those software can be all that you need. As a backup, you can try opening them in Microsoft Paint, or Open Office’s Draw software. Now, Of course the most important thing you need to enter is your postcard image. Most templates mark where you need to add your image. Simply insert or copy-paste your image into the template itself. Resize your image if needed so that it fits the dimensions of the template. (2 minutes)
4. Add your personal message - After that, you may want to add a personal or custom message in the form of text. If you were making a marketing postcard, this would probably be your sales message or company tag line. If it is a personal postcard on the other hand then you can write your personal message to Mom, or of course to any other loved one. Depending on the software you are using, you might be able to enter these texts with a variety of different font styles. Just mix and match the fonts so that they compliment your postcard image. (5 minutes)
5. Print them out – Once everything is done, all that is left is to print them out. If you have those picture papers in stock with the glossy, coat then that will be a perfect medium for your postcards. If not, then any kind of thick paper that will fit into your printer should do. Once printed then you are done! Congratulations! (5 minutes)
If you have a day or so before you need to give them out however, you can also have an online postcard printing company to deliver your postcards overnight. You can simply send them your full color postcard design to have it printed. Typically, the websites you visited with postcard templates will have this kind of service too. Having your postcard prints outsourced to printing companies makes your postcard look nicer and of course more professional.
Those are the five simple steps in making a postcard design in 30 minutes. If you include the optional "6th" step, you might need to wait overnight, but you will have a more professional finish to the postcards. Of course, it is your decision if you want to go through with that or not. The important thing is that you can now print postcards with relative ease and quickness.
Flight News On Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association Annual Aviation Summit Held In Long Beach,California In 2010 Raises Spirits
Nearly ten thousand pilots and aviation enthusiasts gathered in Long Beach, California, recently for the 2010 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations (AOPA) annual Aviation Summit to hear from industry leaders, see the latest and greatest, from aircraft to engines and avionics to pilot supplies, and to attend more than 60 hours of educational forums.
Hundreds more from the local community came out to see the aircraft on display at Airport fest, which was free and open to the public. Registered attendance for the 2010 Aviation Summit was 9746 and altogether 1101 aircraft flew in for the three-day event.
At Airport fest, 11373 people-a mix of registered attendees and members of the local community –came out to get an up-close look at all the planes. Three days of beautiful weather brought throngs of people to the airport, where an array of more than 80 aircraft provided a chance to see how far aviation has advanced.
Glass cockpit avionics, ballistic parachutes, and other safety features were on prominent display. Exhibitors and members are already looking forward to next years AOPA Aviation Summit, to be held next September in Hartford, Connecticut. More than 100 booths have already been reserved for next year by exhibitors at this year Aviation Summit.
The main hall at the 2010 event hosted about 500 exhibitors, and the schedule included programmes and speakers for new pilots, seasoned fliers and enthusiasts. A variety of social events and fundraisers were held.
Among the industry updates, cirrus Aircraft co-founder, Dale Klapmeier, discussed the Vision SF50 personal jet and the new perspective ESP flight-stability-augmentation system.
The Terrafugia crew showed their proof-of-concept "flying car" inside the main exhibit hall. Cessna and Bye Energy had an update on their progress toward building and electric-powered Skyhawk
Long Beach Airport hosted static displays, including Fifi; the only flying B-29 Superfortress.To get to the show saw Fifi make its first long cross-country flight in six years. The Commemorative Air Forces (CAF) freshly re-engined B-29 Fifi is the only airworthy example of its kind anywhere in the world and it was on display as part of AOPAs Summit.
The aircraft is running on four new custom engines that are a cross between the R-3350-95W and the R-3350-26WD .They were installed through two years hard work of volunteers and thanks largely to the financial backing of Jim Cavanaugh.CAF plans to take Fifi on tour soon.
Long Beach, 38th-largest city in the USA, has grown with the development of high-technology and aerospace industries in the area. It is known for the homes of major aerospace companies. Douglas Aircraft Company (later McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and now part of Boeing) had plants at the Long Beach Airport where the companies built aircraft for World War 11, and later built DC-8s, DC-9s, DC-10s, and MD-11s.
Boeing built the Boeing 717 until 2006 and continues to build the C-17 Globe master 111 strategic airlifter in Long Beach .Even after greatly reducing the number of local employees in recent years, Boeing is still the largest private employer in the city.
More than 100 flight training professionals, from certificated flight instructors through educational content providers to flight training device and aircraft manufacturers, gathered in Long Beach to attend a day-long Flight Training Summit Sponsored by the AOPAs flight training magazine. During the day, they heard new research into why student pilots drop out, and discussed how to help more of them complete their training.
The summit meeting was the first public step in AOPAs flight training student retention initiative.
"This is beginning of a national conversation on growing the pilot population," said AOPA president and CEO, Craig L. Fuller, during his opening address. "It is something that will affect all of us for years to come. I believe we can make a difference to the future of general aviation, but only by working together."
Electric Cessna 172
Bye Energy says its electric-powered Cessna 172 will be much more than an air show curiosity .In fact, the company told the press that it hoped to revolutionize the Part 23 training market with the aircraft.
"Our clear focus is mainstream aviation," company president, George Bye, said."It's ideal for training."
Bye said the aircraft would be a two-place model with an endurance of two hours on a combination of battery power, solar and power reclaimed from wing tip devices intended to capture vortex energy in flight and by the push on the propeller during descent. He said the company intended it to be"the point of entry for new pilots."
Bye added that the 172 was the ideal platform for the aircraft because it was already the most popular training aircraft in the world. By making it electric, operating costs would drop dramatically (he is predicting $ 5-$10 an hour in energy costs) and the TBO of the 180-horse-power, 42-pound engine was estimated at as much as 25000 hours.
The resulting 172, which the company hopes will fly in early 2011, will look a little different. The cowling will be tapered for the much smaller motor and that means virtually the entire propellers thrust will be used for movement, rather than the significant amount that is used for engine cooling in current models. The conforming aircraft will have a six-bladed composite propeller but the proof of concept will have a conventional two-blade propeller. The weight shed by getting rid of the piston engine and the fuel it needs will be taken up by lithium ion batteries and the weight and balance is not expected to change.
New R66 Makes Its Debut
Robinsons R66 hopped over from its home port Torrance. It is a newly certified five-place Rolls-Royce turbine-powered helicopter now available from Robinson, which hopes to fit the aircraft into the market between its own very popular piston R44 and more expensive light turbine helicopters.
The turbine blends vastly improved high altitude performance and load carrying capabilities with a moderate increase in fuel burn. The R66 burns about22 gallons in the same hour its piston sibling burns closer to 15.
As company president Kurt Robinson told the press, aside from the added capability and some nuances specific to turbine helicopter operation" the aircraft actually handles very similar to an R44, it just does it with a 300-horsepower Rolls-Royce turbine."
Cirrus Sends Upbeat Signals
Preference for Cirrus aircraft continues at all time high levels as the newest model in the best selling line-the SR22T-made its global debut.
"We see several positive factors combining to push our piston market share higher in a tough market" noted Todd Simmons, vice president, marketing."Most impactful in the third quarter was the introduction of the SR22T with its all-new TCM TSIO-550-K engine installation.
"This latest iteration in the best-selling SR22 line is not only a performance leader but also defines the path forward around future fuels.
"For the third quarter, the new model accounted for nearly 40% of the total deliveries right out of the gate .Additional new product features including Electronic Stability and Protection in the Cirrus Perspective by Garmin avionics suite, certified flight into known icing, and new personalization options are driving sales and delivery activity as well," he said.
Simmons added: "Of couse, the airframe parachute is as much a topic of discussion today as it was when we introduced CAPS as standard on every Cirrus more than a decade ago. The only difference is now we don't talk about how it works or why to have it, but instead what an invaluable safety feature it has proven to be and why would anyone own a plane in this class without it."
Mustang Gains Popularity
The Citation Mustang, already a star as an entry-level business jet around the globe, is fast becoming one of the most versatile as well, as customers continue to expand its role, thanks to its performance efficiency and low operating costs.
"We knew the Citation Mustang would be popular the world over as a business jet ,both as an owner-flown aircraft and in traditional on-demand roles, but we are finding our customers leading us to define new applications such as training and special mission work," said Jack Pelton,Cessna Chairman, president and CEO at AOPA Summit.
Earlier this year, Cessna delivered five Mustangs to Singapore Airlines for its pilot training programme.In July, Cessna teamed with Spectrum Aeromed to offer a medical evacuation system for the Mustang.
Cessna recently announced a new High Sierra Edition Mustang featuring luxury editions of the three currently offered interiors, a special paint scheme, a Garmin G100 with synthetic vision technology, electronic charts and locking fuel caps, as well as unique service and parts programmes.
Cessna announced that production of the 162 Sky catchers continued to increase. Cessna was on target to delivery 30 Sky catchers by the end of the year and more than 150 in 2011.
The Sky catcher features the Garmin G300 avionics suite and a Teledyne Continental O200D engine. The two-seat, single-engine aircraft has maximum speed of 118 knots with a maximum range of 470 nautical miles.
Piper Planes on Display
Piper exhibited a mock-up of its new single-engine, single-pilot business jet. In addition, the company displayed other single-engine aircraft, including the turboprop Piper Meridian and Matrix piston-powered cabin class aircraft, Archer light single and Piper Sport LSA.
"This will be the first time that the Piper jet Altaire mock-up is on the West Coast, and we are anticipating strong interest at this important AOPA venue," said Randy Groom, Piper executive vice president. "It is the logical extension of the renowned Piper single-engine product line that aircraft owners and pilots have been aspiring to for decades," he added.
WAAS/LPV Upgrade on Premier IA
Hawker Beech craft Services announced at the summit that it was taking orders and scheduling wide area augmentation system (WAAS) upgrades on Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21-equipped Premier IA aircraft.
This installation follows the introduction of the King Air C90GTi and 200/300 upgrades announced earlier this year.
The HBS Premier IA WAAS upgrade offers operational flexibility and cost savings associated with direct and curved area navigation (RNAV) routes.WAAS RNAV offers improved access to special use airspace, high traffic and/or terrain challenged airports.
There are currently more than 2300 LPV approaches certified and in use today. WAAS LPV approaches provide decision heights as low as 200 feet with one half mile visibility .The result is improved safety and cost savings associated with the reduction of missed approaches and flights to alternate airports.
WAAS upgrades for the Premier I, Hawker 400XP /Beech craft 400A and early model Hawker 800XP aircraft equipped with Honeywell flight management systems are currently in process.
Twin Commander Enthusiastic
Twin Commander LLC is pleased with the response to its Airport fest display at AOPA Aviation Summit. "The annual AOPA conference is a great way to meet owner-pilots who are interested in performance aircraft," noted Twin Commander president, Matt Isley,"and this years event did not disappoint .The crowds were large and enthusiastic and we saw steady traffic all three days," he said.
"We've found that a lot of customers who are looking for an aircraft that has 300-knot cruise speed capability and a proven and tested airframe, are selecting the Twin Commander," noted Aero Airs Richard Urban, a long-time customer.
Twin Commanders Airport fest display featured a recently refurbished 690B Twin Commander owned and operated by Aero Air.
The immaculate 690B featured upgrade Honeywell TPE3311-10T engines, a sate-of-the –art Garmin panel with G600 electronic flat-panel flight and multi-function displays and GNS530 and 430 WAAS-capable flight management systems ,a new paint and interior.
Why no contra-rotating props on high performance single engine A/C?
I know in the 40'and 50's numerous British aircraft had them (Fairy Gannett, Wyvern and even before, the last RNAF Spitfire) and in the USA the Douglas Skyshark ( an abject failure), but it never translated into civilian aircraft. I would think with modern design, metals etc. the problems of the gearing of the props would be solved. I ask, as this would eliminate torque on take off and landing , and, I would assume make operations in high wind, bad weather easier, as the pilot would not have to correct for the "swing" of the aircraft . Comments?
The reason for counter rotating propeller was and is because of the horse power the engine develops. The number of blades increases the power they can absorb from the engine. There are a lot of mechanical gears (weight) that is required to make all of this happen. The weight factor out weighs the added number of blades.
You will see counter rotating engines and propellers on some multi engine aircraft. However today with the small turbine engine putting out the same if not more power in a much smaller unit the need for counter rotating propellers is not required. With four plus blades per engine to absorb the power with reduced weight the counter rotating is now a thing of the past.
The torque of “P” factor is designed into the airframe with larger tail sections or strakes. Torque really isn’t a problem.
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