Updates from BOEING

Boeing – The experimental X-51A WaveRider aircraft, powered by a scramjet engine designed to reach hypersonic speeds, did just that as it hit Mach 5, which is nearly 4,000 miles per hour. It flew for a total of six minutes, and three and a half of those minutes were with the scramjet engine, breaking its own record from its first flight in 2010 when the WaveRider flew for 143 seconds.

The X-51A WaveRider is an unmanned, autonomous supersonic combustion, ramjet-powered hypersonic flight-test demonstrator for the U.S. Air Force. The X-51A demonstrates a scalable, robust endothermic hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet propulsion system in flight, as well as high temperature materials, airframe/engine integration and other key technologies within the hypersonic range of Mach 4.5 to 6.5. more> http://tinyurl.com/d2pzp66

NASA technology (46)

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Supersonic Aircraft Model
NASA – The window in the sidewall of the 8- by 6-foot supersonic wind tunnel at NASA’s Glenn Research Center shows a 1.79 percent scale model of a future concept supersonic aircraft built by The Boeing Company. In recent tests, researchers evaluated the performance of air inlets mounted on top of the model to see how changing the amount of airflow at supersonic speeds through the inlet affected performance. The inlet on the pilot’s right side (top inlet in this side view) is larger because it contains a remote-controlled device through which the flow of air could be changed.

The work is part of ongoing research in NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate to address the challenges of making future supersonic flight over land possible. Researchers are testing overall vehicle design and performance options to reduce emissions and noise, and identifying whether the volume of sonic booms can be reduced to a level that leads to a reversal of the current ruling that prohibits commercial supersonic flight over land. Image Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn

Boeing Dreamliner cleared to fix battery, start flying again

By Jennifer Liberto – Nearly 50 Dreamliners have been grounded for the last four months, after two fires on Japanese jets prompted the FAA to order the planes grounded on Jan. 16.

Boeing basically revamped the internal battery components to minimize the chances of a short circuit. It also improved the insulation of the battery cells, and created a new “containment and venting” system that is supposed to prevent overheating from affecting the plane. more> http://tinyurl.com/d9pvfrn

Related>

• FAA approves fix for Boeing 787 battery, W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times
• Boeing teams get to work on putting 787s back into flight, Dominic Gates, Seattle Times
• FAA approves the improvements to the 787 battery systems, Boeing

NASA technology (41)

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X-48 Project Completes Flight Research
NASA – NASA’s remotely piloted X-48C hybrid-wing-body subscale aircraft, which demonstrates technology concepts for cleaner and quieter commercial air travel, completed an eight-month flight research campaign on April 9, 2013.

In this image, the aircraft flies over the intersection of several runways adjacent to the compass rose on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base during one of the sub-scale aircraft’s final test flights on Feb. 28, 2013.

The scale-model aircraft, shaped like a manta ray, was designed by The Boeing Co., built by Cranfield Aerospace Limited of the United Kingdom, and flown in partnership with NASA. The X-48C is a version of NASA’s X-48B blended wing body aircraft modified to evaluate the low-speed stability and control of a low-noise version of a notional hybrid-wing-body design. This design features a flattened fuselage with no tail, and engines mounted on top of the fuselage at the rear of the plane. The design stems from concept studies for commercial aircraft that could be flying within 20 years. The studies are under way in NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project. Image Credit: NASA / Carla Thomas

Updates from BOEING

AH-64D Apache Longbow
Boeing – Between 1984 and 1997, Boeing produced 937 AH-64As for the U.S. Army, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The radar-equipped AH-64D Apache Longbow features numerous enhanced capabilities, including:

• Longer-range weapons accuracy and all-weather/night fighting
• Detection of objects (moving or stationary) without being detected
• Classification and threat-prioritization of up to 128 targets in less than a minute
• Integrated sensors, networking, and digital communications for situational awareness, management of the combat arena in real time, and digital transmission of images and target locations to joint operations battlefield commanders

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Team Apache suppliers worldwide are applauding the news that the U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter fleet has surpassed 3.5 million flight hours.

The Army’s aviation program office said that the milestone of endurance and reliability was reached in June as Apache crews flew combat missions in Afghanistan, participated in exercises in South Korea, and trained with the new AH-64D Apache Block III. Apaches began operating in 1984.
more> http://tinyurl.com/cpdjtlw