http://flyawaysimulation.com Aviation news from the editors at Fly Away Simulation http://flyawaysimulation.com/themes/FlyAway/style/logo.pnghttp://flyawaysimulation.com Fri, 25 May 2012 07:06:02 GMT 30 http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4444/etihad-reduces-its-a350-1000s-order-expresses-interest-in/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4444/etihad-reduces-its-a350-1000s-order-expresses-interest-in/ Thu, 24 May 2012 16:16:47 GMT <p> Etihad Airways, flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has slashed its order for A350-1000s from 25 to 12. </p> <p> The decision by Ethihad to reduce its order is a major setback for the <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/3613/fsx-house-colors-airbus-a350-1000-xwb/">A350-1000 program</a>. Airbus had positioned the A350-1000 to compete against Boeing&#39;s 777. Every year, Airbus competes with Boeing for aircraft orders. The aircraft manufacturers offer models that are slightly bigger or smaller than the other, filling any gaps in aircraft demand.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images1/images/house-colors-airbus-A350-1000 XWB-fsx1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Simulation model: House Colors Airbus A350-1000 XWB in flight." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images1/images/house-colors-airbus-A350-1000%20XWB-fsx1_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 125px; "></a></p> <p> Simulation model: House Colors Airbus A350-1000 XWB in flight.</p> </div> <p> Two largest A350 customers, Emirates and Qatar Airways, have recently expressed some dissatisfaction with the design of the aircraft. Currently, Airbus has 62 orders for the A350-1000s. If Etihad Airways reduces its order again or cancel it, this may affect the A350-1000 program. Etihad Airways indicated that it might adjust its orders in the future, subject to industry outlook and its fleet requirements.</p> <p> In a separate development, Etihad Airways has expressed interest in the proposed Boeing 777X. In a statement, James Hogan, Etihad Airways chief executive said:</p> <blockquote> <p> We&#39;re still taking A350-1000s, but we took the view that the delivery could be at risk, so we changed the orders and built up the 787 order.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1355/etihad-place-order-for-five-boeing-777-300ers/">Etihad place order for Five Boeing 777-300ERs</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4422/final-assembly-for-a350-static-airframe-begins-in-toulouse/">Final Assembly for A350 Static Airframe Begins in Toulouse</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3147/pre-order-wilcos-tower-simulator/">Pre-Order Wilco's Tower Simulator</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3606/afs-design-airbus-a350-now-available/">AFS-Design Airbus A350 Now Available</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3966/airbus-confirms-more-a350-info-coming-soon/">Airbus Confirms more A350 info coming soon</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4440/europrop-to-ramp-up-production-of-a400m-turboprop-engine/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4440/europrop-to-ramp-up-production-of-a400m-turboprop-engine/ Sun, 20 May 2012 08:50:15 GMT <p> Europrop International has announced its plans to ramp-up production of the TP400-D6, the engine that will power the A400M, reducing the assembling and testing time for the A400M engine from 60 days to 30 days. </p> <p> Europrop is an engine consortium owned by four European aero-engine manufacturers, namely Rolls-Royce, Snecma, Industria de Turbo Propulsores and MTU Aero Engines. The TP400-D6 turboprop developed for the Airbus Military A400M is the company&rsquo;s only product &ndash; it operates a single production line for the TP400-D6 at its Munich plant.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images11/images/TP400-D6-engine.jpg"><img alt="Image shows a TP400-D6 on a jig." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images11/images/TP400-D6-engine_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 134px; "></a></p> <p> Image shows a TP400-D6 on a jig.</p> </div> <p> The company made the announcement after delivering the first A400M engine to Airbus Military, which will power the first A400M, expected to enter service early 2013 with the launch customer French air force. Europrop will deliver 12 engines for French A400Ms during the course of this year.</p> <p> The company will increase production to 50 engines in 2013, and will achieve the maximum capacity of 120 engines per year in 2015.</p> <p> The European Aviation Safety Agency awarded civil certification to the TP400-D6 in May 2011. In January 2012, Europrop submitted engine reports to Airbus Military, as part of the aircraft certification process.</p> <p> The Airbus A400M is a multi-national military transport and tactical aircraft designed by Airbus Military. There are currently orders of more than 200 A400M from several nations. Airbus Military will deliver the first aircraft during the first quarter of 2013.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4041/wilco-a400m-airlifter-review/">Wilco A400M Airlifter Review</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3243/fsavidyne-single-engine-turboprop-update/">FSAvidyne Single Engine Turboprop Update</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4154/pmdg-release-bae-jetstream-4100-turboprop-simulation/">PMDG Release BAe JetStream 4100 Turboprop Simulation</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/295/motis-announce-plans-to-design-piston-and-turboprop/">MoTIS announce plans to design piston and turboprop aircraft</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/502/ch-products-announces-multi-engine-throttle-quadrant/">CH Products Announces Multi-Engine Throttle Quadrant</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4438/usmc-mv-22-crashes-in-morocco-kills-2/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4438/usmc-mv-22-crashes-in-morocco-kills-2/ Tue, 15 May 2012 17:18:55 GMT <p> An MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor crashed on 11 April 2012 in Agadir, Morocco. There were four Marines onboard, two were killed and two were seriously injured.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images11/images/v-22-military-osprey.jpg"><img alt="MV-22 Osprey." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images11/images/v-22-military-osprey_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 150px; "></a></p> <p> MV-22 Osprey.</p> </div> <p> According to a report issued by the US Marine Corps, the MV-22 <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/93/fsx-helicopters/">military tiltrotor aircraft</a> crashed during a US-Morocco joint training exercise, called &quot;African Lion&quot;. The aircraft operated from amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, and it crashed soon after taking off from the ship.</p> <p> The US Marine Corps and the US Air Force Special Operations Command operate the V-22 aircraft. Over the past two decades, the V-22 has had six crashes with 36 fatalities. There have been four major failures of this aircraft during flight-testing, one crash during combat and several minor accidents.</p> <p> Developed by Bell Helicopter, this aircraft is manufactured by Bell Helicopter and Boeing Helicopters.</p> <p> A US Navy investigation is underway.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1469/plane-crashes-south-of-cameron/">Plane Crashes South of Cameron</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/2065/small-plane-trying-to-break-speed-record-crashes-near-basle/">Small plane trying to break speed record crashes near Basle, killing pilot</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3321/f-22-crashes-near-edwards-air-force-base-killing-pilot/">F-22 Crashes Near Edwards Air Force Base, Killing Pilot</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3508/alphasims-b-24-liberator-now-available-from-flight1/">Alphasim's B-24 Liberator Now Available From Flight1</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3/review-of-getweather-20/">Review of GetWeather 2.0</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4434/air-new-zealand-grounded-entire-fleet-of-atr-72-500s/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4434/air-new-zealand-grounded-entire-fleet-of-atr-72-500s/ Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:00:00 GMT <p> Air New Zealand (ANZ) grounded its entire fleet of ATR 72-500 turboprops on 18^th March 2012 after hairline cracks were discovered around windows of one aircraft&rsquo; cockpit.</p> <p> ANZ has 11 <a href="http://www.simshack.net/product_info.php?products_id=119">ATR 72-500s</a>. Two of these aircraft were returned to service soon after the inspection, three aircrafts needed further assessment, and the rest were going through the inspection process.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/anz-atr-72-100.jpg"><img alt="Air New Zealand ATR 72-500" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/anz-atr-72-100_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 123px; "></a></p> <p> Air New Zealand ATR 72-500 - one of the aircraft affected.</p> </div> <p> The Star Alliance carrier said the 68-seat ATR 72-500s have an average age of 11 years, and are operated by Mount Cook Airline, a regional carrier.</p> <p> ANZ said it will provide some aircraft to Mount Cook Airline to restore the regional carrier&rsquo;s capacity.</p> <p> The cracks were discovered at Mount Cook Airline&#39;s base at Christchurch Airport during a scheduled maintenance.</p> <p> Any heavy maintenance services for Mount Cook Airline&#39;s ATR 72 fleet will be done at Nelson Airport, the base of sister regional carrier Air Nelson. </p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/462/announcing-new-zealand-2003-national-fly-in/">Announcing New Zealand 2003 - The National Fly-In</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/276/aircraft-repaints-new-zealand-releases-bae-146-300qt/">Aircraft Repaints New Zealand Releases BAe 146-300QT</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/307/aircraft-repaints-new-zealand-releases-bae-146-200qt/">Aircraft Repaints New Zealand Releases BAe 146-200QT</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/339/aircraft-repaints-new-zealand-releases-atr-72/">Aircraft Repaints New Zealand Releases ATR 72</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/880/fscene-fall-australia-new-zealand-released/">FScene Fall Australia/New Zealand Released</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4433/japan-airlines-jal-boeing-777-200er-damaged-in-tail-strike/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4433/japan-airlines-jal-boeing-777-200er-damaged-in-tail-strike/ Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:00:00 GMT <p> Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 777-200ER suffered significant damages on its tail section after the aircraft strike a runway at Haneda Airport, Tokyo, on 31 March 2012. There were 12 crewmembers and 296 passengers on board, and no one was injured during the accident.</p> <p> The accident occurred soon after the pilot aborted a landing process and started a go-around procedure at Haneda Airport, which caused the tail section of the aircraft to hit the runway. The impact caused damages to the aircraft&rsquo;s tail section and lower part of the pressure bulkhead.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/tail-strike-jal.jpg"><img alt="The tail strike" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/tail-strike-jal_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 67px; "></a></p> <p> The tail strike - apologies for poor image quality, there aren&#39;t many sources with the footage.</p> </div> <p> According to a JAL spokesperson, the pilot started a go-around procedure because he thought the aircraft had not &quot;fully landed after the first touchdown&quot;. The aircraft eventually landed safely at the airport.</p> <p> The JAL spokesperson said,</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&quot;Japan Airlines is cooperating fully with the Japan Transport Safety Board in assessing the aircraft damage and in its ongoing investigations into the situation during the time of the accident.&quot;</em></p> </blockquote> <p> The aircraft, whose registration number is JA701J, was built in 2002.</p> <p> Some industry experts have indicated that the accident was caused by poor weather conditions. However, a full investigation is underway.</p> <h3> Video of tail strike</h3> <p style="text-align: center; "> <iframe height="360" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/videoembed/9206/" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="640"></iframe></p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3041/boeing-strike-may-threaten-new-jet-test-flight/">Boeing strike may threaten new jet test flight</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4432/japan-airlines-received-first-two-787-8s/">Japan Airlines' Received First Two 787-8s</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4415/boeing-close-to-receiving-787-genx-and-330min-etops/">Boeing Close to Receiving 787 GEnx and 330min ETOPS Certification</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4410/boeing-aims-to-launch-777x-at-end-of-2012/">Boeing Aims to Launch 777X at End of 2012</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/123/meljet-boeing-777-appears-on-book-covers/">MelJet Boeing 777 Appears On Book Covers</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4432/japan-airlines-received-first-two-787-8s/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4432/japan-airlines-received-first-two-787-8s/ Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:00:00 GMT <p> The first two 787-8s for Japan Airlines&#39; (JAL) departed Boeing&#39;s Everett facility in Washington facility on their way to Tokyo on 25th March 2012.  JAL took the delivery of the aircraft on 27^th March.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/jal-b787-ceremony.jpg"><img alt="JAL's JA825A opening ceremony." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/jal-b787-ceremony_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 133px; "></a></p> <p> JAL&#39;s JA825A opening ceremony.</p> </div> <p> This delivery marks the official entry into operational service for<a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4415/boeing-close-to-receiving-787-genx-and-330min-etops/"> the General Electric&#39;s GEnx-1B engine</a>, making JAL the first airline to receive a General Electric GEnx-1B engine-powered 787.</p> <p> The delivered <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/4105/fsx-japan-airlines-boeing-787-8-repaint/">787s</a>, registered JA825A and JA822A, make JAL the second customer for the Dreamliner, after All Nippon Airways.</p> <p> This is the first time Boeing has delivered two 787s simultaneously. In a statement, Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said,</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&quot;Today is an important moment in our 60-year relationship with Japan Airlines as we celebrate the deliveries of not one, but two Dreamliners.&quot;</em> Albaugh added, <em>&quot;The 787 will provide the fuel-efficient airplane needed to serve Japan Airlines&#39; growing international operations.&quot;</em></p> </blockquote> <p> Soon after arrival, the aircraft will be on domestic testing flights whose purpose is to train cabin, flight, operations and maintenance personnel. Once this is completed, JAL will start its first 787 service to North America on 22 April 2012. This service will connect Tokyo&#39;s Narita Airport and Boston&#39;s Logan International Airport. This will be Boston&rsquo;s first Asia connection.</p> <p> Yoshiharu Ueki, president of JAL, said the 787 is a <em>&quot;strategic aircraft that will play a key part in the expansion&quot;</em> of the airline.</p> <p> Boeing 787 is designed for long range, low-density routes, making it possible to join city pairs that would not be serviced profitably by a larger aircraft.</p> <p> JAL&rsquo;s services to Moscow, Delhi and Beijing are expected to start before the end of May 2012, as additional aircraft is delivered. JAL also plans to launch services to Helsinki and San Diego towards the end of the year.</p> <p> The delivery of the two 787s marked a significant milestone and new chapter for JAL, as the airline continues to recover from bankruptcy restructuring nearly a year ago, in March 2011. Two more 787s will be delivered in the very near future, but no date has been confirmed.</p> <p> The airline, which was one of the earliest launch customers for the 787s, has 45 787s on order, which includes 20 787-9s. These will be delivered in 2015.</p> <p> The 787s have 186 seats. In the executive class, there is 42 lie-flat B/E Aerospace MiniPod seating in a 2-2-2 arrangement. In the economy class, the aircraft features 144 Recaro CL3510 seats in 2-4-2 configuration. The aircraft also feature Thales i8000 series in-flight entertainment, and JAL is the launch customer for this type of in-flight entertainment.</p> <h3> Video of Japan Airlines 787-8 JA822J Departing Everett</h3> <p style="text-align: center; "> <iframe height="360" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/videoembed/9205/" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="640"></iframe></p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4431/airbus-set-to-launch-a320-family-sharklet-retrofit/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4431/airbus-set-to-launch-a320-family-sharklet-retrofit/ Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:00:00 GMT <p> While Airbus has been flight-testing its fuel-economic sharklet for service entry later this year, the aircraft manufacturer is on the verge of launching a retrofit plan for existing A320 aircraft, which is expected to get into service in 2014.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/a320-sharklet-wing-tip.jpg"><img alt="Sharklet wing tip on an Airbus A320" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/a320-sharklet-wing-tip_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 175px; "></a></p> <p> Sharklet wing tip on an Airbus A320.</p> </div> <p> Andrew Shankland, Airbus senior vice president leasing markets, said,</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&quot;We&#39;re quite close to launching, we haven&#39;t done it yet, it&#39;s a product development study, but the results are looking quite positive, to also offer a retrofit program where we would basically put on from an aerodynamic perspective the same sharket-type device on an existing A320 family airplane.&quot; </em></p> </blockquote> <p> Shankland said Airbus is currently carrying out an airframe-by-airframe &quot;rivet level&quot; analysis on the new Sharklet, to evaluate where the fuel-saving fixtures would be structurally compatible with older A320s.</p> <p> According to Shankland, an estimated 1,000 - 1,200 airframe line numbers will be retrofit cut-off for the sharklets.</p> <p> So far, Airbus has supplied in excess of 5,000 Airbus A320 family aircraft. The first Sharkletted A320 will be MSN5098, which will be delivered to Air New Zealand towards the end of the year (2012).</p> <h3> Official Airbus Sharklet Launch Video</h3> <p style="text-align: center; "> <iframe height="360" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/videoembed/9204/" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="640"></iframe></p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/2267/awas-orders-75-airbus-a320-family-aircraft/">AWAS orders 75 Airbus A320 Family aircraft</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3909/airbus-to-raise-a320-production-rate/">Airbus To Raise A320 Production Rate</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1898/airliner-xp-announces-airbus-a320/">Airliner XP Announces Airbus A320</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/2579/win-fs2crew-for-airbus-a320/">Win FS2Crew for the Airbus A320</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/2689/announcing-unofficial-airbus-a320-manual-print-edition/">Announcing The Unofficial Airbus A320 Manual Print Edition</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4430/bolivias-aerosur-ceases-operations/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4430/bolivias-aerosur-ceases-operations/ Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT <p> Aerosur, Bolivia&#39;s largest airline ceased all international and domestic operations on 31 March 2012 because of unpaid taxes. </p> <p> Vladimir Sanchez, Bolivia&#39;s Minister of Public Works, confirmed that the airline has stopped operating on Bolivian TV. According to Sanchez, Aerosur has a tax debt of US$ 142 million (1.34 billion Bolivianos). However, Aerosur has disputed this debt, and the court case regarding the debt remains open.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/aerosur-bolivia.jpg"><img alt="Aerosur's aircraft and staff." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/aerosur-bolivia_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 78px; "></a></p> <p> Aerosur&#39;s aircraft and staff.</p> </div> <p> Sanchez said, <em>&quot;We will do our best to save the jobs and recover the operations of the airline,&quot;</em> and he added, <em>&quot;But we will not use public money to subsidise the airline. We will do what we can to help the airline to be able to help itself, but they [Aerosur] will have to develop their own rescue plan.&quot;</em></p> <p> In 2007, the Bolivian government formed Boliviana de Aviación (BoA), a state-run national flag carrier airline of Bolivia, in conjunction with private airline AeroSur. BoA is a successor airline of the earlier flag carrier, Lloyd Aero Boliviano (LAB), which went into bankruptcy. Soon after BoA&#39;s launch, Aerosur filed a complaint, accusing the government of offering below-cost airfares and driving Aerosur out of the market.</p> <p> Aerosur began operating in 1992 on domestic routes, and expanded into the international market in early 2000s, replacing LAB as Bolivia&#39;s international airline.</p> <p> In 2010, the Bolivian government introduced new regulations stipulating that aircraft must not be more than 25 years old. As a result, Aerosur replaced <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/images/media/6777/aerosur-b727-200-takeoff/">its old Boeing 727</a> and 737-200 aircraft with newer 737-300s and -400s on both regional and domestic routes.</p> <p> An updated report indicates that the airline resumed some of its flights on 6^th April 2012.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4429/navair-evaluating-new-ch-53k-proposal-from-sikorsky/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4429/navair-evaluating-new-ch-53k-proposal-from-sikorsky/ Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT <p> The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is currently appraising Sikorsky’s proposal to build four pre-production CH-53K Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters.</p> <p> Col Robert Pridgen, program manager at the US Marine Corps (USMC) made the announcement, stating that NAVAIR received the proposal in March 2012, and will soon award a contract after the evaluation is completed.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/CH-53K-helicopter.jpg"><img alt="CH-53K Super Stallion helicopter." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/CH-53K-helicopter_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 143px; "></a></p> <p> CH-53K Super Stallion helicopter.</p> </div> <p> The aircraft will be &quot;fleet-representative&quot;, and used for operational evaluations.</p> <p> The CH-53K is expected to get into service in 2019, and the US Marine Corps plans to purchase about 200 of the three-engined type aircraft.</p> <p> Col Pridgen said although initial plans were to purchase 156 aircraft, the USMC extended the program and increased the aircraft order. He also stated that the USMC plans to run the <a href="http://www.simshack.net/product_info.php?products_id=322">three-engined CH-53E</a> until it is replaced by the new &quot;Kilo&quot; model. USMC will retire the remaining twin-engined CH-53Ds at the end of the year.</p> <p> The &quot;Kilo&quot; model features new design and state-of-the-art technology. However, the launch of the &ldquo;Kilo&rdquo; model will be preceded by integration testing on a ground test vehicle that is currently being developed at Sikorsky&#39;s Florida facilities, and will be completed in 2013.</p> <p> The test vehicle will feature all the essential systems of an aircraft, namely cockpit, rotor head, composite blades and hydraulics. Several sub-systems are currently being tested in advance, as part of preparing installation in the ground test airframe. After the new helicopter has completed all the tests, it will be cleared for flight.</p> <p> Further tests will be carried out to ensure the aircraft is suitable for fleet use.</p> <h3> Official Sikorsky CH-53K Promo Video</h3> <p style="text-align: center; "> <iframe height="360" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/videoembed/9203/" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="640"></iframe></p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/2524/alphasim-release-their-sikorsky-s-55/">AlphaSim Release Their Sikorsky S-55</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3893/northrop-bows-out-of-new-air-force-tanker-competition/">Northrop bows out of the new Air Force tanker competition</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/702/announcing-golden-hawaii-for-fs2004/">Announcing Golden Hawaii For FS2004</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1472/nasa-tests-reveal-wing-warping-controls-aircraft-at-high/">NASA Tests reveal Wing Warping Controls Aircraft at High Speeds</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1734/just-flight-announces-cargo-pilot/">Just Flight Announces Cargo Pilot</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4428/cracks-discovered-on-qantas-two-a380s/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4428/cracks-discovered-on-qantas-two-a380s/ Sat, 14 Apr 2012 08:00:00 GMT <p> Qantas Airways has confirmed that there are severe “type two” cracks on the wings of two Airbus A380 aircraft the airline has inspected to date. The airline is now discussing the cost of repairing the cracks with Airbus, and is seeking compensation from the plane maker.</p> <p> Qantas Airways carried out the inspections following an order from European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European aircraft regulator, which instructed inspections on the entire worldwide <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/1785/fsx-qantas-airbus-a380-800/">fleet of A380 aircraft</a> that have flown in excess of 1,300 times.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/quantas-a380-VH-OQB.jpg"><img alt="Quantas A380 VH-OQB." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/quantas-a380-VH-OQB_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 134px; "></a></p> <p> Quantas A380 VH-OQB - one of the aircraft with these "cracks".</p> </div> <p> Qantas Airways has expressed its concern that ten of its other A380s, which are still to be inspected, many have similar serious cracks, and the cost of repairing will be very high.</p> <p> According to Qantas spokesperson, the airline discovered cracks on the wing-rib feet on two aircraft, VH-OQB and VH-OQA, in February and March 2012, respectively. Qantas said, <em>"We are in discussions with Airbus about the cost implications of the inspection and repair requirements."</em></p> <p> Qantas said it will continue to comply with EASA airworthiness directive that orders inspections on A380s, and that the cracks do not pose any risks to the safety of the aircraft.</p> <p> In February 2012, the airline took another A380 (VH-OQF) out of service after more than 30 cracks were discovered on the wing-rib feet.</p> <p> On 8th March 2012, Airbus parent, EADS, announced that it has allocated €105 million ($138 million) to meet the cost of repairing the initial 67 A380s currently in service. EADS did not mention any provisions for paying compensation to affected airlines.</p> <p> Emirates is also currently seeking compensation from Airbus for disruptions to operations after cracks were discovered on 10 of its A380s.</p> <h3> VH-OQA Landing at London Heathrow</h3> <p style="text-align: center; "> <iframe height="360" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/videoembed/9202/" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="640"></iframe></p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3368/qantas-announces-revised-profit-forecast-and-cuts/">Qantas Announces Revised Profit Forecast and Cuts</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/851/jetstar-virtual-airline-sues-qantas-over-trademark/">Jetstar Virtual Airline Sues Qantas Over Trademark Infringement</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3026/watchdog-probes-qantas-ads/">Watchdog probes Qantas ads</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3034/qantas-jet-delayed-with-wing-damage/">Qantas jet delayed with wing damage</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1027/latest-no-cd-cracks/">Latest No-CD Cracks</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4424/faa-directive-on-pw4000-turbine-due-to-design-flaw/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4424/faa-directive-on-pw4000-turbine-due-to-design-flaw/ Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT <p> On 23rd March 2012, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) adopted a new airworthiness directive (AD) that requires operators of 954 Pratt & Whitney PW4000-series turbofan engines on US-registered wide body aircraft to retire the engines&#39; first stage high pressure turbine (HPT) hubs prematurely. </p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/pw4000-jet-engine.jpg"><img alt="PW4000 Jet Engine." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/pw4000-jet-engine_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 144px; "></a></p> <p> PW4000 Jet Engine.</p> </div> <p> This comes after Pratt & Whitney re-evaluated the low-cycle fatigue analysis of the Boeing 757 engine, as well as for other &quot;similar&quot; engine designs including the PW4000.</p> <blockquote> <p> <strong>FAA said</strong>, <em>&quot;Pratt & Whitney&#39;s updated analysis indicated that the original grain size requirement specified on the HPT stage 1 front hub design drawing was too large, and may not be sufficient to meet published life limits.&quot;</em> FAA farther said, <em>&quot;Although we have not received any reports of cracks, parts with the larger grain size may initiate a crack prior to the published life limits.&quot;</em></p> </blockquote> <p> According to FAA, if cracks develop, this will lead to failure of the hub, causing engine failure and aircraft damage.</p> <p> If the FAA directive is approved, the affected parts that had lifetimes of either 15,000 cycles since new (CSN) or 20,000 CSN will need to be retired at 13,700 or 18,000 CSN, respectively. This will cost about $23 million in &quot;lost life value&quot; for the fleet.</p> <p> FAA said there are 605 PW4000 engines on the US registry that use a 20,000 CSN life limit for the part, and 349 engines with a 15,000 CSN limit. </p> <h3> Video of a PW4090 engine shutting-down</h3> <p style="text-align: center; "> <iframe height="360" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/videoembed/9201/" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="640"></iframe></p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4286/help-design-your-fly-away-simulation/">Help Design Your Fly Away Simulation</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/130/irish-scenery-design-group-news/">Irish Scenery Design Group News</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/173/aircraft-design-studios-releases-c-5-galaxy/">Aircraft Design Studios Releases C-5 Galaxy</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/176/citation-crew-design-group-announced/">Citation Crew Design Group Announced</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/226/fs-design-studio-224-with-3d-animated-scenery-now/"> FS Design Studio 2.24 With 3D Animated Scenery Now Available</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4422/final-assembly-for-a350-static-airframe-begins-in-toulouse/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4422/final-assembly-for-a350-static-airframe-begins-in-toulouse/ Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:18:41 GMT <p> Airbus has embarked on final assembly of the first A350, the static airframe, at its assembly production line in Toulouse, France.</p> <p> Soon after the delivery of the center fuselage, which is 19.7m (64.6ft) long, the airframer started to join it with the 21m forward fuselage section. The aft fuselage to be delivered from Hamburg during the next few weeks, and this will be installed as soon as it is delivered. After that, wings will be delivered from Airbus&rsquo; UK plant at Broughton.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/airbus-a350-static-airframe.jpg"><img alt="Airbus A350 static airframe." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images10/images/airbus-a350-static-airframe_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 132px; "></a></p> <p> Airbus A350 static airframe.</p> </div> <p> The first stages of assembling the forward, centre, and aft sections of the static airframe will be carried out at the &#39;Station 50&#39; point at Toulouse. The nose-gear will also be attached to the fuselage at &lsquo;Station 50&rsquo;. After that, the assembly will be transported to Station 40 where the tail and wing will be assembled. The installation of the cabin will be concurrent with wing-fuselage mating and electrical power-on. This will allow Airbus to start functional tests on the A350.</p> <p> Airbus was targeting commencing final assembly of the static airframe during the first quarter of 2012. However, Airbus&rsquo; parent company, EADS, recently stated that the process will begin in April 2012.</p> <p> This first A350 XWB airframe is part of the certification process that all new aircraft must go through &ndash; it will be used for the aircraft&rsquo;s static structural tests. The final assembly of MSN1, the first flying prototype, will begin during the summer.</p> <h2> A350 Engine test video</h2> <p style="text-align: center; "> <iframe height="360" src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/videoembed/9200/" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="640"></iframe></p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/508/concorde-sst-tribute/">Concorde SST Tribute</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/2107/new-era-in-virtual-aviation-begins/">A New Era In Virtual Aviation Begins</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3606/afs-design-airbus-a350-now-available/">AFS-Design Airbus A350 Now Available</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3855/uaso-intrepid-2-mission-begins/">UASO Intrepid-2 Mission Begins</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3966/airbus-confirms-more-a350-info-coming-soon/">Airbus Confirms more A350 info coming soon</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4420/airbus-no-new-engine-plans-for-a330neo/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4420/airbus-no-new-engine-plans-for-a330neo/ Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT <p> Airbus has ruled out extending its potential A330 improvements to new engines. However, the airframer is interested in broadening the twinjet&#39;s appeal and lengthening its production life ahead of A350 development.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/A330-200NEO-infographic.jpg"><img alt="A330-200 Neo infographic." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/A330-200NEO-infographic_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 84px; "></a></p> <p> A330-200 Neo infographic.</p> </div> <p> The company is considering adding sharklet wingtips for the A330. This alteration was tested on the A320 before Airbus decided to consolidate fuel-burn improvement by re-engining it as the A320neo.</p> <p> Louis Gallois, EADS chief executive, said,</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&quot;The A330 has a future and we want to keep it at the cutting edge of technology and performance,&quot;</em> adding, <em>&quot;So Airbus is encouraged to look at possible improvements with a good business case.&quot;</em></p> </blockquote> <p> Airbus also stated that for now, the airframer is <em>&quot;not thinking of new engines&quot;</em> on the A330. According to Airbus, building a re-engined A330neo would in effect recreate a configuration that was discarded in favour of the existing A350 family. Additionally, this would have a negative impact on the 250-seat market of the A350-800.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1515/airbus-boeing-eye-production-rate-boosts-across-product/">Airbus, Boeing Eye Production Rate Boosts Across Product Lines</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3958/airbus-story/">The Airbus story</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/415/pss-releases-airbus-a330-a340-add-ons/">PSS Releases Airbus A330/A340 Add-ons</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1408/airbus-unveil-new-superjumbo-a380/">Airbus unveil new Superjumbo A380</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1434/airbus-invited-to-build-in-boeing-heartland/">Airbus invited to build in the Boeing Heartland</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4417/quiet-supersonic-business-jet-is-being-developed-in-russia/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4417/quiet-supersonic-business-jet-is-being-developed-in-russia/ Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:00:00 GMT <p> The initial phase of design work for a quiet supersonic business jet is underway at a large Russian aeronautical research agency. The jet will be quiet enough to fly over populated areas.</p> <p> The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI), in cooperation with a number of Russian companies, is developing the preliminary design of the aircraft. Aircraft engine manufacturer NPO Saturn and aircraft maker Sukhoi are some of the companies working on this project.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/tsagi-building-russia.jpg"><img alt="The TsAGI building in Russia." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/tsagi-building-russia_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 82px; "></a></p> <p> The TsAGI building in Russia.</p> </div> <p> Official conceptual images of the aircraft indicate that it has a pointed, long nose and four engines on top of the aft fuselage. The aircraft also features thin, long wings and twin vertical tails.</p> <p> TsAGI stated that through this project, Russia aims to position itself at the forefront of the aeronautics industry, as a technology leader in a probable new market for business aviation.</p> <p> According to Sergei Lyapunov, deputy director general of TsAGI, the number and diversity of research organizations and companies in this project is unprecedented in Russian aeronautics.</p> <p> The team working on this project will also analyze the domestic engines that would be capable of powering this new aircraft.</p> <p> The idea of a Russian supersonic business jet is not new &ndash; it has been on the drawing board for many years. In the past, Tupolev issued proposals for a Tu-444 supersonic business jet to run 4-hour flights between Moscow and New York. In the 1990s, Sukhoi teamed up with Gulfstream to develop a design of the S-21. However, commitment to the project halted and the partnership was dissolved due to uncertain market demand for supersonic air travel, although Sukhoi has continued work on the S-21.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1508/market-proven-for-supersonic-bizjet/">Market Proven For Supersonic Bizjet...</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1529/pilatus-business-aircraft-endorses-flight1-pc-12-product/">Pilatus Business Aircraft Endorses Flight1 PC-12 Product</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/2474/just-flight-releases-vlj-business-jet/">Just Flight Releases VLJ Business Jet</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4157/is-concorde-most-loved-airplane-of-all-time/">Is the Concorde the Most Loved Airplane of All Time?</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1507/chasing-concorde-supersonic-race-heats-up-again/">Chasing Concorde: Supersonic Race Heats Up, Again…</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4415/boeing-close-to-receiving-787-genx-and-330min-etops/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4415/boeing-close-to-receiving-787-genx-and-330min-etops/ Fri, 30 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT <p> Boeing will soon receive General Electric GEnx-1B engine-airframe certification for its 787. This achievement is likely to coincide with 330min extended operations (ETOPS) approval, according to Mike Sinnett, 787 chief project engineer of the 330min ETOPS requirements.</p> <p> ETOPS allows twin-engined airliners to fly long-distance routes.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/GEnx-1B_d42657_22.jpg"><img alt="The GEnx-1B Jet Engine." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/GEnx-1B_d42657_22_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 133px; "></a></p> <p> The GEnx-1B Jet Engine.</p> </div> <p> Boeing will deliver Japan Airlines&rsquo; first 787s towards the end of this month (March 2012). The airline will be the launch customer for the GEnx-1B engine inaugurating US service. This new type will be in service in April 2012, servicing the Tokyo-Narita - <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/7550/fsx-logan-international-airport-scenery/">Boston-Logan</a> route. A 330min ETOPS certification is not required for this route, even though the aircraft will be certified to fly routes that require a diversion airport between 3 hours and 5 hours 30 minutes flying time.</p> <p> GE stated that its GEnx-1B engine pairing certification with 787 will consist of both its Performance Improvement Package (PIP1) configurations and baseline Block 4. PIP1 will account for a 1.4% enhancement in fuel consumption, owing to an increase in the number of low-pressure turbine (LPT) blades.</p> <p> GE stated that the first batch of <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/4105/fsx-japan-airlines-boeing-787-8-repaint/">Japan Airlines&rsquo; 787s</a> will be fitted with PIP1 configuration engines.</p> <p> United Airlines will have its six 787s delivered during the course of this year, and the airline will be the first carrier to need the 330min requirement for creating the most optimal routing between its Houston, Texas hub and Auckland, New Zealand.</p> <p> While the 180min approval for Trent 1000-powered 787s was granted before it got into service in October 2011, the final approval for the 330min certification required some &quot;software adjustment&quot; in order to meet US FAA regulatory criteria. The completed airframe tests will now allow airframe approvals beyond the initial 180min airframe certification.</p> <p> Meanwhile, Airplane 35, a 787 for Air India, completed its GEnx-1B certification testing flight on 23 February 2012. </p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4432/japan-airlines-received-first-two-787-8s/">Japan Airlines' Received First Two 787-8s</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1423/boeing-officially-adopt-787-for-dreamliner/">Boeing officially adopt 787 for Dreamliner</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/746/ai-aardvark-releases-boeing-747-400/">AI Aardvark Releases Boeing 747-400</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1325/taws-certification-flights-begin-soon/">TAWS Certification Flights Begin Soon</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1447/boeings-747-freighter-development-proceeding-according-to/">Boeing's 747 Freighter Development proceeding according to plan</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4414/delta-air-lines-boeing-737-rolls-off-taxiway-faa/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4414/delta-air-lines-boeing-737-rolls-off-taxiway-faa/ Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT <p> A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-732 left a taxiway, descended an embankment, and sustained significant damage at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 5:00 a.m. EDT. There were no passengers on board. </p> <p> The accident occurred when two mechanics from Delta TechOps were performing a scheduled static test of the aircraft&#39;s two turbo fan jet engines. The aircraft departed a taxiway, ended up nose down, and tilted at an acute angle, with considerable damage to the fuselage, port engine and undercarriage. Fire crews and airport police were immediately dispatched to attend to any more threats.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/delta-off-taxiway.jpg"><img alt="Delta 737 in embankment." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/delta-off-taxiway_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 125px; "></a></p> <p> Delta 737 in embankment.</p> </div> <p> The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident.</p> <p> The two mechanics who were working on the aircraft were not injured, and there were no injuries to personnel on the ground. The aircraft was not in service at the time of the accident, but it affected airport operations, causing delays of up to 45 minutes to several flights.</p> <p> Although media reports suggested that the aircraft&#39;s hydraulic braking system failed during the routine inspection, Delta stated that these reports are inaccurate. Delta said, <em>&quot;We are working with the US Federal Aviation Administration to determine a cause&quot;.</em></p> <p> Delta TechOps carries out engine and airframe maintenance and repair work on Delta&rsquo;s 750 aircraft. The company also provides third party maintenance service to about 150 other operators.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1515/airbus-boeing-eye-production-rate-boosts-across-product/">Airbus, Boeing Eye Production Rate Boosts Across Product Lines</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/483/ai-aardvark-releases-boeing-767-300/">AI Aardvark Releases Boeing 767-300</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1858/fsx-missions-737-delta-now-available/">FSX Missions 737 Delta Now Available</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/303/ai-aardvark-releases-boeing-727-200/">AI Aardvark Releases Boeing 727-200</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3744/golden-age-releases-boeing-model-40/">Golden Age Releases Boeing Model 40</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4412/boeing-wins-awards-for-setting-new-records-for-787-flight/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4412/boeing-wins-awards-for-setting-new-records-for-787-flight/ Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMT <p> The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) presented Boeing with two awards on 28 February 2012 for the 787&#39;s attempt to set a new record for the longest flight for an aircraft in its weight class, and for establishing a new record for an around-the-world speed.</p> <p> On 6 December 2011, ZA006, Boeing&#39;s sixth <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/1888/fsx-boeing-787-8/">787</a> flight test aircraft, departed <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/967/fs2004-king-county-international-airport-boeing-field/">Boeing Field, Seattle, US</a>, on the way for Dhaka, Bangladesh. The new twinjet was fitted with General Electric GEnx-1B engines, and it weighted 212t (467,375lb), including 103t of fuel.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/ZA006b-test-flight.jpg"><img alt="Boeing's ZA006 test flight from Boeing Field." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/ZA006b-test-flight_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 133px;"></a></p> <p> Boeing&#39;s ZA006 test flight from Boeing Field.</p> </div> <p> ZA006 landed in Dhaka after flying 10,710nm (19,814km), with 13.6t of fuel remaining. The aircraft beat the distance record for the 200-250t weight class held by an <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/3571/fsx-delta-airlines-airbus-a330-223/">Airbus A330</a> that flew 9,127nm in 2002.</p> <p> The aircraft stopped for refuelling in Dhaka and about 200 people toured the plane. After taking 86t of fuel, the aircraft left Dhaka headed east for the second leg of the journey.</p> <p> The vertical and lateral navigation modes (<a href="http://forum.flyawaysimulation.com/forum/topic/6704/vnav/">VNAV</a> and <a href="http://forum.flyawaysimulation.com/forum/topic/28637/lnav-and-vnav/">LNAV</a>) of the 787 were used to fly most of the record-breaking flight. NAA regulations prohibit cutting a waypoint corner short because the LNAV optimizes routing. As a result, the 787 was required to switch to heading select mode, overflying predetermined turn points in New York, Luxor, Egypt, and southern India before proceeding on course.</p> <p> On its return journey to Seattle, the aircraft arrived with 9.08t of fuel remaining, even though it accelerated to Mach 0.88 for the final six hours of the flight. The global circumnavigation lasted 42 hours and 26 minutes.</p> <p> Onboard the aircraft were two NAA observers and six pilots on rotating 4-hour shifts during the flight.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3041/boeing-strike-may-threaten-new-jet-test-flight/">Boeing strike may threaten new jet test flight</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4376/microsoft-flight-review/">Microsoft Flight Review</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4197/rise-of-flight-wins-award/">Rise Of Flight Wins Award</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4423/ideal-flight-10-for-fsx-released/">Ideal Flight 10 for FSX Released</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/288/microsoft-flight-simulator-2004-review/">Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 Review</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4410/boeing-aims-to-launch-777x-at-end-of-2012/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4410/boeing-aims-to-launch-777x-at-end-of-2012/ Mon, 26 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT <p> Jim Albaugh, CEO of Boeing commercial unit, has announced the company is aiming to launch its conceptual 777X by the end of 2012.</p> <p> In a speech at the unveiling of Boeing&#39;s 1000th 777, Albaugh said,</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&quot;We&#39;re working towards being in a position toward the end of this year to talk to our board. That&#39;s assuming the business case closes, that&#39;s assuming the technical trades are ones that close&quot;.</em></p> </blockquote> <p> On a strategic level, Boeing&rsquo;s objectives for the decade were to achieve parity between the re-engined 737 Max and <a href="http://www.simshack.net/product_info.php?products_id=567">Airbus A320neo</a>, in conjunction with making a large investment to further strengthen the position of its wide body family for the coming decades.</p> <p> One of the airlines interested in the 777X is Emirates, and Boeing recently briefed Emirates on the latest 777X studies. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairperson of Emirates, said,</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&ldquo;Our teams have been in dialogue with the Boeing team for some time now, it&#39;s really very interesting to see this new aircraft if it will come out. It would be an excellent aircraft to have in Emirates&rdquo;</em>.</p> </blockquote> <p> The new Boeing 777X will be a highly efficient derivative of the Boeing 777, a wide-body, long-range, twin-engine jet airliner. Commonly known as &ldquo;Triple Seven&rdquo;, the aircraft is the world&#39;s largest twinjet with a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,370 km), depending on model, and has a seating for more than 300 passengers.</p> <p> The abstract two-member 777X family includes a 14,800km (8,000nm) 407-seat 777-9X and 353-seat 777-8X and probably a third model in an ultra long-range 777-8LX. The lengths of the -9X and -8X models will exceed those of the existing 777-300ER and -200ER fuselages, and will have a 787-style composite wing.</p> <p> Boeing is hoping to launch the new <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/3481/fsx-emirates-boeing-777-300er/">777 family</a> along with a 323-seat 787-10X, a stretch of the 787-9 due for service in 2014. This is expected to create an even spread of Boeing&#39;s wide body product line from the 242-seat 787-8 to the 467-seat 747-8.</p> <p> Although Albaugh did not provide details on the new 777X&rsquo;s potential efficiency compared to the 777-300ER, he said it would be large improvement, and the company expects its customer base to be very interested in this new aircraft.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4405/rolls-royce-unveils-new-engine-concept-for-777x/">Rolls-Royce Unveils New Engine Concept for 777X</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1515/airbus-boeing-eye-production-rate-boosts-across-product/">Airbus, Boeing Eye Production Rate Boosts Across Product Lines</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4415/boeing-close-to-receiving-787-genx-and-330min-etops/">Boeing Close to Receiving 787 GEnx and 330min ETOPS Certification</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4395/first-boeing-747-8i-delivered/">The First Boeing 747-8I Delivered</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1423/boeing-officially-adopt-787-for-dreamliner/">Boeing officially adopt 787 for Dreamliner</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4407/pilots-of-lufthansa-cargo-boeing-md-11f-crash-failed-to/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4407/pilots-of-lufthansa-cargo-boeing-md-11f-crash-failed-to/ Sat, 24 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT <p> Saudi Arabian investigators have reached the conclusion that the pilots of the Lufthansa Cargo Boeing MD-11F that crashed on landing at Riyadh on July 27th, 2010, failed to recognize the landing bounce that occurred before a sequence of hard touchdowns and the destruction of the aircraft.</p> <p> The investigation report indicates that as the aircraft conducted a landing approach to Runway 33L, it flared at a low height for its 207t landing weight. The aircraft touched down with a sink rate of 780ft/min, which is extremely higher than the usual 120ft/min, hence creating a 2.1g impact that caused the MD-11F to bounce.</p> <div class="figure"> <p> <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/lufhansa-cargo-crash-riyadh.jpg"><img alt="Lufthansa MD-11 Cargo Crash at Riyadh." src="http://flyawaysimulation.com/media/images9/images/lufhansa-cargo-crash-riyadh_medium.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 138px;"></a></p> <p> Lufthansa MD-11 Cargo Crash at Riyadh.</p> </div> <p> The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) stated the landing was still recoverable at this point, but the crew did not recognize the bounce and did not use the recovery procedure that requires pilots to apply thrust to control the rate of descent and continue with normal landing.</p> <p> After the first touchdown, the aircraft bounced to a height of 4ft, and the captain pushed the control column drastically forward, which reduced the pitch. Due to main-gear spin-up, the <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/4276/fsx-lan-cargo-mcdonnell-douglas-md-11f/">MD-11F</a>&rsquo;s spoilers had also started deploying, further reducing the angle of attack. The aircraft&rsquo;s lift was weak due to these combined dynamics. Although the pilots pulled on their control columns, the aircraft hit the runway a second time with a sink rate of 660ft/min.</p> <p> The MD-11F&rsquo;s nose-gear rebounded from the 3g impact, causing a 14° pitch-up as the aircraft bounced a second time, to 12ft. With the pilots pushing the control column forwards and then pulling back, a third hard impact of 4.4g occurred. This damaged fuel lines and ruptured the fuselage aft of the wing, igniting a massive fire.</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&quot;While the first touchdown resulted in a bounce, the landing was recoverable,&quot;</em> said the GACA. <em>&quot;The severity of the subsequent touchdowns was not a consequence of the first touchdown, but primarily a result of the pitch angle during the bounces, which resulted from the actions of both flight crews on the control column.&quot;</em></p> </blockquote> <p> Although there was severe structural damage to the aircraft when it swerved off to the left side of runway and consumed by the blaze, both pilots survived the accident.</p> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4119/boeing-747-8-intercontinental-takes-to-skies/">Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental Takes to the Skies</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4376/microsoft-flight-review/">Microsoft Flight Review</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3310/tuninter-crash-pilots-get-10-year-jail-sentence/">Tuninter Crash Pilots Get 10-Year Jail Sentence</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4037/boeing-vs-airbus/">Boeing vs. Airbus</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/990/tvac-announces-boeing-717-200/">TVAC Announces Boeing 717-200</a></li></ul> Aviation News http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4405/rolls-royce-unveils-new-engine-concept-for-777x/ http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4405/rolls-royce-unveils-new-engine-concept-for-777x/ Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:00:00 GMT <p> Rolls-Royce has announced its new RB3025 engine concept for the 777X. This is in response to requests issued by Boeing to Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney and GE for Boeing&#39;s conceptual wide body 777X.</p> <p> Most commentators expect GE&rsquo;s conceptual GE9X to be chosen for Boeing&rsquo;s 777X, allowing GE to retain the exclusivity it currently holds with its GE90 engine that powers the 777-300ER, -200LR and Freighter. However, proposals from other aircraft engine manufacturers &ndash; Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney &ndash; will create strong competition to power the 777X family of aircraft.</p> <p> Rolls-Royce&rsquo;s RB3025 engine is rated at 99,500lbs with a 337cm (132.5in) fan for the baseline 407-seat 777-9X, giving the engine a bypass ratio of 12:1. RB3025 offers an improvement in fuel burn of more than 10% compared to the current GE90-115B engine and 15% compared to the Trent 800 engine that powers early models of 777 aircrafts.</p> <p> The new RB3025 engine concept provides a low specific thrust and &quot;excellent&quot; propulsive efficiency, in conjunction with a 62:1 overall pressure ratio. If achieved, this would be the highest overall pressure ratio achieved in a commercial turbofan engine.</p> <p> Robert Nuttall, Rolls Royce vice-president of strategic marketing stated that although the RB3025 builds on the Trent 1000 and <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4375/trent-xwb-powerplant-completes-first-test-flight-on-a380/">XWB engines</a>, the concept is built around the company&rsquo;s Advance3 environmentally friendly engine (EFE) technology development program. This includes a Trent 1000-derived core, composite fan, lean-burn combustor and advanced materials in the combustor and high-pressure elements of the core.</p> <p> Boeing is aiming for the end of 2012 official launch from the company&#39;s board of directors. The company has not indicated whether it will offer several engine choices for the 777X.</p> <p> The 777-8X concept, a 353-seat stretch of the <a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/3510/fsx-boeing-colors-777-200/">777-200ER</a>, will have a thrust requirement of 88,000lb and Rolls plans to have a &quot;single bill of materials&quot; for the RB3025 engines on both the -8X and larger -9X, whereby the lower thrust can be achieved through an easy engine de-rate. Rolls-Royce will work with the Boeing design team to optimize the engine around the conceptual aircraft.</p> <p> Although Rolls-Royce has opposed aircraft re-engining programs in the past, it will actively promote the RB3025 for the re-winged, re-engined 777X. Rolls-Royce will cite the aircraft&#39;s new composite wing as an essential part of achieving the general optimization the engine maker favors when making big investments. Nuttall said,</p> <blockquote> <p> <em>&quot;As far as fuel burn is concerned, the wing on an aircraft is the predominant technology, I think we&#39;re quite comfortable that 777X is a re-optimised aircraft with a new wing and new engine. That&#39;s not just the same as only optimizing the engine for example. We&#39;re very comfortable with this position&rdquo;.</em></p> </blockquote> <h2>Related stories</h2><ul><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4440/europrop-to-ramp-up-production-of-a400m-turboprop-engine/">Europrop to Ramp-up Production of A400M Turboprop Engine</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/3214/tss-releases-rolls-royce-rb211-sound-pack/">TSS Releases Rolls Royce RB211 Sound Pack</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/1280/lionheart-creations-releasees-f-136b-concept-interceptor/">Lionheart Creations Releasees F-136B Concept Interceptor</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4410/boeing-aims-to-launch-777x-at-end-of-2012/">Boeing Aims to Launch 777X at End of 2012</a></li><li><a href="http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/117/veda-kit-1-is-ready-for-concept-designers-competition/">VEDA Kit #1 Is Ready For Concept Designers Competition</a></li></ul> Aviation News