Advanced winglet on show as Boeing 737 MAX heads to final assembly

 

The 737 MAX team remains on track to roll out the first completed 737 MAX by the end of the year and fly it in early 2016 (Credit: Boeing) Image Gallery (4 images) In June, Boeing’s new 737 MAX single-aisle airliner began wing assembly in Renton, Washington. Since then, the first fuselage arrived from Wichita, Kansas, and is now undergoing final assembly, which includes installation of a new advanced winglet designed to improve fuel efficiency. The fuselage arrived by rail on August 21 and after installing flight systems and insulation blankets the mechanics have moved on to attaching the wings to the body of the first test aircraft. This assembly is more than just a milestone in the building of a new class of passenger aircraft. It also acts as a testbed for new assembly methods that, if proven, will be introduced at two other Renton assembly plants as 737 MAX production expands. In addition, the first 737 MAX sees the introduction of Boeing’s new Advanced Technology winglets, which the company says increase fuel efficiency by 1.8 percent over conventional winglets by capturing more air as it flows off the tip of the wing and turns it into lift. An in-house design exclusively for the 737 MAX, it's based on the blended winglet used in the 737 NG and the raked winglet of the 777. Instead of a much larger winglet, it splits the area into two to create a dual-feather design. This allows for greater efficiency without greatly increasing the size and weight of the winglet. Boeing says the design has undergone wind tunnel tests in Farnborough and Seattle with positive results and this first test aircraft will see the winglet fly for the first time. The 737 MAX is scheduled for rollout later this year, with the first flight in 2016 and the first customer delivery in 2017. Boeing reports that it has orders for 2,869 of the aircraft from 58 customers. Source: Boeing   http://www.gizmag.com/boeing-737-max-final-assembly-winglet/39471/

Retrofittable electric engine adds power and safety to light aircraft

 

Additional electric engine adds safety and power to light aircraft (Credit: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) Image Gallery (5 images) Small, single-engine aircraft are the mainstay of recreational flying, and provide many hours of generally safe enjoyment for hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts worldwide. However, with only one engine on-board, they are also often only a small malfunction away from becoming a heavy, unpowered glider in dire need of somewhere to land. To help improve this situation, researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and AXTER Aerospace have created an auxiliary electric propulsion unit designed to be installed in conventionally-powered light aircraft to both increase available power and provide extra range in the event of an engine failure. Primarily aimed at improving the safety of light passenger aircraft with masses of up to 750 kg (1,650 lb), the retrofittable electric propulsion system has been created in direct response to a perceived need in the light aircraft space. "We are trying to saves lives and prevent accidents related to loss of power during flights, when the engine fails or the fuel runs out," says Miguel Ángel Suárez, from AXTER Aerospace. "We mustn’t forget that every year in Europe and USA there are an average of 600 accidents, 70 deaths and 24 million euros (US$27 million) in losses recorded." The new arrangement sees an electric engine coupled to the conventional engine via the conventional drive system. There's also a high-efficiency lithium battery charged by the plane’s conventional engine, and an automatic electronic control system that automatically adjusts the electric drive motor to the needs of the plane. "If there is a problem with the main engine, this electric engine will start to function, which will provide an additional range of about 20 kilometers, enough for the pilot to land safely," said Andrés Barrado, head of the UC3M Electric Power Systems group. An extra 20 km (12 miles) may not seem a lot, but given that most light aircraft fly in a pattern not too far from their originating airfield, it could make the difference between returning to the safety of the airport or crashing in a field. Serendipitously, the emergency propulsion system can also add around 40 extra horsepower (30 kW), as needed and when selected by the pilot. Not quite in the realm of a super-powered electric unit like the Siemens 260 kW (340 hp) monster, perhaps, but a handy addition to the lowly-powered engines of many light planes nonetheless. "We maximize the capacity of the battery in generating movement with the electric engine, and we have found that we can also use the system as a hybrid for light aircraft: the pilot can activate it when she wants, adding up to 40 horsepower for take-offs or whatever is needed," said Daniel Cristobal, from AXTER Aerospace. Currently being promoted and patented around the world, the creators claim that their system can be installed in all manner of light aircraft, either as a retrofit or in the construction of new aircraft. Claimed to reduce operating and maintenance bills, whilst lowering fuel consumption, the makers also assert that it may one day also be available for other types of craft, including gyroplanes, drones and UAVs.   Source: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, AXTER Aerospace

21 of history's strangest aircraft

 

Man’s been flying a lot longer than you think. In fact, the English Benedictine monk Eilmer of Malmesbury flew for about 200 meters using a glider more than a thousand years ago in 1010 AD.

These days, a plane lands somewhere in the world every 3 seconds. Hardly surprising then that in the last 110 years, there’s been an astounding array of flying machines. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy twenty-one of history’s strangest aircraft ever to grace the skies.

The Caproni Ca.60 Noviplano was a nine-wing flying boat intended to be a prototype for a 100-passenger trans-atlantic airliner. The prototype only made one short flight on 4 March 1921 over Lake Maggiore in Italy. The aircraft attained an altitude of only 18 m (60 ft), then dived and crashed, breaking up on impact. The pilot escaped unscathed.

Alexander Lippisch’s Aerodyne, a wingless experimental aircraft. The propulsion was generated by two co-axial shrouded propellers (1968).

De Lackner HZ-1 Aerocycle flying platform, designed to carry one soldier to reconnaissance missions (1954).

Lockheed XFV, “The Salmon,” an experimental tailsitter prototype escort fighter aircraft (1953).

Snecma Flying Coleoptere (C-450), a French experimental, annular wing aeroplane, propulsed by a turbo-reactor, able to take off and land vertically (1958).

Ames-Dryden (AD)-1 Oblique Wing, a research aircraft designed to investigate the concept of a pivoting wing (1979 – 1982).

B377PG – NASA’s Super Guppy Turbine cargo plane, first flew in its outsized form in 1980.

Bartini Beriev VVA-14, a Soviet vertical take-off amphibious aircraft (1970s).

Dornier Do 31, a West German experimental VTOL tactical support transport aircraft (1967).

Hyper III, a full scale lifting body remotely piloted vehicle, built at the NASA Flight Research Center in 1969.

Proteus, a tandem-wing, twin-engine research aircraft, built by Scaled Composites in 1998.

The Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter) or Beluga, is a version of the standard A300-600 wide-body airliner modified to carry aircraft parts and oversized cargo. It was officially called the Super Transporter at first, but the name Beluga became popular and has now been officially adopted.

Vought V-173, the “Flying Pancake”, an American experimental fighter aircraft for the United States Navy (1942).

Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar, a VTOL disk-shaped aircraft developed as part of a secret U.S. military project (1959).

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin, an American prototype jet fighter, intended to be deployed from the bomb bay of the Convair B-36 (1948). Photo: U.S. Air Force

Northrop XB-35, an experimental flying wing heavy bomber developed for the United States Army Air Forces during and shortly after World War II. Photo: U.S. Air Force

X-29 forward swept wing jet plane, flown by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, as a technology demonstrator (1984 – 1992).

Stipa-Caproni, an experimental Italian aircraft with a barrel-shaped fuselage (1932).

The Caspian Sea Monster, also known as the “Kaspian Monster”, was an experimental ekranoplan, developed at the design bureau of Rostislav Alexeyev in 1966.

X-36 Tailless Fighter Agility Research Aircraft, a subscale prototype jet built by McDonnell Douglas for NASA (1996 – 1997).

Libellula, a tandem-winged and twin-engined British experimental plane which gives the pilot an excellent view for landing on aircraft carriers (1945).

SkyProwler combines a quadcopter and a fixed-wing airplane in one device

The SkyProwler ready for some speed, with its quadcopter props retracted Arizona-based start-up Krossblade is developing a five-passenger "flying car"-type vehicle known as the SkyCruiser. Among other things, plans call for it to take off and land like a quadcopter, while transitioning to faster, more efficient fixed-wing flight while en route. Will you ever be able to buy one? Well, that's hard to say, but if Krossblade's current Kickstarter campaign is a success, you will soon be able to buy a functioning miniature prototype known as the SkyProwler. Like a quadcopter, the SkyProwler has four horizontal propellers that allow it to perform vertical take-offs and landings, and to hover in mid-air. Whereas a copter has to tilt its nose down in order to move forward, however, the SkyProwler uses an additional two vertical props in the rear to push itself forward. This allows it to minimize its frontal area while moving through the air. If users want to make it really sleek and fast, though, they can instruct the aircraft to retract its landing gear and pull its four copter props into the sides of its body, switchblade-style. It's then being powered solely by the two rear props, maintaining lift using its wings. This allows it to cover greater distances using less battery power, and to keep up with fast-moving subjects – its top speed in this configuration is 83 mph (134 km/h). On the other hand, if users know that they're only going to use it for slow-speed flight and hovering, they can lighten it up by temporarily pulling off the wings and tail. Flight time ranges from 24 minutes in quadcopter configuration to 40 minutes when flying fixed-wing. The drone also features interchangeable nose cones, one of which allows it to carry a third-party camera. Another cone, however, contains Krossblade's own gimbal-mounted 4K/30fps EyeHD camera (seen above), which is said to be much more aerodynamic than something like a GoPro. Additionally, because it's mounted right on the nose, the camera can actually be aimed upwards – something that isn't possible on a quadcopter. The SkyProwler is controlled using a radio remote control unit, that comes with an optional live-streaming video screen. If users wish, however, they can remove the GPS module from that unit and carry it with them in a radio arm band, the aircraft then automatically following them by homing in on that module. In that mode (or when using the full remote control, for that matter), they can relay simple commands such as "take off" and "land" via voice prompts. Additionally, using an accompanying app, users can plot a flight path on a map, which the aircraft will subsequently follow on its own. If you're interested in a complete ready-to-fly package, be prepared to pledge US$899 – this includes a 1080p/30fps version of the camera. A model with the 4K camera will set you back $1,399. Shipping is scheduled for July, assuming all goes according to plans. . For examples of military-grade drones that utilize a similar design (except without retractable props), check out the Quadrotor UAV and the Arcturus. Sources: Krossblade, Kickstarter