The system, which will use physical gestures from pilots to manipulate controls in the cockpit, will be required to function in less-than-ideal circumstances, such as when the pilot is wearing gloves or turbulence causes the aircraft to vibrate.

“These new non-contact, gesture-based control interactions will enhance pilot situational awareness, mission effectiveness, and overall aircraft performance,” said Enrique Lizaso Olmos, cofounder and CEO of Multiverse Computing.

Multiverse Computing develops AI systems for finance, energy, manufacturing, logistics, space, healthcare, and defense. The company’s project, “Quantum Gesture Recognition for Aerospace Control,” beat out competitors to win a contract from the Enhanced Pilot Interfaces & Interactions for fighter Cockpit (EPIIC) program.

Unveiled last year, EPIIC is a coalition of more than 20 organizations from 12 European countries backed by more than $80 million from the European Commission through its European Defense Fund. Led by Thales, the initiative includes other aviation giants like Leonardo and Dassault Aviation, as well as university researchers.

The goal of EPIIC is to bolster European militaries with fighter cockpit technology that melds humans with machines, such as virtual assistants, helmet-mounted and large area displays, “eyes-out” systems. It also covers gesture-based hardware and software, the portion of the initiative Airbus is leading.

The aviation titan’s collaboration with Multiverse Computing began this month and will last about one year. The AI specialist will lean on quantum computing to develop algorithms that can recognize pilot gestures. The objective is to eliminate the need for buttons, switches, and other conventional controls.

According to Multiverse Computing, the system could even incorporate virtual or augmented reality technology. Imagine, for example, a headset that projects digital buttons for the pilot to “press” by pointing a finger.

To ensure the AI-based system doesn’t get its gestures mixed up, the partners will put it through simulated testing at Airbus Defense and Space facilities.

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The post Airbus Developing Tech to Control Fighter Jets With Wave of Hand appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Unsurprisingly, choppiness also occurs due to updrafts or downdrafts created by storms. In recent years, however, there’s growing evidence that climate change is causing more inclement weather—and by extension, more turbulence.

But what if we could get rid of that bumpiness for good? In a viral video that has racked up more than 3.2 million views on X (formerly Twitter), Austria-based Turbulence Solutions gave a sneak peek of its Turbulence Canceling solution, which got its first customer earlier this year. The Vienna startup plans to use a combination of sensors, lidar, and flight control software to reduce the effects of turbulence by measuring, predicting, and mitigating choppiness.

Andras Galffy, founder, CEO, and head of technology and research at Turbulence Solutions, told FLYING the company first plans to integrate its solution on GA aircraft, as well as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for planned advanced air mobility (AAM) services.

“Even without climate change increasing turbulence, especially for light and small aircraft flying low and fast, comfort is a showstopper.” Galffy said. “A very limited number of passengers enjoy flying GA aircraft for comfort reasons. AAM and eVTOL will need to provide turbulence-free ride quality and passenger comfort for returning and recommending customers.”

Galffy, who earned his doctorate in flight control from Vienna University of Technology’s Automation and Control Institute, founded Turbulence Solutions in 2018. But the company appears to have emerged from stealth in 2022, when it began circulating the now-viral video on LinkedIn and posting on Facebook and X.

According to its website, Turbulence Solutions has already obtained a U.S. patent for its solution, with a few others in the application process. It also tested the system on board a crewed demonstrator aircraft, which it used to gather in-flight data, in 2021, Galffy said.

Based on that data, the company predicts Turbulence Canceling will reduce the load felt by passengers by more than 80 percent, though the system is a comfort feature and won’t be required for operation. The company said it will use a feedback and “feedforward” approach, combining dynamic lift control with predictive sensor technology.

The solution’s Turbulence Load Prediction component will provide the “feedforward,” anticipating choppiness in front of the aircraft. Pressure sensors and wind lidar technology will combine to measure differential pressure ahead of the wing, predicting vertical acceleration to an estimated 1 m/s/s degree of error, the company claims.

That system will send feedback to a Direct Lift Control system, which dynamically adjusts wing shape within fractions of a second (as a bird does) to reduce inertia on the flaps and stabilize angle of attack. This component will incorporate flight dynamics beyond wing root moments, including vertical acceleration, pitch, roll, and wing bending. It can be integrated on aircraft with conventional flaps or enable wing morphing.

Galffy contrasted this strategy with conventional turbulence avoidance methods, which often involve pitching the entire aircraft via elevator input. This, he said, is simply too slow of a reaction to avoid choppiness.

How Pilots Handle Turbulence

By and large, pilots know what to do when they encounter turbulence, but existing mitigation strategies aren’t exactly ideal.

Chapter 12 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge introduces the concept of turbulence and educates about its causes and effects. Typically, the initial course of action is to slow to maneuvering speed—fast enough to keep the aircraft in level flight, but slow enough to escape structural damage from choppiness. 

Pilots are required to know this speed, which is specified by aircraft gross weight in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook and is commonly placarded in the cockpit: the heavier the aircraft, the higher the maneuvering speed. 

The strategy is similar to driving slowly on a bumpy road to avoid dents from potholes. For passengers, however, this can cause discomfort or raise concerns about the aircraft’s safety.

Less frequently, pilots will take a different road entirely; that is to say, they will adjust course or altitude to avoid the turbulence altogether. But for large aircraft in particular, rerouting can strain fuel requirements and increase carbon dioxide emissions. And for smaller aircraft traveling short distances at low altitude, it’s a near-impossible task, Galffy said.

In short, there is no simple recourse for pilots who encounter choppiness. On its website, Turbulence Solutions points out that eVTOL designs are also susceptible to turbulence. These aircraft are relatively light but cruise at high speeds, and turbulence could tank customer satisfaction or limit the availability of planned AAM services.

Galffy told FLYING the company has already developed systems to sufficiently reduce turbulence for light and eVTOL aircraft. This year, the startup picked up its first customer: a manufacturer of 1,300-pound ultralights. 

Next up will be adding fail-operational capabilities to integrate Turbulence Canceling on larger models. Galffy mentioned business jets and airliners as potential customers. For now, though, the focus is on a simpler system for GA and eVTOL aircraft, which the CEO said is easier to certify.

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The post Startup Looking to Eliminate Turbulence for GA Pilots Goes Viral appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

That truism holds whether you’re approaching the grand event at Aéroport Paris-Le Bourget in France as a spectator, a member of the trade, or an exhibitor proposing a new product, service, or technology for the future.

For us, we took the metro, then the train, then walked the 2 miles to the entrance gate, 1 hour, 15 minutes each way. There were buses—but we walked faster than they could move through the traffic. For those who had houses rented nearby, the time en route fluctuated horribly—and was no better, stuck in the congestion. I honestly considered electric vertical takeoff and landing craft in a different light—but could we all be buzzing around? Would it just transfer the congestion from the streets to the skies?

But for those exhibiting, the road to #PAS2023 clearly began years—even a decade or more—ago, as the maturity of solutions like those very eVTOLs shone brightly as a force field against the pressures to decarbonize. And they joined sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen-powered aircraft, and new ways to make lift in concert to assuage the skepticism that we could collectively achieve the net-zero emission goals the industry has promised by 2050.

So, How Did it Feel?

Normally rotating years with the similar aerospace trade show of record in Farnborough, UK, “Le Bourget” last commenced in July 2019, a victim in 2021 of the extended seizures of the pandemic. 

I’ve spent the bulk of my career in general aviation—with a short foray at a Boeing subsidiary, but still in aviation training—so the while Paris the city wasn’t new to me, the Paris Air Show was. So, in late June, we formed a vacation around PAS, to visit friends in Paris and see for myself what the spectacle would hold. 

How would it feel to walk around a static display not just hosting the latest from Gulfstream and Dassault and Daher, but also Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer’s commercial transport category jets and bristling military hardware? As it turns out, imposing to stand next to, but also thrilling. And I once again had that feeling I’d been a fighter pilot in another life when I sat in the Super Tocano at Embraer. No, they didn’t allow selfies…

Dassault celebrated its 60th anniversary with Mirage and Rafale displays across the aisle from its trijet Falcon 8X, 2000LXS, the nearly-certificated 6X and the 10X mockup. We watched the airshow for a bit after lunch with former Dassault test pilots from the deck of the media chalet—a completely different airshow performance than the ones I know so well from EAA AirVenture and Sun ’n Fun and the Reno Air Races.

In fact, I had a chance to sit in on one of the pilot briefings for the airshow on Thursday morning and climbed the stairs in the rain to the control-tower-like command center from which the air boss and his deputies would coordinate the whole affair. A common thread? After briefing the weather, boxes, and run of show, everyone save the pilots were dismissed for the debrief on the previous days’ events. The debrief stays sacred and reserved to just those flying—to preserve its integrity and allow for the free flow of information and safety recommendations. More on that in a follow on story for FLYING.

But Wait, What About the Big Guys?

We took a brief tour of the Boeing 777X-9, all kitted out inside for flight test—just like the flight test articles of the much smaller jets. I think of being on board the Cessna Citation Mustang conforming prototype in 2006. So the 777X is just… a lot bigger. 

While on board, we talked with Brad Surak, who heads up Boeing Digital Services now, with Jeppesen, ForeFlight, and now Cloud Ahoy under his oversight—probably one of the few GA spaces left within the Big B. The good news? It sure sounds like they are allowing the teams they’ve acquired to keep focused in their respective lanes. More on that, too, in a later story.

Technology on Display

And what of the halls filled with delegations from countries around the globe, presenting their research, and workforce, and production skill sets as solutions? Mockups, prototypes in various states of compliance, and an endless stream full of great ideas.

My personal favorite—and yes, the subject of upcoming coverage in the magazine—was the EcoPulse technology demonstrator, which is a joint project between Daher, Safran, and Airbus. It appeals to me not only because of its TBM DNA, but because it is so completely and purposefully not-even-close to a commercial product. And it was on display in its full reveal. 

We know that aerospace manufacturers experiment all the time to drive forward—and as aviation journalists we relish the chase, trying to figure out what the next move will be from a favorite OEM. There are so many questions to answer—and it was with clear delight that the program’s manager for Daher, Christophe Robin, walked us around F-WECO, essentially telling us everything that was working as well as a bunch of things that never would. And they were so glad to find out. Though I’m sure there’s more they’re not quite ready to share yet…

Another great example of future-forward application of new sources of power for flight? The Elfly project underway in Norway. Taking a tried and true airframe style based somewhat on the amphibious Grumman Albatross, the Noemi (for “no emissions”) plans to utilize quiet electric motors to access a string of seaplane ports along Norway’s fjordic coast. They hope to be operational commercially in 2029.

And the Elephant in the Room?

So, you may be asking, did we see protests like the ones popping up across France—and throughout Europe—all summer, spiteful towards private aviation? 

Security was like an unseen hand, most of the time, and it wrapped itself around Le Bourget as though wearing a velvet glove. We passed a few minutes every morning in the media entrance line having bags and bodies searched, as you might expect—and the maze to get in the general entrance gate was really interesting—made purposefully difficult to run straight through.

But we spent more than an hour each day walking from the train station to the airport gates, with no signs of strife. There were, however, more police vans assembled along the perimeter roads than I have seen in after several years of living in the western EU. Most of the gendarmerie appeared to be playing Sudoku on their phones.

And within Paris itself, we were fortunate too—aside from getting a dose of eau de Metro during rush hour a few times, we escaped unscathed and fully provisioned with wine, paté, and great stories for the months ahead to pursue.

The post What Happened in Paris appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“South Georgia Technical College is Georgia’s oldest aviation maintenance educational training facility and one of the oldest in North America,” said SGTC president Dr. John Watford. “Our college is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and aviation maintenance was one the original programs offered beginning in 1948. Over the past seven and a half decades, the college has graduated exceptional aviation maintenance technicians, including state and national SkillsUSA winners.”

In addition to the outstanding aviation maintenance technology program, SGTC has been ranked as the top community college in Georgia for the past four years by two different agencies. SGTC offers students the “complete college experience,” with nationally ranked academics, student activities, and intercollegiate athletics. SGTC is one of only two technical colleges in Georgia with on-campus housing and a full cafeteria.

 SGTC boasts a 100 percent job placement rate for graduates, including the aviation maintenance technology, avionics technology, and aircraft structural technology programs. The aviation maintenance programs can be completed in four to six semesters. Financial aid is available, including the HOPE Grant, HOPE Career Grant, and the Federal Pell Grant. SGTC is also an FAA-approved training and testing site. All SGTC aviation maintenance students receive the opportunity to take the FAA Airframe and Powerplant license exams upon graduation. SGTC aviation maintenance graduates are eligible to work anywhere in the United States with those licenses.

South Georgia Technical College aviation graduates are employed by Gulfstream Aerospace, Robins Air Force Base, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Thrush Aircraft, Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, Cessna, Maule Air, and other companies.

The SGTC aviation maintenance program classes are conducted in the 42,000-square-foot Griffin B. Bell Aerospace Center with five full-time instructors. Victoria Herron, an SGTC aviation maintenance technician graduate with more than 20 years of experience in education and the industry, serves as the lead instructor and department chair for the program.

New students are accepted in fall and spring semesters.

Beginning in fall 2023, the HOPE Grant will pay 100 percent of tuition costs for eligible Georgia residents. And since the aviation maintenance programs are classified as HOPE Career Grant programs (High Demand Industry), full-time students will receive an extra $500 to cover the cost of fees ($391). On-campus housing is available for $3,000 per semester for a double-occupancy room with a private bath. That fee includes 19 meals per week, Wi-Fi, and cable TV.

The cost of attendance at SGTC before financial aid is $100 per credit hour ($200 for out-of-state students), plus $391 in fees.  The college waives out-of-state fees for military families. Aviation maintenance students sign up for 15 to 18 hours per semester. SGTC only charges tuition for up to 15 credit hours per semester. Students who qualify for the HOPE Grant, HOPE Career Grant, or receive the full federal Pell Grant can attend at no personal cost as long as they maintain a 2.0 GPA. The college does not accept Stafford Loans, so students graduate debt-free.

In addition to the aviation programs, SGTC offers a number of other transportation-related programs, such as electric power generation, heavy equipment/diesel technology, commercial truck driving, high-performance engines/motorsports, automotive technology, and auto collision and repair. Other programs available include: welding and joining technology, drafting, precision machining and manufacturing, industrial electrical, electrical lineworker, industrial systems, and a wide array of business-related and medical programs. 

SGTC serves as the Southeastern Caterpillar Dealers College of Technology and the John Deere Agriculture Technology training facilities for the Southeastern U.S. Students in these two-year programs receive on-campus education and practical work experience from their sponsoring dealers, resulting in an associate degree.

For more information or to apply, visit the South Georgia Technical College website at www.southgatech.edu and click on “Apply Now.”

SGTC admissions director Candie Walters can be reached at cwalters@southgatech.edu or 229-931-2299. Herron can be reached at vherron@southgatech.edu or 229-931-2584. For other inquiries, text or email sgtc411@southgatech.edu

The post South Georgia Technical College Celebrating 75 Years of Success appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Electra.aero unveiled the eSTOL (electric short takeoff and landing) demonstrator at a special ceremony at 5 p.m. EDT Monday to present the concept and answer questions about both the technology and vision for its future use. According to the company, the aircraft represents the first use of blown lift using distributed electrical propulsion, allowing the airplane to to take off and land in short distances.

The two-seat airplane utilizes eight motors and an internal hybrid-electric power generator to recharge its battery system. The company plans to put the aircraft into a full flight test program this summer as it works towards a nine-seat production model. The production version is expected to begin testing in 2025. In all, the company anticipates the final version to carry 2.5 times the payload and exhibit a 10-times-longer range with 70 percent lower operating costs than vertical takeoff alternatives. Electra.aero claims this will transpire “with much less certification risk, proving that climate-friendly technology can also be cost-effective.”

• READ MORE: Electra eSTOL Developer Acquires Airflow

“In the three years since we founded Electra, we’ve designed our eSTOL aircraft, validated our blown-lift technology with a subscale demonstrator, and run a fully integrated test of our 150-kilowatt, hybrid-electric generator at full scale,’’ said John Langford, founder and CEO of Electra.aero. “Now we’re ready to test the entire system with this technology demonstrator aircraft. We can’t wait to fly this plane and show the world what our eSTOL aircraft can do.”  

Electra expects a 1,900-pound passenger and cargo load capacity, and it’s shooting for a 434 nm (500 sm) range.

Certification and Investor Backing

The idea is to give operators the best of both worlds—airplane and rotorcraft—with the capability to use similar spaces to land and take off. Entry into service is hoped for 2028, with the company seeking FAA Part 23 type certification by that time. Electra’s financial backing comes from a recent $30 million funding award from the U.S. Air Force as part of a total of $85 million it can draw from. The company also holds letters of intent from more than 30 potential customers, with a valuation of $4 billion if fully realized.

“Electra was founded to build electric aircraft that make sense,” said J.P. Stewart, vice president and general manager for Electra. “We are meeting market demand for cleaner, cost-effective aircraft that can fly people and cargo closer to where they want to go, and this technology demonstrator aircraft will prove that our eSTOL technology makes that possible.” 

Launch partners Bristol and Southern Airways were on hand for the rollout, along with representatives from the Air Force’s Agility Prime program. Ground tests will continue this month, with first flight anticipated later this summer.

The post Electra.aero Unveils Hybrid-Electric STOL Demonstrator appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

There is no lack of debate about how LSAs feel in the air. While some think they are too “twitchy” because of their relatively light weight, others think they are nimble, fun, affordable machines that deliver a great deal of desirable “stick-and-rudder” flying on as little as three gallons of automotive gas per hour.

With your curiosity piqued, the next obvious step is to see for yourself just what LSAs can do. The problem is that, unlike heavier legacy fleet airplanes, LSAs are far less common, and dealers are spread out in every corner of the U.S. Lucky for you, though, if you really want to get your hands on an LSA, there is a very good and nearly free option you may not have considered.

A simulated flight in an LSA using the incredibly accurate X-Plane software is the best way to experience this level of recreational flying when a real LSA is not available. I have been using X-Plane since the very first versions, and today’s version 11.5 is a mature, nearly bulletproof simulator that delivers extremely accurate characteristics in all phases of flight.

How the developers at X-Plane manage to deliver such accuracy in flight characteristics is best explained by Austin Meyer, creator of X-Plane.

“In a nutshell,” Meyer said, “X-Plane breaks the airplane down into many small mathematical pieces, finding the local air velocity vector on each piece. Once X-Plane knows the airspeed and direction acting on each bit of the airplane, it can determine the force acting there. Once it has done this for each bit of the airplane wing, stabilizers, props, gear legs, etc., for the entire airplane, X-Plane has the total forces and moments acting on the airplane at any given moment in flight. X-Plane then divides these forces and moment by the mass and moments of inertia of the airplane to get linear and angular accelerations, and then integrates those to velocities and then positions, moving the digital model through space.”

 X-Plane has been hard at work developing version 12, which is a full rewrite of the simulation program. I cannot possibly go into all the details here, so if you are curious about what is coming next for this simulator, read their latest X-Plane 12 Flight Model Report, all 25,134 words of it!

As a registered user (free) on the X-Plane site, you will find a large assortment of (also free) LSAs that can be downloaded and flown. These airplanes are vetted for quality, and with only a rare exception, their developers have done their homework to make sure the simulated airplane flies exactly like the real thing.

I spend a lot of time these days flying various LSAs in X-Plane as I write this light sport/sport pilot series, as this gives me a better perspective when the real thing is just not available. Here is a look at a few simulated LSAs I have been flying lately.

Piper J3 Cub

I am lined up where the numbers would be if Runway 13 at Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh (WS17)  had numbers. Choosing the Piper J3 Cub with tundra tires, I firewall the throttle and immediately the tail comes up, just like the real thing. I’ve dialed in just 5 knots of crosswind out of 235 degrees, and staying on the rudder pedals keeps the nose pointed down the grass runway, and the X-Plane Cub is off the ground before I know it.

The minimal but also quite realistic avionics in front of me tell me only what I really need to know to stay in the air, and after a quick touch-and-go at the Ultralights Field and a greaser landing right on Boeing Plaza, I take back off and buzz the controllers in the tower, because in a flight simulator, you can do that without hearing from the FAA.

I choose Runway 31 back at Pioneer for my landing, and with a bit of a right-rear-quartering tailwind, as expected in real-life, the Cub is a handful until those huge tundra tires grab the grass below me. The X-Plane Cub flies as expected, and even a small reduction in its limited power brings the nose down into a gentle descent.

Zenith STOL CH701 ‘Sky Jeep’

To give this simulated STOL machine a good workout, I am using Idaho’s Johnson Creek (3U2) with an elevation of 4,690 feet. I’m using Runway 35, and have dialed in wind 011 at 10G12 at ground level. This will be a quick lap around the patch, with steep rising terrain to my left, and much steeper terrain just east of the runway.

With one notch of flaperons, I am off the runway in a blink of an eye, and the Zenith handles the “sporty” mountain winds without flinching. I clean up the airplane and set into an aggressive left climbing turn, seeing 60 kias at 1,000 fpm. Now with a decent tailwind, the CH701 heads south down the valley at almost 90 kias, and I turn back towards the airport, pulling power and adding the first notch of the full-span flaperons. With the airport made in a comfortable 64 kias approach, I drop full flaperons and combined with the simulated Zenith’s fixed leading-edge slats, I slow quickly to 50 kias. Even with the gusty winds, the X-Plane CH701 seems on rails, and I touch down at 45 kias, stopping in what seems like 200 feet.

While I have never flown this airplane in real-life, the sim version did exactly what I expected it would, and handled the bumpy and somewhat demanding landing with zero surprises. 

• READ MORE: A Major Disability Couldn’t Stop This Determined Sports Pilot

Van’s RV-12iS

Ready to depart Wittman Regional Airport’s (KOSH) Runway 36, the panel of the X-Plane RV-12iS looks exactly like the real thing. The Dynon SkyView EFIS before me will look familiar to anyone who has flown behind this glass.

The RV-12iS flight starts with the canopy open, so the first thing to do is mouse-click the top of the frame, which closes the canopy. Takeoff with no flaps takes 6 seconds, and I am headed for Appleton Airport (KATW) in a 100-knot cruise climb, with the Rotax 912iS giving me 600 fpm. Level at 2,500 msl, I see 113 kias at 5,400 rpm, and after a very stable approach at 70 kias, I touch down on Appleton’s Runway 30 at 50 kias and am stopped quickly, easily making the first taxiway.

The X-Plane RV-12iS is a stable flyer, and even when I dial up the low-level turbulence in the sim’s weather settings on the return leg back to Oshkosh, the ‘Twelve’ stays on course and is easy to control, just like the real RV-12 I flew at the Sebring Sport Aviation show a few years ago.

• READ MORE: E/AB Kits Put the ‘Affordable’ in Affordable Sport Buying

A Good Investment

At just $59.99 for a digital download, buying X-Plane 11 is sound advice when you are shopping for an LSA. You’ll need a fairly new desktop computer to meet the software’s minimum system requirements, and if you’re not sure of what’s under the hood of your computer, X-Plane has a free demo version that works just like the full version, so you can download it and see if your computer’s RAM and graphics card can handle the rather intense demands that this simulation software places on your system.

If you are a Microsoft fan, their Flight Simulator software has graphics that many feel surpasses X-Plane, and numerous LSAs are available for download either free or as payware. MSFS is sold in three versions, with the standard edition being $59.99, and it also comes in a deluxe edition for $89.99 and a premium deluxe version for $119.99.

• READ MORE: Legendary Movie Pilot Shares a Lifetime of Great Stories

One note about flight simulators that should not be ignored is the need to use a quality flight control stick or third-party yoke/throttle/rudder pedal setup for the best experience. I use a very well-built VKB Gladiator MKII flight stick that has numerous buttons and switches that are easily programmable to suit my type of simulated GA and commercial aircraft flying. Without rudder pedals, X-Plane’s AI engine simulates yaw; however, a twist of the Gladiator MK11’s “joystick” does offer very accurate rudder pedal operation. (Note that the controller I use has been discontinued, but VKB’s other flight sticks are available here.)

The post Flight Simulators Can Bring Sport Aviation to Your Desktop appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Wednesday’s certification opens the door for Marshall and Mountwest to start offering aviation maintenance technology as a program in their aviation divisions. 

In a statement, Marshall Division of Aviation head Carl Mummert said he is excited to bring this opportunity to students. “We are glad the FAA has approved our joint program between Marshall and MCTC. This program will provide well-paying jobs for our graduates and extend our commitment to developing the aviation industry in West Virginia and the region.”

MCTC will now open enrollment for fall 2022. Each semester the school will accept up to 30 students into the program. 

The AMT program will consist of specialized, hands-on instruction to prepare students for entry into the aviation maintenance industry servicing general aviation or commercial aircraft. Located at the Tri-State Airport (KHTS), in Huntington, West Virginia, the program will provide training opportunities to communities in West Virginia and Ohio, as well as Kentucky. 

The aviation maintenance Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree will run continuously, year-round, for 18 months. Students will be eligible to sit for the FAA airframe and powerplant certification exams after graduation. A&P certifications are valid in any state and can bring in an average salary of $65,000 annually.
To provide students with the best chance of finding a job after passing the FAA exam, the AMT program is partnered with Delta Air Lines [NYSE: DAL] Technical Operations and Embraer [NYSE: ERJ] (the third largest aircraft manufacturer in the world), as well as many other aircraft manufacturing and maintenance companies.

The post FAA Approves Part 147 Certification for Two Schools appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

A: You have a great question, and this topic does not get enough attention. One could argue that the automotive business and aviation began at almost the exact time stamp in history, 1903. On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers took their first manned flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Coincidentally, Henry Ford established the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and began producing the Model A. While the two industries are forever linked, one has outpaced the other in innovation, advanced design, and embracing emerging technologies. Why indeed have automotive piston-powered engines pulled ahead of their aircraft counterparts? Although there are many reasons, the main three drivers are market, oversight, and need. 

Market

In my Earth Day article for FLYING online, I cite sources that highlight the average age of automobiles (12.1) versus those of general aviation aircraft (30 years). Simple economics dictate that autos will receive greater attention in terms of upgraded tech because they’ve seen twice the replacement rate. Innovation costs money, and innovators rely on investors for that capital. Compare the number of automobiles on the road against the number of general aviation aircraft, and you can understand where investors see their ROI. 

The aviation entry barrier is steep. Projects are constantly overdue and way over budget. A familiar parable around the hangar states, “how do you make a small fortune in aviation? Start with a large one.” In all seriousness, there are scholarly journals that tackle this very issue. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health produced a work entitled “Analysis of Technological Innovation and Environmental Performance Improvement in Aviation Sector,” which states in its conclusion, “The long lead time in product development and fleet turnover, as well as the high costs associated with radical technological breakthroughs, were also major barriers.” 

Oversight 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulates automobiles and auto parts and oversees vehicle-safety issues at the federal level. The FAA governs all things aircraft in the U.S. The path to approval, certification, and production is exponentially longer for aircraft. For example, Car and Driver magazine mentions that the average time from conceptual idea to production is approximately six years for automobiles. In stark contrast, it took Honda 18 years to dream, develop, and produce the first certificated HondaJet. Honda had the resources to wait. Most entities do not. 

Need 

In all honesty, until the added focus on climate change in the 21st century, there was not a demand for groundbreaking innovation. The horizontally opposed air-cooled reciprocating aircraft engine works very well. During my 10-year tenure as an engine shop owner, I saw a lot of engines, but not a single FADEC unit rolled through the shop—though this is rapidly changing now. The innovations coming to aircraft recip power today are guided not by demand for a more reliable powerplant but a cleaner, more fuel-efficient one.

The post Why Haven’t Leaps in Engine Tech Reached GA? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to a release, the aerospace giant is moving the headquarters from Chicago, Illinois, to a Boeing campus in Arlington, Virginia. The area is already heavily imprinted by Boeing, as the aerospace and defense firm’s employees in the region support various corporate functions and specialize in advanced airplane development and autonomous systems. 

In addition to designating Northern Virginia as its new headquarters, Boeing plans to develop a research and technology hub in the area to harness and attract engineering and technical capabilities.

“We are excited to build on our foundation here in Northern Virginia,” Boeing president and CEO Dave Calhoun said.  “The region makes strategic sense for our global headquarters given its proximity to our customers and stakeholders, and its access to world-class engineering and technical talent.” 

Boeing has facilities in 65 nations and develops, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.

Today, we announced our Arlington, Va. campus will serve as Boeing’s global headquarters, placing us closer to our global customers and stakeholders. pic.twitter.com/l5GJfARpj7

— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) May 5, 2022

Third HQ for Boeing

Boeing was established in Seattle, Washington, in 1917. At the time, aircraft were constructed primarily of wood, and the area was filled with spruce trees—the wood of choice for military airplanes, because a bullet would pierce the wood rather than shattering it. The supply of raw materials made Seattle a perfect location.

Through the decades as technology evolved, Boeing spread across the country, moving its headquarters to Chicago in 2001. At the time, Seattle media reported that officials in Chicago reportedly offered the company as much as $20 million in tax incentives to relocate the company to Chicago.

Calhoun noted that the company would continue to have a presence in Chicago and Illinois.

“We greatly appreciate our continuing relationships in Chicago and throughout Illinois. We look forward to maintaining a strong presence in the city and the state,” said Calhoun, adding, “We also want to especially thank Governor Youngkin for his partnership, and Senator Warner for his support as we worked through the process.” 

Reduction in Office Space Needs

Boeing officials note that over the past two years, the company has implemented flexible and virtual solutions to reduce office space needs. The company will continue to adapt its workspaces to meet employees needs. 

“In today’s business environment, we have adopted a flexible work strategy in parts of our company and are taking steps to be more efficient within a reduced footprint. This helps us channel investments toward our critical manufacturing and engineering facilities and training resources,” Calhoun said.

A Digital Future

Boeing’s plans to establish a research and technology hub in Northern Virginia come from a desire to advance innovation in the areas of cyber security, autonomous operations, quantum sciences, and software and systems engineering.

“The future of Boeing is digital,” said Greg Hyslop, Boeing’s chief engineer and executive vice president of engineering, test and technology. “Focusing our R&D and talent development in areas that support digital innovation will fuel the introduction of cutting-edge capabilities. This new hub in Northern Virginia will follow the successful implementation of this technology strategy in other regions.”

Boeing employs more than 140,000 people. The company’s three business units will continue to be based at their current headquarters, which include:

• Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, Washington
• Boeing Global Services in Plano, Texas
• Boeing Defense, Space, and Security in Arlington, Virginia

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NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program exists to fund early-stage research to develop technology that could be used in future space missions. The grants are split up into two phases, across nine different states.

“As we set our sights on ever more challenging destinations for exploration with humans and robots, innovative ideas and future thinking will be critical to helping us reach new milestones,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, in a statement. “Concepts like those being studied with this new round of NIAC funding are helping us expand the scope of the possible so we can make it reality.”

For each of the 12 Phase I projects, $175,000 will be allocated to each of the fellows for a nine-month study. Phase II recipients will be awarded $600,000 each for a two-year period.

“As in years past, our new group of NIAC fellows showcases the creativity and vision of the space community at large,” said Michael LaPointe, acting program executive for the NIAC program at NASA headquarters.

The Phase I projects starting this year include:

• Cryospheric Rydberg Radar—NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Silent, Solid-State Propulsion for Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles—Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Combined Heat Shield and Solar Thermal Propulsion System for an Oberth Maneuver—Johns Hopkins University
• CREW HaT: Cosmic Radiation Extended Warding using the Halbach Torus—University of Wisconsin
• The Spacesuit Digital Thread: 4.0 Manufacture of Custom High Performance Spacesuits for the Exploration of Mars—Texas A&M University
• Breathing Mars Air: Stationary and Portable O2 Generation—Arizona State University
• Pi – Terminal Defense for Humanity—University of California, Santa Barbara
• Hybrid Observatory for Earth-like Exoplanets (HOEE)—NASA Goddard
• In-situ Neutral-Optics Velocity Analyzer for Thermospheric Exploration (INOVATE)—University of Colorado
• Starburst: A Revolutionary Under-Constrained Adaptable Deployable Structure Architecture—NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Venus Atmosphere and Cloud Particle Sample Return for Astrobiology—Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• SCOPE: ScienceCraft for Outer Planet Exploration—NASA Goddard

Phase II starting this year include:

• BREEZE: Bioinspired Ray for Extreme Environments and Zonal Exploration—State University of New York at Buffalo
• Kilometer-Scale Space Structures from a Single Launch—Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Atomic Planar Power for Lightweight Exploration (APPLE)—The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California
• ReachBot: Small Robot for Large Mobile Manipulation Tasks in Martian Cave Environments—Stanford University in California
• SWIM: Sensing with Independent Micro-swimmers—NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The program, NIAC, is made possible through funding by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) in Washington, D.C.

“NASA’s mission to explore the universe requires new technologies and new ways of doing things,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s STMD. “Studying these creative ideas is the first step to turn science fiction into science fact.”

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