Self-healing wires

Aug 14th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace, Design | 0 Comments

A University of Dayton Research Institute chemist who identified a plausible cause for the explosion that downed TWA flight 800 in 1996, has developed a self-healing wire designed to prevent a similar kind of explosion.

Bob Kauffman and his colleagues at UDRI were part of a team hired to determine the cause of the centre-wing fuel tank explosion that brought down TWA 800 killing all passengers and crew on board. The researchers determined that frayed fuel sensor wiring was to have played a significant role in the explosion.

Research showed that frayed wires exposed to moisture in a fuel tank cause conductive fuel residues to form. Kauffman explained: “If those residues are exposed to DC electricity from faulty wiring, they become red hot and can ignite the surrounding fuel.”

Kauffman’s solution if a PATCH – Power-Activated Technology for Coating and Healing – for wire insulation. The inexpensive and non-toxic formula draws on water and electricity to chemically transform itself into a permanent coating.

Continue reading…

ICON sports plane completes first test flight

Jul 16th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace | 0 Comments

ICON Aircraft achieved an important milestone with a successful maiden test flight of the ICON A5 amphibious sport plane. ICON’s team of engineers completed the full-scale prototype flight at an undisclosed lake in California.

The versatile A5 has a folding wing design for easy transport and storage as well as retractable landing gear for flying off land and water. It is set to undergo a series of test flights throughout the next year with a view to putting the finishing touches on the design and building a pre-production model for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and ASTM compliance. Production is expected to commence in late 2010.

“Everything went as well as an initial test flight possibly could go; so I was very pleased,” said test pilot Karkow, a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. “The aircraft flew exceptionally well and met or exceeded our design expectations. The A5 seems to be a great aircraft right out of the box.”

Taking curves into consideration

Jul 16th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace, Design | 0 Comments

A new manufacturing process developed by GKN Aerospace, makes it possible to create titanium structures from compound curves.

GKN Aerospace’s new ‘Delta pressure forming’ technique builds on the drape creep forming technique previously used by the company to create flat panels of titanium honeycomb sandwich. The new process uses an improved version of this drape creep forming process that substitutes the static weights for a roller system, to produce a cylindrical honeycomb barrel.

The cylindrical barrel is inflated into a die to create the required compound curvature. The operation is conducted in a vacuum furnace at temperatures exceeding 1500?F and the inflation pressure is provided by inert argon gas. Sophisticated forming analyses and special tooling features ensure the honeycomb core and the face sheets are not damaged during the process.

Continue reading…

Rotorcraft takes to remote regions

Jul 14th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace, Design | 0 Comments

The Boeing Company and SkyHook International are to work together to develop a new commercial heavy-lift rotorcraft designed to address the limitations and expense of transporting equipment and materials in remote regions.

The SkyHook JHL-40 aircraft will be capable of lifting a 40 ton sling load and transporting it up to 200 miles without refuelling in harsh environments such as those found in Canada and Alaska. Currently, conventional land and water transportation methods in these underdeveloped regions are inadequate, unreliable and costly. With its lifting capacity and range, the JHL-40 aircraft could change this for a variety of industries.

The neutrally buoyant aircraft allows SkyHook to safely carry payloads unmatched by any rotorcraft currently in existence. The helium-filled envelope is sized to support the weight of the vehicle and fuel without payload. With the empty weight of the aircraft supported by the envelope, the lift generated by four rotors is dedicated solely to lifting the payload, leaving the aircraft naturally buoyant.

Continue reading…

WEAV for surveillance

Jul 10th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace, Design, Electronics | 0 Comments

An associate professor from the University of Florida has developed a ‘wingless electromagnetic air vehicle’ (WEAV), a small, circular spinning aircraft reminiscent of the spaceships seen in films.

The prototype proposed by Subrata Roy, is less than six inches in diameter, and efficient enough to be powered by on-board batteries along with magnetohydrodynamics, or the force created when a current or a magnetic field is passed through a conducting fluid. In the case of the WEAV aircraft, the conducting fluid will be created by electrodes that cover each of the vehicle’s surfaces and ionise the surrounding air into plasma.

The force created by passing an electrical current through this plasma pushes around the surrounding air, and that swirling air creates lift and momentum and provides stability against wind gusts. In order to maximise the area of contact between air and vehicle, the WEAV design is partially hollow and continuously curved.

The WEAV has no moving parts, such as propellers or jet engines, and so is expected to be more reliable. This design also allows the WEAV to hover and take off vertically.

Continue reading…

NASA to send solar sail into space

Jul 4th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace, Design, Electronics | 0 Comments

NASA plans to send a satellite weighing less than 10 pounds into space, with an ultra-thin, 100 square foot solar sail as its primary means of altitude control or orbital manoeuvring.

NanoSail-D is the result of a partnership between Marshall Space Flight Center, and Ames Research Center. NASA will send the satellite into space on-board a SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket, scheduled for launch from Omelek Island in the Pacific Ocean between July 29th and August 6th.

Talking about the NanoSail-D, Edward Montgomery, payload manager, said: “The structure is made of aluminium and space-age plastic. The whole spacecraft weighs less than 10 pounds. We carry it around in a special suitcase – airplane carry-on luggage size.”

Once in space, a Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer, developed at the University of California, will be used to deploy the sail. Fully opened, the kite-shaped sail spreads out about 100-square feet of light-catching surface.

Continue reading…

European spaceship unveiled at air show

May 28th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace | 0 Comments

A model of a proposed European manned spaceship has gone on show at the Berlin Air Show.

The design, from EADS Astrium, is based on the unmanned “Jules Verne” freighter recently sent to the International Space Station.

Astrium says a crewed version of the truck is a logical evolution, and could fly in the next decade if it received support from European governments.

The idea is to combine the avionics and propulsion end of Jules Verne (also known as the Automated Transfer Vehicle - ATV) with a crew compartment taking the place of the current cargo section.

Source: BBC

Self-repairing aircraft mimics the natural healing process

May 28th, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace, Design | 0 Comments

A new technique that mimics the natural healing process could enable damaged aircraft to automatically mend themselves, even during flight.

The technique, developed by aerospace engineers at Bristol University, is based on the bruising and bleeding/healing process seen in humans, and has the potential to be used wherever fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are used.

The technique involves filling the hollow glass fibres contained in FRP composites with resin or hardener. When the fibres break, perhaps due to a tiny hole or crack appearing in an aircraft, the resin and hardener ‘bleeds’ out, enabling the composite to recover up to 80 – 90 per cent of its original strength – allowing the plane to function at its normal operational load.

By mixing dye into the resin, any ‘self-mends’ would show as coloured patches that could be easily pinpointed during subsequent ground inspections, and a full repair carried out if necessary.

Continue reading…

Rolls-Royce completes engine test

May 1st, 2008 | Filed under: Aerospace | 0 Comments

Rolls-Royce has successfully completed the first run of its BR725 engine at its facility in Dahlewitz, Germany. The selection of the engine to power the new Gulfstream G650 aircraft was announced last month.

Dr. Rainer Hönig, Project Director – BR725 and Future Programmes, Corporate & Regional Engines, Rolls-Royce, said: “The engine powered up first time and attained 80 per cent of its full thrust rating. It is demonstrating full functionality and is performing in line with targets set in the early stages of the programme two years ago. This first landmark has been made possible by the strong relationships with our partners and suppliers.”

Continue reading…