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The Future of Automation in the Aviation Industry

Recent years have seen a considerable buzz build up around the prospect of automated transport. But in the aviation industry at least, this revolution has been going on for a while.

Every commercial flight, including those undertaken by private jets, takes place with some aspects being handled entirely by a computer.

As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, it’s a near-certainty that a greater portion of piloting duties will be handed over to automated systems. [Read more…] about The Future of Automation in the Aviation Industry

UTC begins work on hybrid electric aeroplane

United Technologies (UTC) has recently launched the advanced projects group within the company, which moves at speed to build and pilot ambitious product and service demonstrators.

The group’s first product demonstrator is a hybrid-electric X-plane under the project name, Project 804.

The number “804” represents the straight-line mileage between the Pratt & Whitney facility in Longueuil, Québec, and the Collins Aerospace facility in Rockford, Illinois.

Boeing 737 crash could lead to planes being fitted with thousands of additional sensors

On the 10th of March this year, a Boeing 737 plane crashed in Ethiopia, killing all 157 on board.

Investigators have released their early findings into another accident involving a 737 operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air, in October last year, and they suggest the cause was “an erroneous angle-of-attack sensor”.

An angle-of-attack sensor is usually positioned to the side of the plane’s nose and detects oncoming air flow, to which it adjusts and sends back data to the plane’s computer system. [Read more…] about Boeing 737 crash could lead to planes being fitted with thousands of additional sensors

New Russian plane looking for room in global market dominated by Boeing and Airbus

An MS-21 medium-range passenger plane, produced by Irkut Corporation, takes off in Irkutsk, Russia, May 28, 2017. Courtesy of Irkut / via Reuters

By Tim Hepher, Reuters

Russia’s new jetliner, which conducted its maiden flight on Sunday, may have a hard time challenging the sales duopoly of Boeing and Airbus, but it does point the way to radical changes in how they could be building jets in the future.

The MS-21, a new single aisle airliner produced by Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, and its associate company Irkut, is the first passenger plane borne aloft by lightweight carbon-composite wings built without a costly pressurised oven called an autoclave.

The manufacturing process provides a test for a technology already being assessed by Western rivals, who are looking for cheaper and faster ways to build some of their aircraft with composites, according to aerospace executives and suppliers. [Read more…] about New Russian plane looking for room in global market dominated by Boeing and Airbus

Boeing completes prototype parts for 777X wing at new billion-dollar advanced manufacturing facility

Boeing says it has completed prototype parts for the wing of its new 777X Dreamliner aircraft.

The company is using advanced manufacturing methods, including additive or 3D printing, in the construction of the passenger plane at its new $1 billion Everett, Washington facility.

When completed, the wing for the 777X will be the largest wing Boeing has ever built. [Read more…] about Boeing completes prototype parts for 777X wing at new billion-dollar advanced manufacturing facility

How motion systems transform airline seating from cramped into comfortable

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As the demand for air travel keeps on growing, so does the needs of the passengers that come aboard.

Aero planes tend to have very limited space for which much of the facilities have to be fitted in and made to the standards that the customers are willing to pay for.

As such, engineers are tasked with figuring out how best they bring about that element without compromising on the size of the air craft and safety among others, while maintaining the economic aspect of the airline owners. [Read more…] about How motion systems transform airline seating from cramped into comfortable