Inside Defense reports that The Boeing Company is planning to “move its global headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, VA.” In addition, the company said Thursday it will “develop a research & technology hub in the area to harness and attract engineering and technical capabilities.” Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun said: “We are excited to build on our foundation here in northern Virginia. 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.”
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Tag: aeronautical engineering
Assembly on Dream Chaser Spacecraft Continues
The Orlando (FL) Sentinel reports the launch of the first Dream Chaser spacecraft could take place by this time next year. The first Dream Chaser, named Tenacity, “has undergone aeroshell and wing deployment system installation at the company’s headquarters in Colorado, shown in a time-lapse video posted to the company’s YouTube channel on Tuesday.” Dream Chaser “will join SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for bringing cargo to the International Space Station, but the company is already planning to build out a human-rated version that could become one of the players to launch crew to the ISS or other private space stations, including their own, this decade.”
Full Story (Orlando Sentinel)
USMC Releases New Aviation Plan
Seapower Magazine reports that the 2022 Marine Corps Aviation Plan, released this week, reduces the “number of F-35Bs in some squadrons from 16 to 10 aircraft.” Lt. Gen. Mark Wise, deputy commandant for Aviation, told reporters on Monday that the change in the numbers in the F-35 squadrons “really had to do with what is the optimum way, so starting with the requirement and moving backwards.”
Full Story (Seapower Magazine)
LCI Orders 50 Alia-250 eVTOLs
Aviation Week reports that LCI “has placed a firm order for 50 Beta Technologies Alia-250 electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL) with an option for another 75.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
AIAA Announces 2022 Design/Build/Fly Winners
Digital Engineering reports that AIAA has announced “the winners of the 26th annual AIAA/Textron Aviation/Raytheon Technologies Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition.” First place goes to the Georgia Institute of Technology, second place to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and third place to FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences. The DBF objective for 2022 “was to design, build and test an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to deliver and drop vaccine components. Missions included deployment of the aircraft, staging of vaccination syringes and delivery of environmentally sensitive vaccine vial packages.” AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher said, “Aerospace trains us to adapt to the unexpected. It’s a good lesson for students as they enter this vibrant and meaningful field.”
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Cape Air Agrees to Purchase 75 Alice Electric Aircraft
Aviation International News reports that Cape Air “has signed a letter of intent with Eviation Aircraft covering the purchase of 75 all-electric Alice commuter aircraft.” The contract signing “comes nine months after Cape Air chairman Dan Wolf told a gathering at the Vertical Flight Society’s Electric Aircraft Symposium that the Alice could enter service with his airline as early as 2023 on scheduled routes connecting Boston and the Massachusetts communities of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket as well as linking Nantucket with Hyannis.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
US Military Sends 700 Switchblade UAVs to Ukraine
CNET News reported that the United States “has sent 600 more AeroVironment Switchblade drones to help the Ukrainian military counter Russia’s invasion, the US Defense Department revealed Thursday.” The UAVs are “included in the Pentagon’s new $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, a package that brings the country’s total contributions to $2.6 billion in security assistance. The US also has sent an undisclosed number of AeroVironment Puma drones, which can circle for hours above a battlefield and help soldiers direct Switchblades toward their targets.”
Full Story (CNET News)
Volocopter Completes Maiden Flight of VoloCity Air Taxi
The Daily Mail (UK) reports that Volocopter “has successfully completed the maiden flight of its first full-size, fully electric VoloCity air taxi, that it claims could transform urban travel.”
Full Story (Daily Mail)
A380 Flies for the First Time on 100% SAF
Aviation International News reports that Airbus, “for the first time, has performed an A380 flight powered by 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in one of its Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, the company said Monday. A380 test aircraft MSN 1 took off from Blagnac Airport in Toulouse, France, at 8:43 am on Friday, remaining in the air for about three hours” on Friday.
Full Story (Aviation International News)
China to Launch More Than 50 Space Missions in 2022
Space News reports that the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation “aims to launch at least 140 spacecraft across more than 50 launches in 2022 following its busiest year in space so far.” Major missions “will include six launches to complete the construction phase of the Tiangong space station.”
Full Story (Space News)