Tag: aircraft

Small, Autonomous Airlifters Becoming Top Priority for US Air Force

Aviation Week reports, “A new type of military airlifter is rising to the top of the U.S. Air Force’s list of modernization priorities: small, autonomous, electric-powered aircraft capable of short takeoffs and landings—and numbering in the hundreds. Air Force Material Command (AFMC) is in the market research phase for the Next-Generation Intratheater Airlift (NGIA) concept. A five-year prototyping program could begin as early as fiscal 2026, leading to the start in the early 2030s.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

Army Revamping Air Crew Training With Focus on Aircraft and Simulators

Defense News reports, “After several fatal Army aircraft crashes and the arrival of a more complicated airspace in the future, the service is reviewing and updating how it trains its pilots and its warrant officers in particular. Those changes will likely include a look at the types of helicopters soldiers are training with, simulator time and effectiveness, new rotor blades and tail rotor drive systems for the Apache and warrant officers sticking to their technical tasks for longer in the careers.”
Full Story (Defense News)

EasyJet and JetZero to Partner on Development of BWB Aircraft

Airways reports, “British low-cost airline EasyJet (U2) has announced a partnership with JetZero, a California-based company, to develop a Blended-Wing Body (BWB) aircraft. With a significant step towards sustainable aviation and aircraft development, U2 has become the first European airline to partner with the U.S. startup JetZero, which specializes in BWB aircraft powered by hydrogen technology.”
Full Story (Airways)

Amazon Selected as 1 of 6 Participants in U.K. Drone Trials

Flying Magazine reports, “The U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is launching a series of trials to integrate drones into the country’s everyday life. The CAA on Thursday announced it selected six projects that will test the self-flying aircraft’s use for delivery to consumers, infrastructure inspection, emergency services, and more. Prime Air, the drone delivery arm of Amazon flying in Texas, was one of the selections.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)

Airbus Delivers 323 Aircraft in First Half

Reuters reports, “Airbus confirmed on Monday it had delivered 323 airplanes in the first half of the year, up 2% from 316 in the same period of 2023. The world’s largest planemaker also said in a monthly bulletin that it had won 327 gross orders in the first six months of 2024, or a net total of 310 after cancellations.”
Full Story (Reuters)

Boeing Striving to Inspect Aircraft Autonomously

Defense Daily reports, “Using small third-party drones for high-resolution imaging and its own artificial intelligence-based software algorithms, Boeing [BA] is expanding an effort to speed the inspection of military aircraft exteriors and and increase readiness while…”
Full Story (Defense Daily – Subscription Publication)

Global Airlines Upgrade 2024 Profit Outlook as Travel Skyrockets

Retuers reports, “Global airlines on Monday raised their profit forecast for 2024 and projected industry wide revenues just shy of $1 trillion as a record number of travellers board flights. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it expected the worldwide industry to generate $30.5 billion of profit this year, higher than an upwardly revised $27.4 billion in 2023 as carriers keep a lid on underlying labour costs despite recent strikes.”
Full Story (Reuters)

Sikorsky Performing Flight Trials for VTOL Tail-Sitter UAS

Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, is carrying out flight tests to mature the control laws and aerodynamics of a novel vertical takeoff and landing uncrewed aerial system (VTOL / UAS). The flight tests aim to prove the efficiency and scalability of a twin proprotor ‘rotor blown wing’ configuration, designed to sit on its tail to take-off and land like a helicopter, and transition easily to horizontal forward flight.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)