Aviation Week reports, “The U.S. Air Force has not taken delivery of KC-46 tankers from Boeing in more than two months as a new issue on the aircraft’s boom was discovered during inspections.”
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Tag: aircraft
Heart Aerospace Unveils Redesigned Hybrid Propulsion System
Aviation Week Network reports, “Heart Aerospace has announced a redesigned hybrid propulsion system built around off-the-shelf turboprops and electric motors, as well as a series of related design changes to its planned 30-seat ES-30 regional aircraft. The redesigned propulsion system, referred to by the company as an ‘independent hybrid propulsion system,’ features a turboprop engine on the outboard of the wing beside an electric motor system placed inboard.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Textron eAviation’s Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Could Take Flight in 2025
Aviation International News reports, “The Nexus eVTOL aircraft is coming together at Textron eAviation’s Wichita headquarters as the company prepares to begin flight testing its hybrid-electric Nuuva V300 cargo drone. Having certified the world’s first all-electric trainer airplane, the Velis Electro, the Textron Inc. business unit is working to solidify its foothold in the electric aviation industry, building on the company’s decades of experience in aircraft development and manufacturing.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Founder of Urban-Air Port Highlights Benefits of ‘Vertical Airfield’
Aviation Week reports, “For the vision of urban air mobility to be realized, vertiports will have to maximize efficiency and passenger throughput while keeping costs as low as possible for vehicle operators and vertical managers–and by extension, passengers … London-based infrastructure startup Urban-Air Port believes use of its patented Vertical Airfield concept could help unlock new gains in efficiency for the advanced air mobility industry.”
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CFM International CEO Anticipates Leap Engine Hitting CFM56 Benchmark Soon
Aviation Week reports, “With some 75% of the new single-aisle engine market and the worst post-pandemic supply chain issues in the rearview mirror, CFM International’s focus is now on increasing the time on wing of its Leap engines … CFM CEO Gaël Méheust told Aviation Daily that the durability of the Leap is set to meet the standard set by the previous generation CFM56.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Unmanned Valkyrie X-58A Joins F-35s in Electronic Attack Demonstration
Defense Daily reports, “An XQ-58A Valkyrie autonomous unmanned combat aircraft equipped with an electronic attack payload successfully demonstrated suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) capabilities with two F-35 fighters in a recent live flight test event at Eglin AFB, Fla., Kratos…”
Full Story (Defense Daily)
Stratolaunch TA-1 Hypersonic Test Vehicle Makes First Powered Flight
Flying Magazine reports, “Stratolaunch has completed the first powered flight of its TA-1 test vehicle, marking what the company called a ‘major milestone in the development of the country’s first privately funded, reusable hypersonic test capability.’”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
KC-46 RVS, Refueling Pod Fixes Delaying Test Process
Aviation Week reported that the Pentagon’s operational test and evaluation office “has collected all the data it can on the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus, as it awaits two key fixes to the tanker – a revamp of the aircraft’s wing refueling pods and the long-awaited redesign of its Remote Vision System.”
Full Story (Aviation Week – Subscription Publication)
Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick, Guy Norris Report on Bleeding-Edge Aerospace Technologies
Aviation Week reported, “From hydrogen to nuclear fusion, Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick and Guy Norris report on the bleeding-edge aerospace technologies that were discussed at the recent AIAA SciTech forum.”
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JSX Plans to Add Over 300 Hybrid-Electric Aircraft to Charter Fleet
Aviation International News reports that on Tuesday, public charter operator JSX “announced its intention to acquire more than 300 hybrid-electric aircraft from three different manufacturers as part of its efforts to decarbonize its US regional air services.” The fleet expansion plans “cover up to 332 aircraft, including a letter of intent with Electra for 82 of its nine-passenger eSTOL aircraft (32 firm orders and 50 options), up to 150 of Aura Aero’s 19-seat Era model (50 firm plus 100 options), and up to 100 of Heart Aerospace’s 30-seat ES-30 (50 firm and 50 options).” According to JSX, it “aims to start operating the first of the new aircraft in 2028, without saying which of the three new types will be delivered first.” The Texas-based company’s fleet currently “includes 48 of Embraer’s 30-seat ERJ145 aircraft, providing up to 120 public charter flights daily under DOT Part 380 and FAR Part 135 rules to 24 US destinations.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)