Category: Airbus

(Airbus) In its continuing efforts toward eco-efficiency – and to help the whole aviation sector prosper with less impact on the environment, such as reducing emissions from aircraft operations – Airbus has teamed with Honeywell Aerospace; UOP, a Honeywell Company; International Aero Engines (IAE); and JetBlue Airways to pursue development of a sustainable second-generation biofuel for use in commercial aircraft.

The companies’ joint activity will help develop renewable energy technology to convert vegetation – and algae-based oils into aviation fuels and to evaluate the challenges for obtaining approval for this fuel by standards organizations. Such non-food-crop biomass fuels are known to provide a better fuel-to-emissions lifecycle than current kerosene.

JetBlue, IAE, Honeywell and Airbus are examining the benefits of jet fuels derived from renewable biomass sources that do not compete with existing food production or valuable land and water resources. This “second-generation bio-jet” fuel used will be produced using technology developed by Honeywell’s UOP, a leading developer of technology and products for the refining industry. UOP has developed a process to convert biological material into renewable jet fuel that performs identically to traditional fuels while meeting the stringent performance specifications for flight.

“Over the last 40 years, aviation has reduced fuel burn – and therefore carbon dioxide emissions – by 70 percent, but more needs to be done,” said Sebastien Remy, Head of Alternative Fuels Research Programs for Airbus. “Millions of barrels of kerosene are used each day for aircraft fuel, and worldwide demand is growing. In order to replace a significant portion of that jet fuel with bio-jet, we need to find something that has much greater yield than the current biomass sources available. Airbus believes that second-generation bio-jet could provide up to 30 percent of all commercial aviation jet fuel by 2030.”

The potential environmental advantages of using second-generation bio-jet are extensive, including reduced emissions and particulates; reduced carbon footprint; improved engine cleanliness; reduced contrail formation; and overall lifecycle benefits. In addition to investigating the environmental benefits, the partnership will conduct research into whether biofuels could potentially be developed that will expand payload-range aircraft performance, reduce fuel burn, and increase engine reliability and durability – all critical cost points for aircraft operators.

“This has the potential to benefit every world citizen beyond those involved in our business,” said Russ Chew, President and Chief Operating Officer of JetBlue Airways. “Each of our companies has the social responsibility to work toward developing a cleaner way to do business, and this effort we are undertaking with Airbus, Honeywell and IAE is a major stepping stone toward further reducing our environmental impact.”

Source: Airbus

Airbus has awarded the contract for the design and manufacture of the lower composite centre fuselage frame (fuselage section 15) of its new A350 XWB aircraft to U.S. company Spirit AeroSystems of Wichita, Kansas. The contract is one of many announced recently for the newest member of the Airbus fleet, and is further evidence of Airbus’ commitment to growing its development and manufacturing activities around the world.

Airbus has restructured its industrial set-up to focus on core activities. As a result, the company is optimizing its global foundation by developing and consolidating its robust supply chain. For the A350, around 50 percent of the aero-structures work will be outsourced to risk-sharing partners. Airbus is awarding large work packages to tier-1 suppliers, such as Spirit, in return for a better distribution of future investment, risks and opportunities.

Spirit AeroSystems will produce the composite fuselage structure in a new facility to be built in North Carolina.

Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. is the world’s largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer. The company builds several important pieces of Boeing aircraft, including the fuselage of the 737, portions of the 787 fuselage, and the cockpit (referred to as “Section 41” by Boeing) of nearly all of its airliners. Spirit’s main competition comes from Vought Aircraft Industries, Goodrich, Alenia, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

Spirit formed when Boeing Commercial Airplanes sold its Wichita division to investment firm Onex. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems retained its military business in Wichita, which lies on neighboring land. The Wichita division was responsible for construction of many important aircraft in Boeing’s history, including the B-29 Superfortress, B-47 Stratojet, and B-52 Stratofortress. Spirit can trace its legacy back even further to Stearman Aircraft, which was founded on the same site. Stearman later became part of Boeing. Spirit also includes North American Aviation’s former Tulsa and McAlester facilities (both in Oklahoma.)

Source: Airbus

As part of Airbus’ routine and on-going research into new technologies for the long term, Airbus and Pratt & Whitney announce an agreement to flight test a technology demonstrator version of Pratt & Whitney’s new Geared Turbofanâ„¢ engine. The tests will be performed on Airbus’ own A340 Flight Test aircraft during the fourth quarter of 2008.

The Geared Turbofan engine is one option Airbus is testing and the results will contribute to Airbus’ overall assessment of the different new engine technologies proposed by the engine manufacturers and the benefits they could bring for the future. At this point in time, the tests do not imply either a technological or a business decision on future product developments.

The Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan (GTF) is a high-bypass geared turbofan engine currently selected as the exclusive engine for both the Mitsubishi MRJ and Bombardier CSeries regional jets. The project was originally known as the Advanced Technology Fan Integrator (ATFI). The GTF allows the low-pressure section of the engine to rotate at a different frequency to that of the fan, enabling both components to operate at their most efficient speeds.

Pratt & Whitney claims the GTF will be 10% to 15% more fuel efficient than current engines as well as being substantially quieter.

Source: Airbus & Wikipedia

According to flightglobal, Airbus has filed a patent application for a new commercial trijet, published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on 27 March. Patent No. 7,240,877 B2, already filed on July 13 2005, shows a new trijet design featuring a distinctive, noise-shielding tail structure that allows lowering the tail engine for easier maintenance.

ABSTRACT
A multi-engine aircraft having one engine positioned at the tail of the fuselage may include rear tail units in a vertical longitudinal plane-of-symmetry of the fuselage. The tail engine is disposed in front of the rear tail units on the upper part of the tail of the fuselage. The tail engine is mounted, in a detachable manner, on a rigid supporting structure attached to the supporting structure of the fuselage. A lowering shaft, formed in the tail of the fuselage and plumb with the engine, is supported by the rigid supporting structure. The lowering shaft provides a passage for the engine between a high position corresponding to the operational position of the engine and a low position in which the engine is removed from the fuselage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of former tri-jet aircraft such as the Lockheed L1011, and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, or MD-11.

(…)

In particular, said opening formed in the lower part of the fuselage is obturated by a hatch, articulated on the structure of said fuselage and defining, when it is lowered, an access stairway to the inside of the fuselage. The opening of the hatch or its withdrawal from the fuselage if it is detachable then allows the lowering (or raising) of the tail engine via said shaft.

Cool stuff! 😎

Patent: http://patft.uspto.gov/…

Full article:
http://www.flightglobal.com/…/airbus-files-patent-for-new-trijet-design.html