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2 Feb 2010 - CFM56-7BE 150-Hour Block Test imminent; Certification Program on Schedule
Certification of CFM International’s advanced new CFM56-7BE engine is progressing on schedule. In the next few weeks, the engine is scheduled to begin a 150-hour block test, paving the way for the flight test program early this year. A block test, which is a certification requirement, is one of the most grueling to which an engine can be subjected. The engine is operated at what is referred to as triple redline: maximum fan speed, maximum core speed, and maximum exhaust gas temperature. This test simulates conditions far more extreme than would ever been experienced in commercial service to validate the reliability and durability of the hardware. The first full CFM56-7BE type design engine completed ground testing in January, and engine operation and performance was as expected. In the second quarter of this year, the –7BE configuration will begin a 50-hour flight test program on GE’s flying testbed in Victorville, California. Engine certification is on schedule for mid-2010, paving the way for flight tests on the Next-Generation 737 planned for early in 2011, followed by aircraft certification and entry into service in mid-2011. The CFM56-7BE-powered Next-Generation 737 enhanced airplane/engine combination will provide a 2 percent improvement in fuel consumption, which, in turn, equates to a 2 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Additionally, the enhanced -7B will provide up to 4 percent lower maintenance costs, depending on the thrust rating. The CFM56-7BE engine enhancement program, which CFM International (CFM) launched earlier this year, is scheduled to enter airline service in mid-2011 to coincide with Boeing Next-Generation 737 airframe improvements. CFM is using advanced computer codes and three-dimensional design techniques to improve airfoils in the high- and low-pressure turbines to improve engine performance. In addition, CFM is improving engine durability and reducing parts count to achieve lower maintenance costs.
28 Jan 2010 - Changes to Boeing 737 management team
SEATTLE, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) Commercial Airplanes President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Albaugh today announced organizational changes intended to strengthen the company's focus on both performance and long-term strategy. "Our priorities for 2010 and beyond are clear," Albaugh said. "We must execute on our 787 and 747-8 development programs; we must continue to perform on our ongoing production programs; and in this increasingly competitive world, we must develop a clear vision and roadmap for both the single-aisle and twin-aisle marketplaces."
Albaugh announced moves intended to strengthen execution of ongoing Boeing programs, including: Beverly Wyse was named vice president and general manager, 737 Program, also reporting to Shanahan. She replaces Mark Jenkins, who recently announced his retirement after 35 years at Boeing. Wyse most recently was vice president and general manager, 767 Program. She will continue to support the U.S. tanker program.
Albaugh made further executive changes intended to stimulate future growth, saying in a message to employee message Thursday, "Defining Boeing's airplane product strategy is critical to our future growth. We need a clear vision and roadmap for both our single-aisle and twin-aisle offerings for the future. Also, in the global environment in which we operate, we need a sharpened situational awareness of macro-economic and geopolitical realities".
Mike Bair will lead a newly created Advanced 737 Product-Development team, which will be responsible for planning the future of Boeing's single-aisle offering. Bair most recently was vice president, Business Strategy and Marketing, Commercial Airplanes.
27 Jan 2010 - Boeing CEO: Actively Considering New Engine For 737
Boeing Co. (BA) on Wednesday said it plans to maintain production rates for its key 737 aircraft as it nears a decision on updating the model to fend off looming new competition. The company rebuffed speculation that the downturn in the airline industry and tight credit markets would force it to produce fewer 737s despite a bulging order book. Boeing will maintain existing 737 production and also look to provide new engines and other updates to refresh the product range. Chief Executive Jim McNerney said on a conference call that Boeing is "actively considering" putting a new engine in the 737, a move that would be cheaper and quicker than an all-new aircraft. Boeing and rival Airbus have slipped the timescale for a new narrowbody aircraft by five or more years to 2020 to 2024. Airbus has said it will decide this year whether to re-engine its A320 family. "In this era of high fuel prices and productivity requirements, I think airlines are focused more on ongoing productivity than obsolescence. Many of these operators are anxious for us to move," McNerney said. Boeing and Airbus face intensifying competition in the narrowbody segment, which accounts for the bulk of their commercial aerospace profits. Canada's Bombardier is developing a larger new jet with more efficient engines, and an all-new Chinese airliner could also have an advantage over existing Boeing and Airbus models. Russian and Brazilian manufacturers are also eyeing the market. The new Bombardier C-Series expected to arrive in 2013 features a new engine from Pratt & Whitney promising a 15% advantage in fuel efficiency over existing models. Boeing expects to deliver 460 to 465 commercial aircraft, down from 481 in 2009 after electing to trim output of its 777 widebody. Airbus reduced its production rate for A320 single-aisle family to 34 a month from 36 last October. It said there were no immediate plans to adjust it again, but will do so if necessary. Production of A330/A340 widebodies is steady at around eight a month. After a slow year for new aircraft orders, discussions with customers are picking up a bit, McNerney said. A year ago, Boeing had expected to step in with $1 billion of aircraft financing in 2009 to help get planes out the door. It forecast a similar need for manufacturer financing this year. James Bell, Boeing's chief financial officer, said Wednesday that Boeing Capital Corp. financed $800 million of aircraft in 2009, and now expects to provide less than $500 million of financing assistance in 2010. McNerney said commercial banks, lessors and other lenders all are in stronger-than-expected financial shape from last January. Boeing is sold out of new aircraft in 2010 and 2011, Bell said. While customers have canceled or deferred hundreds of new aircraft, he said the rate of deferrals slowed in the final quarter of 2009.
14 Nov 2009 - Boeing to install CMC EFBs in 737NGs, BBJs late next year
Operators are expected to begin installing Esterline CMC Electronics’ new 10.4-inch Class 2 PilotView electronic flight bag (EFB)–selected by Boeing for its Next-Generation 737s and BBJs–on 737NGs starting in the third quarter of 2010, according to Esterline. Plans call for the Class 2 EFB system to come installed on production airplanes and be available for retrofit. Boeing has begun developing a common application suite and ground infrastructure for use across Class 1, 2 and 3 EFBs. The EFB contains all documentation and forms that pilots carry–from aeronautical maps and charts, manuals, fault reporting and operations to minimum equipment lists and logbooks–in digital format. “The news that Boeing will start to install the latest addition to our EFB product portfolio on Next-Generation 737s and BBJs in production next year strengthens our growing OEM supplier position,” said Greg Yeldon, Esterline CMC Electronics president. CMC’s PilotView EFB stays powered during all flight phases, thereby improving productivity and reducing workload. It features an LED-backlit display delivering enhanced readability in all ambient lighting conditions. Authorities have issued more than 23 STCs for the PilotView 8.4-inch EFB on aircraft ranging from the Gulfstream V and IV and Bombardier Global Express/XRS to the Boeing 737. PilotView stands as the sole OEM Class 2 EFB option at Dassault, Pilatus and Emivest Swearingen. Rockwell Collins has selected PilotView for the Bombardier Global platform, as has Embraer for the E 170/190 program, and ATR for the ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft.
21 Jul 2009 - 737 production rate expected to remain steady
Since the turn of the year, speculation about when (or if) the 737 production rate would be cut has thus far proven to be unfounded. Its value proposition has forced operators to realise that “out with the old, in with the new” mantra is an endearing philosophy.
Let’s look at some of the figures this year. At the half-way mark, there have been around 500 Airbus and Boeing deliveries. Of that, 81% of those deliveries for Airbus comprised the A320 family and for Boeing, the 737 accounted for 77% of deliveries thus far. No question, narrowbody airplanes are leading the delivery charge as airlines phase out older jets and replace them with new-build ones that offer a raft of new technology, are more greener and efficient along with a much lower cost of operation. Boeing has the benefit of its single-aisle production being housed in one location, and not three. Despite a 737 production rate of just over 30-a-month, more deliveries are being brought forward than being pushed out, such as this deal with Copa Airlines demonstrates. Where Qantas once stepped in to take American Airlines 737-800 slots a few years ago, a role reversal today means that where the Australian airline has deferred a plethora of airplanes, American is speeding up retirement of its MD80 fleet by snaring freed up slots. Funding of course is a question, but in parallel to placing orders, much of the backstop financing and money for pre-delivery payments and progress payments continued to be readily available “on tap” for those pre-2008 orders.
The constant call for rate adjustments is not consistent with the marketplace. This cycle could be the first in history where jets less than 10 years old cut from the world fleet due to excessive capacity may never return to active service. There certainly isn’t chronic oversupply, nor has there been any significant downward pricing pressure on new or second-hand 737s. The key indicators will be deliveries from the second half of 2010 and beyond. Any slow down in replacement could be the trigger for delivery rate adjustments – and even that is by no means a certainty with many speculating that the “green shoots” of recovery are not that far away. Critically, any 737 rate revision will not exceed the 15-20% window. Boeing still derives plentiful economies of scale on its most productive and efficient assembly line. One of the fundamental reasons why the 737 will continue to both capture orders and maintain rates is because of consumer spending. With this downturn, businesses are just not prepared to pay vast sums of money to fly execs around anymore (witness the collapse in premium traffic just about anywhere).
In Europe, Ryanair has long been poised to churn its existing 737-800 with up to a couple hundred more of the same – low cost carriers are driving the growth and could in turn spur the revival of fractional ownership too. In the absence of orders, if Ryanair does, as expected, go for more 737s, just why would Boeing need to cut rates when one of their biggest customers simply wants more 737s as quickly as they can be built? With Copa Airlines taking delivery of its new 737s from 2012 through 2015 and exercising its options between 2015-17, it takes less customers than some think to keep the Renton line ticking over as nicely as it has done since the woes it had in the late 1990’s. If Boeing has learned lessons with its product portfolio, then the 737 is streets ahead of the sceptics and certainly doesn’t have to pay attention to rate cuts that are incompatible with what’s going on in the market.
03 Jun 2009 - Northern Air Cargo 737-200s First with WAAS
Northern Air Cargo said it has implemented the new Wide Area Augmentation System technology, which will let its Boeing 737-200 jets follow more direct flight paths and increase their ability to land safely in low-visibility conditions.
The Federal Aviation Administration developed the technology, Northern Air said.
Its 737-200s are the first Boeing aircraft in the United States equipped with the technology, the Anchorage cargo airline said. The technology will save Northern Air money, improve its service and lessen its environmental impact, the airline said.
12 May 2009 - 737 AEW&C Wedgetail gets STC
Boeing’s 737-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft has received its supplemental-type certification (STC) from FAA, marking the first time one of the company’s larger battle management platforms has received this commercial approval rating.
“It’s a big milestone for us,” Boeing AEW&C business development senior manager Egan Greenstein says. The STC, received May 11, is an amendment to the 737-700IGW (increased gross weight) certification and means the substantially modified aircraft meets all FAA standard airworthiness requirements.
Approval also means pursuing international sales and deliveries will be considerably easier, and comes as Boeing awaits the outcome of an independent study into the aircraft’s Northrop Grumman-developed multirole electronically-scanned array (MESA) radar. Commissioned by the Australian government, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory study is evaluating the baseline architecture of the MESA surveillance system and its abilities.
The report was prompted by a series of long-running delays to the program, which was launched with a development contract in 2000 by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for its Wedgetail AEW requirement. The first pair of six Wedgetail 737s are now slated for delivery in November, roughly three years later than originally planned.
If the study returns a negative verdict, Australian reports suggest this could give the RAAF a legitimate reason to cancel the program. But Greenstein expresses confidence and notes significant re-engineering two years ago. “We feel confident about our foundation, and that we’re on the right path, and that there are no weaknesses in the system,” he says. “We have been implementing fixes to improve performance.”
Boeing is currently working through acceptance tests on the radar and continues to introduce periodic software drops as the program moves toward first deliveries. “Any changes we’re doing now are minor fixes,” Greenstein says, adding that the early development phase faced issues with radar tracking and integration. “In 2000, when we started, the maturity of the radar system was not as far along as we’d have hoped,” he concedes.
Boeing and the RAAF also are working through initial data collected from the aircraft’s first realistic operating exercise. Wedgetails took part in a military operational utility demonstration called Arnhem Thunder from late April to last week, based out of Darwin in the Northern Territories. Working with air, ground and sea forces, the aircraft’s crew controlled multiple engagements over six sorties.
Developmental test and evaluation work also is under way on the first of four Turkish Peace Eagle AEW&C aircraft at Boeing Field. Deliveries of the Turkish aircraft are expected to begin in 2010, while the first of four South Korean Peace Eyes are due to enter service in 2011. The remaining three Korean aircraft are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2012. Negotiations, meanwhile, continue with the United Arab Emirates over the potential sale of from two to four AEW&C aircraft, while Boeing has also responded to a request for information from India.
28 Apr 2009 - Boeing Unveils Performance & Comfort Changes to 737NGs
SEATTLE, April 28, 2009 -- Boeing unveiled Tuesday enhancements to its 737 single-aisle jet that should modestly boost fuel performance and significantly improve the passenger experience. The good news for travelers on this workhorse of domestic flights is the new passenger cabin will have lots more room overhead: No more hunching under the luggage stow bins as you exit your seat or wait for other passengers to disembark. The package of enhancements is designed to refresh the 737 brand now that Boeing has pushed out a replacement jet at least until late in the next decade. The changes include improvements to the engine made by CFM, a joint venture between General Electric and Snecma of France. But with this announcement, it appears Boeing has ruled out a major redesign of the airplane to enable it to fly with Pratt & Whitney's all-new "geared turbofan" engine. "We have a dynamite partnership with CFM," said John Hamilton, chief engineer on the 737. "We're going to stick with them." The new 737 cabin design, dubbed the "737 sky interior," is modeled on the innovative 787 Dreamliner passenger cabin. It includes blue mood lighting and brighter colors. And it replaces the shelflike stow bins with sharply curved pivoting bins of the type introduced on the 777 jet 15 years ago. When opened for loading, they pivot down to about the same height as bins used today. But when closed, they tuck high into the corner of the cabin and remove that low overhang that makes it impossible to stand fully upright even in the aisle seat. The new 737 interior will roll out late next year. It will be standard on jets going to new customers, but optional on airlines already having 737s. Some may choose to keep all their cabins looking alike, rather than switch.
Airlines already signed up to get the new cabin are Continental Airlines in the U.S., FlyDubai of the United Arab Emirates, GOL of Brazil, Lion Air of Indonesia, Malaysia Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle and TUI Travel of London. Fuel burn may matter more to airlines like European budget carrier Ryanair, a top 737 customer known for its commitment to low prices with minimal service and comfort. Boeing is targeting a 2 percent reduction in fuel consumption by 2011, through a combination of airframe and engine improvements. Structural improvements — refining the aerodynamic shape of the wheel well, the wing control surfaces, an exhaust outlet and even the red warning light on top of the fuselage — will reduce drag on the airplane. On the engine, Boeing has designed a shorter exhaust nozzle and an elongated plug at the back to reduce drag. The overall reduction in drag will reduce fuel consumption by about 1 percent. CFM claims its improvements to the engine innards — taking out some of the blades and reshaping others to improve air flow — will provide the remaining 1 percent fuel-burn improvement and also reduce maintenance costs about 4 percent compared with the current engine. The enhanced engine is expected to enter service in mid-2011.
16 Apr 2009 - RAAF's Wedgetail future on the line
Max Blenkin April 16, 2009 - 3:45PM The future of the RAAF's $3.45 billion Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW and C) aircraft project is on the line. Defence is soon to receive a series of reports which could lead to cancellation of the troubled project, now running three years behind schedule. Should that occur, the loss to the Commonwealth would dwarf the disastrous Seasprite project, cancelled last year at a cost of $1 billion. It would also leave Australia without long-awaited AEW and C aircraft, a vital element of future air combat capability. Warren King, general manager of programs for the Defence Materiel Organisation, said the Wedgetail program remained very challenged and under intense pressure from Australia and prime contractor Boeing. Mr King said the two key problems related to performance of the aircraft's advanced MESA radar and the electronic surveillance systems. He said defence had commissioned the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory to assess radar performance and judge whether it could achieve the desired capability. As well, the RAAF will conduct tests of a Wedgetail aircraft under Australian conditions next month. The Lincoln report is imminent. Mr King said the intention was to assess this report, the RAAF trials and other tests conducted in the US to determine whether the radar technology could mature over time. "If it has no future there is no point going forward with it," he told a parliamentary committee. "Bluntly speaking, it would be - is there a future or not for this technology? The extreme of that is to recommend to cancel the program." Mr King said much of Wedgetail was at or near doing exactly what it should. But it was clear some elements of Wedgetail radar performance would not meet RAAF technical specifications, but it wasn't clear by how much. "We still have to get air force's view about what does that shortfall mean operationally," he said. Mr King said defence and Boeing were aiming for an end of June deadline, although there might not be enough information to make a decision until July, August or even September. He said Australia was only paying the contract fee and the real issue was not having the military capability. The Boeing 737 Wedgetail was chosen in 1999 at the conclusion of a protracted project definition and procurement process launched in the 1980s. Australia opted for six Boeing 737 aircraft, each equipped with the advanced Northrop Grumman MESA radar which appeared to offer very considerable advantages over elderly rotating antenna radar systems on US E-2 and E-3 aircraft. But that required substantial development to produce a mature capability. Wedgetail was initially promised for delivery in 2006, but under a revised schedule the first aircraft should arrive this November with a limited capability suitable for training, but not operations.
31 Mar 2009 - Boeing 737 Certification For Kid-Systeme's GSM On Board Technology
Hamburg/Buxtehude - KID-Systeme, the leader in aircraft cabin electronics, recently announced at the Aircraft Interiors Expo that its GSM on Board inflight passenger communications system, used by OnAir, has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) supplement type certification for Boeing 737 aircraft. The Boeing 737, is operated by more than 500 airlines including Ryanair, the first airline to commit to a full fleet deployment of Mobile OnAir. EASA supplement type certification for the B737, in service for Ryanair, follows certification for the OnAir mobile telephony system on the whole Airbus A320 family of single-aisle aircraft.
Ryanair currently has over twenty aircraft flying with the KID-Systeme‘s GSM on Board equipment and OnAir's inflight passenger GSM voice and data services. Ryanair is in the process of retrofitting the equipment to the rest of its B737 fleet.
The Boeing retrofit installation design and Supplemental Type Certification (STC) process was managed by KID-Systeme with its partner ECS. A key feature of the STC retrofit design is the use of an innovative distributed Line Replacement Unit installation concept, allowing the GSM on Board equipment to be installed during an aircraft's regular maintenance check. The design of this system enables activation during an over-night stop, meaning the aircraft does not have to be taken out of passenger service.
The GSM on Board equipment has been designed to minimise weight and space usage, particularly in areas designated for passenger use. The GSM server is located in the electronics bay under the cockpit; the leaky-line cable runs along the inside ceiling of the cabin; and the satellite communications equipment, picocell and onboard control equipment are located above the ceiling panels in the aft fuselage.
Patrick Schrot, Managing Director of KID-Systeme, said, "This EASA certification demonstrates the excellence of the programme run by KID-Systeme and ECS. It has also paved the way for Ryanair's inflight passenger connectivity services and we have no doubt it will prove to be the tipping-point for the technology's wide-spread adoption."
KID Systeme's GSM on Board airborne equipment has already been in commercial use on Air France, bmi, Royal Jordanian, TAP Portugal and Wataniya Airways, with further airlines signed up to start the service in 2009 and 2010. It is unique in that it uses Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband technology, providing passengers with the widest range of inflight communications services currently available.
24 Mar 2009 - IAI's Bedek Aviation Group Delivers First Boeing 737-400 Converted Freighter
BEN GURION INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ISRAEL -- Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Bedek Aviation Group delivered its first B737-400 Bedek Special Freighter Configuration (BDSF) on March 15, 2009, to General Electric Commercial Aviation Service (GECAS). The aircraft has been leased to Bluebird Cargo based in Iceland. Bluebird already operates three B737-300BDSF aircraft.
This is the 39th B737 conversion from Passenger to Freighter (P2F) aircraft performed by IAI to date. The conversion was performed at IAI's Ben Gurion Airport facility. IAI holds Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Dany Kleiman, IAI Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Bedek Aviation Group, emphasizes that the Passenger to Cargo Conversion Program (B747-400, B767-200, B737-300 and now B737-400) is a core business of the Aircraft Division, and that in spite of the "slowdown" in the industry, IAI looks forward to many additional B737-400 conversion projects, including some this year.
15 Jan 09 - Boeing marks aerial refuelling first for 737 family
Boeing has completed the first aerial refueling of the 737-700 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for Australia. The event marks the first aerial refueling of a member of the Boeing 737 family, a company spokesman says. The 737-700 Wedgetail received fuel from a Boeing KC-135 and Boeing KC-10.
Boeing is scheduled to deliver the first Wedgetail aircraft to Australia more than two years late in July, but is likely to be further delayed to November. Boeing confirms that the programme is "driving toward the second half of 2009" for first delivery, the spokesman says. The aircraft will be restricted to training missions until the electronic warfare system is delivered in 2010.
06 Jan 2009 - First biofuel from algae airliner flight tomorrow by a B737
US airline Continental says it will carry out "the first biofuel flight by a commercial carrier using algae as a fuel source" tomorrow. Previous airliner biofuel trials have used controversial "first-generation" feedstocks, seen as contributing to world hunger and deforestation, apart from a recent New Zealand test involving jatropha nuts.
Continental says the flight will occur at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, at 1115 AM local time tomorrow (7 Jan 2009). The aircraft in question will be a Boeing 737-800 equipped with CFM International CFM56-7B engines, and the biofuel mix used will be sourced from feedstocks including jatropha and algae.
Continental say that this means the test will draw only on "sustainable, second-generation fuel sources that do not impact food crops or water resources, and do not contribute to deforestation". In addition to airline execs, the event will be attended by Billy Glover, Boeing's managing director in charge of environmental strategy.
First-generation biofuels made from feedstocks such as corn or palm oil have come in for sustained criticism lately. It has been suggested that these fuels displace food production from farmland, driving up food prices and so causing hardship among the poor. The resulting desire for more farmland is also seen as contributing to deforestation.
Convincing analysis has also suggested that developed nations - or those wishing to become developed one day - will simply never have enough arable land to fuel any significant proportion of their transport using crop fuels.
This has led to the push for "second-generation" biofuels, ones not requiring the use of good farmland for production. Thus far the main candidate here has been oil from the jatropha nut, which might perhaps be cultivated in unused arid deserts not suitable for food production. A recent test by Air New Zealand has shown that jumbo jets will run on a 50-50 jatropha and normal jetfuel mix, but as yet there are not well-established large scale sources of the oily nuts and many are sceptical regarding the viability of the idea.
The other headliner gen-2.0 biofuel feedstock is algae, which might be grown in large amounts on water surfaces - perhaps even on saltwater, avoiding the need to exploit possibly overstressed freshwater resources. To many in the avaiation industry of recent times, algae has been something of a holy grail - offering a way to avoid the high fuel prices seen last year and a possible get-out from tough carbon pricing regimes planned by such bodies as the European Union. Biofuel is one of the few technically feasible low-carbon avenues open to aviation: such options as hydrogen fuel and electric power would be hugely harder to use on aircraft than they are to implement in road vehicles.
All of which means that tomorrow's test by Continental should generate a good deal of interest - although the firm hasn't yet offered details of its algae feedstock, nor of how much of the fuel it provides. It is understood that the biofuel is provided by Honeywell subsidiary UOP, which is working on second-generation biojetfuel as part of the Airbus Initiative, and which has a US military contract aimed at renewable, securely sourced JP-8.
05 Jan 2009 - BBJ3 nearing completion
Boeing recently completed work on the first BBJ 3, a larger business jet based on the Boeing Next-Generation 737-900ER. The airplane is now at DeCrane Aircraft in Georgetown, DE where it will receive its long-range auxiliary fuel system and a Head-up Display.
The fuel system, new for the model, will undergo a two-month certification process at DeCrane. The airplane's final stop is at a completion center of the owner's choosing, where it will receive a custom interior. The un-named customer will receive the completed airplane in 2009.
The BBJ 3 has 1,120 square feet of floor space, and provides 35 percent more interior space and 89 percent more luggage space than the BBJ 2. The BBJ 3's range is between 5,435 nmi and 4,725 nmi, depending on the number of passengers flown.
All BBJs are equipped with Blended Winglets (wing tip extensions), which reduce community noise, lower emissions and increase the airplane's range.
The BBJ program focuses on features that help owners fly safely, efficiently, reliably and comfortably. Boeing currently is delivering BBJs with lower cabin altitude and Future Air Navigation System technology. Lower cabin altitude allows the cabin pressurization control system to regulate the cabin environment to equal a maximum cabin altitude of 6,500 feet so that passengers travel in greater comfort.
Future Air Navigation System (FANS) streamlines communication between flight crews and air traffic controllers. FANS adds another layer of safety and efficiency to the global air transportation system, and allows BBJ owners to take more direct routes, shortening flight times and saving fuel.
01 Jan 2009 - Boeing considers 737 enhancements
Boeing whose 737 is the world's most widely flown plane, said it's studying new "product enhancements" as replacement plans for the aircraft have been delayed toward the end of the next decade.
The Chicago-based company is considering rolling out more changes to the current version of the jet as it has done since 2000, with improvements to performance, comfort and navigation, Russell Young, a spokesman in Seattle, said Wednesday.
"We will share the details of future enhancements when we have decided to implement them," Young said.
Both Boeing and Airbus SAS have struggled to meet customers' demands for a 20 percent reduction in operating costs for the 737 and the Airbus A320, short-haul planes that are the backbone of fleets for many airlines' domestic routes. Enginemakers haven't come up with technology yet that would ensure enough of a decrease in fuel burn and emissions, forcing planemakers to push back replacement plans until late in the next decade.
With environmentalists and the slumping economy putting pressure on the industry, Boeing is considering a bridge model that would provide a 10 percent improvement until a replacement is ready, according to the current edition of Aviation and the Environment magazine.
Aviation analyst Scott Hamilton reports that Boeing is considering a major upgrade of its popular 737 before it develops a new single-aisle aircraft to replace the workhorse plane.
The upgraded 737, a fourth generation of an aircraft originally designed in the 1960s, would feature more fuel efficient engines, perhaps Pratt & Whitney's new geared turbo-fans or CFM's new generation engine.
If Boeing picks the geared engine, which is larger in diameter than the 737's present CFM engines, it could require substantial revisions to the design: new, taller landing gear to increase the clearance between the engine and the runway and perhaps a new wing and wing box.
Any such update, of course, would include an updated cockpit and passenger amenities.
Boeing and its rival, Airbus, have repeatedly delayed complete redesigns of their popular 737 and A320 aircraft saying the science of aircraft design hasn't advance enough yet to prompt the expenditure of billions of dollars to produce an aircraft only 10 percent or so more efficient than the planes being built now.
A fourth-generation 737 would mean postponing the new single-aisle design until at least 2020 and give Boeing's Renton plant at least that much more longevity.
The Renton plant produces that 737. Boeing has said it likely will consider the Renton plant and other sites around the country for assembly of a totally new single-aisle plane.
22 Dec 08 - Boeing to Lead Southwest Airlines 737 Flight Deck Modernization
Boeing [NYSE: BA] has been selected by Southwest Airlines as the lead integrator for the airline's 737-300/-700 flight deck upgrade to incorporate advanced performance-based navigation capabilities. Boeing's role will include design, installation and integration of new hardware and software from multiple suppliers, as well as flight testing and certification.
Under this large-scale integration program, the 737-300 airplanes will be modified with new and enhanced avionics supplied by GE Aviation, Honeywell and Rockwell Collins. The Classic 737s will be equipped with GE's large area displays which use the latest in LCD technology and more closely align the 737-300 and 737-700 flight decks, creating commonality, and allowing the 737-300 to operate in the same preferred airspace as the newer 737-700s.
The 737-300 enhancements will also position Southwest for additional features - currently under development - that will support future airspace requirements. Southwest Airlines, an industry leader in airline efficiency, also is making a fleet-wide commitment to Required Navigation Performance (RNP) operations, a navigation technology that enables an aircraft to operate within a tight corridor of airspace with Global Positioning System guidance. These RNP enhancements will help the airline reduce fuel consumption, enhance safety and situational awareness, and minimize aircraft emissions and noise resulting in improved efficiency and reduced costs.
"Southwest is a great airline and partner and we're proud to support in their initiatives toward more efficient operations," said Kevin Schemm, vice president, North America Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Boeing is committed to working with our customers to introduce environmentally progressive lifecycle solutions."
"This upgrade program will enhance safety, situational awareness, and fuel efficiency, and it will allow greater training flexibility due to flight deck commonality," said Chuck Magill, vice president of Flight Operations at Southwest Airlines. "But the bottom line is that our customers will benefit from better performance and continued low fares."
As the original equipment manufacturer, Boeing is uniquely qualified to provide the lowest risk solution through its intellectual property, engineering and technical resources, world-class testing and certification capabilities and long term supplier relationships.
08 Dec 2008 - Algae to fuel Boeing 737 flight
Continental Airlines has scheduled the first biofuel demonstration flight to include algae-derived fuel in the mix of fuel sources, for a Jan. 7 flight from Houston.
The non-revenue flight by a Boeing 737-800 will be the first by a U.S. airline, and the first to involve a twin-engined airliner. Air New Zealand is expected to conduct its delayed biofuel flight, with a Boeing 747-400, by year-end.
For the Continental flight, one of the 737's CFM International CFM56-7B engines will burn a blend of 50% traditional jet fuel and 50% biofuel produced from algae and jatropha oil. Air NZ will use a 50:50 blend of Jet-A1 and jatropha-derived biofuel.
Both algae and jatropha, an inedible plant that grows on arid and non-arable land, are regarded as sustainable, second-generation biofuel sources that do not impact food crops or water resources and do not contribute to deforestation.
The fuel for both trials has been produced using processing technology developed by Honeywell company UOP. The jatropha oil for both flights was sourced by Terrasol from plantations in southeastern Africa and India.
The algal oil was provided by Sapphire Energy and was produced from microalgae grown on open ponds in Hawaii by Cyanotech, says UOP. The algal and jatropha oils were mixed then processed into biofuel, the company says.
Continental test pilots will crew the passenger-less 737 for the demonstration flight with the No. 2 (right) engine burning biofuel. Tests will include accelerations/decelerations, in-flight shutdown and restart and other procedures.
Data recorded during flight and post-flight inspection of the engine is expected to contribute toward the eventual approval of biofuels as drop-in replacements for jet fuel. Standards body ASTM International anticipates approval of 50% biofuel blends by 2010.
14 Nov 2008 - Uncoated nutplates in production cause further delays
Boeing which is ramping up airplane production after a costly strike, said Thursday that it was delaying delivery of 737 jetliners and planning to inspect some in service to replace parts that lacked a required anti-corrosion coating. The uncoated nut plates, small fastening devices used to attach bundles of wires and other items to the inside of fuselages, had been used since August 2007, said Vicki Ray, a company spokeswoman. Boeing delivered 394 of the planes between then and October, according to Chicago-based Boeing's Web site. The parts do not pose an immediate safety risk, she said. Boeing was notfied about the problem by Spirit AeroSystems Inc., a Wichita, Kan., firm that builds wing and fuselage components. "We're replacing them as we find them," Ray said. "Also to be addressed is the in-service fleet, and we're still working on a plan for that."
14 Aug 2008 - First BBJ3 completed
Boeing [NYSE: BA] recently completed work on the first BBJ 3. The BBJ 3 is a new, larger business jet based on the Boeing Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended Range). The BBJ 3 has 1,120 square feet (104 square meters) of floor space, and provides 35 percent more interior space and 89 percent more luggage space than the BBJ 2. The BBJ 3's range is between 5,435 nmi (10,066 km) and 4,725 nmi (8,751 km) depending on the number of passengers flown.
The airplane is now at DeCrane Aircraft in Georgetown, Del., where it will receive its long-range auxiliary fuel system and a Head-up Display. The fuel system, new for the model, will undergo a two-month certification process at DeCrane. The airplane's final stop is at a completion center of the owner's choosing, where it will receive a custom interior. The un-named customer will receive the completed airplane in 2009.
All BBJs are equipped with Blended Winglets (wing tip extensions), which reduce community noise, lower emissions and increase the airplane's range.
The BBJ program focuses on features that help owners fly safely, efficiently, reliably and comfortably. Boeing currently is delivering BBJs with lower cabin altitude and Future Air Navigation System technology. Lower cabin altitude allows the cabin pressurization control system to regulate the cabin environment to equal a maximum cabin altitude of 6,500 feet so that passengers travel in greater comfort. Future Air Navigation System (FANS) streamlines communication between flight crews and air traffic controllers. FANS adds another layer of safety and efficiency to the global air transportation system, and allows BBJ owners to take more direct routes, shortening flight times and saving fuel.
Boeing has been selling its entire line of commercial airplanes to private aviation since the beginning of the jet age. In addition to the narrow-body BBJs, Boeing also sells VIP versions of its 787, 777, 767 and 747-8 models. All of Boeing's business jets include top-notch product-support and dedicated field service representatives located around the world
04 Aug 2008 - 737NG Carbon Brakes Earn FAA Certification
SEATTLE, Aug 04, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Boeing (BA:Boeing Co. News, chart, profile, more Last: 61.36-0.65-1.05% 4:01pm 08/04/2008 Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolio Analyst Create alertInsider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: BA 61.36, -0.65, -1.0%) announced that it earned certification last week from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for its new carbon brakes designed for the Next-Generation 737.
The brakes, supplied by Messier-Bugatti, also entered service last week when Boeing delivered a Next-Generation 737-700 to Delta Air Lines -- the first of 10 737-700s the airline will receive over the next several years.
Carbon brakes weigh 700 pounds (320 kg) less than high-capacity steel brakes for Next-Generation 737-700, -800 and -900ER (Extended Range) airplanes; and 550 pounds (250 kg) less than standard-capacity steel brakes for Next-Generation 737-600s and -700s. Reduced weight contributes to reductions in associated fuel burn and CO2 emissions depending on airline operations.
Delta Air Lines is coupling lighter-weight carbon brakes with drag- and emissions-reducing Blended Winglets (wing tip extensions) to improve operating and fuel efficiency simultaneously on its Next-Generation 737s. Delta's stated goal is to have greater flexibility to serve more markets with existing aircraft, further enhancing the largest international expansion in Delta's history.
Carbon brakes are the most recent enhancement that Boeing is offering on its Next-Generation 737. Since its entry into service, Boeing has introduced product enhancements that improve performance, navigation precision and passenger comfort on the Next-Generation 737.
SOURCE Boeing
29 Jul 2008 - Honeywell delivers NGS to Boeing
Jul 29, 2008 (AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION via COMTEX) -- HON | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Honeywell (NYSE:HON), a diversified technology and manufacturing company, has announced that it has delivered the Nitrogen Generation System (NGS) for the Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft.
The NGS is intended to reduce flammability and thus increase aircraft safety through delivering nitrogen enriched air to the aircraft centre fuel tank.
The US Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transport and National Transportation Safety Board recently announced that within two years all new aircraft must have technology to reduce the risk of centre fuel tank fires installed.
21 Jul 2008 - First flight of Turkish modified Peace Eagle
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has successfully conducted the first flight test of the first 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft modified by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in Ankara for Turkey's Peace Eagle program.
During the 2.5-hour flight from Ankara on July 16, pilot Ron Johnston and first officer Mark Mitchell performed a series of functional tests that verified the airworthiness of the aircraft's systems and structures.
The aircraft included newly installed aerial refueling capability, an advanced Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) antenna, ventral fins and mission system equipment.
"This flight is a tribute to the skill and hard work of TAI while successfully executing a very complex modification effort in transforming a 737-700 into an AEW&C platform," said Mark Ellis, Boeing Peace Eagle program manager.
Boeing will validate the aircraft's mission system over the next several weeks, before painting the plane with Turkish Air Force markings.
The Peace Eagle program includes four 737 AEW&C aircraft plus ground support segments for mission crew training, mission support and system maintenance. Boeing modified the first aircraft at its facilities in Seattle. TAI is modifying the remaining three aircraft in Ankara.
The 737-700 features 21st century avionics, navigation equipment and flight deck features. Because of its advanced technology, the aircraft requires minimal downtime for maintenance. The 737 series has a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment.
In addition to Northrop Grumman's MESA antenna with integrated identification friend-or-foe capabilities, the aircraft features a flexible, open architecture for cost-effective future upgrades, an extensive communications suite and aerial refueling capability.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.
14 Jul 2008 - FMC U10.8 completed by GE
Jul 14, 2008 (M2 EQUITYBITES via COMTEX) -- GE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The new flight management system (FMS) software Update 10.8 for the Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft has been completed by GE Aviation an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), the company announced on Sunday (13 July).
Production incorporation of the U10.8 FMC software is scheduled for Airplane Line Position 2753 and on. Airplane Line Position 2753 is scheduled to be delivered in October of this year. Boeing Service Bulletin 737-34-2104 is expected to be released within thirty days after delivery of Airplane Line Position 2753.
23 may 2008 - Boeing pushes back design development of 737 replacement jet
By Dominic Gates
Seattle Times aerospace reporter
Boeing's schedule for developing a replacement for its Renton-built 737
narrow-body jet has officially been pushed out some years into the future.
The company in 2006 created a team led by top executives to do preliminary
studies on the replacement's design configuration. But Boeing has decided that
effort is premature.
Spokeswoman Sandy Angers said Thursday the study team has been absorbed into
the broader product-development unit and has shifted from specific airplane
designs.
Instead, Boeing is focused on finding technologies that might provide
performance improvements of 15 to 20 percent that are demanded by airlines to
justify launching a new jet.
"We've reduced our airplane-design effort and are focusing more on the
technology breakthroughs," said Angers. "We need technology breakthroughs in
engines, aerodynamics, materials and other systems.
"You can't simply shrink the 787 and expect the same benefits for the
narrow-body market," Angers said. "We've got difficult challenges."
The use of a 787-style composite plastic material, for example, won't offer
as big a weight improvement on a much smaller jet.
Angers wouldn't pin down a new target date for the 737's replacement beyond
"the latter half of the next decade," but delivery to airlines could now be
closer to 2020 than the previously anticipated 2015.
In an interview Tuesday with aviation analyst Scott Hamilton, Airbus' chief
operating officer and top salesman, John Leahy, cited 2020 as the likely
delivery date for a replacement of the rival A320 jet family.
The A320 and the 737 divide the narrow-body market. A program to replace one
of those with a new model is expected to trigger replacement of the other.
The 737 is Boeing's best-selling jet with just over 5,700 delivered to date.
With almost 2,200 more on firm order, the production schedule is full well into
2014.
Hamilton, of Leeham.net, said pushing out the 737 replacement could mean
Boeing would first upgrade its wide-body 777 to counter the threat from the
Airbus A350 — either with significant enhancements to the 777 or with an all-new
large airplane.
In late 2005, Alan Mulally, then-chief executive of Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, said the company would develop a post-737 single-aisle jet to enter
service between 2012 and 2015.
The next spring, he named top executive Mike Cave to head a 737-replacement
study team.
Carolyn Brandsema, director of 737 engineering, was put in charge of
developing the airplane and production concepts.
Last fall, Cave was promoted to a corporate position in Chicago.
Angers said Brandsema is back working on the current 737.
The shift in the study team's role was first reported this week in the trade
magazine Aviation Week.
Addressing an audience of Wall Street analysts in Seattle on Wednesday,
Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Scott Carson insisted the effort to develop a
737 replacement has not been abandoned, only pushed out to ensure that what
results has a long market life.
"We're continuing our research effort until we find the right solution,"
Carson said.
"It has to be a 25-year product."
18 May 2008 - Boeing Goes Back to
Drawing Board for 737 Follow-on
By Guy Norris and Robert Wall - Aviation Week
Boeing is abandoning its long-running effort to devise a successor to the
737, driven back to the drawing board by the lack of existing technology that
can deliver the huge leap in performance airlines want for a next-generation
single-aisle aircraft.
The decision to disband the 737RS (replacement study) design project, because
it fell short of critical performance targets, has implications beyond Boeing.
It will likely influence how Airbus moves forward on its A320 replacement
effort, the A30X. For airlines, it means an even longer wait until a 737 or A320
follow-on hits the market.
For Boeing, the focus now switches to more fundamental research into
aerodynamics, composites and other advanced alloys and hybrid materials, systems
and propulsion in the hope that concepts will emerge to meet the challenge.
The manufacturer openly admits the change of strategy, saying, "We know
customers are demanding really high targets for this aircraft, and we know that
with the state of technology, we're not going to get there anytime soon." As a
result, Boeing adds, "We're focusing on technology efforts and reducing the
aircraft design effort while the technology matures."
The transformation of the 737RS project into a more sweeping technology study
effort is sparking industry speculation that this will inevitably push any
prospective development of a 737 successor toward 2017-19. Boeing declines to be
more specific on the impact of the decision or the potential for further
slippage. It simply says, "We expect the rate of this technology development to
be available in the latter part of next decade, and we've said this will be no
earlier than 2015."
Boeing's 737RS study emerged from the product development group's P-1 project
of the late 1990s, and was later absorbed as a subset of the Yellowstone
project. Further details came out in early 2006, when Boeing named key
executives to the project, including Mike Cave, vice president for airplane
programs, and Carolyn Brandsema, head of aircraft and production system studies.
At the time, Boeing was still targeting a 2012-15 entry-into-service window,
and was starting to explore splitting the project, renamed 737RS, into two
portions covering a 90-120-seater and a larger family bridging the gap between
125 seats and the lower range of the 787.
Studies to date combining the best technology advances in materials,
propulsion, aerodynamics, structures and systems have produced results that,
according to industry sources, fail to get even halfway toward Boeing's original
operating cost, fuel burn and emissions goals. The most realistic design
scenarios have produced overall operating cost improvements of only around 10%
versus current 737-700/800 performance.
Boeing has not publicly stated the 737RS targets, but they are believed to be
cost reductions in the 20-25% range. A company official clarifies, however, that
"you can't just do a shrink of the 787; it's not as easy as that because of the
different missions, higher cycles and shorter range. You can't shrink the 787
because of the systems. You need volume to handle the systems on the 787. With
this study, we really need breakthroughs."
3 May 2008 - Boeing Completes 737
Carbon Brakes Certification Testing
Next-Generation 737 Operators Benefit from Reduced Weight, Emissions
SEATTLE, May 02, 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE:BA] recently completed certification
testing of new carbon brakes designed for the Next-Generation 737 airplane
family by French supplier Messier-Bugatti.
A Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended Range) airplane is shown performing a
high-speed rejected takeoff test, designed to verify that an airplane at maximum
weight with greatly worn brakes can stop safely after a refused takeoff
decision. Boeing will submit the test results to the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration for certification the second quarter this year. Entry into
production is expected by third quarter. Boeing will offer a retrofit program
for airplanes already in service.
Through a month-long test program, Boeing reached its goal to show equivalent
performance between steel and carbon brakes, and verified a weight savings of
700 pounds (320 kg) compared to high-capacity steel brakes for Next-Generation
737-700/800/900ERs, and 550 pounds (250 kg) on standard-capacity steel brakes
for Next-Generation 737-600/700s. Reduced weight contributes to reductions in
associated fuel burn and CO2 emissions depending on airline operations.
The Messier-Bugatti carbon brakes are available as a new feature.
27 Apr 2008 - Arlanda
and Brisbane Airports Pursue RNP and 4D Trajectories
By David Hughes Aviation Week & Space Technology
The key building blocks of global air traffic system modernization should be
deployed at airports on two continents by year-end. The pioneering projects show
why there's no need to wait a decade or more to lower fuel burn, emissions and
noise while boosting runway capacity.
The 4D trajectories (4DTs) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP)
approaches are being implemented at Arlanda Airport here and Brisbane Airport in
Australia. These medium-size facilities are good testbeds because of their mixed
traffic and complex airspace.
Scandinavian Airlines' Boeing 737NGs are using 4D flight paths at Arlanda
along with continuous-descent, or "green," approaches. ("4D" denotes the three
spatial dimensions plus a required time of arrival over the threshold.) SAS has
logged about 2,000 green approaches with area navigation (RNAV). Qantas,
meanwhile, has exploited more precise satellite guidance during more than 8,000
RNP RNAV approaches at Brisbane, with the resulting savings in fuel and
emissions (see p. 56).
The LFV Group, Sweden's air navigation service provider, is leading the
Arlanda effort with SAS, while Airservices Australia is overseeing the Brisbane
project with Qantas.
Now SAS and LFV plan to add RNP to the 4DT demonstrations in the second half
of this year, and Qantas will include 4DT in its RNP demos, according to Capt.
Alex Passerini, the technical pilot in charge of Qantas's 737 fleet. Airservices
has not yet made a firm commitment to the 4DT effort but is talking to Qantas
about assisting. Both Arlanda and Brisbane will then probably showcase the best
of both techniques.
The two airports' fielding of RNP and 4DT later this year contrasts markedly
with the timelines of Europe's Sesar (Single European Sky Air Traffic Management
Research) program and the U.S.'s NextGen modernization effort. Their
program-completion targets are 2020 and 2025, respectively. But as many ATC
experts assert, technology is not a hurdle for Sesar and NextGen: Much of it is
already available, and at Arlanda and Brisbane, the idea is to use it now.
It's noteworthy that the air navigation expertise needed to make 4DT happen
at both airports comes from a small, advanced technology consulting company -
Avtech - in the suburbs of Stockholm (see p. 55). And the RNP know-how is from
another small company - Naverus in Kent, Wash. Not surprisingly, Avtech and
Naverus are strategic partners on a wide range of advanced air navigation
projects around the world.
4DT involves the transmission of the aircraft's "reference business
trajectory" (see drawing on p. 54) to controllers, who approve it whenever
possible but often with adjustments to the time when the aircraft is required to
touch down. RNP involves the use of GPS to position the aircraft on a precise
flight track that can take the aircraft to 250 ft. AGL on a customized path that
reduces track miles flown.
Avtech leaders Lars Lindberg and Christer Staaf are confident that 4DT is
much closer to being implemented permanently in day-to-day operations than many
people realize. And the RNP procedures Naverus has designed for Qantas, Air New
Zealand, Air China, WestJet and others are already proving that the technique is
mature and ready for applications that are not fully understood in much of the
civil aviation community.
At Arlanda, the RNP/4DT combination is expected to be much more than some
laboratory experiment writ large. "We have passed the laboratory stage," says
Lindberg, even though his company's 737 simulator is being used to refine the
algorithms and procedures. And now, two other European airnav service providers
are involved in the combined RNP/4DT flights that will start soon. NATS of the
U.K. and the Netherlands' LVNL will help to design the flight trials, so the
results will show how the same operational concepts would work at London
Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol. Lindberg says RNP and 4DT could facilitate
mixed-mode operations at Heathrow so that takeoffs and landings could be
performed on the same runway - a move that British Airways and BAA Ltd., which
operates Heathrow, have said could boost capacity there by 15%.
Arlanda's 4DT project started in 2006 with funding from the European
Commission. Partners were LFV, SAS, Avtech, Boeing Research and Technology
Center of Madrid, Rockwell Collins France and GE Aviation. During 2006-07, 2,000
green approaches were flown into Arlanda. These continuous-descent procedures
keep aircraft at cruise altitude longer compared with conventional approaches,
and then bring them down at or near idle power until they are configured for
landing.
The flights used a sequencing tool called Collaborative Information Exchange
System to allow controllers to interact with the aircraft over an Acars
(aircraft communications addressing and reporting system) data link, starting
about an hour before touchdown. Lindberg says Acars is suitable for the current
demonstrations even though it's not designed for time-critical applications. The
next generation of data link, coming with Sesar, will clearly improve this
aspect of operations.
Once the trajectory is downlinked to the ground, the controller can see the
path that the aircraft intends to follow. If the estimated time of arrival is in
conflict with the needs of other arriving traffic, the controller can make
adjustments and send a revision (known as a required time of arrival, or RTA)
back to the cockpit. From 1 hr. before landing, controllers have what Staaf
calls "six minutes of control authority." This means the controller can command
the airplane to speed up or slow down to hit an RTA within a 6-min. window.
"This enables the air transportation system to work like a real logistics
system," says Lindberg. Controllers can direct aircraft (similar to packages in
a supply chain) to arrive at a certain runway "just in time" much more
efficiently than they can now. Currently, controllers sort out the lineup of
aircraft when they're at low altitude (burning lots of fuel) by giving the
pilots radar vectors, notes Staaf.
Now, as time-based operations are being added to the mix at Arlanda, the
focus is shifting to Eurocontrol's CTA (controlled time of arrival) ATM System
Integration Studies, or Cassis. This 15-month project involving flight trials at
Arlanda will start next month using an RNP procedure to Runway 26 with 4DT
techniques and wind uplinks.
The 4D trajectory that's sent to the ground comes from the flight management
system (FMS) made by General Electric. GE modified the software in the FMS
(formerly a Smiths product) and introduced the "intent bus" that makes it
possible to send the trajectory calculation to the ground.
It includes not just a series of waypoints, but a much more complete set of
data defining the aircraft's intended trajectory from cruise altitude to
touchdown. This is called the "reference business trajectory" because it
reflects what the airline is seeking in a flight path for the greatest
efficiency in the way it wants to run its operation. For example, the flight
management computer has a cost index set by the airlines to balance the
time-variable cost versus the fuel cost. The data set includes everything from
the Vref approach speed to when the aircraft will be configured for landing, and
even the exact radius of each turn the airplane will make.
The computers on various flight decks form a distributed network linked to
the ground where a computer can mesh all the data into an overall arrival
sequence for review and approval by a controller. Avtech believes distributed
computing produces a better arrival sequence than having a computer on the
ground devise all the flight paths by itself with no input from the aircraft,
and then transmitting instructions to the flight decks. The other method is the
"tailored arrival" concept now being tested at San Francisco and Miami
international airports. Lindberg points out that when ATC calculates all the
flight paths on the ground and uplinks them to the cockpit, this creates a much
"heavier" data-transfer load.
The Sesar modernization effort sees the "business trajectory" as the "coin of
the realm" that will be the keystone of how flight operations will be run in the
future. Controllers will allow the airplane to fly the requested path whenever
possible.
The holy grail is to increase the number of aircraft an airport can handle.
By relying on automation, "we can deliver that [required time of arrival at the
runway] day in and day out, and increase airport capacity," says Lindberg. Using
4DT techniques and interleaving takeoffs and landings, many runways could
achieve up to 30 landings and 30 takeoffs per hour, he asserts. By interleaving
operations, the "highly efficient" Gatwick is already at 50 movements per hour
on the airport's only runway, he says.
In the next phase of flight demonstrations, GE will add an avionics box to an
SAS 737 to record all of the calculations going on inside the flight management
computer. Until now, the partners relied on data from a quick-access recorder,
but information from this new box "will give us all of the answers to what's
going on in the FMS and help us understand wind effects on the approach," says
Lindberg.
The green trials started in 2006 in low traffic with SAS 737s; but the next
phase will target higher traffic periods at Arlanda and will include other
legacy aircraft that aren't equipped with the GE FMS. SAS MD-80s, for example,
will send the estimated time of arrival data from a Honeywell FMS via Acars.
MD-80 pilots will make speed adjustments to arrive at an initial approach fix
within 30 sec. of the required time. Avtech is now talking to other airlines
about joining the 4DT project, and Lindberg expects some Airbus aircraft to join
using Thales-GE FMS equipment.
Many of the upcoming tests with time-based operations and RNP will be devoted
to refining techniques to make runway-arrival times even more consistent. One
area of analysis will be to study how pilots might deploy flaps and slats to
achieve a required arrival time. Another area of interest is to improve the wind
data used by the flight management computer to calculate the aircraft's arrival
time based on a particular trajectory.
For the wind calculations, a new Avtech-developed software tool, called
Aventus NowCast, uplinks selected weather forecast data along the route of
flight to the cockpit. The FMS uses the wind information to adjust the
top-of-descent point. Avtech is building on NASA Ames's 1980s work with a 737
testbed and has improved this wind-reporting technique with computer modeling.
The GE FMS can accept wind reports at three points along the flight path, and
Avtech has learned that having the software select the right points is critical.
If they are wrong, the wind data may actually make the approach timing worse
than it would have been without the data. (Some of the information comes from
other aircraft reporting what they encounter. During one day at Arlanda, 5,000
weather data reports may be received by Aventus from aircraft.)
The tool was demonstrated in the trials completed last year, and will be used
and validated by both SAS and Qantas. With better wind data and other
refinements, Avtech and GE believe they can improve on the arrival time over the
threshold that's now off by just ýý7 sec. on average.
Capt. Peter Larsson, project leader for SAS's Green Flight Program, says that
with today's conventional procedures - radar vectors to an ILS - it's normal
that 95% of the aircraft cross the threshold at ýý12 min. of what's expected.
The uncertainty factor has cost consequences in terms of gate allocation and
scheduling everyone from caterers to luggage handlers. If the threshold-crossing
time improves to ýý2 min., the airport would no longer have to reserve a gate
for up to 50 min. to match a 30-min. aircraft turnaround. "The time-dimension
part is even more valuable in terms of the money saved by the airline [than the
fuel savings]," says Larsson.
However, for the Avtech 4DT technique to "grow legs and walk" to a large
number of airports, it will have to be a very robust procedure. "We are taking
some important steps, but we have to move into peak traffic periods," says
Lindberg.
SAVINGS OVER TRADITIONAL APPROACH
Each Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) saves ~150 kg. fuel.
Each Required Navigation Performance approach saves ~110 kg. fuel.
4-D trajectories make arrival time more predictable, allowing gate
reservation times to be reduced. Each minute reduced saves ~1,000 kronor ($170).
SourceS: Avtech and SAS
13 March 2008 - Boeing, partners
will test 737 powered by biofuel
The Boeing Co. announced 13 March 2008 that it has teamed with Continental
Airlines and GE Aviation to test a 737 powered by a biofuel.
"Exploring sustainable biofuels is a logical and exciting new step in our
environmental commitment," Continental executive Mark Moran in a statement.
The flight is scheduled for the first half of 2009.
7 Mar 08 - Luxell Technologies
becomes risk-sharing partner to provide WheelTug electric wheel drive for 737NG
and takes equity stake
Canadian manufacturer Luxell Technologies has become a risk-sharing partner
for WheelTug's electric wheel drive for Boeing 737NG ground manoeuvring, after
agreeing to supply the cockpit controls interface kit and take an equity stake
in the company after "timely" certification of the system.
Ontario-headquartered Luxell manufactures and licences flat-panel display
technologies and equipment for the defence and avionics industries.
WheelTug's contract with Luxell is expected to last the lifetime of the
WheelTug 737NG system. "The deal represents a part of our business strategy to
expand into commercial avionics and demonstrate our display expertise to major
players in that sector," says Luxell chief executive Jean-Louis Larmor.
If the arrangement proves successful, says WheelTug chief executive Isaiah
Cox, Luxell will be WheelTug's "likely partner" to develop electric wheel drive
systems for other aircraft types.
The partnership comes as WheelTug reveals it is in talks with other
risk-sharing partners, covering the wire harness and inverters for the WheelTug
system.
Patented motors developed by WheelTug's parent, European manufacturer Chorus
Motors, will comprise the core of the system, which will be built into the hubs
of aircraft nose-wheels and take power from the auxiliary power unit (APU). This
will give aircraft full ground mobility - forward and reverse with steering -
without using engines or external tugs. The first motor designed specifically
for 737NG aircraft will be ready for testing in May.
WheelTug aims to secure supplemental type certification covering Boeing
737-600, -700, -800 and -900 aircraft. An FAA-approved project-specific
certification plan (PSCP) has been tagged to be completed after deals with
partners are in place. Although this plan delays the original strategy to have a
PSCP in place this spring, it will not push back the entire certification
programme, says Cox.
WheelTug has been testing the equipment with US launch customer Delta Air
Lines, which since early 2007 has assisted with time, resources and aircraft.
This type of assistance is "invaluable", says Cox. Delta may yet make a
financial investment, but the carrier has "no financial incentive to exercise
warrants until they come due", he says. Delta's TechOps maintenance, repair and
overhaul division has first refusal on all installation and maintenance services
within the USA once the system is certificated and deployed.
Last year, WheelTug also formed an alliance with a French group, Association
pour le Développement Durable dans l'Aviation Civile (ADDAC), to develop and
certify the WheelTug system for the Airbus A320 family.
"We are in discussions over a number of different aircraft, including the
A320, regional jets and military aircraft," says Cox. "By the beginning of 2009,
we'll be able to launch the second aircraft type, but it is equally likely to be
a regional jet as it would be to be an A320." He notes that the system would be
ideal for 757 manoeuvring.
Because engine taxiing is reduced, environmental benefits could include
savings, through fuel cuts, in emissions such as CO2 and NOx.
For the system to be certified on any other aircraft type, says Cox, "we will
at least have to have that level of assistance from an airline" as it has
enjoyed with Delta. He declines to say whether WheelTug is in talks with Delta
to provide the system for its regional jet fleet.
Later this summer, WheelTug intends to begin offering delivery slots to other
customers. At that point, specifications will be clear "so an airline will know
exactly what they're getting", says Cox.
16 Feb 2008 - India's "Air Force
One"
Here’s some news for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In three months, he is
getting a new office. What is more, he will be going places in it. And he will
be better protected in it, have more elbow room, even play host to foreign
visitors—all without even being on Indian soil.
The fact is, the Indian Air Force, in whose craft the top dignitaries of the
country fly, is getting a spanking new home in the sky for the Indian Prime
Minister. The first of three ultra luxury transport aircraft, the Boeing
Business Jets (BBJ), ordered for a whopping Rs 734 crore, will arrive in May to
join the VVIP squadron of the IAF that ferries the President, Prime Minister and
top Cabinet ministers.
While the Indian version of Air Force One is being kept under wraps by IAF
due to “security concerns”, the aircraft is known to be fitted with a secure
satellite communication centre, an advanced missile warning system and
deflecting shield, electronic counter measures and radar warning systems.
This means that when the PM travels on official work, he will be able to
conduct meetings, hold press conferences, catch a wink of sleep and remain in
constant audio and visual touch with New Delhi without leaving his aircraft.
“The Boeing Business Jet is a specially configured aircraft for VVIP comfort.
Its interiors create a working environment befitting the VVIP’s official
stature. More importantly , it is equipped with the latest self-protection
suite, thus providing our VIPs the highest level of protection from any
ground-based or airborne threat,” the Indian Air Force, tasked with maintaining
and operating the VVIP fleet, says.
While the older 737s do not have any self protection systems, the Embraer
executive jets are reported to have limited protection against land-launched
weapons and heat seeking missiles. The BBJs, on the other hand, have an
“extremely efficient” missile protection suite and powerful electronic systems
designed to confuse the incoming missile.
The IAF refuses to share details, but the minimum systems on board will be an
IR (Infra Red) sensor and jammer to track incoming missiles from a good distance
to warn the pilot. This would also activate the counter measures unit that will
dispense flares and decoys. Like the American Air Force One, the BBJ is also
being fitted with electronic counter measures to jam enemy radars.
The three BBJs have been specifically ordered to replace the Boeing 737-200s
that were acquired in the 1980s for the use of the top dignitaries. Unlike the
earlier craft with their limited resources, the BBJs have a range of close to
11,000 km and a maximum speed of 890 kmph. So they will be able to fly to most
parts of the world without a refuelling stopover.
This will be a massive change from the current lot of aircraft that fly VVIPs
in the country. Both the Embraer executive jets and the Boeing 737s in the IAF’s
inventory have a limited flying range and need to make numerous fuel stopovers
during long flights. In fact, the Boeing 737s cannot even fly abroad due to
outdated avionic systems and the lack of modern navigational aids.
The arrival of the jets will also be a welcome relief for Air India as
currently a regular commercial airliner has to be pulled out of service and
“retrofitted” for VVIP duty whenever the President and Prime Minister fly abroad
on tours.
While the Embraers—five of them were purchased for over Rs 650 crore in
2003—can accommodate close to 20 passengers in a regular seating arrangement,
the BBJ will carry more than twice that number in much more luxury.
Once inside, the PM and his entourage will find a full-fledged flying
office-cum-residence that can host up to 48 guests besides having a private
bedroom for the VVIP, an executive office with Internet availability and secure
communication connections.
The 807 sq ft cabin has been customised with a stateroom and a separate
meeting room, something that is inconceivable on the much smaller Embraer 135
Legacy jets that are used to transport VVIPs within the country and for short
overseas hauls and the older generation Boeing 737-200s that fly dignitaries on
the domestic circuit.
While the three jets have already been delivered by Boeing to IAF in an
unfurnished condition, the interiors of the aircraft are being customised at the
PATS Aircraft completion center in Delaware, USA. “PATS will install an interior
that includes a stateroom, meeting room, communications centre and seating for
48 passengers,” a Boeing statement said.
The first of the BBJs, fitted with the highly classified missile avoidance
systems and security suite, is currently being flight tested by the IAF in the
US. After complete integration of the security package, the BBJ is expected to
land at the Palam Airport—home to the IAF’s elite Communications Squadron
responsible for air travel by VVIPs—by the the first week of May. The other two
jets are expected to arrive later in the year.
It is not only a luxury craft for Indian VVIPs. The BBJ is being used by
close to a dozen countries, including Australia, South Africa, Argentina and
Malaysia to fly their heads of state. However, it pales in comparison to the
home in the sky of the American President. The Air Force One, a highly modified
Boeing 747, is not only much larger but also had a virtually unlimited range as
it can carry out air to air refuelling. Besides conference rooms, resting areas
and the President’s residential quarters, the jumbo jet even has a gymnasium
specially designed for long flights.
The Indian Prime Minister’s needs perhaps do not warrant a gymnasium. But
when he climbs aboard his new carrier, there will surely be a new kick in his
steps.
2 Nov 2007 - C-40B Missile
Countermeasures System Installation
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has begun modifying the first of three U.S Air
Force C-40B transport aircraft with a laser-based countermeasures system that
defeats incoming infrared-seeking missiles.
The Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system, supplied by Northrop
Grumman [NYSE: NOC], protects large fixed-wing transports and small rotary-wing
aircraft from infrared missile attacks by automatically detecting a missile
launch, determining if it is a threat and activating a high-intensity
countermeasures system to track and defeat the threat.
The first installation is scheduled for completion in late February 2008,
with the second and third modified aircraft slated for delivery in August and
December of next year.
The C-40B, a derivative of the Next-Generation 737-700 Boeing Business Jet,
is designed to be an "office in the sky" for senior military leaders, providing
broadband data/video transmit-and-receive capability as well as clear and secure
voice and data communication. It enables combatant commanders to conduct
business anywhere in the world using onboard Internet and local area network
connections, improved telephones, satellites, television monitors and fax
machines.
18 Oct 2007 - Flight Deck
Windscreen Inspections
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. aviation authorities advised airlines on
Wednesday to inspect cockpit windows on Boeing Co. 737s after two were damaged
in flight, causing one plane to lose cabin pressure.
The proposed airworthiness directive follows similar action in July on all
Boeing 747 jetliners after a cockpit window fell out, causing a rapid loss of
cabin pressure and an emergency landing.
The FAA recommended repeated inspections of nearly 800 737-series models in
the U.S. fleet to detect any cracks in vinyl supports or damage to glass panes.
There are another 1,800 planes flown by airlines overseas that would qualify for
inspections.
Boeing alerted airlines to the problem in May and recommended action.
The FAA said it received reports of partial window separations on two 737s.
One experienced a loss of cabin pressure at 12,500 feet when edges of a window
came loose. The other was flying at 29,000 feet when a similar failure occurred.
There are several windows in a 737 cockpit.
In addition, the FAA is concerned that cracked vinyl supports would make the
window more vulnerable to failing if struck by birds.
06 Oct 2007 - Video of 737-800 late rotation after maintenance
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8XbINavHtiA
06 Sep 2007 - Boeing Successfully
Completes First Test Flight of AEW&C Peace Eagle Aircraft
Boeing has conducted a successful first test flight of a 737 Airborne Early
Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft for Turkey's Peace Eagle program.
During the 2.5-hour flight from Boeing Field in Seattle, pilot Regis Hancock
and first officer Randon Stewart performed a series of functional tests that
verified the airworthiness of the aircraft's systems and structures. The flight
follows major aircraft modifications, including the installation of an advanced
antenna, ventral fins and mission system equipment.
"This is a major milestone for the program and a big step forward in our
development and testing of this critical capability for our Turkish customer. We
planned the flight almost a year ago and achieved it on schedule," said Mark
Ellis, Boeing Peace Eagle program manager.
Additional functional test flights are planned in the coming weeks, leading
to mission system flight testing in the fall.
The Peace Eagle program includes four 737 AEW&C aircraft plus ground support
segments for mission crew training, mission support and system maintenance.
Modification of the first aircraft is under way at Boeing facilities in Seattle.
TUSAS Aerospace Industries in Ankara, Turkey, will modify the remaining three
aircraft
The 737-700 features 21st century avionics, navigation equipment and flight
deck features. Because of its advanced technology, the aircraft requires minimal
downtime for maintenance. The 737 series has a worldwide base of suppliers,
parts and support equipment.
The aircraft also is equipped with Northrop Grumman's Multi-role
Electronically Scanned Array antenna with integrated identification
friend-or-foe capabilities. The system also includes a flexible, open
architecture for cost-effective future upgrades, an extensive communications
suite and aerial refueling capability
6 Jul 2007 - GE Aviation's Flight
Management System Enables 'Green' Operations
Landing Approach System Reduces CO2, NOx Emissions By 20 Percent Airlines
operating Boeing 737s in Europe have been given the "green light" to use an
optimized landing approach that is designed to significantly reduce the amount
of fuel used during arrival and approach operations, thereby reducing CO2 and
NOx emissions by roughly 20 percent compared to standard arrival procedures.
The "Advanced Continuous Descent Approach" (A-CDA), also known as the "Green
Approach," is the result of GE Aviation's Systems division's (formerly Smiths
Aerospace) participation in Europe's NUP2+ project, where select 737 aircraft in
Sweden are allowed to employ GE's Flight Management System (FMS) to fly the
aircraft at idle thrust from cruise through landing, according to the company.
"Our FMS on Boeing 737s is another example of how committed we are to
developing technology solutions that not only benefit customers, but are also
kind to the environment," said Dr. John Ferrie, GE Aviation systems president.
"Given the issues we face with growing air traffic congestion and increasing
green house gases worldwide, the appropriate use of FMS to help remedy the
situation is a clear and valuable option."
GE's FMS on the Boeing 737 features a 4-dimensional trajectory downlink for
use by air traffic controllers to manage traffic flow using precision
positioning and time guidance, known as Required Time of Arrival (RTA), to the
runway threshold. Combined, these features enable the creation of flight
profiles that are optimal for operators as well as the environment -- increasing
efficiency, providing fuel savings, and dramatically reducing greenhouse gas and
noise emissions.
Scandinavian Airlines already uses the FMS for operations into Stockholm. The
carrier said its estimates annual benefits for flights arriving at Stockholm
Arlanda airport, could reach $6 million in fuel savings with an additional $6
million in cost avoidance due to the increased efficiency and punctuality of
aircraft using the FMS.
Flights over the North Atlantic will commence during the latter part of 2007,
and will also involve aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
"Our concept and technology facilitate the efficient implementation of green
flights and we believe that in the future additional airlines will adopt our
ideas and work methods to include more airports primarily in Sweden and the
Nordic region, and also have a greater impact in Europe," said the carrier.
The carrier said it expects the Green Approach to achieve annual emission
reductions of more than 25,000 tons of CO2 and 87 tons of NOx; comparable to the
yearly emissions of 5,100 automobiles.
13 June 2007 - Boeing Begins
Mission System Flight Testing of First Australian Wedgetail Aircraft
The Boeing Company has begun flight testing the mission system aboard the
first 737 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for Australia’s
Project Wedgetail.
During an initial four-hour flight from Boeing Field in Seattle on June 6,
the crew conducted a series of functional tests as part of a program to measure
the mission system’s impact on the aircraft’s power generation capability and
environmental controls, such as the liquid and air cooling systems.
The mission system includes the radar, navigation, communications and
computing subsystems.
Boeing will flight test the aircraft several days a week for the next month
over land and water, while the mission system is used in a manner similar to an
AEW&C operational mission.
The next phase of the flight test program aboard aircraft No. 1 is scheduled
for later this year when it joins aircraft No. 2 as a test bed for system-level
developmental testing.
Australia has purchased six 737 airborne early warning and control aircraft.
Delivery of the first two aircraft is scheduled for March 2009. The remaining
four aircraft will be delivered later that year.
The 737 AEW&C, designed to provide airborne battle management capability with
10 state-of-the-art mission system consoles, is based on the Boeing Next
Generation 737-700 and features 21st century avionics, navigation equipment and
flight deck enhancements.
Northrop Grumman’s Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar is
the critical sensor aboard the 737 AEW&C. The MESA array is designed to provide
optimal performance in range, tracking and accuracy. The radar is able to track
airborne and maritime targets simultaneously.
10 June 2007 - Boeing says 737
replacement not expected before 2015
Boeing expects airframe technology will play as crucial a role as new
clean-burning engines in developing a replacement for its best-selling 737,
providing a potential advantage over Airbus in the race to design the next
generation of single-aisle aircraft.
The two rivals are developing replacements for their 737 and A320 families,
which are the workhorses of global airline fleets and account for half of the
$3,200bn in aircraft deliveries forecast between now and 2025.
Engine manufacturers are struggling to develop new power plants to meet ever
more exacting efficiency standards, as well as tighter emission and
environmental demands. Over the past two decades, in contrast, improvements in
engine technology have led the way in developing quieter, more fuel-efficient
aircraft.
Boeing now believes the new airframe technology, using composite carbon-fibre
pioneered on its 787 widebody jet, will be just as important as the engines. The
787 is due to enter service next year but the 737 and A320 replacements are not
expected before the middle of the next decade at the earliest.
"I think the introduction of composites has raised the ability of the
airframe to make a difference . . . and really puts it on a par with the engine
development," said Jim McNerney, chairman and chief executive of Boeing.
Boeing and its partners in the 787 programme already have an advantage over
Airbus in building airframes using composites, which replace most of the
traditional aluminium structures. The materials are lighter and more durable,
and can be assembled faster.
Mr McNerney admitted in an interview with the Financial Times that the
American company had yet to finalise the transfer of the 787 technology to
developing a replacement for the 737, the world's best-selling commercial
aircraft.
The FT revealed last year that Boeing was working with key 737 customers
including Southwest, Ryanair and Gol on the replacement, dubbed the 797. "I
think the market knows what it wants," said Mr McNerney, pointing to a 20-25 per
cent improvement in the operating costs and environmental footprint compared
with the existing 737 family.
"The technology component will be slightly different than for the 787. We
haven't totally figured that out," he said.
26 Apr 2007 - Boeing Next-Generation 737-900ER Receives FAA Certification
The newest member of the Boeing Next-Generation 737 family, the 737-900ER
(Extended Range), earned type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration on April 20.
The 737 derivative incorporates an extra pair of exit doors to increase the
maximum passenger capacity, a flat aft-pressure bulkhead to increase interior
volume, a two-position tailskid for improved takeoff and landing capability,
wing strengthening changes to accommodate the 13,500 pound maximum takeoff
weight increase, enhancements to the leading and trailing edge flap systems for
improved takeoff and landing capability, and optional Blended Winglets and
auxiliary fuel tanks that increase the range of the 737-900ER to 3,200 nautical
miles (5,925 km).
The airplane is certified to carry up to 220 passengers in a single-class
configuration.
On July 18, 2005, Indonesia's Lion Air launched the higher capacity, longer
range Next-Generation 737-900ER with an order for 30 airplanes. Airlines have
ordered more than 100 Next-Generation 737-900ERs to date.
20 Mar 2007 - Boeing Completes Subsystem Integration on Australian
Wedgetail Aircraft
ST. LOUIS, March 20, 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has completed the
integration of major subsystems aboard a 737 airborne early warning and control
( AEW&C ) aircraft for Australia's Project Wedgetail.
The subsystems include communications, navigation, mission computing, radar
and electronic warfare self protection. Boeing conducted tests aboard the
aircraft and at its System Integration Lab in Kent, Wash., using a variety of
simulations.
"The tests demonstrated that the systems worked separately and together, and
that they were compatible with the aircraft," said Ross Dessert, Boeing
Wedgetail program manager.
Integration is a major step toward functional checkout of the AEW&C system
with the aircraft at the end of April. FAA certification and qualification
testing are scheduled for this summer.
Ongoing integration of the Electronic Support Measures ( ESM ) subsystem will
continue through functional checkout. ESM is a passive sensor that detects
electronic signals.
Boeing will deliver the first two of six Wedgetail aircraft to Australia in
March 2009, and the remaining four aircraft by mid-2009. Turkey and the Republic
of Korea also have purchased four 737 AEW&C aircraft each.
The 737-700 features 21st century avionics, navigation equipment and flight
deck features. Because of its advanced technology, the aircraft requires minimal
downtime for maintenance. The 737 series is one of the most popular and reliable
jet aircraft in the world, resulting in a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and
support equipment.
The aircraft also is equipped with Northrop Grumman's Multi-role
Electronically Scanned Array antenna with integrated identification friend or
foe capabilities. The system also includes a flexible, open architecture for
cost-effective future upgrades, an extensive communications suite and aerial
refueling capability.
13 Mar 2007 - 737-800SFP Flight Spoiler Jams AD
Sticky Spoilers On SFP-Equipped Aircraft To Blame The FAA has issued
Emergency airworthiness directive (AD) 2007-06-51 to all owners and operators of
Boeing Model 737-800 series airplanes. The agency states it has received a
report of seven flight spoiler actuator jams on Model 737-800 Short Field
Performance (SFP) airplanes.
"Two reports involved in-service airplanes that were discovered during a
routine maintenance walk-around and were believed to have occurred on the
previous landing during auto speedbrake extension," the AD states. "Five other
reports occurred during spoiler system testing at Boeing prior to delivery. An
additional two reports of spoiler actuator input lever binding were identified
during bench testing after Boeing began to investigate this issue."
The agency adds two in-service failures of flight spoilers resulted in the
spoilers not retracting after the speedbrake handle was moved to the DOWN
position after landing, on a Boeing Model 737-800 airplane equipped with an SFP
package. In both of those cases, the spoiler was discovered in the full-extended
position during a routine maintenance walk-around. The spoiler remained in the
full-extended position after cycling of the speedbrake handle.
"Further investigation revealed that the spoiler actuator failure is most
likely to occur when the speedbrakes are deployed on the ground (automatically
or manually) for either a rejected takeoff or normal landing. The takeoff
configuration warning will not sound if any flight spoiler remains extended with
the speedbrake handle in the DOWN position."
The FAA states the cause of the failure has been identified as interference
within the actuator main control valve. This condition, if not corrected, could
result in a spoiler actuator hardover, which could cause the spoiler surface to
jam in the fully extended position. Two or more hardover failures of the spoiler
surfaces in the up direction on the same wing, if undetected prior to takeoff,
can cause significant roll and consequent loss of control of the airplane
13 Feb 2007 - satLINK Iridium™ Communications Certified for Installation
on Boeing 737 Fleet
Avionica is pleased to announce Boeing 737 STC availability for satLINK, the
Iridium™ satellite-based voice and data communications alternative. FAA STC
ST03386AT has been granted to Avionics Support Group (ASG), who now offer our
mutual customers both kit fabrication and installation for this product. Launch
customer Miami Air recently commenced installations, as will our newest satLINK
customer, Continental Airlines.
Reliable, global, real-time voice and data communications are finally
possible. Iridium is expected to gain its FAA safety certification in May, 2007,
making it acceptable as an ATC communications alternative. "This is an
excellent, affordable communications solution for airlines flying outside the
range of HF stations, and even for Inmarsat-equipped aircraft flying polar
routes", notes Avionica’s president, Raul Segredo. "It also fills the gap left
by Verizon’s exit from the in-flight telephone business - satLINK is an
excellent solution for emergency air-ground communications, like in-flight
medical emergency management".
satLINK may be installed with either a dedicated audio handset, or integrated
into the aircraft’s audio system using the audio panel , headset, and mic
push-to-talk keys for control. The cabin handset option is a uniquely functional
feature - it uses VoIP technology over the Cabin Wireless LAN (CWLU) option. And
each aircraft can be addressed with a unique telephone number, ensuring it can
not only place calls, but also be selectively called.
satLINK not only provides an Iridium connection, it also manages
communications traffic, routing it based on network availability and
criticality, ensuring the most economical transmission of data. Since over 60%
of ACARS transmissions often occur on the ground, significant savings can be
achieved by routing them over 802.11 wireless.
Unlike ACARS, Iridium data channels are dedicated. ACARS is shared, and as
more and more customers are signed under flat-fee contracts, availability can
only decline. "The Iridium constellation is the ATC messaging backbone of the
future", notes Raul.
satLINK provides gateway connectivity between a variety of aircraft
communications network types, including ARINC 429, ARINC 618, ARINC 619,
Ethernet, and 802.11 wireless. satLINK bridges all these networks to Iridium and
to each other. A shared or (optionally) dedicated audio channel is also
included. satLINK can provide GPS position data to the Ethernet bus , as well as
an 802.11 cabin wireless access point.
Avionica, Inc. specializes in complete flight data management solutions.
Products include secureLINK, the airborne wireless Ethernet router, the miniQAR,
the world’s first miniature quick access flight data recorder, the RSU II, a
handheld flight-data recorder monitoring and download tool, AVSCAN.flight, a
commercial and military flight data analysis tool, USB429win, a USB ARINC 429
databus analyzer, and LOAD615win, the USB-based ARINC 615 portable dataloader.
24 Jan 2007 - F-35 LIGHTNING II AVIONICS TEST BED TAKES WING
MOJAVE, California — The Joint Strike Fighter Cooperative Avionics Test Bed (CATB),
a 737-300 aircraft extensively modified by BAE Systems, successfully completed
its maiden flight Jan. 23 at Mojave, California. The flight capped a nearly
three-year effort to transform a commercial airliner into a flying laboratory
for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.
The 737 aircraft, also known as the “CAT-Bird,” is a flying test bed that
replicates the F-35 avionics suite. The CATB will develop and verify the F-35’s
capability to collect data from multiple sensors and fuse it into a coherent
situational awareness display in a dynamic airborne environment.
“Today’s flight caps what has been a significant technical challenge,” said
John Wall, BAE Systems CATB program director in Mojave, where the work was
performed. “The CAT-Bird is helping the Lightning II take its place as the
premier fighter aircraft serving the U.S. and multi-nation partners for decades
to come.”
The CAT-Bird now begins a one-month test flight phase to prove the
aerodynamics of the converted airliner — an important validation because of
modifications to the craft made to accommodate the avionics test requirements.
These include the addition of a nose extension to simulate that of the F-35, a
42-foot-long spine on the top, a 10-foot “canoe” on the bottom to accommodate
electronic equipment, and twin 12-foot sensor wings that replicate the leading
edge of the F-35’s wings.
The inside of the plane also was transformed. An F-35 cockpit will allow the
sensor inputs to be displayed as they would be in the fighter itself. The rest
of the interior houses equipment racks for the avionics equipment, and 20
workstations for technicians to assess the performance of the avionics.
“The CAT-Bird is a vitally important and powerful tool in Lockheed Martin’s
arsenal for early risk mitigation and maturation of the F-35,” said Doug
Pearson, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of the F-35 Integrated Test Force. “It
allows us to concurrently develop and integrate mission systems hardware and
software well before it is installed on F-35s. We congratulate BAE Systems on
today’s successful first flight and look forward to many years of productive
flight test operation.”
Today’s flight was the first of about 20 sorties that will comprise
CAT-Bird’s initial test phase. After conclusion of some additional modification
work, and the initial flight test phase, the B-737 CATB will transition to its
home base and begin test operations at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort
Worth, Texas. The CAT-Bird will be used to develop and evaluate the F-35's
extensive sensor architecture.
9 Jan 2007 - Rockwell Collins announce EVS offering for BBJ
SEATTLE (January 09, 2007) - Boeing [NYSE: BA] Business Jets and Rockwell
Collins today introduced an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) offering for Boeing
Business Jet (BBJ) operators. The offering will be available to BBJ customers
through Boeing and Rockwell Collins service bulletins, and certification for the
system is expected by early 2008.
Rockwell Collins EVSThe Rockwell Collins EVS presents an image (shown at
right) of the external environment on the Head-up Guidance System (HGS®) and
head-down displays to enhance pilot situational awareness of terrain and the
airport environment in low-visibility situations. When displayed on the HGS, EVS
allows the pilot to descend below minimums, if the visual references to the
intended runway are visible using the EVS.
"The EVS upgrade will increase safety and operational capability of the
aircraft by enhancing situational awareness at night or in poor weather
conditions," said John Desmond, vice president, Rockwell Collins HGS. "We look
forward to working closely with Boeing to deliver this offering to their BBJ
customers."
"Boeing is pleased to collaborate with Rockwell Collins to provide EVS
capability on BBJs," said Boeing Business Jets President Steven Hill. "Boeing
constantly evaluates and adds cutting-edge technology that brings value to our
customers and enhances the performance and efficiency of a great product like
the BBJ."
Rockwell Collins has teamed with Max-Viz to complete the certification of EVS
on the BBJ. Rockwell Collins will incorporate a Max-Viz multi-wavelength
infrared sensor into the Rockwell Collins HGS. BBJ operators that upgrade to the
new EVS system will require an upgrade to their HGS 4000, as well as the
infrared camera.
Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) is a pioneer in the development and deployment
of innovative communication and aviation electronics solutions for both
commercial and government applications. Rockwell Collins’ expertise in flight
deck avionics, cabin electronics, mission communications and information
management and simulation and training is strengthened by 18,000 employees, and
a global service and support network that crosses 27 countries. To find out
more, visit www.rockwellcollins.com.
The BBJ is a product of a joint venture formed in July 1996 by The Boeing
Company and General Electric Co. The BBJ is a high-performance derivative of the
commercially successful Next-Generation 737-700. There are currently 88 BBJs in
service around the world. The fleet has generated more than 215,000 cumulative
flight hours and 84,000 flights while maintaining an industry-leading 99.9
percent dispatch reliability rate.
4 Jan 2007 - First Boeing Next-Generation 737-700ER Rolls Out of Factory
The first Boeing Next-Generation 737-700ER (Extended Range) completed final
assembly and rolled out of the Renton, Wash., manufacturing facility Jan. 2. The
airplane receives a painted livery and goes through preflight testing before
delivery to launch customer ANA (All Nippon Airways) in early 2007.
The Next-Generation 737-700ER is inspired by the Boeing Business Jet and is
designed for long-range commercial applications. Cabin configuration is
flexible, and may range from a 48-person, all-business-class cabin, as an
example, to a more traditional 126-seat count to suit the airline's needs. The
high-performance derivative can fly up to 2,145 nautical miles farther than the
current 737-700. With up to nine auxiliary fuel tanks and optional Blended
Winglets, the Next-Generation 737-700ER is capable of flying 5,510 nautical
miles.
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