Archives for July, 2006
KC-135: 50 years old and still refueling
Monday, July 31st, 2006
Airmen with the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Maintenance Squadron are servicing a fleet of aging KC-135 Stratotankers here. This particular aircraft rolled off the line in 1960, and that is not old for a Stratotanker. Some will enter their 50th year of service this year, and the aging airframe does present some unique maintenance challenges. “Some of these relays look like they came from the bottom of Pearl Harbor,” said Sergeant Ferriman.
Cessna 172 Skyhawk and 182 Skylane Turn 50
Monday, July 24th, 2006
“This year, Cessna’s 172 Skyhawk and 182 Skylane mark their 50th anniversary and celebrate the production of more than 65,000 airplanes since 1956,” said Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack J. Pelton. “While the 172 and 182 have each had more than 250 modifications in their 50-year lifespan, the fundamentals of these legendary airplanes have remained the same – they are easy to fly, extremely safe, and dependable. This is why more young men and women in every country in the world have learned to fly in a Cessna than all other manufacturers’ airplanes combined.”
New Army Helicopter makes its First Flight
Saturday, July 22nd, 2006
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, announced that the Bell ARH-70A completed its first two flights Thursday, July 20, 2006. The aircraft took off from Bell XworX in Arlington, Texas and flew multiple handling maneuvers, flew in a hover for both in and out of ground effect, and flew in a traffic pattern reaching 80 knots, 500 ft. altitude, with banks up to 30 degrees for a little more than 1.5 hours of flight. The flights delineate the ARH program as one of the fastest ‘contract to flight’ programs ever completed and set a new standard for such acquisitions.
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works reveals high altitude UAV
Wednesday, July 19th, 2006
Lockheed Martin today unveiled the existence of a new high altitude, unmanned aerial demonstrator to reporters attending the Farnborough International Air Show. The announcement was part of a review of several Skunk Works projects highlighting technologies the company is exploring to enable technology for the future.
Alternate fuel-powered B-52 to fly in September
Tuesday, July 18th, 2006
This year, the Air Force will test fly a B-52 Stratofortress that is powered in part by fuel derived from natural gas. The Air Force Research Laboratory’s propulsion directorate, a part of Air Force Materiel Command, is providing technical assistance to the test flight scheduled for September at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The bomber will fly with two of its eight jet engines using a specially blended fuel made of conventional petroleum-derived JP-8 and a Fischer-Tropsch jet fuel produced from natural gas.
T-50 Golden Eagle offers cost-effective training solution for modern air forces
Tuesday, July 18th, 2006
“As the world’s only high performance supersonic trainer in production, the T-50 has the unique capability of allowing new fighter pilots the ability to smoothly transition into advanced aircraft such as the F-16 and 5TH Generation F-35 Joint Strike,” said Dr. Alex Jun, vice president of marketing for KAI. “The T-50 integrated training system provides pilots with the best training solution available. It incorporates a high performance supersonic fast jet trainer, a modern ground-based training system, and a fully integrated logistics support package – all designed to provide the most efficient training environment at lowest life cycle cost.”
C-130J Super Hercules delivering agile mobility and global response
Tuesday, July 18th, 2006
Lockheed Martin officials briefed reporters attending the 2006 Farnborough International Air Show on how the C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft is both delivering capability to meet modern threats and is an active participant in crisis relief operations around the world. Company officials also described how the C-130J’s flexibility and multimission capability can help air forces meet short and long-term emerging requirements. “The C-130J Super Hercules is a critical, integral part of airlift around the world,” said Ross Reynolds, air mobility vice president at Lockheed Martin. “Whether it is engaged in combat, peacekeeping or humanitarian and disaster relief operations, the C-130J is proving itself on a daily basis. Worldwide, C-130Js have been involved in combat operations now for four years conducting re-supply and troop deployment missions, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Airbus presents the A350 XWB Extra Wide Body
Monday, July 17th, 2006
Airbus’ new President and CEO, Christian Streiff, confirmed Airbus’ commitment to its customers and future business growth and presented a whole new family of aircraft, the A350 XWB, for Extra Wide Body, Extra Comfort, Extra Efficiency and going the Extra mile for customers.