Japanese Aircraft Passengers Struck by Lightning

A plane carrying starflyer 145 passengers and crew from the airport Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, according to local press on Monday, struck by lightning, Sunday (11/11).

In the report it is said, the plane was struck by lightning at 22:00 local time, about 25 minutes after taking off from the airport. The plane finally landed in a safe condition at Haneda Airport, Tokyo, at around 23:00 local time. No passengers or crew were reported injured.

It was also said the pilot saw a crack in the cockpit window after a lightning strike that. The airlines and aviation bureau Japan have started checking for damage caused by lightning strikes.

A Conceptual Aircraft Design Approach

Outstanding Summary of Conceptual Aircraft Design Approach

Summerfield Book Award Winner, winner of the Aviation-Space Writers Association of Excellence, and with over 30,000 copies sold, this is consistent AIAA selling titles. This highly respected book presents the entire process of conceptual aircraft design - from requirements definition to initial size, configuration layout, analysis, measurement, and trade studies - in the same manner seen in industry aircraft design groups. Attractive and easy to read, this book has over 900 pages of design methods, illustrations, tips, explanations, and equations, and has extensive appendix with key data essential to design. This book is the required design text at various universities around the world and a favorite of practicing design engineers.

Get this  Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, Fourth Edition (Aiaa Education Series) today!

The fourth edition of the new improved in many areas, with improvements and reworking of the text, extending the size and method of analysis, and up-to-date treatments of emerging technologies and concepts. A new section of Conceptual Aircraft Design Approach provides an introduction to spaceflight and rockets including thrust analysis and vehicle sizes for launch and planetary missions. Appendix revised and additional exam questions are provided.

"I never felt that I had a good formulation (Design) until I read the introduction of Daniel Raymer Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach Raymer ... implies that design involves far more than drawing a pretty shape and then shoe-horning people., Machine and structural members into it involves art. Raymer's book .... take a practical, not an academic, design development covers not only aerodynamics, stability and stress analysis .... but also the interstitial stuff about general arrangement and interaction design considerations that actually compete grout that holds a design together -. Peter Garrison, in Flying, May 1997 Reliable - as always from AIAA, the best source of quality aircraft technical literature. - Craig Roberts, Roberts Sport aircraft Reference Position - more homebuilders / designers need to purchase this text Keep making your book available to EAA -! Brad Knapp, EAA as if this book was written specifically for me and bring closure to the understanding of theoretical concepts -. James "


It was very good, and at this Conceptual Aircraft Design Approach book, authoratative about aircraft design. For anyone who wants to be an aerospace engineer reading a book like this should put any kind of work they would do in the right context.

The best part of this book is that it is divided into two parts. Frist half talks specifically about aircraft design from a practical level, covering topics such as wing planform selection, thrust and weight determination of wing loading, sizing machines, configuraiton landing gear, etc. It is applied, the type of knowledge-oriented design and thought that all engineers need and unfortunately not taught by most schools, though of course specifically for aircraft. (Lecture I had only one ten week aircraft design courses through the entire four-year curriculum of the course is offered in two parts .. Only one of the parts even have this book on your reading list, and then not even use it in class!) The second part explore methods of analysis used for the "size" is different from the aircraft, such as the method for predicting the drag (for engine thrust on a cruise), to predict both subsonically downwash and supersonically (effects total lift and stability and control), to determine the rough size of the beam members and torsion structure, the size of the control surfaces for stability and control, etc. There is also a nice interlude in which the author gives us an example of a step-by-step how you can do the conceptual design. (This is not the ONLY way to do conceptual design, but it is important to have SOME method and is an introduction to one.) This design also has two good examples in the appendix, plus a LOT of good reference data in this book.

This is the kind of book that should be read first by anyone involved with the design of the aircraft and / or research and development so that they can understand the big picture framework of how aircraft are generally configured.

About A Conceptual Aircraft Design Approach Author

Daniel P. Raymer has over 25 years experience in Aircraft Design and Layout Configuration, Computer-aided Design Methodology and Design Education and has received a Rockwell Engineer of the Year Award for his work in computer-aided aircraft design methodology, and the AIAA Summerfield Book award for his best-selling "Aircraft design: A conceptual approach "textbook. He is President of Conceptual Research Corporation, and consulted for the RAND Corporation, among others. Previous positions include Director of Advanced Design at Lockheed, Mission Director at Aerojet Propulsion Future Research Institute, and the Project Manager-Engineering at Rockwell North American Aviation. Raymer received B.S. and M.S. degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue and an MBA from the University of Southern California. - This text refers to the out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Please also check out our other Conceptual Aircraft Design Approach collection:

• Introduction to Aircraft Design (Cambridge Aerospace Series)
• Aircraft Conceptual Design Synthesis (Aerospace Series)
• Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach (Aiaa Education Series

NTSB: Air Controller Nearly Causing a Collision

An air traffic controller with a history of discipline problems almost caused air collision between regional aircraft and small plane last year, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.

A regional jets operated by ExpressJet and single-engine Cessna came within 300 feet of colliding after they are cleared for take off on intersecting runways at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport in Mississippi on June 19, according to NTSB officials and documents released by the council.

There were 53 passengers and crew were regional jet, an Embraer ER145. A student pilot, accompanied by a flight instructor, flying the Cessna 172.

Robert Beck airport control tower first Cessna clean takeoff at runway 18, according to the document. Approximately 16 seconds later, Beck regional jet cleaning, Continental Express Flight 2555, to take off on runway 14, which crosses runway 18. No warning was issued for either pilot to other areas although other controller who heard takeoff distance told investigators he shouted a warning to Beck, "You've got two rolling!"

Both aircraft are in the same height, about 300 feet above the airport, when they passed within 300 feet laterally from each other. As the plane passed, ExpressJet captain shouted to his co-pilot: "Wow, it's close." One of the air traffic manager told investigators, "It's a miracle that nobody died," according to the NTSB summary of the interview the researcher.

The plane was headed Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport, where he landed quietly. The aircraft was operated for Continental before joining fully in operation with United Airlines.
After that, air traffic officials told investigators Beck has a "history of professional shortcomings which include taking a shortcut with the phraseology and not in accordance with the standard checklist procedures," says the document.

Beck, a controller for 23 years, also has been suspended several times in the last five years for tardiness, absenteeism and failure to report arrests for driving under the influence. Beck has also been removed from the training tasks after training less experienced controllers complained that "Mr. Beck was in back of the room with his feet up and eyes closed" during the training session, the document said.

The Associated Press could not reach Beck by phone for comment.
Beck is still an air traffic controller at the airport in Gulfport, according to Federal Aviation Administration, which operates the air traffic control system of the nation.
"FAA makes changes to management in Gulfport following the incident in June and was suspended and decertified the controller involved. Controller that has been retrained and recertified," the agency said in a statement.

The NTSB has lifted an air traffic controller and pilot professionalism to the list of top safety concerns in response to a series of incidents over the past few years, including the crash of 2009 where the controller in New Jersey was talking on the phone to a friend about roasting a cat died when a small plane he was collided with a helicopter tour of handling air, killing nine people.

"Lack of focus in the air collision near (in Mississippi) between commercial jets and a small private plane is a reminder that a single error can have potentially disastrous consequences," said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said in a statement.
"While most individuals in the aviation industry in a focused and professional, events like this continue to happen, which means there is still much work to be done to ensure that air travel as safe as possible," he said.

Last spring, FAA officials set some changes in scheduling air traffic controllers after several controllers caught sleeping on duty or, in one case, watching a movie.

Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said the union took the incident as a near-collision on the Mississippi "very serious."

"We welcome the investigation of this incident by federal officials and plans to cooperate with the FAA to continue to improve the security of our aviation system," said Church.

New Generation Su-35 Performs Flight Test

Russian aircraft manufacturer, Sukhoi, began test-flying the latest generation of fighter aircraft SukhoiSu-35S (Flanker-E). The third of a series aircraft was flown from the air base's Aircraft Production Association of Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia's Far East, on Tuesday (17/01/2012).

The plane flew for more than two hours to test the propulsion system and a new control system aircraft. Multirole combat aircraft with the mission of air superiority is equipped the latest generation of turbofan engines Saturn 117S (AL-41-F1S) with steering controls engine thrust(thrust vectoring control / TVC), which makes the aircraft has high maneuverability.

By the author, referred to as the Su-35S aircraft 4 + + generation using fifth-generation aircraft technology. Sukhoi's official website mentioned, the aircraft can be shot with a maximum speed of1,400 km per hour (Mach 1.1) at lower elevations and up to 2,400 miles per hour (close to Mach 2)at the highest limit of the operational altitude of the aircraft at 18,000 feet.

The plane was equipped with the latest generation of radar that can detect airborne targets from a distance of 400 kilometers and is capable of tracking and attacking multiple targets at once (track30 targets at once and attacked eight targets simultaneously in the air, plus the track four targets and attack two targets simultaneously at the ground ) from a distance of 30 kilometers with the OLS (optical locator station) in the cockpit.

Su-35 is an advanced development of the Su-27 Flanker. Air Force currently operates several variants of the Su-27 and Su-30, and reportedly interested in buying at least one squadron ofSu-35BM (export version of Su-35S) in the future.

Russian Air Force Operates A50U AWACS Aircraft

Early warning aircraft air control system (AWACS) A-50U that has been modernized into operation by the Russian Air Force, Tuesday (01/17/2012). The aircraft, which first made in the late 1970s is now equipped with new onboard computers and satellite communications and radar systems aremore sophisticated.

Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said the aircraft was handed over to the Russian Air Force choked in October 2011 to undergo flight test. Currently, all flight tests have been completed and the aircraft will begin operation in full, including follow all large military exercise this year.

With this modernization, the aircraft is now capable of detecting various types of air targets, ranging from helicopters, supersonic aircraft, to cruise missiles. The aircraft is also capable of tracking up to 10 fighter aircraft, both for the mission of air raids and air strikes to ground.

Beriev A-50 aircraft manufactured by passenger aircraft Ilyushin Il-76. The plane first flew in 1978 and started operating in 1984. The total number of 40 early warning aircraft was produced until1992.

Airbus Claims Boeing Defeat

airbus a320-aircraft 

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus to Boeing’s claims has been defeated in terms of aircraft orders during the year 2011. Airbus states, has won as many as 1608 aircraft orders, or a total of 1419units of the aircraft after a number of cancellations.

In terms of market domination, means Airbus has won 64 percent of the volume, and 54-56 percent of the sale value.

Both Airbus and Boeing, has announced a revitalization of production for the Airbus A320 and 737MAX Boeing so that more fuel-efficient.

Also reported the delivery of 534 Airbus aircraft in 2011. That figure is five percent higher than shipments in 2010. Both aircraft manufacturers really ramped up production to climb into the sky plane high demand from Asia.

"The year 2011 was a tough year for the world economy, but increasing air traffic trips triggered the increasing number of middle class. In 20 years, the journey will probably triple," said Chief Marketing Officer of Airbus, John Leahy, Wednesday (18 / 1 / 2012).

As for Boeing, last week announced the sale of 921 aircraft by 2011. And has sent the latest Boeing aircraft as much as 477 units to the various airlines of the world. Development is done Airbus and Boeing, has increased the monopoly of the two aircraft manufacturers, far beating Canada, Russia, and China.

But Leahy said, China will become a major threat in the next 25 years.

Immediately N-219 Aircraft Entering Production Phase

N219 Aircraft-Indonesian Aerospace Industry

Indonesian Aerospace Industry immediately entered the stage production of new aircraft types, the N-219 aircraft capable of flying short distances of STOL (short-take off and landing / flying and landing on short runway).

This year Indonesian Aerospace Industry will make two prototypes (two aircraft in actual size), each of which will be used for test flying and static tests on the mainland, according to Director of Technology and Development Indonesian Aerospace Industry, Dita Ardonni Jafri in Bandung on Sunday (1/15/2012) .

Described, the basic design of the N-219 began in 2006 and until 2008 it has completed a variety of basic tests, including wind tunnel tests. Indonesian Aerospace Industry carry out various tests in cooperation with the Development Agency for Technology Assessment (BPPT).

This aircraft has a capacity of 19 passengers and is equipped with two engines and is designed to serve the needs of aviation pioneers to connect remote areas.

N-219 still have to undergo some kind of other tests, including static test aircraft, engine test production, and ultimately flight test. Year 2014 target is certified to fly the feasibility of the Ministry of Transportation and in 2015 entered the market to replace direncanakan class aircraft that had entered old age.

Some local governments have expressed an interest to be able to operate the aircraft N-219. The aircraft is suitable for connecting flights between District and remote areas in the country.

In addition, PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA PT.) also expressed interest to operate and plan to buy as many as 20 aircraft as it had been delivered by the Minister of SOEs after a working meeting with the House of Representatives Commission VI in the House of Representatives in July 2011.

Market survey was done Indonesian Aerospace Industry show, currently in Indonesia required the N-219 class aircraft ranging from 202, consists of 97 pieces of civil needs and the needs of military and special mission of 105 pieces.

In addition corresponds to the situation and condition of the airport runway is not smooth, the plane is also capable of taking off and landing on short runway (600 meters) with high stability, compatible with many remote airports in Indonesia who do not have large land.

In addition, the aircraft was designed in order to perform well and comfortably maneuver. Aircraft structures are also designed to carry more fuel than other aircraft classmates to remember that not all airports in remote areas have refueling facilities.

The aircraft is designed has a range up to 650 Nm (1,200 km) with a maximum speed of 213 kts (395 km / h), while the price of the aircraft is more expensive than other aircraft that class, as well as operational costs were relatively low.

Indonesian Aerospace Industry has previously been successfully producing aircraft including many used in the world, the CN-235 in cooperation with the firm CASA, Spain. Even before, they've managed to create a larger aircraft, the N-250 in the mid-1990s.

For the CN-235, a number of countries listed as the biggest users of Turkey (60 aircraft), Korea (20 aircraft), the French Air Force (19 aircraft) and Malaysia (eight aircraft).

User countries other CN-235, is Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Bophuthatswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Ireland, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Senegal, United Arab Emirates , Venezuela and the United States.

In 2011, Indonesian Aerospace Industry has sent three aircraft type N-235 maritime reconnaissance to the Agency for the South Korean Coast Guard (KCG), the other one will be delivered in March 2012.

What is Fly By Wire Flight Control System?

What is Fly By Wire Flight Control System?

N250 Aircraft-Indonesian Aircraft Industry Designed using Fly By Wire System

Fly by wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight control aircraft with an electronic interface. Flight control movement is converted into electronic signals transmitted over cable (hence the term fly-by-wire), and the flight control computer determines how to move the actuator at each control surface to provide a response commands. System of fly-by-wire also allows the signal sent by the computer automatically aircraft to perform functions without pilot input, such as in a system that automatically helps to stabilize the aircraft.

After eliminating mechanical transmission circuits in the fly-by-wire flight control system, the next step is to eliminate the bulky and heavy hydraulic circuit. Hydraulic circuit is replaced by an electrical circuit. Electrical circuits power electrical or electrohydraulic actuators are controlled independently by a digital flight control computer. All the benefits of fly-by-wire maintained.

The biggest benefit is the weight savings, the possibility of redundant power circuits and tighter integration between the aircraft flight control systems and avionics systems company. The absence of hydraulics greatly reduces maintenance costs. This system is used in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and the Airbus A380 flight control backup. Boeing 787 will also incorporate some electrically operated flight controls (spoilers and horizontal stabilizer), which will continue to operate with either a total hydraulic failure and / or flight control computer failure.



Read more about Fly By Wire

A new cargo plane crashes in France, and the National Transportation Safety Board sends Jammer Davis to investigate in Larsen’s latest thriller. Davis’ superiors want easy answers, and the easiest answer of all is “pilot error.” The plane has a sophisticated fly-by-wire design; if the crash was due to manufacturing, the economic cost of all the cargo shipments screeching to a halt would be catastrophic. Jammer has his doubts, however, and his investigation reveals a shocking conspiracy that has ties to a rash of terrorist bombings at oil refineries. Larsen is fast becoming a thriller writer to watch. He clearly knows his subject matter and has a knack for writing about technology without it getting in the way of the story or the characters. Fans of the aviation thrillers of John Nance and of Michael Crichton’s Airframe (1996) will find much to enjoy here. --Jeff Ayers.

Fibd nore about Fly By Wire right now!

What is an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)?

APS 3200 APU Design

Auxiliary power units (APU) are a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are usually found on large aircraft, as well as some large ground vehicles.

The main purpose of the aircraft Auxiliary Power Unit is to provide power for main engine start. Turbine engine must be accelerated to high rotational speeds in order to provide enough air compression for standalone operation. Smaller jet engines are usually started by an electric motor, while the larger machines are usually initiated by an air turbine motor. Before the machine should be turned, APU starts, generally by a battery or a hydraulic accumulator. Once the APU is running, it provides energy (electric, pneumatic, hydraulic or, depending on the design) to start the main engine aircraft.

Auxiliary Power Unit is also used to run accessories while the engine is off. This allows the cabin to be comfortable while the passengers boarding the aircraft before the engines started. Electricity used to run the system for preflight checks. Some APUs is also connected to a hydraulic pump, which allows the crew to operate the hydraulic equipment (such as flight control or flaps) before starting the engine. This function can also be used, on a plane a few, as a backup in flight in case of engine failure or hydraulic. In use, the APU provides auxiliary power for vehicles and convenience features added functionality and eliminates the high fuel consumption, wear, and emissions associated with long idle operation when on-board electricity generated by running the engine main drive.

Aircraft with APUs can also receive electrical power and pneumatic equipment from the ground when an APU has failed or not to be used.

APUs fitted to the extended-range twin engine operations (ETOPS) aircraft is a critical safety device, as they supply backup electricity and compressed air in the engine died or failed main engine generator. While some APUs may not start able in flight, ETOPS-compliant APUs must be start able flight at an altitude up to the aircraft service ceiling. Recent applications have specified starting up to 43,000 ft (13,000 m) of the complete immersion cold conditions such as Hamilton Sundstrand APS5000 for Boeing 787 Dreamliner. If the APU or generator power is not available, the aircraft cannot be released for ETOPS flight and is forced to take a longer route non-ETOPS.

What is a Digital Mock Up (DMU)?

What is a Digital Mock Up (DMU)?

aircraft digital mockup

Digital mockup or DMU is a concept that allows the description of the product, usually in 3D, for the entire life cycle. Digital mockup enriched by all the activities that contribute to describe the product. The product design engineers, manufacturing engineers, and support engineers work together to create and manage the DMU.

The digital mockup allows engineers to create a virtual assembly of aircraft components.
No need anymore to test empirically the interminable use physical mockups and prototypes. The digital mockup is the only point of reference for the product in the company.

The smallest details can be visualized and take into account in the design. The digital mockup also ensures that data can not be lost, everything is stored in a single computerized repository, rather than spread among multiple images. Everything is integrated by a digital mockup, the structure is completed and the system (cables, tubes, equipment installation, etc.) defined upstream in the finest detail, which greatly facilitate programming machine tools and assembly robots. A direct link was established between design and production, which will continue to be strengthened during the following years.

One goal is to have the essential knowledge of the future or the product is supported for replacing physical prototypes with virtual, using 3D computer graphics techniques. As an extension it is also often referred to as Digital Prototyping or Virtual Prototyping. The second definition refers specifically to the production of physical prototypes, but they are part of the concept of DMU. DMU allows engineers to design and configure complex products and validate their design without ever needing to build a physical model.

Among the techniques and technologies that make this possible are: the use of lightweight 3D models with different levels of detail using data structures such as JT lightweight XVL and PDF enables engineers to visualize, analyze, and interact with large amounts of product data in real-time on standard desktop computers. Direct interface mockups for Digital and PDM systems. Active digital mockup technology that unites the ability to visualize the assembly mockup with the ability to measure, analyze, simulate, design and redesign.

CATIA V5 Tutorials Mechanism Design & Animation

The tutorials are written so as to provide a hands-on look at the process of creating an assembly, developing the assembly into a mechanism, and simulating the motion of the mechanism in accordance with some time based inputs. The processes of generating movie files and plots of the kinematic results are covered. The majority of the common joint types are covered. Students majoring in engineering/technology, designers using CATIA V5 in industry, and practicing engineers can easily follow the book and develop a sound yet practical understanding of simulating mechanisms in DMU.

Get CATIA V5 Tutorials Mechanism Design & Animation right now!