May 8, 2009 -NTSB Advisory The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the probable cause of a midair collision between two emergency medical service (EMS) helicopters last year was that both pilots’ failed to see and avoid the other helicopter on approach to the helipad. Read More
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Boeing Achieves Power On for New 747-8 Intercontinental
EVERETT, Wash., Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) has completed the power on sequence for the new 747-8 Intercontinental. This milestone enables the program to begin functional tests on the airplane.
“This is a critical step in the assembly process for the new 747-8 Intercontinental,” said Elizabeth Lund, 747 deputy program manager, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The airplane’s systems are now live. This milestone is a reflection of the focus and hard work of our engineers, mechanics and suppliers.”
Power on is a complex series of tasks that methodically energize and activate the airplane’s systems. In this critical stage of the assembly process, the electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems are brought on line.
Mechanics connected the 747-8 to an external power cart to energize the flight-deck display and maintenance systems. The electricity coursing through the airplane’s 133 miles (214 km) of wire will be as high as 105 kilovoltampere (kVa).
The program also activated the airplane’s hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Pressurized to 3,000 pounds per square inch (psi), the hydraulics power the flight control surfaces, landing gear, brakes and steering systems. The 160 psi applied to the pneumatic system enables the airplane to operate the environmental control systems and the leading-edge flaps.
“We are very methodical in ensuring the integrity of the airplane’s systems,” said Todd Zarfos, vice president of 747 engineering, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This accomplishment is a key milestone in validating the design, installation and functionality of the electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems.”
A video that gives you an inside look at the power on sequence is available at http://bit.ly/dlXgym.
The program is expected to complete assembly of the 747-8 Intercontinental in the first quarter of 2011. The airplane is scheduled to enter service in late 2011 following the flight test program.
The 747-8, which includes the 747-8 Intercontinental and the 747-8 Freighter, was launched in November 2005. Boeing has 109 orders for the 747-8 — 33 for the 747-8 Intercontinental and 76 for the 747-8 Freighter. The first 747-8 Intercontinental is scheduled to deliver in late 2011.
The new 747-8 Intercontinental offers the lowest operating costs and best economics of any large passenger airplane, while providing enhanced environmental performance. The 747-8 provides new revenue opportunities that allow airlines to maximize profits. Eighteen feet longer than the 747-400, the 747-8 has 51 additional seats to accommodate 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration, and it also offers 26 percent more cargo volume.
FAA Announces $9.2 million in Recovery Act Projects for Atlanta
Washington Headquarters Press Release
For Immediate Release
August 13, 2010WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration announced more than $9 million in upgrades funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that will make flights at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport safer, more efficient and more reliable.
“These projects are just a few examples of the terrific work being done around the country thanks to the Recovery Act,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Construction workers and engineers are helping to modernize and repair our nation’s commercial and general aviation airports.”
On Friday, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt marked the beginning of a $5 million ARRA project to install a new approach lighting system for Runway 27L. The new lighting system will provide visual information to pilots as they approach the runway in bad weather. It will improve airport capacity, operational capability and safety.
“Landing is one of the most critical phases of flight. This approach lighting system will give pilots an extra layer of safety,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “The Recovery Act is responsible for safety enhancements and upgrades at airports and FAA facilities nationwide.”
The Recovery Act also funded an additional $4.2 million in upgrades to aviation facilities around the Atlanta area.
More than $1.5 million in ARRA funds went to install a new engine generator system for the FAA’s airport traffic control tower. The tower now has two engine generator systems, which will ensure essential back-up power for air traffic control operations at the world’s busiest airport. The system will provide highly reliable on-site power if both commercial power sources feeding the air traffic control tower fail during severe weather in Atlanta. The tower can operate all air traffic equipment at full capacity and with high reliability on the engine generator.
ARRA also funded a $2.6 million power distribution system for the National Network Control Center (NNCC) in Hampton, Ga., which processes pilot flight plans. The new power system is comprised of two commercial power feeds, a standby generator, two uninterruptible power systems with battery back-ups and a power distribution system. Maintaining a fully-functioning NNCC is critical to efficient operation of the national airspace system.
Under ARRA, $1.3 billion has been made available nationwide for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment and airport projects. ARRA grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.
AVS Work Plan for NextGen 2010 Is Released
May 18 — AVS plays an integral role in NextGen by setting, overseeing and applying safety standards for the aviation industry. The AVS Work Plan for NextGen 2010 explains how AVS is organizing to support NextGen. It also charts the course for AVS involvement, and lays out major deliverables AVS will contribute toward the successful implementation of NextGen.AVS activity in support of NextGen focuses on its three core businesses: developing standards, managing approval processes and procedures, and overseeing continuous operational safety.
“NextGen is our opportunity to greatly improve the air transportation system to meet future needs,” said AVS-1 Peggy Gilligan. “We will continue to promote aviation safety for the flying public and those who rely on the aviation industry, but there will be change. We’re going to see giant leaps in technology, and AVS will continue its role to identify and mitigate risks as we introduce new systems and operations as quickly as possible. That’s our challenge.”
When fully implemented, NextGen will safely allow more aircraft to fly closer together on more direct routes while reducing delays, pollution, and noise. NextGen will greatly improve the air transportation system we have known for decades.
Boeing NewGen Tanker Win Would Bring 11,000 Jobs, $693 Million to Washington
EVERETT, Wash., Sept. 27, 2010 — The Boeing Company today announced that the state of Washington will benefit from an estimated 11,000 total jobs and generate an estimated $693 million in annual economic impact if the Boeing NewGen Tanker is selected as the U.S. Air Force’s next aerial refueling aircraft.
Boeing submitted its proposal July 9 to replace 179 of the Air Force’s 400 Eisenhower-era KC-135 aircraft. The Air Force is expected to award a contract later this year.
"The Boeing team in Washington state has an outstanding track record meeting the needs of U.S. warfighters by delivering the finest military derivatives of commercial aircraft in the world," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "I am confident that the thousands of men and women at Boeing and our suppliers working on the NewGen Tanker will carry on that same tradition of excellence for many years to come."
"One of the great strengths of Boeing is our unique ability to form teams made up of both commercial and defense personnel to find innovative and best-value solutions for our customers," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Nowhere is this more apparent than here in Puget Sound, where we have been supporting both commercial and military customers for nearly 100 years."
Currently, Boeing has 72,000 employees in Washington and works with more than 2,700 suppliers/vendors, delivering a total $3.3 billion in annual economic impact.
The NewGen Tanker is a widebody, multi-mission aircraft based on the proven Boeing 767 commercial airplane and updated with the latest and most advanced technology. Capable of fulfilling the Air Force’s needs for transport of fuel, cargo, passengers and patients, the combat-ready NewGen Tanker will meet or exceed the 372 mandatory requirements described in the service’s final KC-X Request for Proposal released Feb. 24.
The NewGen Tanker will be made with a low-risk approach to manufacturing that relies on existing Boeing facilities in Washington state and Kansas as well as U.S. suppliers throughout the nation, with decades of experience delivering dependable military tanker and derivative aircraft. Nationwide, the NewGen Tanker program will support approximately 50,000 total U.S. jobs with Boeing and more than 800 suppliers in more than 40 states.
The Boeing NewGen Tanker also will be more cost-effective to own and operate than a larger, heavier tanker. It will save American taxpayers more than $10 billion in fuel costs over its 40-year service life because it burns 24 percent less fuel than the competitor’s airplane.
Boeing has been designing, building, modifying and supporting tankers for decades. These include the KC-135 that will be replaced in the KC-X competition, and the KC-10 fleet. The company also has delivered four KC-767Js to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and is on contract to deliver four KC-767As to the Italian Air Force.
The Boeing Aerial Refueling Technology demonstrator (BART) will be on display at Westlake Park (401 Pine St.) in Seattle on Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. BART’s tour schedule is available at www.UnitedStatesTanker.com/TankerTrek. More information on Boeing’s NewGen Tanker, including video clips and an interactive tour of the aircraft, is available at www.UnitedStatesTanker.com. For more information on joining the company’s efforts, visit www.RealAmericanTankers.com.
NTSB KICKS OFF YEAR-LONG EFFORT ON CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY, DEBUTS EDUCATIONAL VIDEO
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 9, 2010
The National Transportation Safety Board today concluded its public forum, Child Passenger Safety in the Air and in Automobiles. NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman announced in her opening remarks that the forum marked the beginning of a year-long effort by the Board to promote child passenger safety across all modes of transportation.
“Safety for our smallest travelers should not be considered optional or a luxury,” said Chairman Hersman.
As part of the NTSB’s safety advocacy efforts, a short video focusing on the importance of properly securing children in cars and on airplanes was debuted at the start of the forum. The full video is now at www.ntsb.gov/children, as well as two shorter versions – one focused on highway safety and one focused on aviation safety. All three versions soon will be available in Spanish.
“The laws of physics don’t change, whether you are on an airplane or in an automobile,” said Chairman Hersman. “Children rely on their parents to know what is safest for them. The purpose of our forum was to make sure that parents have the information to do the right thing.”
Chairman Hersman also noted that 18 other states, as well as American Samoa and Puerto Rico, should amend their existing booster seat laws to reflect the Safety Board’s longstanding recommendation.
Boeing Tests New Ka-band SATCOM Antenna System
KENT, Wash., Jan. 27, 2011 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today that it successfully conducted its first over-the-air ground test of a Ka-band satellite communications (SATCOM) phased-array antenna system that will enable wideband SATCOM on aircraft, providing increased bandwidth for networking in flight.
This third-generation antenna system gives commercial and military aircraft operators worldwide the ability to offer communications using the growing fleet of commercial K- and Ka-band satellites. The low-profile antenna is also an option for government operators using military satellites such as the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system. The active phased array system uses electronically controlled beams to transmit and receive signals from a designated satellite.
The test demonstrated the new system’s ability to support a range of applications, including file transfer and a Voice over Internet Protocol videoconference.“This Ka-band phased-array antenna system supports a significant increase in bandwidth with a smaller antenna than previous Ku-band antennas, while still providing the same low profile, low drag, and lower cost of installation,” said Charles Toups, vice president and general manager, Boeing Network and Tactical Systems (N&TS). “Boeing is continuing to invest in secure data-communication technologies that will improve our customers’ ability to remain networked while mobile.”
Boeing has more than 15 years of experience designing phased array antenna systems flying on commercial and military aircraft. Boeing developed the antenna as a joint effort between N&TS, part of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and Boeing Research & Technology, a division of Boeing Engineering, Operations & Technology.