Travelers in Denver will soon have the chance to fly on the Airbus A380, the largest passenger airplane in the world, operated by Lufthansa for seasonal daily direct flights to Munich, Germany.

Read More

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

Similar Posts

|

Northwest Gets Out of Hot Water Without Cool Cash

A federal investigation has published findings that Northwest Airlines violated FAA safety directives.

The investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel corroborates the allegations of a whistleblower who alleged the carrier had inadequate policies and procedures in 2008. The Office of Special Counsel indicated that FAA inspectors were going to work with Northwest to resolve deficiencies, and close cases with letters of correction rather than penal fines. However two Northwest managers may be disciplined.

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
|

Purdue University Opening New Aviation Engine Testing Facility

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University will operate a new federally funded facility to test aircraft engines and develop alternative fuels in work that also aims to reduce the nation’s reliance on imported oil.
The National Test Facility for Fuels and Propulsion is funded with a $1.35 million grant from the U.S. Air Force and will be housed in the Niswonger Aviation Technology Building at the Purdue Airport.

“The aerospace industry now has an unprecedented interest in developing green aircraft using biofuels,” said David L. Stanley, an associate professor of aeronautical engineering technology at Purdue and principal investigator of the facility. “Testing will be conducted while fuels are being researched for development. This means input will be provided during the development phase, not after the fuel has been developed, which helps to ensure the best results possible.”

The facility, expected to open in late 2010 or early 2011, will test aerospace hardware in engines and aircraft and provide data related to fuel-sustainability and emissions goals and for economic assessments.

“This is a multidisciplinary research approach that begins with growing crops, developing fuels from those crops in the laboratory and then testing those fuels in engines,” said Denver Lopp, a professor of aviation technology and one of two co-principal investigators.

The other co-principal investigator is J. Mark Thom, a professor of aviation technology.

Work will focus on jet engines but will include some testing related to piston engines.

“The project involves faculty members in the colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Science and Technology to develop a well-rounded and capable research team for fuels research, with particular focus on aviation and aerospace,” Lopp said. “Purdue is strong in each of these areas, and having an airport also enhances these strengths.”

The researchers will work with the Air Force, industry and government agencies to develop the fuels.

“Roughly 17 billion gallons of turbine fuel are burned annually in the United States, and clearly a portion of this could be saved by blending alternative fuels,” Stanley said. “The U.S. Air Force intends to be able to operate its fleet on blends of these fuels.”

The work will tackle four major bottlenecks to aerospace progress: access to hardware testing; development of control logic and systems permitting flex-fuel operation and realization of improved efficiencies; sustainability of biofuels related to crop productivity, as well as bio and synthetic fuels’ ability to meet both near- and long-term aerospace requirements; and regulatory compliance.

“The overall goal is to update and maintain a multifaceted national testing facility with dedicated administration to support development and testing of alternative energy sources for aerospace equipment,” Lopp said. “This facility will address all energy sources and will not be an advocate of any particular fuel.”

Writer: Emil Venere, 765-494-4709, venere@purdue.edu

Sources: David Stanley, 765-494-6266, stanledl@purdue.edu

Denver Lopp, 765-494-6387, denver@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: ( 765 ) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
| |

Beijing Smog Affects Air Traffic


According to reports, pollution and smog grounded traffic in parts of China on January 23, 2013.

Government warnings were issued for residents to stay indoors in Beijing.

PM2.5 one of the worst pollutants was measured at 526 micrograms per cubic metre, or “beyond index”, and more than 20 times higher than World Health Organisation safety levels over a 24-hour period, and visibility levels were measured at less than 100m in some areas of eastern China.


Flights cancelled:

Zhengzhou = 100 flights
Beijing = 33 flights
Qindao = 20 flights
Jinan = 13 flights

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
| |

The Hidden Face of 35 Unrevealed Improvements

35 (unrevealed) proposals suggested by the eight member panel of aviation experts will be implemented rapidly, in the wake of the crash of Air France 447.

Findings on that crash hinge on the lost black box and wreckage; a fourth search effort is beginning this year, funded by Air France and Airbus, and if anything is found, the recovery will be government funded.

The failure is blamed on faulty readings from the plane’s pitot tubes (speed sensors) after they iced over and fly by wire systems consequently failed.

Air France’s deficient safety culture is detailed in the book La face cachée d’Air France

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.