Tag: technology (Page 3 of 19)

Airbus unveils PioneerLab twin engine flying laboratory

September 25, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Hamburg, Germany, September 25, 2023 – During the German National Aviation Conference in Hamburg, Airbus Group SE (Paris: AIR) Helicopters unveiled the PioneerLab, its new twin-engine technology demonstrator based on the H145 platform. It complements Airbus’ range of FlightLabs and focuses on testing technologies that reduce helicopter emissions, increase autonomy and integrate bio-based materials.

The PioneerLab aims to demonstrate a fuel reduction of up to 30% compared to a conventional H145, thanks to a hybrid electric propulsion system and aerodynamic
improvements. Aboard the demonstrator, Airbus Helicopters will also flight-test structural components made from bio-based and recycled materials, which aim to reduce the
environmental footprint across the entire aircraft life cycle. The company intends to produce the new parts using processes that reduce material and energy consumption and improve recyclability. Further research activities will include the integration of the latest digital technologies into the aircraft’s flight control system and associated sensors to increase autonomy and safety during critical flight phases such as take-off and landing.

PioneerLab is partially co-funded by the BMWK, the Federal German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Actions through its national research program LuFo. Airbus Helicopters’ FlightLabs provide agile and efficient test beds to quickly test technologies. They are part of the company’s strategy to bring incremental innovation to improve its current products and as well as to mature technology for future platforms.

The PioneerLab’s flight campaign has already begun at the manufacturer’s largest German site in Donauwörth, with a rotor strike alerting system being the first techno-brick tested on board the demonstrator. The next phase will be to test an automated take-off and landing system.

A.P. Moller – Maersk opens doors to new warehouse in Douala, Cameroon

September 23, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

A.P. Moller – Maersk AS (OTC: AMKBY) opens new warehousing & distribution (W&D) facility, spread over 16,000 sq.m. inside the Douala Port zone and powered by a cutting-edge system, will serve mainly the growing demand for FMCG cargo and, potentially, other strategic verticals in Central Africa.

The state-of-the-art facility with modern WMS will provide customers with accurate and real-time visibility of their inventory. Full traceability using lot, batch, and serial numbering will ensure efficient movement of goods. Ultimately, the optimised operations using technology will aid in reducing waste and inventory errors and provide an improved experience to customers.

Maersk has a clear goal of being Net Zero by 2040, and every new investment being made has deep considerations in terms of the decarbonisation of logistics. The new facility by Maersk in Douala is no exception. 100% internal lighting will be done using low-consumption LED lights, and all external lighting will be powered by solar energy. All forklifts required in the W&D operations will be battery-operated and charged using solar energy. At the beginning of operations, 15% of the site’s electricity requirements will be fulfilled by solar panels installed at the site itself, with a plan to scale up in the coming years.

Maersk’s customers will get several benefits by utilising this facility for bonded as well as non-bonded storage and distribution. Bundled with ocean transportation, customs clearances, intermodal transportation and other services, Maersk will provide truly integrated logistics solutions to its customers. Such a solution also adds greater control over supply chains and offers higher resilience. With everything put together, customers will get cost advantages, too, as all their logistics requirements get fulfilled under the same roof.

Thaicom contracts Airbus for a OneSat flexible telecommunications satellite

September 11, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France, September 11, 2023 – Thaicom PCL (THCOM), a leading Asian satellite operator and space technology company, has selected Airbus Group SE (AIR) for its new generation software-defined high throughput satellite.

Airbus will provide one of its latest designed satellites – a fully reconfigurable OneSat. This Thaicom satellite will provide extended connectivity in Ku-band over the Asia-Pacific region for millions of users. Thaicom has launched and operated eight geostationary satellites. This is Thaicom’s first flexible satellite, allowing for more adaptability on coverage, frequency and capacity which is crucial in such a dynamic region.

Positioned in orbit at 119.5° East, this state-of-the art satellite will enable Thaicom to propose to other partner operators a share of its satellite’s payload capacity, lowering their costs and still ensuring they have separate control of their individual payload capacity and flexibility.

Airbus will design and manufacture the satellite, and also provide ground control segment components. Airbus plans to deliver the satellite in 2027.

Airbus OneSat can be fully reconfigured in orbit, capable of adjusting the coverage area, capacity and frequency “on the fly” to meet evolving mission scenarios. It builds on the heritage of Airbus’ ultra-reliable Eurostar geostationary telecommunication satellites and the company’s constellation expertise with OneWeb. Development of the OneSat programme is supported by ESA, as well as the French Space Agency (CNES), and the UK Space Agency.

Heart Aerospace & Honeywell to collaborate on Flight Controls for ES-30 electric airplane

September 11, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Swedish electric airplane maker Heart Aerospace and Honeywell, a leader in aerospace technology, have announced a collaboration to integrate Honeywell’s next-generation flight control system into the new ES-30 regional electric airplane.

Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ: HON) was selected by Heart Aerospace for the Joint Definition Phase of Heart’s ES-30 airplane, and the goal, once the phase has been completed successfully, is to fully integrate Honeywell’s compact Fly-by-Wire system into development for production.

Honeywell’s next-generation compact Fly-by-Wire system is in an advanced stage of development on multiple aircraft, and its functions are adaptable to the ES-30, allowing Heart to bring its airplane to market quickly and cost-effectively.

The ES-30 is a regional electric airplane with a 30-passenger standard seating capacity and is driven by electric motors powered by batteries. It will have a fully electric zero-emissions range of 200 kilometers, an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers with 30 passengers, and flexibility to fly up to 800 kilometers with 25 passengers, all with typical airline reserves.

Heart Aerospace has 250 firm orders for the ES-30, with options and purchase rights for an additional 120 planes.

LATAM Group receives new Boeing 787-9

September 11, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Santiago, Chile, September, 2023 – LATAM group (OTC: LTMAY) has received delivery of a new Boeing 787-9 directly from Charleston (United States) to Santiago (Chile), and is the only group of airlines in South America operating this model.

The Boeing 787-9 is equipped with advanced technology that allows it to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20-30% compared to the previous technology thanks to its lightweight materials, state-of-the-art engines, and modern aerodynamics.

Its arrival is part of LATAM group’s fleet renewal and modernization strategy, which will enable it to have 37 Dreamliners including the 787-8 variant by the end of this year, becoming one of the most modern and efficient fleets in South America. With this, the LATAM group aims to finish 2023 with a fleet of 332 aircraft, of which 78 are Wide Body and 254 are Narrow Body.

LATAM group’s new aircraft will feature 300 seats and has the capacity to cover an approximate distance of 14,010 km. Additionally, it boasts larger windows, spacious overhead compartments, technology that detects and counteracts turbulence for a smoother flight, and onboard diagnostic systems that allow the aircraft to self-monitor and automatically report maintenance requirements to ground systems.

Turkish Airlines places order for ten additional Airbus A350-900

September 7, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France, September 6, 2023 – Turkey’s national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, has announced a new order for 10 additional Airbus (OTC: EADSY) A350-900 aircraft, taking its total for the type to 40. This latest Turkish Airlines agreement is in addition to one announced in August for four A350-900’s, with th air carrier already operating a fleet of 14 A350-900’s.

At the end of July, the A350 had won over 1,000 orders from leading carriers from around the globe. The A350 is the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft and the long range leader in the 300-410 seater category. Its clean sheet design includes state-of-the-art technology, aerodynamics, lightweight materials and new engines that together deliver 25 percent advantage in fuel burn, operating costs and CO2 emissions. The airplane also demonstrates a 50 percent noise footprint reduction compared to the previous generation of Airbus aircraft.

Garmin expands xHD3 series with new magnetron dome radars

September 6, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Olathe, Kansas, September 6, 2023, PR Newswire – Garmin (NYSE: GRMN), the world’s most innovative and recognized marine electronics manufacturer, today announced the addition of two radars to the magnetron lineup, the GMR^™ xHD3/HD3 dome radar series. These new radars provide high-definition imaging and the latest platform technology to give boaters, sailors and anglers extra peace of mind on the water.

Now available in an 18” or 24” model, the xHD3 dome radar series adds new premium features for maximum clarity and awareness on the water:

Scan Averaging – a first for Garmin magnetron dome radar – to help filter sea clutter and interference, delivering a clearer display.
Target Size optimizes on-screen object shapes at all range scales through pulse expansion and angular processing.
True Echo Trails shows a historical “trail” of boats on the water, removing relative motion influence to help quickly identify moving targets and potential collision threats.
Rotation Speed up to 60 rpm to improve the redraw rate for faster target updates on a multifunction display (MFD).

GPSMAP 923xsv and GMR 18 HD3 Dome Radar Product Renders

Rolls-Royce pioneering electrification in aviation at scaleRolls-Royce

September 1, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

At Rolls-Royce (OTC: RYCEY), we aim to lead the Advanced Air Mobility market and achieve the world’s first certification of an electric engine for commercial aircraft by the mid-2020s. Light aircraft are already flying with electric propulsion, demonstrating the technological possibilities for the decarbonisation of large aviation in the future, if we can develop at scale.

In 2022, Rolls-Royce Electrical launched a dedicated programme that will enable us to achieve the levels of mass production needed to support the industry, embedding industrialisation within our electric propulsion product portfolio.

To do this, the programme is focussed on developing the right capabilities within the business’s core functions: supply chain, manufacturing, quality and services. As such, our core industrialisation team is working in close collaboration with a new product introduction projects team to ensure that any under-development electric drive technologies and systems can be sourced, manufactured and serviced at scale.

Rolls-Royce supply chain teams are responsible for sourcing partners to produce materials that will not only uphold the highest of aviation safety standards but that can be sourced and brought to the assembly line affordably and at pace, ready to support mass production.

Once chosen, the supply chain team also support our engineers by working hand-in-hand with suppliers throughout the product’s design to ensure that customer needs are met.

Virgin Australia wheels out country’s first airline baggage tracking tool

August 27, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Virgin Australia will launch the country’s first-ever airline baggage tracking tool across more than two thirds of its domestic network tomorrow, allowing guests to know where their bag is at every step of the journey.

With digital tracking now part of everyday life, Virgin Australia’s new seamless travel experience is the latest instalment of the airline’s broader transformation program.

The tool, which has been two years in the making, comes as lost baggage remains a pain point for travellers across the globe. Despite this, Virgin Australia far outperforms the industry average for mishandled baggage, with a mishandled baggage rate of around 1.5 per 1,000 guests – five times better than the last recorded industry average.

The first-to-market technology is set to free guests from the fear of losing their bags next time they fly, with Virgin Australia anticipating a rise in guests checking in baggage as a result of the new tracking tool.

Initially piloted in May 2023, the tracking tool will be available on most domestic routes between major airports, including Sydney-Melbourne, Brisbane-Sydney, Melbourne-Gold Coast, Melbourne-Hobart, Adelaide-Melbourne, Sydney-Sunshine Coast, and more (refer Notes to Editor). The airline’s remaining domestic network, including select services departing Perth, are expected to feature the tracking tool soon.

Repro Free Iarnród Éireann to make transformative investment in signalling to increase the capacity of Cork commuter rail network. Pictured at the announce meant at Kent Station, Cork city were Alstom Ireland Managing Director, Piers Wood; Minister for Finance Michael McGrath TD and Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade. Pic Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

Alstom chosen to provide Smartlock Interlocking & ETCS for Cork Area commuter rail

August 23, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

August 23, 2023 – Alstom (OTC: ALSMY), the global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has been awarded a groundbreaking contract by Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) to revolutionise rail travel and mobility on the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR) network. The project, set to enhance the rail service within the Cork metropolitan area, will feature Alstom’s cutting-edge signalling technologies – Smartlock Computer-Based Interlocking (CBI) system and European Train Control System (ETCS).

The CACR project aims to modernise and upgrade 62km of the rail network, stretching from Mallow to Cork, Cobh, and Midleton, creating a seamless, high-frequency unified suburban rail service for the people of Cork.

Alstom’s Smartlock Interlocking System: A Foundation for Safety and Efficiency

At the core of this transformative initiative is Alstom’s Smartlock CBI system. This state-of-the-art technology will serve as the project’s primary foundation, offering a safe, simplified, and maintenance-friendly solution. By directly interfacing with axle counters and trackside objects through SmartIO, the Smartlock system eliminates the need for intermediate relays, ensuring a robust, efficient, and streamlined operation.

ETCS: Ensuring Continuous Train Protection and Efficiency

In addition to Smartlock interlocking, the project will also feature the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 trackside technology. ETCS is a train protection system that guarantees enhanced safety, efficiency, and reliability throughout the Greater Cork area. The implementation of ETCS further strengthens the commitment to safety and ensures a smooth, secure, and eco-friendly rail network.

Alstom’s Smartlock Interlocking System: A Foundation for Safety and Efficiency

ETCS: Ensuring Continuous Train Protection and Efficiency

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