Tag: neighborhood

New Honeywell Turbogenerator Will Run on Biofuel and Power Hybrid Electric Aircraft

March 8, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

PHOENIX, March 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced it is developing a power source for hybrid-electric aircraft, planned for demonstration later this year. At 280 pounds, the Honeywell 1-Megawatt generator weighs about the same as a motor scooter but delivers enough energy to power an entire neighborhood block. This generator will be combined with the Honeywell HGT1700 auxiliary power unit, currently flown on every Airbus A350 XWB, to form a turbogenerator 2.5 times more powerful than the version the company unveiled in 2019.

The new turbogenerator from Honeywell will be able to run on aviation biofuel, including Honeywell Green Jet Fuel, which is chemically similar to fossil fuel but made from more sustainable alternatives, as well as conventional jet fuel and diesel. Honeywell’s turbogenerator can be used to operate high-power electric motors or charge batteries and can satisfy missions from heavy-lift cargo drones to air taxis, or commuter aircraft. The first demonstration of this turbogenerator system will occur in the third quarter of 2021, with ongoing development and qualification to follow.

Traditionally, aircraft use fuel-burning engines to mechanically turn rotors, propellers or fans. Many new designs, however, use a distributed electric propulsion architecture, in which many electric motors can be tilted or turned off for vertical takeoff and horizontal flight. A Honeywell turbogenerator can provide electric power for multiple electric motors anywhere on an aircraft.

In December, Honeywell signed a memorandum of understanding with British startup Faradair Aerospace to collaborate on systems and a turbogeneration unit that will run on sustainable aviation fuel to power Faradair’s Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft (BEHA). Faradair intends to deliver 300 hybrid-electric BEHAs into service by 2030, of which 150 will be in a firefighting configuration. Honeywell is in advanced discussions with several other potential turbogenerator customers, working to help define power requirements based on mission profiles required by various manufacturers.

Honeywell unveiled its first turbogenerator for urban air mobility (UAM) at the 2019 HAI HELI-EXPO in Atlanta. It combined Honeywell’s HTS900 turboshaft engine with two 200-kilowatt generators. Since then, the company continues to grow its role in the UAM segment, highlighted by advancements in electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems.

Honeywell is a major player in the emerging UAM segment, offering a full line of avionics, propulsion and operational systems—all tailored for piloted and autonomous vertical take-off and landing UAM and cargo vehicles. Honeywell also offers aerospace integration and certification expertise for enabling the commercialization of these vehicles.

Honeywell pioneered the sustainable aviation fuel market with its UOP Ecofining process. Honeywell Green Jet Fuel produced by this process is blended seamlessly with petroleum-based jet fuel at commercial scale. When used in up to a 50% blend with petroleum-based jet fuel, Honeywell Green Jet Fuel requires no changes to aircraft technology and meets all critical specifications for flight.

Tempo by Hilton Breaks Ground on First Hotel in Louisville

March 11, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Hilton’s new elevated yet approachable brand is off to the races, breaking ground in Louisville, Kentucky less than 60 days after its launch

MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the start of construction of its very first Tempo by Hilton property, hosting a groundbreaking ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky’s trendy NuLu neighborhood. The 130-key, six-story hotel is located at 710 East Jefferson Street and is co-owned by First Hospitality and Weyland Ventures. This inaugural Tempo by Hilton property is slated to open in time for the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

Breaking ground less than eight weeks from the Tempo by Hilton brand launch, this milestone marks one of the shortest time periods from brand announcement to groundbreaking in Hilton history. Additionally, the brand continues to exhibit robust deal momentum, with more than 30 confirmed deals in cities including New York, Maui, Boston and Washington D.C., as well as an additional 40 deals in various stages of development.

“We’ve seen an incredible response from owners who are excited about Tempo by Hilton, and we are working together with them to bring this new offering to market in record time,” said Phil Cordell, SVP and global head of new brand development, Hilton. “The brand delivers a unique blend of elevated yet within reach offerings that have been specifically developed to appeal to the burgeoning class of modern achievers, and we believe that the NuLu neighborhood is exactly the kind of place where Tempo by Hilton will not only fit in but thrive.”

In line with the brand’s commitment to localized touches in each property, this first Tempo by Hilton groundbreaking saw brand representatives and local dignitaries gather for an exciting event that included nods to the historic Kentucky Derby with details such as a burst of rose petals that evoked the famous race also known as the “Run for the Roses”. The ceremonial groundbreaking was symbolized by the staking of a Tempo by Hilton flag into the property site ground.

“We are excited to be the first city in the world to welcome the Tempo by Hilton brand,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Our city’s economy is booming, with more than $15 billion in investment since 2014, more than 1,200 hotel rooms added in the past 18 months, and an additional 1,100 hotel rooms under construction. The Tempo by Hilton will add to that great economic vitality.”

Once open, the new Tempo by Hilton Louisville NuLu will offer a rooftop bar, allowing patrons to sip in style as they take in the surrounding skyline. The property will provide guestrooms that have been designed as welcoming treats with the brand’s signature Power Up and Power Down collections to assist guests with getting energized for the day or winding down for the night, as well as inviting public spaces, including flexible meeting space, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and surprising, uplifting artistic touches.

“As part of the next generation leading First Hospitality, a long-time Hilton partner, I’m beyond proud that we are breaking ground on the very first hotel of this next-generation brand,” said Sam Schwartz, VP of Asset Management for First Hospitality. “We couldn’t be more excited for this property to be going up in NuLu, a neighborhood known for its rich arts and culinary scenes.”

Thoughtfully designed with the modern achiever in mind, the new Tempo by Hilton Louisville NuLu will also provide complimentary coffee and tea via the in-lobby Fuel Bar, as well as a range of additional food and beverage options including an innovative café-style offering serving a variety of smoothies, lattes, breakfast sandwiches, bowls and more, limited market, and in-lobby bar specializing in both spirited and non-spirited craft cocktails.

Tempo by Hilton Louisville NuLu will participate in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s 18 world-class brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels will have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, and free standard Wi-Fi. Members can also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key.

More information about Tempo by Hilton can be found at www.tempobyhilton.com.

Remains of 6 Recovered from Hawaii Helicopter Crash

December 28, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

No sign of any survivors

(Reuters) – Teams combing the wreckage of a Hawaii sightseeing helicopter that crashed on Kauai island found no sign of survivors on Friday and recovered six sets of human remains before suspending the search due to bad weather, police and fire officials said.

The grim announcement came in a news conference almost 24 hours after the aircraft, first reported missing on Thursday evening, went down in a remote area of rugged terrain near the end of a tour flight over the island’s famed Na Pali Coast.

The crash was at least the ninth, and by far the deadliest, involving sightseeing helicopters in Hawaii over the past five years, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) records.

The confirmed manifest of the ill-fated aircraft, flown by Kauai-based tour operator Safari Helicopters, consisted of six passengers, two of them children, and one pilot, Kauai County fire battalion chief Solomon Kanoho told reporters.

The identities of the dead were being kept confidential until next of kin could be notified, authorities said.

“We are heartbroken by this tragedy and we continue to ask the public to consider the sensitive nature of this devastating situation,” Mayor Derek Kawakami said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all victims during this extremely difficult time.”

The Kauai fire department called off its search-and-recovery efforts late Friday afternoon due to fog and poor visibility but planned to resume the operation at daybreak on Saturday, Kanoho said.

Although the remains of just six of the seven people who were aboard the ill-fated aircraft have been recovered, Kanoho added: “There are no indications of survivors.”

TOURISTS FROM TWO FAMILIES

Kanoho previously said the passengers on board the helicopter had been in two groups – a party of two from one family and a party of four from another.

Kanoho declined to describe details of the wreckage out of respect for the victims’ loved ones.

While the cause of the crash has yet to be determined, Kanoho said the area where the helicopter went down had experienced “some very bad weather” beforehand, adding that the chopper had crashed within its prescribed flight route.

The NTSB, which said it was sending a three-member team to investigate the crash, reported in May that there had been eight accidents involving Hawaii tour helicopters over the past five years, with four deaths and 18 injuries.

The agency made that report after a tour helicopter went down in a residential neighborhood on the island of Oahu in April, killing three people.

The latest crash was in Koke’e State Park in an area called Nu’alolo, a steep-sided valley north of Waimea Canyon State Park, according to a statement posted by the Kauai police department on Facebook.

Waimea Canyon is a tourist destination known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” and police said the helicopter was last heard from at about 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, when the pilot radioed that the aircraft was just departing that area.

A search was launched a short time later, after Safari alerted authorities that the helicopter was 30 minutes overdue on its flight back to the airfield in Lihue on the island’s southeast end, officials said.

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter vessel and helicopter search crew were immediately dispatched. The search was expanded at daybreak on Friday to include air, sea and ground teams from the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, police, fire department and other agencies.

The missing aircraft was equipped with an electronic locator beacon, but no signals were received after it disappeared, the Coast Guard said.

According to its website, Safari offers aerial sightseeing excursions to Kauai’s major attractions over the Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon. The Na Pali Coast, known for jagged green cliffs laced with towering waterfalls, is one of the most visited attractions on Kauai, the fourth-largest island in the Hawaiian chain.

Reporting by Maria Caspani and Peter Szekely in New York and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Leslie Adler

Eastern Congo Plane Crash Kills at Least 27 People

November 24, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – At least 27 people were killed, including some on the ground, when a small plane crashed into a densely populated neighborhood in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, a rescue official said.

The propeller plane, which was operated by local company Busy Bee, crashed shortly after take-off en route to the city of Beni, about 250 km (155 miles) to the north, officials said.

The company said the 19-seater Dornier 228-200 had 16 passengers and two crew members on board.

There was no word yet on what might have caused the accident.

Joseph Makundi, the coordinator of rescue services in Goma, told Reuters that 27 bodies had been recovered from the rubble, including those of several people hit by falling debris.

“I was at a restaurant with my family when I saw the plane spinning three times in the air and emitting a lot of smoke,” said Djemo Medar, an eyewitness in Goma’s Mapendo neighborhood. “After that we saw the plane crash into this house,” he said pointing to a nearby building.

“We know the pilot. His name is Didier. He was shouting, ‘Help me, Help me.’ But we had no way to get to him because the fire was so powerful,” Medar said.

At the crash site, residents threw water from buckets and cooking pots onto the smoldering wreckage. The rear section of the plane rested sideways, propped up by a wall, videos posted on social media showed.

Police arrested one man for stealing cash from the rubble and fired warning shots to disperse people who had started looting, he said.

Air accidents are relatively frequent in Congo because of lax safety standards and poor maintenance. All Congolese commercial carriers, including Busy Bee, are banned from operating in the European Union.

A cargo plane departing from the same airport and carrying staff members of President Felix Tshisekedi crashed an hour after take-off last month, killing all eight people on board..

Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Aaron Ross/Mark Potter/ Frances Kerry/Jane Merriman

New Yorkers Irked at JetBlue Logo on Landmark Pepsi Sign

August 21, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

JetBlue Airways emblazoned its logo on to the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign that sits along the East River in Queens.

And it doesn’t fly with many New Yorkers.

The move is part-advertisement and part-celebratory.

JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU), which is based in Queens, switched from Coca-Cola Co. to PepsiCo Inc. for its drink service.

With PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), JetBlue applied for a permit for the temporary installation back in July. It was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Aug. 14, according to the New York Post.