Model Airplanes

PARIS/NEW YORK Airbus (AIR.PA) virtually closed the gap with Boeing in their intense battle for airliner orders in July after booking about half of the 197 firm sales unveiled at last month’s Farnborough Airshow, according to the latest data from both companies.

Amid a broad slowdown in purchases, the European planemaker said it had sold a total of 373 jets between January and July, or 323 after adjusting for cancellations.

That compares with 383 airplane sales, or 333 after cancellations, by U.S. rival Boeing (BA.N).

Combined orders at the world’s dominant planemakers fell 17 percent from the same period last year, weighed by concerns over the economy and relatively low oil prices, which have taken the edge off demand for new fuel-saving models.

Both planemakers are struggling to book new sales in a market that is seen as somewhat oversupplied with jets, especially larger wide-body models, industry experts said.

The slowdown has raised some questions about whether the companies will maintain plans to boost output later this decade.

Both have also faced a slew of order deferrals in recent weeks, while insisting the trend of postponements is stable.

Two industry sources said Indonesia’s Lion Air, one of the largest jet buyers with hundreds on order from Boeing and Airbus, is weighing the deferral of about 25 Airbus jets.

Airbus declined comment and Lion Air was not available.

Article source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-airbus-boeing-idUSKCN10F1Z7

A Pismo Beach aerospace company, Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero), is playing the key operational role in building an innovative electric-powered plane that its developers say could usher in a new era of quieter, more efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft.

NASA has contracted with ESAero to build the prototype plane, called X-57, and design it to take off faster and use fewer motors compared with fuel-powered aircrafts, without producing carbon emissions.

“We are looking to open the eyes of the industry and demonstrate that, using the unique design and integration techniques that electrics allow, it is possible to build a new generation of aircraft,” said Trevor Foster, ESAero’s vice president of operations .

We are looking to open the eyes of the industry and demonstrate that, using the unique design and integration techniques that electrics allow, it is possible to build a new generation of aircraft.

Trevor Foster, ESAero vice president of operations

Last month, the company flew parts of the plane to its main facility at Oceano County Airport, including the fuselage (main body section), wing, and elevator (flight mechanisms that control the plane’s pitch and wing lift).

ESAero is the prime contractor with NASA, building specific components of the aircraft and coordinating the completion of the rest. The company has completed its initial inspection and measurements of some parts, which now will be moved south to a subcontractor for integration of electric power systems.

175 Expected top speed in miles

Article source: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article93874352.html

While most people watching the men’s and women’s diving competition at this year’s Summer Olympics will be focused on the athletes, Douglas Bowman will pay close attention to the other key component of the event.

Bowman is the chief operations officer of northern Nevada-based Duraflex International Corp., which has been making diving boards that are used in virtually every international competition since 1960. He’s traveling to this year’s games in Rio de Janeiro to oversee the assembly of the boards and stands prior to the Games commencement, and keep a keen eye on the equipment during the competition to make sure no problems arise.

Not that it has been a huge concern. In all the years since Duraflex has been the official diving board for competitions, Bowman recalls never having a equipment malfunction.

Duraflex makes approximately 1,500 diving boards and 700 stands a year from its facility in the heart of the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center. The boards, made from aircraft grade aluminum, can have life expectancy of about one to three years.

Duraflex is able to market abroad partly because all competitive divers, both internationally and domestically, need to use the same equipment not only during competition but in practice as well.

“Everybody has to dive on the same equipment,” Bowman said. “You can’t have the Chinese diving on one board and the Europeans diving on a

Article source: http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/23220242-113/duraflex-makes-a-splash-in-diving-board-industry

ROSWELL, New Mexico –

American Airlines is adding 97 new planes to its fleet this year, on top of the 127 that joined last year.

To make room, more of the airline’s old planes – including one that has had most of its maintenance work done in Tulsa – are going to a place in southeastern New Mexico called ‘The Boneyard.’

News On 6 went to Roswell with two Tulsa-based pilots on one plane’s final journey.

After a 5 a.m. takeoff from Tulsa, we landed about an hour later in Dallas. Then, the really interesting part of the day began.

We were there for flight 97-89: Dallas to Roswell, on an American Airlines MD-80.

“Basically, it’s last flight before it’s retired,” Pilot Gary Beam told us.

The plane’s first flight was back in 1988.

The pilots inspected the exterior, then, we climb from the runway onto the plane. It was just us, an American Airlines representative, and two pilots.

After their last-minute checks, we were ready for takeoff for Roswell.

There’s definitely one good thing about being on a plane’s final journey, you’re free to move about the cabin, meaning you can pretty much sit where you want – an aisle seat with plenty of legroom, a window seat with a great view, you pretty much get your pick, including first class.

Before long, we were at 34,000 feet and getting used to having the flight to ourselves.

We were the last of the 5.5 million passengers who’ve flown

Article source: http://www.newson6.com/story/32681520/news-on-6-crew-takes-part-in-final-flight-of-plane-headed-to-boneyard

Pioneer Airport’s grass strip, just in front of the EAA AirVenture Museum, was the designated area where RC models and drones (the newest generation of multirotor systems that are able to self-stabilize, and more easily controlled than traditional model aircraft) shared the sky without causing any showers of plastic parts. Which seems mildly amazing, given the density of traffic during the evening sessions.

The Pioneer hangars and runway also served as a location rich in metaphor, a gathering place for pioneers in the safe integration of unmanned aircraft into the busiest airspace there is during the weeklong show.

Flying a DJI Inspire borrowed from Multicopter Warehouse Chief Operating Officer Kerry Garrison (a rig that costs more than $4,000 with accessories), the pucker factor increased as I lifted off, then climbed the flying camera with all deliberate speed straight up to 350 feet. That put my borrowed camera overhead and somewhat above the fray while leaving a 50-foot cushion below the 400-foot mandatory ceiling. (The event organizers were invited to fly on the airport grounds, so notification was taken care of, but the other rules and requirements that apply to hobby use of unmanned aircraft, detailed by the Know Before You Fly online campaign, were fully in force.)

Fixed-wing models and racing quads darted to and fro, all powered by batteries. Mark Radcliff, a district vice president with the Academy of Model Aeronautics who ran the nightly sessions, had pointed out a traffic pattern during his pilot

Article source: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2016/august/02/inspired-integration

Members of a local group are seeing their plans come to fruition.

Volunteers, including veterans Bob McNevin and Bill Drummond, recently learned the city is receiving a demilitarized LAV III (light armoured vehicle) as part of The Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) III Monument Program.

The announcement comes after two years of effort.

“I am absolutely 100 per cent positive this year we will be looking at that baby long before Remembrance Day,” said McNevin, whose son, Richard McNevin, drove a similar model on missions in Afghanistan and Bosnia as a member of the Canadian Forces.

“This is a monument to the younger veterans instead of old guys like Bob and I.”

Drummond agreed.

“You go to a legion nowadays and you see an old airplane or a tank or something, and that’s from my era, but we have now got veterans who are coming out of the army who are suffering from PTSD and such and they’re 21, 22, 23 years old,” he explained. “I don’t think they’re getting the recognition that we get or we have had.”

McNevin said Airdrie will have the first LAV II monument delivered to Alberta through the program.

The LAVs were refurbished in London, Ont. where they were originally manufactured.

The total cost of the venture is expected to ring in at around $50,000, to be covered by donations and in-kind gifts, such as contractors who have already agreed to create a concrete pad for the LAV’s final station at Nose Creek Valley Museum.

The unveiling will likely occur in late September, just after

Article source: http://www.airdrieecho.com/2016/08/02/airdrie-to-receive-war-monument