Aiming for Blue Skies

The Airbus Parts and Airbus Plane Magic Carpet Ride

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Six German students given the opportunity to come up with innovative new ideas for small electric airplanes have taken creative transportation technology to a whole new level.

The challenge, which came from Airbus, was to conceptualize an eco-friendly, quiet, two-seater electrical plane that was easy to operate on short runways and near large cities. The students participating in the project were not expected to consider usual Airbus specifications or Airbus parts that would normally be part of a new airplane design.

Quite literally, the sky was the limit!

A Magic Carpet Ride

“This box-wing electric airplane design was one of the finalists in Airbus Innovations’ “Magic Carpet” project.” – Airbus

Bruno Saint Jaimes, Airbus head of creative design and concepts, believes that the Magic Carpet Project has more importance than many people realize. In fact, he believes that the best ideas from the project can be used by Airbus as it works towards “more electric aviation” in the future.

But it also has an important role in terms of transportation in general. This has been an opportunity for design students to think out of the box.

“Electricity has the potential to change the future of flying vehicles,” he says.

Traditionally, as Saint Jaimes point outs, most transportation design students believe that their skills are only applicable to the automotive industry. So the Magic Carpet contest was conceived to show this isn’t true. Innovative ideas are also vital to expand the aerospace industry. By involving next generation designers, Airbus could show that aircraft aren’t simply machines and that the potential for design is immense.

“And we can have fun at Airbus,” he says.

The project, which took place at Pforzheim’s Hochschule University over a five-month period of time mid-2016, resulted in six amazingly different electric aviation designs:

  1. Glider A hang-glider type aircraft that uses electric propulsion to start up, take off, climb and cruise. It is controlled by shifting weight and features a propeller that can be folded away when gliding. The Airbus parts can also be disassembled to transport and store the plane.
  2. Stingshot Designed with a double fuselage, the innovative Stingshot has a distinctly futuristic appearance. It also has two separate cockpits, one for an instructor and the other for a trainee pilot.
  3. Lightweight aircraft Ultra lightweight, with wheels integrated with the tips of the wings, this electric plane has twin engines. Also futuristic-looking, it features a big cockpit that is sphere shaped, providing a magnificent panoramic view in flight.
  4. Boxwing The unique design of this low-weight electric aircraft makes it stable and agile. It also optimizes positioning of the battery pack used to power the aircraft.
  5. Asymmetrical aircraft Another Airbus electric two-seater, this asymmetrically designed plane has pusher fans that are powered by electric motors that are mounted at the rear of the plane. The design provides a high degree of propeller integration, effectively reducing the risk of propeller-type accidents for those using the aircraft.
  6. Flux Sleek and ultra-modern in design, the Flux featured electric fans that are integrated with the aircraft, rather than protruding from it’s exterior.

The Role of Airbus in the Project

All six students participating in the project worked closely with people from Airbus who reviewed their progress and gave advice relating to engineering and technical requirements. This enabled them to integrate suitable Airbus parts and Airbus services with their very different, innovative designs.

According to Saint Jaimes, the project was such a huge success the company is hoping to expand the Magic Carpet Project to many more design schools in Europe and in the USA.

Of course, the Magic Carpet planes are simply models, so you’re not going to find the Airbus parts used to build them. But if you’re looking Airbus parts, components, and Airbus services for aircraft currently in service, Prime Industries can help you. Contact us to check our current inventory, or to see whether we can find items for you that aren’t currently in stock.

Airbus Aims to Alleviate Congestion on the Ground…in the Sky

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With half the world’s population living in cities, traffic congestion is a daily challenge for commuters. It is forecast that as urbanization increases, by 2030 60 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities. These include sprawling megacities that are spread all over the world.

It’s not just the irritation of sitting in a traffic jam for hours during so-called rush-hour traffic. Studies show that traffic congestion impacts negatively on the economy. For example:

  • In 2014 Sao Paulo traffic at rush hour stretched a record-setting 344 km. These enormous back-ups were found to be costing the Brazilian economy at least US$31 billion every year.
  • People working in London, and driving to work, were found to be losing the equivalent of 35 days (or more than a month) every year.

With this harsh reality in mind, Airbus has a plan to enable travelers and commuters to fly over traffic jams.

Airbus Initiatives to Relieve Urban Congestion

The Airbus initiatives are revolutionary and aim to change urban travel for millions of people within the next 10 years. They include:

  • Project Vahana, launched in February 2016, is developing a self-piloted flying vehicle platform for cargo transport and individual passengers. The technology used includes reliable sense-and-find, and the first prototype will be flight-tested late 2017. According to Rodin Lyasoff, CEO of the project, global demand is likely to support fleets of millions of these flying vehicles worldwide.
  • Skyways, a project that is concentrating on autonomous commercial drones that will be able to fly over urban areas safely. With similar goals to those of Amazon, Airbus aims to take the lead and gain Amazon, DHS, and similar companies as customers.
  • CityAirbus that will provide electrically operated aerial vehicles for multiple passengers. While the first working models will be operated by pilots, the plan is to switch to autonomous craft once aviation regulations have been changed. The feasibility study for this project is complete and the company is positive it will go ahead. Airbus has stated that flights will cost a similar amount to a regular taxi ride, but will considerably quicker and much more thrilling!

Science Fiction or Reality?

Airbus is setting its sights really high with all three of these ambitious projects. While some critics say that flying taxis and other autonomous aircraft sound more like science fiction than reality, the Airbus team is adamant that the best solutions to alleviate congestion on the ground are in the sky.

Airbus Helicopters Vassilis Agouridas is critical of current “smart city concepts,” pointing out that they totally ignore aircraft.

“That’s why we’re convinced that this represents a truly disruptive opportunity for Airbus,” he says.

There is certainly no doubt that the race to launch safe and successful air mobility has begun. In addition to developments out of the Airbus stable (or more appropriately, hangar):

  • The German company e-volo launched its first electric Volocopter in March 2016 with one passenger on board.
  • South African-born Canadian-American inventor and business magnate Elon Musk, wearing his SpaceX cap, stated late 2016 that he was still interested in electric jets that could take off and land vertically.
  • Even NASA is working on prototypes.

Airbus recognizes that the new market is developing very quickly and is determined to be ahead of the game when it comes to these new air-focused industries.

While the new aircraft will be tiny when compared to the huge Airbus jets that currently fly the skies, Airbus parts and Airbus services will be as important as ever.

If you have an Airbus fixed wing aircraft or Airbus helicopter, Prime Industries can help with aircraft parts and services. We supply, repair and overhaul components and parts, so if you’re looking for something, call us now. We’ll do whatever we can to help.

 

New Airbus Electric Plane Due for Release in 2017

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Everybody know Airbus planes… huge flying machines that soar through the sky! But the latest gem developed by the France-based company is a small two-seater plane that is battery powered.

It is all part of the Airbus quest to develop electric aircraft that will ultimately be silent and free from CO2 – or at least relatively so.

Photo Courtesy of AirBus

E-Fan 2.0 the Electric Plane Prototype

The key element in their goal for a quiet aircraft that will be totally free of harmful emissions is the E-Fan, a demonstrator aircraft launched at a high-profile English airshow last year (2016). Weighing in at just 500 kg (1,100 lbs) the good-looking little E-Fan 2.0 thrilled the crowds at the Farnborough Air Show mid year.

The new electric flying machine has dual motors with power totaling 60kW, and they drive two ducted fans that have blades with a pitch that is adjustable. The fans are mounted inside ducts so that the noise is decreased. Because this also increases the thrust of the fans, power efficiency is improved during takeoff.

The 120-cell lithium polymer battery enables a one-hour flight. The battery is cooled passively so that it relies on air rather than a powered cooling system that could overheat as they discharge power.

While not quite practical yet, Airbus has much more ambitious plans looking forward.

First Production Airbus Electric Planes Available This Year

The company has stated it will invest some €20 million in the design and development of this exciting new electric aircraft. Late 2017 has been pinpointed as the time for launching its first production planes, initially intended for pilot training. Soon after this, a slightly bigger electric plane aimed at the general aviation market will be produced. This will have sufficient space for four passengers.

While the prototype seen at Farnborough had two seats positioned one in front of the other, the production planes will have seats that are positioned alongside one another.

Futuristic “Intelligent” Factory Built for Assembly of Airbus Parts and Electric Planes

The factory site for the new E-fan 2.0 is in the south west of France at Pau Pyrénées Airport within the French Aerospace Valley. The specially designed facility measures 1,500 square meters and has a wonderfully sleek and futuristic design style. It also utilizes innovative manufacturing techniques intended to validate new aviation processes and technologies that Airbus aims to use across all its divisions.

Intelligent concepts the company envisions include:

  • A seriously compact assembly floor that will reduce “distance” during build-up of aircraft.
  • A new definition of the processes used that focus on quality, continuity, and the management and control taken by those operating the assembly line.
  • Application of lean production procedures that have been designed to eliminate wastage.

In spite of this high tech scenario, Airbus has stated that its E-fan 2.0 production plane will have operating costs that will total only a third of traditional piston-engine light aircraft. The aircraft will also focus primarily on the needs of users.

Airbus Parts and Airbus Service

While Airbus parts required for the new electric planes are different to those currently used in Airbus helicopters and jet planes, Prime Industries remains a primary supplier. If you need parts or components for your Airbus, have a look at our comprehensive inventory, or contact us for more information.

Airbus Helps Passengers Stay Connected in the Air

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Airbus has announced that during the third quarter of 2017 a total of 5,000 of the company’s commercial aircraft will be equipped with high-bandwidth connectivity platforms that will provide faster Internet and mobile telephone services in the air. By 2025 it is anticipated that 62 percent of the global Airbus fleet (a total of 16,600 jetliners) will be connected using the new high-bandwidth architecture.

High–bandwidth connectivity is just a part of the company’s commitment to making its on-board experience superior to that found on any other airliner. It is also their intention to improve the experience for the crew by enhancing their operational communications.

The innovative solutions that are currently being developed will utilize a new generation of high-throughput satellite technologies that are found in the Ka-band and Ku-band frequencies. Ku is regarded as a legacy band and is in great demand globally, so much so, available capacity has been exhausted in some parts of the world. Although not as widespread as Ku, Ka-band frequencies are gaining in popularity with new satellites and networks launching worldwide. The two bandwidths are sometimes used together to form a hybrid system.

Development of High-Bandwidth Connectivity by Airbus

Late 2016 Airbus, which prides itself on its modern, market-leading jetliners, became the first company in the airline industry to demonstrate its new-standard high-bandwidth connectivity platform in-flight.

According to the head of the company’s connectivity program and upgrade services, Bruno Galzin, Airbus is determined to find connectivity solutions that will provide passengers in the air with the same type of connectivity they are used to having at home. The Airbus solution will enable its passengers to remain connected throughout the flight so that they can access the Internet, exchange with people on the ground via chat or email programs, and participate in social media while en route from city to city or continent to continent.

Additionally, improved connectivity solutions will improve the operational communications of crew and cabin staff in various ways including by enabling:

  • Digital cabin logbooks
  • Telemedicine
  • Credit card authentication

This will improve service and help to generate additional ancillary cabin revenues, he said.

The new high-bandwidth connectivity solutions Airbus plans to introduce will come from multiple suppliers. They will be used for applications on A320, A330, and A380 jetliners in new production aircraft as well as retrofit. They will also be used to supplement the A350 XWB that is described as a “digital native” because it was introduced into service with a high-bandwidth connectivity capability.

The fact that older A320, A330, and A380 jetliners will be retrofitted means that all these aircraft will require the same Airbus parts and parts service when it comes to connectivity.

Airbus Parts and Parts Service Specialist

Prime Industries specializes in the supply of Airbus helicopter and fixed wing aircraft parts. The company is also a parts service specialist and is available to overhaul parts and components. Prime clients come from a wide range of industries from medical to military, and we also deal with aircraft used for personal transport.

Contact us for more information about Airbus parts availability and pricing, or view our ever-changing inventory online.

 

Airbus Helping to Reduce Aviation Footprint

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Airbus is doing all it can to reduce the environmental footprint made by the international aviation industry.

Its efforts hinge mainly on research and development of the 4D (i4D) concept that is key to the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) project, and which aims to make airspace more connected and the skies more efficient.

A major target of SESAR is to reduce fuel burn – and therefore the aviation industry’s footprint – by optimizing traffic sequencing, improving management of arrivals and departures, and increasing airspace capacity in general. This, in turn, will also enhance safety factors.

How the i4D Concept Can Reduce the Footprint of Aviation

Essentially, the i4D concept will enable aircraft to adapt trajectory and speed in-flight automatically so that they get to a specific position at an appropriate time. In practical terms, this will reduce or possibly even eliminate the holding time aircraft inevitably spend in the skies around airports waiting for landing slots.

This would result in “a huge revolution” in terms of management of air traffic, says Airbus ATM Engineering’s Data Link and FMS Manager, Jérôme Condis. Noting that Airbus is in a position to be able to play a significant role in SESAR, he says Airbus aims to leverage its expertise as a leading manufacturer pioneering technological breakthroughs to help improve the management of air traffic. It will also exploit its reputation as a world leader in the industry to encourage other stakeholders to reduce aviation’s environmental footprint.

Airbus Role in SESAR

Airbus has supported evaluation of the Extended Project Profile (EPP) of SESAR, which, according to Airbus ATM Engineering’s SESAR Demonstration Project Coordinator, Jean-Louis Bigot is a “key technological brick in 14D.” He describes it as the vital link between air to ground aircraft trajectory information which is achieved using an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C).

Amongst other things, Airbus piloted about 60 test flights for the preliminary evaluation of the EPP system.

The next step is to integrate this EPP trajectory information into much bigger air traffic management systems so that controllers can sequence traffic at specific “waypoints,” says Bigot.

The Way Forward for Airbus and SESAR

The second phase of SESAR was launched in 2016 and will continue until 2020 in line with airline conditions that are described in the Demonstration of ATM Improvements Generated by Initial Trajectory Sharing (DIGITS) Project. According to Bigot:

  • DIGITS will continue to focus on establishing a ground infrastructure that will integrate EPP information in air traffic control operations until 2019. This will incorporate certification for the infrastructure.
  • Late 2018, the Project will begin equipping commercial aircraft for real-time exchange of EPP data. By the end of 2019 it is hoped that about 100 airliners will be fitted with the new equipment.

So by 2020, the i4D concept will be a reality!

Airbus Parts and Parts Service

Of course the quality of Airbus parts and parts service remain as important as ever. If you have parts needs for your aircraft, do not hesitate to contact Prime Industries or to search our inventory online.

International Aviation Industry Trying to Reduce CO2 Emissions

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Leading commercial manufacturer of aircraft, Airbus has welcomed the first ever scheme for international aviation that aims to reduce carbon offsetting.

international_civil_aviation_organization_logo-svgSeen as a key pillar in the longstanding climate action plan for the aviation industry, the agreement was reached at the recent International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) recent assembly meeting in Montreal, Canada.

The global agreement – a Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) – has significant historic importance and is recognized as the most effective solution for the whole industrial sector to manage its carbon footprint.

According to the director general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Alexandre de Juniac, the new agreement will ensure that the social and economic contributions made by the aviation industry will be matched with “cutting-edge efforts” in terms of sustainability. He said that aviation would remain at the forefront of the industries committed to combating climate change, and would continue to be a “catalytic driver of social development and economic prosperity.” Ultimately, it would ensure that the world was a better place, he said.

How CORSIA Will Work

The terms of the new agreement are set to start rolling in 2021 with a voluntary period that will continue until 2026. Thereafter the agreement will become mandatory. So far at least 65 of !CAO’s 191 members have agreed to participate in the initial voluntary phase of CORSIA.

At the same time, it is widely recognized that CORSIA on its own won’t lead to a sustainable future for the aviation industry. As Airbus points out, it will need to run alongside significant technology improvements including sustainable fuels, as well as efficient operations and infrastructure improvements across the board.

However, in addition to the new long-term global market agreement to reduce carbon offset for the aviation industry, the industry as a whole is committed to continuing with an already-in-place four-pillar strategy against climate change by:

  1. Improving technology including using low-carbon fuels that are sustainable
  2. Ensuring that aircraft operations are more efficient
  3. Working towards improving infrastructure including modernization of air traffic management systems
  4. Mobilizing a single global market measure that will fill the remaining emissions gap

Airbus Commitment to International Efforts to Reduce the Carbon Footprint

Airbus has confirmed its commitment to the original four-pillar strategy as well as the new agreement and continues to deliver the most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world today.

Prime Industries supports Airbus by continuing to supply and repair parts and components for their fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters. Let us know what you need and we’ll do whatever we can to assist you.

Airbus H175 Helicopters Tested for Public Service Use

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Airbus Helicopters has begun testing its public service, medium-sized, twin-engine H175 helicopter (previously known as the Eurocopter EC175) that has been modified for public service use. The company has announced that the first 12 flight-tests were a success and that a new campaign of testing will start in December 2016.

The launch customer for the public service variant of the H175 is the Hong Kong Government’s Flying Service (GFS) that has ordered seven helicopters. These are scheduled for entry into service late next year (2017).

Controller head of GFS, Captain Michael Chan said he was very happy to have the opportunity to fly the H175 in a public service configuration. Praising its high power margin and excellent hovering capability, he said the H175 was ideal for search and rescue (SAR) missions over both land and sea. He was particularly impressed with the human machine interface (HMI) of the helicopter that significantly improves flight safety and also reduces pilot workload during complicated search and rescue operations.

 The Airbus H175 Helicopter

airbus-h175-prime-industries

The H175, launched in 2016, was designed with support from helicopter operators and various oil companies. A record-setter in several ways, it has established time-to-climb records of 3,000 m in just three minutes ten seconds, and 6,000 m in six minutes 54 seconds.

The H175 has a high-power margin that enables it to perform “performance class 1” takeoffs and landings at maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) in ISA+20 °C conditions from a 70 ft high (about 21 m) platform.

It provides the best payload range per passenger/radius of action (ROA) in the medium class helicopter category and is able to operate at full payload in oil and gas industry missions. When configured for oil and gas industry use, the helicopter can fly:

  • Close to 200 nautical miles ROA with 12 passengers aboard
  • 140 nautical miles ROA with 16 passengers aboard
  • 105 nautical miles ROA with 18 passengers

In addition to its long range, the H175 delivers a particularly smooth ride and offers exceptionally good cabin comfort. Sound levels and vibration are very low even when the aircraft is moving at a high cruise speed.

The rotorcraft can be configured for search and rescue with:

  • SAR operators’ consoles
  • Cabin-mounted medical equipment
  • An external winch
  • Oversized bubble observer windows
  • Search and weather radar
  • Side-mounted searchlights
  • Up to six under-fuselage lights as well as main- and tail-rotor lighting

In this configuration, it can hover at ISA+20 °C up to an altitude of 5,800 ft, and maintain its hover flight or rate of climb above 500 ft per minute in these conditions at sea level.

It can also perform exceptionally safe hoists for a long time with the possibility of extending power for as long as 30 minutes continuously. Power can be extended cumulatively, for up to 50 minutes, during a single flight.

The H175 has a spacious cabin that is almost four meters long. Its full, flat floor has big sliding doors on both sides and direct access to the rear cargo compartment. This facilitates the use of stretchers for SAR and speeds up operations in general.

The new GFS helicopters will incorporate an electro-optical system that will be used for tracking and observation, as well as an enhanced digital map display. Both may be managed from a console in the cabin. They will also feature steerable searchlights, loudspeakers, and dual hoists.

While this is a new addition to the Airbus Helicopters fleet, there are already close to 12,000 helicopters that are operated worldwide in 154 countries. Prime Industries has a large inventory of parts for all the major Airbus Helicopters models and helps customers find parts they don’t have in stock. Contact us today to discuss your needs.

Airbus Continues to Reduce VOC Emissions

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As Airbus expands and improves its product line, the company is focusing on making aircraft that are more fuel efficient, quieter and more environmentally friendly than ever before.

Since 2006, Airbus has reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by nearly 30 percent in Europe alone. This is part of its Blue5 initiative that is striving for improved environmental performance by maximizing the use of eco-efficient technologies and processes at its production sites worldwide.

The Airbus Blue5 Initiative

Blue5 is an initiative that aims to make manufacturing as sustainable as possible. Working according to a five-pronged plan it is committed to:

  1. VOC EmissionsSaving energy by reducing energy consumption across the board
  2. Saving water by making better use of global water resources
  3. Reducing waste by recycling materials where possible
  4. Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through innovation
  5. Reducing harmful VOC emissions by eliminating them at source

The company has made substantial headway in all five environmental areas, using several aircraft to benchmark its achievements. For instance, the spacious and luxurious A380, introduced in 2007, has become the yardstick for low noise levels and fuel efficiency. New-generation jets including the wide-body A350 XWB and the new engine option A320neo, are pushing the envelope even further.

The A350 XWB, introduced less than two years ago, in January 2015, boasts 25 percent lower fuel consumption to its aluminum long-range competitors. The A320neo, which had its maiden flights with different engines in September 2014 and May 2015, is faster than any other jet, and it can cruise at an altitude of up to 39,000 feet.

Airbus Commitment to Reduce VOC Emissions

Once VOCs have been produced, they are extremely expensive, difficult and time consuming to deal with. This is why it’s vital to tackle reduction at source. Not only is this a good environmental solution, but it also helps to reduce potential health risks that could affect humans for a long time.

Statistics released by Airbus show that between 2006 and 2014 VOC emissions based on revenue were reduced by 54.1 percent, and absolute VOC emissions were reduced by 22.9 percent.

The first Airbus production sites to take definitive steps to reduce VOC emissions are all based in Europe. All have focused on specific programs. For example:

  • Production sites in Getafe and Puerto Real in Spain have replaced the high VOC methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) with low and zero VOC cleaners.
  • The site in Hamburg, Germany has adopted the use of encapsulated spray guns for spot repairs of fuselages in the structure assembly.
  • The site in Broughton, UK has replaced the use of high-solids primers with water-based primers to reduce VOC emissions.
  • Various French sites have focused on new painting technologies using water-based and low VOC paints.

Replacement of MEK

MEK is a very high VOC product that has largely been replaced by Diestone DLS in liquid form and in wipes used to clean aircraft before sealing. Using wipes results in a decrease of the amount of cleaner used, and because they are packaged in small canisters, unnecessary VOC evaporation is avoided.

In Spain Airbus has gone a step further, and has substituted DLS with A8284, which is a zero VOC product. Initially delivered in liquid form and dispensed in bottles, it is being replaced gradually with wipes at both Getafe and Puerto Real sites.

Airbus reports that the Puerto Real production site has reduced VOC emissions by 1.4 tonnes annually, and the Getafe site by an estimated 3.5 tonnes annually.

Encapsulated Spray Guns Used for Spot Repairs

Spot repairs on aircraft don’t need much paint, and by introducing lightweight encapsulated spray guns, the Hamburg site has reduced its paint wastage by about 90 percent. The guns weigh only 8 kg and have a holding capacity of just 200 ml.

Since a smaller quantity of cleaning products is required for the new spray guns, VOC emissions during the cleaning process have been reduced by 80 percent. A further reduction in VOC vapors takes place via direct suction at source when the guns are in use.

Replacement of High-Solids Primers

The Broughton site is set to reduce VOC emissions by about 3 tonnes a year, by using water-based primers and topcoats instead of high solids paints in its component manufacturing paint booths.

The paint plant has been modified and electrostatic spray equipment optimized for water-based products, introduced. Modifications to mixing and recirculation equipment are being implemented.

New Painting Technologies

The French VOC reduction program has been hugely successful, with reports of a 51 percent drop in VOC emissions at French sites in general. This has been achieved by using:

  • new paint technologies
  • low VOC and water-based paints
  • a base coat/clear coat painting system
  • wipes that are pre-impregnated

The program also involves implementing a system that avoids solvent evaporations and uses new technologies for cleaning painting tools, as well as use of a solvent recycler.

Prime Industries Sells Airbus Parts

Prime Industries is an ISO 9001:2008 certified FAA AC 00-56A compliant company that supplies, repairs and overhauls aircraft parts and components for fixed-wing planes and helicopters. These include Airbus and other leading aircraft manufacturers. If you are in the market for Airbus parts or need help with Airbus maintenance, contact us for availability and pricing of parts.

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