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Archive for the ‘Technology’ CategorySolar Impulse sets new absolute distance world record on 2nd leg
Solar Impulse has set a new absolute world distance record for solar-powered aviation on the second leg of its trans-American journey (832 NM/ 1’541 km), helping to achieve the goal of promoting the use of clean technologies worldwide. After an 18-hour flight from Phoenix, Arizona, the aircraft landed in Dallas Texas, after a journey of 958m. Online Training – are you using it?
The world is moving on, the pressure to train pilots is piling up on nations and airlines. Despite the economic woes we are all facing, they are churning them through in ever increasing numbers. China particularly is supplementing their undersupply with a steady stream of pilots from the battered US community. Quite how that training is delivered is my point of discussion here. Face to face (f2f) methods have their benefits, but they are an inefficient and expensive way of delivering volume learning in a high bandwidth, networked world. You may be enthusiastically working your way through the delights of Air Law, Navigation or Meteorology, but if you are driving for an hour or two to get to a classroom then doing the reverse at the end o the day, every dollar you slop into your gas tank is another you cannot spend getting nearer your license goal. And if you with an airline changing types on the company tab, the time and money spent on the motorway could be better spent elsewhere – our planet might breath a little easier too (the irony?). Enter the Virtual Learning Environment – the ‘VLE’ There are plenty around, some good, some awful, but over the coming weeks I will be feeding into this blog some of the discoveries I am making during an Open University degree I have been working through since early February, an MA in Online & Distance Education (ODE). VLE’s are not a magic bullet for all learning needs, they are simply a focus point for materials and collaborative learning – the new paradigm gradually sweeping its way through higher education. Within aviation ‘blended learning’, a mix of f2f and eLearning is obviously the way we do it. If you have any comments or experiences to relate, I would be delighted to hear from you either through the comments facility here or via email. With your permission I will even use the results in my projects, either anonymous or quoted – all within internal, closed discussion groups within my OU cohort. Strictly not for external publication and no ‘creative’ use of your email address either. ‘Fancy sharing your experiences? Please use 777globalnomad at gmail dot com
Solarimpulse – an idea realised!
Every now and again a project comes along that captures the eye and the imagination. Not just because it involves a spectacular flying machine or even a daring mission fraught with danger. No, this project tweaks the mind because it’s audacious in its proposal and generates a massive challenge to those taking part. Put simply, when the project started the proposal was seen as impossible.
EFB – Dollars & Sense
When times were better the promise of high tech tools on the modern flight deck was an exciting prospect. Having a moving map taxiway chart centred on aircraft position was the promise as was continual display of the same on area charts. Really useful… but arguably not something that would show a ‘demonstrable improvement’ in safety or, dare I say it, a cost saving. Ahhh, I just knew you would cringe just a little with that one. tbone – a gem from Denmark
Before setting out on a review I think it’s important to define what I would consider to be the ‘Holy Grail’ qualities for a headset used within long haul operations. It is within this arena that any quirk, discomfort or flaw will be magnified by extended wear. Whilst they have improved slowly over time (like the comfort of the seats be place our butt against for hours on end) the ubiquitous headset’s pace of development just hasn’t matched other areas where operator benefits are felt. Having had our heads squeezed and a groove progressively worn behind each ear by sunglasses has become irritatingly normal, so when I saw the tbone you can understand why I became a little excited. I want a headset that is going to leave my head free to move unencumbered by cables that catch and tug on any obstruction in my vicinity. Bang & Olufsen sound quality would be great, the partial suppression of flight deck environmental noises would be another plus. The tones pushed out across the airwaves from my jet should be sent sharp and clear through my microphone so that every read-back digit is clearly understood by our friends on the ground. With that quality will come pleasing conversational exchanges in the cockpit as we while away the hours leaping continents and the odd ocean in a single bound.
New Aviation Headset – tboneJust a passing note, I hope to be able to review soon the new tbone noise canceling headset from Denmark. It has high tech additions that might just answer a few of the clarity and comfort issues that we face on todays long haul flight deck. Have a look for yourself and wait for the review later.
787 and that ‘wing thing’.
We are getting plenty of opinion and comment about the 787 and its wing box woes. It is clear that there are serious problems with the structure of the beast and they are causing angst and delays in first flights and production. The problem is nothing new and its roots were being reported in 2008.
–o-O-o– Interestingly, EADS during their weight reduction program for the A380 asked Broughton UK to reduce the weight of the A380′s wing. They responded by saying that, “You produced a specification and we deigned a wing. It is as strong as it needs to be with no extra weight included within it. No, we will not take weight out as this would compromise strength.” Not verbatim and a simplification of course, but very much in the spirit…. and you get the drift? EFB, or not to be? Mac is the question.
Plastic ‘planes and catering trucks.
Plastic cracks doesn’t it? Hit a composite fuselage with a catering truck and what do you have? Presently with alluminium jets, an inspection followed perhaps by a day or two in the hanger de-skinning, repairing a frame or two then re-skinning and painting. Then ‘Bob’s your Uncle’ – back to the line and revenue service. These are not questions with simple answers. I just hope the research was comprehensive enough to save a certain manufacturer an awfully red face. You might not fancy the trip to the ‘Webinar’ but some of the questions may have interesting answers. The next step from Boeing?There is a search on for the aerodynamic and power-plant combination that will move our industry toward very low noise footprints and high fuel efficiencies. Boeing are determined to make strides in this direction and along with NACA are doing the legwork towards the design solution. Here are some graphics sourced by a friend. It doesn’t look like a bomber, does it?
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We are tribal – we live in camps. My tribe is Mac, yours may be PC but as an aviator in the 21st Century your bag like mine must have got progressively heavier over the years. Change is woven into aviation’s fabric and change equates in my office to paper – and lots of it. Are you getting as tired as I am of having to be an administrator of some energy to put it all into the right trays?
