Jankel and Williams Advanced Engineering collaborate to bring EV technologies and capabilities to the US Defence market
Delivery of 2nd European Service Module: from Europe to the Moon
Bombardier to Hold Virtual Event Celebrating the Best of Aerospace Innovation on Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Foresight Enters Autonomous Drone Market with POC Project
National hypersonic ground test facility to be built in Purdue Aerospace District
Fully-Immersive EURAMEC Do-228 Flight Sim Will Be Certified to EASA Standards for General Atomics
Ultra-lightweight Solar Plane : The Winner of JEC Innovation Award
To give astronauts better food, engineers test a fridge prototype in microgravity
LOT COMPLETES THE OFFER WITH SKYCELL’S HYBRID TECHNOLOGY
LOT Extends the Free Rebooking Option Until the End of May 2021
-
Rostec Equips Ansat with Wi-Fi and Satellite Internet
Kazan Helicopters of Russian Helicopter holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) has received approval from the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) to equip Ansat helicopter with the Mku30 satellite communication system. This option will provide helicopter passengers with high-speed Internet access during the flight. This Ku band satellite communication system, created by MOST Satellite Systems, provides up to 2 Mbit/s Internet access at the coverage area of the Yamal satellites. Mku30 allows to provide uninterrupted transmission of large amounts of data during flights, organize on-board video conferences and stream high quality video in real time. Data transfer to passengers' mobile devices is provided using a Wi-Fi access point. "Ansat is a versatile helicopter with a design that allows it to be adapted for a wide variety of operations: from an ambulance to a VIP configuration with advanced digital services. Ansat equipped with high-speed Internet access allows its passengers to stay in touch even during the flight. The service will be useful for both discerning passengers, as well as doctors, police, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, who will be able to stay online to receive operational information," reported in the aviation cluster of Rostec State Corporation. The first Ansat helicopter, equipped with the new Mku30 satellite communication system, was presented at the 53rd International Paris Air Show in 2019. "The satellite communication system will be installed in the Ansat helicopter at the request of the customer. It will be most relevant for passenger and VIP modifications of the helicopter. The ability to use the Internet during flights is another step towards improving the comfort level of Ansat helicopters," said Managing Director of Kazan Helicopters, Alexey Belykh. Russian Helicopters and MOST Satellite Systems signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of joint promotion of helicopter technology equipped with satellite communication systems produced by the latter during the International Helicopter Industry Exhibition HeliRussia-2018. The agreement also provides for the development and implementation of after-sales service projects. An upgraded Ansat-M helicopter with an increased flight range (up to 800 km with an additional fuel tank) took to the skies on December 29, 2020. The updated version comes with static stability, state-of-the-art avionics and modernized heating and ventilation systems. In 2021, the model will also receive 3-channel autopilot. Ansat is a light multipurpose twin-engine helicopter. Its serial production is deployed at Kazan Helicopters. Its design enables to promptly transform it both into a cargo and a passenger configuration allowing transportation of up to 7 persons. In May 2015, a supplement to a type certificate for the modification of the helicopter with a medical module was obtained. Ansat is certified for use in the temperatures ranging between -45°С and +50°С, and in high mountains. In August 2018, the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) approved a major change in increasing the capacity of several assemblies and systems of Ansat. In 2019, Rosaviatsia certified an increase in the airworthiness of Ansat's fuselage to 16,000 flying hours. In February 2020, Russian aviation authorities certified the installation of an emergency floatation system to Ansat. Additional approval was issued for a major change to increase the airworthiness limitations for several major parts of the helicopter, making Ansat even more attractive to potential customers and increasing its competitiveness.
-
LOT With Approved AID Package
In the face of the biggest crisis in the history of the aviation industry, the European Commission and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland have approved an aid package for LOT amounting to PLN 2.9 billion. It consists of a PLN 1.8 billion loan and a PLN 1.1 billion of capital injection. Such financing of LOT was possible due to the good condition of the company before the pandemic. LOT undertook to repay the major part of the aid amount together with subsidised interest rates, to the Polish Development Fund, which provided financing. Optimisation of the carrier's operations, reduction of leasing costs and the strategy implemented by LOT in recent years have resulted in a significant increase in profitability and the number of passengers carried. Therefore, even in such a serious crisis within the industry, the company can use repayable financing, which will be returned within six years from the profits generated. - The main cost of the airlines' operations are the lease payments for aircraft, which are paid to foreign financial institutions. Due to the crisis, we have negotiated a significant reduction so that we can apply for state aid and then work out its repayment as soon as possible - says Rafał Milczarski, CEO of LOT. The airline is a driver for the economy, tourism and a guarantee of the country's logistical security. Before the pandemic, we had been growing year on year in almost every category and generated record profits. We know how to get back on the path of intensive growth and we will do so - added Rafał Milczarski. As a result of the pandemic, since mid-March 2020, passenger air traffic throughout Europe has been suspended for almost 3 months, which means billions in losses for each air carrier. The situation was even worse because of the exceptionally bad summer season and the restrictions imposed by European countries at the beginning of autumn. According to IATA forecasts, the aviation industry worldwide net loss will be USD 118 billion in 2020 and USD 38 billion in 2021. Global air traffic has decreased by 66% and it will take several years to recover. That is why the leading European carriers have asked for public aid, otherwise air traffic would disappear for years. LOT is the next airline in Europe to receive government aid as a result of the pandemic. The airlines operating in our region have received multi-billion support from their governments, some of them even up to the equivalent of PLN 50 billion. Before the pandemic, LOT was a profitable company, generating profits every year. Since 2016, LOT has doubled its scale of operations, expanded its fleet from 45 to 80 aircraft and launched 80 new routes. In 2019, LOT carried a record 10 million passengers on board its aircraft. In 2020, LOT planned to launch long-haul flights to Washington and San Francisco, and to carry around 12 million passengers. The fast growth of LOT and the entire aviation sector is of great importance to the Polish economy and labour market. According to the TOR report, LOT contributes to the creation of about 63.7 thousand jobs and about 0.56% of the national GDP (about PLN 12 billion per year), while the entire aviation sector generates about 242 thousand jobs and 2.4% of GDP in Poland.
-
Rostec Starts Assembling the First Mi-171A3 Offshore Helicopter
Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) has started assembling the first prototype of Mi-171A3 offshore helicopter. Equipment for assembling the fuselage was put into operation at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. Mi-171A3 comes with several significant upgrades when compared to Mi-171A2: a new airframe that integrates a crash-resistant fuel system into the cargo bay floor and modernized avionics, upgraded for offshore operations and flights in the Arctic. The model also features widespread use of composite materials, which significantly reduce its weight. “The development of Mi-171A3 involves extensive cooperation between Rostec's enterprises. The nose part of the helicopter and side panels from polymer composite materials are manufactured at Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company, the cargo bay floor is manufactured by Kazan Helicopters. The new modification was designed for offshore operations in oil and gas enterprises, so it meets the strictest requirements in the field of flight safety and air navigation. We plan to obtain a type certificate and start serial production in 2022,” said the Industrial Director of the Aviation cluster of the Rostec State Corporation, Anatoly Serdyukov. Mi-171A3 offshore helicopter will meet the latest international safety requirements, including the international IOGP standard developed by oil companies for offshore operation of helicopters. “We have modernized our production process, allowing us to launch the assembly line for the new Mi-171A3 offshore helicopter. The equipment for the new helicopter was manufactured and installed using coordinate-measuring machines and laser trackers, which will significantly increase the quality and accuracy of the assembly. We are planning to present the first prototype at the MAKS-2021 air show,” said the Director General of Russian Helicopters holding company Andrey Boginsky.
-
LightAir tests air purification technology against coronavirus
LightAir (LAIR, NGM) is initiating tests on coronavirus with a leading European virus research institute. The tests will show how well the Swedish company's IonFlow technology also prevents contact and airborne transmission of COVID19. A scientific study from Karolinska Institutet has previously shown that the technology inactivates influenza viruses immediately and continuously, and prevents airborne transmission. In the coming months, specific tests will be carried out to show how well IonFlow also neutralizes coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease COVID19, and SARS-CoV-1, which causes the disease SARS. LightAir’s patented IonFlow technology and its antiviral properties have previously been the subject of an extensive scientific research study, which was led by Professor Lennart Svensson, Linköping University Hospital, and Professor Hans Wigzell of Karolinska Institutet. The study, published in June 2015 in Nature Scientific Reports, concludes that IonFlow technology prevents contact-based and airborne transmission of the viruses examined, which included those causing influenza and winter vomiting disease. "The global world of scientists, as well as national authorities, now generally agree that viruses are spread through air, and that this also applies to COVID," says Lars Liljeholm, CEO of LightAir. “Our technology destroys viruses immediately and while they are still in the air. This is completely different from conventional solutions based on fans and filters, which may collect virus particles, and which can reduce but not prevent airborne transmission.” “There are great similarities among viruses, but of course also differences. It is gratifying that we have now created the opportunity to investigate IonFlow’s effectiveness against specific coronaviruses. This will supplement the previous in-depth study from Karolinska Institutet, which already showed that the technology prevents the spread of a number of viruses.”
-
Russian Helicopters delivers first Ansat to a client in Europe
The Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) has delivered a first Ansat helicopter to a client in Europe. The operator of the rotorcraft, which is equipped for medical operations, is the Ministry of Interior of the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). This is the first of three helicopters under the delivery contract. Ansat for Republika Srpska comes with a medical module equipped with a stretcher and a medical shelf. The helicopter cabin has place for transporting one patient and two chairs for accompanying doctors. Equipment configuration includes a system for artificial lung ventilation, tele-ECG allowing to monitor cardiac activity in real time, and various other equipment for the evacuation of patients of varying severity. The delivery set includes five seats, which can be installed instead of the medical module and carry 7 passengers in the helicopter cabin. The helicopter also comes with active vibration control system. "This delivery testifies that Ansat is competitive on the European market, and we see potential for new orders. I am confident that European operators will appreciate the favorable cost of operating the helicopter, its versatility and reliability. Two more Ansats will be handed over to the law enforcement agencies of Republika Srpska in 2021 and 2022. They will be additionally equipped with searchlights, fast-rope deployment system, a winch and an external sling", said the Director General of Russian Helicopters holding company Andrey Boginsky. The delivery contract of three helicopters to the Republic of Srpska also included the training of three technicians and two pilots of the customer in the Kazan Helicopters Aviation Training Center. The program included training in the design and maintenance of the airframe, power plant and systems of Ansat helicopter for aircraft technicians, as well as theoretical training, classes on the new Ansat simulator and practical flight training for pilots. The cadets successfully passed the exams and received documents that confirm their qualifications. The Aviation Training Center will provide further multi-stage training of flight and technical personnel as more helicopters are delivered. During the next 2 years, 4 more pilots and 6 technicians will go through training. Ansat is a light multipurpose twin-engine helicopter. Its serial production is deployed at Kazan Helicopters. Its design allows converting it into a cargo version or into a passenger rotorcraft that can lift up to seven people. Ansat is certified for use in the temperatures ranging between -45°С and +50°С, and in high mountains. In 2019, the Federal Air Transport Agency certified an increase in the airworthiness of Ansat's fuselage to 16,000 flying hours. In 2020, the Russian aviation authorities certified Ansat for installation of an emergency floatation system and isolation units for transporting patients with coronavirus disease, it also received a more advanced and ergonomic medical module. Several main components of the helicopter received approval for the increase of their airworthiness restrictions.
-
Russian Helicopters delivers first batch of helicopter knock-down kits to Kazakhstan
The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant of the Russian Helicopters holding (part of the Rostec State Corporation) has delivered two Mi-8AMT helicopter knock-down kits to Kazakhstan to be assembled on the territory of the customer. The delivery is based on a trilateral contract signed by Kazakhstan Engineering, Kazakhstan's Aircraft Repair Plant No. 405 and Russian Helicopters for semi-knock-down (SKD) assembly of Mi-8AMT / Mi-171E helicopters. The contract, signed in 2019, provides for a total of 17 helicopter kits during 2020-2022. The main customers for the Mi-8AMT helicopters in Kazakhstan are the National Guard under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Committee for Emergency Situations. The first batch of Mi-8AMT kits will assembled for the needs of the Committee for Emergency Situations. "I'm confident that successful implementation of the semi-knock-down assembly project of Mi-8AMT / Mi-171 helicopters in Kazakhstan will become a significant step forward in the development of the country's helicopter industry and will allow local enterprises to increase their scientific and technical potential", said Leonid Belykh, Managing Director of the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. Assembly and adaptation of the helicopters to the customer's requirements will be carried out by the Aircraft Repair Plant No. 405 in the city of Almaty. The plant holds the greatest competencies in repairing and maintaining this helicopter type in the Central Asian region. The plant is certified by both Kazakhstan and international authorities for the repair, modernization and maintenance of Mi-8/17/171 helicopters. The assembled helicopters will be tasked with transportation of passengers and goods, emergency rescue operations, forest protection, firefighting, ambulance services and law enforcement operations. The operational experience and extensive service network of the Aircraft Repair Plant No. 405 will provide integrated service support for customers in the field of deployment. Kazakhstan has been a long-term partner of the Russian Helicopters and the country operates dozens of Mi-8AMT / Mi-171 helicopters. The republic became the first foreign operator of the latest Mi-171A2 helicopter.
-
Russian Helicopters launches Mi-8 test operation program in Indonesia
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (U-UAP) as part of Russian Helicopters holding company (State Corporation Rostec) launches Mi-8/171 type helicopter test operation program, which is aimed at the assessing of all the advantages of helicopters real operation in conjunction with all available corporate support tools and implemented aftersales services of Russian Helicopters holding company. The pilot project is being implemented in Indonesia, where two Mi-8AMT helicopters are already involved in firefighting operations. Helicopters sent to the Republic of Indonesia with crew and technical staff of U-UAP were relocated to the island of Kalimantan almost immediately upon arrival to extinguish forest fires. In the future, the rotorcraft will be on operational duty on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. "A contract with PT. National Utility Helicopters (PT. NUH), a utility helicopter operator in Indonesia with 50 years of experience in providing services for Indonesian Government as well as private companies, has become the pilot project of this program. The main task under the contract is to carry out firefighting operations in the region, as well as provide consulting services regarding the formation of its own air fleet of Indonesian operators for annual firefighting operations” said Leonid Belykh, Managing Director of U-UAP. АМТ-3 Ми-8АМТ In the process of temporary use of helicopters, the customer gets the opportunity to consult the company's specialists in 24/7 mode, access to a replacement fund and a fund of additional equipment. It is worth noting, that one of the first Mi-171A2 helicopters manufactured by the enterprise, since 2018 has been participating in a test operation program at UTair-VU airline, where it successfully fulfills the tasks facing the operator and demonstrates high flight performances. The experience of the joint work of the manufacturer and the customer was reflected in the U-UAP helicopter test operation program for Indonesia. Mi-8/171 helicopters for a long time have been involved in the disaster relief operations not only in Russia, but also abroad. They have proved themselves as one of the most effective tools in the firefighting, medicine delivery and casualty evacuation operations, as well as in passenger and cargo transportation to hard-to-reach areas.
-
Purdue researchers working with Abu Dhabi on cybersecurity of drones as city seeks to become a tech hub of Middle East
Abu Dhabi has intentions of making the city a leading hub for technology and innovation in the Middle East. Part of that evolution is utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to assist with as many tasks as possible, from delivering packages to aiding in police operations to helping investigate crashes on highways to delivering high-value transports, like organs for transplant. With autonomy, though, comes risks of hackers and complications between interacting agents. A group of Purdue University researchers have been tasked to make sure drones and their systems could operate securely, safely and efficiently in the United Arab Emirates capital. Inseok Hwang, a professor in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is principal investigator on a three-year, $2.3-million grant from the Technology Innovation Institute in Abu Dhabi to study the application of secure drone swarms in urban environments. The project requires expertise in autonomous vehicles, control, sensing, virtual reality and security. James Goppert, a visiting assistant professor in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics and managing director of the UAS Research and Test Facility, and Dongyan Xu, the Samuel D. Conte Professor of Computer Science and director of CERIAS (Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security), Purdue’s cybersecurity research and education center, are co-principal investigators on the project. “We will address this problem in a highly integrated, interdisciplinary way,” Hwang said. “We will consider it from the program level to the high-level network of systems, so we accomplish the hierarchic way from the very detailed lower level, the software and hardware level, to the large network of vehicles and from the single vehicle to multivehicle. So it’s multidimensional. That’s one of the unique pieces of this project.” The project will utilize one of Purdue’s unrivaled assets, the UAS Research and Test Facility. The 20,000-square-foot, 35-feet high facility, located at Hangar 4 of the Purdue University Airport, features the largest indoor motion capture system in the world and offers unique capabilities for novel research. Goppert will build a mixed reality environment, combining a virtual reality urban environment with a scaled physical model of the city. The drones will fly and navigate the city, and the environment can be programmed to simulate a wide range of settings, including weather, traffic and urban development, to test the drones’ applicability and agility. The testing will be done with single vehicles as well as swarms, which could include 10 drones. Hwang said he hasn’t seen any research done using mixed reality to this scale. Neither has Goppert. “Our unique capability is that we have such a large environment to do it,” Goppert said. “Just running so many vehicles at once is going to be a challenge. In the past, several vehicles have been used. But if we’re going to be running swarms where each vehicle needs a rendered virtual mixed reality image, that’s going to be really computationally challenging. That’s what we’re pushing forward. “We thought we could try to bring it as close to real-life as possible to get as many of the bugs worked out before they actually deploy such a system. We can do it all in software, but there’s an added advantage in bringing it closer to reality by making some of it actual robots.” Hwang and Xu will have a multitiered approach from the cybersecurity and robustness standpoint. Xu will investigate from the cyber perspective of security, encryption, authentication and peer-to-peer communications. Hwang will develop a mathematical model and use the control theoretical solution approach, assessing potential cyberattacks on the systems and working to design a controller in such a way that the system becomes more resilient to attacks. “This project reflects exciting synergies between two areas of technical excellence at Purdue: aeronautics and astronautics, and cybersecurity,” Xu said. Ultimately, all of the research will be integrated and pieced together around the state-of-the-art test bed, which could happen toward the end of the second year of the three-year grant. With a variety of drones tasked with different assignments, “how do we make sure they play well together?” Goppert said. “We’re trying to simulate that within our facility.”
-
LOT with Profit and a Record number of Passengers in 2019
In 2019, LOT’s revenues from sales amounted to PLN 7.37 billion, i.e. over one billion more than in 2018. The company’s operating profit amounted to PLN 113.9 million. Last year, LOT carried a record number of 10 million passengers on board and launched 15 new connections. This marks another year in which the company managed to preserve the viability of its operations despite problems with the global grounding of the B737MAX fleet and with the Rolls Royce engines used in the Boeing 787. LOT closed the previous year with its operating profit, i.e. profit on the carriage of passengers, amounting to PLN 113.9 million. At the same time, the company managed to increase its revenues on sales to PLN 7.37 billion, compared with PLN 6.19 billion in the preceding year. Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled PLN 142.6 million in the previous year, while its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to PLN 91.9 million. Last year was the fourth consecutive year in which we generated profit and increased the scale of our activities, carrying a record number of 10 million passengers on board. This confirms that the profitable growth strategy, which we adopted in 2016, was correct. I would like to thank the entire LOT team for their hard work and our passengers for their trust - says Rafał Milczarski, CEO of LOT. In 2019, the greatest growth in the number of passengers compared with 2018 could be observed in the case of long-haul flights (growth by 30.4%). In the case of short- and medium-haul flights, there were 11.4% more passengers than in the preceding year, while in the case of domestic flights the growth amounted to 4.7%. The year 2019 saw the launch of routes such as Warsaw-Miami, Warsaw-Delhi, Warsaw-Colombo and Budapest-Seoul, which resulted in the presence of more than 120 connections in the Polish carrier’s portfolio by the end of the year. Naturally, this year has been much more challenging and we are currently focusing on optimisation of our activities in order to survive the most difficult time for the airline industry. Fortunately, our results from previous years demonstrate that we can work with dedication and achieve our objectives - adds Rafał Milczarski.
-
Rostec starts assembling parts for the first Russian offshore helicopter Mi-171A3
Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) started production of the first pre-production prototype of Mi-171A3 offshore helicopter. Flight tests of the state-of-the-art rotorcraft are to start on the summer of 2021. The first Mi-171A3 offshore helicopter is being built by several plants forming part of Russian Helicopters which specialize in serial production, and JSC “National Helicopter Center Мil&Kamov” (NHC). They are working in close cooperation. The main task of Mi-171A3 is servicing of offshore drilling rigs of companies in the fuel and energy sector. It is capable of transporting people, freight, and carrying out search and rescue operations if necessary – for that purpose, additional installation of a special complex comprising search capabilities, on-board hoists, and medical equipment is provided for. A company which uses the helicopter can convert it into a search-and-rescue version at its own base. "Unique solutions ensuring safety of flights over water have been developed for the first offshore helicopter in Russia. The helicopter's onboard equipment provides for navigation in high latitudes and communication with sea-going vessels. The helicopter has an emergency floatation system and life rafts, and a special crash-resistant fuselage section has been developed for it. Separate parts of the helicopter are already being assembled. The first rotorcraft for flights is to be assembled in early 2021 at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. Besides, in 2021 we plan to show the rotorcraft at MAKS International Aviation and Space Salon for the first time as one of the most recent key developments of Rostec," stated Rostec Aviation Cluster Industrial Director Anatoliy Serdyukov. After being completely assembled, the helicopter will be transferred to NHC; the National Helicopter Center will add avionics to it. After that, a cycle of ground and flight tests will take place. Other enterprises of the holding company will also take an active part in helicopter production. Kazan Helicopters will make the helicopter's cargo floor, which has been made similar to that of Mi-38. Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company is making parts of composite materials for the nose and board panels for the middle part of the fuselage section. "Mi-171A3 is very much sought-after for offshore operations. The rotorcraft has been created as a result of cooperation among Rostec holding companies. Expanding hydrocarbon production on the Arctic shelf requires a fleet of reliable and modern helicopters, which can be operated in the most difficult weather and climatic conditions," emphasized Director General of Russian Helicopters holding company Andrey Boginsky. "Starting from 2022, we will be ready to hand over the first serial helicopters to the launch customer." Mi-171A3 is a multipurpose helicopter meeting the most modern Russian and international aviation standards, including IOGP requirements. The helicopter development started in 2018. The rotorcraft's maximum takeoff weight is 13,000 kg. It can carry up to 24 passengers, and the maximum range is 1,000 km. The helicopter is intended for operation in various climatic conditions, including maritime, tropical and cold climate, with ambient temperatures ranging between -50 С and +50 С. Mi-171AZ avionics will provide for automated and manual control of the helicopter at all stages of the flight, from takeoff to landing, and automatic piloting is possible for both air routes and non-regulatory airspace, irrespective of the degree of ground-based radio navigation.
-
Russian Helicopters presents new equipment options for Ansat at HeliRussia-2020
The Russian Helicopters holding (part of the Rostec State Corporation) presents additional equipment options for the Ansat multipurpose helicopter at the HeliRussia-2020 Exhibition – new variants include an internal fuel tank and inflated ballonets. "The Ansat helicopter project is developing to meet the needs of our customers. We are actively responding to the requests of our partners, making our products more competitive and comfortable to use. By the end of the year, we are planning to transfer a prototype representing a new generation of Ansat for testing. In addition to a wide range of optional equipment, the helicopter will receive an upgraded fuel system with increased capacity, the latest avionics for instrument flight, and a lightweight fuselage structure which includes more composite materials", said the Director General of Russian Helicopters holding company Andrey Boginsky. An emergency floatation system is designed to keep the helicopter afloat in the event of an emergency landing on water, with inflated ballonets that can provide buoyancy for 30 minutes. The systems consist of inflatable buoyancy chambers (ballonets), two life rafts, emergency life support package, including a radio beacon to signal the the landing site location to rescuers. Ansats equipped with the system will be capable of flights to oil companies' facilities located at a considerable distance from the coast as well as participation in search and rescue operations above the water. The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) certified the installation of the emergency floatation systems on Ansats in 2020. An additional fuel tank is designed to increase the ferry range of the helicopter. This option will be in demand when making long-distance flights, e.g. when delivering a helicopter to its permanent base of operations. An additional 192-liter fuel tank increases Ansat's flight range by 140-150 km, up to 650 km. Additionally, an Ansat modification with enlarged main fuel tanks will be available to customers in 2021. The capacity of the main fuel system will be increased by 20%, increasing flight range by 135 km. When the additional fuel tank is used in combination with the upgraded Ansat, the maximum flight range will exceed 750 km. In the future, Ansat will also be equipped with a winch and external sling. This modification is currently tested in the Kazan Helicopters testing facility. The winch increases the efficiency of the helicopter in search and rescue operations and allows to carry out loading and unloading operations while hovering. The device provides lifting and deploying of people and cargo with a total weight of up to 272 kg. The external sling is designed for transporting cargo with weight up to 1000 kg. The maximum take-off weight of Ansat with external sling will be increased to 3900 kg. The system comes with capability for cargo weight measurement and jettisoning. Ansat is a light multipurpose twin-engine helicopter. Its serial production is deployed at Kazan Helicopter Plant. According to the helicopter certificate, its design allows quickly converting it into a cargo version or into a passenger rotorcraft that can lift up to eight people. In May 2015, the modification of the helicopter with a medical module was certified. Ansat is certified for use in the temperatures ranging between -45°С and +50°С, and in high mountains. In 2019, the Federal Air Transport Agency certified an increase in the airworthiness of Ansat's fuselage to 16,000 flying hours.
-
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant carried out modernization of production equipment for stamping and machining
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant of the Russian Helicopters holding (part of the Rostec State Corporation) has successfully implemented an investment project for creating modern, high-performance stamping and machining production. The production facility no. 64 went through a major overhaul during the process. The project was aimed at developing new stamping technologies, the introduction of seamless techniques for manufacturing sheet metal, reducing the labor intensity share of manual labor of production. "We're planning to launch the modernized stamping and machining production in its full capacity during the second half of 2020", said the Managing Director of Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, Leonid Belykh. "We have replaced outdated equipment by purchasing and putting into operation modern stamping, cutting and forming technology, as well as upgraded storage systems. Production facility no 64 went through a major overhaul, turning it into modernized workshop for stamping and machining operations. The reconstructed facility has a new ventilation system and creates comfortable conditions for the company's employees. In general, based on the results of the project implementation,labor intensity will be reduced by 34.7% and production cost by 26.9%. After the project is fully completed, sheet metal parts will be manufactured on a modern digitally controlled elastoforming press, introduced in June 2019. We have already designed all parts for the Mi-171A2/A3 and Ka-226 helicopters to be manufactured on the new press. In October 2019 we also put into operation press for longitudinal and transversal stretch forming of metal sheets (coverings), combining the functionality of several different stamping machines used earlier in the facility. Modern stamping equipment will replace obsolete and worn-out hydraulic presses and power hammers, ensuring the safety of the production process. To transfer the designs of the old product range to the new equipment, we created a bureau for modeling sheet stamping processes, which uses modern software, simulates the shaping process and develops new tools made of modified wood for the production of parts on the new equipment. We've also built an automated warehouse for storing the tools used by the new equipment. Specialized software helps the warehouse worker to keep detailed records on tools and effectively locate them in the warehouse or directly at the presses, keep records of storage and delivery of sheet metal. The investment project also introduces modern systems for cutting. Cutting and monitoring during manufacture is now carried out using digital technology. Milling of parts will be carried by multi-axis machining system. Storage and transport of sheet metal for cutting operations is carried out using an automated warehouse. The modernization of the cutting facility increased productivity by 15-50% (depending on the type of parts), and the labor intensity of finishing operations has decreased by a third. Since 2017, using high-performance milling technology has saved up to 1,000 operating hours every year. Thanks to the implementation of a program for group cutting of parts of various configurations and cutting layouts, material consumption has decreased by 15%, and monitoring of sheet metal consumption allows to make purchases in advance for the required volumes of production. Modern equipment is located in the newly created production areas in the facility 64, which were previously empty. The production site is provided with all the necessary energy resources and a separate transformer substation was built on the site. Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant JSC is one of the production enterprises of the Russian Helicopters holding. The modern production and technological capacity of the plant makes it possible to manufacture new types of aircraft quickly and combine the creation of prototypes with the line production of equipment. In over 75 years of existence, more than 8,000 aircraft have been built at the plant. Today, the plant specializes in the production of Mi-8AMT (Mi-171E), Mi-171 and Mi- 8AMTSh (Mi-171Sh) helicopters.
-
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant launches a certified process simulation facility
The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant of the Russian Helicopters holding (part of the Rostec State Corporation) has launched a certified process simulation facility in its premises. The facility works as a platform for interactive training by the principles of lean production, and was created at the enterprise as part of the Russian governmental project for improving labor productivity and employment. "Factory specialists were the first in the region to receive certificates and the right to train employees of enterprises participating in the Labor Productivity and Employment program." Opening of the process simulation facility at U-UAP was an result of effective interaction between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Buryatia and the Russian Federal Center of Competences in Labor Efficiency, which provided methodological assistance in its creation", - pointed out the Managing Director of JSC U-UAP Leonid Belykh The training platform allows to conduct interactive workshop training for employees. The facility reproduces a real mechanical engineering production chain and simulates real production processes. The training format consists of eight-hour business game, in which a team of 15 people gets acquainted with methods for identifying losses and determining reserves in workflow optimisation. Its unique format allows the process simulation facility to quickly teach crucial skills associated with the lean production approach. The simulator provides an opportunity to consciously apply lean production tools to increase labor productivity, gain practical experience and knowledge about improvements in the production process that can affect the operational and economic performance of an enterprise. Modern enterprises are not only interested in maintaining the already achieved level of production, but also strive for increasing its efficiency. The certified trainers of the simulator are tasked to teach the employees to speed up their workflow processes and, in doing so, augment the potential of their department, workshop or factory.
-
LOT Waives Charges for Changes in Ticket Booking on All Flights
From today, passengers of LOT Polish Airlines may repeatedly change their travel schedule without incurring additional charges. This is yet another improvement introduced by LOT to help passengers in the times of a global pandemic. LOT introduced new, flexible rules for booking management. This not only means greater safety and control over travel planning in the times of a global pandemic, but also no additional charges for introducing changes in the travel plan. According to IATA’s data (the report of August 2020 by IATA and McKinsey & Company), in business travel the most decisive factor in the times of a global pandemic is the ability to introduce modifications in flight booking and the availability of direct flights. That is why LOT is making an effort to meet these wishes by abolishing charges for making changes in the booking. “We understand the needs of our clients who, in the face of restriction dynamics in particular countries in connection with the global pandemic, expect to receive a service that will provide the highest level of safety, comfort, and flexibility when planning a travel. This does not concern just those that intend to go on a leave in early autumn, but also business travel that is making a gradual comeback. We offer to our clients one of the most competitive products on the market, and namely: flexible booking and easy online management, attractive airline ticket prices, and high standards in in-flight products. We continually improve the quality of our offer, fighting for every passenger”, says Michał Fijoł, Chief Commercial Officer at LOT Polish Airlines. Change of date and direction of travel From now on, passengers are able to change the date and direction of travel in their booking free of charge, and as many times as they want. This applies to tickets purchased between 10 September to 31 December 2020 on all LOT flights, in each available fare, including the cheapest ‘saver’ option without additional baggage. Any extra fees only result from the difference in the price tickets when the fare used in the initial booking is no longer unavailable. As for tickets purchased until 10 September 2020, the passengers may change free of charge their direction and date of travel only once. Easy online booking service If a passenger wants to select a new date on the same route, they can do it on their own at lot.com from the bookmark Manage your booking. Changes in the direction of travel can be made by contacting LOT Contact Centre or our agents directly. Moreover, with the comfort of travel and highest quality of passenger service in mind, in the current epidemic situation LOT has also implemented a number of technological changes in its offer. At lot.com, passengers may to notify their wish to change or return their ticket without having to contact us by phone or e-mail. The website also features a chatbot, which automatically answers questions asked by passengers. Thanks to an additional service TIME2THINK, our passengers may temporarily put their flight booking on hold up for a specific price, up to 72 hours. High product and service quality for our passengers Moreover, the Polish carrier improves the quality of in-flight products as well – recently, it replaced paper press by sharing over 1,000 digital press titles for all passengers, regardless of class and travel destination. The carrier also extended its free in-flight service to include new snacks. A novelty on domestic flights is a sweet bun, a 0.5 l bottle of water for each passenger, and a disinfecting tissue. On short-haul flights, passengers are also offered a selection of salty and sweet snacks (pretzels, nuts, and sweet buns) free of charge. At lot.com, you can order a free special meal (there are 25 different meals to choose from, including: meals for small children, kosher, gluten-free, and seafood meals) on long-haul flights in all booking classes and in LOT Premium Class as well as LOT Business Class on short-haul routes. Soon, the self-service option at lot.com will also include paid meals. Current information on the rules for safety and LOT in-flight service can be found at lot.com
-
Russian Helicopters deliver Mi-171 to China
The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant of the Russian Helicopters holding (part of the Rostec State Corporation) has supplied a Mi-171 helicopter with VK-2500-03 engines to a Chinese civil aviation company. In 2019, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a national type certificate for Mi-171 with the new power plant. The decision of the Chinese aviation authorities expanded the capabilities of Russian Helicopters to meet the needs of the Chinese market. "The key advantages of the helicopter, high thrust-to-weight ratio and operational safety in mountainous regions, caught the attention of potential buyers in the end of 2018, when Mi-171 was demonstrated in China", pointed out Leonid Belykh, Managing Director of U-UAZ. "Chinese Civil Aviation Administration and leadership of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were impressed by the helicopter's capabilities for transporting goods on an external sling, emergency response, as well as for the ability to quickly load and unload of rescue and firefighter personnel". The VK-2500-03 engine, designed and supplied by UEC-Klimov, is more powerful that the older TV3-117VM engine series 02, especially when used in high altitude due to its heat-resistant materials and improved design. The introduction of the BARK-78 digital automatic control system gives more detailed control over the engines and their different modes, and generally simplifies their operation. The use of VK-2500-03 engines in Mi-171 helicopters ensures higher load capacity and increases the operational and hovering ceiling. Besides, greater available engine power in an emergency mode ensures greater safety during the flight with one running engine. This was already a second Chinese civilian airline to buy helicopters of this configuration. China currently operates a total of about 200 Mi-171 helicopters.
-
KebNi Special Advisor to Spearhead Move Into $5 US Billion Leo Satellite Market
KebNi AB, a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market stock exchange in Sweden, focused on becoming a leading supplier of antenna solutions, servicing international government and commercial markets has announced the appointment of Ronald van der Breggen as special advisor to the CEO. In this role Ronald will help develop KebNi’s winning strategy for the large opportunity that the future LEO satellite services represent. Ronald brings over 25 years of telecommunication and satellite experience, which includes working for several of the most prominent satellite operators, the last five years of which has been exclusively for LEO operators, most notably LeoSat, in the areas of strategic and commercial planning and sales management. Recent reports on the LEO market include Absolute Reports predicting a global market size of 5.2 billion USD by 2024. KebNi’s CEO, Carsten Drachmann, said: “KebNi is well positioned to use its technology and stabilization platforms to capture significant market share in the upcoming low earth orbit (LEO) satellite market.” “LEO is offering new ways of communicating via satellite, utilizing a constellation of satellites much closer to earth than the traditional geostationary satellites (GEO). Key features of LEO include higher data rates and lower latency which, through KebNi’s technology, will offer the advantage of enhanced security, seamless integration and operational flexibility to end-users globally,” he added. “We see a great future in IOT, 5G backhaul and various other mission critical applications for enterprise and government. With companies like Amazon, OneWeb, Starlink, Iridium and Telesat currently in the process of launching thousands of low orbit satellites, it is KebNi’s strategic goal to expand its product offering and leverage its current unique technology to deliver ground equipment and terminals for the these new LEO satellite networks. To help us in setting and executing the best strategy to achieve this long term goal, I’m looking forward to working with Ronald, who pioneered the LEO industry in the past five years and brings a wealth of expertise and industry knowledge to the company,” he concluded. KebNi is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and has a long history and experience in maritime satellite antenna solutions and solutions for inertial movement sensing. It markets its products through three business areas - KebNi Maritime for Maritime Satellite Antennas, KebNi Inertial Sensing for Inertial Measurement Units and KebNi Land Mobile for Communication on the Move (COTM) as well as Communication on the Pause (COTP) antennas. KebNi’s products and solutions address government & military customers, as well as commercial customers in industries for robotics and self-driving vehicles. Mr Van Der Breggen said: “I’m very much looking forward to be involved in KebNi’s process of defining its winning strategy for the LEO opportunity. The LEO market is characterized by its grand announcement and its very diverse, yet big opportunities. In that context I am already impressed with KebNi’s focus on where it sees opportunities in leveraging its robust and high-quality products and engineering capabilities. I am confident it will bring the company many opportunities worldwide and I am excited to help the company develop that success.” A native of the Netherlands, Ronald van der Breggen, has more than 20 years of experience in the telecom and satellite sectors. He began his telecom career at Dutch Telecom incumbent KPN and KPNQwest, rising to the position of VP IP Services. He then joined SES, one of the world’s leading satellite operators as Vice President Customer Account Management. From 2015 to 2019 he served as Chief Commercial Officer of LeoSat, where under his leadership the company secured $2 Billion USD in pre-launch commitments.
-
Mi-171A2 certified in South Korea
Validation of Mi-171A2 certificate confirms the compliance of design with local flight safety requirements and authorizes its use in the Republic of Korea. "South Korea is the largest foreign operator of the Ka-32 helicopter and also has a successful track record of using Mi-8/17 in police operations. Validation of the Mi-171A2 certificate proves that the country has high demand and trust in Russian helicopter designs. I am confident that our Korean partners will appreciate the outstanding flight performance and modern on-board equipment of Mi-171A2; negotiations about its delivery are already under way", said the Director General of Russian Helicopters Andrey Boginsky. The first foreign operator of Mi-171A2 was the Republic of Kazakhstan. In addition, its certificate has been validated by the aviation authorities of India and Colombia. Its validation is also planned in China, Brazil, Mexico, Peru and several other countries. Its modern, high performance VK-2500 engines give Mi-171A2 fundamentally new possibilities for operation in high-mountain and high-temperature regions. Due to its more efficient X-shaped tail rotor, a new main rotor with all-composite blades, and improved aerodynamic profile, the cruise and maximum speeds of Mi-171A2 helicopter are 10 percent higher and its load capacity is 25 percent greater than those of serial Mi-8/17 helicopters. Mi-171A2 comes with a modern digital "glass cockpit" avionics suite which allows to reduce its crew to two persons. Video cameras provide a better view during external load operations. Its flight safety is improved by modern terrain awareness and warning systems, airborne and obstacle collision avoidance systems. Depending on the operator needs, Mi-171A2 helicopter can perform search and rescue missions, medical and cargo operations, fight fires or carry passengers in daylight and during night, and at temperatures from -50°C to + 50°C.
