To prioritize and promote unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the United Kingdom, the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Association (UAVS) have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see resources focused on accelerating the implementation of UAV systems and making UK industry globally competitive.
General Aviation
News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.
December 13, 2006 - 9:57am
Vulcanair’s display of its P68C Jet could confuse visitors until they realize that the installation of 227-hp SMA diesel engines enables the popular twin to use jet fuel. Shortages of avgas are directly affecting demand for aircraft fitted with standard piston engines. Indeed in the Middle East, where avgas is not refined, availability is so limited that sales of the standard P68 in the region are unknown.
December 13, 2006 - 9:15am
Grob’s SPn Utility Jet, a carbon-fiber light business twinjet introduced here on Monday, will enter production with the Honeywell Apex avionics system, according to company officials.
December 13, 2006 - 7:51am
Fighting fires from the air used to be an ad hoc business, as unpredictable as the odds of getting a return on your equipment investment. Even during a hot summer, aircraft operators in southern Europe might have their Bambi buckets gathering dust in the corner of a hangar on the off-chance a camping stove should topple over somewhere.
December 12, 2006 - 12:05pm
For several years large dark clouds have swept across the skies of light aviation in France. Last year less than 30 small piston airplanes were delivered here, compared with annual rates of 400 to 500 at the start of the 1970s.
Membership in the French Aeronautical Association (FFA), which includes 540 flying clubs across the country, has also declined, dropping by more than 3 percent over the last five years.
December 11, 2006 - 11:12am
A number of multirole airborne systems for earth remote sensing (ERS) have been developed by Irkut to equip both unmanned and optionally piloted aerial vehicles. The systems are the result of research and development carried out by the company and its partners since 1999 for the systems detection and monitoring of emergencies. Tasks envisioned include the search for survivors and provision of information to rapid response agencies.
December 11, 2006 - 10:23am
For many, the story of Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein is not a happy one. So it is perhaps surprising that there is a daily operation on the ground and in the air which sees life in the strife-torn country in a very different light.
December 11, 2006 - 10:12am
The case for twin- versus single-turboprop light transport aircraft is being forcefully argued by Vulcanair, which is relaunching its Viator aircraft here at the Dubai airshow. Convinced that the total fuel burn of two Rolls-Royce 250 B17C engines flat-rated at 328 shp is comparable to that of a larger single turbine in the 600-shp range, the Italian manufacturer believes that performance and safety will tip the scales in its favor.
December 11, 2006 - 6:11am
Responding to the fast-growing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market and exhibiting at Dubai for the first time, Canada’s MicroPilot has developed what it claims to be the world’s smallest fully functional autopilot. Weighing just one ounce, the MP2028g has capabilities that include airspeed hold, altitude hold, turn coordination, GPS navigation, as well as autonomous operation from launch to recovery.
December 11, 2006 - 5:47am
Competition to supply the United Arab Emirates with an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is becoming intense as next year’s selection date nears, and Northrop Grumman is highlighting the benefits of its E-2C Hawkeye contender. With more than 100 examples in service worldwide, the aircraft has notched some 26 years of service, which some might consider suggests that the E-2 is an aging design.
