Aviation
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NASA's new X-59 plane could hit supersonic speeds with minimal sonic boom
NASA’s X-59 Quesst supersonic commercial jet will have its flight test livestreamed on January 12.
From toilets to the sky: UK startup makes waste into low carbon jet fuel
Firefly Green Fuels, a UK-based company, has developed a new form of jet fuel that is entirely fossil-free and made from human waste.
YouTuber pleads guilty to intentionally crashing his plane for a wallet sponsorship
In the latest proof that satire is no match for today’s reality, The DOJ announced that a YouTuber pled guilty on Wednesday to obstructing a federal investigation by destroying the wreckage of an airplane he intentionally crashed for views and sponsorship money. Trevor Jacob, a 29-year-old former pro snowboarder turned YouTuber, recorded and uploaded his staged (yet very real) crash landing in Santa Barbara County, CA, in November 2021.
Electric airplane towing concept could mean longer zero-emission flights
Magpie Aviation announced a novel new approach to electric airplanes on Monday. Today’s battery technology (including CATL’s new, more efficient one) severely limits the practicality of zero-emission aircraft, leaving clean-energy innovators with two incomplete options: flying a plane full of batteries or one full of people — but not both. So the California-based startup wants to tie them together, extending the rear plane’s range by hundreds of miles.
CATL’s new battery tech could inch electric planes closer to reality
With the world gradually moving toward electric cars, it’s only a matter of time before EVs take to the skies, at least for shorter trips. Inching us closer to that milestone is Chinese battery maker CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited), which on Wednesday launched a battery at the Shanghai Auto Show that it claims can power electric passenger aircraft.
FAA blames 'damaged database file' for major NOTAM outage
The FAA has pinned a major NOTAM outage on a bad database file.
Airbus tests pilot assist that can automatically divert flights
Airbus is testing autonomous tech that can divert a flight when pilots are in trouble.
FAA revokes YouTuber's pilot license, saying he deliberately crashed his plane
On November 21st, Trevor Jacob's single-engine airplane fell out of the sky. On Thursday, the FAA accused him of staging the entire incident for online clout.
Why airlines and telecoms are fighting over the 5G rollout
5G technology from Verizon and AT&T could disrupt aircraft avionics if operated too close to airports, the airline industry argues.
London City is the first major airport to control air traffic via a digital tower
London City Airport has become the first major international airport to launch a remote air traffic control system.
Xwing completes first autonomous gate-to-gate commercial cargo flight
Autonomous aviation startup Xwing has completed the first gate-to-gate commercial cargo flight using a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B utility aircraft retrofitted with its AutoFlight system.
NASA wants to play a big part in the development of electric aircraft
NASA is working with the aviation industry to develop Electrified Aircraft Propulsion tools and designs in a bid to introduce the systems to commercial flights by 2035.
Europe's aviation safety agency is planning an eco ranking for flights
The EU's Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) plans to create eco-ranking labels labels for the airline industry.
EU regulator says Boeing 737 Max is safe to fly
A software-based safety upgrade may not be ready for another two years, however.
Virgin Galactic reveals its Mach 3 aircraft design
Virgin Galactic unveils its Mach 3 high-speed aircraft design and plans to work with Rolls-Royce.
Boeing employees called designers of flawed Max 737 jets 'clowns'
In October of 2018, a Boeing 737 Max jet crashed into the Java Sea, killing everyone on board. Five months later, another crashed in Ethiopia, taking the lives of all passengers and crew. The tragedies caused aviation authorities across the globe to ground all 737 Max jets, and both Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration began investigations into how these accidents occurred. The Washington Post and The New York Times obtained over 100 pages of email and chat transcripts that were handed over to Congress as part of its investigation. The documents show that employees mocked the planes' designers, calling them "clowns, who in turn are supervised by monkeys," and had major concerns over the safety of the planes. Even before the first crash, one employee asked, "Would you put your family on a Max simulator trained aircraft?" "No," a colleague replied.
Iridium's 'truly global' satellite internet connects aircraft and ships
Wondering what Iridium would be doing with those Next satellites that SpaceX just finished launching? You now have an idea. Iridium has formally debuted Certus, a "truly global" satellite broadband service that promises to keep aircraft, ships and other vehicles (including self-driving vehicles) connected even in the remotest places. It's far from fast at 352Kbps for both downloads and uploads, but that's enough to keep crews online and provide reasonably high-quality voice services.
GE’s huge 3D metal printer makes aircraft parts
GE has unveiled its previously-announced 3D metal printer, suitable for making aircraft parts. At the manufacturing trade show formnext in Germany, the GE Additive team revealed the as-yet-unnamed machine, demonstrating its ability to print parts as large as 1 meter in diameter directly from a computer file. Using additive manufacturing technology, the machine fuses together thin layers of metal powder with a 1-kilowatt laser.
Feds warn energy, aviation companies of hacking threats
Hackers have been targeting the nuclear, energy, aviation, water and critical manufacturing industries since May, according to Reuters. It's even serious enough for Homeland Security and the FBI to email firms most at risk of attacks, warning them that a group of cyberspies had already succeeded in infiltrating some of their peers' networks, including at least one energy generator. According to the feds' report, the hackers use malicious emails and websites to obtain credentials needed to worm their way into networks where they remain, biding their time and keeping an eye on the firms' activities.
GE is working on a massive 3D printer for jet engine parts
3D printing is coming of age in numerous ways. On a large scale, MIT researchers built a 50-foot-wide, 12-foot tall igloo in just 13 hours. They've also debuted the first completely 3D-printed rocket engine. On a much smaller level, our own Sean Buckley printed a little d-pad for his Nintendo Switch, while medical researchers have produced a 3D-printed patch that can heal scarred heart tissue. Now we're seeing this technology coming to the industrial world with a new laser-powered metal 3D printer from GE.
