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Feds ask airlines to look for theoretical WiFi hacks
The FBI and TSA have begun telling airlines to watch out for passengers attempting to access their planes' internal navigation networks, despite lacking evidence that anybody's ever actually tried to do so. The Feds are warning aircrews to look for people attempting to access these networks via the public-facing WiFi, through the In-Flight Entertainment systems or by physically connecting to the network ports that everybody now knows are located under their seats.
Virtualized Air Force war games put Top Gun to shame
Every year for the past four decades, the US Air Force and its NATO allies have staged a series of mock battles -- dubbed Red Flag events -- to provide soldiers with "real-world" experience before actually throwing them into active combat. But this year's Red Flag marks a significant departure from its predecessors in that the 2015 exercise will be the first to virtually integrate warfighters from around the country using cutting-edge flight simulators.
Researchers take a hint from birds to fight airplane turbulence
We've all been there: you're trying to catch a little shut-eye on a flight when boom, out of nowhere, the plane hits a rough patch and you're dramatically roused from your slumber. Thanks to researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, those rude awakenings just might become a thing of the past. Inspired by the way birds detect and adjust to shifts in wind and airflow using their feathers, the school's Unmanned Systems Research team cooked up a series of sensors they can attach to an (admittedly tiny) aircraft's wings. Here's the thing: as well as just measuring gusts of wind as they pass across the wing's leading edge, the sensors can pick up shifting air currents in front of the wing too before they have a chance to send planes a-tumblin' (naturally, they proceeded to patent the stuff just to be safe). In its current form the tech is best suited for keeping lightweight planes on the straight and narrow, but team supervisor Simon Watkins thinks it could easily be applied to bigger vehicles -- like maybe the shiny new 777 you board down the road.
Lockheed Martin's 360-degree laser turret gets cleared for take-off
Lockheed Martin has an affinity for lasers -- that much is apparent. Not satisfied with simply having ground-based energy weapons, though, the outfit has recently tested its airplane-mounted death ray over the skies of America's High Five, Michigan. The Aero-optic Beam Control (or ABC, as its friends are fond of saying) was recently run through its paces to prove airworthiness, among other things. The kicker here is that the laser can rotate 360 degrees and eliminate targets from basically any direction. Yeah. Lockheed says that the turret's been designed to engage bogies at basically any position and there's tech in place to counterbalance any turbulence caused by the protruding sphere (pictured above). The trials aren't done just yet however, and they'll only increase in complexity to further prove the system's military-aircraft mettle as time wears on. So, you know, enjoy hiding out in your secret lair while it lasts.
Skylens heads-up display helps pilots 'see' through the fog
Thanks to instrumentation, flying blind in bad weather isn't the problem it used to be, but pilots still suffer the unfortunate effects of spatial disorientation. Not being able to see where you're going causes people to lose their sense of balance and direction, which can sometimes lead to fatal errors -- which is why Elbit Systems has developed the Skylens heads-up display. Looking like a fairly hefty pair of ski goggles, Skylens overlays terrain, runway and horizon data onto the wearer's field of vision, enabling them to work out which way is up in poor-visibility conditions. Any pilots looking to get hold of the gear, however, will have to wait a while, as the hardware is currently being tested for airworthiness, but should be available at some point in 2016.
Etihad's A380 'Residence' has a lounge, double bed and an en-suite shower
We've seen full-length beds, 32-inch TVs and even dedicated chefs on board the latest Airbus and Boeing planes, but Etihad's setting the bar far, far higher by offering an entire section of its brand-new A380 to passengers with the cash to spare. "The Residence," as the airline's calling its uber-lux three-room suite, includes 125 square feet of space spread between a living room, dining area, bedroom and private bathroom (yes, of course it has a shower). You can have the suite all to yourself, or you can share the double bed with a companion. As for the tech on board, there's a 32-inch TV in the living room, a 27-inch screen near the bed, HDMI inputs (hello PS4 at 30,000 feet), power outlets, USB ports and a top-of-the-line Panasonic entertainment system. Etihad's not talking pricing at this point, but the A380 is expected to fly between Abu Dhabi and London, New York and Sydney beginning in 2015, giving you plenty of time to save up. Update: The Residence is now available for bookings. Dates we priced in March 2015 are coming in at a whopping £25,456, or about $43,000 roundtrip for the roughly seven-hour trip between London and Abu Dhabi.
AT&T will try to make in-flight internet worth a damn in 2015
There's still something a little magical about poking around on the internet while hurtling through the atmosphere in a metal tube at a few hundred miles an hour, but it's not quite as good as it could be. At least, that's the stance AT&T has taken -- it just announced that it's building a speedy in-flight data service "based on global 4G LTE standards" that could go live as soon as late 2015. Just to be clear, here's what this announcement doesn't mean: your phone isn't going to tap directly into AT&T's LTE network from 35,000 feet. No, what AT&T is doing here is building an air-to-ground network (sort of like the one Gogo has in place) that'll let airlines provide faster airborne WiFi to passengers and potentially help aircraft transmit more real-time data back down to the ground. That latter bit sounds significantly less exciting if all you want is to down your complimentary tomato juice and watch some Netflix, but there's no denying that keeping in touch with aircraft is a science that could use some (fine, maybe a lot of) improvement.
Spike supersonic business jet swaps windows for a wraparound live-view display
We're pretty excited about the Spike S-512 supersonic business jet, but this latest feature could potentially make a three-hour Mach 1.6 hop from New York to London a bit nerve-wracking for uneasy fliers. A post on the company's blog this week describes one of the cabin features, a "thin display screen" that's embedded in the wall. Cameras mounted around the jet's exterior will power a panoramic view, which can also be swapped for other images or content that's more conductive to sleep, such as a solid dark color or a starry night scene. Removing the windows helps Spike trim the plane's weight while also reducing drag, enabling faster speeds and boosted fuel efficiency. We don't expect commercial airliners to follow suit, however, so if flying 1,218 mph in a windowless tube is something that strikes your fancy, you'll need to hop aboard an S-512 after the supersonic jet takes to the skies in 2018.
Daily Roundup: Distro Issue 109, Valve's Steam Controller, CyanogenMod creator Steve Kondik and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Retailer shows off new store concept via eight iPads, never gets them back
Let this be a lesson to all of you business-minded iPad owners out there: showing off your plans to clients using your pricey slate may leave you entirely tablet-less. Guampdn reports such was the case for DFS Galleria, a duty-free luxury retailer bidding for a spot in the Guam International Airport. The company -- along with several others bidding for a spot in the concourse -- showcased its plans for a new shop space to airport representatives, but what set DFS apart was that it decided to use eight iPads to display its proposal rather than use simple paper binders. Rather than returning the tablets to DFS after a decision was made -- for which DFS's proposal didn't make the cut -- the airport is hanging on to them, as per its policy. The airport's guidelines for such proposals state that all documentation from bidders will be kept by the agency's procurement office. So the iPads remain in the care of the airport, locked away in a file cabinet with the rest of the failed proposals. Oh, who are they kidding? They probably spend all day playing Flight Control now.
United Airlines puts Dreamliner back in the air after four-month grounding
Four months after the Federal Aviation Administration grounded the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with an emergency airworthiness directive, United Airlines is putting the fuel-friendly plane back in the air today. The Dreamliner had overheating issues with its lithium-ion battery, which saw two notable failures prior to its January grounding, but a recent revamp of the battery system might put some fliers' fears to rest. It's worth nothing that the FAA approved the battery fix despite the fact that it doesn't quite address the root cause of the problem, but airline executives don't appear to be overly concerned -- both Boeing CEO Jim McNerney and United CEO Jeff Smisek will be on today's Dreamliner flight from Houston to Chicago. For the moment, United's Dreamliner is limited to domestic flights but if all goes well, it'll return to international travel on June 10th, with a flight from Denver to Tokyo.
Google considering $82 million general aviation facility at San Jose International Airport
It's no secret that Google has an interest in the automotive industry, but over the years the popular search giant has also managed to amass quite the collection of aircraft. So many, in fact, that the company is in the process of inking an $82 million construction deal that would bring its fleet to San Jose International Airport. Pending city council approval, the privately funded facility would generate an annual $2.6 million in rent and around $400,000 in fuel revenues, while also creating some 236 jobs. If agreed upon, the 29-acre Googleport will take up to two years to build and will include an executive terminal along with hangars to house the company's fleet. Google currently parks its jets at Moffett Federal Airfield, where the company has offered to renovate NASA Ames' Hangar One in exchange for two-thirds of its facility space. There's no word if either deal will affect the other, but as it stands San Jose's city council is expected to vote on its proposal sometime in April. Update: Initially, we incorrectly reported that Google owns a fleet or 747 aircraft. We have corrected the error.
FCC tells FAA to 'boost US competitiveness,' allow greater use of in-flight devices
The nation's top wireless dog has told the Federal Aviation Administration's head that it should "enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices" during flights, according to the Hill. That was the gist of a missive sent from Julius Genachowski, chairman of the FCC to the FAA's chief, Michael Huerta yesterday. He went on to say that doing so would let individuals "stay informed and connected with friends and family," while helping large and small businesses be more productive, which would "boost US competitiveness." While it sounds like not doing so would be un-patriotic with a pitch like that, the FAA has already formed a committee to revisit its current portable electronics policies and hasn't arrived at any decisions yet -- safety first, after all.
Airbus imagines 'smarter skies' by 2050: reduced emissions and shorter flight times
Airbus has been crafting its plane of the future for some time now, and while earlier visualizations focus on see-through aircraft with shapeshifting seats, the aviation company's latest ideas have the environment -- and passengers' precious time -- in mind. Airbus just unveiled its "Smarter Skies" conceptualization of what air travel will look like in 2050, and all signs point to shorter flights and less energy consumption. For one, the aircraft manufacturer imagines an assisted takeoff, dubbed "eco-climb" mode, where smaller, lighter airplanes would depart from shorter runways and reach cruising altitude faster. Once in the air, planes could pinpoint the most direct route and travel en masse -- a la a flock of birds -- along "express skyways" to reduce emissions and arrive at their destinations sooner. (That idea's totally gonna fly, right?) And when it comes time to land, aircraft could descend into airports with engines running in idle, allowing for reduced noise and emissions. Take a look at all five concepts in action in the video below the break.
NASA awards $100,000 grant for sideways supersonic plane concept, sonic boom not included
NASA isn't just interested in extra-terrestrial exploration, but in pushing the boundaries of atmospheric flight as well, which is why it's just awarded $100,000 in funding for the supersonic plane concept shown above. As you can see, the symmetrical plane is basically all wing, and that's because it has two different configurations based on how fast you want to go. For normal, subsonic flight, a plane needs a decent wingspan to get off the ground and sustain flight at lower speeds. But, when you want to go supersonic, large wings become a bit of a drag, which is where the concept's bi-functional design comes in. The plane begins its journey in the long-winged setup, but spins 90 degrees amongst the clouds to use its stubby wings for efficient faster-than-sound flight and "virtually zero sonic boom." Gecheng Zha from the University of Miami has been touting his concept for quite some time, but now he's got the cash to refine the design, run simulations and do some wind tunnel testing, with the potential for more funding in the future. Unfortunately, the concept is, at best, decades from becoming a reality, but we're sold on the ninja star-like design. Guile, however, is not impressed.
MakerPlane lets you build an experimental aircraft with digital printers
If you're a member of that mildly crazy tribe who want to build and actually fly their own airplane, MakerPlane has a new way of enabling your obsession. The open source aviation organization will allow you to download its plans and schematics for free, then build your plane's parts using CNC (computer numerically controlled) mills and 3D printers. If you don't have one of those lying around, you'll be able to go to a "makerspace" replete with all the necessary tools to get your wings whipped up, instead. As for keeping the blue side up, open source avionics software will also be included, allowing bold dabblers to create digital flight instruments and displays. For now, the group is working on its first set of plans, led by an aeronautical engineer volunteer, and hopes to have that design (shown above) flying in time for the Oshkosh airshow in 2014. While you're waiting, start looking for trusting souls brave enough to fly in a small plane you built yourself.
NASA's X-48C hybrid wing-body plane completes first test flight
After planting a rover firmly on Mars' surface and testing a new methane-fueled lander, NASA has squeezed in the first test flight of its X-48C hybrid wing-body aircraft. Thanks to its design, which combines those of flying-wing and conventional planes, the X-48 could offer 20 to 30 percent more fuel-efficiency, greater fuel capacity and a quieter ride in its final form than traditional craft. The finished model has a projected range of 11,000 nautical miles and a 240-foot wingspan. As an 8.5 percent scale of the full-sized airplane, the remotely piloted prototype weighs in at 500 pounds with a 20-foot wingspan. During the test, it successfully took to the skies for nine minutes and peaked at an altitude of 5,500 feet -- though it's capable of soaring for 35 minutes and climbing nearly twice as high. Another version of the craft (likely with a human behind the flight stick) is estimated to be at least four years down the road, and the final model isn't expected to arrive for another decade.
United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps
It won't be enough to cancel out the Engadget editor using in-flight WiFi to upload photo galleries (sorry, guys), but it should make web surfing from coach a little less tedious. United has just announced that it will be upgrading its Gogo in-air WiFi service to take advantage of Gogo's enhanced ATG-4 service, which promises to bump speeds from the current 3.1 Mbps to 9.8 Mbps using directional antennae, dual modems and EV-DO Rev. B. Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that United has so far only committed to retrofitting its premium service fleet, which includes 13 planes that fly between New York's JFK and either LAX or SFO.
Airbus creates electronic flight bag apps for pilots with iPads
We've heard about iPads being given to airline pilots before. Because airline pilots usually need quick access to all sorts of information and documentation, an iPad often ends up being cheaper and easier than handling and updating all of the usual paper documents that used to go into any given airplane's cockpit storage, from various manuals about plane controls to all of the logs and information that pilots need to keep while flying. And now, another aerospace company has taken the leap into Apple's tablet. Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is now using iPads in its "electronic flight bags." The company is creating custom apps, delivered through the App Store, to help pilots look at operations manuals and figure out airplane performance while in the air. The iPad, according to Airbus, is going to be a standard operating tool going forward. [via The Verge]
Laser-toting MAV can find its way in tight spaces, might eventually hunt you down (video)
A perpetual weakness of MAVs (micro air vehicles) is their frequent need for hand-holding in anything other than a wide-open or very controlled space. If they're not using GPS or motion sensors to find their locations, they can't turn on a dime the way a human pilot would. Adam Bry, Abraham Bachrash and Nicholas Roy from MIT's CSAIL group haven't overcome every problem just yet, but they may have taken combat drones and other pilotless aircraft a big step forward by giving them the tools needed to fly quickly when positioning isn't an option. Uniting a laser rangefinder with an existing 3D map of the environment -- still 'cheating,' but less dependent -- lets the prototype flyer find the distance to nearby obstacles and steer clear even at speeds that would scare any mere mortal MAV. Ideally, future designs that can create their own maps will be completely independent of humans, making us think that MIT's references to "aggressive" autonomous flight are really cues to start hiding under the bed.
