Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP)| A revolutionary propulsion mechanism for the F-35

Prashant-prabhakar

02 Oct 2022

A new type of jet engine is being developed, according to a public announcement made by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on March 26, 2007, that will now "allow pilots to go from high-speed combat maneuvers to long-range persistence mode as smoothly as a bird in flight."

The program in effect was called Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology, or ADVENT, and its primary objective was to develop the combat aircraft engines of the future. ADVENT would aim to create the technology required for a ground-breaking three-stream adaptive cycle engine, in contrast to the fixed, two-stream turbofan engines that had powered (and now power) the Air Force's fighter fleets since the 1970s.

Representative | GE Aviation

The milestone was achieved on March 25 at Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee, which was a joint venture between GE and the Air Force, using GE's XA100 engine.

The Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP) was launched in 2016 with the intention of creating adaptable engines for sixth-generation fighter propulsion as well as prospective F-35 reengineering using the F135 turbofan engine currently in use. The P&W engine was named XA101, and the General Electric demonstrator was given the designation XA100.

A new era of combat propulsion

The GE XA100 Adaptive Cycle Engine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ1XDkGV3gk&t=119s

The XA100 offers a step-change in propulsion that maximizes the F-35A and F-35C's capabilities for decades to come. It was developed, manufactured, and tested as part of the U.S. Air Force's Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP).

Fuel savings

Lower fuel costs and a lesser reliance on tankers are made possible by three-stream, flexible design thereby enhancing the overall fuel consumption by 25%.

Increased thrust

Provides fighter pilots with more of what they require and at the time of necessity- increased overall thrust by 10%

Enhanced heat absorption

Results in better heat absorption facilitated by additive 3D-printed heat exchangers

Increased range and acceleration

Allows for a 30% increase in range and allow pilots more nimble tactics and aggressive pursuit during aerial combat

Next-generation mission systems

The third stream of this engine will significantly improve thermal management as new mission systems are added to the F-35, enabling mission systems growth for decades to come.

Aircraft benefits

Compatibility with over 90% of the F-35 program of record is made possible by the unique design that allows it to fit both the F-35A and F-35C without requiring structural alterations to either airframe.

The Pratt & Whitney XA101

XA101 adaptive fan being tested at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) | Wikipedia

The Pratt & Whitney XA101 is an American adaptive cycle engine demonstrator that is being developed by Pratt & Whitney for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and will serve as the foundation for the propulsion system for the sixth generation fighter program of the United States Air Force, known as Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD).

The Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology (ADVENT) program, a subset of the wider Versatile Affordable Advanced Turbine Engines (VAATE) program, marked the start of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy's pursuit of the adaptive cycle engine idea in 2007.

Design and specs

The XA101 is a three-stream adaptive cycle engine that, depending on the situation, can change the bypass ratio and fan pressure to increase fuel efficiency or thrust. In order to improve fuel efficiency and serve as a heat sink for cooling, it accomplishes this by utilizing a third bypass stream around the entire engine, with the capacity to control the part of airflow into the engine core or through this third stream. With this feature, the high-speed, low-altitude component of the F-35 flight regime can be used more frequently.

Future use of directed-energy weaponry is also made possible by increased cooling and power generation. The air from the third stream can be diverted into the core and fan streams for improved performance when more thrust is required.

TypeThree-stream adaptive cycle engineMaximum Thrust45,000 lbf (200 kN) class (with afterburner)wikipedia

The Air Force's test cell will conduct more testing in the upcoming months as they attempt to collect performance information across the flying envelope- according to reports.

SOURCE(s)

IMAGE COURTESY: GEAEROSPACE | WIKIPEDIA

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Alliance Air's Dornier D-228 successfully lands at Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh

Jinen Gada

01 Oct 2022

Arunachal Pradesh recorded an aviation milestone with the test landing of a Dornier D-28 aircraft at the Ziro Advanced Landing Ground(ALG) in the Lower Subansiri district. The 17-seater aircraft was operated by Alliance Air and landed at the ALG with 4 people on board.

Alliance Air and DGCA officials interacted with the district administration on the successful test landing as well as the next plan for starting commercial operations between Ziro to Mhonbari and Hollongi Airports.

The test landing of a Dornier D-28 aircraft is the third such operation with ATR-72 and Dornier D - 228 already operational at Pasighat and Tezu airports under the Union Government's UDAN scheme.

https://twitter.com/MyGovArunachal/status/1575449036131553280?s=20&t=qQUYT9Yhsq1foWGuGkoJpQ

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, sharing the news on Twitter wrote, "Extremely delighted to share the successful test landing of Dornier flight of @allianceair at Ziro advanced landing ground today. I had promised my sisters & brothers in Lower Subansiri district to have regular flights to Dibrugarh from Ziro. The wait is going to be over now!"

MyGov Arunachal Pradesh also shared the news on Twitter, it wrote, "UDE DESH KA AAM NAAGRIK The 1st flight test landing of @allianceair's Dornier flight was conducted successfully at Ziro advanced landing ground, Lower Subansiri. Regular flights which are stated to start soon will boost the economic activity of the region & overall connectivity"

Khandu inaugurated the terminal building of the Ziro ALG on September 26. The ALG has all the facilities to run the commercial service and the state government plans to launch Dornier D-228 service to Mechuka and Tuting in Shi-Yomi and Upper Siang districts soon.

Arunachal successfully test lands Alliance Air's Dornier aircraft at Ziro ALG.

The test landing of a Dornier D-228 aircraft is the third such operation with ATR-72 and Dornier D-228 already operational at Pasighat and Tezu airports under the Union Government's UDAN scheme

Arunachal Pradesh test landed Dornier D-228 aircraft at the Ziro Advanced Landing Ground(ALG) in the Lower Subansiri district and the commercial operation is expected to start soon.

With inputs from livemint.

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Boeing has not completed work needed for 737 MAX 7 approval: FAA

Jinen Gada

01 Oct 2022

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Boeing it has not completed safety tasks needed in order to certify the 737 MAX 7 by December 2022.

According to a letter from the FAA dated September 19, 2022, the FAA shared concerns “about realistic timeframes for receiving the remaining documents” required to certify the aircraft.

The regulator had urged Boeing to submit the necessary system safety assessments (SSAs) by mid-September in order for the aircraft to be in certified by December. However, the manufacturer has failed to meet the submission deadline.

Boeing, which is based in Arlington, Virginia, said that it was working to give FAA the information it needs.

If Boeing wants to complete certification work and receive FAA permission for this jet by December, it must submit all outstanding System Safety Assessments (SSAs) by mid-September, according to the FAA.

If the Federal Aviation Administration does not certify the planes by year end, Boeing would be required under a 2020 law to add a new type of system to alert pilots when there is a potential safety problem with the flight.

Boeing wants to avoid adding the crew-alerting system, which would further delay approval of the new Max 7 and Max 10 jets. The company argues that the system doesn't exist on older 737s, and putting it on future Max jets would add complexity for pilots.

Boeing said it is focused on meeting all regulatory requirements to certify the 737-7 and 737-10", and argues it is safer to have one common 737 cockpit alerting system.

Boeing 737-7 certification work still in progress.

The requirements were adopted as part of a certification reform bill passed after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people and led to the bestselling plane's 20-month grounding.

Congress added the alerting-system requirement on planes certified after Dec. 31, 2022 following two deadly crashes involving Max 8 planes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. The requirement was among several changes designed to improve FAA oversight of aircraft manufacturers.

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Akasa Air collaborates with RateGain to make air travel affordable by leveraging accurate airfare

Radhika Bansal

01 Oct 2022

Akasa Air, India's newest airline, has selected an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered product to make air travel affordable by leveraging accurate and real-time airfare data. AirGain by RateGain allows access and agility to act upon changing market dynamics and optimize airfares in real-time to provide the best prices to its customers.

The AI-powered platform empowers airline revenue and pricing teams with the most accurate and reliable market insights to build a competitive pricing strategy. Through an easy-to-use UI that allows faster decision-making, AirGain allows the airlines to get notified whenever there is a change in the market.

Akasa Air collaborates with RateGain to make air travel affordable by leveraging accurate airfare

Additionally, the intelligence provides the user with real-time competitor insights across channels to reduce disparity and revenue losses.

"A new airline like Akasa Air, comes to the market with the mindset to adopt the latest technology, and we are delighted that the team decided to choose AirGain to power their growth journey.As Akasa grows, our product AirGain will help in maximising revenues by providing accurate and real-time competitive intelligence. AirGain was selected based on data accuracy and delivery, easy-to-use UI, and the extensive support available to Akasa through our dedicated teams -and we are committed to deliver on this promise."Bhanu Chopra, Chairman and Managing Director, RateGain

AirGain added that its AI-powered platform empowers airline revenue and pricing teams to get notified in case of a change in the market. The company also said that its platform provides real-time competitor insights across channels to reduce disparity and revenue losses. RateGain is a global provider of SaaS solutions for travel and hospitality.

"At Akasa Air we are developing tech-enabled strategies and building a data-driven organization that will aid us in providing our customers the most affordable fares along with a customer centric flying experience.AirGain's nimble solution delivering real-time air travel information across channels will help us achieve a dynamic allocation of fares furthering our mission to make air travel accessible to everyone in India."Praveen Iyer, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air

ALSO READ - Akasa Air operates its maiden flight from Chennai

On September 10, Akasa Air commenced operations on the Chennai-Bengaluru route on Saturday making Chennai the fifth city on its network. On August 7, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually flagged off Akasa Air's first commercial flight that departed from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.

ALSO READ - Akasa Air leads in pay hikes for pilots; raises salaries by 60%

On August 7, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually flagged off Akasa Air's first commercial flight that departed from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.

Backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation sector veterans Aditya Ghosh and Vinay Dube, Akasa Air is being seen as a reborn Jet Airways and a re-invented Air India.

ALSO READ – Akasa Air to expand operations with 150 weekly flights

The civil aviation sector was significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and is on the recovery path. With Akasa Air, the signs are very clear that it is going to be a growing and healthy market.

ALSO - Air India selects RateGain for real-time airfare pricing intelligence

Recently, Air India has also selected RateGain’s – AirGain product to dynamically adjust prices with real-time, accurate, and high-quality airfare data to compete globally with leading airlines.

Cover Image – Shrey Chopra (Twitter)

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Air India considering raising USD 1 billion to power its expansion plans

Radhika Bansal

01 Oct 2022

Air India is considering raising at least USD 1 billion in a funding round that could value the carrier at around USD 5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The carrier, controlled by India’s oldest conglomerate Tata Group, is in discussions with potential investors including private equity funds and sovereign wealth funds.

Air India is working with financial advisers on the fundraising, which could be completed in the next few months, the people said, who asked not to be identified as the information is private.

Deliberations are ongoing and details of the funding round including size and timeline could still change, the people said. A representative for Tata Group declined to comment, while a representative for Air India didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The fundraising plans come at a time when Air India is considering ordering as many as 300 narrow-body jets.

ALSO READ - Air India prepares to add more than 200 aircraft; the most significant order in a long time

The fundraising plans come at a time when Air India is considering ordering as many as 300 narrow-body jets. The purchase could be one of the largest orders in commercial aviation history as the formerly state-run airline looks to overhaul its fleet under new ownership.

ALSO READ - Air India to revamp its fleet by leasing 30 aircraft in the upcoming months

Once known for its premium services and advertisements featuring Bollywood stars, Air India still has lucrative landing slots at most major airports, but it faces competition from foreign airlines with non-stop services to India, as well as carriers that fly via hubs in the Middle East.

Ordering new planes in bulk, especially with favourable terms on long-term maintenance, would help Air India cut costs and compete better with rivals that offer lower fares.

Tata Group completed the acquisition of Air India in January after beating out others with its USD 2.4 billion bid last year.

ALSO READ - Air India broadens its international footprint by launching 20 flights to US and UK

The carrier also announced that it will start 20 additional weekly flights to San Francisco, London and Birmingham in a gradual manner from next month. Its flights to the US and the UK will increase to 40 and 48 each week, respectively.

Tata Group completed the acquisition of Air India in January after beating out others with its USD 2.4 billion bid last year. The transaction marked the country’s most high-profile privatization under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ending decades of attempts to privatize the money-losing, debt-laden airline and years of taxpayer bailouts. Tata is expected to consolidate its aviation business, including four airline brands.

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(With Inputs from Bloomberg)

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Air India broadens its international footprint by launching 20 flights to US and UK

Radhika Bansal

01 Oct 2022

Air India will launch 20 additional flights to Birmingham, London and San Francisco to broaden its international footprint, according to a statement released on September 30.

This step is a part of the airline’s endeavour to regain its position as the leading airline on the international aviation map. These additional flights will be introduced in phases from October to December.

ALSO READ - Air India eyes Multiple Hubs, International Expansion

With five additional flights a week to Birmingham, nine to London and six to San Francisco a week, Air India will be able to offer over 5,000 additional seats every week to customers and ensure ample choice in terms of connectivity, convenience, and cabin space.

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The new flight schedule of Air India

The current schedule of Air India standing at 34 flights per week to the UK will now be bumped up to 48 flights. There will also be five extra flights to Birmingham out of which 3 will be from Delhi and 2 from Amritsar.

London will receive 9 additional flights per week, out of which 5 will be flying from Mumbai, three from Delhi and 1 from Ahmedabad. Seven Indian cities will have non-stop Air India flights heading to the UK capital after the new flights are introduced.

ALSO READ - Air India to launch non-stop flights Bengaluru-San Francisco from October end

Air India flights to the US will rise from 34 to 40 per week. Mumbai will now be connected to San Francisco by the airline three times a week, and reinstate a three-times-weekly Bengaluru operation. This takes the number of flights to San Francisco up to 16, from 10 per week with a non-stop service from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Air India to launch 20 flights to the US & UK to broaden its international footprint

In terms of capacity, the enhanced network to the United Kingdom and the US will lead Air India to offer 5,000 additional weekly seats from India to the two countries. Additionally, the improved connectivity translates into more convenience for the carrier's passengers.

“As Air India reinvents itself under the Vihaan.AI transformation programme, adding frequency and improving connectivity from major Indian cities to more international destinations is a significant focus. This sizeable frequency increase to the US and the UK, as well as the addition of new city pairs and improved aircraft cabin interiors, comes just 10 months after Air India’s acquisition by the Tata Group. It is a clear signal of our intent, and an early step towards a much bigger aspiration."Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD of Air India

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India's national carrier is experiencing a breakthrough in its history. Indeed, the carrier's new management has designed a transformational roadmap, called Vihaan.AI, whose primary goal is to reinvent the airline and bring it back as a world-class global player in the airline industry.

Air India signed leases and letters of intent (LOI) for 25 narrowbodies and five widebodies, increasing the carrier's fleet by 25%

Apart from these additional aircraft, Air India has been working to restore the existing narrow-body and wide-body aircraft to the operating fleet. Before the expansion described above, the airline enabled frequency increases between Delhi and Vancouver as well as the addition of numerous domestic services.

ALSO READ - Air India to revamp its fleet by leasing 30 aircraft in the upcoming months

On September 12, the airline announced leasing 30 aircraft. The airline signed leases and letters of intent (LOI) for 25 narrowbodies and five widebodies, increasing the carrier's fleet by 25%. Additionally, Air India has recently reintroduced 16 long-grounded aircraft, ten narrowbodies, and six widebodies.

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Air India will offer a premium economy cabin on long-haul flights for the first time in its history.

The five leased Boeing 777-200LRs have been a fundamental acquisition for Air India's fleet, without whom the network expansion to the US and the UK would not have been possible. The leased widebodies bring about a significant change in Air India's customer proposition: Air India will offer a premium economy cabin on long-haul flights for the first time in its history.

ALSO READ - Will bring back 10 grounded wide-body aircraft to service – Air India

Air India currently owns a fleet of 70 narrowbodies, of which 54 are in service; the remaining 16 aircraft will progressively return to service by the early months of 2023. The carrier's widebody fleet counts 43 aircraft, of which 33 are operating; similarly to the narrowbody fleet, the grounded widebodies will return to service early next year.

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