Research & Innovation

When we talked about it, more than a year ago, this flying car, the AeroMobil, manufactured in Slovakia, was in its third version. The fourth version, the AeroMobil 3.0, has just been unveiled. Its marketing is expected within the next two years.
 

A success. On 11th February, thanks to the European Space Agency (ESA) prototype space ‘plane, called the "IXV" ( Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle ), measuring five metres (16,5 feet) long by two metres (6,5 feet) wide, Europe demonstrated that it is now capable of returning craft to Earth from space.
 

On the occasion of the 3rd European Conference on More Electric Aircraft being held in Toulouse (south west France), representatives of the sector presented their latest advances and challenges in the field.
 

On January 27th Safran inaugurated its new research and technology centre near Paris. Called Safran Tech, the division will promote synergies and eventually consolidate 300 researchers in three disciplines: systems and technologies, materials and components, and digital technologies.
 

When we first talked about it in 2012, it was still a prototype. Today, the Transition, is on the market. To acquire this flying car, developed by the American company Terrafugia, it will cost you $280,000, after paying a $10,000 refundable deposit, for the pleasure of adding your name to the waiting list. It was certified by the American Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in July 2012.
 

Since our last report in 2011, Michel Aguilar’s project, Xplorair, the flying car of the future, has moved up a gear. A French industrial consortium has been created, with four patents, and the concept of the thermoreactor jet engine validated by the engine manufacturer Turbomeca and the Institute of Pprime research, having been established. Advances that allow the designer the possibility of foreseeing the maiden flight of a fullsize demonstrator in less than three years’ time.
 

Welcome to the home of the most powerful aircraft wind tunnel in the world. Situated in the French Alps, close to the French-Italian border at Modane, the French National aerospace research centre (Onera) has an exceptional test centre. Inside a steel tunnel two giant fans produce transonic winds of speeds up to Mach 1, enabling aircraft manufacturers to conduct aerodynamic testing on their development aircraft.
 

It is just a prototype for now, but by 2018, the "Phantom Swift" developed by Boeing could conceivably used by the American army. Darpa, has launched the beginning of a call for tenders for the creation of a VTOL aircraft, and Boeing is, for the moment, the best placed.
 

At airports, identity checks always take time. So why not replace passports with fingerprints? This was the challenge of Morpho, a Safran group subsidiary, who, this week released the world's first and fastest, contactless, four fingerprint sensor. Called "Finger On the Fly" it is able to verify your identity in a jiffy.
 

The weakness of many electrical drones today, is the reduced autonomy of their batteries. A constraint that could disappear with a prototype micro-turbine designed by ONERA, and presented at the UAV Show, in Bordeaux (south west France).
 

How would you like to travel by ‘plane whilst travelling elsewhere? This is the idea launched by Technicon Design. Their project called Ixion, is a windowless business jet of which the cabin walls are covered with screens. Here’s how…
 

To find out more about passengers' moods throughout a long-haul flight, British Airways recently conducted an amazing, to say the least, experiment. On 24th., June, on one of its routes between London and New York, four volunteer passengers tested the "Happiness blanket."
 

At the beginning of May, and far from curious onlookers, Airbus Group's Defence and Space Division succeeded in dropping a quarter-scale test version of their rocket propelled SpacePlane. At 100 km. off Singapore ...
 

The first commercial space flight in history has never been so close. On May 28th., the F.A.A. ( U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ), gave its authorisation to Virgin Galactic to carry passengers into the thermosphere at more than 100 km ( 60 miles ) altitude.
 

On the occasion of the third and final day of the unavoidable business aviation show, EBACE, in Geneva, Switzerland, the spotlight is on a daring futuristic project from Aerion. This American company, specializing in aerospace engineering since 2002, has introduced a supersonic business jet.
 

The ''E-Fan'' was launched, and successfully completed its first public flight in the presence of the Minister of Economy, Anaud Montebourg, with great pomp and ceremony, last Friday 25th., April, in Bordeaux. This electrically propelled 'plane designed, notably with the aid of the Airbus group, is something of an heir to the ''Cri-Cri'' ( another french electric 'plane ).
 

This is the latest trendy destination for the aviation industry. Based in Casablanca since 2006, CETIM, whose parent company is based in Senlis, north of Paris, has just expanded its Moroccan subsidiary. We take a look at the new testing laboratory premises...
 

Last week, more than 600 exhibitors were present at the Friedrichshafen Aero Show, northeast of Zurich in Germany. On the menu: Business jets, electric multi-copters, drones, pleasure aircraft and "TrixFormer", a 'Transformers' style motorcycle...
 

The sound of lightning has always struck fear into the minds of mankind. Lightning flashes invade the sky and sometimes strike aircraft in flight, normally without mishap. The effects produced are precisely what Gerac analyses with this new lightning generator…