Good day All

Seems we in for a quiet weekend aviation wise, we are not aware of any planned. If anyone is planning an event please contact us at editor@flightlineweekly.co.za and let us know about it.

The Abu Dhabi Air Expo will be kicking off on 26 February

The Exhibition brings together major players in aviation, enabling a demanding clientele to discover the industry's latest developments and innovations in a remarkable and convenient location, Al Bateen Executive Airport, Abu Dhabi.

With 13,743 visitors at the last edition, Abu Dhabi Air Expo has grown to become one of the most successful exhibitions within the Middle East. This exhibition is designed for professionals and private owners, and offers visitors a wide and representative range of the ever growing aviation industry.

This 5th edition of Abu Dhabi Air Expo will feature a range of aviation companies as well as a static display with more than 60 aircraft. Abu Dhabi Air Expo offers a complete aeronautical range of aircraft and services: helicopters, ultralights, manufacturers, equipment, accessories, flight schools, avionics, services, training schools and much more.

This exhibition has become a key event for Aviation in the Middle East, and a can’t miss event for professionals in the industry.

Pipistrel's Alpha Electro

Alpha Electro (prototype name was WATTsUP), the new 2-seat electric trainer: the greenest way of learning to fly!

Performance of the Alpha Electro 2-seat electric trainer is tailored to the needs of flight schools. Short take-off distance, powerful 1000+ fpm climb, and endurance of one hour plus reserve.

The Alpha Electro is optimized for traffic-pattern operations, where 13% of energy is recuperated on every approach, increasing endurance and at the same time enabling short-field landings.

Ivo Boscarol, CEO of Pipistrel says: "With the ever growing cost of fuel it is time to rethink pilot training. Our solution is the first practical all-electric trainer. Technologies developed specially for this aircraft cut the cost of ab-initio pilot training by as much as 70%, making flying more affordable than ever before. Being able to conduct training on smaller airfields closer to towns with zero C02 emissions and minimum noise is also a game changer! Alpha Electro meets microlight and ASTM LSA criteria, as well as standards for electric propulsion. Alpha Electro is our 5th electric aircraft project and the second to result as a commercial product."

The prototype WATTsUP was developed in partnership with Siemens AG, who provided the electric main propulsion components, and represents the next generation of Pipistrel's electric aircraft. Every single element of aircraft was refined to be lighter, more efficient and more reliable. The first 85 kW electric motor only weighed 14kg and was more powerful than the popular Rotax 912 series, typically used on microlights and LSAs. The 17 kWh battery pack was dual-redundant and designed to be either quickly replaceable within minutes or charged in less than one hour, thanks to the next generation of Pipistrel's Battery Management technology.

Frank Anton, Executive Vice President Traction Drives and the initiator of electric aircraft development at Large Drives, Siemens AG, said: “Siemens is developing electric drive systems with highest power-to-weight ratio for aircraft propulsion.

Only with innovation we can solve the problems of rising fuel costs, rising passenger demand and rising environmental regulations. Innovations used in the WATTsUP will be instrumental in making aviation more sustainable in the long run. As electric drives are scalable, we can expect, that in the future also larger aircraft will use electric propulsion. The world is becoming electric, whether in the air, on land or at sea.”

The serially produced "Alpha Electro" aircraft is an improvement of the "WATTsS UP" prototype. The airframe uses proven features from hundreds of Pipistrel's aircraft flying worldwide.

The electric powertrain is operated with one simple lever, enabling the crew to focus on learning piloting skills! With the smart charger, using the ALPHA Electro is as simple as charging a mobile phone. Even if you only fly for fun and not to train future generations of pilots, the almost silent cockpit, the immediate response of the powertrain and the lack of exhaust emissions will make you feel the pioneering spirit of electric flight.

Russian Helicopters to produce revamped An-2 in Ulan-Ude

Russian Helicopters has reached an agreement with the country's government to launch production of a turboprop-powered update of the Antonov An-2 biplane and to establish airline operations for the aircraft.

The manufacturer – a subsidiary of state-owned holding company Rostec – says Russia's industry and trade ministry will subsidise the aircraft's certification process and provide "other potential measures of state support in order to arrange large-scale manufacturing".

Denis Manturov, minister of industry and trade, states that a budget of Rb220 million ($3.9 million) has been allocated for the project in 2018, to be followed by Rb230 million over the next two years.

"Regional aviation, virtually, will have to be created from scratch. The government is willing to partially subsidise certification expenses to manufacturers of aircraft for local transportation, as well as expenses on implementation of projects for manufacturing preparation and certification," Manturov says.

The fully composite version of the An-2 – rebranded as TVS-2DTS – is powered by a Honeywell TPE331-12 turboprop engine and completed its first flight in 2017.

Production is scheduled to start at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, which is more used to building Mil Mi-8 helicopters, by 2019, with an obligation to deliver "at least" 200 aircraft between 2021 and 2025, Russian Helicopters says.

The agreement also involves Russia’s transport ministry and the republics of Buryatia and Sakha (Yakutia).

Russian Helicopters says the deal includes establishment of a "new airline… on the basis of one of [the] Yakutia airlines", and that talks are under way for a "potential delivery of aircraft to the new operator with the assistance of the State Transport Leasing Company".

In addition, Yakutia-based Polar Airlines "will sign a contract on delivery of 200 TVS-2DTS planes in order to develop regional aviation", says Russian Helicopters.

TVS-2DTS aircraft will be used to replace An-2s, which are "abundantly" operated across Russia, notes the manufacturer. It adds that the single-engined aircraft are set to be employed to "address poor transport accessibility in remote Russian settlements, state problems with emergency medical treatment, forest firefighting [and] agricultural work".

Russian production of the An-2 ended during the Soviet era in 1971, but the type continued to be manufactured in Poland until 2002.

Boeing partners Oerlikon to speed up adoption of 3D printing

Boeing is co-operating with Swiss engineering group Oerlikon to jointly develop additive manufacturing processes in a bid to accelerate the technology's wider employment.

Oerlikon says it signed a five-year collaboration agreement with the US airframer to create "standard materials and processes" for the production of "structural" titanium components through 3D printing.

"The research will initially focus on industrialising titanium powder bed fusion additive manufacturing and ensuring parts made with this process meet the flight requirements of the US Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense," says Oerlikon.

Noting "current challenges to qualify materials and processes for aerospace", the Pfäffikon-based group says that partnership will "provide a route for the adoption of additive manufacturing with a qualified supply chain that achieves quality and cost targets".

Suppliers will be using a "variety of machines and materials" to produce 3D-printed metallic components.

Oerlikon chief executive Roland Fischer states that the partnership will drive "faster adoption of additive manufacturing". He says: "Working together with Boeing will define the path in producing airworthy additive manufacturing components for serial manufacturing. We see collaboration as a key enabler to unlocking the value that additive manufacturing can bring to aircraft platforms."

Meanwhile, Boeing chief technologist Leo Christodoulou believes the partnership represents an "important step toward fully unlocking the value of powder bed titanium additive manufacturing" for aerospace.

Boeing notes it has conducted research into additive manufacturing since 1997 and has installed a range of components across its product line. Last year, the airframer says it became "the first aerospace manufacturer to design and install an FAA-qualified 3D-printed structural titanium part on a commercial airplane [a 787]".

Also in 2017, Boeing established a dedicated additive manufacturing organisation.