"Higher Stakes"

Boeing, Airbus and Airliner Development.

 by Owen Zupp.

The issues challenging the delivery schedule of the Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliner’ continues to fill the pages of aviation journals around the world. Since its earliest days there were supply chain issues, composite material problems and even the delamination and the deformation of body join points during a routine preflight stress test. The delays pushed timetables out the back door with the associated costs spiralling; more a bad dream than a ‘Dreamliner’ it seemed. Yet Boeing is not alone in this sea of woes. Aircraft development has a long history of difficult births and failed types. Perhaps Howard Hughes’ ‘Spruce Goose’ is an extreme example, but many of the issues that hobbled the Hughes H-4 Hercules are still being revisited today including materials, cost, and deadlines.

Just as Hughes was looking to break boundaries and be revolutionary in what his aircraft could achieve, the big players of Airbus and Boeing decided to step outside the square in their recent forays. In a battle of philosophies, Airbus went for size with the double-deck A380, while Boeing went down the path of composites in pursuit of savings and efficiency with the 787. Today, the A380 is now routinely cruising the airways; however it was not without significant development problems. Commencing with wiring issues, the A380 delivery schedule was also pushed back through a series of major announcements which saw their parent company (EADS) share price dive and the departure of a number of senior executives. Even following its delivery there were issues with the Rolls Royce engines and now the emergence of small cracks within its wings.

This is VERY big business and the stakes are enormously high. Even to giants of industry like Airbus and Boeing, the costs are astronomic and for that reason various components and contracts are outsourced to share the pain. The days of a production line starting with a bare frame and punching out a completed Flying Fortress at the far end of the building are gone. This is a matter of international logistics and project management and all the communication and co-ordination problems that inevitably come with it.

History has shown that a successful type can enjoy an extremely long life. The Douglas DC-3 was an ageless design and in the modern era the Boeing 737 has been in production for over forty years, with each new model squeezing just a little more from the old core design. The Lockheed C130 Hercules has evolved through new engines, propellers and avionics amongst other things, but is still providing a critical niche in both military and civilian service. These types have been built upon for decades whereas the A380 and 787 sought to be revolutionary.

Revolutions may well serve the greater good, but when they go wrong someone can end up losing their head. The United Kingdom had the first commercial jet airliner to reach production in the form of the de Havilland Comet. With the total loss of two aircraft and all on board, the Comet was grounded until the origin of the problem could be found. Simply put, the pressurisation cycles of the aircraft caused the corners of the square cabin windows to fail and catastrophically depressurise the aeroplane. Once the fault was discovered, the aircraft was fitted with the standard rounded windows we have today and the problem was seemingly overcome. However, in the midst of this both Boeing and Douglas took the advantage with the 707 and DC-8 respectively and Britain was relegated from world leader, destined never to regain the mantle.

To date, supersonic travel has been another costly frontier. Aerospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) formed a consortium to share the developmental burden of the Concorde. Undoubtedly a beautiful aeroplane, for one reason and another, it never returned assumed any dominance in the marketplace and limped graciously through its majestic career until the crash of Air France Flight 4590, at Gonesse, France spelt the beginning of the end. By comparison, the Boeing 2707 Supersonic Transport (SST) became a costly venture and was ultimately retired before a prototype ever flew.

Both Boeing and Airbus have stepped away from their safety net in the development of these latter types. They could have opted for continuing to revamp and rejig members of their existing family, but the world cried out for more. Both companies responded to the call with the hope of landing a dominant blow upon the other, but both have suffered a series of painful jabs. Who will ultimately win the fight may come down to simply who can best deliver as opposed to a battle of philosophies. The sliding timetables were initially and fortunately offset by the global downturn. In a period where most airlines were shelving capacity, a line of new aeroplanes on the doorstep could have presented a whole new series of problems. This was luck, not planning and the wheel is now starting to turn.

For the sake of the industry, success by both Airbus and Boeing would be the best outcome. It would not only guard against a monopoly, but it would leave two long term players continuing to push the other to new boundaries with the likes of Embraer knocking on the door. Governments will always push the development of military aerospace and much of this technology will flow on to the civil ranks, but for conceptual change in the airline industry, the marketplace must speak. And their voice is best heard by more than one company.

Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose remains preserved and on display in Oregan, USA. It sought to achieve new heights but eventually barely lifted out of ground effect. Today Airbus and Boeing confront their own challenges as they endeavour to mould the next phase of airline travel in their projected image. It will be costly and there will be pain along the way, but for the future of airline travel, failure is not an option.

"Rotate!"

"Late in the Day"

    A contrail at dusk as the traffic ahead turns the corner, bound for home.

The day was not so old today when the news of another airline's collapse filtered down the wire. There had been rumours circulating over recent days, but nothing untoward in an industry that is traditionally underpinned by third hand speculation. Even so, when the news was confirmed it was still a shock to the system, particularly for those caught in the cross-fire. Personally, it took me back ten years to when my old employer, Ansett Australia, ceased operations in the wee hours.

On that occasion I was left standing outside the terminal with the passengers as the automatic doors refused to budge despite limitless arm-waving at the sensor. Eventually I gained access under the watchful eye of a security guard, emptied my letterbox and was shown the door. All before 6am. It's a surreal experience to be standing on the footpath, in uniform and unemployed. The thoughts racing through the mind are difficult to harness; action needs to be taken, but what's to be done? Where to from here? Abandonment, vulnerability, confusion and grief all show their faces as the rational half of the brain endeavours to create a strategy to move forward from this mess.

As the announcement of Air Australia's collapse filled the air waves, that day on the footpath did not seem to be a decade ago. The corporate impact hardly registered with me as I felt immediate empathy for the staff. A number of the pilots at Air Australia were my workmates at Ansett, so the blow they have taken must be a bitter case of 'deja vu'. Once again they are asking, “Where to from here?”

For so many, aviation is more than just a job; it's a passion. As such, the loss of employment can be a twisted blend of fiscal uncertainty and a slap in the face by a cold-hearted lover. And similarly, both may take years to fully 'get over'.

If there is any solace, it may lie in the fact that many have been down this road before and have managed to regroup and rebuild. Resilience is so often a by-product of disappointment. It may be cold comfort in these first days when any sense of perspective is difficult to come by, but rest assured that the thoughts and good wishes of many are with you.

To the staff of Air Australia, stay strong and treasure those who really matter the most as they are the ones who will get you through.

Take care one and all.

Hi All,

As the numbers continue to soar on this blog and a new group of readers join us, I thought it would be worthwhile to re-visit five of the most popular aviation blogs thus far. Here they are.

1. Golden Days.

2. So You Want to be a Pilot?

3. The Fatal Stall.

4. A Glimpse of the 'Red Tails'.

5. The Big Bang Theory.......of aircraft engines.

For those of you new to this aviation blog, welcome aboard! And for those that are continuing to come back, thanks for your support and please enjoy the growing list of original content.

Cheers

Owen

By the year 2050, the world’s population will have grown from 7 billion people to 9 billion. In terms of the aerospace industry, this represents a potentially huge growth in passenger numbers for a world that is becoming increasingly lower on fuel reserves, more unable to accommodate sprawling airports and ever-vigilant of the environmental impact of industry. What is equally alarming is that 2050 is closer to 2011 than man’s first steps on the moon. With this in mind and with a keen eye for the marketplace, Airbus has just released their vision for air transport midway through this century. And it’s eye-catching to say the least.

Armed with global survey figures that showed that passengers are seeking a ‘greener’ in-flight experience that allows greater access to the new digital world, they set about imagining their aircraft of the future. An aircraft that not only boasts enhanced efficiency, but an aircraft that makes the flight an ‘experience’ in its own right, rather than a mode of travel that merely provides a means to an end.

Firstly, they addressed the overwhelming issue of future energy sources. Currently, air travel accounts for 2% of man-made CO2 emissions of which 80% is generated on flights of over 1,500km. With a goal of halving aviation’s CO2 output by 2050, Airbus envisages the increasing use of ‘biofuels’, such that they will make up 30% of jet fuels by 2030. By utilising algae, woodchip and general waste, new energy sources are being pursued, while utilising salt water plants may offer a feasible option to the use of great land masses. However, there are other means by which energy may be saved. The ‘Fuel Cell’ combines Hydrogen with Oxygen through cold combustion to generate electricity, resulting in water, heat and oxygen depleted air as the only by-products. While this may not be a means to generate engine power, it can serve to provide the energy for engine starting, cabin lighting, air-conditioning, and the waste water can be recycled for use on board. The use of solar power is also being researched as a means of providing power to ancillary services. Another futuristic concept is ‘energy harvesting’, by which body heat is ‘harvested’ from the passenger seats and used to power such systems as cabin lighting.

Improving the efficiency of aircraft and their engines, as well as more productive use of the airspace, all offer potential contributions to a cleaner atmosphere. It has been said that reducing each flight time by one minute would shave off 4.8 million tonnes of CO2 released into the air by aviation. It is in everyone’s interest to seek out initiatives that result in quicker flights, shorter routes and consequently less fuel burn. Airbus looks to mimic nature to find some of these solutions through ‘ecological’ design. We have already seen aircraft winglets that resemble the upturned tips of a bird’s span result in increased efficiency of the wing, but Airbus sees the idea going further. Like the new generation of competitive swim-suits, perhaps the features of the shark’s skin can enhance the surface of future aeroplanes. The owls serrated feathers may offer a means to noise reduction and the stiffening and relaxing of the membranes in a butterfly’s wings may create a whole new idea of what wing design entails.

Bionic structures may copy the skeletal frame of the bird in place of the existing metal framework of ribs, spars and longerons. Lighter in weight and more sparsely distributed, the futuristic fuselage frame facilitates not only larger windows, but the potential for 360 degree views. For Airbus have even suggested that the new skin of aeroplanes be transparent; made from a biopolymer membrane. The world above and below could be viewed and enjoyed in all their unobstructed majesty, making the journey as exciting as the destination. One school of thought is that fares could even be free, funded by on-board casinos. Enhancing the flight experience is central to the theme for Airbus and they perceive that the cruise liners of tomorrow will be found in the skies rather than on the seas. Offering pools, spas and even golf ranges, these soaring entertainment centres will have passengers not wanting to disembark.

On the topic of disembarking, the face of joining and leaving an aeroplane may well change in the future. Crowded airports may be replaced by time-efficient boarding platforms that allow a mass transfer of passengers in the same manner afforded by the rail systems of today.  Even more modular is the concept of ‘boarding pods’. In much the same way that freight in aircraft’s holds has become ‘containerised’, passengers will be pre-loaded into pods that are ready to attach to the aeroplane as soon as the pod of passengers leaving the flight have been transferred.

For all the eye-catching changes, the grass roots engineering concepts Airbus foresees are equally bold. To this end they have conceived a ‘Concept Aeroplane’ that showcases the many features, while recognising that they may well not feature on a lone design. In addition to a see-through skin, there are engines that are smoothly blended and almost concealed into the aircraft’s form.  Traditional tailplanes are replaced by a sweeping V-Tail, like a pair of blended winglets at the aeroplane’s rear. There will be ultra-long, slim wings that are designed to maximise lift and minimise induced drag, unencumbered by under-slung engines and composite materials used throughout the airframe to slash the aeroplanes weight and permit flexibility in the design shape. Within the cabin, new materials will permit the seats to ‘morph’ their shape, harvest energy and even clean themselves.

As Airbus sees it, the look, feel and function of tomorrow’s aeroplanes will be vastly different to the airliners of today. This world of dreams, concepts and ongoing change is nothing new and has in fact characterised aviation since man first took flight. As we browse the internet and contact the world through our iPhones, it is little wonder that Airbus’s brave new world of air travel is held in tangible wonder for aviation has proven time and again that virtually anything is possible. And if these concepts are being broadcast freely around the world, it makes one wonder about the even more fantastic, but  commercially sensitive, ideas that are being developed by designers around the world. Without doubt, for aviation to forge new frontiers, the answers cannot lie in the solutions of the past, they must continue to come from outside the square.