Airbus has achieved the first ever fully automatic air-to-air refuelling (A3R) operation with a boom system. The flight test campaign, conducted earlier in the year over the Atlantic Ocean, involved an Airbus tanker test aircraft equipped with the Airbus A3R solution, with an F-16 fighter aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force acting as a receiver.
This milestone is part of the industrialisation phase of A3R systems ahead of its implementation in the A330 MRTT tanker development.
The campaign achieved a total of 45 flight test hours and 120 dry contacts with the A3R system, covering the whole aerial refuelling envelope, as the F-16 and MRTT consolidate the maturity and capabilities of the development at this stage. The certification phase will start in 2021.
Didier Plantecoste, Airbus Head of Tanker and Derivatives Programmes, said, “The achievement of this key milestone for the A3R programme highlights the A330 MRTT’s excellent capability roadmap development and once more confirms that our tanker is the world’s reference for present and future refuelling operations. Our special thanks go to the Portuguese Air Force for their continued support and help on this crucial development”.
The A3R system requires no additional equipment on the receiver aircraft and is intended to reduce air refuelling operator (ARO) workload, improve safety and optimise the rate of air-to-air refuelling transfer in operational conditions, helping maximise aerial superiority. The goal for the A3R system is to develop technologies that will reach fully autonomous capabilities.
Once the system is activated by the ARO, the A3R flies the boom automatically and keeps the alignment between the boom tip and the receiver receptacle with an accuracy of a couple of centimeters; the proper alignment and the receiver stability is checked in real-time to keep a safe distance between the boom and the receiver and also to determine the optimum moment to extend the telescopic beam to achieve the connection with the receiver.
At this point, the fuel transfer is initiated to fill up the receiver aircraft and once completed and the disconnection is commanded, the boom is cleared away from the receiver by retracting the telescopic beam and flying the boom away to keep a safe separation distance. During this process, the ARO simply monitors the operation.
Ecojet, the world's first electric, commercial airline, has signed an agreement to purchase 22 ZA2000 hydrogen-electric engines from ZeroAvia, with…
Vertical Aerospace has seen its latest VX4 prototype perform its first tethered piloted flight as it begins the “wheels up”…
As many as 260 firm commercial aircraft orders and £81.5bn worth of deals were struck on the first four days…
The first mission-ready F-16 pilots to graduate from the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) in Romania were honoured today. This…
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has awarded Airbus Helicopters a contract to lead a concept study as part…
Turkish Technic, a global maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company, has recently signed a Component Support Agreement with Citilink, a…
Following its firm order of 20 A330neo aircraft at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, Vietjet has entered into significant agreements…
NASA Langley Research Center has awarded a contract to Terma to improve the data management and operational efficiency of its…
With the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry on the verge of take-off, there has been a concerted effort by companies…
Magellan Aerospace Corporation (Magellan) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Farnborough Airshow with the Indian firm, Aequs…
ZeroAvia and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will work towards a demonstration flight using ZeroAvia’s ZA2000 zero-emission, hydrogen-electric engines for large…
Pratt & Whitney has received more than 950 GTF engine orders and commitments since the beginning of the year. Airlines…
Triumph's Thermal Systems Division has been awarded a long-term-program contract to design, manufacture and support the precooler system for the…
Pratt & Whitney and OGMA Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal , an Embraer company, have announced the induction of the first…
Abra Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for five A350-900 aircraft, aiming to expand its international long-haul operations…
Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier flynas has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for 75 A320neo family aircraft and…
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) has signed a six-year agreement with GE Aerospace to extend their TrueChoice Service…
AirAsia Aviation Group and AirAsia X, two of Asia’s largest low-cost carrier groups, have strengthened partnerships with SITA, adopting SITA…
AAR, a provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs, has entered into several long-term distribution…
J&C Aero, an EASA-certified international cabin interior hub, has successfully completed a full cabin modernisation of a Boeing 757-200, equipping…
Hours after it signed a contract with Australian company Wilbur Air, Spanish electric aircraft manufacturer Crisalion Mobility announced that it…
In a significant milestone for the D328eco programme, German OEM Deutsche Aircraft has commenced the construction of the first test…
British cargo airline, One Air, has marked its first year of operations by connecting 28 global airports and transporting over…
Liebherr-Aerospace and AAR have announced the signing of a General Terms Agreement (GTA). Under this agreement, Liebherr will grant licence…
EirTrade Aviation, the global aviation asset management and trading company, has begun disassembling its first B777-300ER in Knock, Ireland. The…
JEKTA Switzerland, the developer of the zero-emissions PHA-ZE 100 amphibious aircraft, has signed an agreement with Seaplane Asia to add…
Embraer announced a significant development for Brazilian air traffic during the Farnborough International Airshow. Atech, an Embraer Group company specialising…
Boeing and Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline group, are set to enhance the efficiency of Ryanair’s primarily 737 fleet by incorporating…
Specialist regional aircraft lessor TrueNoord has secured a new five-year term loan with BayernLB. This agreement strengthens TrueNoord’s relationship with…
LanzaJet, a sustainable fuels technology company, has received a strategic investment from Airbus to help expand LanzaJet’s ethanol-to-sustainable aviation fuel…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2024 GBP all rights reserved.