HORSEHEADS, N.Y., Aug. 27, 2008 – Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation today successfully completed the first flight of its X2 TECHNOLOGY™ Demonstrator, maneuvering the prototype aircraft through hover, forward flight, and a hover turn, in a test flight that lasted approximately 30 minutes. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).

Sikorsky Chief Test Pilot Kevin Bredenbeck conducted the test flight at Sikorsky’s Schweizer Aircraft Corp. rapid-prototyping facility in Horseheads, N.Y. The milestone culminated more than four years of design, development and testing of the Demonstrator aircraft’s suite of technologies that are intended to advance the state-of-the-art, counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter.

“Today’s achievement is the result of dedicated effort by the entire X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator Program Team,” said James Kagdis, Program Manager, Advanced Programs. ”It is proof of the complete commitment by Sikorsky Aircraft to this program and to the exploration of innovation in aviation. We look forward to expanding the flight envelope for this Demonstrator and will continue to conduct market analysis to determine the next steps for this important program.”

The X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator is designed to establish that a helicopter can cruise comfortably at 250 knots, while retaining such desirable helicopter attributes as excellent low speed handling, efficient hovering, and safe autorotation, combined with a seamless and simple transition to high speed.

Sikorsky President Jeffrey P. Pino said the successful first flight attests to the company’s commitment to excellence and to industry-leading innovation.

”X2 TECHNOLOGY has crossed a major threshold,” Pino said. “The team’s achievement sets the stage for the next series of tests eventually leading to maximum speed. It also sparks the imagination for what ultimately the technology can mean to the future of the rotorcraft industry. We are far from having a product, but closer than ever to realizing the potential.”

Among the innovative technologies the X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator employs are:

* Fly-by-wire flight controls
* Counter-rotating, all-composite rigid rotor blades
* Hub drag reduction
* Active vibration control
* Integrated auxiliary propulsion system

Sikorsky Aircraft first announced the initiative to develop an integrated suite of technologies called X2 TECHNOLOGY in June 2005. The project is funded solely by Sikorsky. The X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator Program Manager is Steve Chisarik, and Director of Engineering Sciences for Sikorsky is Steve Weiner.

Key suppliers for the X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator are:

* Eagle Aviation Technologies, Inc.: Main rotor blades, miscellaneous composite hardware
* Goodrich Corporation: SmartProbe™ air data system and engineering support
* Hamilton Sundstrand Corp.: Flight Control Computers, Active vibration control, engineering support
* LHTEC (Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company, a partnership between Rolls-Royce/Honeywell): Engines, engineering support
* Moog, Inc.: Active vibration actuation, Consignment MU/EU components, engineering support

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture, and service. The company’s long commitment to safety and innovation is reflected in its mission statement: “We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere … every time™.“ United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

September 3rd, 2008
Categories: Mechanics . Author: prodigy2m

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Jason Wells got to toy around with a few blocks of Aerogel, the fantastically light (and fantastically expensive) material made famous by its use as insulation in NASA spacecraft like the Mars Rover. Using just everyday materials from his house, he managed to test the futuristic product’s strength, optical properties, reaction to different liquids and temperatures, and electrical conductivity. He concludes from the experiments that it should work really well as a fire retardant or insulation, as well as pulling moisture out of pretty much anything (including his finger!). Aerogel weighs only three times as much as air, but is even more effective than your everyday pink insulation. It may only be the world’s coolest insulation material, but are you the world’s coolest anything? Didn’t think so.

August 27th, 2008
Categories: Science . Author: prodigy2m

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A student has built a wind turbine from scrap to help people in the developing world.

Max Robson, 22, constructed a prototype using rubbish collected from skips, tips and bins including an old bike frame and wheel bearings, the magneto from a Vespa, a battery from a Ford Fiesta and bits of wood.

It is so simple, he says, it can be built by unskilled workers in less than a day anywhere in the world.

The wind turbine can be built by unskilled workers in less than a day anywhere in the world

His turbine works by converting the energy in wind into electrical energy stored in a battery. It produces an output of 11.3 watts, which is enough electricity to run lighting for 63 hours or a radio for 30 hours.

The product design student from Greenwich has just received a first class honours degree from the University of Portsmouth. He said he had always been interested in gadgets and machines and was inspired by his father Ashley’s enthusiasm.

‘My dad wanted to do something like this but I beat him to it,’ said Mr Robson.

‘He had the idea of designing a scrap wind turbine but it was my idea to use it in the developing world. I wanted to build something worthwhile and I am interested in design being environmentally friendly.’

‘This isn’t going to change lives in the developing world dramatically but a device like this could make their lives a lot easier,’ he said.

‘It cost me £20 to build the prototype and in the developing world it would be a lot less. The nearest alternative wind turbine on the market costs £2,000.’

Ashley Robson, 51, who studied mechanical engineering at the University of Portsmouth, said he was delighted his son was following in his footsteps.

August 20th, 2008
Categories: Engineering . Author: prodigy2m

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This is a cool video taken by NASA’s EPOXI spacecraft from 31 million miles away. You can see in speed up motion how large Moon passing so close to Earth. This is really fascinating. I really love those videos. What do you think?

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July 18th, 2008
Categories: Space . Author: prodigy2m

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Would you like to pay less for your electric bill. Well he is your chance. First ever low wind turbine that cost efficient ($1 per watt) and can generate up to 250kW of pure 0 emission energy in your own home, or business.

Amid veritable fields of wind turbine options the Broadstar AeroCam stands out with an innovative design that packs a powerful turbine into a compact form factor. Constructed to spin on a horizontal axis, the micro-turbine’s multiple aerodynamic blades cut a profile similar to a water wheel and allow it to intuitively track the path of the wind as it rotates. The turbine is the industry’s first to shatter the $1/watt cost barrier, and Broadstar aims to make its AeroCam turbines a go-to option for rural, urban, and wind farm in-fill applications.

Since solar panels are finally starting to see an influx of small-scale and residential applications, we couldn’t be happier with the growing crop of micro-turbines that aim to make wind power an option in areas less inclined to sunshine.

Broadstar’s turbines aim to provide more power and choice of location than conventional turbines as well as “a lower total cost of acquisition and ownership and a faster payback period. The AeroCam has the potential to equip almost every local community, business and government building with its own renewable energy power station and it can supplement existing turbines.”

The AeroCam’s unique design allows Broadstar to manufacture, transport, and install, and maintain it at lower costs than conventional turbines. A 250kW system will retail for $250,000, making it the world’s first turbine to break the $1/watt cost barrier. The AeroCam is designed to operate smoothly in wind-speeds from 4-80 mph, and these low rotational speeds mean that it produces a negligible amount of noise.

Since Broadstar turbines are optimized to function at lower wind speeds, they are perfect for small-scale residential and commercial applications, and they also would be excellent at filling the niches between towering propellers in wind fields. Broadstar Wind Systems have produced a working prototype and are currently in negotiations to place the product with two Fortune 100 companies.

June 20th, 2008
Categories: Mechanics . Author: prodigy2m

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