A380 superjumbo navigation system glitch

An Air France A380 was forced to turn around and land in New York on Friday after problems with its navigation system, only days after the airline began flying the superjumbo across the Atlantic.




The double-decker Airbus made a U-turn 90 minutes after takeoff from New York and landed safely at Kennedy Airport in the early hours on Saturday, an Air France spokesman told AFP on Monday.

"The plane is new and is still getting into its stride. It was a minor computer problem that made navigation a little imprecise," he said.

The plane was carrying about 530 people on the New York to Paris flight when it was forced to change its flight plan. Following repairs in New York, it took off again three hours later.

It was the second time that an A380, the world's largest passenger plane, was forced to turn around in mid-flight.

A Singapore Airlines superjumbo returned to Paris on September 27 after one of its four engines failed during a routine flight to Singapore.

The Air France spokesman described last week's problem as a "minor" glitch, and said the airline had taken immediate steps to respond to the defect.

"It was a minor glitch, but we do apply a principle of absolute caution and as soon as there is the slightest concern, we come back, we fix it and the plane takes off again," he said.

"It was a problem with the in-flight computer but it did not at all affect air speed," he added.

European planemaker Airbus has come under scrutiny since an A330 passenger plane crashed in the Atlantic in June, killing all 228 people on board.

Investigators found the plane's air speed sensors were defective, but that the Air France crash was caused solely by the faulty monitors.

The giant plane made its maiden flight for Air France 10 days ago, taking off from Paris en route to New York with 538 passengers on board.

Air France is the first European airline to use the superjumbo, but it made its first test flight in April 2005 and has been in service for paying customers of Singapore Airlines since October 2007.

The superjumbo can carry 525 people in the standard three-class layout and up to 853 with all-economy seating.

Gulf-based Emirates airlines and Australia's Qantas are also flying the A380, which has enjoyed some commercial success despite initial production delays.

Singapore Airlines has ordered 19 A380s in all, and plans to have 11 carriers in service by March 2010. Air France is planning to fly 12 superjumbos, with three others to be delivered by June.

Air France plans to begin superjumbo flights to Johannesburg and Tokyo in the coming months.

Related posts:
* Airbus A310
* A330-200F Freighter

A330-200F Freighter

Due to flagging A300-600F and A310F sales, Airbus began marketing a freighter derivative of the A330-200 around 2000-2001, although it was not launched at that time. The A330-200F re-emerged at the 2006 Farnborough Airshow and received its industrial go-ahead in January 2007. The first A330-200F has been rolled out in Toulouse on October 20, 2009. The first flight was in November 5, 2009.



The A330-200F is a mid-size, long-haul all-cargo aircraft capable of carrying 64 tonnes over 4,000 NM / 7,400 km, or 69 tonnes up to 3,200 NM / 5,930 km. It introduces a new versatile main-deck cargo loading system that will be able to accommodate both pallets and containers. Several different arrangements will be possible on the main deck, taking up to 23 Side-by-Side (SBS) pallets, aimed at the high volume, high value commodities or Single Row (SR) loading of 16 pallets (96 in X 96 in X 125 in SR pallets) and/or nine AMA containers aimed at the general cargo higher density markets.


Etihad Crystal Cargo A330-200F Air Freighter



US$180mil Airbus A330-200F freighter makes maiden flight

PARIS: Airbus will deliver the first of its new freight cargo aircraft in the summer of 2010, the company said Thursday after the plane took off on its maiden test flight.

Airbus says the aircraft, the A330-200F, meets a growing demand for freight haulers with smaller holds than the jumbo models currently based on rival Boeing Co.'s 747, and will be more economical to operate than the aging DC-10 freighters now serving the mid-size market.

"We see the first signs of recovery in the cargo market," Airbus' freighter marketing manager Jonathan Lesieur told reporters in a conference call.

Airbus forecasts total demand for about 1,600 freighters in the 30- to 80-ton capacity segment over the next two decades, Lesieur said.

The first A330-200F will be delivered to Etihad Crystal Cargo, an airline based in the United Arab Emirates, which has ordered three of the aircraft.

The A330-200F is a modified version of Airbus' A330-200 passenger jet, and it has a list price of around US$180 million, Lesieur said.

Since the program was announced in January, 2007, Airbus has received 67 firm orders from nine airlines for its freighter.

Last week Turkish Airlines announced its commitment to buy two A330-200Fs, though it has not yet placed a firm offer.

A version of the aircraft is also Airbus' contender for the U.S. Air Force's $35 billion contract to build new air refuelers and replace the Air Force's aging fleet of 179 tankers.

Lesieur said that Airbus could locate manufacturing of the A330-200 in Alabama if it wins the contract. Airbus is competing with Chicago-based Boeing for the order.

Airbus and its partner Northrop Grumman Corp. are offering a tanker based on the Airbus A330.


Boeing may offer tankers based on its 767 or 777 jets or both.

Airbus is a a unit of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co.

F-2 Banshee

The McDonnell F2H Banshee or F-2 Banshee was a military single-seat carrier-based jet fighter aircraft deployed by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps from 1948 to 1961. It was one of the primary American fighters used during the Korean War and was the only jet-powered fighter ever deployed by the Royal Canadian Navy, serving the RCN from 1955 until 1962. The aircraft's name is derived from the banshee of Celtic mythology.



In brief, the Model F2H-2 airplane is a single place, two engine, jet propelled, long range fighter incorporating droppable tip tanks. Designed to be either land or carrier based, the airplane is equipped with an electronically actuated, fully retractable, tricycle landing gear, folding outer panels, an arresting hook with cable expelling mechanism, and conventional catapult equipment. Stressed metal skin construction is employed throughout with all surfaces being of the full cantilever type. The control systems are conventional, with the exeption of the aileron system, which incorporates hydraulic boost. The split flaps, speed brakes, and trim tabs are all electrically actuated. In addition to conventional items, pilot equipment includes an ejection seat and cabin pressurization.



Banshee beginnings trace to fall 1944. McDonnell was one of three companies studying future carrier fighter designs for the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics using advanced piston-engine and prop, turbojet or turboprop propulsion. One of its proposals using two of Westinghouse's new 24C jet engines was selected for prototype development. The 3,000-pound thrust of the 24C (later designated J34) was nearly twice that of the 19B engines in its -- and the Navy's -- first jet fighter, the XFD-1, which would soon make its first flight. With a similar overall configuration but having four 20mm cannon, the all new design made maximum use of experience gained with the XFD.

Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound

The Mikoyan MiG-31 (Russian: МиГ-31) (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed to replace the MiG-25 'Foxbat'. The MiG-31 was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau based on the MiG-25. The MiG-31 was the most recent interceptor fielded by the Soviet Union before its dissolution.



Like the MiG-25, the Foxhound is a large twin-engine aircraft with side-mounted air intakes, a shoulder-mounted wing with an aspect ratio of 2.94, and twin vertical tailfins. Unlike the Foxbat, it has two seats, with the rear occupied by a dedicated weapon systems officer.





About 500 MiG-31s were produced, approximately 370 of which remain in Russian service, with another 30 or so in Kazakhstan. Some upgrade programs have found their way in the MiG-31 fleet, like the MiG-31BM multirole version with upgraded avionics, new multimode radar, hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controls, liquid-crystal (LCD) color multi-function displays (MFDs), ability to carry the AA-12 'Adder' missile and various Russian air-to-ground missiles (AGMs) such as the AS-17 'Krypton' anti-radiation missile (ARM), a new and more powerful computer, and digital datalinks. However, only very small numbers of Russian aircraft have been upgraded to the MiG-31BM standard, although others have been equipped with the new computer and the ability to carry the R-77 long-range missile as well.





Armament of Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound

The MiG-31's main armament is four R-33 air-to-air missiles (NATO codename AA-9 'Amos') carried under the belly. The R-33 is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Navy's AIM-54 Phoenix. It can be guided in semi-active radar homing (SARH) mode, or launched in inertial guidance mode with the option of mid-course updates from the launch aircraft and switching to SARH for terminal guidance. A more advanced version of the weapon, the AA-X-13 'Arrow', which is the replacement for the older R-33, features folding stabilizers to reduce its stored size.

Other weapons include the old AA-6 'Acrid', originally deployed on the MiG-25, and the AA-8 'Aphid' or AA-11 'Archer' short-range IR missiles, carried on wing pylons. Currently the entire MiG-31 fleet is being refitted to carry the newer AA-12 'Adder' on the wing pylons.

Unlike the MiG-25, the MiG-31 has an internal cannon, a six-barrel, 23 mm GSh-6-23 with 800 rounds of ammunition, mounted above the starboard main landing gear bay. The GSh-6-23 has a claimed rate of fire of over 10,000 rounds per minute.

Related posts:
* Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum

Vympel R-73 AA-11 Archer

The Vympel R-73 (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) developed by Vympel machine-building design bureau, is the most modern Russian short-range air-to-air missile. Currently the R-73 is the best Russian short range air-to-air missile. Apart from an exceptional maneverability, this missile is also directly connected to the pilot's helmet, which allows engagement of targets lateral to the aircraft, which cannot be engaged by missiles with a traditional system of targeting and guidance. The R-73A, an earlier variant of this missile, has a 30 km range, while the most recent R-73M can hit targets at a distance of 40 km.





The Vympel R-73 AA-11 Archer missile is carried by Ka-50, Ka-52, MiG-29 (Fulcrum), MiG-31, Su-25, Su-27, Su-30 (Flanker), Su-33, Su-34 (FullBack), Su-35, Su-37, Su-39, Yak-141



Later variants of the R-73 missile:
- The R-73E missile features extended range;
- The R-73M1 (sometimes designated as R-73 RDM-1) features improved overall performance;
- The R-73M2 (R-73 RDM-2) has even better performance characteristics than it's predecessor - the R-73M1;
- The K-74ME.

All these missiles have the same AA-11 "Archer" NATO designation.



Specifications of Vympel R-73 AA-11 Archer

Missile length: 2.90m
Missile diameter: 0.17m
Wingspan: 0.51m
Launch weight: 105kg (R-73M1), or 115kg (R-73M2)
Warhead: 7.4kg HE expanding rod warhead
Propulsion: One solid-propellant rocket motor
Off-Boresight Capability: +/-60 degree
Speed: Mach 2.5
G Limit: 40G
Range: 20km (R-73M1), or 30km (R-73M2)
Guidance: All-aspect infrared homing + helmet-mounted sight

Related posts:
* Vympel R-27 AA-10 Alamo
* S-300 surface-to-air missiles system

Vympel R-27 AA-10 Alamo

The Vympel R-27 (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo, Cyrillic P-27) is a medium-range air-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Union. It remains in service with the CIS and Russian Air Force.

The R-27 is manufactured in IR-homing (R-27T), semi-active radar homing (R-27R) and active radar homing (R-27AE) variants. It arms the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27, and some late-model MiG-23MLD aircraft were also adapted to carry it. The missile is also license produced in China, though the production license was obtained from Ukraine instead of Russia. The Chinese licensing production does not include the active radar homing version, and China developed their own version by integrating the active radar seeker of Vympel R-77 provided by Russia to the R-27 missile.




"Alamo" missiles are capable to intercept an air target traveling at speed up to 3 500 km/h. Interception altitude varies from 20 meters to 27 kilometers. Maximum altitude difference between target and missile carrying aircraft is 10 kilometers. All R-27 missiles have a minimum range of fire in 0.5 - 1 km and carry 39 kg weight expanding rod warheads.

Initially, as almost all soviet air-to-air missiles, the R-27 came in two variants, having either semi-active radarhoming or an infrared homing seeker. The semi-active radarhoming variant was designated as the R-27R (AA-10A "Alamo-A"), while the infrared variant was designated as R-27T (AA-10B "Alamo-B"). The standard soviet tactic for interceptions is based on firing two missiles with a various seeker types at the same target to maximize kill probability. There are also designed downgraded export versions of these missiles, designated as R-27R1 (AA-10A "Alamo-A") and R-27T1 (AA-10B "Alamo-B") respectively.

Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum

The Mikoyan MiG-29 (Russian: Микоян МиГ-29; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a 4th generation jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union for an air superiority role. Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design bureau, it entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983, and remains in use by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other nations. The NATO name "Fulcrum" was unofficially used by Soviet pilots in service. The MiG-29 along with the Su-27 were developed to counter new American fighters such as the F-15 Eagle, and the F-16 Fighting Falcon



The official "uncompromised design technical assignment", which was translated into a new operational requirement, was issued in 1972 to replace MiG-21 and MiG-23 assets in the tactical and air defense air forces. The new lightweight fighter was to undertake autonomous operations from austere sites to achieve air superiority over the tactical theater and provide limited escort and surface attack capabilities. Detail design work began in 1974 which resulted in the first 14 of 19 prototypes. The first example was flown on 06 Oct77, by chief test pilot Alexander V. Fedotov, at the Ramenskoye flight test center. It was photographed in November 1977 by US intelligence satellites and given the interim designation of the "RAM-L". The second prototype flew in June 1978. Eventually the 2nd and 4th prototypes, propulsion test beds, would be lost in accidents (15 Jun 1978 & 31 Oct 1980 respectively) due to engine failures. The third prototype (03) was the first dual-seater MiG-29UB trainer and first flew on 28 Apr 1981, again piloted by Alexander V. Fedotov.



In total, over 800 were delivered to the Soviet / Russian Tactical Air Forces and around 500 airframes prepared for initial export customers. By 1989, it was serving in 12 different air forces around the world. Presently, it is the only Russian aircraft on operational duty in NATO and serves in 21 air forces. Brassey's reports that a total of 1216 MiG-29 single-seaters and 197 MiG-29UB dual-seaters were built by January 1985 (total of 1413). Since 1990, production was exclusively for export.










MiG-29 Cockpit

MiG-29 Armament

Armament for the MiG-29 includes a single GSh-30-1 30 mm cannon in the port wing root. This originally had a 150-round magazine, which was reduced to 100 rounds in later variants. Original production MiG-29B aircraft cannot fire the cannon when carrying a centerline fuel tank as it blocks the shell ejection port. This issue was corrected in the MiG-29S and later versions. Three pylons are provided under each wing (four in some variants), for a total of six (or eight). The inboard pylons can carry either a 1,150 liter (300 US gallon) fuel tank, one Vympel R-27 (AA-10 "Alamo") medium-range air-to-air missile, or unguided bombs or rockets. Some Soviet aircraft could carry a single nuclear bomb on the port inboard station. The outer pylons usually carry R-73 (AA-11 "Archer") dogfight missiles, although some users still retain the older R-60 (AA-8 "Aphid"). A single 1,500 liter (400 US gallon) tank can be fitted to the centerline, between the engines, for ferry flights, but this position is not used for combat stores. The original MiG-29B can carry general-purpose bombs and unguided rocket pods, but not precision-guided munitions. Upgraded models have provision for laser-guided and electro-optical bombs, as well as air-to-surface missiles.