If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
from latest news letter on vulcan, hope it is of intrest to some of you if you dont get the news letter
Regular readers will know XH558 is due a major and expensive structural
modification at the end of the 2013 display season if we are to have the opportunity to fly the aircraft beyond this year. Apart from the obvious high financial cost, the work is not without some element of risk, partly because it requires work on a critical part of XH558's structure, but also because required tooling and jigs are no longer available, and the manufacturing techniques specified in the drawings are no longer used! Read our 'End of Flight' document on the challenges here Today, we can let you know that we have held several meetings with various parties to discuss XH558's airframe life challenges and are delighted to announce we have contracted Cranfield Aerospace, a well-respected company at the heart of modern design and manufacturing techniques in the aviation world, to begin detailed measurement, analysis and planning for how we might best tackle the strengthening of XH558's wing leading edges in accordance with the modification's specification using current techniques. Find out about Cranfield Aerospace here Their impressive provenance includes supporting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and in providing support services for both the UK's Army Historic Flight and Navy Historic Flight. Stephen Rutherford, Cranfield's technical lead on historic aircraft commented, "Unlocking more flying hours for XH558 is a very challenging task. It's early days, but this is the first step in one of the most important parts of the jigsaw. Cranfield has very specialist expertise - possibly amongst the best available anywhere in this field - and we are thrilled to be able to apply it to such an important aircraft." To this end, some visitors to the hangar would have already perhaps noticed that paint has been removed from the key area on each wing, to enable high-tech scanning to take place. This will very accurately map out the external structure of wing, to build up a computer generated 3D model to be used for analysis and detailed design of the required strengthening plate that we can put forward as a firm proposal to our engineering authority, Marshall Aerospace. Vulcan aircraft were hand-assembled on large frame jigs. No two aircraft were exactly the same, so it's important when embodying the modification, that we have all the data pertinent to XH558 correct as there will be no second chance. Once one wing is digitised, we also have to measure the other side, which although looking like a mirror image, we know has minor differences in for example, the positioning of rivets. The work that we have now commissioned is the first stage of four in embodying the required fatigue life extension modification on XH558. The stages a 1/ Research, planning and costing 2/ Design and approval 3/ Manufacture 4/ Installation Very soon, we will have full costings for the work in Stage 1, and it is our plan to ask for your support in funding this work by issuing shares for each stage of the project. We will be updating you very soon and releasing this share issue next week to help cover the costs. It is essential that we begin early enough to ensure that the modification, if it proves feasible, could be installed during the winter of 2013/4. Cranfield Aerospace engineers will therefore be arriving at the hangar next week to begin the measurement process and we will obviously keep you fully updated as their work continues. Please do remember that given the technical risks involved, we are as yet unable to confirm that the modification is feasible, but the work we are starting is firm evidence of our commitment to keep XH558 flying for as long as possible. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
JOHN ROAKE'S LATEST NEWS | johnhamish | Soaring | 5 | April 20th 12 11:10 PM |
hope this doesn't make news | Gatt | Piloting | 2 | October 22nd 07 05:10 PM |
dont have a cow over cbs news | tony zambon | Piloting | 18 | January 18th 04 03:58 AM |
Sport Pilot Leaves DOT for OMB, Latest News | Fitzair4 | Home Built | 3 | December 25th 03 02:49 AM |
Latest News on Russian PAK-FA | JT | Military Aviation | 4 | December 23rd 03 05:10 PM |