Chinese Company 3D Prints Giant Airplane Parts

by Libby Zay on

Nothing has fired up the public’s imagination over the past few years like 3D printing. The technology is in the process of rapidly moving from a sci-fi fantasy to a household object, and fittingly, it’s expected many manufacturers across industries will begin using 3D printers. In the airline industry, this has so far meant the fast, easy duplication and enhancement of small, lightweight parts – such as fuel nozzles. But a Chinese company is thinking on a much grander scale, and plans to use a massive 3D printer to create 5-meter-long titanium wing spars and equally long wind beams.

3Ders.org, a website chronicling the latest updates on the technology, reports that late last month a Chinese company showed off the world’s largest titanium aircraft critical component that had been produced using 3D technology at a conference in Beijing. According to the company, they have used 3D printers to produce seven kinds of aircraft. Since the project has been funded by the Chinese government, especially the military, the parts are being produced mainly for stealth fighters – but it’s likely commercial aviation will soon follow their lead, since the process could save up to 90 percent on materials and costs of producing an airplane. The only problem is, with this giant 3D printer, it’s possible for the Chinese government to forge parts made by other companies – so who knows what could happen in the future.

[via BoingBoing]

Five Months After Antarctic Plane Crash, Crew Declared Dead

by Kraig Becker on

Three crew members who were aboard an aircraft that went down in the Antarctic this past January were officially declared dead by a coroner in New Zealand this week as the inquiry into the accident got underway. The small Twin Otter airplane was en route from the South Pole to an Italian research station near Terra Nova Bay when it crashed into the side of a mountain. Pilot Bob Heath, as well as crew members Mike Denton and Perry Anderson, all lost their lives in the crash.

The fatal accident is under investigation by the Canadian Transport Board but since the plane went down in an area of Antarctica that is under the jurisdiction of New Zealand, a coroner from that country had to make the official pronunciation of the death of the crew. During the inquiry, it was revealed that the plane took off on schedule and that the pilot was checking in every hour of the flight as expected. There were no indications of any problems at all right up until the moment that the emergency beacon went off.

While the report hasn’t been able to reveal any mechanical issues with the aircraft, the judge overhearing the investigation stopped short of saying pilot error was the cause of the plane crash. Instead, he seemed to place the blame on the harsh conditions in Antarctica, which could pose problems even for very experienced pilots.The judge also expressed his admiration for the search and rescue teams that put their lives on the line in an attempt to find the missing plane in January. When the aircraft went down, a multinational effort was launched with the hopes of finding survivors. A SAR team even climbed the treacherous slopes of Mount Elizabeth to get a first hand account of the crash site.

Another team is planning to return in October to recover the bodies of the three men which were impossible to retrieve in the deteriorating conditions at the time.

First Public Commercial Flight Simulators To Open In London

by Libby Zay on

The first public commercial flight simulators, including two Airbus 380s and two Boeing 777s, are the centerpiece of a new aviation-themed attraction by Dubai-based Emirates Airlines that will open in London this July.

The simulators will utilize full landscape visuals to allow visitors to test what it feels like to take off and land commercial jets. The technology is one part of what is called the Emirates Aviation Experience, an attraction situated at the south side of the Emirates Air Line, a cable car that stretches across the River Thames. The attraction will also give a nod to aviation history and achievements through interactive displays.

“The purpose of this centre is to provide a fun, yet educational, overview of just what it takes to successfully get a 560 tonne aircraft off the ground and 40,000 feet into the sky. Our aim is to explain the intricate science of modern aviation, in a hands-on, entertaining and instructive environment,” said Emirates Airline President Tim Clark in a press release.

Emirates has been investing heavily in the United Kingdom since the company first began operating services there in 1987. The airline is the first sponsor to feature a company logo on the London Tube map, and this new attraction will further broaden their presence and increase their visibility in the U.K. But for travelers, it’s just another fun thing to do in London.

Vegas Restaurant Will Suspend Diners 180 Feet In Air

by Libby Zay on

In a city like Las Vegas, dreaming up new gimmicks to attract visitors is no easy task. Adrenaline-seekers can already bungee jump off the Stratosphere or drive a racecar around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but soon a new thrill will come to town: the ability to eat dinner at a table suspended in the air.

The aerial dining concept is simple. A steel tower with a pair of lifts raises two dinner tables 180 feet above the Las Vegas skyline. Chefs prepare food in the center of the table, while up to 22 guests surround them strapped into amusement park-style chairs. From high above the city, guests will take in 360-degree views of the Strip and the surrounding area.

Dinner in the Sky might be new to Vegas, but it’s not an entirely new concept. Similar attractions have popped up in recent years across the United States and internationally, usually on a temporary basis. In Las Vegas, the company has been doing its own trial run. Here’s what one diner said about the experience:

“My husband thought it would be romantic to take me to dinner overlooking Vegas at a height of over 150 feet. What he didn’t know is that I would completely freak out and be terrified when I saw what we were going to do … So here I was terrified in the beginning and once we got going I realized it really wasn’t going to be bad at all. In fact, I really enjoyed myself … Only one person was super terrified the entire length of the dinner.” – Yelp user Lauren H.

Ground broke on Dinner in the Sky Las Vegas yesterday, and it plans to officially open in late summer. The experience will start at $290 per person, including a three-course meal with wine pairings and a souvenir photo. Eight nightly seatings that last about an hour, including the ascent and descent, are planned. Let’s hope nobody loses their lunch in the middle of the ride – or has to get up to use the bathroom.

Nicaragua Canal Set To One-Up Panama Canal

by Adam Hodge on

Today, the Nicaraguan National Assembly is expected to rubber-stamp a $40 billion proposal by a Chinese consortium to build a canal across the country. The new canal will be over 150 miles long, dwarfing the famous Panama Canal.

The idea of a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Nicaragua has been around since colonial times, and up until 1970, the United States held rights to build it. However, the current proposal will see a newly formed Hong Kong-registered company, HKDN, build the waterway.

Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in Central America. The construction of the new canal will see the country’s GDP double and employment triple in only five years, according to The Guardian.

Of the more than half-dozen proposed routes for the canal, at least five will run through the freshwater Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America. Any land-only route would have to make a considerable detour to get around the lake.

Though the proposal has met with little resistance in parliament because of the large ruling party majority, no studies on the environmental or social impact of the project have been completed as yet.