Innovation
BDC Capital (5 mai)
BDC Capital has launched the “Deep Tech Venture Fund” with an initial $200 million. BDC Capital has said that the fund is interested in space technology. BDC said the fund will “accelerate the development of transformational technologies in a number of sectors including quantum, electronics, photonics, foundational AI and related fields.” In addition to providing access to various funding options, BDC Capital will provide technical experts and facilitate market entry.
Airbus (3 mai)
Dans le cadre de son projet ZEROe, Airbus étudie trois concepts différents pour les nouveaux avions de ligne qui pourraient entrer en service autour de 2035. Le plus récent d'entre eux concerne une cellule à fuselage intégrée qui serait capable de transporter jusqu'à 200 passagers sur des vols d'environ 3 700 kilomètres. La conception s'appuie sur le modèle Maveric sur lequel Airbus travaille depuis juin 2019. La propulsion repose sur une paire de moteurs à turbine à gaz modifiés alimentés par de l'hydrogène liquide qui serait stocké et distribué via des réservoirs situés derrière la cloison arrière sous pression. Le troisième concept est un double turbopropulseur de 100 places qui comporterait des turbines à gaz modifiées alimentées à l'hydrogène et volerait sur des distances d'environ 1 852 kilomètres. Un démonstrateur d'hydrogène au sol devrait être prêt d'ici la fin de l'année.
Spatial
Canadian university rocketry teams (3 mai)
Two Canadian university rocketry teams, Space Concordia and UBC Rocket, are achieving remarkable results in U.S. competitions. They are competing in the Base 11 Space Challenge, to design, build and launch a liquid-propelled, single-stage rocket to an altitude of 100 km by the end of this year. The prize for reaching this goal is a US$1 million. In the recently completed Preliminary Design Review, Space Concordia took first place and UBC Rocket third.
Bishops University (30 avril)
The Canadian Space Agency has awarded Bishops University a $1 million contract for the development of technology suitable for a microsatellite mission to explore new exoplanets. This contract is for one of seven priority technologies entitled “Enabling Technologies for the Exploration of New Worlds – microsatellite opportunity”.
Drones- Advanced Air Mobility
Drone Advisory Committee (6 mai)
Transport Canada (TC) has announced the formation of CanaDAC, a “Drone Advisory Committee”. It will serve “as a national forum for industry stakeholders to inform priority policy and regulatory areas of focus for TC.”
Wisk Aero/ Blade Urban Air Mobility (5 mai)
Wisk Aero, a start-up backed by Boeing and Kitty Hawk, will supply and operate up to 30 of its eVTOLs for Blade Urban Air Mobility's passenger transportation network. Wisk was formed in 2019 when Boeing agreed to combine some of its development work on eVTOLs with a division of Kitty Hawk, the firm started by Google co-founder Larry Page and Sebastian Thrun.
Directional Aviation (5 mai)
Directional Aviation's OneSky Flight has acquired UK-based Halo Aviation, just months after buying New York City-based Sikorsky S-76 operator Associated Aircraft Group. Directional's longer-term goal is to jump into advanced air mobility, with these acquisitions providing “a platform for the entry into service of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology”.
Textron (5 mai)
Textron appears to have ruled out the imminent launch of an urban air mobility (UAM) vehicle, stressing that propulsion systems, and in particular battery technology, have not advanced sufficiently. Earlier this year Textron formed a new division, eAircraft, which brings together relevant expertise from its Textron Aviation, Bell and Textron Systems businesses.
Volatus Aerospace (3 mai)
Volatus Aerospace is to begin the manufacture of up to 1,200 units of the innovative FIXAR VTOL drone per year at its new facility at the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport in Oro, Ontario. Volatus' contribution to the venture, including in-Canada production site set-up, business development and technical support is estimated to total approximately $1 million. FIXAR is a Latvian company.
Industrie Aérospatiale
Héroux-Devtek (6 mai)
L'entreprise québécoise Héroux-Devtek va concevoir, développer et construire le système de train d'atterrissage du nouveau jet d'affaires Dassault Falcon 10X et aussi fournir des pièces de rechange et des services après-vente à Dassault Aviation.
Thales (6 mai)
Thales confirme ses perspectives annuelles de chiffre d'affaires. L'entreprise indique que « la quasi-totalité des lignes de produit enregistre une croissance organique sur le trimestre ». Le chiffre d'affaires trimestriel a augmenté de 1,9% à périmètre constant, à 3,9 milliards d'euros, et les commandes de 31% à 3,4 milliards d'euros.
Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X (6 mai)
The Pearl 10X that will power the Falcon 10X is based on the Advance2 engine core, combined with a “high-performance low-pressure system”. Its take-off thrust rating will be 18,000lb. It is designed to operate on 100 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuels. The engine includes combustor tiles, manufactured using an Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) process.
CFM International (6 mai)
Lancé en juillet 2008, entré en service commercial en août 2016, le programme Leap a équipé 1 400 appareils avec trois modèles de moteurs, le Leap-1A, pour l'A320neo, le Leap-1B pour le Boeing 737 MAX et le Leap-1C pour le Comac C919.
Boeing B737-800BCF (5 mai)
Boeing will open two 737-800BCF conversion lines with COOPESA in Costa Rica. Boeing forecasts 1,500 freighter conversions will be needed over the next 20 years. 1,080 will be narrowbody conversions, with nearly 30% of that demand coming from North America and Latin America.
Spirit Aerosystems deliveries (5 mai)
Spirit delivered components for 269 commercial aircraft in the first quarter, 17% fewer than in 2020. This included 29 B737 fuselages, up from 18 in the first quarter of 2020. Spirit is increasing 737 Max production rates in line with Boeing's objective of 31 aircraft per month in 2022. Spirit also increased B767 deliveries to 10 shipsets. Other commercial programmes declined; B787 shipments fell to 14 from 40 in 2020 and Airbus A350 shipments to 12, down from 26.
Safran and Pyroalliance (4 mai)
Safran Electrical & Power and Pyroalliance will develop a fire-protection system for aircraft electric propulsion systems. They intend to introduce technology that could protect against the threat of an electric arc. Their goal is to have it ready for commercial use in 2023. France's DGAC is providing 50% of the undisclosed budget under the government's Recovery Plan.
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Airbus Helicopters Flightlab (4 mai)
Airbus is introducing autonomous features to its helicopter Flightlab through a project codenamed
Vertex. The objectives include simplifying mission preparation and management,
reducing helicopter pilot workload, and increasing safety. Technologies to be explored include
vision based sensors and algorithms for situational awareness and obstacle detection; fly-bywire
for enhanced auto-pilot; and an advanced human-machine-interface in the form of a
touchscreen and head worn display for inflight monitoring and control.
Airbus Helicopters (30 avril)
In the first quarter orders fell by 26 percent to 40 net orders, compared with 54 in 2020.
Deliveries reduced by eight to 39 helicopters. The total order backlog dropped 5 percent, to 664
helicopters. EBIT increased 17 percent to $75 million due to increased service revenues and
reductions in program and research and development spending.
