Flying in Space

Piers Sellers talks about his most recent space flight, STS-132. The space shuttle Atlantis was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) with a crew of six on 14th May 2010. This was the third Shuttle flight for astronaut Piers Sellers who will describe how after docking with the ISS, the crew installed a new 8-tonne Russian module, carried out three spacewalks and completed some repair work to the ISS.

Frank Robinson discusses the importance of simplicity in rotorcraft design and how simplicity of design and technology is critical to all aspects of aviation. 

During the first century of flight there were distinct periods of intense innovation within the aerospace industry. During these eras advancements in materials, design and propulsion were being made on an almost annual basis leading to the obsolescence of military aircraft within one or two years of their introduction. Today the aerospace industry is heading into another era of intense innovation as unmanned systems are being developed for military, civil and scientific missions.

At the end of 2008, the world was facing the worst economic downturn in 60 years.

Despite the negative impact this crisis had on our industry, it also brought a positive perspective to our way of doing business. We enhanced our Customer engagement and involvement in their business success, we focused more than ever before on their needs by differentiating the “Must Have” from the “Nice to Have” and also strengthened our relationships for the long term.

In April 2008 the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), an executive agency of the European Commission, became responsible for the Licensing and Medical Standards of pilots in Europe.

The advent of a pan-European legislative structure for the regulation of aviation medical assessments in Europe is an exciting and challenging prospect. The objective of improving flight safety for the citizens of Europe by the harmonisation of medical standards is laudable and well supported.

As a diversion to the normal hot air and Rozier balloon exploits, Janet will present her experiences in long distance competitive gas ballooning. At the Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race in 2009 Janet and Ann Rich broke the female duration world record flying for almost 70 hours, covering 1,100 kms from Geneva to Madrid. The gas used was hydrogen and the balloon was a traditional “old” gas balloon.

The current ‘Space Age’ arguably began in the immediate post war ‘40s when V2s began to carry instruments above the atmosphere to determine Earth’s environment at high altitudes. A decade later orbital spaceflight began and yet another decade or so led to the first human presence on the moon. Since then there has been a more or less permanent, if small, human population in orbit around our planet.

We look around at a complex and uncertain world; a world of contradictions. We are now a global village where it is easy to communicate but difficult to understand. Where the wonder of flight has brought people together yet highlighted the difference in point of view.

Flight has fascinated man from the moment early homo sapiens watched in envy the flying creatures of the past swiftly cross enormous distances in search of food – probably the only commodity of value at the beginning of mankind. Different things have value today and aviation is key to getting these things to us quickly, economically and safely.

In March of 2007 the United States and European Commission signed into effect the next round of Open Skies legislation. Using this legislation as the back drop, British Airways’ Willie Walsh sanctioned a project to look at and evaluate the feasibility of starting a new airline, within the group, that would seize the opportunity.

Innovation has always been the life blood of aviation and space development. From the most entrepreneurial of beginnings to massive corporations the contributions to advancing aerospace that have come from innovations can not be understated. Yet as the industry has matured innovation has become increasingly difficult to achieve.

The current expectation is that the demand for air transport will continue to grow throughout the next century. Aviation is an enabler, serving many market sectors and contributing to improved quality of life for many millions of people around the world. There are brand new markets emerging in India and China and in the mature markets new business models have increased demand substantially.

Lord Drayson assesses the role of government in the achievements of the UK’s aerospace industry to date.

He outlined the challenges facing the sector over the next few decades – those affecting scientists, business leaders and policy makers before considering how lessons from the past should inform a successful and strategic approach to the future.

Dr Billings will discuss his 60 years as a physician, flight surgeon and teacher, using as examples some research studies in which he has been involved to illustrate the breadth of research needs of the civil aviation community that have motivated his work.

The history of aviation is filled with individuals, companies and governments tapping into the spirit of innovation to address the many challenges that stood before them. Today the global aviation community is called upon to do the same to deal with the trials we have before us today and the tests to come in the future.

Aeronautics and aviation rely heavily upon science and technology for their success. The complexity and level of the intellectual challenges that are put down has meant that, from the very beginning, academics have made many important contributions and academia has provided bespoke, high quality training for those people who wish to work in the associated industries.

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation (PiAC) is a small aerospace business with more than sixty (60) years experience in research, aerospace technology development, rapid prototyping, testing for military and civilian aerospace industry worldwide.
Its founder, Frank Nicholas Piasecki, was a pioneer in the vertical aviation industry and served as PiAC President until his death in February 11th 2008.

The last 10 years have not seen the overdue consolidation in the world’s airline industry. There are still too many airlines chasing too few passengers. The provision of infrastructure has been haphazard (new airports in China, new runways in the Gulf, prolific discussion in the UK). The continuing regula tory drag, and inter state imbalance, has inhibited many necessary efficiencies.

The Chancellor’s pre-budget speech is likely to make clear the scale of the financial challenge facing us. Yet the world remains a dangerously unpredictable place as it emerges from the financial crisis into an as yet ill-defined multi-polar state. While we rightly concentrate all efforts on Afghanistan we must not lose sight of the current and future threats to the national interest that history tells us will emerge, often in unexpected form.

A continuing aim from the beginning of manned flight has been to protect occupants in aircraft crashes from the effects of impact. Although aircraft crashes are uncommon they have serious consequences and, in particular, survivability and injury causation are major concerns in both military and civil aviation.