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1 – 10 of over 14000Sergio Chiesa, Marco Fioriti and Roberta Fusaro
The purpose of this paper is to present a definition of modern configuration for a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE UAV) and its on-board systems to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a definition of modern configuration for a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE UAV) and its on-board systems to obtain a suitable basis for future definitions such as a possible logistic support configuration first hypothesis.
Design/methodology/approach
Starting from high-level requirements, both the UAV conceptual design and on-board systems preliminary design have been carried out through proprietary tools. Then, some peculiarities from previous studies, such as systems advanced UAV alternative energy, have been maintained and confirmed (diesel propulsion and energy storage system).
Findings
The improvement of a component of an aircraft can play a relevant role in the whole system. In the paper, it is considered how a concept of MALE UAV can evolve (this topic is considered by the authors since many years) by incorporating advanced on-board systems concepts.
Practical implications
The numerical results promote and support the use of advanced on-board system solutions and architectures to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and performance of MALE UAVs.
Originality/value
Usually, conceptual and preliminary design phases analyze in-depth the aerodynamic and structural solutions and aircraft performance. In this study, the authors aim to focus on the advanced on-board systems for MALE UAVs. This kind of aircraft is not yet a mature concept, with very few operating machines and many projects in the development phase.
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This paper describes the change of dominance, in the provision of engineering education and training, from that of major large scale industry to that of the UK public sector…
Abstract
This paper describes the change of dominance, in the provision of engineering education and training, from that of major large scale industry to that of the UK public sector. Using aerospace engineering as an example, it emphasises the need for education to demonstrate more openly and effectively its ability to provide world class support for UK industry. This industry is now dominated by small and medium enterprises and in aerospace, as well as other high technological areas, it is facing increasingly severe competition from overseas. Ways of helping the further and higher education institutions to achieve such support is described by their initiation of the well established Association of Colleges of Aerospace Technology (ACAT) and the relatively new Association of Aerospace Universities (AAU). These bodies comprise mainly aerospace engineering teaching staff but there are some members from industry. Their aims are to continually improve the image, effectiveness and relevance of aerospace education. Details of ACAT and AAU are given in the appendices together with ideas for collaboration with Internet initiatives of Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology (MCB University Press Ltd) and the Aerospace Academic Network (AAN).
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Heather Toomey Zimmerman, Katharine Ellen Grills, Zachary McKinley and Soo Hyeon Kim
The researchers conducted a collective case study to investigate how families engaged in making activities related to aerospace engineering in six pop-up makerspace programs held…
Abstract
Purpose
The researchers conducted a collective case study to investigate how families engaged in making activities related to aerospace engineering in six pop-up makerspace programs held in libraries and one museum. The purpose of this paper is to support families’ engagement in design tasks and engineering thinking, three types of discussion prompts were used during each workshop. The orienting design conjecture was that discussion prompts would allow parents to lead productive conversations to support engineering-making activities.
Design/methodology/approach
Within a collective case study approach, 20 consented families (22 adults, 25 children) engaged in making practices related to making a lunar rover with a scientific instrument panel. Data included cases of families’ talk and actions, as documented through video (22 h) and photographs of their engineering designs. An interpretivist, qualitative video-based analysis was conducted by creating individual narrative accounts of each family (including transcript excerpts and images).
Findings
Parents used the question prompts in ways that were integral to supporting youths’ participation in the engineering activities. Children often did not answer the astronomer’s questions directly; instead, the parents revoiced the prompts before the children’s engagement. Family prompts supported reflecting upon prior experiences, defining the design problem and maintaining the activity flow.
Originality/value
Designing discussion prompts, within a broader project-based learning pedagogy, supports family engagement in engineering design practices in out-of-school pop-up makerspace settings. The work suggests that parents play a crucial role in engineering workshops for youths aged 5 to 10 years old by revoicing prompts to keep families’ design work and sensemaking talk (connecting prior and new ideas) flowing throughout a makerspace workshop.
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Based on a lecture prepared as part of the celebration of Cranfield University's 50th anniversary. After briefly reviewing the early years, including Cranfield University's entry…
Abstract
Based on a lecture prepared as part of the celebration of Cranfield University's 50th anniversary. After briefly reviewing the early years, including Cranfield University's entry into this technology, discusses the nature of this industry, Some of the technology drivers, including environmental concerns, are examined to provide a background against which the development and the future of the industry can be considered. This is followed by a brief survey of some of the possible new civil aero gas turbine applications over the next 50 years, both the very likely and some curiosities. Finally, the changes that are likely to occur within the industry as a result of wider economic and political trends are considered, as well as the implications for those working within the industry. The development of the civil aero gas turbine has contributed, in large measure, to today's, US$ 300 billion civil aviation industry and is rightly seen as one of mankind's major engineering achievements. A single paper cannot do justice to this industry.
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The purpose of this paper is to identify the core literature of aerospace studies and the databases necessary to ensure its coverage in a collection for aerospace scientists. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the core literature of aerospace studies and the databases necessary to ensure its coverage in a collection for aerospace scientists. The paper also aims to examine whether China has different needs from other countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A sequence of bibliometric analyses was used. Institutions and countries with high aerospace research productivity were identified from 4,290 papers published in “aerospace engineering” journals in Science Citation Index. Journal papers cited in these papers (14,618 extracted from 17,015 citations in all) were analyzed to discover the core source journals for aerospace research. The availability of the core journals in online databases determined necessary library provision for aerospace research.
Findings
The most productive aerospace research institutions are in China and the USA. Journals are the most important information resources. While 20 per cent of cited journals were discipline‐specific, 80 per cent were in related fields. Chinese researchers had similar resource needs to researchers from other countries. To provide for aerospace research, a library collection needs to include the databases of the field, and commercial and open access journals that cover aerospace engineering, related disciplines and the sciences in general.
Originality/value
The paper reveals the characteristics of the literature of the aerospace discipline for the first time. It identifies the core journals used by aerospace researchers and the bundle of online resources necessary to adequately provide for research in the field. The technique used can be applied to other disciplines.
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Pablo Salgado Sánchez, Daniel López-Fernández and Victoria Lapuerta González
Since 2009, different challenge-based learning (CBL) activities have been implemented at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), with a shared objective: provide the students a…
Abstract
Since 2009, different challenge-based learning (CBL) activities have been implemented at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), with a shared objective: provide the students a learning experience that covers the acquisition of technical knowledge, soft skills, and other generic competences, while bringing them closer to the current technologies and industry. The shared background of these activities is the participation of Master's students of aerospace engineering in the preliminary design of a space mission. During the 18/19 academic year, the UPM participated in the 2018 ESA Concurrent Engineering Challenge (ESA CEC), where the students complemented their technical knowledge with dedicated training in Concurrent Engineering and learnt how ESA assesses the feasibility of real space missions. This experience further motivated the organization of the UPM CEC, which was first executed in the 19/20 academic year (and is expected to be carried out in future courses). After a decade implementing CBL, different research methodologies and instruments have been used to evaluate its impact on different aspects of the learning process. In this chapter, we describe the main CBL activities performed, focusing on the instruments used to evaluate them. We draw attention to the main advantages and disadvantages of implementing CBL from a learning perspective, as well as the associated impact in the student's motivation and student–teacher relationship. In many cases, different teaching scenarios are assessed, thus making it possible to compare CBL against traditional methods.
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The development of degree courses specifically designed for aerospace engineers is described in relation to the change in needs of the industry since the demonstration of powered…
Abstract
The development of degree courses specifically designed for aerospace engineers is described in relation to the change in needs of the industry since the demonstration of powered flight. The impact of two world wars and political decisions on the way universities have been able to meet the demand for graduates is discussed. The effect of these changes is examined in relation to the type of education received by current graduates compared with early courses.
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The improvements in quality of advanced aerospace steels have brought new challenges for the materials testing and inspection teams. Looks at the advances of this type of testing…
Abstract
The improvements in quality of advanced aerospace steels have brought new challenges for the materials testing and inspection teams. Looks at the advances of this type of testing at British Steel Engineering Steels. Details non‐destructive testing of aerospace steels and the ultrasonic immersion tank. Finally looks at Engineering Steels’ recent investments in automation.
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R.J. Smith, G.J. Lewi and D.H. Yates
Since the development of the Nimonic1 alloys for Sir Frank Whittle’s first jet engine, Henry Wiggin Ltd, now part of Special Metals Corporation, has been involved with the design…
Abstract
Since the development of the Nimonic1 alloys for Sir Frank Whittle’s first jet engine, Henry Wiggin Ltd, now part of Special Metals Corporation, has been involved with the design and improvement of nickel alloys for aerospace engineering. Whilst much of this work continues to be in relation to alloys for the high strength/high temperature applications of turbine blades, discs, seals, rings and casings of aero engines, nickel alloys are being utilised for other key aerospace engineering areas such as tooling for composite manufacture. The focus of this paper is on four recent developments in nickel alloys for aerospace engineering, namely: disc alloys; low expansion superalloys; Inconel alloy 718SPF – a nickel base superalloy capable of being superplastically formed; Nilo (low expansion alloys) for composite tooling.
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Normalair‐Garrett Ltd., (Stand No. N31) part of the Westland plc Group of Yeovil, Somerset, is exhibiting a wide range of products which demonstrate the company's diverse…
Abstract
Normalair‐Garrett Ltd., (Stand No. N31) part of the Westland plc Group of Yeovil, Somerset, is exhibiting a wide range of products which demonstrate the company's diverse capabilities in control systems and precision components for the aerospace industry.