Aeros Completes Critical Design Review (CDR) for New ‘40E Sky Dragon' Airship, Initiates Fabrication and Vehicle Assembly
Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) February 20, 2015 -- Worldwide Aeros Corp. (Aeros), a lighter-than-air (LTA) aircraft manufacturer operating with a FAA Production Certificate, announced today the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the company’s latest airship has been successfully completed and production initiated on 40E ‘Sky Dragon’ at the Aeros’ engineering and production headquarters in Montebello. Fabrication and vehicle assembly was initiated following the CDR, with supporting structure for the vertical and horizontal stabilizers now taking shape on schedule, with expected vehicle completion later in 2015 following envelope and gondola fabrication. The 40E will enter service after Type Certification (TC) by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“During the recent CDR Aeros’ technical experts from engineering, production and quality control found that the aircraft design was sound, met desired safety levels and demonstrated new system integration successfully, and I’m excited to see the aircraft quickly taking shape,” explains Tim Kenny, Aeros’ Director of Engineering.
The third generation of Aeros’ family of ‘Sky Dragon’ airships, the 40E succeeds the 40B and 40D designs for enhanced multi-role mission capabilities and surveillance/reconnaissance support. The 40E builds on the performance strengths of the 40D ‘Sky Dragon,’ while improving accommodation and incorporating operational enhancements and pilot/ passenger improvements. Aeros’ 40B was introduced to global operations in 2000, while the 40D entered service in 2007.
About the 40E ‘Sky Dragon:’ The 40E design has been optimized to address global market demand for a dependable and flexible airship with lower operating costs that can support varied missions from ISR and security applications to advertising, tourism, and event broadcast roles. The 40E airship incorporates numerous design advancements and the latest technology to deliver mission-supporting solutions for persistent elevated situational awareness in a global environment of growing need. The 40E ‘Sky Dragon’ features flexible payload integration for radar, EO/IR and communications equipment with useful payload greater than one ton, advanced vectored propulsion and control, improved operational cost efficiency, onboard data workstations or HD downlink for remote camera operation, enhanced landing gear design, and added levels of safety, pilot empowerment and crew/passenger comfort among other design enhancements.
‘Sky Dragon’ ISR Mission Support: The 40E ‘Sky Dragon’ will flexibly support a range of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions as a mobile aerial sensor platform with extended loiter (time-on-station) capability, integrating the latest design and technology to deliver day and night monitoring and imaging capability. Moving Target Indicator (MTI) Radar provides the ability to track targets from a distance of up to 141 miles (228 km) in all directions, covering over 62 thousand square miles at a time. Coupled with 360 degree high-definition electro-optic and infrared imaging system and moving map software, applications for "Sky Dragon" include border security, surveillance, early warning, search and rescue operations, port security and maritime patrol.
About Aeros: Founded more than 25 years ago, Worldwide Aeros Corp. (Aeros) is the world’s most innovative FAA-certified lighter-than-air (LTA) aircraft manufacturing company. Aeros has achieved multiple FAA airship Type Certificates and operates with an FAA Production Certificate, while featuring a product line that includes advanced airships, tethered aerostats and the Aeroscraft cargo airship. The company’s operations include research, development, production, operation and marketing of a family of vehicles and systems used in government and commercial applications. Learn more at http://www.aeroscraft.com.
John Kiehle, Worldwide Aeros, Corp., http://www.aeroscraft.com, (323) 201-8374, [email protected]
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