Airbus A321XLR Test Flight

Recent developments in aviation have included more aerodynamic shapes to help reduce drag, sometimes called “sleek” designs. One such design is the delta wing. One famous aircraft with a thin profile is what some call the “scimitar” or “XLR” shaped fuselage. This is due to the way the air flows over the top half of the plane before curving around the rear where it is released for re-entry.

Both of these types of planes work by creating less friction when passing through the air, thus reducing overall drag. When designing your own aircraft, this theory can be applied to create efficient flying machines!

The French company Airbus just completed their latest project: An all-electric jet powered completely by batteries. Dubbed the Airbus X-HULL LAV (Low Altitude Vehicle), it features a flight path similar to the one we discussed above. It even shares its name with the curved section of the fuselage!

Airbus estimates the average cruising speed will be around 100 km/h (62 mph) while reaching 45,000 feet (13,716 m). At those altitudes, there won’t be many clouds so pilots will need to use instruments like GPS to navigate.

Why is Airbus testing the new autopilot system?

Recent accidents have caused pilots to become very wary of the automated flight systems that are being implemented in newer planes. Systems such as automatic takeoff, landing and cruise controls have been around for quite some time now but recently there have been reports of them malfunctioning.

A few months ago, the Germanwings pilot flew his plane into a mountain due to automation failure. In May this year, an Air France Concorde crashed shortly after taking off from Paris because it was unable to receive its clearance signal.

Both these crashes happened within weeks of each other so they raised serious questions about whether or not airplane manufacturers should be allowed to include fully autonomous features in their aircraft.

This includes having computer control over the engine settings during takeoffs and landings which reduce human interference in case something goes wrong. These engines can also be controlled through software so even if someone does turn them off manually, the plane can still be operated remotely.

In fact, most airplanes already have at least partial automation.

What does an XLR flight path do?

An extended landing runway (or “length test”) is when the pilot lands the aircraft at a much longer length than normal, typically with very soft surfaces or even grass. This is done to see how well the air brakes work and if they are effective in slowing the plane down!

The pilots will also use this method to determine whether the airplane has enough braking power before needing to be upgraded or replaced. Most large jet airplanes have adequate brake efficiency, but some don’t quite make it during the length test.

By having a longer landing runways, the pilot can assess more thoroughly if the tires are getting hot and if the temperature drops after each landing, then the engine efficiency has been verified.

This is important because most engines require proper cooling to function properly. If the engine doesn’t get cool fluid, it may overheat and potentially fail. It could also cause damage to other parts of the car, such as the transmission.

Image above courtesy of FlightRadar24.com

Will passengers notice a difference?

So what is the XLR flight path you ask? Well, it’s kind of like how pilots test new aircraft by taking off and then performing a number of maneuvers before landing. Only this time, they do it with a much longer runway!

The length-of-runway (or LOR) flight path was first used in WWII when fighter planes would take off and perform several loops and rolls over a beach or airfield to show off their maneuverability. Since that time, engineers have applied these concepts to other types of vehicles, including airplanes.

By having an airplane that can fly for many miles without any major changes, we as consumers get to enjoy the benefits of efficient flying. This includes better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.

It also gives us more options for aerial photography and filming due to the vehicle’s extended range. And if something happens en route, you still have plenty of room to land somewhere close by.

When will the autopilot be available?

While not as flashy or dramatic as some of the other features discussed here, the autonomous flight system you have control over is just as important to know about. This feature has been under development for quite some time now!

The automatic take off and landing (AOAL) technology was first developed in 2006 by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. Since then, it has been integrated into several aircraft platforms including the Boeing 737 MAX, A320 Family, and most recently, the Airbus XLC line.

This advanced automation comes in two main forms; discrete launch and continuous takeoff and landing (CTOL). Discrete launch uses pre-programmed parameters to begin the takeoff process, while CTOL allows for more complex computer algorithms to determine when and how to start the engine.

What are the safety implications?

Recent news reports indicate that one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world has just completed a test flight with what is known as an extended range take off (XLR) system. This new technology was first tested back in May, when German air carrier Condor conducted a dry run of the system at their private airport outside of Frankfurt.

Since then, it has been picked up by other airlines and now this major aerospace company has used the technology to conduct a full length test flight.

The only thing different about today’s flight was the type of engine being used. Rather than using a typical jet turbine engine like those found in most large passenger planes, they flew on a hybrid rocket motor-jet engine setup.

This article will discuss the differences between these two types of engines, why some people may want to be aware of them, and the potential dangers of having either one operate near you or in close proximity to where you live.

Will the autopilot be removed?

Recent reports suggest that Boeing is looking to have some of their most loyal customers remove the automatic pilot feature from the X-ray system in order to prevent potential lawsuits. While this may seem like a good idea, it actually puts more responsibility onto the pilots themselves.

If you are reading this article then chances are you own or fly an XLR airplane. There is a chance that within the next few months your aircraft will no longer have an auto pilot feature. This comes as a surprise to many people because the airlines depend heavily upon this technology for safety.

The reason why this is happening can be linked back to a recent incident where a pilot made an unexpected move towardshis cockpit door. Due to a malfunctioning sensor he was not able to determine if the door was open or closed which prompted him to pull up into a higher altitude and go around. He was eventually found by ground personnel who informed them that he had lost control of the plane and crashed.

Why does Airbus test new autopilots?

As mentioned before, all aircraft have some sort of computer assisted control of the engines that help regulate speed and direction. Some are more advanced than others, but they all work in similar ways!

The engine controls for airplanes come from two main sources: pilot input (or manual control) and sensor data. Pilots can adjust the throttle to influence power, and sensors tell the computer how powerful the engine is at this moment so it can make educated guesses about what to do next.

Some planes also use computers to take over as pilots become incapacitated, or to manage systems such as air pressure or temperature regulation. This is why you sometimes hear people talk about “autoland” technology- once pilots were no longer able to handle flight safety, the plane would automatically land.

Automatic control comes later

But none of these things exist yet. At least not fully. A few jets offer limited automatic control at very low speeds, but nothing beyond that. And even those depend mostly on GPS signal which cannot always be found.

This is where the XLR project comes into play. It looks like something cool every aviation enthusiast should know about!

What is the XLR Project?

A short takeoff and landing (STOL) design concept was first introduced back in 2006 by aerospace firm Lockheed Martin. They called their version the X-Plane Landing Robot.

What is the next autopilot that will be tested?

After the successful completion of the first flight path test with its current version, we are now moving onto another major milestone for the project- the length test! This means taking this aircraft up to fully autonomous flights away from pilot input.

This test will last about 30 minutes or so and it will go through all of the different systems in the prototype plane. Once completed, the pilots will take over and monitor the airplane remotely until it lands safely.