KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

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Guren
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da Guren » 17 febbraio 2017, 1:38

Capito... certo che Boeing non ci fa una grande figura e nemmeno l'USAF che lo ha preferito al 330
Ciao, Marco
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In tutta la sua vita,
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Lampo 13
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da Lampo 13 » 17 febbraio 2017, 7:28

Guren ha scritto:Capito... certo che Boeing non ci fa una grande figura e nemmeno l'USAF che lo ha preferito al 330
Che l'USAF potesse comprarsi un 330 la vedo difficile!
In USA i prodotti venduti alle forza armate, vedi le nostre Beretta, DEVONO essere prodotte in loco,
ce lo vedi un A330 prodotto in USA?

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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 20 febbraio 2017, 8:07

richelieu ha scritto:
Guren ha scritto:ma quali sono i motivi di tutti questi problemi se il 767 è usato come tanker da altri stati da tempo?
Il KC-46A non coincide, come modello, con il nostro KC-767A o con quello utilizzato dai Giapponesi.
Si tratta, in realtà, di un ibrido ... come puoi vedere da questo vecchio articolo di FlightGlobal .....


..... https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... en-347896/ .....

Per questo motivo ..... qualcuno lo ha anche addirittura denominato 'Frankentanker' ..... :mrgreen:
Evidentemente le tante modifiche apportate hanno causato numerosi problemi e i relativi ritardi ..... nonchè, quale conseguenza, l' aumento dei costi del programma .....

.
Se la cosa può interessare ..... segnalo questo lungo articolo, apparso sull' ultimo numero dell' AIR FORCE Magazine dell' AFA, nel quale viene fatto il punto sulla situazione del programma ..... "Pegasus Prep" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 25 febbraio 2017, 23:13

Boeing fa causa a due fornitori ..... :mrgreen:
​Boeing has sued two of its suppliers for allegedly mislabeling chemicals that damaged the refueling systems in a KC-46A, which delayed its first flight in 2015 by a month.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in a California federal court, calls for at least $10 million in damages from Able Aerospace Adhesives and AflaKleen Chemical Labs, The Seattle Times reported.
Fonte: AFA ..... "Boeing Sues Suppliers for KC-46 Flight Delay" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 3 marzo 2017, 9:18

KC-Z ..... 'invisibile' ..... ma non troppo ..... :offtheair:
The US Air Force’s KC-Z tanker may not be stealthy, but should be persistent and able to change its waveform signature management, according to the service’s head of air mobility command.
Gen Carlton Everhart clarified earlier comments he made last September, when he told reporters the USAF was considering whether the next-generation tanker should include standoff, stealth or penetrating capabilities.
During a 2 March interview at the Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, Everhart told reporters the tanker must maintain persistence and survivabililty as it flies close to other USAF aircraft.
He clarified that the tanker may not be stealthy, but should fend off enemy aircraft by manipulating radar signatures.
Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "Next-gen tanker must be survivable, not stealthy" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 25 marzo 2017, 10:06

I costi calano ..... i ritardi aumentano .....
Manco fosse una novità ..... :mrgreen:
The Boeing KC-46A tanker’s costs have decreased by $7.3 billion, or about 14%, since its initial estimate but the programme could see future delays, according to a Government Accountability Report (*) released this week.
Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "KC-46 costs come down but delays loom" .....

(*) GAO ..... https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-370 .....

Anche su DefenseNews ..... "Already a year delayed, KC-46 program at risk of further schedule slips" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 4 maggio 2017, 23:24

Ed ora sono sei ......
Boeing has bolstered its flight-test fleet for the KC-46A programme to six aircraft, as the company strives to complete a development campaign with the 767-based tanker.
The latest addition – Boeing's second low-rate initial production example – made its debut flight from the company's Everett site in Washington on 29 April.
The new asset will be dedicated to tasks including electromagnetic testing, the company says.
Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "Sixth aircraft joins KC-46A tanker test fleet" .....

AFA ..... "Second LRIP KC-46 Completes First Flight" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 3 giugno 2017, 10:26

Altri ritardi in vista ?
Lo si saprà a giorni .....
The Air Force will know in June whether the KC-46 tanker program will be set back by another round of schedule delays, a service official told lawmakers Thursday.
KC-46A manufacturer Boeing is conducting a schedule risk assessment for the program and will update the Air Force’s top acquisition officials — Darlene Costello and Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch — during the first week of June, Bunch said during a House Armed Services subcommittee panel.
Fonte: DefenseNews ..... "Will the KC-46 face another schedule delay? The Air Force will find out in June" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 8 giugno 2017, 20:59

Nella "tarda primavera" del prossimo anno .....
he US Air Force expects Boeing to deliver the first of its KC-46A tankers in the "late spring" of 2018, several months after a previously planned date during September 2017.
Following an annual KC-46A schedule risk assessment earlier this week, the USAF determined that slower-than-expected progress in the flight test programme and Boeing’s ability to achieve US Federal Aviation Administration certifications would delay the first delivery by several months.
Boeing plans to secure the remaining design approvals in July, the service said on 8 June.
Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "USAF expects delayed KC-46A delivery next spring" .....

AFA ..... "USAF Expects Boeing’s KC-46 Delivery to Be Late, Boeing Insists" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 20 settembre 2017, 10:02

KC-46A ..... si riparla di ..... ritardi ..... :eeeeek:
Despite earlier assurances that Boeing would deliver the US Air Force's first 767-based KC-46A tanker by the end of this year, boom scraping issues and a slew of uncompleted test points may delay delivery until 2018, the head of its Air Mobility Command has revealed.
More than half way into testing, the USAF has discovered severe flaws on the tanker, known as “category 1 deficiencies”.
Among the most glaring, the tip of its boom has on occasion struck receiver aircraft outside their refuelling slipways.
Boeing engineers are working to fix the problem, but unless the issue is resolved it could delay a scheduled 1 December delivery, Gen Carlton Everhart said at the annual Air, Space and Cyber conference near Washington DC.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "KC-46A testing glitches could delay USAF tanker milestone" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 20 settembre 2017, 12:12

E ..... in attesa delle nuove aviocisterne ..... si procede all' aggiornamento di quelle vecchie .....
Ovvero ..... gallina vecchia ..... con tutto quel che segue ..... :mrgreen:
Air Mobility Command, while it is pushing for delivery of the next generation KC-46 tanker next year, is moving forward on continued upgrades for its KC-135 fleet to keep the aging aircraft flying, and is pulling retired aircraft back into the fleet to build up its force structure, AMC Commander Gen. Carlton Everhart said at ASC17.
The KC-46 program still has its “heaviest testing” ahead, he said.
While the program has faced several delays, AMC is confident it will get the aircraft next year.
“We will get the airplane in 2018, in my humble opinion,” Everhart said.
“We will have a good aircraft, I believe, when we get the product. I don’t really need the aircraft right now, I need the aircraft when it’s ready.”
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
USAF is in the midst of block upgrades for its KC-135 fleet and other modernization, which includes new autopilot systems, glass cockpits, and other updates aimed at keeping the tanker viable until 2040 or so, Everhart said.
Fonte: airforcemag.com ..... "AMC Modernizing Legacy Aircraft as it Pushes for KC-46 Deliveries in 2018" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 23 settembre 2017, 0:03

L' USAF fornisce dettagli sui problemi che affliggono il KC-46A .....

flightglobal.com ..... "USAF provides new detail on KC-46 issues" .....

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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 24 settembre 2017, 13:19

E' concreta la possibilità di raschiature che potrebbero compromettere il buone esito di una missione e, al tempo stesso, la sicurezza degli equipaggi .....
The Air Force is exploring three deficiencies on the KC-46 tanker, one of which is considered serious and could affect the jet’s ability to refuel stealth aircraft without compromising their low-observable features and thus their ability to complete their mission.
Service aerial tanker Program Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Donna Shipton said two of the deficiencies will likely be “closed” next month, but it’s “too early” to think about how the possible scraping of stealth aircraft by KC-46 refueling booms might be fixed.
This third deficiency involves “undetected contacts outside the receptacle,” meaning that the air refueling boom could hit the receiving aircraft away from the refueling receptacle without the boom operator knowing it.
With the existing fleet of tankers, the boom operator gets an indication if the boom has touched the receiving aircraft in such a way, and procedures require him to inform the receiving aircrew.
The receiver aircrew then “make the decision” whether this contact has somehow “impacts” the jet’s ability to complete the mission, Shipton said.
The situation could result in stealth coatings being scraped off a receiving jet’s surface, compromising its low observability.
KC-46 Program Manager Col. John Newberry said the situation “could have significant risk to aircrew.”
Fonte: airforcemag.com ..... "KC-46 Problem Poses “Significant Risk,” Imperils Stealth" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 12 ottobre 2017, 9:55

Fra di loro ..... :love3:

Dal sito dell' AFA .....
First KC-46 Tanker-to-Tanker Refueling Completed .....

A joint Boeing-USAF test team recently used one KC-46A to refuel another KC-46A for the first time.
During a four-hour flight, the two tankers took turns refueling each other, reaching the aircraft’s maximum transfer rate of 1,200 gallons per minute.
The tankers transferred a total of 38,100 pounds of fuel over the course of the flight, according to a Boeing press release (*).
The successful test marked another milestone for the KC-46 as it moves through its certification process.
The Air Force expects first deliveries of the Pegasus sometime next year despite recent concerns that the tanker’s boom could scrape stealth coatings off some receiving aircraft.

—Wilson Brissett
Inoltre .....
A Boeing KC-46A tanker has refuelled another KC-46A for the first time.
The work took place during a four-hour flight in which the two aircraft refuelled each other, says Boeing in a statement (*).
The pair achieved the maximum offload rate of 1,200 gallons per minute, and transferred 38,100lbs of fuel. The activity involved personnel from both Boeing and the US Air Force.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "PICTURE: KC-46A refuels another KC-46A" .....

(*) ..... "Boeing, Air Force Test Team Completes First KC-46 to KC-46 Refueling" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 27 ottobre 2017, 0:12

Dal sito dell' AFA .....
Boeing Reports Additional KC-46 Cost Overruns .....

Boeing on Wednesday reported additional cost overruns for the KC-46 tanker program, a total of $329 million that the company will pay itself.
The overruns, detailed as part of the company’s third quarter earnings report, were “due to incorporating changes into initial production aircraft as we progress through late-stage testing and the certification process,” according to a Boeing release.
As part of the KC-46 contract with the Air Force, Boeing is responsible for paying any expenses over the contract’s value of $4.9 billion.
The latest developmental hiccup came to light last month, when it was disclosed that the KC-46’s refueling boom could scrape the skin of receiver aircraft, potentially limiting the low-observable features of planes such as F-22s, F-35s, and B-2s.
The service is conducting test flights to collect data on this issue.
Currently, six of the 24 KC-46s on contract are flying.

Brian Everstine
Anche qui ..... flightglobal.com ..... "New $329 million charge deepens Boeing's KC-46 losses" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 30 ottobre 2017, 23:50

Ci si affida ad un ritocco del software .....
The US Air Force believes a software reprogramming could solve some deficiencies discovered earlier this year on the Boeing KC-46 tanker, following initial findings from testing earlier this month.
Though testing is ongoing, early data indicates that reprogramming could fix a high-frequency transmit and an “uncommanded boom extension” on KC-46, Gen Carlton Everhart, commander of the USAF Air Mobility Command, said last week.
During aerial refueling, HF transmitting must be turned off to avoid electrical sparking between the boom and receiver.
The air force discovered the problem in 2016 but needed additional test data to confirm that when transmitting is turned off, it stays off.
Recent tests have shown Boeing can maintain the same radio on KC-46, leaving room for a software fix.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "USAF floats software solutions for KC-46 issues" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 12 novembre 2017, 11:55

KC-46 ..... Boeing si sta avvicinando alla soluzione del restante problema .....
Boeing is continue to work with USAF officials to find a way to resolve the third major deficiency with the tanker hardware and software .....
The last remaining item is a concern that the remotely operated refuelling boom can make contact with the receiver aircraft outside the receiver area without the contact being detected.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "DUBAI: KC-46 trims major deficiencies to one" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 13 novembre 2017, 14:36

Nonostante la persistenza di qualche problema ..... Boeing spinge il KC-46A sul mercato medio-orientale .....
Even as Boeing’s KC-46A struggles with testing and meeting schedule, Boeing is already marketing the next-generation tanker to potential customers in the Middle East.
There is high demand for tankers in the turbulent region, with the US Air Force currently supporting Saudi Arabia combat operations in Yemen with air refuelling.
During the Dubai air show, Boeing courted countries looking to switch or augment their tanking capabilities, says Gene Cunningham, vice president of Global Sales for Boeing Defense.
Fonte: ..... "DUBAI: Boeing pitches KC-46 tanker to Middle East" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 7 dicembre 2017, 14:55

Vola il primo KC-46A destinato all' Air Force .....
Boeing’s first KC-46A tanker slated for the US Air Force operational fleet made its maiden flight this week, pushing the aircraft closer to a newly-delayed, 2018 delivery.
While Boeing has flown six other test articles, the newest 767-2C-based aircraft will be one of the first 18 inducted into the service next year.
The USAF had expected Boeing to deliver the first KC-46 by the end of 2017.
According to a Government Accountability Office report released in March, Boeing is expected to deliver the first 18 aircraft by February 2018, a seven-month slip from the previous delivery date.
The Cobham wing aerial refueling pods (WARPs) will still be delivered separately in October, Boeing confirms.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "Boeing flies first KC-46A tanker for US Air Force" .....

Un programma tartassato dai ritardi .....

..... defensenews.com ..... "Boeing will miss 2017 delivery goal for first KC-46" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 22 dicembre 2017, 0:23

Certificazione parziale .....
The Boeing has received an amended type certificate for the 767-2C that serves as the baseline aircraft for conversion into the US Air Force KC-46A tanker, the company says.
Boeing expects to deliver the first KC-46 to the air force next year but first must receive two certifications from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
In addition to the amended certification for the 767-2C, the programme is still working on qualifying for a supplemental type certification for the modifications required to convert the aircraft into a military tanker.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "Boeing KC-46 receives 767 certification" .....

Il comunicato di Boeing ... "Boeing KC-46 Tanker Program Receives FAA Certification for its 767-2C Aircraft" ...
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 27 dicembre 2017, 8:40

Dalla pagina dei contratti del DoD del 22 Dicembre 2017 .....
The Boeing Co., Defense, Space & Security, Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a $288,681,573 firm-fixed-price contract for one KC-46A aircraft for Japan.
The face value is not-to-exceed $19,786,279.
This contract provides for non-recurring engineering, integrated logistics support and one KC-46A aircraft modified to the Japan foreign military sales (FMS) configuration.
Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, with an expected completion date of Feb. 28, 2021.
This contract involves 100 percent FMS to Japan, and is the result of a sole-source acquisition.
FMS funds in the amount of $278,590,571 are being obligated at the time of award.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8609-18-G-0002/FA8609-18-F-0006).
Il commento di flightglobal.com: "Japan KC-46 acquisition moves forward" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 6 gennaio 2018, 20:31

KC-46 ..... i problemi ancora da risolvere .....
Boeing is still working to fix three deficiencies related to the refueling process of the KC-46 Pegasus that must be resolved before the troubled tanker can enter service, the U.S. Air Force says.

The most worrying issue is a tendency of the tanker’s rigid refueling boom to scrape the surface of receiving aircraft.
This is of particular concern for stealth aircraft such as the B-2 bomber, F-22 and F-35 fighter, if the boom causes damage to low-observable stealth coatings.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Another deficiency is related to the KC-46’s high-frequency (HF) radios, which use the skin of the aircraft as an antenna and sometimes causes electrical sparks and arcs.
The Air Force wants to make sure those radios are fail-safe and can never transmit during the refueling process, for fear of any sparks causing fires.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
The final problem - uncommanded boom extensions when disconnecting from a receiver aircraft with fuel flowing - has been downgraded from Category One, the most serious, to Category Two ...
The government-industry team has identified a solution and expects to implement the fix in May 2018 .....
Fonte: aviationweek.com ..... "Boeing Still Working To Repair Major KC-46 Defects" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 21 marzo 2018, 9:26

Il programma continua ad accumulare ritardi ..... cosa che provoca il disappunto della signora Wilson ..... che non risparmia critiche all' azienda costruttrice .....

Immagine

Dal sito dell' AFA .....
Wilson Slams Boeing Over KC-46 Program .....

Boeing has been “overly optimistic in all of their schedule reports” on the KC-46 tanker, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told a House Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday.
Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Donovan visited the Boeing facility in Everett, Wash., earlier this month, saying at the time that Boeing needed to “double down on providing the necessary resources and engineering talent to push the last 10 yards and get this program over the goal line.”
In her testimony Tuesday during a session on the Fiscal 2019 budget request and acquisition reform, Wilson said she expects the company to be late with deliveries of the plane.
“We have asked them to put their A-Team on this to get the problems fixed and get the aircraft to the Air Force,” she said.
She also told the hearing that in this case, one of the frustrations with Boeing “is that they’re much more focused on their commercial activity than they are on getting this right for the Air Force and getting these airplanes to the Air Force.”
Boeing, in a statement emailed to Air Force Magazine late Tuesday, said, "There is no greater priority at The Boeing Company right now than the delivery of the KC-46. Boeing has continued to demonstrate its commitment to deliver the tankers as soon as possible and believes in our partnership with the US Air Force."

- Steve Hirsch
Altre fonti .....

..... flightglobal.com ..... "USAF criticises Boeing on new KC-46 delay concerns" .....

..... defensenews.com ..... "Boeing KC-46 delays are frustrating Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson" .....

I problemi più recenti .....

..... defensenews.com ..... "US Air Force adds new deficiencies to KC-46’s list of problems" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 20 aprile 2018, 0:17

Nuova tegola .....
A newly-discovered software flaw could trigger another schedule delay for the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus unless the US Federal Aviation Administration approves a temporary waiver from certification requirements.
In a document submitted to the FAA on 26 March, Boeing requests a time-limited exemption from the FAA’s supplemental type certification criteria for the 767-2C, the commercial aircraft model on which the KC-46A is derived.
If approved, the exemption would expire after 30 June next year, but by then Boeing plans to deliver a permanent fix for the software problem.
Meanwhile, Boeing has proposed using a third crew member in the cockpit to mitigate any hazard from the problem while the exemption is in effect.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "New software flaw requires FAA intervention to avoid KC-46 schedule slip" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 4 maggio 2018, 0:07

Nonostante i vari problemi che continuano ad affliggere il programma ..... Boeing mira a future operazioni di rifornimento in volo senza che vi sia intervento alcuno da parte del membro dell' equipaggio cui tale compito è normalmente demandato .....
Although the delivery of the first KC-46A Pegasus is still months away, Boeing is about to launch a follow-on development programme, with potential upgrades including autonomous refueling, improved survivability and new communications systems, says the company’s programme manager.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Boeing’s first task under the contract will likely be to work with the USAF to develop a five-year roadmap of potential upgrades for the new, 767-2C-based tanker fleet .....
Among the top candidates for the roadmap is the addition of an autonomous refueling capability, allowing the KC-46A to refuel other aircraft without a human operator directly controlling the operation .....
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "Autonomous refueling considered for KC-46A upgrade plan" .....

Si tratta evidentemente di uno sviluppo interessante ed in linea con le nuove tecnologie ormai in fase di applicazione.
Credo comunque sia lecito esprimere qualche dubbio in merito ..... :scratch:
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 4 maggio 2018, 8:33

Risolto il problema con la FAA ... flightglobal.com ... "Boeing completes final FAA test on KC-46 tanker programme" ...

... Boeing pensa di cominciare a vedere la luce in fondo al tunnel ...

Immagine

... flightglobal.com ... "ANALYSIS: Boeing sees KC-46A saga nearing final chapter" ...

Speriamo ... :mrgreen:
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 14 maggio 2018, 11:41

Sia quel che sia ..... Boeing e USAF si trovano tuttora in disaccordo ..... :agrue:
Boeing, U.S. Air Force At Odds Over KC-46 .....

Lara Seligman - Aviation Week & Space Technology - May 14, 2018

If you ask Boeing, it is on the cusp of delivering a game-changing tanker capability to the U.S. Air Force.
But if you ask the Air Force, Boeing has to resolve significant design flaws and is far from completing the required flight testing.
More than seven years after contract award, the aerospace giant and its U.S. government customer are at loggerheads over the new KC-46 refueling tanker’s delivery timing and what work remains for Boeing to do.
The daylight between Boeing and the Air Force on the KC-46 refueling tanker was on full display during interviews with officials from both in the past few weeks.
During a media visit to Boeing’s Everett, Washington, facility May 3 and an interview with Air Force KC-46 program manager Brig. Gen. Donna Shipton May 9 at the Pentagon, officials presented contradictory information on the long-delayed aircraft.
This is not the first time the two parties have clashed on the KC-46.
Until last December, Boeing was promising to deliver the first of 18 required tankers by the end of 2017, although the Air Force was projecting it would not receive the aircraft before mid-2018.
Today, Boeing Defense CEO Leanne Caret pledges delivery of all 18 KC-46s will occur by year-end.
But the Air Force now expects delivery in May 2019, 21 months later than originally planned, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office.
In the meantime, Boeing has racked up more than $3 billion in pre-tax charges on the program, including an additional $81 million in the first three months of this year.
Shipton attributes the delay to Boeing’s slower-than-anticipated pace in accomplishing the required test points.
Progress has been impeded by a series of technical challenges over the course of KC-46 development, she says.
There are currently two deficiencies the Air Force characterizes as “Category 1 - Urgent,” meaning the problem is not a safety issue but “has no known acceptable workaround” (as opposed to “Category 1 - Emergency,” meaning the problem presents a safety risk).
The most pressing issue is improving the Rockwell Collins Remote Vision System (RVS), an advanced sensor suite that allows the crew to operate the refueling boom remotely from near the cockpit.
In certain flight conditions, shadows or glare from the Sun can distract the boom operator, according to Mike Gibbons, Boeing’s KC-46 vice president and program manager.
The Air Force is concerned that this can cause contact outside the receptacle, the formal term for what happens when the boom accidentally scrapes receiver aircraft.
“Learning will continue to take place once the aircraft is delivered. However, if limitations were to exist with the KC-46, they can’t be passed on to a 19-year-old boom operator to figure out,” says Air Mobility Command spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Karns.
“This is more than an aircraft; it is a weapon system.”
Boeing recently began flight tests on a software “enhancement” to the RVS that it expects will reduce the number of such incidents, Gibbons says.
The software upgrade sharpens the image displayed to the operator and eliminates the glare, he notes.
But the Air Force takes issue with the word “enhancement.”
The change is a “fix,” says Shipton.
“Something that’s an enhancement means that it’s gotten better above the requirement. We didn’t believe that the original system was going to meet the requirement, so for us this is a software fix because it fixes what we saw as a deficiency in the system in order for them to get to an acceptable level of performance.”
For the Air Force, the rate of “undetected” contacts outside the receptacle on the original RVS was excessive and did not meet the requirement that “the [air refueling operator (ARO)] shall have sufficient visual cues to safely refuel a receiver in all ambient lighting and background conditions.”
The rate should be zero - any time there is contact outside the receptacle, it needs to be recorded, according to the Air Force.
Further, the contract also includes an “equivalency requirement” stating that the KC-46 must be able to refuel all receivers that are compatible with the KC-135, with no restrictions or modifications to the receiver envelope, Shipton adds.
When the undetected contact issue was discovered, the Air Force was concerned that the KC-46 equipped with the original RVS would not be able to meet that requirement - including refueling stealth aircraft with low-observable coating that might be damaged.
“We did not believe that there was sufficient visual acuity in order for the ARO to safely aerial refuel on the old baseline,” Shipton says.
Boeing, by contrast, asserts that the original system met the Air Force’s requirement.
“We are very happy with our camera system; it is a state of the art camera system,” Gibbons says.
“Contact outside the receptacle, which has also been termed ‘boom scraping’ in some cases, actually is, unfortunately, a phenomenon that occurs in the fleet today and in test. As long as you have a person in the loop, you will end up in some conditions where you will end up contacting outside the receptacle.”
Sean Martin, Boeing KC-46 chief air refueling operator, moreover contends that the shadow and glare issue occurs in only 5-8% of tanking operations.
But that rate is too high for the Air Force.
“We can’t have the 5% with restrictions because there may be very important missions where we have to refuel in those lighting conditions where a KC-135 can do it today but a KC-46 can’t,” says Col. John Newberry, KC-46 system program manager.
Boeing and the Air Force are also clashing over the results of their comprehensive joint study of the legacy fleet.
Gibbons says the data shows that the rate of undetected contacts on the KC-46 is in the same range as on the existing KC-135 and KC-10 tankers.
But Shipton disputes this, saying that, to her knowledge, Boeing has not yet delivered the results of the study to the Air Force.
Either way, Boeing is paying to upgrade the RVS software and will deliver the first aircraft with that modification in place, officials say.
The two parties also differ over the delivery schedule for the 18 aircraft contractually required by October.
Boeing officials said during the media visit that the company could deliver all 18 tankers in quick succession.
But Shipton says the two parties have agreed on a schedule after first delivery of accepting aircraft at a rate of three per month, or about every 10 days, which is a “surge” for the Air Force.
The number of tankers the Air Force can accept at once is limited by the government’s rigorous acceptance process, as well as by the number of aircrew and maintainers that are trained on the aircraft, she says.
There may be opportunities to increase that rate, but not until at least after the first three aircraft are delivered, Shipton says.
“What we have said to Boeing is: first, let’s get to three; let’s show that we can do three repeatedly, and then we will look at potentially trying to do more,” Shipton says.
If you do the math, the three-per-month rate means Boeing is already late for the October deadline.
The Air Force and Boeing are united in working to expedite delivery of the first tanker.
The program is considering changing a contractual requirement to certify eight receiver aircraft on the new KC-46 baseline before delivery to just three, Shipton says.
All eight would be required by the start of initial operational test and evaluation, the aircraft’s final test period, she says.
Today, Boeing has 34 tankers in some stage of production and is about 95% complete with flight testing, according to company officials.
The KC-46 program also has submitted the required flight-test data and reports to the FAA for review in advance of the expected Supplemental Type Certificate award, the last of two FAA certifications necessary for delivery.
But there is still a lot of work to be done before first delivery, says Shipton.
The KC-46 must also obtain a Military Type Certificate, which is based on the FAA certifications and requires additional flight tests.
If Boeing does not deliver the first tanker by October, it would be the second time the company has missed the Required Assets Available deadline, originally slated for August 2017.
To compensate for the delay so far, Boeing is providing additional training for KC-46 aircrew and maintainers above the contractual requirement.
If the aircraft maker misses the deadline again, the Air Force will likely require additional compensation.
Fonte: aviationweek.com ..... "Boeing, U.S. Air Force At Odds Over KC-46" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 21 giugno 2018, 0:24

La data di consegna ..... finalmente .....
Under a deal announced Wednesday, the Air Force will accept the first KC-46A tanker ready for operational duty in October, with the balance of the first 18 contractually obligated aircraft to be delivered by April of next year.
The announcement puts firm dates to a plan that had been in flux, as Boeing missed delivering the first tanker by the original target of last summer.
Recently, the company said it would deliver the first jet by the end of this year, while the Air Force said by its reckoning the milestone wouldn't happen until next spring or summer.
In May, the service refused to accept any KC-46 deliveries because of deficiencies in its boom refueling system.
The Air Force did not say whether the boom issue has been resolved to its satisfaction.
Fonte: airforcemag.com ..... "USAF to Receive First KC-46 in October" .....

Inoltre .....

..... defensenews.com ..... "Here’s when the US Air Force will get its first KC-46 tanker" .....

..... flightglobal.com ..... "Boeing set to deliver first KC-46 aerial tanker to USAF in October" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 16 luglio 2018, 10:52

Dal 'Daily Report' dell' AFA di questa mattina .....
KC-46 Program Finishes Tests Required for First Delivery .....

The KC-46 program in early July finished the flight testing required for the first delivery of the aircraft in October, the service and Boeing (*) announced Friday.
On July 6, Boeing and the Air Force finished all of the test points for the KC-46’s Remote Vision System, which controls the refueling boom, along with receiver certifications for the F-16 and C-17.
Lastly, the KC-46 in June finished testing for receiving fuel from the KC-135.
These tests were the minimum required for the long-delayed delivery of the first KC-46.
“With this milestone complete, the test program demonstrated a level of maturity that positions Boeing to deliver, and the Air Force to accept, an aircraft by the end of October 2018,” Air Force Service Acquisition Executive Will Roper said in a release.
The test program is now moving on to the follow-on receiver testing and certifications that are required for operational testing, slated to begin next year, the release states.

- Brian Everstine
(*) ..... "Boeing KC-46 Program Completes Flight Testing Required for First Delivery to U.S. Air Force" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 4 agosto 2018, 17:52

Ed ecco che arriva ..... una spintarella federale ..... :mrgreen:
An unresolved software flaw won’t delay the first delivery of the Boeing KC-46A tanker after the US Federal Aviation Administration approved a temporary exemption from safety requirements.
Boeing’s engineers discovered earlier this year that the KC-46A lacks an independent system to monitor fuel flow, as required by the FAA’s safety regulations.
If a single processor fails while the KC-46A is receiving fuel from another tanker, an overpressure event in the centre fuel tank may go undetected, according to Boeing’s nearly four-month old request for a temporary exemption.
On 2 August, the FAA approved Boeing’s exemption from the safety requirement, allowing the aircraft to be used on operational flights as scheduled after October.
Fonte: flightglobal.com ..... "FAA clears obstacle to KC-46A delivery in October" .....
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 8 agosto 2018, 9:07

A.A.A.

..... Piloti cercansi ..... (dal 'Daily Report' dell'AFA) .....
AMC Opens Competition for First KC-46 Pilots .....

The Air Force is beginning the process to pick the operational pilots who will fly the next-generation tanker.
Air Mobility Command announced Tuesday it will conduct a KC-46 Pilot Selection Board later this fall, aiming to pick about 104 pilots for the first two operational Pegasus squadrons at McConnell AFB, Kan.
AMC is calling on pilots with a broad range of experience, especially those in their first and second flying assignments to fill the 344th and 349th Air Refueling Squadrons, along with staff positions in the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, according to an AMC release (*).
Additionally, AMC wants pilots with experience in non-mobility aircraft, specifically the RC-135 Rivet Joint, E-3 Sentry, and E-8C JSTARS.
Packages are due by Sept. 7, according to AMC.
The Air Force expects to accept delivery of the first KC-46 in October, with 17 more by next spring.

- Brian Everstine
(*) ..... "KC-46 pilot selection board calls for nominations" .....
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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 4 settembre 2018, 10:39

Boeing ha ottenuto il contratto per la realizzazione dello 'UAV' MQ-25A 'Stingray' che fungerà da rifornitore in volo per gli aerei dell' aviazione imbarcata USA .....

..... http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2018-08-30- ... 5-Contract .....

..... https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... -c-451553/ .....

..... https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... s-stingray .....

..... https://news.usni.org/2018/08/30/navy-p ... ased-drone .....

Anche il 'Daily Report' dell' AFA ha trattato l'argomento ..... evidenziando l'influenza che tale velivolo potrebbe avere sul futuro programma 'KC-Z' dell' Air Force .....

..... "Boeing’s MQ-25 Win Hints at Future USAF Tanker" .....
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da JT8D » 5 settembre 2018, 21:09

"La corsa di decollo è una metamorfosi, ecco una quantità di metallo che si trasforma in aeroplano per mezzo dell'aria. Ogni corsa di decollo è la nascita di un aeroplano" (Staccando l'ombra da terra - D. Del Giudice)


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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da JT8D » 6 settembre 2018, 21:09

richelieu ha scritto:Boeing ha ottenuto il contratto per la realizzazione dello 'UAV' MQ-25A 'Stingray' che fungerà da rifornitore in volo per gli aerei dell' aviazione imbarcata USA .....

..... http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2018-08-30- ... 5-Contract .....

..... https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... -c-451553/ .....

..... https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... s-stingray .....

..... https://news.usni.org/2018/08/30/navy-p ... ased-drone .....

Anche il 'Daily Report' dell' AFA ha trattato l'argomento ..... evidenziando l'influenza che tale velivolo potrebbe avere sul futuro programma 'KC-Z' dell' Air Force .....

..... "Boeing’s MQ-25 Win Hints at Future USAF Tanker" .....
.
A proposito, oggi Rolls-Royce ha comunicato che è stata selezionata come fornitore del motore per l'MQ-25. Si tratterà del propulsore Rolls-Royce AE 3007N.

https://www.md80.it/2018/09/06/il-motor ... -u-s-navy/

Paolo
"La corsa di decollo è una metamorfosi, ecco una quantità di metallo che si trasforma in aeroplano per mezzo dell'aria. Ogni corsa di decollo è la nascita di un aeroplano" (Staccando l'ombra da terra - D. Del Giudice)


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richelieu
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Re: KC-X ..... è proprio una telenovela .....

Messaggio da richelieu » 10 settembre 2018, 11:37

Immagine
Water cannon salute for 15-46009 - the first Boeing KC-46A for delivery to USAF, prior to departure for Boeing Field.
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