Page 78 - World Airnews Magazine February 2020 Edition

NEWS DIGITAL NEWS DIGITAL

MULTICORE PROCESSOR MODULE A BOLT OF GOOD LUCK

FOR HELICOPTERS,

UAM VEHICLES By Heidi Gibson

and operability testing.
This testing was completed
Leading engine manufacturer over a six month period and
By Frank Wolfe Rolls Royce marked the historic it flew more than 15 months
occasion of SAA’s first flight before the first flight of the
For example, the Bell 360 Invictus in the to New York with their newly Airbus A350XWB as one part
US army's Future Attack Reconnaissance aging the latest commercial technologies, of the most extensive FTB
Aircraft (FARA) competition features a reinforcing our commitment to Innovation acquired A350 by handing over programmes ever undertaken
Mercury Systems, Inc has unveiled Collins Aerospace Next Generation Flight that Matters," Song said. a very special gift. between Rolls-Royce and Airbus.
its Ensemble Series CIOE-1390 module for Deck, which will include Collins Aerospace Robert McGrail, a spokesman for Rolls Royce vice president The bolt is one of 22 and made
helicopters and urban air mobility vehicles. multicore processing components. The Mercury Systems, said that "we have seen customers, Ryan Goodnight from Nickel alloy.
handed over a bolt - a genuine
The company hailed the CIOE-1390 as functionality of what previously would significant interest from several prime part of the first ever Trent XWB It flew 21 cycles with a total
‘the industry’s first commercially-available have required multiple computers will now contractors about the CIOE as well as our that was part of the flying test of 73hrs and 16 minutes flying
compute module with Intel Atom multi- be enabled on one box, according to Collins other safety-certifiable solutions." bed programme. time.
core processors and embedded BuiltSAFE Aerospace. While avionics experts have said that the “This inaugural flight was the
technology for flight safety certification.’ The army is pursuing a modular open use of multi-core processors can lead to “Rolls-Royce has been a first that we plan to introduce
The new COM Express-based processor systems approach (MOSA) digital backbone processing delays and interference among strategic partner of South on our international routes in
modules, which the company expects to allow plug and play capabilities for the different avionics applications running African Airways for many years, the near future.
powering their Boeing 747,
to be available by June, “leverage the FARA's avionics and mission systems. simultaneously, Mercury Systems suggest- Airbus A340 and Airbus A330 “We are excited that our
collaboration between Intel and Mercury’s In the interview, Song also said that the ed that more companies will have to move fleets. passengers will enjoy the A350s
design and flight safety certification company expects multi-core design assur- to multi-core processors. superior features such as a
experts to address the demand for onboard ance level-A (DAL-A) certification by March "With the advent of more capable and “We are delighted to have quieter cabin and relaxing in-
processing power needed for smarter for Mercury's ROCK-2 mission computing available mobile platforms, traditional the opportunity to extend this flight experience including the
and more integrated avionics applications architecture for in-service airplanes. single-core processors are becoming relationship with the introduc- all-new In-flight Entertainment
on rotary-wing platforms and Urban Air Regarding the CIOE-1390, Song said that overtaxed," the company said. "Although tion of A350s, powered by our (IFE), extra-legroom seats in
Mobility vehicles," said Mercury Systems. "we are seeing a significant increase in the comparatively easy to certify, single-core Trent XWB, the world’s most Economy Class and lie-flat beds
efficient large aero-engine.
Ike Song, vice president of Mercury's requirements for manned and unmanned processors increasingly lack the perfor- in Business Class,” said Zuks
“Not only will the Trent XWB
Mission Systems group, said in a recent platforms to have their fused sensor mance required to drive next-generation significantly reduce SAA’s Ramasia, SAA’s Acting CEO.
interview that he foresees a high demand streams, platform management, and effec- smart platforms. Additionally, future operating costs due to its low The aircraft, which is
for multi-core processors in the UAM and tor controls such as avionics and vetronics roadmap support from single-core safe- fuel consumption, but it will environmentally friendly, with
military markets. flight safety certified for both defense and ty-critical chip fabricators is diminishing." also help minimise operational improved fuel-efficiency can fly
commercial aerospace The company said that it "is solving the disruption due to its indus- further than any other aircraft in
applications." performance and availability challenge try-leading reliability. commercial service.
“At the intersection by working closely with Intel to launch It is one of the four new Airbus
“The introduction of the Trent
of technology and powerful multi-core processing solutions XWB offers us opportunities to A350-900s that SAA added to
defense, Mercury is with deliverable design assurance level further our collaboration with its fleet in October 2019. It
collaborating with (DAL)-C artifacts for mission-critical, flight South African Airways Technical, replaces the Airbus A340-600,
technology leaders safety-certifiable applications." whom Rolls-Royce is increasingly which was being used on the
like Intel to deliver "Powered by Intel Atom multicore looking to as a maintenance route.
the most cutting-edge processors, the new CIOE-1390 COM service partner in Africa. I con- “All the A350-900s are
flight safety-certifiable Express module delivers a full x86 gratulate SAA on their excellent equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent
multi-core processing processing architecture for embedding decision to add the A350 to their XWB engines.”
resources needed to into applications that must be deployed in fleet and on behalf of the entire
power our customers’ the harshest environments," according to Rolls-Royce organisation express “Since entering service in
most advanced Mercury Systems. Q our gratitude for SAA’s trust in 2015, the Trent XWB engines
and contemporary Article courtesy: https://www.aviation- our products.” have flown more than five
platforms while lever- today.com million hours, and are now
The story goes further as this regarded as the world’s most
particular bolt isn't just any old efficient large aero-engines.
ordinary one – it is an historic “The introduction of the
one. A350s will contribute to our
It made history on 18th operational efficiencies and
February 2012 with the first cost reduction, and forms part
flight of the Trent XWB on of the ongoing fleet renewal
board a modified Airbus A380 programme.
test aircraft or Flying Test Bed “For example, through the
Ike Song, vice programmes – the most efficient A350s, we will lower our
president of aero engine ever to fly at that operational costs, and save on
Mercury's Mission time. our fuel consumption by 25% Zuks Ramasia, SAA’s acting CEO, receiving a gift from Ryan
Systems group The FTB flew between and also lower our maintenance Goodnight, vice president customers, Rolls-Royce. The
February and July 2012 complet- costs by 40% over a five-year gift was given in recognition of the delivery of the first
ing performance, integration period,” said Ramasia. Q A350 to SAA powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines

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