Page 79 - World Airnews Magazine February 2020 Edition
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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

 World Airnews | February Extra 2020          World Airnews | January Extra 2020
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