Small, Efficient Turboshaft Powerplant Could Be Worth $2 Million
Registration is now open for the $2 million Air Force Prize that will be awarded to the first entrant to successfully develop a small, lightweight, fuel-efficient turbine engine.
"In order to continue to move forward and to ensure that our Air Force has the best technology available, it is imperative that we collaborate with industry and academia," said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James at the Bending the Cost Curve summit on Jan. 14. "The Air Force Prize is an exciting step in the right direction to encourage this kind of innovation."
The Air Force Prize is designed to spark American ingenuity by inviting a wide audience to compete, and to encourage innovative solutions to Air Force mission requirements beyond typical acquisition programs.
"Recent advances in materials and manufacturing techniques hold extraordinary promise for someone with a great idea and the ability to make it a reality," says Lt. Col. Aaron Tucker, the program manager of the Air Force Prize. "Rapid prototyping techniques like 3D printing can help produce a turbine engine that meets the performance criteria."
A successful 100-horsepower turboshaft engine must operate on Jet A fuel, demonstrate a brake-specific fuel consumption less than or equal to 0.55 pounds of fuel per horsepower per hour, and generate at least 2.0 horsepower per pound.
A team with the ingenuity to create this engine can submit performance data to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). A verification test will be completed in an AFRL test facility before the prize money is awarded.
Also: B-29 Superfortress Reunion, FAA Wants Controllers, Spirit Airlines Pulls Back, Gogo Galileo Van's Aircraft posted a short video recapping the goings-on around their reorganiz>[...]
Light Gun A handheld directional light signaling device which emits a brilliant narrow beam of white, green, or red light as selected by the tower controller. The color and type of>[...]
"The journey to this achievement started nearly a decade ago when a freshly commissioned Gentry, driven by a fascination with new technologies and a desire to contribute significan>[...]
"Our driven and innovative team of military and civilian Airmen delivers combat power daily, ensuring our nation is ready today and tomorrow." Source: General Duke Richardson, AFMC>[...]
Aircraft Conflict Predicted conflict, within EDST of two aircraft, or between aircraft and airspace. A Red alert is used for conflicts when the predicted minimum separation is 5 na>[...]