{"id":199226,"date":"2015-08-13T12:56:59","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T15:56:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/?p=199226"},"modified":"2015-10-08T18:48:35","modified_gmt":"2015-10-08T21:48:35","slug":"the-aircraft-nursery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/the-aircraft-nursery\/","title":{"rendered":"The aircraft nursery"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Wind

L\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span>Wind tunnel for testing at UFMG, and aircraft drawings made by the university\u2019s studentsL\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

In May 2015, an electric airplane flew for the first time in Brazil, earning this country a place among the select group of nations that have mastered the technology for building this type of aircraft.\u00a0 The flight took place in the city of S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos, state of S\u00e3o Paulo, site of Brazil\u2019s biggest aerospace industry hub and home base of Embraer, the world\u2019s third largest manufacturer of commercial passenger jets.\u00a0 The electric plane, called the Sora-e, is owned by ACS-Aviation, one of approximately 20 Brazilian builders of experimental or light sport aircraft (LSA), as classified by Brazil\u2019s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC).\u00a0 Light sport aircraft, included by ANAC as a subcategory of experimental aircraft in 2011, can be sold fully assembled, whereas experimental amateur-built aircraft are uncertified lightweight planes sold in the form of assembly kits.\u00a0 At least 51% of the assembly of these planes must be done by the buyer, usually a private pilot.<\/p>\n

Half of all experimental aircraft manufacturers in Brazil are located in the interior of S\u00e3o Paulo State; the others are in Goi\u00e1s, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Santa Catarina, and Bahia.\u00a0 Brazil is the world\u2019s second largest market for experimental aircraft, second only to the United States.\u00a0 As reported by ANAC, there were 4,958 experimental aircraft in Brazil in 2013.\u00a0 Designed mainly for amateur pilots who want to fly their own equipment, these planes are used for leisure, recreation, or personal transportation, and cannot be used in any commercial activity.\u00a0 \u201cBrazil is a country of continental proportions that can use this wide range of aircraft to meet a wide range of needs,\u201d explains Humberto Peixoto Silveira, chairman of the Brazilian Association for Experimental Aviation (Abraex).\u00a0 Experimental aircraft in Brazil sell for R$50,000 and up, while an LSA can cost as much as R$750,000.<\/p>\n

\"Sora-e,

ALEXANDRE MARCHETTI<\/span>Sora-e, the first electric aircraft built in BrazilALEXANDRE MARCHETTI<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Despite their small size and capacity limited to two or four people, Silveira believes that experimental planes are technologically advanced vehicles.\u00a0 \u201cAll over the world, experimental aviation is a laboratory for major manufacturers like Airbus, Boeing and Embraer.\u00a0 These aircraft are born from innovative designs in terms of structure and aerodynamics, they are built using advanced production techniques, their structure is built with new materials, and they are equipped with digital avionics [the electric and electronic equipment used in aircraft] and powerful engines that allow some models to fly at more than 300 kilometers per hour [162 knots],\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The flight of the Sora-e was the culmination of two years of work by ACS-Aviation managing partner Alexandre Zaramella, an aeronautical engineer who has a degree from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) (see Pesquisa FAPESP <\/i><\/em>Issue n\u00ba 228<\/a>).\u00a0 \u201cThere are a half dozen companies in the world that focus on the development of electric aircraft.\u00a0 And we are one of the few with a flight-tested plane,\u201d he says.\u00a0 The Sora-e \u2013 a version of the main model produced by ACS-Aviation, the combustion-engined Sora \u2013 was developed in partnership with the Center for Research, Development and Assembly of Vehicles Powered by Electricity (CPDM-VE) of Itaipu Binacional, and received a R$500,000 subsidy from the Brazilian Innovation Agency (FINEP) for the design of an electric system for use in aircraft.\u00a0 The aircraft is equipped with two 35-kilowatt electric engines, powered by six 400-volt lithium-ion polymer batteries that can keep the plane airborne for up to an hour and 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

\"Super

L\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span>Super Petrel LS: landing and take-off on land or waterL\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Composite materials<\/b><\/strong>
\nPresent-day aircraft manufacturers prefer to build their airframes from composite materials \u2013 like metal-polymer or carbon-glass composites.\u00a0 These new materials are lighter and stronger than the traditionally used aircraft-grade aluminum.\u00a0 The European consortium Airbus, for example, has delivered its first jet with wings and fuselage made from polymers reinforced with carbon fiber.\u00a0 The A350 XWB, with seating for 366 passengers, was delivered to Qatar Airways in January 2015.<\/p>\n

Scoda Aeron\u00e1utica, a Brazilian builder of light sports aircraft, has also embraced composites.\u00a0 Located in the city of Ipe\u00fana, 195 kilometers from the state capital of S\u00e3o Paulo, the company builds an amphibian aircraft (i.e., that can land and take off from both land and water) called the Super Petrel LS.\u00a0 The plane is an international hit.\u00a0 \u201cWe have already built 350 of the Super Petrel LS and its predecessor, the Super Petrel 100.\u00a0 They were sold to 23 countries and we have clients in another four whose orders are about to be delivered,\u201d says Rodrigo Scoda, owner of the company.\u00a0 The list price of the Super Petrel starts at R$350,000.<\/p>\n

\"016-23_Avi\u00f5es_234\"<\/a>Scoda is an aeronautical engineer who graduated from the S\u00e3o Carlos School of Engineering at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo (EESC-USP).\u00a0 He emphasizes that the success of his aircraft is largely due to its having won LSA certification in the United States and other countries.\u00a0 \u201cWe designed the Super Petrel LS to be compliant with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards.\u00a0 This was our way of making a global product,\u201d he says.\u00a0 The FAA is the American regulatory authority for civil aviation.\u00a0 Its standards serve as models for many countries, including Brazil.<\/p>\n

Built using a composite of carbon fiber and aramid fiber (Kevlar), the Super Petrel LS was inspired by the French amphibian aircraft known as Hydroplum, from the 1980s.\u00a0 Scoda Aeron\u00e1utica handles 81% of its own production requirements, importing only the mechanical components.\u00a0 An unusual aspect of the development and certification process for the Super Petrel LS was that 90% of it was done by 4th<\/sup>– and 5th<\/sup>-year students from the aeronautical engineering course at EESC-USP, working as interns on the project.\u00a0 \u201cWe work in partnership with universities whenever possible.\u00a0 Three of our eight engineers graduated from EESC,\u201d says Scoda.\u00a0 The company has a team of 100 collaborators, including technicians, engineers, mechanics, pilots and managers.<\/p>\n

\"Quasar

Picasa<\/span>Quasar single-engine aircraft: 60 units soldPicasa<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Certified models<\/b><\/strong>
\nAside from Scoda, the Ind\u00fastria Paulista de Aeronaves (Inpaer) is also looking to certify its aircraft in an attempt to expand its market.\u00a0 Founded in 2002, the company changed hands two years ago when it was acquired by entrepreneurs Milton Pereira and Helio Gardini.\u00a0 \u201cWe have already invested R$40 million in Inpaer since 2013.\u00a0 We made important changes in the management process, reformulated the product portfolio, and expanded the staff from 60 to 115 people.\u00a0 We want to make Inpaer a global company, following in the footsteps of Embraer,\u201d says Pereira.\u00a0 The company\u2019s flagship product, the single-engine two-seater Conquest 180, has been modernized and renamed the New Conquest.\u00a0 \u201cThe New Conquest is being certified as an LSA.\u00a0 Our next goal is to start exporting it,\u201d says Pereira.<\/p>\n

With 230 aircraft already delivered since the company was founded, Inpaer has been working on two new models, the EZY300A and the EZY300B.\u00a0 Both planes will seat four people and have the autonomy to fly 1,950 km (1,210 miles) without refueling.\u00a0 The difference between them is the position of the wings in relation to the fuselage: high-wing planes like the 300A offer more panoramic views and fly at lower speeds; low-wing aircraft like the 300B are faster.\u00a0 \u201cWe want to certify these aircraft under Standard 23 of the Brazilian Register of Civil Aircraft (RBAC 23).\u00a0 This will permit their use for commercial purposes, such as pilot training and passenger and cargo transport,\u201d Pereira explains.\u00a0 The first prototype of the 300A took flight last year and is currently undergoing improvements, while the 300B is still in the design stage.<\/p>\n

\"P-1,

Picasa<\/span>P-1, a pilot training glider designed and built at ITAPicasa<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Pedal-powered plane and ethanol engine<\/b><\/strong>
\nMany aeronautical engineers currently in charge of designing new aircraft in Brazil graduated from one of three universities: EESC-USP, the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA, managed by the Brazilian Air Force), or UFMG.\u00a0 \u201cDuring their five-year undergraduate course, students learn to build a complete aircraft.\u00a0 Our emphasis on aircraft certification and maintenance sets EESC apart.\u00a0 As a result, the market covets our students,\u201d says Professor James Waterhouse from EESC-USP.\u00a0 \u201cBuilding an airworthy aircraft is easy, but making one that complies with aviation standards and is fit for certification is 100 times more difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the most innovative projects developed at EESC was a pedal-powered manned aircraft, the first of its kind in Latin America.\u00a0 In the prototype, weighing only 42 kilograms and built with carbon fiber and composite materials, the pilot activates the propeller by moving pedals with his feet.\u00a0 The inaugural flight, covering just a few meters, was made three years ago.\u00a0 \u201cThe aerodynamics of a pedal-powered aircraft must be extremely refined, otherwise it won\u2019t fly.\u00a0 Right now, our students are improving the design for longer flights,\u201d says Waterhouse, who holds a doctorate in alternative aviation fuels.<\/p>\n

\"The

L\u00e9o Ramos<\/span>The aeronautical engineering course at USP S\u00e3o Carlos focuses on aircraft maintenanceL\u00e9o Ramos<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

In addition to teaching at USP, Waterhouse owns a company called Aeroalcool Tecnologia, in partnership with aeronautical engineer Omar Jos\u00e9 Junqueira Pugliesi, who has a master\u2019s degree in engine engineering from EESC-USP.\u00a0 Installed in the city of Franca, 400 kilometers from S\u00e3o Paulo, the company was established in 2001 with the goal of maturing and marketing the technology for the ethanol-fueled aircraft engine designed in the early 1980s at USP S\u00e3o Carlos.\u00a0 \u201cWe were able to improve the technology, but market contingencies kept our ethanol-fueled aircraft engine from becoming a commercial product,\u201d Waterhouse says.<\/p>\n

The partners decided to invest in designing their own aircraft, which they named the Quasar.\u00a0 \u201cIt was an aircraft designed from scratch, part by part.\u00a0 We made the wheels, brakes, and several other components that are normally imported.\u00a0 In 2006, the Quasar had its maiden flight,\u201d recalls the professor. \u00a0Sixty Quasars have already been sold, and the first eight to be built were exported to the United States.<\/p>\n

\"At

L\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span>At UFMG, the emphasis is on prototype constructionL\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Aeroalcool verticalized the production of its components and achieved a high percentage of Brazilian-made parts.\u00a0 \u201cThe engine, propeller and avionics are imported because it is not cost-effective to build them here,\u201d says Waterhouse.\u00a0 \u201cOur biggest innovation was using laser cutting and laser drilling to build complex metal components, such as the wings and surfaces of the aircraft.\u00a0 I studied this technology during my master\u2019s degree studies, and it resulted in a successful\u00a0 PIPE project (Innovative Research in Small Businesses Program) from FAPESP.\u00a0 With this technology, we cut manufacturing labor costs by 80%, reduced the amount of physical space required, and achieved a higher degree of standardization and manufacturing quality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Groundbreaking glider<\/b><\/strong>
\nITA professor Ekkehard Carlos Fernando Schubert designed and built a two-seat glider called the P-1, for basic and advanced pilot training.\u00a0 Development of the first P-1 prototype began in 1995 and was completed in 2002, when the aircraft made its first flight.\u00a0 \u201cI decided to build a two-seat training glider because I thought Brazil needed to stop importing this relatively simple product.\u00a0 When I started the project, there was a possibility that the Civil Aviation Department [DAC, which would later be reorganized as ANAC] would place a large order for use by Brazil\u2019s aeroclubs, but they never followed through,\u201d says Schubert, a Brazilian born to German parents.<\/p>\n

\"Assembly

L\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span>Assembly of the Super Petrel LS amphibian aircraftL\u00c9O RAMOS<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Gliders are engineless aircraft that ride on air currents.\u00a0 That is why they have to be built out of lightweight materials that have the proper aerodynamics.\u00a0 The P-1 was built with a composite of fiberglass, epoxy resin and rigid PVC foam.\u00a0 Wing geometry is among its biggest technological innovations: the P-1 has variable-sweep wings, that is, their sweep (angle between wing and fuselage) changes along the length of the wingspan.\u00a0 \u201cThis design makes the wing more aerodynamic and enhances flight efficiency,\u201d says the ITA professor.\u00a0 Schubert plans to certify the aircraft as an LSA, in order to try selling it to aviation schools in Brazil and abroad.<\/p>\n

In the 1960s, ITA students advised by Professor Guido Fontegalant Pessotti \u2013 who would later move on to become the technical director of Embraer in the 1980s \u2013 were already building gliders.\u00a0 They built the Urupema, which came to be manufactured by Embraer for a short period, as well as a glider tow plane called the Panelinha.\u00a0 ITA offers six undergraduate engineering courses.\u00a0 Six thousand aeronautical, aerospace, mechanical, electronic, civil, and computer engineers have graduated from the institution since it was founded in 1950.<\/p>\n

\"Pedal-powered

USP \/ Public domain image <\/span>Pedal-powered aircraft developed at EESC-USPUSP \/ Public domain image <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Wellspring of new designs<\/b><\/strong>
\nUFMG also plays a prominent role in training Brazilian professionals to work in the aviation industry.\u00a0 Forty to 45 students complete its aerospace engineering course every year.\u00a0 The university\u2019s Center for Aeronautical Studies (CEA) focuses on the design, development and operation of aircraft prototypes.\u00a0 \u201cFew academic institutions in the world are able to work on building a plane.\u00a0 Since our first prototype, the Gaivota glider, which flew in 1964, we have designed and built 10 different aircraft,\u201d says aeronautical engineer and UFMG professor Paulo Henrique Iscold.<\/p>\n

According to Iscold, UFMG\u2019s emphasis on prototype construction sets its undergraduate program apart from the others.\u00a0 \u201cOur students receive hands-on learning on how to build a plane.\u00a0 In this process, we continuously try to innovate and create something extra that can be adopted by the industry,\u201d says the engineer.\u00a0 Each aircraft takes five to six years to complete, and the students participate in designing the prototypes, making drawings and calculations, and assembling the airframe.\u00a0 The most recent model built at the CEA is the Anequim, a racing aircraft that weighs 330 kilograms and can fly at 575 km\/h (310 knots).\u00a0 The Anequim had its maiden flight in November 2014 and now, in August 2015, its creators will try to break seven world records for speed.\u00a0 The flights will be monitored by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI), an entity based in Switzerland that certifies international aviation records.<\/p>\n

\"Instrument

Inpaer <\/span>Instrument panel of New Conquest single-engine aircraftInpaer <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The single-engine CEA-308, built in 2011 by UFMG, is recognized by the FAI as the world\u2019s fastest light aircraft (less than 300 kilograms in total weight, including pilot and fuel).\u00a0 The CEA-308 broke three world speed records \u2013 for 3-, 15-, and 100-kilometer flights \u2013 and one climb rate record for ascent to three thousand meters.\u00a0 Two years ago, the project for a four-seat aircraft designed at the CEA won an international contest sponsored by French aircraft engine manufacturer Price-Induction.<\/p>\n

According to Iscold, another noteworthy project designed at the CEA is the Triathlon, an acrobatic aircraft made of wood and composite materials, which started to get off the drawing board between 1997 and 2001, during the doctoral studies of professor and CEA founder Cl\u00e1udio de Barros.\u00a0 The model was the inspiration for two other planes, which were built on an industrial scale by private companies \u2013 the Sora, by ACS-Aviation, and the single-engine Wega 180, by Wega Aircraft, based in the state of Santa Catarina.<\/p>\n

\"Wega

Daniel Popinga<\/span>Wega single-engine aircraft, built from an academic projectDaniel Popinga<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Founded by aircraft mechanic Jocelito Wildner, Wega Aircraft is based in the city of Palho\u00e7a, in the metropolitan area of Florian\u00f3polis.\u00a0 It is the first aviation company in Santa Catarina.\u00a0 In addition to the Wega 180, with its 180-horsepower engine, the company also builds the Wega 210 with a more powerful, 210-horsepower engine.\u00a0 \u201cOur aircraft are built from carbon, glass and high-quality resin, have retractable landing gear, and follow international safety standards,\u201d says Wildner, who was trained at the school operated by the now-extinct airline Varig.\u00a0 Wega has a production capacity of two units per year, and has sold a total of eight aircraft so far.<\/p>\n

The state of Pernambuco also has its own aircraft manufacturer, Aeropepe, founded in 1999 in the city of Recife.\u00a0 The company has sold 15 of its Flamingo and Super Flamingo high-wing single-engine aircraft that can fly at 200 km\/h (108 knots).\u00a0 One of them was exported to Portugal.\u00a0 These planes have two main innovations: 100% of their airframe is made from composites, and their wings are built with carbon fiber spars that increase structural strength and make it unnecessary to use splices and joints.\u00a0 \u201cThe aircraft has lower drag and reaches a higher speed while consuming less fuel,\u201d says company owner Jos\u00e9 Rodolfo Garrido Andrade, also known as \u201cPepe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pepe wants to launch three new aircraft models based on the same platform.\u00a0 The first, a certified LSA, was designed in a partnership with Aeron, a spin-off that began life at the CEA-UFMG.\u00a0 \u201cThe engineers at Aeron were put in charge of making the aerodynamics calculations and designing the plane, which is still unnamed and has no estimated date of launch,\u201d says Pepe.\u00a0 The other two models are a version of the LSA with electric engines and a high-performance aircraft equipped with retractable landing gear and a turboprop engine with variable-pitch blades.<\/p>\n

\"Carbon

NOVAER<\/span><\/a> Carbon fiber (in blue<\/em>), supplier items (in yellow<\/em>) and metal parts (in gray<\/em>)NOVAER<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

An ambitious project<\/strong><\/p>\n

Novaer has plans to build a certified aircraft to compete against major international companies, such as American manufacturers Cessna, Piper, and Cirrus<\/em><\/p>\n

Building more than 100 aircraft a year starting with the fourth year of production onward and exporting 75% of all its planes to the international market.\u00a0 This is the target established by Novaer, which is developing its first aircraft, provisionally called Project T-Xc.\u00a0 The plane had its maiden flight in August 2014 and is currently at the certification testing stage, which should take another year.\u00a0 What sets Novaer apart from most Brazilian manufacturers is the fact that the T-Xc will be designed for certification under Standard 23 of the Brazilian Register of Civil Aircraft (RBAC 23).\u00a0 This certification will allow the aircraft to be used for air taxi services, cargo transport, and civilian or military pilot training \u2013 uses not permitted for experimental aircraft.\u00a0 \u201cWe will not have any competitors in Brazil.\u00a0 Our biggest competition will be the international manufacturers like Cessna, Piper, and Cirrus,\u201d says Novaer president Graciliano Campos.<\/p>\n

The T-Xc will be built in two versions: utility and training.\u00a0 The first model, a four-seater, will be designed for passenger and light cargo transport.\u00a0 The training version, dubbed the Sovi, will come with only two seats and will be used for air force pilot training.\u00a0 Both versions were inspired by the experimental aircraft K-51, designed by Hungarian-born, naturalized Brazilian engineer J\u00f3zsef Kov\u00e1cs, one of Brazil\u2019s foremost aircraft designers.\u00a0 The biggest innovation of the T-Xc project is large-scale use of carbon fiber.\u00a0 \u201cMany commercial planes are already being built with this material, but none of them to date have had 100% of their airframe made from carbon fiber, like the Novaer aircraft does,\u201d says Campos.<\/p>\n

Currently based in S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos, Novaer is planning to transfer part of its operations to the city of Lages, in Santa Catarina, where the state government has been planning to establish an industrial complex for the aviation industry.\u00a0 Novaer wants to set up its T-Xc and Sovi assembly lines in Santa Catarina.\u00a0 Established in 1998, the company also develops aircraft components.\u00a0 It supplies the landing gear for the T-27 Tucano, a training and light combat aircraft built by Embraer and used by the air forces of Brazil and 10 other countries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Manufacturers of small aircraft invest in collaboration with universities","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[228,243],"coauthors":[116],"class_list":["post-199226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cover","tag-engineering","tag-innovation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199226\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199226"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=199226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}