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Paris Air Show Le Bourget 2013
International Aviation & Aerospace defence exhibition
17 - 23 June 2013
Paris, France |
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AgustaWestland Project zero at Paris Air Show 2013 |
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| AgustaWestland
Project Zero all-electric tiltrotor technology demonstrator at Paris Air
Show 2013. |
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The
revolutionary AgustaWestland “Project Zero” all-electric tiltrotor
technology demonstrator is the result of close collaborations with Finmeccanica
companies - Selex ES, Ansaldo Breda, and Ansaldo Energia - and partner
companies from Italy, U.K., U.S.A. and Japan. Dr. James Wang, Vice President
of Research and Technology at AgustaWestland, said, “Project Zero
was a fast-paced, complex project involving partners and suppliers across
different time zones.
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“Project Zero” all-electric tiltrotor technology demonstrator
at Paris Air Show 2013
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Our partners worked with great enthusiasm under the
leadership of AgustaWestland R&T Advanced Concepts Group to bring
this revolutionary concept to life. This is the first time multiple
subsidiaries in the Finmeccanica Group collaborated with so many innovative
companies, outside of traditional aerospace industry, in one advanced
demonstrator program."
Stile Bertone of Italy worked closely with AgustaWestland in developing
the aesthetically pleasing styling and aerodynamically unique tiltrotor
configuration. To maximize strength and minimize weight, the entire
aircraft exterior surface is carbon graphite and it was produced by
Lola Composite in the UK. Sistemi Dinamici is a high tech engineering
company jointly owned by AgustaWestland and IDS of Pisa, Italy.
Sistemi Dinamici was instrumental to "Project Zero" by working
closely with the AgustaWestland Advanced Concept Group on Flight Control
System and Rotor design. The technologies developed by each partner
are being fed into their various industrial sectors to bring value to
each company. Selex ES contributed with the High-Integrity Flight Control
Computer and Actuator Control Unit using software provided by Wind River.
Ansaldo Breda drew on their vast expertise in designing and building
high-speed electric trains to custom produce the electric motor inverter
and motor control algorithm. Ansaldo Energia specializes in manufacturing
megawatts power generators has provided valuable expertise on the alternative
hybrid electric-diesel solution.
Other partners and suppliers around the world that have contributed
to “Project Zero” include Lucchi R. Elettromeccanica, a
Rimini-based motor company, custom designed and built the axial flux
permanent magnet electric motors. The aerodynamic properties of the
rotor blades were designed by AgustaWestland and Rotor Systems Research
LLC of USA.
The composite structure for the blades, shrouds and spokes were designed
by the Advanced Concepts Group and AgustaWestland Japan Asia Technology
Center, then manufactured by UCHIDA in Japan. The high bandwidth electromechanical
actuators (EMA) for the innovative swashplateless individual blade control
system were specifically developed by Microtecnica for “Project
Zero”.
The entire aircraft uses no hydraulics; the retractable landing gear,
nacelle tilting mechanism, and elevons are controlled by EMA. ORAL Engineering
developed an efficient diesel engine for the alternative electric-hybrid
propulsion solution and provided rapid CNC machining for the rotor and
drive system. MB Motorsport, Aerosviluppi and Marc’Ingegno customized
the special motor cooling system, wiring harness and retractable landing
gears, respectively. The "Project Zero" technology demonstrator
was designed, built and tested in twelve months.
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