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RAeS Derby Branch Newsletter Page 1
April 2019
INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER
1 Welcome & Branch Information: Page 1
2 Cool Aeronautics Report: Page 1
3 Branch Lecture Summary: Page 2-5
4 Branch Visit: Page 6
5 Update on Continuing Professional Development: Page 6
6 Upcoming Branch Lectures: Page 6
Welcome! I am glad to welcome you to our new edition of the Royal Aeronautical Society Derby Branch Newsletter. After a break of service we are back with this bumper issue of the newsletter which highlights and reports our diverse range of Branch activities – taking in a local STEM event, historical lecture, technical lecture on an ongoing project (always popular!) and Branch visits to Airbus at Broughton and to Toyota at Burnaston. I am sure there will be something in this issue to suit all tastes. We also have an important Continuing Professional Development (CPD) update from Hilary Barton which I encourage you all to read. From January of this year it is compulsory for all chartered and incorporated engineers to maintain their CPD record via their host institution and you will see more news on this via the Society’s Aerospace magazine. We are approaching our annual lecture programme summer break but before we reach that stage we still have two upcoming events which I am looking forward to in celebration of the first flight of Concorde and which take place in May and June (see upcoming events section for details). We also hope to have another issue of the Branch newsletter published in the next couple of months to summarise the second half of the Branch’s 2018/2019 lecture season to give you some interesting summer reading.
Dr Simon Hall (MRAeS) – Derby Branch Chairman
Cool Aeronautics 18th November 2018
The 2018 version of the much anticipated Cool Aeronautics Event of the Derby Branch took place on 3rd October ‘18. The purpose of this event was to raise awareness of STEM amongst young children, with specific focus on the field of aviation, inspiring them to consider engineering as a career.
The fun filled day was organised for the children of Ashover Primary School. The Derby Airfield very kindly volunteered to host the event at their premises to help promote STEM to the young children. Having a wide range of light aircraft on the airfield was the perfect setting for an aviation themed day.
The day began at 10 am with introductions and an ice breaker/refresher for the students in the form of a Paper Airplane competition. The students had been asked to bring along planes they made at home and the creativity on display was tremendous. Soon there was a vast range of different designs flying along a purpose built grass runway, bringing much joy to the young innovators.
To make the day as knowledgeable as it was fun, two exciting mini lectures were lined up. The first one was on the topic of Ironman and Aviation. It demonstrated how vast the field of aviation has become, and where what was science fiction - has now become reality, which captivated the young minds in the room.
They were then split into three groups for three exciting activities: Bernoulli’s Principle demo, 3D printer demo and a tour of the airfield.
Continues on page 2
Derby Branch Information Branch Committee
President: Colin Smith, Chairman: Simon Hall, Vice Chairman: Mario Di Martino, Hon Secretary: Chris Sheaf, Treasurer: Hilary Barton,
Lecture Coordinator: Simon Hall, Publicity / Editor: Paulas Sekaran / Daniel Newman, Young Members Rep: Mustafa Kheraluwala,
Professional Development: Richard Betts. Visits Coordinators: Rami Shehade, Members: Keith Cobley, Braky Zewde, Niranjan Suresh, Radu Irimia, James Cowell
Branch Contacts
Hon Secretary: Chris Sheaf, e-mail: [email protected], Rolls-Royce plc, ML-103, PO Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ
Chairman: Simon Hall, e-mail: [email protected], Rolls-Royce plc, SINA-24, PO Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ
Publicity/Editor: Paulas Sekaran, e-mail: [email protected], Rolls-Royce plc, SINA-24, PO Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ Young Members Rep: Mustafa Kheraluwala, e-mail: [email protected], Rolls-Royce plc, SINA-24, PO Box 31, Derby, DE24
Continues from page 1
Unfortunately, government funding for HOTOL was cancelled in 1989.
Alan Bond, responsible for the inception of HOTOL, vowed to continue his
work along with Richard Varvill and John Scott-Scott, who had both been designing HOTOL’s engines at Rolls-Royce. Thus, REL was born. REL
currently employs 115 people and has headquarters in Culham, situated a
few hundred metres from the fusion reactor research centre of the same name. Likened to Lockheed’s Skunk Works, the REL site can design,
manufacture and test components within a week, enabling rapid
development.
Skylon spaceplane cutaway
Acknowledging that their SSTO spaceplane, Skylon, is still somewhat over
the horizon, work is focused on the SABRE engine required to power it.
The SABRE engine has two operating regimes: air-breathing, which
operates from static until Mach 5, and rocket mode to take the craft
onwards to Mach 25 and orbit. The air-breathing engine is able to operate
over such a large envelope because the intake slows the air down to subsonic speeds. This also allows the engine to be tested at sea-level by
pre-heating the air to represent higher Mach numbers, which is
significantly quicker and cheaper than flight test programmes.
At high Mach numbers, the heat generated by slowing the air in the intake
cannot be tolerated. This necessitates an exceptionally high capacity pre-
cooler, which has been one of the key engineering challenges for SABRE. The incoming air must be cooled from 1000°C to -150°C in 0.01s, whilst
avoiding ice formation. A helium loop provides the cooling, with the waste
heat re-used to drive the turbo-compressor. The pre-cooler has been demonstrated in over 500 steady-state tests, with the European Space
Agency (ESA) accepting the technology as fully demonstrated. REL is now
throwing its weight behind a ground demonstrator engine by the end of 2020, to lay the path for a flight test program by 2024. Work is also
ongoing in Westcott to analyse the advanced nozzle system, which has to
transition in order to expand the significantly different flows produced by the two operating regimes.
SABRE Engine with main components labelled
Funding is crucial to the project, with significant revenue still a long way
off. To maximise funding potential, REL have explored applications of
SABRE and the technologies that enable it to ensure a wide range of interested parties. The microchannel heat exchangers have potential
applications across a wide range of industries, including traditional aerospace and power generation. REL also offer their services as a
consultancy to generate income.
Most promisingly, the SABRE engine can be scaled to suit a range of applications, much like a conventional jet. A derivative engine has been
designed, omitting the rocket elements, for hypersonic travel, and was one
of two concepts selected for the EU-funded LAPCAT II (Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies) feasibility study.
Perhaps obviously, the US Air Force has also expressed interest, and REL
have opened an office in Colorado in order to improve access to the US market.
The UK government and ESA have also contributed £60m, and
private investment is expected to rise as the project matures; BAE Systems
bought a 20% stake for £20m in 2015. Although the outcome of this project
is still not certain, the path is clear and the challenges are being tackled one by one.
The speaker concluded a very fascinating lecture with a fitting quote from
physicist Niels Bohr:
“Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.”
We can add that if their (REL’s) prediction is right they will have
contributed to a truly key disruptive technology for Aerospace.
Rami Shehade, ARAeS
Branch Lecture Report
“The TP400 engine for the Airbus A400M Atlas” Jerry Goodwin Chief Design Engineer Europrop
International, 22nd March 2017
The TP400 engine is a large turbo prop engine providing 11000 shaft horse
power. 4 engines are fitted to the A400M. This aircraft is a military
transport that can carry 37 tons over 2420 nautical miles. This places it mid-way between the Hercules with a 20 ton payload and the C17 with a 77 ton
payload. In addition the A400M has rough field capability so can operate in
very remote airstrips as well as being able to drop cargo and troops in flight.
The aircraft entered service in 2013 and 40 aircraft are already operating
with the French Air Force and the RAF as well as Malaysia, Spain and Turkey.
The TP400 engine is a joint venture engine coordinated by Europrop
International based in Madrid Spain. It includes Rolls-Royce, Safran, MTU and ITP as partners. Avio now part of GE provide the gearbox as a supplier.
The engine is a three shaft configuration and is divided up with MTU
providing the IP compressor and IP turbine, RR providing the HPC and IP structure, Safran providing the combustor and HPT and ITP providing the
LP turbine and front bearing housing. Jerry clearly explained how trying to
coordinate so many partners and suppliers with different company and national cultures is a daily challenge!
The engine had seen issues with the power gearbox which has a planetary
mesh with a 9.92 reduction ratio. This is a highly complex system with many assembly vibration modes and it is always a challenge to design the
engine not to sit on a resonance. During production design changes
unfortunately moved the engine into a resonant mode but this has now been understood and corrected.
Despite several setbacks the production line is now operating smoothly
ramping up to a rate of 100 engines a year and the engine is a good performer within the Air Forces. They are continually trying out new ways
to operate the aircraft and get the best out of it.
Airbus A400M
All in all the audience were left with a much greater appreciation of the TP400 and the different challenges relative to a large civil engine.
Braky Zewde, MRAeS
RAeS Derby Branch Newsletter Page 2
Continues from page 1
Two custom made simple experiments were made with everyday items, such as cans, ping pong balls and a hairdryer to demonstrate the Bernoulli’s principle in action. The students were able to appreciate the concept and answer correctly the questions asked. They also went away with an understanding of how science is everywhere around us in all forms!
The students were also excited to see how a 3D printer works as well as learn about the various aircraft present in the airfield and hear a bit of their history. They even got to sit in one and operate the flight controls.
This followed by a short talk on the introduction to the Balsa wood glider challenge.
The children were divided into six groups, each of which being assigned a specialist volunteer. Innovation was on full display as the kids had hands on experience designing their gliders, with the help and guidance of our wonderful volunteers. After 90 mins of intense engineering, we had six flight-tested gliders ready for the final battle. The competing designs were judged on their distance and accuracy, with the winning team being presented with a real aero engine turbine blade trophy. All students went home with their own individually named 3D printed aerofoils and goodie bags from the RAeS Head Quarters.
Young Persons Committee in action
Very positive feedback was received from the teachers regarding the day, and the students who visited returned to school buzzing with excitement, and rated the Cool Aeronautics day the highlight of their year.
Mustafa Kheraluwala, Young Persons Committee
Branch Lecture Report
“The Rolls-Royce UltraFan® Engine” Andy Geer, Rolls-Royce, 23rd May 2018 The Derby Branch lectures about current Rolls-Royce products are always popular. Young and old packed into Nightingale Hall to hear about Rolls-Royces engine family of the future.
Andy Geer is the leader of the Rolls-Royce UltraFan programme. Andy joined Rolls-Royce in 1987 starting in Control Systems, and has since had roles in development and flight testing, has seen the Trent 800 entry into service with Singapore Airlines, before being appointed to Chief Engineer. He was then appointed Chief Engineer of the Trent 1000 for the Boeing 787 early in its concept development, before seeing it through to Entry into Service. Following a subsystem leadership role in Installations he moved to the Civil Engine Demos area working on Advance 3 and now UltraFan. The UltraFan is Rolls-Royce’s response to the ACARE Flightpath 2050 goals to reduce CO2, Noise and Emissions. These aggressive targets are needed to offset the projected 30,000 new aircraft in the next 20 years driven by demographics and global economic growth. To improve fuel burn and thus reduce emissions of CO2 requires improvements to both thermal and propulsive efficiency. The UltraFan introduces a gearbox to allow a slower, quieter fan driven by an efficient high speed turbine. The Fan is made from composite materials, and the diameter has increased to give a 14:1 bypass ratio to improve propulsive efficiency and reduce noise. The centre of the engine is an Advance 3 core with increased work on the HP spool and reduced work on the IP spool giving better thermal efficiency. The greatest interest is of course in the Epicyclic planetary gearbox. This gearbox is currently being put through its paces in two separate rigs in Berlin. The Attitude rig allows the gearbox to be tested in a wide range of flight attitudes to test out the lubrication system. The Power rig allows the full power transfer of over 70,000hp to be tested. Andy outlined a wide range of other novel features being introduced on the UltraFan such as short intakes, load bearing OGV’s, Lean burn combustion and core mounted systems. The programme introduces a step change in engine architecture not seen since the development of the RB211 3 shaft engine in the late 1960’s. All of these new technologies are currently being proven in demonstrator programmes such as the Composite Fan ALPS programme and the Lean Burn ALECSYS programme. The UltraFan demonstrator will integrate all this together with a number of ground and a flight demonstrator vehicles to ensure the technology is at a suitable readiness level for a product introduction in the mid 2020’s. As well as introducing new technology the demo programmes have been pioneering new ways of working such as Design in Context, integrated planning and improved collaboration between teams. With this new engine family Rolls-Royce can certainly claim to be “Pioneering the Power that Matters”. A lively Q&A followed with many retired engineers giving Andy the benefit of their thoughts and experience.
Braky Zewde (MRAeS), Branch Committee
RAeS Derby Branch Newsletter Page 3
Branch Lecture Report “The North American X-15” Roger Allton – Aviation Historian and Enthusiast, 05th September 2018 The North American X-15 which first flew on 8 June 1959 was a hypersonic (Mach 5+) rocket powered aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) to test aspects of high speed/high altitude flight. The performance requirements called for an air launch, a top speed of Mach 6 and design altitude of 50 miles (264,000 ft). As the American definition for space started at this altitude, a number of flights went into space and the X-15 qualified as a spaceplane. The FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale – the world governing body for air sports; definition for space is from 100km (328,084 feet) up).
The B-36 Peacemaker was first considered as a launch platform, but the cost of maintaining the 10 engines (6 piston and 4 jet) was too much. (6 turning and 4 burning was the common phrase). In the first event, two of the first production B 52s were utilised, to ensure spares availability. The B-52 X-15 launches were usually accompanied by 3 F-104 Starfighter chase planes flown by X-15 pilots, and sometimes another aircraft to film.
Unlike the Bell X-1, which had an elevator within the belly of the B-29 mothership from which the pilot could enter, the X-15 pilot had to enter the aircraft on the ground – often more than an hour or more before take-off.
For control, the aircraft had three sticks in the cockpit; the usual centre stick, with a newly perfected side stick at the right had side for the traditional control surfaces for the lower atmosphere. This side stick was adjustable to fit each pilot, allowing him to rest his arm between the bulkhead and the side stick, so avoiding inadvertent manual inputs during high ‘G’ acceleration/deceleration. The side stick on the left side was for the hydrogen peroxide puffer controls that provided sole attitude authority in the ‘airless’ upper atmosphere. To power the aircraft, two XLR-11 4-chamber rocket engines producing a combined 16,000lbf of thrust were initially used. A single one of these engines had powered the Bell X-1 through the sound barrier some 12 years earlier. They were later replaced by the delayed XLR-99 which produced 57,850lbf of thrust. Designed for the X-15, it was throttlable down to approx 20.000lbs thrust. The Auxiliary Power Units were turned on a few minutes before launch to provide electric power. They ran on hydrogen peroxide and had a tendency to cut each other out due to the vibration each created. These were the cause of many aborted missions, though the ability to have good weather over the whole of the corridor also contributed to aborts.
The cockpit was pressurised using nitrogen, with a separate oxygen supply for the pilot in his space suit helmet. Launch was usually conducted above 40,000 feet at 0.8-0.85 Mach. Fully fuelled with external tanks, the X-15 weighed 33,000 pounds, requiring 100 of aileron on the B-52 to hold level flight. As a result of the centre of gravity changing at launch, the B-52 pilot pushed forward on the control column with a force of 40 pounds to maintain level flight before trimming out.
There were two types of flights; a high-altitude flight with a steep climb after launch or a speed profile that called for the pilot to push over and maintain a level attitude. At full throttle, the pilot was subject to an acceleration of up to 4g for 1.5 minutes, quite tiring as can be imagined.
Once the engine had run out of fuel, the X-15 was flown to arrive over the landing area at 25,000ft, then losing altitude and speed in one circuit until landing at a speed of 225mph. The landing gear consisted of a pair of aft skids and conventional retractable non-steerable nose gear. The lower fin had to be jettisoned prior to landing to allow the pair of retractable skids to reach the ground.
The glide ratio of the X-15 was approx. 2.5-1, similar to the F-104 with flaps and gear extended. F-104s in this configuration were used to train X-15 pilots for what was always a ‘dead-stick’ landing. One pilot said his ‘car keys’ had a better glide angle!
The aircraft had 293 thermocouples and 656 pressure tappings (136 of which were on the wing skin). Most flights were scheduled to give research information leading to the space programme. Neil Armstrong was an X-15 pilot, who also went to the moon. Joe Engle, also an X-15 pilot, became a space shuttle pilot.
Three X-15’s were built, one modified after a landing accident, with huge external jettisonable fuel tanks. Sadly the last flight, number 199, ended in a fatal accident when the pilot became disoriented, and the X-15 broke up on re-entry. The total program lasted 9.5 years, costing $300 million and averaging $600,000 per flight. The average duration over all 199 flights was 9 minutes 12 seconds, with the longest taking 12 minutes 28.7 seconds when Neil Armstrong inadvertently ‘skipped’ off the atmosphere. The maximum altitude achieved was 354,200 feet, and on a later flight the maximum speed was 4,520 miles per hour (Mach 6.7). This latter flight saw significant damage to the Inconel-x structure through the excessive heat generated, and this aircraft never flew again.
Both the surviving X-15’s are now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and at the USAF Museum.
Prashant Chakravarty (ARAeS), Branch Committee
RAeS Derby Branch Newsletter Page 4
Branch Lecture Report “The Toyota Production System” Andy Heaphy, Toyota General Manager (Press & Weld Operations) 17th October 2018
Andy Heaphy, General Manager of Press & Weld at Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. gave a fantastic lecture to the Branch on the evening of Wednesday 17th October 2018. Andy joined Toyota Manufacturing UK as an Engineer in 1996 after formerly working in the Aerospace sector for British Aerospace. He explained that, within Toyota, he has worked within the Supplier Production Management (SPM) function and led activities related to supplier development. In 2007 he became a Senior Manager in Assembly and was subsequently promoted to Assistant General Manager. This was followed by a move to Production Control, taking responsibility for internal and external logistics, further deepening his Toyota Production System (TPS) knowledge. In 2011, he moved into Paint and Plastics as General Manager before taking up his current role as General Manager of Press & Weld in 2016. Andy explained that Toyota’s entry into the European car market began in Sweden in 1963. By 2017, Toyota had sold more than 1 million vehicles, with 9 manufacturing plants across Europe including two in the UK. Toyota Manufacturing UK's (TMUK) local plant in Burnaston produces the Auris and Avensis models. There are 2345 employees who produce 140,000 vehicles per year at Burnaston, with a new car rolling off the production line every 85 seconds. Throughout his career Andy has admired and absorbed the philosophy of the Toyota Production System and he is passionate about sharing its advantages within daily operations for engineering and manufacturing firms. Whilst aspects of the System have been implemented in many other firms very few have been able to replicate Toyota’s success. Andy reflected that the reason for this is that a key ingredient to the system, the mindset or culture which goes with it, has been very difficult for other companies to replicate and is one of the main reasons why the system works as well as it does in Toyota.
Andy explained that the three so-called “pillars” of the TPS, in Japanese of course, are:
> Jidoka – Highlighting problems immediately as they arise and stopping the production line to find a solution rather than letting the problem persist. > Just In Time - Having the right parts available at the right time, thus reducing inventory. > Heijunka – “Levelling” of production by volume or product type to reduce waste.
Sakichi Toyoda, founded the Toyoda family of companies in the 1920s including the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, an engineering company which produced weaving looms for the textile trade. A gifted industrialist and engineer his inventions included a weaving loom which stopped automatically if the weaving thread broke, embodying the principle of Jidoka. Using this loom Toyoda had early success producing textiles with fewer defects and with greater efficiency. As Andy explained, Jidoka depends on solving the right problem. This is helped by empowering the people doing the work and allowing them to propose and implement modifications to their own processes to standardise and make them more efficient.
Today’s modern automobiles can have up to 5000 standard processes and Andy demonstrated via video clips of the production process at Toyota how each team member is required to memorise and recite back their specific process to ensure they know and understand how to perform it correctly to minimise defects. Andy went on to explain the use of some other TPS terminology and processes which are used within Toyota: Kanban is a scheduling process which supports Just-in-Time manufacturing and is named after the job card system used to track jobs within the Toyota factories. The Kanban cards (or a more modern electronic equivalent) are used to generate a pull or demand based production system to prevent overcapacity. Components are only requested or delivered to the next stage of production when demanded and if no parts are required none are produced. This is one method Toyota uses to efficiently cope with fluctuations in car sales and hence production. For example, when new licence plates are introduced (twice per year), production demand for new cars typically increases by 20% compared with other periods in the year. Andon is a process to allow workers to temporarily stop the production line to quickly rectify defects and prevent them from carrying on further into the production process or into the finished product. Each production line station has an Andon cord which the worker can pull, triggering an alarm and stopping the production line whilst a fix is implemented. Andy explained that Andon stops can be frequent but are usually resolved within a few minutes. He also explained that managers and team leaders use the number of Andon alarms per shift/process to help identify problems or areas for improvement as part of the Toyota improvement culture. Kaizen is a dedicated improvement activity which teams perform within Toyota when they have identified a problem or improvement opportunity. This can include, for example, filming the process and then using the video footage to analyse the process in depth to improve it. Andy indicated that a number of automation improvements within the Burnaston factory have come directly from Kaizen activities conducted there and that the Toyota UK plant has the lowest number of people working on sheet body final assembly of any of the Toyota plants. Toyota also has an annual series of global kaizens to communicate best practice and lessons learnt across the company and to promote healthy competition between the Toyota sites. When a new model of car is introduced the company also spends significant resources and planning effort in designing the new production line, tooling and equipment alongside creating the new car design itself to ensure that there are fewer problems when production starts. For example, Andy explained that the new Toyota Corolla model which will go into production in early 2019 has taken approximately 3.5yrs from initial concept to mass production and there will be two pre-production phases using the new purpose-built assembly line prior to full production of the car. Andy was keen to also emphasise that, complementary to the principles of continuous improvement in the Toyota Way, is the principle of respect for people at all levels within the company. For example, Toyota employees are called "members" and are flexible in their skills. There has never been a strike in a Toyota facility and Andy mentioned that there are up to 150 meetings per year between the shop floor and senior management, maintaining a strong working relationship. Above all, Andy concluded his lecture by stating that the implementation of the Toyota Production System ensures that very little effort is spent “firefighting” and reacting to crises within the factory and therefore more focus can be devoted to adding value and driving down cost/inefficiency.
Prashant Chakravarty (ARAeS), Branch Committee
RAeS Derby Branch Newsletter Page 5
Branch Lecture Report
“The Bloodhound Effect: 3 Steps to Inspire A Generation” Jessica Herbert, Rolls-Royce plc., 14th November 2018 Jess began her lecture by showing a photograph of the NASA Apollo 11 landing and the first flight of Concorde, both of which took place in 1969, and which inspired a generation of young people through the 1960’s and 1970’s to take up a career in aerospace engineers.
The Bloodhound Supersonic Car (SSC) Project was launched in October 2008. Led by former Land Speed Record Holder, Richard Noble, the ambitious project aims to design and build a rocket and jet-powered car to break the current land speed record of 763mph and achieve a new record speed of 1000mph.
Alongside the engineering and record attempt the Bloodhound Project also set up an educational charity to use the project to inspire future generations to take up careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by showcasing these subjects and interacting with young people and students. As Jess pointed out the goal of the Bloodhound team was to provide the current generation of young people with a new Apollo 11 and Concorde for the early 21st century with a focus on three key messages future young scientists and engineers –
1. Redefine the art of the possible
2. Challenge the way you think
3. Look to the future
Jessica or ‘Jess’ Herbert was a teenage student at Comprehensive School and had held a long ambition of becoming a marine biologist even going so far as identifying future university courses she might apply to in future. But then in 2008 she saw a local TV news article about the launch of the Bloodhound SSC Project and did a homework report on the launch of the project. In her own words she was instantly fascinated with the project and the idea of a 1,000mph car. She contacted the team and in discussion with her physics teacher was further inspired by how they answered her many questions about the car – instead of simply telling her the answers the engineers would reply “what do you think?” encouraging her to develop an answer through reasoning from her own existing knowledge. Through these conversations Jess learned to challenge everything and to try to understand how and why things work as they do. The experience completely changed her mind about marine biology and made her want to be an engineer instead. Jess conducted some work experience at Rolls-Royce in Bristol and this solidified her change in career and she subsequently applied successfully for an apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce.
Through her apprenticeship, Jess explained how she became an Ambassador for the Bloodhound Project and gave a speech at the opening of the Bloodhound workshop in Bristol in 2012 followed by another in September 2015 when the car itself was unveiled in London. Jess described this incredible experience, standing between driver, Andy Green, and the Project Lead Richard Noble and through her Bloodhound ambassador role she has also been lucky to meet Warren East, Carol Vorderman and James Dyson. Following the official car unveiling in 2015 the next major milestone for the Bloodhound project was the first planned test run to 200mph which took place in October 2017 at Newquay airport in Cornwall. As a Bloodhound Ambassador Jess was in attendance and was part of the Bloodhound media team talking to the local tv and newspaper journalists about the test run and her experience of becoming an engineer thanks to the Project’s inspiration. Jess went on to explain that following completion of her apprenticeship she joined Rolls-Royce as an engineer and was now working on the Composite Fan Blade for the Advanced Low Pressure System (ALPS) demonstrator working in close conjunction with the blade supplier CTAL. The demonstrator will, for the first time, test all composite fan blades, fan case and annulus fillers on a Trent 1000 donor engine as a future key component of the UltraFan® engine design. Jess explained how each CTAL fan blade is made robotically, building up around 500 layers of carbon fibre materials and finished with a leading titanium edge. Jess finished her lecture by recapping the three key learning messages from the Bloodhound Project and indicating that she is looking forward to an enriching engineering career! The lecture was followed by a lively Q&A with some questions about the uncertain future of the Bloodhound project following news in the press of financial issues and the project potentially being scrapped.
Post-script:
Following Jess’s lecture news broke in March 2019 that
purchase of the Bloodhound supersonic car in December
2018 by entrepreneur Ian Warhurst has put the pursuit of
the land speed record on a new footing. The new team,
now called Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record), have
changed the look of the car with a striking new red and
white colour scheme and are now working to take the car
to Hakskeen Pan in South Africa to start high-speed
testing, possibly before the end of 2019.
Dr Simon Hall (MRAeS), Branch Chairman
RAeS Derby Branch Newsletter Page 6
Branch Visits Report Airbus A380 Wings Facility Broughton, Wales, UK 19th April 2018 The visits programme for the past year began with a trip to Airbus’ A380 Wings facility at Broughton, Wales, on the 19th April 2018. Given the recent sad news about the A380, it was great to be able to see the colossal wings being made, before production ends. A subset of the tour group hung around for lunch and were lucky enough to see a Beluga taking off.
DHL Sorting Facility East Midlands Airport, UK 21st and 28th June 2018 The next two trips were visits to DHL’s behemoth sorting facility at East Midlands Airport, on the 21st and 28th June, which allowed us a brief glimpse into the inner workings of airmail and air freight.
Toyota Production Facility Burnaston, UK 27th September 2018
Finally, a trip to Toyota UK’s factory at Burnaston on the 27th September gave us a whirlwind tour of their assembly operations, and to see the Toyota Production System in all its glory.
I’d like to thank everyone for their continued interest in these events: they were all over-subscribed. I’d especially like to mention those who were not so lucky: you are not forgotten! Repeat visits will be booked where possible to try and maximise people’s chances of going.
Rami Shehade, Visits Coordinator
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
On becoming a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and with that signing up to its Code of Conduct, you take on the responsibility of maintaining and developing your competency and recording your CPD. The RAeS provides support to its members CPD through many channels; the Aerospace magazine, Lectures, Blogs/Podcasts, Volunteering for the Society, Branch meetings. The RAeS has an online tool mycareerpath where your CPD can be recorded. The mycareerpath sits under My Professional Development within your personal login members’ area. If your CPD record sits within another system, it is possible to upload it to mycareerpath. From January 2019, it is mandatory for Engineering Council registrants (CEng/IEng/EngTech) to record their CPD on mycareerpath. On behalf of the Engineering Council the RAeS will then be carrying out an audit of a sample of the CPD records. More about CPD will be briefed in the Aerospace Magazine in early 2019 but getting your CPD onto mycareerpath can start now. If you need any help or advice then please contact the membership team at RAeS HQ using the email address [email protected] or you can talk to one of the Branch committee members, who will be happy to help.
Hilary Barton, Branch Committee
RAeS Derby Branch on the Internet and the Rolls-Royce intranet The Branch Internet pages are on the RAeS website – http://www.aerosociety.com – log on and follow the Branches link for the latest information. The Branch pages on the Rolls-Royce intranet also contain news and information about the Branch, as well as information about RAeS membership and services. They can be found here.
Suggestions or Comments Please feel free to contact the relevant committee member as listed above if you have any suggestions or comments on the activities of the RAeS Derby Branch.
Upcoming Lectures
Concorde – 20th Century Icon Captain John Hutchinson, Former Concorde Pilot Date: 15th May 2019
Venue: Learning & Career Development Centre, Rolls-Royce Plc, Wilmore Rd, Derby, DE24 9JQ
55th Sir Henry Royce Lecture
Concorde: The Evolution of a Unique Aerodynamic Design (TBC)
Dudley Collard, Former Airbus Head of Future SST studies
team Date: 03rd June 2019
Venue: Learning & Career Development Centre,
Rolls-Royce Plc, Wilmore Rd, Derby, DE24 9JQ
Next Planned Newsletter The next edition of Derby Branch newsletter is planned to be published in May 2019. The newsletter is expected to summaries three lectures and the announcement of our young person’s lecture competition winners that would have taken place by April.
