Latin American aerospace news and aircraft projects

MiG-29SMT

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February, 14, 2013: Eurocopter grows in Mexico with the inauguration of a production center for high-technology aircraft components.

source http://www.airbushelicopters.co.za/website/en/ref/History_186.html





Workers assemble a helicopter frame at the MD Helicopter plant in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 11, 2007. Bombardier Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Goodrich Corp. and MD Helicopters had one place in common when choosing where to go to slash costs.

https://www.expressnews.com/busines...exico-still-growing-4682608.php#photo-4951247
 
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MiG-29SMT

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Lessons from Latin America that India can learn


1st-Aviation is a economic policy that has to be a constant and a permanent need in order to achieve real success


Why? simple Mexico in the 1920s was as capable as the USA, France or England, after 1960, Mexico did not invest in aircraft technology making Mexico at least 50 years behind nations like France.

The Mexican designed Series H fighter of 1917 is an example of this
upload_2020-3-6_8-47-11.jpeg


The Azcarate O-E-1 was a 1920s design that was as advanced to any thing made in Europe




The Azcárate O-E-1 was a reconnaissance-bomber aircraft developed in Mexico in the late 1920s. It was designed by General Brigadier Juan Francisco Azcárate and built at the TNCA workshops near Mexico City. A trainer version, the Azcárate E-1 (for Escuela) was also built. It was a sesquiplane of conventional configuration with tailskid undercarriage, and seating the crew in tandem, open cockpits. The types are sometimes collectively referred to simply as the "Azcárate sesquiplane" (sesquiplano in Spanish).

On 30 September 1928, pilot Gustavo León and Subteniente and mechanic Ricardo González set out on an aerial circumnavigation of Mexico in an O-E-1. Conducted in 58 legs, they completed their 10,986 km (6,826 mi) flight on 18 December.

In the 1920s the american lobby in Mexico asked to license built american designs instead of making and producing Mexican designed aircraft

By 1980 Mexico was only making very simple aircraft like the Barcenas 01

upload_2020-3-6_8-54-56.jpeg


Would had Mexico continue designing aircraft is possible by 1980 Mexico could had been as advanced as England, the lesson is investment in technology should be priority, this has to be constant and has to be as capable as foreign products in order to avoid buying foreign aircraft and destroying your aviation efforts due to lower capabilities of your own aircraft.




Lesson two alliances count as long as you make part of the aircraft or you lead the Project




Embraer aircraft have many suppliers, the aircraft E-170 basically is an intercontinental project and an international effort as a mini Airbus, basically it benefits nations like the USA, Spain, England, Japan, France that the project is well accepted internationally in the USA and European Markets paving the way to other markets.


Lesson 3, a nation can learn the latest technologies without leading a program


A nations does not need to invest to get expertise, today in Mexico we are building aircraft fuselages, jet engine parts and designing some components for Honeywell jet engines or GE turbines, Mexican workers get the knowledge and expertise in composite materials without so much investment, basically foreign aircraft companies come to Mexico to build aircraft parts or aircraft without being asked to give tech transfers or have a local partners, they are free to invest and lead their activities freely, just hiring Mexican workers.





Mexican engineers and workers are learning how to build aircraft without the Mexican government asking for tech transfers nor investing in research.



Lesson 4th, Selling is better than buying


Brazil has sold more than 3000 aircraft around the world without buying the vast amount of them.


While China can build aircraft like this


very few J-20s have been built and all have been bought by China.


Brazil has sold more than 1000 ERJ-145 aircrat, more than 1000 E-jets, and has a growing presence in the private aviation sectors with aircraft like Phenom 300, China is trying to compete with ARJ-21 which is a big failure, and C919 which has to compete with Boeing/Embraer B737s and E-195s or Airbus A321/A-220






The lessons from Latin america do not mean India is in the wrong path, only that India can improve its competitiveness with some of the experience from our nations
 
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MiG-29SMT

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KN Aerospace established its new 80,000 square foot composites manufacturing facility in the Mexican city of Mexicali, expecting to employ over 100 by 2017 to manufacture airframe structures.

The firm said the site's first products, created at PIMSA Industrial Park, in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, will be structures manufactured for the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter, with first parts scheduled to be delivered by the end of the year. Further production work will be transferred to the new site over time, with almost all staff recruited locally and trained in the range of manufacturing skills required to produce structures for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

The new Mexicali composite manufacturing facility will provide direct manufacturing support to the company's Alabama operation, which has multiplied its annual sales by 500 percent over the last decade and is continuing to see additional growth.

Marcus Bryson, CEO and President, GKN Aerospace and GKN Land Systems said; "The new composites operation will extend our very successful Mexico production activities and will play a key role in supporting Sikorsky and other major customers in the long term. The skills we will develop in our new Mexicali team will grow the valuable expertise we have in the country and help us extend our aerostructures business by manufacturing consistently high quality components at a very competitive cost to our customers."

"Mexico is a strategically important country for us, and this move by GKN Aerospace to place BLACK HAWK helicopter component work in-country coincides with our plans to increase our presence and work content in Mexico," said Steve Estill, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Sikorsky.

PIMSA's General Director, Francisco J. Fiorentini, comments: "We welcome GKN Composite Structures to Mexicali as the fifth aerospace company in the PIMSA group. We're very pleased to contribute to the continuing development of the aerospace sector in Baja, California with more than 50 companies in the State and comprising some 25 percent of the total aerospace companies in Mexico."

Mexicali Mayor Mr. Francisco Perez-Tejada Padilla said, "Mexicali is very glad that GKN has decided to bring a new division to town. Companies that choose our city as their manufacturing location and decide to expand are the best evidence of the City's competitiveness and quality of life. We have a very skilled labor force, a strategic geographic location, a safe environment, among other competitive advantages."

https://www.areadevelopment.com/new...ospace-facility-mexicali-mexico-9005411.shtml
 

MiG-29SMT

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GKN Aerospace has agreed a long term agreement (LTA) with Rolls-Royce plc to supply components for the latest version of the Trent 1000 engine - a capability enhancement of the existing Trent 1000 engine for the Boeing 787.



Above: GKN Aerospace signs long term agreement with Rolls-Royce for Trent 1000 components including the rear fan case.

This LTA is estimated to be worth more than $200m over the life of the agreement.

The agreement gives GKN Aerospace responsibility for the supply of the outer guide vane (OGV) mount ring and the rear fan case for the engine. Manufacture is taking place at the company’s sites in Newington, Connecticut, El Cajon, California and Mexicali, Mexico from where delivery of initial development units is already taking place. When in full production GKN Aerospace expects to supply up to 150 engine sets annually.

GKN Aerospace has optimised a number of advanced fabrication and assembly techniques to minimise the buy to fly ratio for each component, cut material wastage and limit exposure to material price fluctuations.

Traditional ring forgings, which require extensive machining, have been replaced with near net shape materials which require minimal finishing. Techniques such as electron beam welding and plasma welding as well as optimised mounting solutions have reduced manufacturing and assembly complexity and cost. In addition, skilled chem milling of the rear fan case has lowered this component’s weight by more than 40lbs.

Mike McCann, Chief Executive, GKN Aerospace - Engine Systems said: “We have been manufacturing these components for the Trent 1000 since 2005 and have been working with Rolls-Royce from the outset to develop this near net fabrication scheme. This agreement allows us to optimise a number of processes that will improve the performance of the Trent 1000 engine and simultaneously reduce the environmental impact of manufacture.”
https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/gkn-agrees-lta-with-rolls-royce-for-trent-1000-components.html#comments
 

MiG-29SMT

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porky_kicker

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Some Missiles made and designed in Brazil


Brazilian designed Mectron Mar-1 , it is an anti-radiation missile










Brazilian made and designed AAMs MAA-1B and A-Darter, the A-Darter is a South African Brazilian joint product based upon a south African design











Mar -1 never went into production , did it ?

No induction with brazilian airforce as far as I know.

Only rumours ( or possible buy ) by porkie air force ?

Brazil recently tested new ashm of exocet class isn't it ?
 

MiG-29SMT

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Mar -1 never went into production , did it ?

No induction with brazilian airforce as far as I know.

Only rumours ( or possible buy ) by porkie air force ?

Brazil recently tested new ashm of exocet class isn't it ?
New anti-ship missile the Mansup Siatt, Siatt is the heir of Mectron, Mectron disappeared, Mar-1 was sold to Pakistan at least it was reported, but it recently was cancelled for the Brazilian air force


Brazilian designed and made anti-ship missile Mansup







Brazilian and designed and made Mectron Mar-1
 

porky_kicker

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New anti-ship missile the Mansup Siatt, Siatt is the heir of Mectron, Mectron disappeared, Mar-1 was sold to Pakistan at least it was reported, but it recently was cancelled for the Brazilian air force


Brazilian designed and made anti-ship missile Mansup







Brazilian and designed and made Mectron Mar-1
There is a air launched version too isn't it.

Post info on Brazil current and future multi barrel rocket systems if you want
 

MiG-29SMT

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What was the reason?
Not upto level or found something else.

It seems it was exported, in LAAD 2019 it was announced it was cancelled because Mectron has disappeared, does not longer exist and a new company has taken over it, SIATT is the heir, so the contract with Mectron has no any more legal basis since them company does not exist any more, a new company SIAAT now has the design bureau and the head engineer and most technical staff has been passed to SIATT, Mectron no longer exists.

The Brazilian MAR-1 had some technologies that needed to be developed in Brazil because the USA did not want to approve the sale and transfer of the inertial guidance system.

https://www.defensasur.com.ar/index...el-misil-antirradiacion-mar-1-esta-suspendido
 

MiG-29SMT

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The Condor I was primarily intended for the development of a rocket motor, and eventually to use this rocket for atmospheric research, with a peak of 300 km and a payload of around 400-500 kg.
The first static tests of the engine were carried out - apparently - in the middle of 1983, and it was planned to launch the first Condor I towards the end of 1985, something that never happened.

The second stage of the project consisted of the development of CONDOR II, but previously to be able to test the technology in flight, it is believed that they developed the 6.50 meter Alacrán (code name Condor I-A III). long by 0.56 meters. diameter; This vector could carry a useful load of 250 Kg., and had a range of 115 km. - The scorpion's composite warhead would have a capacity to house a warhead made up of a cluster bomb, containing 1000 CAM-1 grenades, with a dispersion radius of 2 blocks.
This missile would have the same type of fuel and construction characteristics of the Condor I, but in reality it was a tactical artillery missile, of the Chilean "Rayo" type, but with greater power and range. - The Alacrán was fired several times since 1988 (see footnote 2), including on one occasion by the then President C. Menem from El Chamical in La Rioja; and he even tried it with a warhead with submunitions as a warhead.-
In an article in the Jan-Feb Aerospace magazine from 1990 about the Air Force and the weapons systems under investigation at that time, the composite material warhead of the Scorpion and the warhead, consisting of a cluster bomb that goes inside the warhead, containing 1000 CAM-1 grenades with a dispersion radius of 2 blocks.- In the text it explains that the VT-561 (ex-Alacrán) ground-to-ground rocket was presented, under the name of project FAS-320.- Specifies that the total weight is 1532 Kg., with a load of 400 Kg., that at the end of the combustion weighs 788 Kg. (that is, it carried 744 Kg. of propellant) and that it has a horizontal range of 120 with a peak of 40 km.-







Condor II
The ambitious project was developed jointly with Germany (who provided the technology). In addition, an underground laboratory was built in Falda del Carmen, Córdoba province. At that time the secret services of Israel and Great Britain were already aware of the construction of the missile, as was the US CIA.
The English feared that Argentina would attack the Falkland Islands with missiles, since Condor II could reach the archipelago. On the other hand, Israeli intelligence was concerned as it boasted contributions from Arab countries to the project. There was great fear for the possible transfer of technologies and knowledge from Argentina to them.
This large-scale rocket had been designed to be a satellite launcher, with no need for outside help.


Technical data
CONDOR II, was a 2-stage vehicle, with a thrust vector control system by means of a tilting nozzle in each stage, aerodynamic surfaces for roll control in both stages as well; a cold gas altitude control sensor package and a final speed control system. All this controlled by three integrated computers and intercommunicated with each other.
The total height of the rocket would be about 16 meters. for 0.80 meters. diameter.
The payment load would be 500 kgs. and a range of 1000 km was forecast.
Although this was the military version of Condor II, a modified version was also envisaged for putting small satellites into orbit, adding a third stage.
Possibly some copies of CONDOR II were completed, but there is no certainty that they were tested in flight.-
In part, the cancellation of this project began to be planned for budget reasons, but the end came due to international pressure.
Much of the equipment for the development of the rocket was dismantled and sent to the USA for destruction in 1993, according to agreements signed between the governments of that time.
Since that opportunity, there were no more official rocket development projects in Argentina until today, so the technological development achieved was not used for projects with peaceful purposes.

The Condor's Nest
In the town of Falda del Carmen, a facility was built for the development and construction of the condor missile. About US $ 400 million were invested in the construction and equipping of the plant and around 800 people came to work.
The Institute of Scientific and Technical Research of the Armed Forces (CITEFA) operated in Falda del Carmen during the Cóndor II project.
The Falda del Carmen plant is one of the sites where military aeronautics worked more than a decade in the research and development of a solid fuel missile technology system, the results were the prototypes of the Cóndor I and Cóndor II missiles.





http://repositorio.udesa.edu.ar/jspui/bitstream/10908/10945/1/[P][W] T. D. His. León, Pablo Gabriel de.pdf
 
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