Icon Aerospace claims an in-flight refuelling breakthrough
05 November 2012
A supplier of refuelling hoses to airforces around the world, Icon Aerospace has developed a key enabling technology to create the first ‘Intelligent Connector' (IC) for in-flight refuelling.
The 'IconIC' hose system accommodates power with telemetry cables and fibre-optics for data transfer, providing a range of key control and communication functions between a tanker and receiver aircraft while the receiver aircraft undergoes mid-air refuelling.
The new technology will enable precise, remote positional control of the refuelling hose, while the integration of data transfer capability allows for diagnostics, reprogramming and a host of other functions.
At the end of the hose is an embedded termination collar which connects into a ‘clamshell’ user defined interface - switchable in flight - into which a variety of functions can be integrated depending on user requirements.
Calvin Tan, chief technology officer of Icon Aerospace, says IconIC opens up a whole array of possibilities for functions such as drogue location and hose positioning as well as computer diagnostics and on-board reprogramming.
"The integration of power supply and data transfer capability heralds a new era in hose technology which, while developed for advanced flight systems, has applications across many markets including wind power generation, oil and gas and ship-to-aircraft,” he says.
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