(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The “BUFF” is getting new engines and a new cockpit [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-15 Oops — can’t put this where it needs to go down below while posting from my phone. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is going to be around for a while yet. It’s getting some upgrades to keep it flying. From Wikipedia: Carrying 8 engines in four pods under the wings, the B-52 has outlasted other bombers for three main reasons: lt can fly long distances on its own, and can be refueled in flight to go even further — around the world if desired. It can carry a huge and varied payload, from ‘dumb’ iron bombs, to cruise missiles, to nukes. It’s proven to be very adaptable — they keep finding ways to hang new hardware and upgraded systems off it, where more specialized designs have come and gone. The underlying airframe has proven robust. Replacing the original engines has been in the works for a while. The 60 year old originals are increasingly hard to get parts for, and new designs offer more power with less weight, more reliability, and greater fuel economy. One issue was whether to replace the 8 engines with four bigger ones — but that would have meant redesigning the engine pylons and probably changes to the proven aerodynamics of the aircraft. Boeing is designing a new engine nacelle to house the F130, and much of the testing in the next couple of years will ensure the engine upgrade has no unintended effects on B-52 performance, such as how the aircraft behaves in crosswind conditions, Ames said. As is true today, the eight engines will fit in four nacelles. While USAF once considered four large-fan commercial engines instead, it stuck with eight to avoid substantial redesign of the wing, cockpit, and other components, and to minimize risk and delay. Rolls Royce has gotten the nod to supply 8 new engines per plane. Boeing will fit them into the new engine pods and integrate them with the aircraft systems. The B-52 won’t be faster or have more thrust — but the new engines will burn 30% less fuel. Buffs will be able to fly further and need fewer aerial tankers to support them. The savings in fuel costs are expected to pay for the new engines over time. But wait — there’s more! Along with new radars and other electronics, the front office will be getting a makeover. Major Kong in his posts at Daily Kos has described the cockpit as cramped. One reason for that has been the need to find room for analog gauges for each of the 8 engines — as well as flight systems, etc. Pilots have to be able to look at all the gauges and put together the big picture of what they are all showing. Cockpit design has come a long way since. The Boeing 737 is a ubiquitous twin engine airliner that has been in service for decades, through a number of newer models. The picture below shows the cockpit of an early model 737 above a picture of the latest. The difference is stark. (Sorry — the picture that should be here is up above, just under the B-52) Keep in mind 737 pilots just have to ride herd on only two engines — versus 8 in a B-52. The “glass cockpit” puts information from multiple gauges onto screens that can integrate it into a big picture more easily grasped, and change displays for different tasks. Sorting what pilots need to see, how they see it — and finding how they want it to work for them is critical. The Air Force is letting pilots help develop the new cockpits. The concept of human systems integration, where systems are adapted to the operator rather than vice versa, did not exist when the B-52 cockpit was first designed in the late 1940s, Dave Prakash, a former B-52 operational test pilot and flight surgeon, told Air & Space Forces Magazine “Whether it’s the engine instruments or the navigation instruments, they are all designed to fit compactly in the space there, but they are not designed to be easy to use,” he said. The new cockpit displays should go a long way to reduce the workload on pilots, and keep the B-52 flying into the 2050s. The teamwork on that is important. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/15/2199512/-The-BUFF-is-getting-new-engines-and-a-new-cockpit?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/