We Make It Fly

Bartolomeo: Preparing your ISS space mission

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 07:00:01 GMT

Find out how Airbus’ payload hosting platform Bartolomeo allows customers and researchers to test space technologies 400 km above Earth.

Named after Christopher Columbus’ younger brother, Bartolomeo offers the only unobstructed view from the International Space Station (ISS) towards our planet and into outer space. That’s why the platform is ideally suited for many types of experiments, including Earth observation, environmental and climate research, robotics, material sciences and astrophysics.

In this podcast interview, Christian Steimle, Bartolomeo business and service manager, explains how Airbus helps customers get their payloads into space cost- and time-efficiently.

More info: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/events/virtual-comms.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Airbus Quantum Computing Challenge - Meet The Finalists

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 13:00:53 GMT

In this special podcast Airbus announces the finalists for the Airbus Quantum Computing Challenge. Joining Rhys Phillips are external judges Elham Kashefi and Iordanis Kerenidis, Thierry Botter from Airbus Blue Sky and Lee-Ann Ramcherita from Airbus' Flight Physics department. Tune in now to find out more about the problem statements set for the challenge, the innovative solutions proposed and more information on the next steps of the challenge.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Aeronautics Need Quantum Computing Technology

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 08:00:00 GMT

In the first of two podcasts, Rhys Phillips presents a documentary around quantum computing technology and its applications within aerospace. Airbus' very own Lee-Ann Ramcherita and Thierry Botter, alongside external experts Iordanis Kerenidis and Elham Kashefi, discuss the benefits that quantum computing can provide to flight physics problems within Airbus, and introduce the Airbus Quantum Computing Challenge.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

X3 and RACER: The Winning Formula For Faster Helicopter Flight

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 11:22:57 GMT

The X3’s legacy lives on with today’s RACER demonstrator, part of the European Union's Clean Sky 2 research programme. RACER improves upon the X3’s simple, proven formula, marrying higher speed with cost efficiency and fuel savings.

Flying 50% faster than a conventional helicopter by combining a main rotor with boxed wings and propellers, RACER could have a major impact on missions where speed means lives, such as emergency medical services and search and rescue.

On the 10th anniversary of the X3's first flight, let's take a walk back in time – and then into the future – with Tomasz Krysinski, the head of the X3 programme and today’s Head of Research & Innovation at Airbus Helicopters.

And don't miss the two previous episodes, with X3 test pilot Hervé Jammyrac, X3 flight test engineer Dominique Fournier, and U.S. tech rep Jonathan Hubbell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

X3: A Secret Project With An Exceptional Team - Dominique Fournier & Jonathan Hubbel

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 12:14:34 GMT

Creating the X3 required exceptional secrecy and a unique team. Up until its first flight, only a small group knew of the X3’s existence. In this episode, X3 flight test engineer Dominique Fournier explains the tactics that made this possible; from isolating teams, to early-morning truck rides in the cover of darkness.

This secrecy also helped create a tightly welded team of exceptional profiles from around the world. How does one get selected for such an elite project? Jonathan Hubbell, the American technical representative who was hand-picked to accompany the X3 on its US demo tour, shows us how his after-work hobby helped land him the job of a lifetime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Off To The ISS With Astronaut Randy Bresnik

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 06:00:58 GMT

When Randy Bresnik was a young child, all he wanted to do was fly. Fast-forward to 2020 and the retired U.S. Marine has surpassed even his wildest dreams – having distinguished himself both as a fighter pilot and test pilot before making two trips to space as a NASA astronaut.

Bresnik discusses a broad range of topics in Airbus’ latest podcast, providing insights on space cooperation between Europe and the United States, his experience aboard the International Space Station, the various training involved, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hervé Jammayrac: On Board The Demonstrator With The X3 Test Pilot

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 09:01:26 GMT

Over the course of its three-year journey, Airbus Helicopters' high-speed helicopter demonstrator, the X3, performed nearly 200 flights on two continents, while breaking a world record and pulling off incredible stunts – like racing a high-speed TGV train.

Guiding the X3 each step of the way was test pilot Hervé Jammayrac. On the tenth anniversary of X3’s first flight, Jammayrac, now chief test pilot at Airbus Helicopters, reminisces about those memorable times.

And don't miss the next two episodes in this series, with head of research and innovation, Tomasz Krysinski, X3 flight test engineer Dominique Fournier, and U.S. tech rep Jonathan Hubbell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jean-Brice Dumont: Why It Is Safe To Fly

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 11:27:31 GMT

In this episode, Jean-Brice Dumont, Executive Vice President Engineering at Airbus explains what HEPA (High-Efficiency-Particulate Arrestor) filters are, and why the air in the cabin is clean with its utilisation.

As we take to the skies again, we will continue to provide you with the facts that reassure and dispel any myths around air travel in this period.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Taylor: A400M - Flying Airbus’ Next-Generation Airlifter

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 08:00:00 GMT

The A400M is the “topic du jour” for Airbus’ latest podcast, including insights from someone who knows this advanced military aircraft inside and out: John Taylor, an experimental test pilot at Airbus Defence and Space.

Based at the San Pablo site near Seville, Spain – where A400Ms are assembled – Taylor says it’s a privilege to fly the aircraft and underscores key capabilities that set it apart from the competition, both now and for the years to come.

More info: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/events/virtual-comms.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank Schubert: CyberSecurity - Protecting Everyday Life

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 09:00:50 GMT

In our society today, a world without satellite communications, navigation and Earth observation systems is unimaginable. Services provided by space-based systems have become omnipresent - simply think about navigation, TV broadcasts, weather forecasts, climate monitoring or military communications, even the Internet of Things stays connected through satellite communications. All acquired and distributed data is valuable, often sensitive and hence of interest to various groups: customers, competitors, hacktivists, nation states or military forces.

In the past, large resources were required to attack space-based systems. But today the technical barrier is much lower and disrupting critical satellite operations might become possible at much lower cost and effort. This opens the door to many more potential attackers. Therefore, state-of-the-art monitoring and protection measures are a must for space-based systems, just like for any other technical system supporting critical infrastructure.

In this podcast, Dr. Frank Schubert, specialist in Defence and Aerospace Security, explains how Airbus protects satellites from cyber-attacks and why it is so important to keep our systems save.

More info: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/events/virtual-comms.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Albert Falke: Defending Earth - Keeping Asteroids At Bay

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 09:00:00 GMT

Asteroids are not just an abstract danger out of blockbuster movies. They are very real. That’s why Airbus is developing new and innovative technologies to unlock the secrets of asteroids. In this podcast interview Albert Falke, Program and Project Manager of Asteroid detection at Airbus Defence and Space, explains what they are made of and how they can be diverted to keep our planet safe from harm.

More info: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/events/virtual-comms.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean Wiid: UP42 - GEOAI For All

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:39:40 GMT

Across nearly all major industries, many are looking toward a future of mass adoption of geospatial technologies. But what technical and commercial barriers do we need to break down to truly democratize access to geospatial data and analytics?

Globally, institutions and companies have gathered more Earth observation (EO) data than can ever be analyzed using traditional image processing methods. With emerging companies racing to launch their own EO systems, we face an unprecedented increase in capacity and volume of data that inspires us to explore the importance of machine learning and cloud computing infrastructure in generating insights at scale. In this interview Sean Wiid, Chief Product Officer at UP42, explains the role of platforms like UP42 in enabling the mass adoption of geospatial technologies.

More info: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/events/virtual-comms.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hervé Foch: Satellite Imagery - Eyes In The Sky

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 09:00:00 GMT

700 km above us, Airbus-built Pléiades satellites are taking high-resolution images of areas affected by Covid-19. This imagery is vital for a project launched by the European Space Agency ESA. It is called RACE – short for Rapid Action on COVID-19 and Earth Observation – and aims at providing information on the state of European society and economy in times of Corona.

In this podcast interview Hervé Foch, Head of Imagery, Mapping and Location-Based Services team at Intelligence, explains how his team supports RACE and where Covid-19 impacts industrial activities.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ian Walters: Solar Orbiter - Here Comes The Sun

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 09:00:53 GMT

The Airbus-built Solar Orbiter (SolO) is on an epic journey to unlock the Sun’s secrets. Listen to our latest podcast, which includes insights from Ian Walters, the Solar Orbiter Project Manager. Podcast topics include SoIO’s testing prior to launch in February 2020 and protecting the deep space probe from temperatures exceeding 500°C when it reaches the Sun’s vicinity.

Ian Walter has been with Airbus since 1982. He has previously held positions of CTO / Chief Engineer for Galileo Industries, developing the complete Galileo navigation system for the EU, and Airbus VP for Navigation Systems, in Munich. He was also Engineering Manager for the Rosetta Platform and Project Manager for the JWST Mid Infra-red Instrument (MIRI).

More info: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/events/virtual-comms.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philippe Pham: Aeolus - Forecasting Your Daily Weather

Fri, 22 May 2020 10:30:01 GMT

Find out how Airbus’ wind-sensing satellite Aeolus supports meteorologists where aircraft can’t in Corona times.

The recent drop in commercial flights has also affected measurements for weather forecasting. But thanks to an Airbus-built satellite launched two years ago for our ESA customer, meteorologists are still able to give reliable forecasts.

In our latest podcast interview, Philippe Pham, who leads Airbus’ space activities for Earth observation, navigation and science satellites, explains how Aeolus helps them achieve it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marco Gumbrecht: Eurofighter - Present To Future

Fri, 15 May 2020 13:00:43 GMT

Traditionally, 2020 would have been a busy airshow year. We were looking forward to updating you on the many new developments and business highlights at various trade shows. As of today, the significant meeting, travel and event restrictions have made physically hosting these shows impossible. In order to adapt to these changes, we will reach out to you digitally instead!

Martin Agüera interviews Marco Gumbrecht, Head of Future Business Eurofighter and Military Relations in Combat Aircraft Systems for Airbus Defence and Space. Marco is a former Eurofighter Typhoon fighter pilot at the German Air Force and has flown the jet for many years. He has had a remarkable career in aviation so far, which has been home to him since he left high school and has taken him from the German Air Force to Airbus.

Marco gives an operational insight view into the Eurofighter and how he sees the future of the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colin Paynter: A Glimpse Into Space

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 08:00:07 GMT

Airbus reaches beyond the skies and into space, and the technologies it builds and develops, keeps vital global communications that we all depend upon, working.

Colin Paynter is the Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space, based in the UK. Colin heads up a workforce of more than four thousand people, most of whom are involved in building communications and observation satellites. Airbus is by far the biggest player in this field in the UK. Customers for these solutions range from telecommunications companies to the British Armed Forces, and are used for a variety of functions, including monitoring the effects of climate changes and providing extra capacity for mobile phones. Airbus Defence and Space is also developing a new Mars Rover that is on schedule to be launched to the Red Planet (Mars) in the coming few years. Its goal will be to provide new scientific insights.

Colin who has worked in his current position for 17 years, is about to retire from Airbus, and in this episode, he speaks to Martin Aguera about his work in the past, present developments, as well as his hopes for Airbus in the space segment moving forward.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Didier Delsalle: Reaching The Peak

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 08:00:29 GMT

We're delving into the fascinating world of Airbus Helicopters and our guide for this episode has been with the company for over 30 years.

Didier Delsalle is an experimental test pilot, who spends his days pushing the limits of aviation technology. He is known for being the first and only person who landed a helicopter, the NH90 or Squirrel, on the world's highest mountain, Everest, back in 2005. He has accumulated over 10,000 hours in the air and has flown about every helicopter in the Airbus world.

"As a prototype test pilot, you are always working with the latest technology. Even to the very last day, you want to see new systems or to fly new helicopters. Even to the very last day, you are still at the top."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Till Eisenberg: Waking up CIMON - The Floating Brain In Space

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 07:00:48 GMT

For many people, Airbus is associated with aircraft, but it also does much more. In all that it does, the company always aims to reach beyond the clouds.

Till Eisenberg is one of those who have helped Airbus make its mark in the final frontier of Space. He led an Airbus team that designed a floating electronic brain – called CIMON – that was sent to the International Space Station to help astronauts with their work. CIMON floats freely in zero gravity with its computerized facial screen watching, listening and communicating by voice with the astronauts. A future version is even being designed to read the mood of those on board in order to help them cope with the psychological demands of being in orbit.

Till came to Airbus with a fascination for space, which came from watching Star Wars and Star Trek as a child, and in this episode, he tells Martin Aguera how he made science fiction into science reality.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shashwath Vummidilakshman: Reach For The Stars

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 07:00:26 GMT

Being international is at the heart of Airbus – from its European beginnings to its current global reach. And its workforce is no exception! There are more than 130 thousand people working at Airbus, drawn from over 120 countries.

Shashwath Vummidilakshman’s journey eventually led him to Airbus. But it wasn’t easy realising his dream, coming from the bustling streets of Bangalore in Southern India, to verdant Toulouse in Southern France.There is a saying: "The destination should be constant, but the journey can differ."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fernando Alonso: Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 07:00:58 GMT

The introduction to this episode comes from Paris Air Show where aircraft are on display in the air and on the ground. But before they reach Le Bourget’s tarmac, or even go near any runway, they go through intensive testing procedures. “Safety first” is Airbus’s mantra in all it does.

Fernando Alonso has been central to this process for three decades, and he has a real passion for every aspect of getting aircraft from the design stage into operation. Over the course of his career he accumulated more than 4,300 hours of flight tests, and notably, he was key in the organisation and development of the Airbus’s flight test campaigns.

"You cannot do this job [without passion]. There is a physical connection between you and the airplane. I cannot imagine this job without passion."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacques Rocca: A Knight At The Museum

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 07:00:34 GMT

Jacques Rocca is Airbus’s History Man. He sees the company’s achievements as part of a heritage that should be preserved. His passion to ensure that the past can be put on display now, led him to join the ‘AIRitage Project’ that collects and preserves aviation history from documents to whole aircraft. For the past ten years, he has also been the director of Airbus’s heritage department.

So who better than him to take us on a private tour of Aeroscopia, the incredible aviation museum in Toulouse.

"When I joined Aerospatiale in 1997, I understood that there is a very important history, heritage, which should be protected."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grazia Vittadini: Technically Speaking

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 07:00:02 GMT

The Paris Air Show is the place where the industry and the public gather every two years to discover what’s new and exciting in the world of aviation. Airbus’s Chief Technology Officer is always in demand during the show, meeting with potential customers and others. The current CTO, Grazia Vittadini had a particularly busy week. Among other things, she signed an agreement with six other CTOs committing to sustainable goals for the aerospace industry.

Grazia has ascended through Airbus’s ranks to reach the position she finds herself in today. She started off as an engineer designing window frames and now oversees the whole range of technological development for Airbus’s fleet. We spoke to her about her career and what she envisions for Airbus’s future.

“Imagining the impossible is the subtitle of my job.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barbara Kracht: Badge 007 - Stirred, But Not Shaken

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 08:35:44 GMT

In this episode Barbara Kracht – one of Airbus’s original employees, number 007 – goes down memory lane, recalling how the company grew from a modest start-up to a global aviation giant. The daughter of Felix Kracht, who was one of the company’s founders, she spent almost 40 years with Airbus, notably as head of Media Relations.

Barbara tells us about Airbus’s beginnings, including witnessing the A300 first flight and some of the challenges commercially and technically of the early years.

“We did not exist, we had to fight for everything.”

Correction: the A330 crash Barbara refers to happened on 30th June 1994, and not 1974.

We'd welcome your feedback using #WeMakeItFly.

To find out more about Airbus go to https://www.airbus.com/, or follow us on Twitter @Airbus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing We Make It Fly

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 11:15:39 GMT

Airbus is turning 50 this year! So join us as we launch a new podcast, We Make It Fly.

At Airbus, we make commercial aircraft—you’ve probably been on one. But we also make helicopters, fighter jets, space rockets and even the Mars Rover. In this podcast, you will meet the people who have played a part in turning the company into a global giant in the aerospace industry.

Get on board, sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.

We'd welcome your feedback using #WeMakeItFly.

To find out more about Airbus go to https://www.airbus.com/, or follow us on Twitter @Airbus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.