Nothing earth-shattering here, but progress is being made.
From the Bi-weekly update at their web site:
WELCOME!
Greetings from all of us here at GBA. Thank you for your interest in us and our aircraft. Welcome to the first issue of The Hawk's Nest. This bi-weekly column will keep you updated on our manufacturing, assembly and FAA certification progress on the Hawk 4 Gyroplane. We will also take you "inside" GBA and introduce you to many aspects of our company and the processes involved in our project. We appreciate at all times any input or questions you may have.
Our employee numbers have grown in the last three years from eight to fifty dedicated individuals hard at work bringing the dream of the Hawk Gyroplane to fruition. We are continuing to grow as we move closer to our goal. This adventure is an incredible journey.
We are moving forward with the FAA type certification process for the Hawk 4 Gyroplane. It is a monumental task, but something we are very capable of. We recently brought together all of the paperwork associated with the design, manufacture, quality assurance and certification of just one part in the Hawk. We ended up with a stack which easily stood ten inches high! We are dealing with hundreds of parts. Each requiring extreme diligence and attention throughout it's development.
DRAWINGS RELEASED
Many in our Drafting Department have been on a 2 shift work schedule for the last six months. Those and others in Engineering recently increased their work schedule to ten hour a day, six day weeks as we push and persist in working towards our goal. Quality Assurance Manager Brad Roon reports that over 300 drawings have been released, 188 since December 14, 1998. Each drawing has to be signed off by Engineering, Manufacturing and Quality Assurance to be considered as having been released.
DECK STRUCTURE
Word from Manufacturing Engineer Charles Melvin is that the Hawk 4
deck structure to be used in an FAA required fuel tank drop test has
been completed. The next step will be assembly of the fuel containment
area. One of the fixtures used in the tower assembly of the fuel
containment area has been completed and parts are coming together. In
the meantime, the first two Hawk 4 deck structures have been
completed. I will keep you appraised of progress and provide pictures in coming installments.
Engineering, Manufacturing and Product support staff in technical discussion regarding fuel containment tower structure fixture.
The silver fuselage deck structure fixture stands behind a completed deck assembly lying in it's custom cradle.
ROTOR BLADES
Tom Winn, Director of Manufacturing, informs me that some of the major specialized tooling to be used in the manufacture of the rotor
blades for the Hawk 4 is nearing completion. GBA has developed ties
with many specialized companies in the aviation and aerospace industry
regarding assistance in design, development and manufacture of special
assembly tooling. Regarding rotor blades, we are relying on the expertise of Stadco in Los Angeles, CA for our main blade tool. For more information on Stadco, visit their web site at
stadcomfg.thomasregister.com
HAWK 4 ENGINES DUE SOON
The Hawk 4 Gyroplane will be powered by the Teledyne Continental
TSIO 550. We are on schedule to receive the first five engines in
February. This engine is an air cooled, fuel injected, twin turbo, opposed six cylinder putting out 350 horse power and will provide plenty of ‘push' for the Hawk 4.
GBA LEASES ARIZONA FLIGHT OPERATIONS FACILITY
GBA has leased a location at the Buckeye, Arizona airport for use as a
flight operations facility. Buckeye is located approximately thirty miles west of Phoenix. The facility includes a 12,500 square foot maintenance hanger, over 3000 square feet of office and training space and twelve covered tie downs. Plans call for the potential use of the facility for experimental flight testing, flight training, final aircraft assembly and production flight testing.
|
