VFS Philly had our last virtual Lunch N’ Learn presentation Wednesday August 2, featuring a talk by Joby Aviation Senior Writer, Brian Garrett-Glaser on eVTOL Flight!
“Unpacking the Promise of eVTOL Flight” with Brain Garrett-Glaser, Joby Aviation
Category Archives: Uncategorized
“A New Taxonomy for Vertical Lift Aircraft: Reinventing the VSTOL Wheel” with Dan Newman, Boeing
VFS Philly hosted a virtual Lunch N’ Learn presentation featuring a talk by Boeing Senior Technical Fellow and VFS Philadelphia Board Member Dan Newman!
Description:
Since the successful fielding of Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, there has been a strong desire for such runway independent aircraft that are also capable of very high speed cruising flight. There has been a lot of time and treasure invested in developing and demonstrating these VSTOL aircraft, and several attempts to characterize them culminating in the VSTOL Wheel, but each exhibits specific drawbacks in practice. The current approach is inadvertently limiting the capability for regulatory agencies to review and approve new concepts. A new, simple taxonomy has been developed by the presenter and is proposed that is suitably broad to characterize every VSTOL concept suggested, and sufficiently robust to include any in the future. And the approach offers a means to leverage each new aircraft certification, to reduce the subsequent workload and uncertainty.
“The Current State of Powered-Lift Training and the Implications for Advanced Air Mobility” at Leonardo Helicopters
VFS Philadelphia Chapter had a very special dinner meeting at Leonardo Helicopters in Northeast Philadelphia on April 19, 2023 that included a presentation by Kevin Semler, Leonardo Instructor Pilot, and included tours of the Leonardo Helicopters facility. The presentation discussed the implications of the new Powered-Lift category and how it effects operator training, especially in relation to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). The tours included Leonardo’s production and flight lines, including AW119s, TH-73As, AW139s, and static displays of the AW609 and MH139. No photos were allowed inside the facility, so be sure not to miss out next time!
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Stefano Coratella and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Stefano Coratella and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use
US Naval Academy Midshipmen “AURORA – Vertical Lift Student Design Project” and “Investigation of Helicopter Performance in Confined Areas”
VFS Philly had the opportunity to hear from US Naval Academy midshipmen as they presented two of their capstone projects. The presentations were about AURORA, Arctic Unmanned Rapid Oil Response Aircraft, a design, build, and fly project to help track oil spills in Alaska, and Investigation of Helicopter Performance in Confined Areas, a further analysis of recent flight test activity completed at Pax River Test Pilot School to analyze the impact of confined spaces on operational safety.
The midshipmen traveled to Piasecki Aircraft and Boeing earlier in the day to tour the facilities and hear more about the history of vertical flight in Philadelphia.
The dinner also had a special guest, Angelo Collins, Vertical Flight Society’s new CEO, to replace Mike Hirschberg officially in May at the .
A big thank you to Piasecki Aircraft for sponsoring the dinner meeting, as well!
Boeing Wind Tunnel. Photo Courtesy of Daniel Jaep and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use 
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Gillman and provided free for non-commercial use
“Autonomous Aircraft Separation Assurance with Reinforcement Learning” with Peng Wei, George Washington University
VFS Philly hosted our latest virtual Lunch N’Learn on Friday, February 24th at 12:30PM, by Peng Wei, an associate professor from George Washington University.
“Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: A History of Vertical Air Travel”
Thoughts from the VFS Executive Director
On Tuesday, December 13, 2022, VFS Philly had the incredible opportunity to hear from the Executive Director of the Vertical Flight Society, Mike Hirschberg!
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright John Romanski and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Aida Walsh and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Aida Walsh and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Aida Walsh and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
“Drones for Sustainable Development” with Rebecca Lehman, DroneDeploy
On Wednesday November 16th ,2022, Rebecca Lehman from DroneDeploy discussed about Drones for Sustainable Development.
Aurora Technology Demonstrators and Boeing Modernization of Legacy Technologies
The most recent dinner meeting was presented by Matt Hutchison on Tuesday October 18, 2022 at the Towne Hall in Media, PA. The meeting had a large audience with employees from all over the Philadelphia region, including Boeing, Piasecki Aircraft, Leonardo, DFI, and many others.
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use 
Photos are copyright Joseph Gillman and are shared here for free for non-commercial use
“Pushing the Boundaries of Modeling, Simulation, and Control of Rotorcraft” with Umberto Saetti, University of Maryland
The latest virtual Lunch N’ Learn took place on August 31st, titled: Pushing the Boundaries of Modeling, Simulation, and Control of Rotorcraft by Umberto Saetti, Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland.
