Northwest Aerospace News August | September 2020 | Page 39

“Privatized space is going to
continue to grow,” he said. “It’s rich in
opportunity, and that’s what’s exciting.”
Likewise, King said her teams are
looking for ways to adapt their existing
products into new markets.
As aircraft become even more digital,
there’s an increasing requirement for
tools that can relay sensor data to the
cockpit and maintenance hangar in real
time, she said.
One of the company’s offerings is a
wireless system that transmits aircraft
tire pressure data to a hand-held tool
that ground crews can monitor. The next
challenge, King said, is wirelessly relaying
that data long-range so it’s easily
available to maintenance personnel on
a tablet or iPad. Crane has delivered its
wireless tire pressure system to many
commercial aerospace and defense
customers, including the U.S. Air Force
to use on giant C-5 transports.
King said her teams also are investing
in technology that could be used
by the burgeoning electric-powered
aircraft industry. They’re working with
Redmond-based electric motor manufacturer
magniX, and also with two
e-aircraft airframers: Eviation — which
plans to conduct the first test of its Alice
nine-seater at Moses Lake — and Bye
Aerospace, a Colorado company now
building two- and four-seat electric air
taxis.
“We’re in a long-cycle industry,” King
said. “It sometimes takes decades
for technology to find its way onto
airplanes. I expect it to take 20 years
before we see an all-electric air transport
aircraft, but there’s a lot of progress
being made there with general aviation
and sub-regional offerings.”
Crane Aerospace & Electronics
16700 13th Ave West
Lynnwood, WA 98037
Phone: [phone]
https://www.craneae.com
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE NO. 16 39