Leeham’s Bjorn Fehrm selected for Swedish medal for engineering work

By Bjorn Fehrm

Bjorn Fehrm

 April 14, 2016: Bjorn Fehrm, the aeronautical and economical analyst for Leeham Co. and Leeham News and Comment, has been selected to receive the 2016 Thulin Silver Medal from the Aeronautics and Space Technology Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences of Sweden, the groups announced this week.

Fehrm focuses on technical evaluation for Leeham Co and LNC, providing a level of technical and aircraft economic reporting rarely seen among aviation writers.

Fehrm has a background both as a fighter pilot and engineer, “where the knowledge came to foster a brilliant idea how to make radar chaff work for effective self-protection, and in 1980 filed a patent application for his invention,” the groups said in a press release announcing the award. “The principle is that the chaff must be spread very quickly in the transverse direction to give effect on modern radar stations which have high range resolution and Doppler signal processing. The chaff dispenser is mounted close to the aircraft’s wing tip vortices and is designed to not block any weapon positions or require mounting in the aircraft structure. This is achieved by integrating the dispenser in existing missile launchers of the aircraft. The dispensing of the chaff can be made with high precision and high endurance. The chaff is placed in discrete packets using an electro-mechanical dispensing method and is then distributed with the help of the aircraft’s wingtip vortices.”

The silver medal also is awarded to Hans Ansell for his efforts in “fatigue and damage tolerance work for aircraft structures,” the press statement says. “Ansell is a leading international authority on fatigue and damage tolerance for both military and civilian aircraft. He has contributed greatly to the fact that today there is a complete integrated system for structural integrity for combat aircraft, from usage analysis to lifetime follow-up activities. The latest contribution to this development is a unique way of parametric recordings during all flight used together with a load model to determine the local load spectrum in a large number of areas (over 100) in the aircraft. This compares with previous versions for Gripen where this was done with strain gauges in a few critical points.”

The Gold Medal will go to Anders Blom for his “exceptionally meritorious services for the Swedish aerospace and space activities. Blom has a solid background within Swedish aviation research and has previously been head of research within Aeronautics at the Aeronautical Research Institute FFA and the Swedish Defence Research Agency. Blom also been a visiting professor at the Royal Institute of Technology and was awarded back in 1997 Thulin Medal in silver, and now he receives Thulin Gold Medal for his work as program manager of Fostair and its extensive international involvement.”

The Aeronautics and Space Technology Association, FTF, is a nationwide, non-profit and non-political organization founded 1933.

Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, IVA, is an independent arena for the exchange of knowledge. IVA highlights and reward important contributions in science, technology and economics.

29 Comments on “Leeham’s Bjorn Fehrm selected for Swedish medal for engineering work

  1. Congratulations Bjorn ! And thank you for your analyses.

  2. Congrats for Bjorn who joined this wonderful blog already well maintained by Scott. Let me use my native words: Félicitations et continuez comme çà !! Vous êtes trop forts !

  3. It is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to discuss the tech details and get in depth information that is impossible on any other subject. He is patient with the most mundane questions we ask.

    We are truly privileged for Bjorns contributions and access on this site, and while congratulations on are more than in order, I also think its one aspect of a career that he has contributed a great deal to aviation in.

    Seldom do we see someone who is both an accomplished pilot and an engineer. My hat is off to Bjorn as it is to few people and that includes myself.

  4. Congratulations Bjorn!

    The silver medal also is awarded to Hans Ansell for his efforts in “exhaustion and damage tolerance of aircraft structures,” the press statement says.

    Strike one for google translate? 😀

  5. Congratulations Bjorn!

    —————————
    FREE BONUS
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    Off topic question, as I can’t post it on the paywalled article about the CS500.

    If the CS100 is a shrink of the CS300, and considering that there are a lot more CS300 sales, why did Bombardier choose to build, fly and certify the CS100 before the Cs300?

    It should have been logical to start with the baseline, better selling, aircraft first.

  6. This is fantastic news and very well deserved. Always enjoy reading your
    blog and Bjorn’s contributions. The whole site supplies a wealth of usable
    information. Congratulations Bjorn. For those of us who are long retired
    and outside of the loop this is an excellent way to stay in touch with current developments.

  7. Congratulations Bjorn !

    Unfortunately, you’re now unable to avoid the radar… even with good chaff 😀
    To good analysis here !

    Bravo

  8. Congratulations on a great achievement and recognition for your work!

    • Congratulations Bjorn! Thank you for your interesting and insightful contributions to this site, and for your willingness and patience in interacting with us readers.

  9. Congratulations Bjorn. Amazing achievement and well deserved!

    And thank you for your valued contributions in this column.

  10. Congratulations! Where is the like button, when you so much need it!

  11. To all, a warm thanks.

    Nice to know that what is written is appreciated.

    Bjorn

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