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NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Achieves Historic First Flight on Mars

The Mars Ingenuity helicopter completed the first flight on Mars. This photo was taken by Ingenuity and shows the ground view as it is flying. (JPL)

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter made history on April 19 completing the first powered flight on Mars, according to an announcement from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) who confirmed the flight at 6:46 a.m. EDT today.

The flight took place at 3:34 am EDT, which is 12:33 Mars time, and was flown completely autonomously. The data resulting from the flight was transferred back to the JPL through the Perseverance rover, according to NASA.

“Ingenuity was a technology demonstrator and experimental mission but its success is truly remarkable and it gives us this new capability,” acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said during a briefing on April 19.” I believe…that we should be doing these types of technology demonstrations on all our science missions to take advantage of the ability to prove out new technologies and capabilities that will then feed forward to even more ambitious and productive missions in the future.”

The flight consisted of a three-meter climb, five-second hover, a 96-degree turn, 20-second hover, and landing, Håvard Grip, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter chief pilot at JPL, said during the briefing.

This altimeter chart shows data from the first flight of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which occurred on April 19, 2021. (JPL)

“This flight was all about proving that it is possible to fly on Mars,” Grip said. “So to that end, what we had instructed Ingenuity to do was to climb to an altitude of three meters, hover there for a little bit, about five seconds, then make a turn of about 96 degrees, hover for another 20 seconds and then go to land again in the same place that it took off from. And we told that’s what he told engineering to do, and it did exactly that. And it did it just perfectly.”

Grip said the flight is considered successful from the data JPL has received so far.

“From everything we’ve seen so far, it was a flawless flight,” Grip said. “It was a gentle takeoff, at altitude, it’s gets pushed around a little bit by the winds, but it really just maintained station very well, and it stuck the landing, right in a place where it was supposed to go.”

Ingenuity is only four pounds, and its blade span is just under four feet. The small helicopter faced many challenges to get to its first flight including Mars’ unique atmosphere.

“When things work, it looks easy,” MiMi Aung, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project manager at JPL, said during the briefing. “I would like to take this opportunity to remind how difficult it is to fly a rotorcraft at Mars. First and foremost, because the atmosphere there is so thin, right, about one percent compared to that at Earth. That’s like on Earth being at elevation three times the height of the Himalayas. So, the air is very thin and Ingenuity had to be really light, small and has to be able to fly in the atmosphere and survive on its own. It did all of that under four pounds.”

Aung said Ingenuity has met all three of NASA’s agency-level objectives by showing powered flight is possible on Mars, actually flying on Mars, and getting data for future generations of Mars helicopters.

“Mars helicopter Ingenuity technology demonstration project has three goals in alignment with NASA’s agency-level objectives,” Aung said. “The first is to show on Earth that it is possible to fly power controlled flight at Mars. We did that before we were launched. The second goal was to actually fly on Mars, we have done it…The third goal is to get data back that will inform engineers that are designing future generations of Mars helicopters, and we have done that too.”

Ingenuity’s flight was captured by two cameras, the Mastcam-Z and Navcam, on the Mars rover Perseverance which was parked about 211 feet away during the flight, Justin Maki, Perseverance Mars rover imaging scientist at JPL, said during the briefing. The Mastcam-Z camera recorded the video.

“It’s a 720p video and it’s 1280 by 720 pixels,” Maki said. “It runs at about 6.7 frames per second.”

The blades of the helicopter are blurred because the video has a 10-millisecond exposure time which equals about one-half rotation of the blade, Maki said. So far, they have been able to receive about 2,000 image frames from the rover.

“I can tell you from firsthand experience that that was harder than it looks,” Maki said. “In fact, I think I speak for our entire imaging team that were kind of relieved that we caught it in flight. We had practiced this three or four times before and this is the first time that we were able to nail it…You have two different spacecraft. They both have this roughly the same time, but they operate differently, and so characterizing how the heli operates when we tell it to go, compared to how the rover does its thing is actually tricky.”

Now that Ingenuity has taken its first flight, the JPL team is planning up to four more flights in the coming weeks. The technology demonstrator has two weeks left in its planned month of experimentation.

“So, beyond this first flight, over the next coming days we have up to four flights planned and increasingly difficult flights, challenging flights, and we are going to continually push all the way to the limit of this rotorcraft, we really want to push the rotorcraft flights to the limit and really learn and get information back from that,” Aung said.

Bob Balaram, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter chief engineer at JPL, said Ingenuity is in very good shape after its first flight, possibly better shape than before.

“Ingenuity itself is extremely healthy at this point,” Balaram said during the briefing. “In fact, she’s even healthier than she was before this. She shook off some of her dust that I’ve been covering her solar panels and is in fact, producing even more solar energy than before. The batteries are looking good. The communication system is fantastic. The landing gear appears to work well. All the silver mechanisms and motors are doing great. The computers and avionics behave flawlessly. So all in all, it’s in a perfect state. And I’m just really excited to see what else she can teach us over the next few weeks as we explore aerial mobility on Mars.”

The next flights could test things like speed, distance, or how the helicopter reacts to wind. Aung said the JPL team expects to test the helicopter to meet its limits. This information will be important to allow the JPL team to find unknowns that they weren’t able to model.

“It’s also important and probably supportive of that plan to actually deal with this, like a tech demo, and we really want to be sure that when everything is said and done we know the full scope of what’s possible with that type of flying machine,” Grip, Ingenuity’s chief pilot, said. “And so for us that’s really critical…The month of Ingenuity is very much in the spirit of a text demo. That’s exactly what you would want to do, right, kind of to make sure that in fact, we’re putting a pedal down and are going for it.”

An added element of additional flights could be audio. This capability was available during the first flight however there was a concern that there could have been EMI interference between the microphone and the helicopter flying, Aung said.

“There is a plan to record the sound,” Maki said. “We didn’t want to put that into the first observation or the first try, because it was complicated enough just trying to get the video to work. So, we’re going to be putting that in an upcoming plan. I’m not sure if it’ll be the second flight, but it’s certainly one of our later flights.”

Right now NASA and JPL are working to gather and analyze all the data from Ingenuity’s first flight and that will inform the next flight which could be as soon as Thursday, Grip said.

“We’ll get the high rate data downlink from the helicopter to us tomorrow, and then we will be attempting to fly within the next few days,” Grip said. “So we’re targeting for this Thursday but we’ll know more after we get the high rate data.”

The post NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Achieves Historic First Flight on Mars appeared first on Aviation Today.

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What’s Trending in Aerospace – April 18, 2021

Check out the April 18 edition of What’s Trending in Aerospace, where editors and contributors for Avionics International bring you some of the latest headlines and updates happening across the global aerospace industry.

Commercial

New CDC Study Shows Keeping Middle Seat Open Helps Reduce Risk of COVID Exposure on Airplanes

(Delta Air Lines)

A new study published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Kansas State University attempts to quantify the benefit of specific distancing strategies to prevent transmission, such as keeping aircraft cabin middle seats vacant on airline flights.

Using bacteriophage MS2 virus as a surrogate for airborne SARS-CoV-2, CDC and Kansas State University (KSU) modeled the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 exposure and aircraft seating proximity, including full occupancy and vacant middle seat occupancy scenarios, according to the study.

“Compared with exposures in full occupancy scenarios, relative exposure in vacant middle seat scenarios was reduced by 23% to 57% depending upon the modeling approach. A 23% exposure reduction was observed for a single passenger who was in the same row and two seats away from the SARS-COV-2 source, rather than in an adjacent middle seat,” the study says.

Researchers analyzed data on virus aerosol dispersion in aircraft cabin mock-ups from a previous study conducted at KSU during July–August 2017 as part of a pandemic influenza research initiative, according to the study. These data were used to establish a “regression model to estimate the reduction in aerosol concentration as distance from a source increased,” the study says.

“These regression models were applied to conceptual aircraft seating scenarios to simulate the reduction in exposure resulting from vacant middle seats in an aircraft cabin,” the study says. “During the aerosol dispersion study at KSU, mannequins with realistic passenger heat emission were seated in the cabin mock-ups, and then MS2 aerosol was introduced from a source location and collected at six different sample locations in the cabin. This process was repeated four times: twice in a single-aisle cabin and twice in a twin-aisle cabin.”

Boeing Reports First Quarter 2021 Deliveries

Boeing reported major aircraft program deliveries across its commercial and defense operations on April 13.

The company completed a total of 77 commercial aircraft deliveries, including 63 total 737s. Boeing will release its full first quarter results on April 28.

Qantas Reports on Return of Passenger Demand in Australia

(Jetstar)

Qantas reported a strong return for domestic air travel demand in an April 15th update noting some of its regional subsidiary carriers will start re-deploying aircraft.

According to the update, Qantas is seeing demand return for leisure travel regionally, and has also engaged several regional travel agreements with other nations including New Zealand.

Qantas Group CEL Alan Joyce said the Australian government’s “half-price fares” program is also helping to restore passenger demand.

“The direct response to the program has been fantastic, with over 250,000 fares sold in the first two weeks,” Joyce said. “Indirectly, we saw a big spike in travel demand before the fares even went on sale because the announcement itself gave people confidence, which is something that had been missing for months. Corporate travel, including the small business segment, is now back to around 65 per cent of pre-COVID levels, and increasing month-on-month.”

Connectivity

Court of Justice Rules Against Eutelsat’s European Aviation Network Claims

The European Aviation Network concept of operations.

The European Court of Justice issued a ruling dismissing Eutelsat’s claim that Inmarsat’s operation of its European Aviation Network is an infringement on European law.

According to a summary of the ruling published by the EU Court of Justice on April 15, the claim by Eutelsat stemmed from EU’s selection procedure process for operators of mobile satellite systems. Eutelsat in 2014 a competitor of Inmarsat, brought an action before the Conseil d’État (Council of State, France) seeking annulment of a decision by that council to allow Inmarsat to operate EAN with a satellite and ground component, the latter of which is operated in partnership with Deutsch Telekom.

“Ruling on a request for a preliminary ruling from the Conseil d’État, the Court of Justice, in its judgment, provides an interpretation of ‘mobile satellite systems’ and of the concepts of ‘CGC’ and ‘mobile earth station’ 4 in the light of the MSS decision. In addition, the Court provides clarification concerning the powers of the competent authorities of the Member States to grant, or to refuse to grant, to an operator the authorizations necessary for the provision of the components of mobile satellite systems,” the ruling notes.

Inmarsat published an April 15 press release describing the allegations made by Eutelsat as “filed with the sole intention of artificially creating legal and regulatory uncertainty around EAN.”

“Inmarsat welcomes the ruling of the European Court of Justice rejecting our competitors’ arguments aimed at limiting the operation of the European Aviation Network,” Brad Swann, Inmarsat General Counsel said in the release.

Check out the full Court of Justice ruling here.

Military

Two Flight Demonstrations from Sikorsky S-97 RAIDER

Sikorsky’s Future Vertical Lift aircraft like RAIDER are designed to provide U.S. Army commanders with information to self-diagnose maintenance and predict aircraft availability. That increases the operational readiness and availability and reduces life cycle costs associated with the aircraft. (Photo courtesy Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company.)

Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky S-97 RAIDER helicopter flew two flight tests for Army officials and soldiers at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama this week, according to an April 15 release from the company.

The S-97 is Lockheed’s big for the Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program which is part of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) effort.

“Since the first Black Hawk took to the skies in the 1970s, to when our teams broke helicopter speed records with X2 Technology in 2010, we have been working with our Army partners to develop and deliver low-risk, transformational, affordable and sustainable aircraft to support the warfighters’ missions,” Sikorsky President Paul Lemmo, who was at Redstone this week, said in a statement. “This is the first of what we believe will be many times our X2 Future Vertical Lift aircraft will fly at Redstone.”

According to the release, the flights demonstrated the aircraft’s low-level maneuverability and high-speed capabilities.

“Flying RAIDER continues to amaze me,” Sikorsky’s Christiaan Corry, a former U.S. Marine with more than 4,500 flight hours in 25 types of aircraft and test pilot for the demonstration, said in a statement. “The combination of the coaxial rotors and the propulsor are really the enablers for this transformational technology. As we demonstrated today, in low-speed flight we are as capable as a conventional helicopter, but when we engage the prop, we are able to operate in a whole new way – it’s much more like flying an airplane.”

Honeywell Introduces New Navigation Technology Alternatives to GPS

Honeywell presented three new navigation technologies to use in GPS denied environments, according to an April 15 release.

The technologies include vision-aided navigation which uses live optical or infra-red camera feed and maps, celestial-aided navigation which uses stars and reference objects orbiting earth, and magnetic anomaly-aided navigation which uses sensors to measure magnetic strength with known magnetic maps, according to the release.

“Most of us have experienced some level of GPS unavailability, perhaps on our mobile phones or car navigation systems. It’s a minor inconvenience for us, but for military operations, not having access to critical positioning and timing information can make or break a mission,” Matt Picchetti, vice president and general manager of Navigation & Sensors at Honeywell Aerospace, said in a statement. “We’re very excited to roll out this robust lineup of alternate navigation solutions, which are specifically designed to address the needs of our military customers and give them the added layers of redundancy needed to successfully carry out their operations, even if they lose access to GPS signals.”

These new systems will be available in 2022 with deliveries starting in 2023, according to the release.

French Government Buys More Helicopters

As part of a stimulus plan, the French military is purchasing Airbus helicopters. (Airbus)

The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has signed a contract for eight H22Ms, a VSR700 prototype, two H145s and 10 H160s as part of a stimulus plan to support the national aeronautical industry, according to an April 15 announcement from Airbus Helicopters.

“We are very thankful to the French government for their support of the aeronautical industry through the Stimulus plan,” Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO, said in a statement. This is a win-win situation as the aircraft fulfill a real operational need for the French armed forces and this order allows Airbus Helicopters to secure jobs and key skills in the medium term. The French armed forces are facing increasing and varied challenges and I am confident that the H225M, thanks to its excellent range and multirole capacity, will be an efficient and reliable asset that will enhance their operations at home and abroad. The VSR700 is also a crucial program. It will provide the French Navy with a highly capable autonomous platform and it will pave the way for future unmanned systems within the Airbus Helicopters portfolio.”

The two H225Ms will go to the French Air and Space Force and the VSR700 prototype is being developed by the French Navy with the Naval Group, according to the release. The two H145s will do to the Sécurité Civile and the 10 H160s will be used by the French Gendarmerie Nationale.

10 Starlink Satellites to Enhance Arctic Communications for NORTHCOM

The January launch of 10 SpaceX Starlink polar orbit satellites are to enhance the communications for U.S. military forces in the Arctic, and Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, the head of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told lawmakers this week that he hopes to have another 100 satellites for such communications in the future.

SpaceX and OneWeb are building such commercial, polar orbit satellites.

“To compete in the Arctic, you have to be on the field,” VanHerck said in response to a question from House Armed Services Commitee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on the Arctic competition with Russia during an Apr. 14 hearing. “Currently…we’re not able to have the persistence I need to compete day-to-day in the Arctic. My priorities start with domain awareness, the ability to communicate and provide data and information so that we can operate and have persistence in the Arctic…We’ve got 10 satellites on orbit and approximately 100 more in the future.”

TransDigm To Sell Airborne Components Business Unit To Private Equity Firm

The Belgium-based Technical Airborne Components (TAC) business unit of TransDigm is being sold to a private equity firm.

TransDigm Group Inc.’s Belgium-based Technical Airborne Components (TAC) business unit on Tuesday said it has agreed to be acquired by the private equity firm Searchlight Capital Partners.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

TAC, which has about 170 employees, manufactures rods and struts for commercial aircraft, regional and business jets, helicopters, military aircraft and rockets. Some of the company’s customers include Airbus Group, Leonardo, Dassault, Eurofighter, Embraer and Arianespace.

“We are delighted to be partnering with TAC and its management team and look forward to drawing upon our industry and operational expertise as well as our transatlantic presence to accelerate its growth,” Ralf Ackermann, partner at Searchlight, said in a statement. “This investment further demonstrates our belief in the long-term recovery of the aerospace sector.”

Business & GA

Gulfstream’s First Fully-Outfitted G700 Joins Certification Flight Testing Program

The first fully-outfitted Gulfstream G700 joins the aircraft’s type certification flight testing program. (Gulfstream Aerospace)

In an April 15 press release, Gulfstream confirmed its first fully-outfitted G700 completed its first flight, joining five other flight test campaign aircraft as the new long range jet marches toward type certification. The fully outfitted aircraft took off today and flew 3 hours and 36 minutes, reaching an altitude of 48,000 feet/14,630 meters and a top speed of Mach 0.935, according to Gulfstream.

“Flying a fully outfitted aircraft signals significant progress in the G700 flight-test program,” Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream said in the release. “The G700 interior is raising the bar for cabin innovation and customization. It provides more space than ever before for Gulfstream’s precision-crafted furnishings, more opportunity for personalization and more technology to optimize passenger health, safety and enjoyment.”

The Gulfstream Cabin Experience on this G700 test aircraft includes the all-new ultrahigh-definition circadian lighting system and the first “ultra galley” to be featured on a Gulfstream jet, according to the company. Other interior cabin elements and features include more than 10 feet of counter space; a dedicated crew space; an entertainment and presentation area; a six-place conference and dining area; and a state room.

eVTOLs

China Establishes Type Certification Team for Passenger Variant of Ehang’s EH216

The Civil Aviation Administration of China has established a new type certification team for Ehang’s EH216 autonomous aerial vehicle. (Ehang)

The Civil Aviation Administration of China established a “type certification” (TC) team for Guangzhou-based EHang’s development of its EH216 autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV). The kickoff meeting was held in Guangzhou on April 13-14 with the aim to officially advance the TC approval work of EH216, according to an April 16 press release.

EHang officially submitted the EH216 type certificate application to CAAC in December 2020, which was accepted by CAAC in January 2021.

“Unmanned aviation is an integral part of the construction of intelligent civil aviation and may become the primary form of transportation in the future. THE Government and companies should work together to promote the development of unmanned aerial vehicles and adhere to high-quality standards when building the civil aviation infrastructure. Both the applicant and CAAC should have innovation mindset in the certification process while benchmarking international standards,” CAAC’s Chief Engineer Shijun Yin said in the release.

EHang also published its full-year and fourth quarter 2020 results on Friday.

Unmanned

All Nippon Airways Partners with Wingcopter to Bring Drone Delivery to Japan

Wingcopter’s drone has a range of 120 km and has been tested in harsh weather conditions. (Wingcopter)

ANA HOLDINGS INC. (ANA HD), the parent company of All Nippon Airways, and Wingcopter have formed a new partnership to build a drone delivery network for pharmaceuticals and other consumer goods in Japan, according to an April 15 release.

The project will use Wingcopter’s drone which has vertical take-off and landing capabilities while also taking advantage of fixed-wing architecture for flight mode by using a tilt-rotor mechanism, according to the company’s website. Wingcopter will also provide pilot training, mission planning, operational design, and maintenance.

“Being able to help a global company like ANA open up new business areas and at the same time pursue our mission to save and improve lives, is what we tirelessly work for,” Tom Plümmer, CEO of Wingcopter, said in a statement. “We are really looking forward to the next steps and the overall partnership with ANA in Japan and beyond.”

The post What’s Trending in Aerospace – April 18, 2021 appeared first on Aviation Today.

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PODCAST: Bombardier’s Elza Brunelle-Yeung Talks Smart Link Plus Business Jet Upgrade Program

Bombardier Director of Business Development Elza Brunelle-Yeung joins this episode of the podcast.

On this episode of the Connected Aircraft Podcast, Elza Brunelle-Yeung, Bombardier’s senior director of business development, joins to discuss the Canadian aircraft manufacturer’s new legacy business jet upgrade program, SmartLink Plus.

Smart Link Plus was first jointly launched by Bombardier and GE Aviation at the 2019 National Business Aviation Association annual conference and exhibition to bring a free new health monitoring unit to legacy Challenger and Global business jet operators. We discuss how the program was first established, progress over the last year, and the start of the upgrades, which are scheduled to begin this summer.

We also learn more about the data visualization tool that the upgrade is bringing to Bombardier operators.

Have suggestions or topics we should focus on in the next episode? Email the host, Woodrow Bellamy at wbellamy@accessintel.com, or drop him a line on Twitter @WbellamyIIIAC.

Listen to this episode below, or check it out on iTunes or Google Play If you like the show, subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they’re released.

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LAS Cargo Activates eFOQA for Boeing 727 Fleet Under New Deal with GE Digital

Colombia-based LAS Cargo has activated eFOQA for its fleet of Boeing 727-100s. (LAS Cargo)

Lineas Aereas Suramericanas (LAS) Cargo, a Colombia-based domestic air freight carrier, has signed a new five-year contract with GE Digital to electronically transform their Flight Operation Quality Assurance (FOQA) program.

FOQA is described by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a voluntary safety program that enables sharing and analysis of de-identified flight data with civil aviation regulators so that they can identify and reduce safety risks as well as monitor national trends as they occur within aircraft operations. Boris Zuniga, director of safety and quality for LAS Cargo, told Avionics International that the automated data processing and error detection capabilities of eFOQA will give his team cleaner and more accurate data with fewer false positives.

“Currently, LAS Cargo has activated the eFOQA technology in its Boeing 727s and 737-300. Our technical department performed a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for each aircraft,” Zuniga said.

While FOQA programs are not mandated by the FAA for U.S.-registered airlines, some other civil aviation regulators, including the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority, require operators of certain aircraft types to develop and sustain a FOQA program. In 2008, the International Civil Aviation Organization amended Annex 6 of the Chicago Convention to introduce new recommendations for airlines around the establishment of FOQA and flight data monitoring practices.

Most airlines manage this by downloading flight parameter data points captured by their flight data recorder (FDR) or a quick access recorder (QAR), and then review or compare what they’ve captured to historical records and performance of that aircraft.

“The Quick Access Recorder will record our fleet’s key parameters and provide valuable operational information that will allow us to continue improving our standards and procedures,” Zuniga said.

eFOQA gives LAS Cargo a new cloud-based method for analyzing flight recorder data and tracking safety metrics to alert its flight department of possible risk. (GE Digital)

According to GE, their eFOQA technology also analyzes FDR data and actively tracks safety metrics to alert flight departments of possible risks. Several tasks in the FOQA process that previously would have been performed by humans, including data ingestion, error correction, and statistical reporting are now automated by LAS Cargo’s use of eFOQA.

Zuniga said the airline is also considering new methods for downloading their data directly from the aircraft.

“We are also evaluating a Wi-Fi option. Once the plane’s data is downloaded, we upload it to the cloud,” he said. “GE receives the information and performs its analysis to have the visibility of the necessary actions to improve our procedures.”

Using GE Digital’s Event Measurement System (EMS), a flight data platform, operators can access both safety and fuel analytics to identify and quantify specific opportunities to reduce fuel consumption. The eFOQA platform utilizes EMS to gather, cleanse, and process data, according to GE.

Andrew Coleman, general manager of GE Digital’s aviation software division, says their eFOQA technology will allow LAS Cargo to “be safer, more efficient, and profitable in challenging times.”

“Our aviation industry takes great pride in being the safest means of transportation on Earth. This only happens by implementing processes, safeguards, and controls to make safety the number one priority,” Coleman said in an email. “It also only happens by harvesting the wealth of information modern aircraft make available and translating it into actionable insights to ensure we are constantly learning from our collective flying experiences. We serve hundreds of customers in the aviation ecosystem, as well as sponsor the industry-wide collaboration, to ensure best practices in analyzing flight data are fully shared and understood across our industry.”

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Will the Mars Helicopter Persevere?

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter unlocked its rotor blades, allowing them to spin freely, on April 7, 2021, the 47th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU)

The Mars helicopter Ingenuity encountered a problem during a high-speed spin-up test of its rotors on April 9 delaying its planned first flight demonstration. NASA has found a solution to this problem however the demonstration timeline will be further delayed while this issue is fixed, according to an update from NASA published on April 12.

Ingenuity landed on Mars attached to the belly of the Perseverance Rover on February 18. The helicopter ran into a problem during the week NASA’s team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) planned to test sensors, server mechanisms, and motors.

The solution JPL came up with includes a small modification and reinstallation of Ingenuity’s flight control software, according to the update. The modification includes changing the process where the two flight controllers boot up to allow the hardware and software to safely transition to the flight state.

According to the update, most of the delay will come from validating the software change and completing the uplink to Ingenuity. JPL has not yet released an updated timeline for the demonstration. However, there is a deadline for this mission which must occur within the 31 Earth days allotted to the demonstration before NASA has to move on with the rest of the Perseverance mission.

Perseverance is the most sophisticated rover NASA has ever sent to Mars. Ingenuity, a technology experiment, will be the first aircraft to attempt controlled flight on another planet. Perseverance will arrive at Mars’ Jezero Crater with Ingenuity attached to its belly. (NASA)

While this issue caused a delay, JPL says Ingenuity is still healthy and its critical functions like power, communications, and thermal control are stable.

“It is not unexpected for a technology demonstration like this to encounter challenges that need to be worked in real time,” NASA said in the update. “The high-risk, high-reward approach we have taken to the first powered, controlled flight on another planet allows us to push the performance envelope in ways we could not with a mission designed to last for years such as Perseverance. In the meantime, while the Ingenuity team does its work, Perseverance will continue to do science with its suite of instruments and is gearing up for a test of the MOXIE technology demonstration.”

Before this issue was diagnosed, Ingenuity completed important milestones like detaching from the Perseverance rover, recharging its batteries using its solar panels, and surviving on Mars.

“This is, in effect, an aircraft that also happens to be a spacecraft,” J. Bob Balaram, Ingenuity chief engineer at JPL, said during a press conference remotely hosted by NASA on March 23. “It has survived launch. It has survived the journey through space with vacuum and radiation. It has survived the entry and descent and landing on the surface on the bottom of the Perseverance rover and it has survived all of the challenges and design issues that are necessary for a spacecraft. But most of all I think of Ingenuity also as an experimental aircraft.”

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All Nippon Airways Partners with Wingcopter to Bring Drone Delivery to Japan

Wingcopter’s drone has a range of 120 km and has been tested in harsh weather conditions. (Wingcopter)

In a video announcing the partnership, Plümmer said operations would start on the Gotō Islands in Nagasaki Prefectur, Japan and expand from there.

“Here in Gotō, 100 km west from Nagasaki city, there are 11 inhabitant remote islands,” Tetsuya Kubo, vice president of ANA HD overseeing the digital design lab, said in the video. “We would like to help those people living on the islands who have difficulties in accessing medical care, food and other vital supplies.”

Wingcopter’s drone has a range of 120 km and has been tested in harsh weather conditions, according to the company’s website. The drone has a 178 cm wingspan, 132 cm from front to tail, and has a max payload of six kilograms. In fixed-wing mode, it can reach speeds of 150 kilometers per hour and drops down to 100 kilometers per hour in cruise speed.

“The ongoing tests of Wingcopter aircraft represent a significant step forward in the creation of a viable drone transportation network,” Kubo said. “We are excited to partner with Wingcopter as we build on the advances and innovation of previous trials to bring drone delivery one step closer to reality. Once fully realized, a functioning drone transportation infrastructure will help improve quality of life in rural areas across Japan.”

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BETA Expands into Passenger Market with Blade Deal

Blade Urban Air Mobility is purchasing up to 20 BETA Technologies’ ALIA electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft marking BETA’s first passenger service customer. (BETA)

Blade Urban Air Mobility is purchasing up to 20 BETA Technologies’ ALIA electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft marking BETA’s first passenger service customer, according to an April 13 release.

“Blade is laser-focused on its transition from conventional rotorcraft to electric vertical aircraft,” Blade founder and CEO Rob Wiesenthal said in a statement. “The ALIA’s extremely low sound footprint coupled with its zero-emissions design will enable us to reduce the noise and environmental impact to the communities surrounding the existing heliport and airport infrastructure we currently use.”

Last week BETA announced an agreement with UPS in a deal that could total up to 150 aircraft as well as charging stations.

“Blade is flying people in and out of cities every day, and we’re excited to partner together with the leader in UAM to create a new paradigm in passenger aviation,” Kyle Clark, BETA’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “BETA is a pragmatic company building pragmatic aircraft. It’s clear that the simplicity of our approach, strength of our technology, consistent progress against our timelines as well as the expertise of our team resonates with the best operators in the world. We are extremely excited to partner with Blade and serve the passenger mission”

BETA’s ALIA eVTOL aircraft will have a range of 250 nautical miles with a cruising speed of 170 miles per hour, according to the release. According to the company’s website, the aircraft uses a distributed direct-drive electric propulsion system and has zero operating emissions. It has a wingspan of 50 feet and a 1,400-pound cargo capacity.

Deliveries of BETA’s ALIA to Blade are scheduled to begin in late 2024.

“ALIA is a full-scale EVA flying in piloted configuration almost every day,” Wiesenthal said. “The team’s progress is formidable. BETA’s scheduled delivery beginning in 2024 is ahead of our current projected deployment of EVA in 2025. The transaction, consistent with our asset-light operating model, allows Blade to leverage our significant flight volumes and third-party financing relationships to support the purchase of BETA aircraft by our operator partners.”

BETA’s other partners include United Therapeutics and the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime program, according to the release.

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What’s Trending in Aerospace – April 11, 2021

Check out the April 11 edition of What’s Trending in Aerospace, where editors and contributors for Avionics International bring you some of the latest headlines and updates happening across the global aerospace industry.

Commercial

737 MAX Electrical Issue Leads to Some Aircraft Pulled From Service

Boeing on Thursday identified a potential electrical issue involving the 737 MAX and has recommended some airlines operating the aircraft, which recently re-entered service, temporarily pause those operations to address it.

“Boeing has recommended to 16 customers that they address a potential electrical issue in a specific group of 737 MAX airplanes prior to further operations,” the company said in an April 9 statement.

Avelo Launches New Low Cost Airline with Routes From California

Avelo Airlines, a new low cost Boeing 737 operator, will start flights from Hollywood Burbank Airport later this month. (Avelo Airlines)

Avelo Airlines will start operating flights to 11 destinations in the western U.S. later this month, with one-way fares starting as low as $19, according to an April 8 press release.

The new low cost carrier will operate from Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), and has already started taking bookings for its flights beginning that will start on April 28. Avelo is operating an all-Boeing fleet of 737 Next Generation aircraft, and has hired a leadership team that includes former executives from Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Northwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines.

“Avelo has a simple purpose — to Inspire Travel,” Avelo Founder, Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said in the release. “After more than 20 years of steadily shrinking consumer choice, the American flying public wants and deserves more options and lower fares.”

Waltzing Matilda Aviation Launches Connect Airlines

IBS Software will power Connect Airlines with its mission-critical SaaS solutions. (WMA)

Connect Airlines, a new airline launched by Waltzing Matilda Aviation (WMA), will connect Toronto Bill Bishop City Airport with airports in the northeast and Midwest United States, according to an April 8 press release.

“We are passionate about how aviation brings people, cultures and business together,” John Thomas, chief executive officer of WMA, said in a statement. “Especially in these challenging times, we are committed to delivering the world’s most rewarding premium travel experience with safety, service, convenience and reliability.”

The airline will use the Q400 turboprop built in Canada, according to the release. IBS Software will be a strategic launch partner in this effort also and will use Connect Airlines to launch its Airline-in-a-box set of solutions.

“Connect Airlines is bucking an industry-wide trend,” Jitendra Sindhwani, IBS Software ‎President & Head and Aviation Business at IBS Software, said in a statement. “This bold statement is testament to the growing confidence in the aviation industry recovery. Our integrated set of solutions will support Connect Airline’s commercial and operational business. This includes reservations, fleet and crew operations, maintenance, and their website and mobile application. We are able to provide all the technology to enable the airline to start flying. We are thrilled to welcome Connect Airlines to the IBS Software family and look forward to our long-term partnership with Waltzing Matilda Aviation.”

Airline Executives Urge Streamlining of Digital Passports to Re-Open International Flights

United Airlines added a “Travel Ready” center to its website and mobile help to let passengers know what travel restrictions or policies they face when flying to various destinations. (United Airlines)

One aspect of the air travel process that will help restore demand for business and international travel is the use of digital health passports or apps that airlines, airports, and border agencies can use as a means of confirming a traveler’s negative COVID-19 status prior to boarding their flight. As airlines take their own individual approaches to deploy new apps that allow their passengers to digitally prove their COVID-19 status airports, there are a number of challenges to be addressed.

“I think the concern some folks have around the digital passport is it has a lot of complexity. Number one is really establishing a global standard so that this passport can be used across any country you fly around the world,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said during a panel virtually hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its annual 2021 Aviation Summit panel.

Minicucci believes individual privacy associated with a passenger’s medical information is another concern. In February, Alaska rolled out its new VeriFLY app, to give travelers a digital method of providing proof of a negative COVID test. American Airlines is also using VeriFLY, while United and Delta have both added new features to their existing airline mobile applications that provide similar COVID-19 test verification capabilities.

“How do you transfer private medical records into a health app, whatever health app we end up agreeing to? There are these complexities, I think if it unlocks international travel I think it’s something that we should pursue collaboratively, but it’s going to take collaboration from different stakeholders,” Minicucci said.

Outside of the U.S. however, airlines are facing challenges that vary on a region-by-region basis. U.S. airlines on average operate 60 percent of their flights domestically, while Chinese airlines are dependent on international travel for 45 percent of their total passenger demand, according to the Oliver Wyman report. The majority of airlines in the Asia Pacific region face the same situation, waiting on international travel regulations to allow for less uncertainty and quarantine requirements.

European carriers are similarly more dependent on more cross-border travel due to the region’s geographical structure. Inter-European travel is still suffering from a rise in cases in the region that occurred throughout the first three months of the year.

Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr also addressed the Aviation Summit audience remotely from Germany, outlining some of the key factors he believes could help re-open international flying.

“Three factors will have a significant impact on global air traffic. The first is the ongoing development of the coronavirus pandemic and the unfortunate reality of global travel restrictions. Second is video conferencing, and the potential decline in business travel, and last, our joint efforts toward environmental sustainability,” Spohr said. “I would like to appeal to politicians, we need international digital tests and vaccination certificates to enable our customers to travel again.”

Space

Mars Helicopter Flight on Track to Occur This Week

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter unlocked its rotor blades, allowing them to spin freely, on April 7, 2021, the 47th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU)

Based on data from the Ingenuity Mars helicopter that arrived late Friday night, NASA has chosen to reschedule the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter’s first experimental flight to “no earlier than April 14,” the agency said in an April 10 statement.

During a high-speed spin test of the rotors on Friday, the command sequence controlling the test ended early due to a “watchdog” timer expiration, according to NASA.

“This occurred as it was trying to transition the flight computer from ‘Pre-Flight’ to ‘Flight’ mode. The helicopter is safe and healthy and communicated its full telemetry set to Earth,” the agency said in an update published to its website Saturday.

The watchdog timer oversees the command sequence and alerts the system to any potential issues. It helps the system stay safe by not proceeding if an issue is observed and worked as planned.

NASA’s helicopter team is reviewing telemetry to diagnose and understand the issue. Following that, they will reschedule the full-speed test.

Connectivity

Former NASA Administrator Bridenstine Joins Viasat’s Board

Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. (Viasat)

Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has joined Viasat’s board of directors. The satellite operator announced Thursday that Bridenstine will serve as a Class II director. Viasat’s board now consists of eight members, six of whom are independent directors.

Bridenstine said in the release that this move reflects his passion for space and national defense. He joins Viasat as the operator is preparing for the launch of its first ViaSat-3 ultra-high capacity Geostationary (GEO) satellite in early 2022.

“Joining the Viasat board of directors is an opportunity for me to stay at the leading edge of technology, and apply my experience and insights to critical global and national priorities. Viasat’s missions, rapid entrepreneurial growth and culture of innovation – sustained over decades – presents a very attractive, mutually-beneficial opportunity to continue to contribute in private industry,” he commented.

As NASA administrator, Bridenstine led the Commercial Crew program parting with commercial space companies which saw historic success returning crewed spaceflight to the U.S. last year with SpaceX.

Military

Lockheed Martin Names Lauderdale As New F-35 Chief

Bridget Lauderdale is the new head of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 strike fighter program. (Lockheed Martin)

Lockheed Martin named Bridget Lauderdale as the new head of its F-35 strike fighter program, succeeding Greg Ulmer, who became executive vice president of the company’s Aeronautics group on Feb. 1 following the death earlier this year of Michele Evans.

Lauderdale is currently vice president and general manager of Aeronautics’ Integrated Fighter Group, which is responsible for the development, manufacture and sustainment of the F-16 and F-22 fighter programs. Lauderdale was named head of the Integrated Fighter Group in March 2019 after services as vice president of F-35 Global Sustainment.

As the new F-35 vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin said that Lauderdale “will be responsible for partnering with domestic and international customers to ensure the F-35 program delivers the most affordable fifth generation aircraft in production, advances capability through a stable modernization program, and increases availability while reducing overall operational and sustainment costs,” according to an April 5 press release.

Lauderdale has held a number of other roles within Lockheed Martin including senior vice president of Corporate Strategy & Business Development, vice president for Aeronautics Operations, vice president and general manger for F-16 and F-2 fighters, and vice president for F-22 Product Development.

F-35 Goes to Denmark

A Lockheed-Martin F-35. (File photo)

The first F-35A Lightning II for the Danish Air Force (RDAF) was debuted at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas marking a milestone in the F-35 program, according to an April 7 press release.

“The security situation around the world is increasingly complex,” Trine Bramsen, Danish Minister of Defense, said in a statement. “Being able to defend yourself and your allies is crucial. For peace. For stability. For freedom and democracy. With the new F-35 fighter jets we will increase our ability to protect Denmark. Our region. And wherever necessary as we have done before – side by side with the U.S. and other allies. The F-35s will be at the absolute center for the Danish Defense in the coming decades.”

Having the F-35 as part of its fleet will allow the RDAF to train and fight alongside NATO allies who is using the aircraft to spearhead its air power effort, according to the release.

“The F-35 will ensure Denmark’s sovereignty and air dominance, enhance its multi-domain and network-based coalition operations, and play a pivotal role in keeping the Arctic a secure and stable region,” Greg Ulmer, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said in a statement. “This game-changing capability would not be possible without the unwavering support of the Danish government and the innovative contributions of Danish industry.”

Later this month the first F-35 of the RDAF program will be delivered to Denmark, according to the release. The entire program encompasses a total of 27 F-35A aircraft.

Curtiss-Wright Open Architecture COTS Modules to be Use on F-22

An F-22 Raptor at 2010’s Fort Worth Alliance Air Show. (Lockheed Martin)

Lockheed Martin awarded a contract to Curtiss-Wright for its commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) modules for the F-22 Raptor, according to an April 7 press release.

The modules will use open architecture technology and is aligned with the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) which will enable quicker and less costly upgrades, according to the release.

“Curtiss-Wright is very proud to be the first vendor selected to supply COTS processing technology for use on the F-22 Raptor, supporting the DoD’s vigorous mandate to bring the benefits of the Modular Open Systems Approach to deployed platforms,” Lynn M. Bamford, President and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corporation, said in a statement. “Our commitment to championing the use of industry-leading open standards solutions, as evidenced in the formation of our MOSA Task Force, is unwavering, and it is very exciting to see this vision realized on the USAF’s leading tactical fighter. We look forward to supporting many more important platforms and programs as the DoD’s movement to open architecture electronics systems continues to expand and accelerate.”

Shipments for this contract began in Q4 of last year and will run through 2023, according to the release.

Sixth Flight Test of XQ-58A Valkyrie Features First Weapons Bay Release

The Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie releases the ALTIUS-600 small UAS in a test at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground Ariz. test range on March 26– a test that marked the first time that the Valkyrie’s weapons bay doors have been opened in flight. (AFRL Photo)

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on March 26 conducted the sixth flight test of the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie drone at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.–a demonstration that featured the launching of an Area-I ALTIUS-600 small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) from the Valkyrie’s internal weapons bay in what AFRL said was the first opening of the Valkyrie’s weapons bay.

“In addition to this first SUAS separation demonstration, the XQ-58A flew higher and faster than previous flights,” Alyson Turri, AFRL’s demonstration program manager, said in a statement.

AFRL said that Kratos, Area-I and AFRL designed and fabricated the SUAS carriage and developed software to enable the release of the ALTIUS-600.

“After successful release of the SUAS, the XQ-58A completed additional test points to expand its demonstrated operating envelope,” per AFRL.

Air Taxi

Wheels Up and Bell Partner for UAM Initiative

Bell’s Nexus 4EX air taxi concept, a four-seat all-electric aircraft targeting 60 miles of useful range for use in and near urban areas. (Bell)

Wheels Up and Bell Textron are partnering to expand the portfolio of Wheels Up by providing short and long-term vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft solutions, according to an April 9 release.

“We are always looking for different ways and new features to enhance the services we provide to our Members and Customers and this is a logical evolution of our systematic disruption of the aviation industry, and a vision to extend our holistic approach to air transportation,” Kenny Dichter, founder and CEO of Wheels Up, said in a statement. “Our strategic initiative with global innovation leader Bell is focused on serving our Members’ and Customers’ travel needs using our leading-edge Avianis Flight Management System technology platform for helicopter service.”

Wheels Up will use Bell’s VTOL aircraft in intra-city markets and is expected to launch in 2021, according to the release.

“Bell is proud to join with Wheels Up to make this cutting-edge travel solution a reality,” Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell, said in a statement. “We have a history of setting new standards within the industry and utilizing our ability to deliver flexible travel solutions to market. We are excited to work with a company like Wheels Up to display the convenience of helicopter-based travel.”

Delta Air Lines is already a partner with Wheels Up and as such will provide connectivity and new transportation options to its customers through this deal, according to the release.

“We must challenge the status quo as we envision the future of travel,” Bill Lentsch, Delta Air Lines chief customer experience officer, said in a statement. “We look forward to our customers being able to take advantage of the latest innovations from Wheels Up.”

Unmanned

uAvionix UAS Transponder Receives TSO FAA Certification

ping200X is the first FAA TSO Certified Drone Transponder, according to uAvionix. (uAvionix)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded technical standard order (TSO) certification to uAvionix for its Mode S ADS-B OUT unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) transponder, ping200X, according to an April 7 release.

“Certified avionics ensure the systems perform to the same high standards that have allowed aviation to remain the safest form of transportation for decades, “ Christian Ramsey, president of uAvionix, said in a statement. “This is even more important for systems like transponders and ADS-B which interact with other airspace users. Regulators and ANSPs demand the design assurance and quality assurance that a TSO offers to ensure safe separation of aircraft.”

The transponder weighs 50 grams and delivers 200 watts of transmit power while only using about 1.5 watts from the aircraft, according to the release. The ping200X is a Mode S transponder, ADS-B OUT, and an altitude encoder combined.

Embedded Systems

Abaco and CoreAVI Extend Partnership

Abaco Systems and CoreAVI have extended their partnership for flight-certifiable graphics. (CoreAVI)

Abaco Systems and CoreAVI have extended their partnership for flight-certifiable graphics processing with an agreement for a new processor will create a low-risk solution for safety-critical processors used in cockpit display, navigation, synthetic vision, and sensor function, according to an April 6 release.

“More and more, we see avionics suppliers making the switch to off-the-shelf solutions for flight-certifiable applications,” John Muller, chief growth officer at Abaco, said in a statement. “As graphics systems are tasked with ever-increasing scope of functionality, bringing higher-performance hardware, software, and supporting certification artifacts is critical. Partnering with CoreAVI helps our customers expand their offering and get to market quicker.”

The agreement will allow CoreAVI’s AMD Embedded Radeon E9171 GPU, associated COTS-D hardware IP, and Vulkan graphics and compute capabilities on an embedded graphics processor produced by Abaco, according to the release.

“We’re excited to bring the E9171 GPU to our customers,” Pete Thompson, VP of product management at Abaco, said in a statement. “This roadmap upgrade to the E8860 improves performance and reduces power, all while allowing customers to leverage code from legacy OpenGL applications. Our customers count on us to bring the newest technology to market quickly. Our partnership with CoreAVI does exactly that.”

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UPS Purchases Beta’s eVTOL Aircraft

Beta’s ALIA-250 eVTOL uses a distributed direct-drive electric propulsion system, has a wingspan on 50 feet, and a range of 250 NM. The Vermont-based electric air taxi startup is supplying the ALIA-250 for UPS service to smaller and mid-sized markets. (UPS)

UPS is purchasing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Beta Technologies through its Flight Forward program and is expected to receive the first 10 aircraft by 2024, according to an April 7 release.

“This is all about innovation with a focus on returns for our business, our customers and the environment,” Juan Perez, UPS chief information and engineering officer, said in a statement. “These new aircraft will create operational efficiencies in our business, open possibilities for new services and serve as a foundation for future solutions to reduce the emissions profile of our air and ground operation.”

The complete order could include up to 150 of Beta’s eVTOL aircraft, according to the release. UPS also announced they reserved Beta’s recharging station. Beta declined to provide further details on the purchase of the recharging station.

The complete order could include up to 150 of Beta’s eVTOL aircraft, according to the release. UPS also announced they reserved Beta’s recharging station. (UPS)

“This deal is a milestone for us as we continue building an electric-powered ecosystem,” a spokesperson from Beta told Avionics International. “We’re grateful to have a logistics service partner like UPS to help us accelerate innovation.”

According to reporting from CNBC the deal also includes an embedded staff member from UPS at Beta’s headquarters.

Beta’s ALIA-250 eVTOL uses a distributed direct-drive electric propulsion system, has a wingspan on 50 feet, and a range of 250 NM, according to Beta’s website. The aircraft has a 1,400-pound cargo capacity and zero operating emissions.

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Boeing Recommends Some Airlines Pause 737 MAX Operations to Address Electrical Issue

Boeing is recommending some airlines remove the 737 MAX from service to address an electrical issue. (Boeing)

The airplane manufacturer said the recommendation for removal from service is being made to “allow for verification that a sufficient ground path exists for a component of the electrical power system.” Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) both provided responses with limited information on the matter in reply to emailed inquiries from Avionics International.

“We are in contact directly with the impacted airlines and will provide additional information as it becomes available. Please note, this is not related to [maneuvering characteristics augmentation system] MCAS,” a representative for Boeing told Avionics in an emailed statement.

The FAA published a statement to its Twitter account advising any passengers impacted by the temporary removal of the aircraft from service should contact affected airlines about possible flight delays and cancellations.

“Boeing notified the FAA late Thursday that it is recommending that operators of certain Boeing 737 MAX airplanes temporarily remove them from service to address a manufacturing issue that could affect the operation of a backup power control unit. The FAA is in contact with the airlines and the manufacturer and will ensure the issue is addressed,” Ian Gregor, a public affairs specialist for the FAA told Avionics.

WestJet, the Calgary-based low-cost airline, has already removed one of the MAX jets within its operational fleet from service to address the electrical issue.

“Last night, WestJet was notified regarding a potential production issue with one of its 737 MAX aircraft and has removed the affected aircraft from service for subsequent inspection. Any maintenance, if necessary, will be completed before the aircraft returns to service,” a representative for WestJet told Avionics.

The Canadian airline has been operating the MAX since Jan. 21, and operates a total of 14 MAX aircraft according to the WestJet representative.

Boeing’s identification of the electrical power issue comes a week after the FAA granted type certification for the 737 MAX 8-200, a variant developed for Ryanair with capacity for up to 202 passengers and five crew members. EASA approved the 8-200 on Wednesday.

Southwest Airlines also recently completed the restructuring of its previous order for the MAX, making a firm commitment to Boeing for 100 aircraft, extending their 737 order book through 2031.

Boeing has not publicly identified any of the airlines it has contacted about the backup power issue. The FAA approved the MAX’s return to service in November.

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