New Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensor Certified for Boeing 737

New Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensor Certified for Boeing 737

Teledyne Controls has obtained Supplemental Type Certification (STC) approval for the installation of its new Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensor (ACES) on Boeing 737 aircraft.

The El Segundo, California-based avionics manufacturer developed the ACES system to provide a new method of understanding and analyzing cabin air quality on a regular basis. Teledyne described ACES as the “first FAA-certified product of its type” in a March 15 press release.

“We are very excited to bring this important new capability to the aviation industry. The need for accurate and comprehensive air quality data on aircraft has been recognized for decades,” George Bobb, president of Teledyne Controls said in the release.

The upgrade required to enable the use of ACES onboard 737s requires the installation of the ACES Onboard Device (AOD), which are installed in the flight deck, as well as the fore and aft areas of the main cabin. Using a combination of sensors and aircraft data acquisition technology, the system wirelessly captures information about the cabin environment.

“ACES records 13 environmental parameters, including data on airborne particulates from 0.3 to 10 microns in size, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds and several other parameters. These parameters track substances that can potentially be found in the cabin and are known to be areas of concern for passengers and crew, such as hydraulic fluid, engine oil, de-icing fluid or fuel,” a representative for Teledyne Controls told Avionics international in an emailed statement.

Teledyne is recommending a minimum of three AODs installed per aircraft for narrowbody aircraft, with that numbers calling up to as many as seven devices on larger airframes. Multiple ACES units are distributed in the aircraft to capture a comprehensive understanding of the air quality.

The recorded data is stored in the compact ACES units and is automatically transmitted to the ACES Cloud Service portal for processing and analysis upon landing. According to Teledyne, the system is capable of transmitting this data without the use of any aircraft connectivity systems.

By gaining access to cabin air quality data on a per-flight basis, the idea behind the ACES system is that it will give airlines the ability to more easily monitor emerging problems and identify sources of cabin air contaminants, such as smoke or fume events that can occur.

“The data transfer happens seamlessly and securely via the ACES built-in wireless module, which leverages both cellular (4G LTE) and WiFi networks while the aircraft is on the ground. With an available Wireless Access Point and air-to-ground connectivity, the data can be sent continuously during flight,” the representative said.

ACES is currently available as a retrofit installation for the 737, while certification for other aircraft types is currently in development. Teledyne said a “major” undisclosed U.S. airline has already installed and started operating the first ACES system.

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FAA Streamlines Commercial Space Launch and Re-Entry with New Part 450 Rule

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a new Part 450 final rule for commercial space launch and re-entry regulations. The rule contains requirements for obtaining a vehicle operator license, safety requirements, and terms and conditions of a vehicle operator license. 

“As we flip the switch on our new Part 450 streamline launch and reentry requirements rule, or what we call SLR2, this performance-based rule will allow us to keep pace with this innovative industry and safely oversee the dramatic growth of the entire commercial space transportation sector,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a video announcing the rule. “With SLR2, we can make sure launch vehicles and their amazing payloads aren’t tethered to the launch pad with red tape. That’s value-added for the industry and ultimately for the American people.” 

Part 450 amends 14 CFR parts 415, 417, 431, and 435, which will be removed after March 10, 2026, according to the rule. The new rule took effect on March 21 and came out of recommendations from the National Space Council.  

“The result with SLR2 is a new rule that eliminates obsolete requirements, replaces most prescriptive requirements with performance-based criteria, and establishes a single set of licensing and safety regulations for several types of commercial space operations,” Dickson said. “What that means in practice is that one license can now support multiple launches and re-entries at multiple locations, a game-changing innovation, again, with less paperwork. Clearly, FAA is innovating and SLR2 will allow industry to innovate too with technological advancements that will lower the cost of launch operations and open new markets for satellites, space tourism and potentially suborbital point to point, regional, and intercontinental travel.” 

The FAA cites a dramatic increase in commercial space launches as a reason for this new rule. In 2011 there was only one launch. This number increased 3,800 percent in under 10 years with 39 launches in 2020. 

According to the agency’s latest reported data, in the U.S., there are presently 12 FAA-licensed spaceports, in addition to Federal government and private launch sites. There are a total of 11 individual companies with active with active launch licenses including Blue Origin, Orbital Sciences, Virgin Orbit, Rocket Lab, SpaceX and Lockheed Martin among others.

Dickson said the FAA is expecting a licensed launch or re-entry about once a week in 2021. 

“Innovation in commercial space transportation is increasing dramatically, and policy needs to keep up,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “This rule will help us to prepare for future U.S. leadership in commercial space transportation by facilitating the continued economic growth and innovation of the American aerospace industry and ensuring the highest level of public safety.” 

 

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Meta Sensor Fuses ADS-B and Mode S into New Digital Secondary Surveillance Radar

A new generation of digital software-centric secondary surveillance radar system technology, RSM NG, uses a meta-sensor that fully integrates Enhanced Mode S and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B).

The new RSM NG system, launched by Thales on March 17, has the ability to track up to 2,000 flight tracks and control multiple radars from one central location. Marie Gayrel, director of ATC radar activities for Thales, told Avionics International that this is the first time they have featured ADS-B surveillance inside their secondary surveillance radar technology.

“It’s a meta sensor in the sense that it is both a secondary radar system and ADS-B,” Gayrel said. “You can have several air traffic control centers fed by one RSM NG at the same time.”

One of the world’s largest air navigation service providers (ANPs), the Federal Aviation Administration, has already signed on for deployment of its owned customized version of RSM NG. In January 2020, Leidos and Thales confirmed their award of a new Mode S Beacon Replacement System (MSBRS) contract from the FAA. The contract calls for the supply of up to 142 secondary surveillance radars delivered to the agency for use within the U.S. air traffic system.

Secondary surveillance radar is designed to interrogate and understand what aircraft are flying in airspace at any given time and identify those who could be bad actors, Gayrel explained. Existing secondary surveillance radar used by the FAA features a Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) antenna that rotates once every 4 to 12 seconds, depending on the set-up chosen by the operator.

RSM NG’s meta sensor approach allows for the once per second broadcast emitted by ADS-B transponders, which also include the aircraft’s ID, altitude, speed, velocity and projected path among other variables. Thales has also focused on software upgradeability for the new system, along with a virtual machine.

“The virtual machine is not in the cloud, it is hosted on a PC inside the radar. You remain in the environment of the radar, which is critical to the cyber and safety of the operation. We want the operator to be able to monitor and prevent intrusion,” Gayrel said, adding that the new system has an 80,000 hour or nine-year life span.

Overall design weight and volume have been reduced by 30 percent, with the new system feature two electronic cabinets as opposed to three in the previous generation.

“That was the constraint we gave to the engineering team because we realized both for the installation and lifecycle costs, this was important for our customers. In some cases the space available for the cabinets of radar is not that big, and people do not want to build another building or structure to host the cabinets.” Gayrel said. “The less hardware you have, the less problem you have in the longer term, think about the timeline of this type of radar, it could be 10, 15 sometimes 25 years.”

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What’s Trending in Aerospace – March 21, 2021

Check out the March 21 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

Singapore Airlines Launches First Live Trials of IATA Travel Pass App

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the arrival at London’s Heathrow Airport of the first traveler using the IATA Travel Pass app to manage their travel health credentials.

“The successful implementation of IATA Travel Pass in this trial with Singapore Airlines passengers demonstrates that technology can securely, conveniently and efficiently help travelers and governments to manage travel health credentials. The significance of this to re-starting international aviation cannot be overstated,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, said in a press statement.

Passengers on Singapore Airlines flights to London during the trial could use IATA Travel Pass to:

• Create a secure digital version of their passport on their mobile device
• Input their flight details to learn of travel restrictions and requirements
• Receive verified test results and a confirmation that they meet all travel requirements

“Digital health credentials will be essential as borders reopen and travel restrictions get progressively lifted worldwide. The successful implementation of the IATA Travel Pass reflects Singapore Airlines’ goal of using secure digital solutions to verify health credentials, and support a safe and seamless travel experience for our customers,” JoAnn Tan, Acting Senior Vice President, Marketing Planning, Singapore Airlines, said of the new app.

 

 

 

Air Canada Sets New Net Zero Emissions Goals

Air Canada is committing to reducing 20 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from flights and 30 percent of GHG emissions from ground operations by 2030 in order to get to net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, the air carrier announced in a March 15 press release.

To meet these goals Air Canada is targeting fleet and operations, innovation, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and clean energy, and carbon reductions and removals, according to the release.

 

 

 

 

 

Norwegian Air Shuttle Founder Launches Norse Atlantic Airways

Bjorn Kjos, founder of Norwegian Air Shuttle, is joining a team of investors to lead the launch of a new low-cost airline, Norse Atlantic Airways, that will initially operate flights between the U.S. and Europe starting in December.

In addition to Kjos, other former Norwegian Air Shuttle executive Bjorn Kise is part of the new leadership team, while Bjørn Tore Larsen will serve as CEO. Norse Atlantic Airways plans on using a fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft on U.S.-Europe flights, serving destinations such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Paris, and Oslo.

The company plans to expand the route network to include destinations in Asia as more Dreamliners enter the fleet.

“As the world reopens, the public needs an innovative, low-cost intercontinental airline with modern, more environmentally friendly- and fuel-efficient aircraft. We have industry knowledge and have secured modern Dreamliners at very good terms. Norse Atlantic Airways will offer people the opportunity to travel between continents at affordable fares,” Larsen said in a press statement.

 

 

 

 

 

IAero Group Provides Carbon Neutral Flights 

IAero Group will make all of its commercial Part 121 air charter flights carbon neutral, according to a March 17 announcement. 

“With iAero Airway’s growing fleet of Boeing 737 and 767 aircraft flying thousands of flight hours each year, we know we can make a positive impact by joining the fight to protect our climate,” iAero Group Chief Executive Officer, Robert Caputo, said in a press statement. “iAero Group’s environmental sustainability actions represent only one part of our overall sustainability strategy which will also focus on social and economic areas into the future. All of which will directly support our overall purpose of elevating people and places.”

They will also be working with partners to join carbon offset programs, according to the release.

 

 

 

 

Connectivity

OneWeb and SatixFy Sign Agreement to Develop new In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) Terminal

OneWeb has signed an agreement with multi beam antenna and terminal design provider SatixFy UK to develop a new In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) terminal that will work over the OneWeb network as well as Geostationary (GEO) satellite networks.

SatixFy UK has formed a Joint Venture with Singapore Technology Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering), called JetTalk, to exclusively commercialize the IFC terminal for Commercial Aviation markets.

“OneWeb is creating IFC solutions which offer a significant increase in the whole passenger travelling experience. This agreement with SatixFy represents a major milestone for OneWeb Aviation, as we plot our path to facilitating onboard connectivity, globally, on commercial airliners and corporate jets, large and small,” Ben Griffin, VP Mobility at OneWeb said.

 

 

Global Eagle Achieves New STCs to Launch In-flight Connectivity on Turkish Airlines 737s

Global Eagle received two Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) for the installation of their Airconnect Global Ku in-flight connectivity (IFC) system onboard Boeing 737 aircraft, according to a March 17 press release.

In addition to the authorization to install Global Eagle’s core components, the STC also allows Global Eagle to install server and wireless access point components developed by Turkish Technic, showcasing Global Eagle’s ability to adapt to customer-preferred equipment.

Working with Turkish Technic, the second new STC will see the installation of Global Eagle’s Airconnect Global Ku satellite IFC solution on Turkish Airlines’ narrow body fleet and will offer IFC service on their short-haul international and domestic routes.

 

 

 

 

ThinKom Releases Variant of Aero Antenna for Special-Purpose Aircraft

ThinKom Solutions has developed a new variant of its VICTS aero satellite communication antenna that the company said will enable more flexible installation choices. ThinKom announced the product variant on Tuesday, which targets government and military Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) satellite communication markets.

VICTS is ThinKom’s patented phased array technology and stands for variable inclination continuous transverse stub. The new variant integrates the VICTS antenna, antenna control unit and power-supply electronics into a single low-profile small-footprint package. The company said this eliminates the need for a separate line-replaceable unit for the antenna control unit/power supply. The antenna measures less than 9 cm in total height.

 

 

 

 

Military

Slow Software Loading Process Delayed F-35 Updates

A slow software loading process for the Lockheed Martin F-35 delayed aircraft updates, but the latest software drop to be fielded this summer for the Combat Air Forces (CAF) has resolved that problem, a U.S. Air Force official said on March 18.

Under Continuous Capability Development and Delivery (C2D2), F-35s are expected to receive software updates every six months. C2D2 is divided into four six week quarters during which the U.S. Air Force 53rd Wing tests F-35 software tape updates. The 53rd Wing is the service’s primary operational test wing, which has about 50 units at 20 sites.

“We moved to C2D2 in Tape 3 for the F-35 back in the middle of 2019,” Air Force Lt. Col. Mike “Pako” Benitez, director of staff for the 53rd Wing, told a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies’ Aerospace Nation forum on March 18 . “It proved the concept. Everyone decided this was what we needed to be doing. However, when we got into Tape 4, we ended up running into some process breakdowns. It really came down to a mentality.”

 

 

 

 

 

US Army Currently Negotiating Final Multi-Year Black Hawk, Apache Contracts

The Army is in the process of negotiating its final multi-year contracts for the Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, as the service shifts its priority to the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) fleet, an official said Wednesday

Brig. Gen. Rob Barrie, the Program Executive Officer for Aviation, specifically said that maintaining readiness for the Army’s Apache, Black Hawk, Chinook and legacy unmanned and fixed-wing aircraft remains a priority for his office but at a tier below development of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA). The Sikorsky UH-60M program gets a significant boost in the FY 2020 budget request.

“From a priority perspective, undoubtedly, that is below what we’re doing with the Future Vertical Lift fleet. However, there is targeted and very specific modernization of those enduring fleet aircraft we have to balance against our development of the Future Vertical Lift fleet,” Barrie said.

The Army plans to begin fielding FLRAA in 2030 and FARA in 2028 to set the course for its future fleet, while the Sikorsky-built Black Hawk has been in service since 1979 and Boeing’s Apache since 1986.

 

 

 

 

Northrop’s Integrated Missile Warning System Approved by Army

Northrop Grumman’s integrated missile warning system, Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM), has been declared ready for full-rate production and operations by the Army, the company announced last week.

Northrop completed a six-month initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) activity before the classification was given from the Army.

“Through our partnership with the U.S. Army and our suppliers, we have already delivered over 100 production systems,” Bob Gough, vice president, navigation, targeting and survivability at Northrop Grumman, said in a press statement. “The successful completion of IOT&E confirms CIRCM’s readiness for full-rate production.”

The CIRCM system will be used on rotary-wing, tilt-rotor, and small fixed-wing aircraft like the UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook, and the AH-64 Apache, Gough said.

 

 

 

 

 

Embedded

New SOSA Aligned VPX Chassis Manager 

Annapolis Micro Systems announced a new VITA 46.11-aligned WILD VPX Chassis Manager (WABGM0) that enables critical chassis control, maintenance, and security functions, according to a March 15 press release. 

The WABGM0 is aligned with SOSA standards and offers commercial off-the-shelf availability, according to the release. It can be plugged directly into a backplane or 3U or 6U OpenVPX carrier. 

“This is a highly-integrated module supporting many functions,” Jay Grandin, Annapolis Micro Systems VP of product development, said in a statement. “It provides access to plug in card (PIC) JTAG and Maintenance ports, CLK1 usage via on-board Zynq FPGA, network functions, and some optional advanced security functions.”

 

Space

NASA’s Mars Rover Uses Cobham Pyrotechnic Valves

NASA’s Perseverance Rover used Cobham Mission Systems space pyrotechnic valves during its recent Mars landing, the company announced in March 16 press release. 

The valves were used during the landing to control the rover’s descent. The eight pyrovalves were used when the rover shifted from parachute to retrorockets, according to the release. 

“Cobham Mission Systems is so proud to support NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory with proven space propulsion solutions that power Mars exploration,” Craig Ryan, integrated product team director for Space Systems at Cobham Mission Systems, said in a statement. “We have a long heritage of providing space technologies, starting with the design of John Glenn’s breathing regulator used in the world-famous Project Mercury flight in 1962. Nearly sixty years later, we are delighted to play a role in the successful Perseverance rover Mars landing. Congratulations to the NASA JPL team and all involved!”

 

 

 

Inmarsat to Develop In-Orbit Telemetry Relay Service for the UK Space Agency

Inmarsat has won a new deal with the UK Space Agency, a National Space Innovation Program (NSIP) contract to develop an in-orbit telemetry relay service for rockets called InRange. The contract announced, announced Friday, is valued at 258,000 pounds ($359,785) with matched funding from industry, taking the project total to 422,096 pounds ($588,619).

Inmarsat’s InRange service aims to reduce the dependency of space launch providers on traditional, expensive ground-based monitoring systems infrastructure for their rockets and will provide a more cost-effective, flexible solution, available globally via Inmarsat’s geostationary L-band network. Inmarsat is working with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to ensure the InRange service develops to meet the challenging environmental conditions experienced by launch vehicles.

 

 

 

 

 

Unmanned

APS Receives BVLOS Waiver with Help from Iris Automation 

Aerial Production Services (APS) received an expedited beyond line of sight (BVLOS) waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after enlisting help from Iris Automation, according to a March 17 release. The process was shortened by six months. 

“While we had the foundational knowledge of how to obtain the BVLOS waiver, we lacked the expertise to properly convey our operation to the FAA,” Dave Sotiros, CEO of APS, said in a statement. “With Iris Automation’s support and knowledge of BVLOS, they took the time to understand our goals and helped us identify areas of improvement and potential gaps in our processes. This guidance allowed us to aggressively pursue the BVLOS waiver and implement a BVLOS program that mirrors the focus of APS’s principles: Safer, Faster, Better.”

The waiver allows APS to conduct point-to-point pipeline inspections using visual observers and a DJI Matrice aircraft, according to the release. 

“Accelerating the timeline and reducing the complexity of the waiver process provides a critical business advantage for service providers like APS, allowing them to scale their operations while actually reducing costs and maintaining the highest level of safety,” Trever Linn, Director of Airspace Integration at Iris Automation, said in a statement. “As critical detect and avoid (DAA) technology, standards, and regulations evolve we’ll see true implementation of advanced un-piloted operations that will use waivers like this to inform equipment, training, and operational requirements within a new regulatory framework. The business opportunity to be an early adopter of this capability is immense, and the RRC provides a framework to do so.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SKYTRAC Breaks into Drone Market 

SKYTRAC is launching the Integrated Mission System 350 (IMS-350) terminal which features the Iridium Certus 9810 modem for the unmanned aviation segment, the company announced in a March 16 press release. 

SKYTRAC’s system will provide drones with pole-to-pole communications for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, command and control (C2) applications, payload health monitoring, live video streaming, data transmission, and AI-enabled sensor fusion, according to the release. 

“With the launch of the IMS-350, SKYTRAC now provides intelligent connectivity solutions to the manned and unmanned aviation markets,” Jan van der Heul, SKYTRAC Vice President of Sales, said in a press statement.“The IMS-350, which leverages Iridium Certus, is an innovative, powerful, and future-proof solution that fits directly into SKYTRAC’s Iridium Certus product portfolio, complementing our many other applications and capabilities.”

The system will provide 352 kbps uplink and 704 kbps downlink broadband speeds with latency under 500 milliseconds through a low earth orbit satellite connection, according to the release.

 

 

Air Taxi

EHang Partners with Giancarlo Zema to Build Vertiport in Italy

EHang has signed a new partnership with Italian architecture firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group (GZDG) to design and build an “eco-sustainable vertiport” in Italy, the Chinese autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) maker said in a March 16 press release.

The vertiport will use green design and construction materials, and can generate energy to re-charge EHang’s EH216 passenger-grade AAVs.

Inspired by the native African tree Baobab, GZDG developed a natural Baobab design: a 30-meter-high tower, with a steel and laminated wood structure, a waiting room, a café, a 200-square-meter panoramic restaurant and connecting lift.

The take off-and-landing platform will be set on the roof terrace. The vertiport is built with non-slip photovoltaic panels that can generate over 300 KW of electric power per day.

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GAO Finds Increased Delays and Costs for F-35’s Block 4 Modernization

The Department of Defense (DoD) needs an updated modernization schedule and improved data on software development before the F-35 can transition from development to full production leaving the program with more timeline delays and costs, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released on March 18. 

The F-35 program is currently working on a modernization effort, known as Block 4, where the DoD is delivering capabilities to the warfighter by incrementally developing, testing, and delivering small groups of capabilities every six months, according to the report. This process referred to as C2D2 is based on the Agile software development process. However, the GAO says Block 4’s remaining development schedule is not attainable. 

The DoD has been working on the Block 4 modernization for three years and continues to expand its timeline and budget. 

“For example, in 2018, DOD reported that Block 4 development would cost $10.6 billion for fiscal years 2018 through 2024,” the report states. “As of September 2020, DOD reported to Congress that all Block 4 costs are expected to exceed $14 billion, spanning fiscal years 2013 through 2027.” 

GAO’s team found the timeline estimations that were given were based on estimates formulated at the start of the effort and not according to the contractor’s demonstrated performance. 

“This decision to change how costs are reported stems from DoD efforts to respond to our recommendation that it improve transparency into the total costs associated with Block 4 development,” the report states. “Specifically, in May 2020, we found that DoD’s Block 4 reports to Congress, required by Section 224 of the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2017, did not fully represent the total estimated costs of Block 4 development. DOD focused its reporting of Block 4 costs on the future year defense program and excluded previously incurred costs and any costs expected to be incurred after a 7- year period.” 

The report found delays in the development of the F-35 Joint Simulation Environment, which runs the mission systems software and other software models, resulted in the program’s inability to complete 64 planned tests in 2020. These problems were identified in August 2020 and there is no current timeframe for a fix to the problems found. 

The simulator delays, which have been further postponed full production from March of this year, are related to high overall open deficiencies, production delays and quality issues, efforts to address Turkey’s removal from the supply chain, and aircraft not meeting reliability and maintainability goals, according to the report.  

Despite these problems, the program was able to complete four open-air tests at Point Mugu Sea Range, two of three missile tests, and operational cybersecurity testing, according to the report. 

Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3), a suite of software and hardware technologies that provide updated processing capability, display units, and increased memory to the aircraft, is on track to be deployed into lot 15 aircraft in 2023, according to the report. 

The report also found that the program’s Block 4 software development is not following leading practices. The report said Lockheed Martin does not have access to automated tools to capture real-time performance data to make its collected software development metrics helpful. 

The program also needs performance targets for software metrics, the report found. 

“While we recognize the challenges with transitioning to Agile development, after three years of effort the F-35 program continues to have issues with effectively implementing the C2D2 approach to develop and deliver Block 4 capabilities,” the report states. “The airframe contractor continues to deliver capabilities late, and the remaining schedule contains significant risk and is not achievable based on the pace of past performance. While the program office is committed to delivering capabilities more quickly to the warfighter, the program has not delivered on its initial iterative plan. Without an achievable schedule informed by historical performance, the program is likely to continue falling short of its expectations, and the warfighter will have to wait longer for the promised capabilities.”

Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Avionics International that many of the problems faced by the program such as the new issues addressed in this report are the cause of complexity and growing pains. 

“It’s really, in many ways, the pathfinder for incredibly sophisticated sensor shooter type aircraft and by that I mean, the aircraft has onboard the sensors to gather immense amounts of data wherever it flies, process it onboard, and link to other aircraft to execute its mission and all of the requirements were created in the 90s. The initial kind of baseline was laid out in the 2000s,” Birkey said. “And so that was very advanced back then, and there’s a learning curve that comes along with it.” 

Birkey said that while the progress of the program hasn’t always been ideal the aircraft is still ultimately important to U.S. defense. 

“The bottom line takeaway on all this is that the country needs the aircraft,” Birkey said. “I mean, the capabilities it brings to the equation, which is really stealth, electronic warfare, and high degree situational awareness and the sensors and processing capability, those attributes are what you need to stay alive in the current environment, and on the fighter side it is the only thing we have in production, that does that.” 

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SE Aeronautics Announces New Green Widebody Aircraft

SE Aeronautics announced a new widebody aircraft, the SE200, that promises 70 percent lower fuel consumption and the ability to lower CO2 by 80 percent with a light tri-wing design and short take-off and landing capabilities for long flights, the company said in a March 17 press release. 

“Our innovative technology and new aircraft design will lower fuel consumption by 70 percent and lower CO2 emissions by 80 percent as measured by per seat kilometer,” Lloyd Weaver, chief engineer of SE Aeronautics, said in a press statement. “The innovative design is a more efficient, light tri-wing configuration that greatly improves lift over drag, resulting in short take-off and landing (STOL) capabilities and extremely long flights. The construction is all-composite, molded in one tough, safer piece. We also incorporated super thin, long wings and complete streamlining from the nose to the tail. We did it all.”

The aircraft was also designed with COVID-19 and other airborne diseases in mind. The aircraft has a “once-through” air feed ventilation system to ensure that air never recirculates in the cabin, according to the release. 

The SE200 will carry up to 264 passengers and have a range of 10,560 miles, according to the release. The fuselage will feature one solid-molded piece, and the fuel will be stored in sealing bladders on top of the fuselage. 

“This aircraft will be the most practical, profitable and permanent solution to the grossly underperforming airliner technology of today,” Tyler Mathews, CEO of SE Aeronautics, said in a press statement. “Our manufacturing efficiency will allow us to produce our aircraft in significantly less time than the current traditional method. But the jewel in the crown is really our ability to get that fuel consumption rate down by 70 percent. We are going to revolutionize the industry.” 

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Northrop’s Integrated Missile Warning System Approved by Army

Northrop Grumman’s integrated missile warning system, Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM), has been declared ready for full-rate production and operations by the Army, the company announced. 

Northrop completed a six-month initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) activity before the classification was given from the Army. 

“Through our partnership with the U.S. Army and our suppliers, we have already delivered over 100 production systems,” Bob Gough, vice president, navigation, targeting and survivability at  Northrop Grumman, said in a press statement. “The successful completion of IOT&E confirms CIRCM’s readiness for full-rate production.”

The CIRCM system will be used on rotary-wing, tilt-rotor, and small fixed-wing aircraft like the UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook, and the AH-64 Apache, Gough said. 

“CIRCM protects these platforms so they can conduct air assaults, air movements, armed escort, reconnaissance, and security operations,” Gough said. “In addition, CIRCM allows rotary-wing aircraft to land and take off from just about anywhere which is essential to the role of medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) teams.” 

 The CIRCM system works autonomously and can protect against man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), Gough said. 

“Prior to takeoff, the aircrew turns CIRCM on and sets it in a mode to allow laser fire,” Gough said. “After this point, CIRCM works autonomously with the missile warning system to quickly defeat missile threats. When CIRCM does acquire and jam a missile, it notifies the aircrew through a message on the glass cockpit and an audio signal, or through a dedicated control panel, depending upon the aircraft installation.” 

Gough said the CIRCM is cued by the missile warning system and then automatically searches and tracks the missile. 

“CIRCM tracks these fast moving, highly agile missiles with exact precision and then turns on a narrow beam, infrared laser to jam the threat,” Gough said. “The laser beam confuses the missile and causes it to quickly steer off course, protecting the aircraft. After missile defeat, CIRCM quickly frees up jamming resources to engage the next missile threat. The whole process from detection to defeat can happen in a few seconds.” 

The system uses an open systems architecture and can work with a variety of missile warning systems, Gough said. It also works with other survivability equipment like flare dispensers. 

“One of the primary components that enables CIRCM is the missile warning system,” Gough said. “The missile warning system detects incoming threat missiles and sends a directional cue to CIRCM. From the start, CIRCM was designed around modular, open systems architecture (MOSA) principles so that it could work with a wide variety of missile warning systems. CIRCM has already been integrated and flight-tested with three different missile warning systems.”   

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Air Canada Sets New Net Zero Emissions Goals

Air Canada is committing to reducing 20 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from flights and 30 percent of GHG emissions from ground operations by 2030 in order to get to net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, the international airline announced in a March 15 press release. 

To meet these goals Air Canada is targeting fleet and operations, innovation, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and clean energy, and carbon reductions and removals, according to the release. 

“Economic growth and sustainability are equally important, and we have a strong track record for both,” Michael Rousseau, president and chief executive officer at Air Canada, said in a statement. “Despite the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain deeply committed to long-term sustainability.” 

Air Canada says operations with the Airbus A220 and Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody fleets will reduce fuel consumption, CO2, and nitrogen oxides. These aircraft will help to cut fuel consumption per seat by 20 percent, CO2 by 20 percent, and nitrogen oxides by 50 percent, according to the release. 

New 2030 and 2050 emissions targets are the latest efforts Air Canada has made to improve its carbon emissions. Among existing initiatives designed the airline undertakes to improve emissions include its carbon footprint, targets and climate protection strategy through the CDP. Along with the new 30-year target, Air Canada will also be reporting through the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (“TCFD”) framework as of 2022.

Operational improvements were also realized by Air Canada through “more than 100 projects to optimize fuel consumption, including profile departure, RNP-AR (a type of performance-based navigation), single engine taxiing to, iPads for pilots replacing paper manuals and lighter weight composite onboard carts,” the airline said in the release.

The airline also committed to investing $50 million in SAF and other low carbon aviation fuel development, supporting innovation with electric, hydrogen, or hybrid operations, and exploring carbon-negative emission technologies. 

“Climate change is critical, and we believe we can and must do more to address this for the future of our environment,” Rousseau said. “This is why we are further embedding climate considerations into our strategic decision-making, and undertaking a very ambitious plan that is meaningful, will support Canada’s leadership position on climate change, advance de-carbonization in the airline industry while keeping fares affordable for customers.”

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New G5000 Upgrade Gives ACARS and FANS-1/A+ to Citation XLS Operators

Business aviation operators and aircraft owners flying the Cessna Citation Excel and XLS models equipped with Garmin’s G5000 integrated flight deck now have access to Future Air Navigation System (FANS-1/A+) and Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) support, according to a March 16 Garmin press release.

Excel and XLS models featuring the upgrade G5000 features will now be equipped to fly the North Atlantic Track System (NATS), which recently had temporary relief from the North Atlantic Datalink Mandate rules—that require FANS-1/A+ avionics to operate between the flight levels FL290 and FL410—removed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

“In addition, the popular southerly Blue Spruce routes over Greenland between FL290 and FL410 will also require that aircraft meet the NAT DLM requirements to fly within the parameters of this airspace,” Garmin said in the release.

Textron first received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certification for G5000 retrofits on the Citation Excel and XLS jets in July 2019. Last year, the company delivered 13 total Citation XLS aircraft, with no new reported Excel model deliveries, according to the latest General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) annual shipments and billings report.

The G5000 integrated flight deck for the Citation Excel and Citation XLS features three landscape-oriented displays with touchscreen controllers and geo-referenced Garmin SafeTaxi airport diagrams. A G5000 emergency descent mode is also enabled by the autopilot in the event of a loss in aircraft pressurization, according to Garmin.

Other new capabilities enabled by the G5000 upgrade for the Citation Excel/XLS include synthetic vision, visual and aural cues designed to help pilots with airport taxiing and an optional FANS-over-Iridium capability through the flight deck’s embedded GSR 56 satellite connectivity system.

“With access to Controller Pilot Data Link Communication-Departure Clearance (CPDLC-DCL), operators can participate in automated DCL operations at over 60 of the busiest airports in the U.S. and receive automatic loading of the departure clearance into the G5000,” according to Garmin.

Other Cessna models that come equipped with the G5000 suite as a line-fit flight deck, including the Citation Sovereign, Latitude, and Longitude, were not announced as featuring the new capability in the Garmin release.

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HENSOLDT and CoreAVI Partner to Develop New Aircraft Video Conversion Module

Core Avionics & Industrial Inc. (CoreAVI) announced the new VIM3006 3U VPX Video Conversion Module which will enable low latency video processing and graphics merging for mission-critical applications, according to a March 16 press release. The new hardware was created with HENSOLDT, a sensor solutions provider. 

This video conversion module allows for integrated sensor video and graphics output solutions separate from a specific GPU, according to the release. It follows VITA 41/42/56 standards. 

“The VIM3006 Video Conversion Module is an essential building block to enable safety certifiable technology in mission-critical applications,” Dan Joncas, chief sales and marketing officer at CoreAVI, said in a statement. “Hensoldt and CoreAVI’s collaboration to formally certify and deploy this product into modern airborne platforms attests to both companies’ commitments to providing their customers with technology that meets the highest quality and performance standards.”

The mission-critical applications for this type of video conversion include onboard camera and ISR systems for military and civilian sensor systems and drone surveillance systems, a representative from the company told Avionics International. 

The companies that could for these applications include Collins, Honeywell, BAE Avionics UK, Thales, and Safra, the representative said. 

“We’re excited to collaborate with CoreAVI on this next generation video conversion solution,” Clemens Peter, head avionics equipment and airborne solutions at HENSOLDT, said in a statement. “Our mil/aero customers cannot compromise on performance, and our collaboration with CoreAVI on this hardware solution will offer both the flexibility and capabilities they desire in their modern, rugged systems. The joint development of this graphics capability provides a highly valuable addition to the HENSOLDT mission management portfolio.”

The VIM3006 3U VPX Video Conversion Module has a FPGA-based design and can support certification to RTCA DO-254/EUROCAE ED-80 under A(M)C 20-152A as well as a FPGA and video processing driver with data package to support RTCA DO-178C/EUROCAE ED-12C certification, according to the release. 

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