Category Archives: MRO’s

PODCAST: Georgia Tech Aerosols Researcher Talks In-flight Cabin Air Quality Study

Nga Lee (Sally) Ng, is an associate professor and Tanner Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

On this episode of the Connected Aircraft Podcast, Sally Ng, associate professor for the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, joins to discuss the results of a study on in-flight cabin air quality recently published in the Journal of Indoor Air. Supported by Delta Air Lines, the research may be the first to comprehensively measure particle concentrations likely to be encountered by passengers from terminal to terminal.

To better understand the circulation of airborne particles, Delta approached Ng to conduct a study of multiple indoor environments, with a strong focus on air travel conditions. Using handheld instruments able to measure the total number of particles and their mass, Georgia Tech researchers examined air quality in a series of Atlanta area restaurants, stores, offices, homes, and vehicles — including buses, trains, and private automobiles.

They trained Delta staff to conduct the same type of measurements in terminals, boarding areas, and a variety of aircraft through all phases of flight.

In all, the researchers evaluated measurements from 19 commercial flights with passenger loads of approximately 50 percent. The flights included a mix of short- and medium-length flights, and aircraft ranging from the CRJ-200 and A220 to the 757, A321, and 737.

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.

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Alaska Airlines CEO Says Electric Aircraft Necessary for Future Aviation Sustainability Goals

Alaska Airlines has been participating in various initiatives to develop and test sustainable aviation fuels, such as the November 2016 flight powered by a 20 percent blend of biofuel made from forest residuals pictured here. But the carrier’s new CEO believes electric power is the technology enabler that could help the industry meet ambitious future net-zero emissions goals.

Ben Minicucci, who assumed the position of CEO for Alaska Airlines on March 31, says the northwestern carrier has been studying the capabilities of electric-powered aircraft as a way of helping airlines reduce carbon emissions and achieve several recently announced 2050 climate impact goals by leaders in various segments of the aviation industry.

During the question and answer session of a U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2021 Aviation Summit panel, Minicucci was asked to provide some perspective on the emerging electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) market. The panel was Minicucci’s first public appearance since taking over for Brad Tilden, who retired after a 30-year career with the fifth-largest U.S. passenger airline.

“We’re looking at it very closely, there are currently a lot of companies working on this technology and I think it’s going to come in more rapidly in the next decade than you think. Probably in the next decade, we’re going to see something, based on the research that we’ve done,” Minicucci said, responding to the audience-submitted eVTOL question.

Ben Minicucci took over as the new CEO of Alaska Airlines on March 31.

The new CEO did not provide major details about any specific eVTOL programs they’re studying, rather focusing on the potential for electric-powered aircraft to help the aviation industry overall reduce carbon emissions generated by flight operations. One day prior to the Aviation Summit, Airline for America (A4A), which counts Alaska, American, Delta, and United among its members, announced the commitment of all 10 of its U.S. air carriers to “work across the aviation industry and with government leaders in a positive partnership to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” according to a March 30 press release published by the organization.

A key element of the new A4A commitment includes an ambitious goal of making 2 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel available to U.S. aircraft operators by 2030. Minicucci said the SAF goals will help reduce carbon emissions, but a new technological capability is needed o meet the ambitious net-zero 2050 goal.

“If you look at some of the environmental goals everyone is setting on 2050/2040, and short term goals to really help reduce the climate impact, this is going to be an essential piece of that strategy to get to a Net Zero in 2040 or 2050, you cannot do it on sustainable fuels alone, you need technology,” he said, referring to electric-powered aircraft.

The majority of Alaska Airlines’ publicized efforts to enact measures that reduce carbon emissions over the last year have focused on the development of new sources of sustainable aviation fuels. As an example, Netherlands-based SKyNRG is now supplying SAF for Alaska aircraft flying routes most frequented by Microsoft employees according to an Oct. 22 blog post. SkyNRG’s website notes that its SAF is produced from waste oils using Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) technology, a process that refines vegetable oils, waste oils, or fats into SAF.

Alaska’s ongoing partnership with Washington State University to use alternative jet fuel made from forest residuals was highlighted in the November 2020 “Washington Electric Aircraft Feasibility Study” published by the aviation division of the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Kevin Burke, CEO of Airports Council International’s North America division, was also featured on the March 31 panel, advocating for U.S. airports to modernize and prepare for a future to include infrastructure capable of supporting eVTOL operations.

“I’m an optimist, I think we’re in an ever-evolving aviation ecosystem, and that is a great example of it’s not there yet but it will be, and I think we have to be open to the fact that it will be there,” Burke said. “It’s another reason we have to take a look at the places they take off and land at airports, to modernize, and we fully support anything that lands at an airport as long as it’s safe and protects the people there.”

Minicucci’s comments during the Aviation Summit panel follow a string of recent major airlines in different regions committing to investments, partnerships, and development of electric or zero-emissions aircraft programs. British Airways, for example, joined a new investor group backing hydrogen-fueled flights from ZeroAvia, which is managing the development program for a 2MW hydrogen-electric powertrain for full-sized regional aircraft.

On March 25, Finnair signed a letter of interest for the future acquisition of Heart Aerospace’s ES-19 electric aircraft, currently under development in Stockholm, Sweden. In February, United Airlines established a new partnership with eVTOL developer Archer Aviation, which includes the purchase of 200 aircraft once operational.

Minicucci believes such partnerships are key to the advancement of the industry and also gave some thoughts on how electric batteries will eventually be integrated into regional aircraft.

“I think we need to help these technology companies with investment, and research so we can really accelerate, the issue of batteries is very heavy, but I think you’ll see it on little passenger airplanes, whether they be 5-10 at first and then moving into the bigger regional market,” Minicucci said.

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Air Force Completes First Military Transport of eVTOL Aircraft Inside C-130

A LIFT Aircraft electronic vertical takeoff and landing aircraft sits on a trailer at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas, March 24, 2021. The eVTOL was transported from Ohio to Texas by the 79th Rescue Squadron as part of an ongoing relationship between industry partners and Air Force units that are working together to develop emerging technologies in support of tomorrow’s fight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jacob T. Stephens)

The U.S. Air Force transported an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Springfield, Ohio to Austin, Texas on March 23 and 24 inside an HC-130J Combat King II as a proof of concept to integrate eVTOLs into combat capabilities, according to the 355^th Wing.

The eVTOL used was LIFT Aircraft’s Hexa which performed its first demonstration flight for the Air Force in August 2020.

“This is the first milestone in developmental operations of eVTOL in rescue and attack, which highlights how the wing continues to actively engage on the front end of these efforts to continue building our readiness for tomorrow’s fight,” U.S. Air Force Maj. Brendan Gallagher, 563rd Rescue Group chief of weapons and tactics, said in a statement. “By doing this, we are furthering the rescue and attack capabilities as we look toward the future, because these are the next generation of flying platforms.”

Airmen offload a LIFT Aircraft electronic vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from an HC-130J Combat King II at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas, March 24, 2021. This transportation test provided 79th Rescue Squadron Airmen a better understanding of how eVTOL vehicles can potentially integrate into military capabilities in the future. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jacob T. Stephens)

The 355^th Wing, 621^st Contingency Response Wing, and other units are looking to use these aircraft in personnel recovery, initial airfield assessment missions, and resupply missions, according to the Air Force.

“We’re exploring a number of ways eVTOL technology could be employed in recovery and resupply scenarios,” Davis-Monthan Air Force Base spokesperson told Avionics International. “For example, let’s says a service member is stranded outside of a secure area. In this situation, an eVTOL vehicle could be sent to their location to pick them up without the need of putting additional forces at risk. An eVTOL vehicle could also be used to deliver critical supplies or equipment, like water, communication equipment, weaponry or ammunition, if personnel recovery isn’t needed at the time. Integration into Exercise Bushwhacker, our agile combat employment exercise, this summer will be the first time we’re putting concepts like this to the test.”

This exercise marks the first time an eVTOL was transported with a military aircraft and proves that the Air Force can transport these vehicles with minimal equipment. Loading the eVTOL onto the C-130 took around 40 minutes, however, they believe this process can be shortened to 15 minutes.  The 355^th Wing, 621^st Contingency Response Wing, and AFWERX Agility Prime all participated in the exercise.

Airmen offload a LIFT Aircraft electronic vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from an HC-130J Combat King II at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas, March 24, 2021. This transportation test provided 79th Rescue Squadron Airmen a better understanding of how eVTOL vehicles can potentially integrate into military capabilities in the future. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jacob T. Stephens)

“With it being new, unfamiliar equipment, we had to come with a lot of variants and contingencies,” U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joseph Wruck, 571st MSAS air transportation team sergeant, said in a statement. “Alongside the 79th RQS, AFWERX and LIFT, we came up with a simple, safe and expedited way to load the aircraft with minimal specialized equipment by using the ramp system. The load took roughly 40 minutes, but we can get that down to 15 minutes in the future.”

Now that they have proven they can transport eVTOLs they will continue testing in training environments. AFWERX eVTOL vehicles will be integrated into more testing exercises during Bushwhacker, the 355^th Wing’s ongoing series of agile combat exercises, in the summer, according to the 355^th Wing.

“This load exercise came on the heels of major flight testing in Springfield, and we have more testing coming up in Austin and the Bushwhacker exercise [the 355th Wing’s agile combat employment exercise] in May,” James Bieryla, AFWERX Prime division chief, said in a statement.

LIFT Aircraft’s Hexa uses 18 electric motors and propellers to fly and only weighs 432 pounds due in part to its carbon-fiber airframe, according to LIFT’s website. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has classified Hexa as ultralight, so it does not require a pilot’s license to fly the aircraft which uses a single three-axis joystick to navigate.

According to the company, the autopilot computer is triple redundant. Hexa also has water landing capabilities.

AFWERX Agility Prime has been working with industry to develop eVTOL technology for military and commercial use. While Hexa was used in this demonstration, there are many other companies like Joby Aviation, Elroy Air, and Beta Technologies working with the Air Force on this project. In December 2020 Joby Aviation became the first eVTOL company to gain military airworthiness approval from Agility Prime.

“Our goal within Prime is to find emerging technology with dual capabilities and transition to deploy them rapidly after working with many mission partners to meet the needs of our operators and warfighters,” Bieryla said. “This movement with LIFT exemplifies how we aren’t content to sit around and wait on anything. We are getting after the Chief of Staff’s call to ‘Accelerate Change or Lose’.”

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Wisk Moves Forward with Transport Trial in New Zealand; Adds Insitu Integration

Wisk, a joint venture of Kitty Hawk and Boeing, signed an MoU with the government of New Zealand to begin passenger transport trials using its autonomous ‘Cora’ air taxi, once it is certified. (Wisk)

Wisk, the company developing the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Cora, is moving forward with its “Transport Trial” to advance autonomous flight in New Zealand, according to a March 29 press release. Wisk will also be integrating Insitu Pacific Pty Ltd., an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) developer and Boeing subsidiary, into the program.

“New Zealand presents a unique opportunity and we are immensely proud to have been recognized by the New Zealand Government as the first airspace integration industry partner,” Anna Kominik, Asia Pacific Region Director for Wisk, said in a statement. “New Zealand’s focus on decarbonizing its economy as part of the electric transport evolution directly aligns with Wisk’s mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone through effective, accessible and sustainable urban air mobility solutions.”

The Transport Trial is part of the New Zealand government’s Airspace Integration Trial Program (AITP) to test and demonstrate the integration of unmanned aircraft into airspace. Wisk will be performing flight testing, simulation work, and data analysis alongside multiple government agencies and New Zealand’s Airways Corporation, a representative from the company told Avionics International.

“Wisk has always seen the distinct advantages of New Zealand, including the country’s globally respected Civil Aviation Authority and flexibility for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS),” Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk, said in a statement. “These factors, combined with the advantages of testing and operating in a relatively un-congested airspace and the innovative culture of early adoption, makes New Zealand uniquely positioned as a leader for autonomous UAM integration trials.”

The first phase of the Transport Trial will focus on collecting and understanding data to support integrating these aircraft into the airspace system, according to the representative.

“The aim of the Transport Trial, which is part of the New Zealand government’s, broader Airspace Integration Trial Program (AITP), is to safely evaluate, test, and demonstrate the integration of unmanned aircraft into existing airspace,” the Wisk representative said. “The goal is to provide robust data that can be used by Governments, ANSP, and Civil Aviation Authorities to advance standards globally.”

Integrating Insitu into the Transport Trial will allow Wisk to use Boeing’s expertise and advanced technology to the project, according to the release. Wisk was born out of a partnership between Boeing and Kitty Hawk in 2019.

Cora, the eVTOL being developed by Wisk, is a two-passenger all-electric self-piloted aircraft. It has an experimental airworthiness certificate from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to their website.

Cora has gone through many transformations over the years and has announced five different versions of the aircraft with a sixth coming soon. Wisk declined to specify which aircraft would be used in these tests but stressed that the Transport Trial is platform agnostic.

“We are not providing details on the specifics around this yet,” the representative said. “However, it is important to stress that the Transport Trial is platform agnostic as its goal is to advance autonomous passenger transport in New Zealand – and other jurisdictions – as well as inform/support other trials in the AITP, focused around cargo delivery, agricultural services, and hazard management and monitoring services. This is part of our recognition that the operating ecosystem is as important as a certified aircraft.”

The post Wisk Moves Forward with Transport Trial in New Zealand; Adds Insitu Integration appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Fuel Cell Technology for Larger Aircraft Could Lower Emissions

Liquid-cooled proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) could be ideal for use in larger electrically powered aircraft like eVTOLs. (NASA)

The aerospace industry has proven it can utilize fuel cells for small aircraft. Now, industry experts want to integrate fuel cell technology into larger aircraft and think they can create lower emissions operations while doing so, industry experts said during a March 24 webinar.

“The approach to integrating a fuel cell into aerospace systems is well established and has been proven out,” Jim Sisco, principal systems engineer at Honeywell Aerospace, said. “There’s a strong utility has been established for the small applications, and as we’ve seen, there’s a range of products available and the flight time improvements have been demonstrated pretty clearly. So, we get to these larger aircraft, where there’s a lot of promise as well for low emission operations, we really need to focus on getting the power-weight ratio of the fuel cell plan out to meet these applications.”

An example of a PEMFC system in a small unmanned aircraft. (A slide from Sisco’s presentation)

The benefits of fuel cell technology over internal combustion include improvements in reliability and operational benefits like lowering the acoustic signature and improving throttle control, Sisco said. These benefits have resulted in the expansion of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).

“As the kind of the familiarity with fuel cells increase, as well as really a lot of its being driven by future regulations and greenhouse gas emissions, there’s a lot of interest now in proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications to larger aircraft, such as Skydweller, urban air mobility applications, air transport applications, package delivery,” Sisco said. “Those are larger aircraft with higher power requirements which leads to unique requirements on the fuel cell system and new challenges.”

Sisco said there are two types of PEMFC: air-cooled and liquid-cooled. Air-cooled PEMFCs use a single air mover for power and thermal management. They have a simpler balance of plant and are lighter but they derate under adverse environmental conditions, have a shorter stack service life and have limited integration flexibility.

Liquid-cooled PEMCFs have a dedicated air mover for power and liquid coolant loop for stack thermal management. They limit derating under adverse environmental conditions, longer stack service life, and flexible integration, but require additional balance of plant components and operational complexity and are heavier.

The layout of a PEMFC liquid-cooled system. (Slide from presentation)

While there are many current applications for using PEMFC in smaller aircraft, larger aircraft are going to require a low more power than the current technologies used. Sisco said because of this, these PEMFCs will have to be liquid-cooled.

“Once you get to this kind of power output level the liquid-cooled fuel cells have much better metrics when you get to these high powers,” Sisco said. “It’s difficult to scale air-cooled in a volume and mass efficient way once you get to these high powers.”

Sisco said to develop a PEMFC for larger aircraft there needs to be a targeted design.

“What we think is needed to get there is really a targeted design for aerial applications,” Sisco said. “These higher power applications are really focused on cost. Life is also a big driver. It’s not to say either of those things aren’t important for aerospace applications, but maybe not quite as severe as the weight. It’s a huge driver for making these things viable.”

At Honeywell, they have been looking at aerospace materials and methods of construction to final a solution for PEMFC in larger aircraft. They are also looking at running at higher air pressure to create a higher compression ratio on the cathode air blower, Sisco said.

“What’s really needed there is a lightweight, high-pressure ratio air compressor and Honeywell has quite a bit of expertise in that area,” Sisco said. “Related to that is higher stack temperature. Higher stack temperature means more delta between the stack and the ambient environment, that tends to reduce cooling requirements heat exchanger size. And really, the higher cathode pressure helps to enable that, but in conjunction with that, there’s the membrane electrode assembly which is the core technology in the fuel cell stack. Those need to be tailored for this high-temperature environment. And again there’s technology that already exists for motive applications and we need to pull that into these aerospace fuel cell systems.”

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SESAR Trial Validates Virtual Air Traffic Management of Flights in Three European Countries

A trial conducted under the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) 2020 project PJ.10-W2 PROSA, used controller working position screens at the three different European locations with real time simulation. (SESAR)

Air traffic controllers in Germany, Poland, and the U.K. recently validated the feasibility of the use of a virtual center to manage flights in the cross-border style that many Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) in the region see as the key to streamlining the current segmented structure present in Europe.

Validation of the concept was completed under the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) 2020 project PJ.10-W2 PROSA, one of the largest research initiatives included in their 2020 industrial research program. According to a March 5 press release announcing the completion of the trial, Physical centers were located in Langen (Germany), Southampton (U.K.), and Warsaw (Poland), with two test cases.

The first case trialed the transfer of consolidated traffic from one control center to another at night; the second simulated the transfer of air traffic control services to another center in a failure scenario, according to the ANSPs involved in the project.

Representatives from DFS, ENAV, Frequentis, Indra, NATS and Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) provided joint responses to questions from Avionics International about the near term feasibility of the concept, confirming that the trial did not use real flights, but rather a simulation that featured recorded radar and flight plan data. This data was fed into the prototype digital ATM infrastructure they developed using a real-time simulator and technologies submitted by some of the individual service providers.

“Until such a concept may finally be used between one country’s service units or even among European ANSPs, it will still be a long path. Such operations are not just a question of the sovereignty of the different States, which until now are responsible for their own airspaces, and thus legal considerations, but also a question of the licensing of air traffic controllers,” a representative for the group said in an emailed statement.

During the trial, PANSA controllers in Warsaw controlled, grouped, or consolidated sectors and delegated them to controllers from NATS in Southampton, who were able to delegate on to DFS in Langen.

The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) signed an agreement with Indra, to implement the iTEC system in the new Control Center in Poznan. Indra also used the iTEC system in the SESAR PROSA virtual center trial.

Europe’s current air traffic system features decision-making based solely on the individual air navigation service providers in each European nation-state, where data is made available based on the decisions of the individual ANSPs and where needed, ANSPs are given very little control over adjacent airspace to the flight information region (FIR) that they’re responsible for.

Under the vision for virtual centers, the currently fragmented structure would be decoupled and transitioned to the development of a new data servicing system where individual Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) work in tandem with ATM Data Service Providers (ADSPs) that provide flight data processing functions like flight correlation, trajectory prediction, conflict detection and resolution, and arrival management planning.

“During the scenario for nighttime delegation, we have trialed between 30 to 50 flights. In the scenario for contingency delegation, around 100 flights were validated. The scenarios took place in a defined part of the airspace – comprising two sectors of Karlsruhe upper airspace over southern Germany, as well as in Zurich airspace,” the representative said.

Through the project, the service providers were also able to observe the technological comments of establishing a virtual center with data centers deployed in different locations. Using their iTEC ATM system, Indra provided recorded radar and flight plan data using a real-time simulator and equipped the controller working positions in the UK and Poland with the components for voice communication.

Frequentis also supplied the digital medium for distributing and sharing data across the entire setup, according to the group.

“The components included a pseudo pilot position and Ground-Ground voice communication telephony system with touch screen HMI user interface panels at the working positions. The solution was implemented by using the ED-137 Interoperability Standard – Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and converged IP networks,” the representative said. “The supplied middleware makes use of an open ATM-grade IT platform supplied by Frequentis, extended with ATS Message Handling System AMHS P3 and Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) gateway functions.”

As the first trial executed within SESAR’s PROSA project, the validation was one of several that will be completed as part of the same research initiative. Automatic speech recognition, attention guidance, and increased flexibility in air traffic controller validations are among the other separation management tools that are being trialed.

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Lilium Reveals New 7-Seater eVTOL and Merger with Qell

The 7-Seater Jet is an updated version of Lilium’s 5-Seater aircraft and carries six passengers and one pilot. (Lilium)

Lilium revealed its latest electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the 7-Seater Lilium Jet, as a culmination of four generations of technology demonstrators, according to a March 30 press release published by the Munich, Germany-based company. Lilium will also merge with Qell Acquisition Corp. making the eVTOL maker a publicly listed company.

“We’re incredibly excited to reveal the development of our 7-Seater Lilium Jet and announce the next stage of our growth,” Daniel Wiegand, Co-Founder and CEO of Lilium, said in a statement. “This is a validation of all the hard work over the last five years from our talented team and our world-class partners and investors.”

The 7-Seater is an updated version of Lilium’s 5-Seater aircraft and carries six passengers and one pilot. It has received CRI-A01 certification from EASA and concurrent type certification with EASA and the FAA, according to the release. It has a cruise speed of 175 mph and flies at 10,000 feet with a range of 155 miles.

The aircraft uses Lilium’s proprietary Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust (DEVT) technology which is made up of 36 electric ducted turbo fan engines integrated into the wing flaps and allows Lilium to lower noise emissions and its ground footprint. (Lilium)

The aircraft uses Lilium’s proprietary Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust (DEVT) technology which is made up of 36 electric ducted turbofan engines integrated into the wing flaps and allows Lilium to lower noise emissions and its ground footprint.

Lilium is partnering with multiple suppliers for the 7-Seater Jet including Aciturri who is manufacturing the fuselage and wing systems, Toray Industries who are supplying high-performance carbon fiber composite, and Lufthansa Aviation Training which is sourcing pilots and delivering a training program.

“Our vision is to create a sustainable and accessible mode of high-speed travel and bring this to every community,” Wiegand said. “Transport infrastructure is broken. It is costly in personal time, space consumption and carbon emissions. We are pursuing our unique electric jet technology because it is the key to higher-capacity aircraft, with lower cost per seat mile while delivering low noise and low emissions.”

The aircraft has received CRI-A01 certification from EASA and concurrent type certification with EASA and the FAA, according to the release. It has a cruise speed of 175 mph and flies at 10,000 feet with a range of 155 miles. (Lilium)

Lilium is planning to use the 7-Seater in commercial operations starting in 2024, according to the release. To meet this goal they will need to finalize serial production facilities in Germany, launch the serial production aircraft and complete the type certification with appropriate authorities. This will all be done with the funds provided in the business combination agreement with Qell.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Lilium to together build the leader in regional electric air mobility,” Barry Engle, Founder and CEO of Qell, said in a statement. “Qell set out to find an exceptional and ambitious technology company, with significant growth potential — and in Lilium we have found that. Lilium has unique technology and one of the most accomplished engineering and commercial teams in electric aviation. The 7-Seater Lilium Jet is a game-changer for transportation.”

The company is estimated to receive $830 million of gross proceeds from a fully committed common stock PIPE offering of $450 million and $380 million cash held in trust, according to the release. The merger is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021.

In November 2020, Lilium announced a partnership with Tavistock Development Company and the City of Orlando to launch an electric air mobility network in 2025. They are planning to have a network of up to 14 sites with about 125 jets.

Lilium will also operate in Germany through agreements with Köln Bonn Airport and Düsseldorf Airport using approximately 190 jets.

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What’s Trending in Aerospace – March 28, 2021

Check out the March 28 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.

Embedded

AMETEK Signs $1.35 Billion Deal to Acquire Abaco Systems 

Abaco Systems, a provider of mission-critical embedded computing systems, has been acquired by AMETEK in a deal valued at $1.35 billion. 

“We are excited for the opportunity to acquire Abaco Systems,” David A. Zapico, AMETEK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said in a March 25 press release. “Their market leading embedded computing solutions are ideally positioned across a number of attractive aerospace and defense platforms, further broadening our differentiated product offering serving these markets.” 

The deal will close in mid-2021 with Abaco joining AMETEK’s Electronic Instruments Group (EIG), according to the release. 

Commercial 

Finnair Signs Letter of Interest for Heart Aerospace ES-19 Electric Aircraft

Finnair signed a letter of interest for the Heart Aerospace ES-19 electric aircraft, currently under development in Stockholm, Sweden.

Finnair could acquire up to 20 of the new 19-seater Heart Aerospace ES-19 electric aircraft, for use on the airline’s short routes, the airline said in a March 25 press release. According to Heart Aerospace, the aircraft are expected to be available for first commercial flights in 2026.

“Finnair believes electric aviation will be one of the tools for the future of flying. It will help to promote responsible and sustainable aviation especially on short routes, in an era where climate change will increasingly dominate the agenda,” Anne Larilahti, Finnair Vice President of Sustainability, said in the release. “We want to be actively involved in developing and implementing new technologies which enable carbon-neutral flying.”

US Air Travel Hits Pre Pandemic High in March

On March 26, more than one million airline passengers went through TSA checkpoints for the 14th consecutive day, according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.

“JUST IN: @TSA continues to screen more than 1 million people a day at airport checkpoints. On Thursday, March 25th, 1,444,744 people were screened, continuing the string of more than a million per day since March 11th,” Farbstein tweeted on March 26.

On Sunday, March 21, TSA screened more than 1.5 million passengers, a number it has not topped since March 15, 2020.

The high number of air travelers has continued, despite ongoing recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention to avoid traveling. While the increase is a positive sign for airlines, it still amounts to only half of the air traffic from the boom levels experienced by the U.S. in 2019, according to a March 21 CNN article.

Air Traffic Management

Canadian Air Traffic Controllers Voice Concerns Over Safety Risk From Layoffs

(CATCA)

As Canada’s Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) Nav Canada goes through a financial restructuring process due to revenue losses suffered under the COVID-19 global pandemic, a survey of the nation’s air traffic controllers outlines their concerns over the safety risk the layoffs could cause.

As part of an ongoing NAV Canada review, layoff notices have been issued to more than 100 air traffic controllers at several control centers including Edmonton, Montreal, Moncton and Gander, according to a March 25 press release published by the Canadian Air Traffic Controllers Association (CATCA).

More than 80 percent of Canadian Air Traffic Controllers say public safety will be put at risk if NAV Canada proceeds with intended layoffs and tower closures, according to a survey commissioned earlier this month which heard from 1,400 of Canada’s 1,800 licensed controllers.

All employees at the seven towers included in the study (St-Jean, Que., Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie, Regina, Fort McMurray, Prince George and Whitehorse) have received letters stating NAV Canada’s intention to permanently close their towers. This is in addition to 1,000 positions that were eliminated across the organization over the past year.

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.”

Military

V-22 Osprey Reaches 600,000 Flight Hours 

Photo from file

The V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft built by Bell Textron and Boeing has reached 600,000 flight hours, according to a March 24 press release. 

“Each V-22 flight hour is the product of a team effort,” Col. Matthew Kelly, V-22 Joint Program Office program manager, said in a statement. “Enabled by pilots, maintainers, testers, engineers, the program workforce and our industry partners who, together, ensure safe and effective V-22 operation.”

The U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force operate over 400 V-22 aircraft, according to the release. 

“There is no other aircraft in the world capable of matching the unique capabilities of the Osprey,” Kurt Fuller, Bell V-22 vice president and Bell Boeing program director, said in a statement. “The 600,000 flight-hours represent countless tactical, logistical and humanitarian assistance missions, and the dedication of the men and women who maintain and operate the aircraft every day to keep it an advanced aircraft.” 

US Navy Begins Program to Upgrade EA-18G Growler Jets

The U.S. Navy completed the first mission systems flight test of the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) on an EA-18G Growler last year. (Boeing)

The Navy started a five-year EA-18G Growler Capability Modification (GCM) program this month to upgrade capabilities on the Growler electronic warfare aircraft.

The service’s F/A-18 and EA-18G program Office (PMA-265) commenced the program at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Wash., the Growler fleet homeport, the Navy said March 19. According to a Navy photo description, the first aircraft was inducted into the program on March 3.

The Growler is a variant of the F/A-18 that focuses on jamming radar and communications signals of opponents.

The Growler is set to receive several modifications to support the upcoming release of the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) pod, the AM/ALQ-249(V)1. The Navy said these modifications will focus on updating the aircrafts’ Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) and mission systems, “enabling future capability growth for the U.S. Navy’s 160 EA-18Gs that serve a critical role in jamming radar and communications signals of threat forces, hindering their ability to detect and track U.S. and allied military forces.”

Bell Opens New Manufacturing Technology Center in Texas

Bell expects its new Fort Worth, Texas Manufacturing Technology Center to become fully operational by the second half of 2021.

Bell Textron Inc., held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the start of operations at its new Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC). The event marked the next milestone in the center’s development before its opening targeted for summer 2021.

“Through the Manufacturing Technology Center, we can showcase how we will deliver the most affordable, capable and reliable aircraft for the warfighter,” Mitch Snyder, president and CEO, Bell, said in a March 26 press release. “As we work together to define the next generation of Bell products, it’s been gratifying to watch this new facility become a reality.”

Bell named the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift program as one of the future aircraft that will be developed there.

Connectivity

Global Eagle Entertainment Completes Sale to Investor Group

Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. completed the sale of its assets to a group comprising the Company’s first-lien investors and its operations have emerged from the Chapter 11 restructuring process, according to a March 23 press release.

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Global Eagle,” Joshua Marks, Chief Executive Officer of Global Eagle said in the release. “Having successfully completed our sale and restructuring process, and now focused fully on mobility, the Company benefits from a stronger balance sheet, enhanced liquidity and blue-chip backing from new owners. We are well-positioned to invest in innovation, drive growth in our business, and continue supporting our customers as they adapt to evolving passenger and guest needs.”

Southwest Airlines is the largest user of Global Eagle’s in-flight connectivity service, which also counts Air France and Norwegian as aviation customers.

As previously announced, Global Eagle’s new owners include certain funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc., Eaton Vance Management, Mudrick Capital Management, Crestline Investors, Inc., certain funds and accounts managed by Sound Point Capital Management, certain funds and accounts managed by Arbour Lane Capital Management, L.P., and certain funds and accounts under management by BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., among others.

SpaceX Launches 4th Starlink Batch of the Month

Starlink satellites before deployment on SpaceX’s March 24 Falcon 9 mission. (Screenshot via SpaceX.)

SpaceX continued its rapid launch cadence for Starlink missions, launching the fourth batch of satellites this month in an early morning launch on Wednesday. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 60 Starlink satellites took off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 4:28 a.m. on March 24.

Stage separation occurred about 2:30 into the mission. The first stage booster had a successful landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. It was the sixth flight and recovery for this booster. The Starlink satellites were deployed about an hour and four minutes into the mission.

Starlink is a satellite constellation to deliver low-latency broadband internet service from space. The “Better Than Nothing Beta” testing kicked off in the United States in late October of 2020. At this point, Starlink is serving parts of the United States, United Kingdom, Western Germany, and the south island of New Zealand.

Business & GA

Piper Aircraft CEO Simon Caldecott Retires

Simon Caldecott will retire as the CEO of Piper Aircraft next month.

In a March 22 press release, Piper Aircraft announced that Simon Caldecott will retire effective April 2, 2021 after nearly ten years as the company’s President and CEO and a 47-year career in the aviation industry.

Following Mr. Caldecott’s appointment as President and CEO in 2011, he set a new course for Piper Aircraft with a vision to stabilize, improve and grow the business with a specific intent to expand the M-Class product line and revitalize the trainer market. During his tenure, the company designed and introduced the newest M-class flagship product, the M600.

Simon’s leadership and guidance were instrumental in paving the way for the launch of Garmin’s Emergency Autoland technology, known as HALO on the new M600 SLS.

“It has been an honor and privilege leading Piper Aircraft through a transformative journey, from a legacy aircraft manufacturer to the first general aviation manufacturer to certify an autoland equipped general aviation aircraft”, Caldecott said. “We strengthened the leadership team with new talent, made major facility improvements to make a safer workplace and strengthened relations with the community as well as with major suppliers. I am enormously proud of the dedicated team at Piper and our global independent Dealership network. With everything in place, the Company’s future prospects are extremely encouraging and I look forward to a smooth transition.”

Pro Line Fusion Avionics Upgrade Approved for Cessna Citation CJ Jets

The Pro Line Fusion avionics upgrade for the Cessna CJ2+ has achieved FAA type certification. (Collins Aerospace)

Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp., announced in a March 23 press release that its Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics system for Cessna Citation CJ2+ light business jets has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Certification of the system on the is “soon to follow,” according to the release.

An initial Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) was launched for Cessna Citation CJ3 aircraft in 2017. This follow-on STC adds the Citation CJ1+ and Citation CJ2+ aircraft while extending new functionality to the Citation CJ3. Other new capabilities include integrated V-speeds, fuel sensing and predictive performance, along with Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) capabilities that position the operator for more efficient arrivals and departures.

Specifically, the Pro Line Fusion upgrade includes:

• The ability to operate in modernizing global airspace with localizer performance, including vertical guidance (LPV) approaches, radius-to-fix (RF) legs, as well as SBAS capable GNSSBest-Equipped, Best-Served (BEBS) future enhancements
• Global Performance Based Navigation (PBN), FANS-1/A and CPDLC capabilities
• Standard industry-leading high-resolution synthetic vision, including Collins Aerospace’s patented airport dome feature, and extended runway centerlines
• Three touchscreen 14.1-inch widescreen LCDs with advanced graphics, configurable windows and eyes-forward, touchscreen navigation
• Touch-interactive maps with high-resolution topography, weather and obstacles plus geo-referenced electronic charts displaying own-aircraft position

Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certifications are targeted by the end of the year.

Gulfstream Marks 100th Delivery of G500 and G600 Aircraft

(Gulfstream Aerospace)

Gulfstream Aerospace marked the 100th customer delivery of its next generation G500 and G600 jets in a March 25 press release.

“Gulfstream saw great demand for the all-new G500 and G600 right out of the gate,” Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream, said in the release. “Once they entered service, interest in these innovative aircraft soared even more as operators experienced the compelling combination of the Symmetry Flight Deck and outstanding cabin comfort. Reaching 100 deliveries at this stage in the program is remarkable and a clear reflection of the advantages the G500 and G600 give our customers.”

The G500 entered service in September 2018, with the G600 following in August 2019. To date, the G500 and G600 have achieved more than 60 speed records and a combined total of more than 25,000 hours and more than 13,000 landings.

Unmanned

ZPX-B Now the Smallest Certified Micro-IFF Transponder for UAS

The RT-2087/ZPX-B identification friend or foe (IFF) transponder for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) made by uAvionix Corporation is now certified by the Department of Defense (DoD) Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System Identification Friend or Roe Program Office (AIMS PO).

The RT-2087/ZPX-B identification friend or foe (IFF) transponder for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) made by uAvionix Corporation is now certified by the Department of Defense (DoD) Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System Identification Friend or Roe Program Office (AIMS PO), according to a March 24 press release from the company. 

The ZPX-B reduces size, weight, and power consumption coming in at 3.3 in3, 60 grams, and 3.5 watts, according to the release. It can be used for Group 1-4 UAS and has ADS-B and detect and avoid capabilities as well. 

“It is one thing to produce a 53 gram Mode V microtransponder; it is quite another to actually get it certified,” Maj Gen, USAF (ret) James Poss, founder of ASSURE – the FAA’s Drone Research Center of Excellence, said in a statement. “This is a big step forward in reducing battlefield fratricide for all those small drones the DoD – and their Allies – are producing.” 

Air Taxi

Former FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell Joins Joby Aviation Advisory Board

(Joby Aviation)

Dan Elwell, who served as deputy and acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration between June 2017 and November 2020, has been appointed to the advisory board of Joby Aviation.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Dan to our Advisory Board at this exciting time for Joby Aviation,”  JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation said in a March 22 press release. “Dan brings a rare combination of in-the-air, public policy and corporate expertise, gained over decades of working in both the government and private sector. His unique perspective, and the insight he can offer around aircraft certification and airline operations, will be invaluable to Joby as we move towards introducing our service in 2024.”

Elwell joins the Advisory Board as Joby prepares to merge with Reinvent Technology Partners (“Reinvent” or “RTP”), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company will be named Joby Aviation, and become publicly traded, with its common stock expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

“JoeBen’s vision of saving a billion people an hour a day is going to change how we look at air travel. I’m excited to join such a dedicated and passionate team of aviators.

Large Scale UAM Demonstrations Coming to France with TindAIR

The Tactical INstrumental Deconflict And in flight Resolution (TindAIR) will conduct urban air mobility (UAM) exercises in the suburban and urban areas of Toulouse and Bordeaux, France, according to a March 25 press release. 

The demonstrations will be large scale and focus on strategic deconfliction, according to the release. The new project was launched under the SESAR Joint Undertaking. 

TindAIR will demonstrate that UAM operations in urban areas are possible as well as researching safe ways to integrate these new technologies.  

The post What’s Trending in Aerospace – March 28, 2021 appeared first on Aviation Today.

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Avionica Satellite Connectivity System Ready for Airbus A320 Series Upgrades

Avionica’s satLINK max Iridium satellite connectivity system has achieved FAA type certification approval for the Airbus A320 series aircraft. (Avionica)

Airbus A320 series operators have a new Iridium satellite connectivity system aftermarket upgrade available after Avionica and Aircraft Systems Manufacturing (ASM) achieved Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certification (STC) approval for the satLINK MAX, with avRDC MAX remote data concentrator and quick access recorder.

The certification approval was developed for the “world’s first operator of the A321P2F series aircraft,” Avionica said in a March 25 press release.

Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a joint venture established by Singapore-based ST Engineering and Airbus, developed the modification for converting the A321 from passenger to the P2F configuration.

Airbus describes the modification as featuring the integration of a large main deck cargo door in the forward fuselage, plugging the passenger windows, and deactivating most passenger doors. The forwardmost left passenger door is replaced by a smaller one to optimize the number of cargo positions on the main deck.

Airbus published the first interior images of the A321 P2F as it prepared for entry into service in October. (Airbus)

The world’s first A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) entered into service for Qantas, operated on behalf of Australia Post, according to an Oct. 27 Airbus press release.

Claudia Espinosa, Vice President of commercial for Avionica, told Avionics International in an emailed statement that this is a “Block 1” Iridium satellite communications system, that has been designed to allow future upgrades to the Iridium Certus and NEXT satellite networks.

“It’s important to note that this aircraft currently had no existing communications and data management hardware,” Espinosa said. “The innovative way that Avionica has designed this system will allow for a future plug and play replacement once Iridium NEXT has been certified for Aviation use.”

The satLINK MAX is Avionica’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) voice and data system capable of providing up to four channels of Iridium satellite-based voice and data communications.

Expansion of the approved design to interface with Avionica’s avWiFi onboard network server (ONS) is on track to achieve type certification by the second half of 2021 through ASM’s recently appointed FAA Organization Designation Authorization.

“Utilizing the existing satLINK Max for long-range communications as the first phase of this program,” Espinosa said. “JANA ASM’s provisioning of Avionica’s current aviONS system enables the A320 aircraft family of operators access to connectivity for EFB moving maps, graphical weather, and third-party applications.”

The post Avionica Satellite Connectivity System Ready for Airbus A320 Series Upgrades appeared first on Aviation Today.

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PODCAST: Ken Munro Talks Ethical Hacking, Cybersecurity Research and Electronic Flight Bags

Ken Munro is the founder of Pen Test Partners.

On this episode of the Connected Aircraft Podcast, Ken Munro, founder of U.K.-based ethical hacking consulting and security services firm Pen Test Partners joins to discuss some of the latest research he’s been doing around connected electronic flight bags (EFB) and aircraft systems.

Munro is a well-known public speaker who has performed live demonstrations of vulnerabilities that have been exposed on Internet of Things (IoT) devices and systems. He is a security entrepreneur and industry maverick that has worked in infosec for over 15 years. He is a regular speaker at events held by industry bodies and associations and has spoken at the ISSA Dragon’s Den, (ISC)2 Chapter events and CREST (Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers) events, where he sits on the board, helping to establish standards in both member organizations and among individual penetration testers.

We discuss some of the potential consequences of the manipulation of data used by pilots by a malicious hacker, as outlined in his recent blog post, and just how important the testing and assessment of EFB security is.

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.

The post PODCAST: Ken Munro Talks Ethical Hacking, Cybersecurity Research and Electronic Flight Bags appeared first on Aviation Today.

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