December 13, 2018 - No. 098 In This Issue New CTLS Factory Under Development. Airbus and Royole Technology Enter Partnership on Flexible Electronic Technologies for Aircraft Cabins Click's AI Platform Offers Next-level Networking Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) Partners with National Aviation Services (NAS) to bring Innovation to Airports in Marrakech with E-gates at Pearl Lounge Spike Looks At Self-cleaning Tech for Aircraft De-icing Rolls-Royce Signs TotalCare Contract for MEA Aircraft. Global UAV Considers ESAero for Production Assessment of the Procyon 800E Helicopter UAV. Jet Aviation unveils VIP BBJ 777X concept LIFT Aircraft unveils personal multirotor aircraft, experiential entertainment plans ULA chief Tory Bruno on competing with Blue Origin, SpaceX rocket landings New CTLS Factory Under Development Flight Design partner AeroJones Aviation Technology has announced that it will be building a new on-airport manufacturing plant at Dalu General Airport in Zhenjiang, China. Along with a better location and the ability to develop a more efficient facility from the ground up, the company says the move will provide much needed direct access to an airport for flight testing and demonstration flights. AeroJones, which is currently operating out of a factory in Xiamen, manufactures CTLS light sport aircraft for the Asia-Pacific region. I have a long interest in light aviation," said AeroJones owner Jones Chen. "After acquiring rights to build CTLS, I had a vision for a new factory in the right location. Following a search of possible locations, Zhenjiang was judged to be the best choice for this enterprise." The Flight Design CTLS produced by AeroJones is two-seat, composite model powered by a 100-HP Rotax 912ULS engine. It has a maximum speed of 130 knots, 970-NM range and comes equipped with a whole-aircraft parachute. In addition to its aircraft manufacturing facility, AeroJones Aviation operates a flight school and maintenance center in Pingtong, Taiwan, and an engineering office in Wildau, Germany. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/New-CTLS-Factory-Under-Development-231982-1.html Back to Top Airbus and Royole Technology Enter Partnership on Flexible Electronic Technologies for Aircraft Cabins Shenzhen, 10 December 2018 - Airbus China Innovation Centre (ACIC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Royole Technology - a global pioneer in flexible displays, flexible sensors and foldable smartphones. The two parties will collaborate to develop applications that implement flexible electronic technologies in cabin environments and investigate the possibilities for commercial cooperation. Airbus has been dedicated to design and manufacture aircraft that provide a better cabin experience for passengers. By investigating the use of flexible displays and flexible sensors in the cabin, Airbus plans to cooperate with Royole Technology by building a futurised, digitalised and personalised cabin to further improve the cabin environment, cabin safety and energy saving. Based in Shenzhen, Airbus China Innovation Centre is the first Innovation Centre set up by Airbus in Asia. Its mission is to fully leverage local advantages including innovative talents, partners and the eco-system, and combine this with Airbus' expertise in aerospace to explore breakthroughs in technologies, business models and new growth opportunities. ACIC is now fully operational with the official office opening ceremony due to take place in early 2019. About Airbus Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of € 59 billion restated for IFRS 15 and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. About Royole Founded by Stanford engineering graduates in 2012, Royole's mission is to improve the way people interact with and perceive their world. The company creates and manufactures next-generation human-machine interface technologies and products including advanced flexible displays, flexible sensors, and smart devices. Technology milestones include the world's thinnest full-color AMOLED flexible displays and flexible sensors (2014), the world's first foldable 3D mobile theater (2015), the world's first curved car dashboard based on flexible electronics (2016), the first smart writing pad, RoWrite, based on flexible sensors (2017), the volume production of Royole'squasi-G6 mass production campus for fully flexible displays (2018), and the world's first commercial foldable smartphone with a fully flexible display (2018). https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12438877/airbus-and-royole-technology-enter- partnership-on-flexible-electronic-technologies-for-aircraft-cabins Back to Top Click's AI Platform Offers Next-level Networking Click Aviation Network, the Dubai-based global trip handling and support provider, brought its recently developed Omega Platform artificial intelligence technology to MEBAA 2018. Click's Omega Platform is a digital networking tool the company says will offer aviation industry management a "mission-critical decision support platform that will increase operational efficiency on a global scale." The service is designed to "make the aviation industry more connected and transparent" by allowing its users "to create and share ideas and information instantly through one universal platform," the company said. Because it is an online service, Omega Platform is instantly available from any place on the planet and connects members to any other participant. And thanks to its underlying technology, Click's Omega Platform understands a user's operational and commercial needs, the company says, and provides a solution tailored to each of its member's needs. The Omega Platform "is always learning and evolving" in response to the aviation industry's "ever-changing environment." Click Aviation (Booth 510), which began operations in 2015, has loaded its Omega Platform with the "most up-to-date information regarding permit requirements, fuel and handling rates, and any additional details required in the trip-planning process." Thanks to its "extensive strategic partnerships and far-reaching connections," Click says the Omega Platform allows immediate access to vital, international trip-planning data for instant results, including flight permits. Charter brokers can use Omega to manage customer inquiries, gain access to airport and FBO directories, directly connect with operators, and access financial data. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-12-12/clicks-ai-platform-offers- next-level-networking Back to Top Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) Partners with National Aviation Services (NAS) to bring Innovation to Airports in Marrakech with E-gates at Pearl Lounge The Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) partnered with National Aviation Services (NAS) (www.NAS.aero), the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets to launch the first electronic gates (E-gates) at the Pearl Lounge in the Marrakech Menara Airport departures area. This is the first of its kind solution across Africa. With this new state-of-the-art, self-service check in, guests visiting the Pearl Lounge can access the lounge faster without checking in at the reception desk or waiting in a queue. The passengers simply scans their printed or online boarding pass at the gate and enter the lounge. The E-gate effectively captures all the boarding pass data, checks eligibility, enters the transaction into a database for billing and reporting, and opens the gate for eligible passengers - all in less than 2 seconds. The E-gate also supports lounge membership cards and vouchers. The same technology will soon be adopted at other Pearl Lounges in Morocco as well as across other lounges in the NAS network. NAS has been exclusively managing the refurbishment and operations of 16 lounges across nine airports in Morocco, following a ten-year concession awarded by the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA). Hassan El-Houry, Group CEO of NAS said "As the exclusive lounge operator for the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) in Morocco, NAS is responsible for bringing world class facilities and services to the local airports. Since kicking off operations in the country, we have invested in infrastructure, resources and training; provided operational expertise, state of the art technology solutions and industry benchmarked services, to launch and manage refurbished lounges across the country. The newly introduced E-gates will help enhance our offerings in the country and amplify our efforts to ensure that Moroccan airports supersede recognized international airports around the world." NAS is currently present in 17 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa; providing ground handling services to seven out of the world's top ten airlines and managing 31 airport lounges. With an expanded portfolio of aviation services and certified by IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO), NAS also has demonstrated expertise in supporting local hub carriers in the Middle East and Africa. About National Aviation Services (NAS): National Aviation Services (NAS) (www.NAS.aero) is the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets. Established in 2003, NAS quickly transformed from a Kuwait based ground handling company into an emerging markets leader in the industry. NAS is present in over 30 airports across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, handling seven of the world's top 10 airlines and managing more than 31 airport lounges. With an employee base of over 8,000 capable and experienced employees at the core of its worldwide network, NAS is committed to providing aviation services that benchmark to the best in the world. The NAS portfolio of services includes ramp and passenger services, cargo management, engineering and line maintenance, airport technologies, fixed base operations, terminal management, aviation training, travel solutions, lounge management and meet-and-assist packages. Affiliated with leading industry organizations, NAS follows international aviation standards with certifications from ISO, EMS and OHSAS practices. NAS is one of the first ground handlers in the world to obtain the IATA's Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) certification illustrating the company's commitment to providing high quality services, with a focus on safety and security. For more information about NAS visit: www.NAS.aero http://www.africanews.com/2018/12/12/moroccan-airports-authority-onda-partners-with-national- aviation-services-nas-to-bring-innovation-to-airports-in-marrakech-with-e-gates-at-pearl-lounge/ Back to Top Spike Looks At Self-cleaning Tech for Aircraft De-icing Under an agreement inked yesterday, supersonic business jet developer (SSBJ) Spike Aerospace is exploring the use of Innovasonic's self-cleaning technology for aircraft de-icing and wiperless windshields, as well as cleaning aircraft touch screens. California-based Innovasonic is developing PiezoWipe, which it said is an active cleaning using ultrasonic energy produced from a transparent micro-transducer array in glass or film. "Working with Spike Aerospace gives us an opportunity to develop and deploy our technology in one of the most innovative products on the aerospace market: the supersonic jet," said Dr. Boris Kobrin, founder and CEO of Innovasonic. PiezoWipe technology has the potential to remove contamination and deposits such as fog and ice on glass components, sensors, and displays, according to Innovasonic. "The product we develop-quiet supersonic jet-requires innovative solutions in a number of areas of aircraft systems," said Spike president and CEO Vik Kachoria, Spike president and CEO. "This agreement demonstrates our interest in Innovasonic's technology and capability to move forward with commercialization efforts." Boston-based Spike is developing the 18-passenger S-512 SSBJ, which it expects to meet stringent Stage 5 noise and emissions regulations. It intends to have the S-512 flying by early 2021, with customer deliveries starting in 2023. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-12-11/spike-looks-self-cleaning- tech-aircraft-de-icing Back to Top Rolls-Royce Signs TotalCare Contract for MEA Aircraft As part of its widebody fleet renewal, the Lebanese carrier Middle East Airlines - Air Liban (MEA) has decided to purchase four new and two option Airbus A330-900neo powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines due to deliver in 2021. Today Rolls-Royce signed a contract with MEA to provide support for the Trent 7000 engines powering its new Airbus A330-900neo fleet. The contract covers long-term engine maintenance services, throughout the operation of the engine with MEA, the purchase of spare engines and supply of parts. The contract was signed during the Lebanon-UK Business and Investment Forum in London by MEA Chairman - Director General Mohamad El-Hout and Rolls-Royce Chairman Ian Davis and witnessed by the Prime Minister of Lebanon, His Excellency Mr Saad Hariri and the Rt. Honourable Alistair Burt, UK Minister of State for International Development and Minister of State for the Middle East. Rolls-Royce will deliver the latest engine in its Trent range, the Trent 7000, along with its flagship TotalCare® support service. The Trent 7000 is part of a Trent family that has now accumulated more than 125 million engine flying hours. Mr El-Hout said: "We are committed to ensuring our airline is at the leading-edge in terms of using technology to provide excellent customer service and performance. Our new aircraft, and their latest-generation Trent 7000 engines, will deliver on that goal. Rolls-Royce TotalCare is expected to offer optimisation to our maintenance costs through long term engine maintenance services. This deal symbolises the close bonds and relationship between the UK and Lebanon and we are pleased to be signing this historic deal here in London at the Lebanon-UK Business Investment forum under the patronage of His Excellency Prime Minister Mr. Saad Hariri." Ian Davis said: "We are honoured to sign this contract with a valued, forward-thinking, customer that continues to develop the capability of its fleet. It marks another milestone in a strong relationship we have built up together for more than 50 years, and we look forward to supporting MEA operations to maximise aircraft availability." The relationship between Rolls-Royce and MEA dates back more than 50 years, when the airline operated Dart-powered Viscount aircraft. MEA currently operates five Airbus A330 aircraft that are powered by Trent 700 engines, which will be progressively replaced by these latest aircraft. The 68-72,000lb thrust Trent 7000 delivers a step change in performance and economics compared to the Trent 700. Benefitting from a bypass ratio double that of its predecessor, the Trent 7000 will improve specific fuel consumption by 10%, and will significantly reduce noise. About Middle East Airlines - Air Liban Middle East Airlines, a member of the global SkyTeam alliance with a consolidated route network covering 1080 destinations in 177 countries, the national airline of Lebanon, is one of the leading Middle East carriers. From its home base in Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Middle East Airlines flies to 32 international destinations in Europe, Middle East and West Africa. MEA's fleet consists of 18 Airbus aircraft. MEA offers its customers luxurious services both on ground and on board, reflecting Lebanese culture and hospitality. For more information about MEA visit www.mea.com.lb https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12438959/rolls-royce-signs-totalcarer-contract-for- mea-aircraft Back to Top Global UAV Considers ESAero for Production Assessment of the Procyon 800E Helicopter UAV Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Global UAV Technologies Ltd. (CSE: UAV) (OTC: YRLLF) (FSE: YAB2) (the "Company" or "Global UAV"), a diversified and vertically integrated drone technology company, is pleased to announce that it has commenced discussions with Empirical Systems Aerospace Inc., ("ESAero"), to assess the Procyon 800E helicopter UAV for commercial production and manufacturing. The Procyon 800E UAV was designed and developed by Global UAV's subsidiary company, NOVAerial Robotics Inc. ("NOVAerial"). The discussions with ESAero involve a technical production assessment of the current Procyon 800E helicopter UAV based on the current engineering and design database and physical system evaluations. Global UAV will consider having ESAero work toward the development of a per-unit production cost estimate, manufacturing workflow and scalable cellular manufacturing capability to fill both small and large orders for the helicopter system. Global UAV is seeking a strategic manufacturing partner for the commercialization of the Procyon 800E UAV, one that specializes in the development and manufacturing of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for both defense and commercial markets in North America and abroad. ESAero is proven to be a company that carries a highly regarded industry reputation for providing UAS manufacturing solutions. "The initial discussions between Global UAV and ESAero on the production assessment and downstream commercial development of the Procyon 800E UAV has been very positive. Working with ESAero will bring opportunities that extend well beyond manufacturing as both companies will benefit from enhanced exposure of the Procyon UAV to the US government and commercial marketplaces through new and existing relationships. This is a very important step for the Company and we are excited to bring one of best in class helicopter UAV's closer to production and sales into the global marketplace as we continue to execute on our growth strategy for NOVAerial and Global UAV." commented Michael Burns, CEO, Global UAV Technologies Ltd. "The Global UAV subsidiary NOVAerial Robotics Procyon 800E brings expanded and unique capability to the Group II military and commercial UAS space when compared to the many multi- rotor competitors. ESAero is excited to work with the Global UAV team and bring our expertise to bear to lower the cost, increase the reliability of, and produce the 800E to prove the helicopter is an extremely useful capability for all customers." Commented Andrew Gibson, President and Co- Founder of ESAero. About Global UAV Technologies Ltd. Global UAV Technologies Ltd. is a diversified, vertically integrated drone technology company within the commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ("UAV") sector. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries - Pioneer Aerial Surveys Ltd., High Eye Aerial Imaging Inc., UAV Regulatory Services Inc., and NOVAerial Robotics Inc.- Global UAV Technologies Ltd. provides a full spectrum of UAV-based services and products including drone research and development and manufacturing, flight services and regulatory compliance. Global UAV Technologies Ltd. will continue its growth through technology development, expanding the business of its current divisions and the continued evaluation of potential acquisitions. Global UAV is well positioned for growth as a vertically integrated drone technology company. About ESAero Since 2003, Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero), an aerospace engineering design and manufacturing company, has served the needs of the aerospace engineering industry through its work on military and commercial conceptual air vehicle designs, electric and hybrid propulsion system development, aircraft modifications, sub-scale technology demonstrators, rapid system prototyping, design for manufacturing, low-rate initial production, manufacturing, and niche engineering support. An "Advanced Design Group to Advanced Design Groups", ESAero is the Prime Contractor and Integrator of the NASA X-57 "Maxwell" all-electric airplane. ESAero customers include multiple NASA Centers, Air Force Research Laboratory ("AFRL"), U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center ("AMRDEC"), Industry Primes, and UAS Industry Leaders with Commercial and Defense Applications. With a 32,200 sq.ft. design & manufacturing facility located in San Luis Obispo, CA and an 8,000 sq.ft. integration and test location at the Oceano (CA) County Airport (L52), ESAero has expanded operations and takes full advantage of available airport space for system testing and product development. ESAero will continue to provide the aviation and aerospace industries with cutting-edge systems solutions and optimized manufacturing practices. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-uav-considers-esaero-production-123000506.html Back to Top Jet Aviation unveils VIP BBJ 777X concept The Jet Aviation Design Studio in Basel, Switzerland, has created a VIP cabin concept for the BBJ 777X, a new aircraft type launched by Boeing Business Jets at the Middle East Business Aviation Association Show (MEBAA) 2018. Jet Aviation's design mixes modern and classic features, and is called Shaheen (Royal White Falcon). Renderings of Jet Aviation's design are on display at Boeing Business Jets' chalet at MEBAA, which is held in Dubai, UAE, on December 10-12. The interior is designed to accommodate 43 passengers plus a crew of 11. The concept takes advantage of the BBJ 777X's size, featuring lounges, a game and cinema area, an office, private work spaces, three guest bedrooms and a master suite that includes its own lounge, bedroom, dressing/bathroom area and a shower and hammam. "Like many contemporary homes, our design incorporates modern and traditional elements that are contrasted through the use of colors, materials and the general design intent," said Elisabeth Harvey, director of design at the Jet Aviation Basel Completions Center. "This is intensified with extremely detailed, very light ceilings and sidewall treatments with patterns and traditional paneling structures, opposing the darker wood floor which replicates the ceiling pattern with fine marquetry inlays. Light sidewall and bulkhead treatments are balanced by minimalistic but colorful furniture with delicate detailing, such as engraving inlays and floral fabric inserts. "Artwork - such as the balloon rabbit by Jeff Koons in the forward dining lounge column display and the deconstructed mirror by Matthias Kiss in the forward master lounge - adds to a playfulness throughout the interior. The result is a carefully orchestrated, playful and holistic combination of shapes, patterns and colors that brings our unique interior concept to life." "Jet Aviation Basel is a very well-known and highly regarded completions center," said Greg Laxton, head of Boeing Business Jets. "Their interior concept for our new BBJ 777X is a compelling combination of a beautiful design and the latest technologies." "In addition to features such as weight and space optimization through fiber optics and technology- integrated furniture, we incorporated forward-thinking concepts such as intelligent, digital LED lighting throughout the cabin, as well as OLED and smart glass technology on all the window panels, which allows the windows to be dimmed and virtual curtains or window shades to be displayed," said Matt Woollaston, vice president of completions sales at Jet Aviation Basel. "We envision these and many other advances to functionality will be seen in cabins of the future, including gesture- or voice-controlled features to offer an enhanced customer experience." Jet Aviation Basel has completed 28 VIP Boeing cabins since 1998. It was the first company to take delivery of a BBJ 787-9 for interior completion and signed its second completion contract for a BBJ 787 earlier in 2018. https://www.businessjetinteriorsinternational.com/news/interior-design/jet-aviation-unveils-vip- bbj-777x-concept.html Back to Top LIFT Aircraft unveils personal multirotor aircraft, experiential entertainment plans AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Matt Chasen, founder of uShip, is unveiling a new venture today called LIFT Aircraft™ (www.liftaircraft.com) LIFT has developed an electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and plans to open up LIFT locations where anyone will be able to rent aircraft and experience an entirely new kind of flying - pilot's license not required. "Flying is probably the oldest and most enduring of human aspirations. Personal aviation is available today but it's only accessible to the lucky few with the money, time and skill to get the extensive training needed to fly traditional aircraft. At LIFT, we're making flying so simple, safe and inexpensive that anyone can do it with very little skill or special training. We're truly consumerizing flying for the first time in history," says Chasen. LIFT is launching the world's first experiential entertainment business leveraging eVTOL aircraft, and plans to own and operate fleets of aircraft in scenic and uncongested areas near major metro areas, tourist destinations and entertainment hubs. After training in their virtual reality simulators, anyone over the age of 18, and up to 6' 5" tall and 250 lbs, will be able to fly for up to 15 minutes at a time. "LIFT is doing for flying what iFLY does for skydiving - making an expensive and inaccessible experience available to everyone," according to Alan Metni, the founder of iFLY Indoor Skydiving. The aircraft, named Hexa™, resembles a large drone with 18 sets of propellers, motors and batteries. It has one seat for the pilot and weighs only 432 lbs - which qualifies it as a Powered Ultralight by the FAA so no pilot's license is required to fly. Electric multirotor aircraft fly using something called distributed electric propulsion (DEP), which allows an aircraft to be controlled simply by varying the speed of multiple electric motors - a task that is accomplished by flight control computers. "The pilot is not flying the aircraft in the sense of traditional helicopters and fixed wing airplanes," says Colin Guinn, a drone industry pioneer who has held leadership roles at DJI, 3D Robotics and Hangar Technologies. "With DEP aircraft, like with drones, the flight computer is keeping the aircraft stabilized and the pilot merely provides control inputs using a joystick." Chasen believes that modern drone technology and autonomy can be used to make flying ten-times safer than with today's general aviation aircraft. "The vast majority of accidents are the result of pilot error - running out of fuel, controlled flight into terrain, flying in bad weather, etc.," said Chasen. Hexa is semi-autonomous so, regardless of what the pilot does, it will only fly in a safe manner within the limits programmed into the autopilot computer. "Autonomy is actually much easier in the air than for cars on the ground - there are far fewer obstacles, no roads, no traffic lights, and you have 3 dimensions to move around," says Chasen. "For example, the aircraft is continuously calculating the energy required to return to home' based altitude, wind speed and direction. Regardless of what the pilot does, the aircraft will automatically return and land when the battery approaches this level plus a reserve, and it can also automatically land in designated safe landing areas, if necessary." Unlike traditional helicopters, Hexa can even fly with up to six of its eighteen motors out, has a ballistic parachute that autonomously deploys in the event of an emergency, has 5 floats to safely land on water, and can be controlled remotely by LIFT trained safety pilots in the event of an emergency. "LIFT's safety will come not just from the simplicity and redundancy of the design, but also from the fact that flights will take place in very controlled environments - 3D mapped areas where on-board sensors and ground based radars can track every aircraft and obstruction... and flights will only take place in good weather conditions," saysCharlie Justiz, the former Chief of Aviation Safety at NASA. Chasen and his international team of designers, engineers and flight technicians have been busy - in just the last year and a half they have designed, prototyped, manufactured, assembled and tested their first production design aircraft. After four months of unmanned flight testing, Chasen flew Hexa for the first time last month and says, "It was an absolutely thrilling experience - I think it will be the most exciting thing that most people do in their entire lives." Chasen thinks leveraging Ultralight eVTOL aircraft for recreational flying is a necessary step for the nascent eVTOL industry before it's ready for commercial transportation. "Multi-seat eVTOL air taxis, especially those that are designed to transition to wingborne flight, are probably 10 years away and will require new regulations and significant advances in battery technology to be practical and safe." Hexa's "pure hover" design with rotors up high like a traditional helicopter was a result of Chasen's desire to develop an aircraft that is safe, stable and can fly using technology that exists today. "We didn't want to wait for major technology or regulatory breakthroughs to start flying." Companies ranging from small startups to aerospace giants like Boeing and Airbus are pursuing opportunities in this new eVTOL industry, including Uber - who is developing an air taxi service. "What's unique about what we're doing is that we'll be flying years before anyone else - in fact, starting today we're letting people join our waitlist for flights in 25 cities and will open up locations based on where we get the most demand," said Chasen. About Matt Chasen Matt Chasen is a serial entrepreneur, investor and adventure sports enthusiast. Matt is founder and CEO of LIFT Aircraft, which is launching the world's first experiential entertainment business based on an entirely new type of personal, electric aircraft. While getting his MBA at The University of Texas in 2003, Matt founded uShip - the first and largest online marketplace for shipping with over $200M in annual gross sales. Matt served as uShip's CEO until 2016 and received a Best CEO award by the Austin Business Journal (2012), has earned Austin Under 40 and Texas "Rising Star"honors (2011), and was an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year finalist (2010). Prior to business school Matt was an engineer at Boeing in Seattle, where he worked on the F-22 Fighter, Airborne Laser and other advanced aerospace projects. Prior to Boeing, Matt studied mechanical and aerospace engineering at U.T. and was a NASA scholarship recipient. Matt is a pilot, an avid sailor and scuba diver, and has completed the Texas Water Safari - known as the "World's Toughest Canoe Race". Matt lives in Austin with his wife, Heather, and his two children, Max and Marin. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lift-aircraft-unveils-personal-multirotor-aircraft- experiential-entertainment-plans-300763560.html Back to Top ULA chief Tory Bruno on competing with Blue Origin, SpaceX rocket landings In part one of our interview with United Launch Alliance Chief Executive Tory Bruno, we talked about the company's efforts to develop the Vulcan rocket, its Centaur upper stage, and other projects at the Colorado-based rocket builder. In part two, below, we asked Bruno about the company's collaboration with new space company Blue Origin and its ongoing rivalry with SpaceX. These two relatively new launch companies have taken different approaches with United Launch Alliance, which was founded by legacy aerospace firms in 2006 to provide national security launches for the US government. Blue Origin has sought to work with ULA, reaching an agreement in 2014 to provide BE-4 rocket engines for the Vulcan booster. But the companies are also competing, amicably, as Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket will also bid for national security launches, and there is some overlap in the commercial market interests. SpaceX has taken a significantly more confrontational posture toward United Launch Alliance from the beginning, suing to stop the formation of ULA in 2005 and battling for government business in the years since, both for military and civil space missions. Ars Technica: Let's talk about the decision to buy BE-4 engines from Blue Origin. How difficult was it to convince your stakeholders that this is something ULA should consider? Tory Bruno: It certainly took time. It wasn't arrived at quickly or capriciously. We knew we needed a new engine because the government told us, OK, we're done with RD-180 engine. It was the right thing for the country at one time, but now it's not. We surveyed (I personally participated in that) every engine that was out there-engines that existed, engines that people had drawn on napkins. And we looked at everything. We had everyone come and brief us and all of the rest of it. So there was a lot of data, and it was a pretty thorough review. I would say that most of the time was involved in doing that homework so that we could narrow our list of choices. Really, economics and schedule came into this. There were other engines that were perfectly good, but they just did not look like they would very well support the mandate for when RD-180 had to be retired. And then we had to build a business case. Unlike many of the new entrants that you talk about coming in today, we're not a startup company living off investor capital; we're a mature business. We have to close a business case on Vulcan itself. So where our strategic partners [Editor's note: This is a reference to Blue Origin] brought investment as well as schedule, that was a pretty important factor. It became pretty obvious what the right choice was, and we arrived at it with our stakeholders. Now the next part of that was sharing with people who are basically our customers the technical risks involved in moving to a novel, new propellant, and how those would be addressed and retired. It got a lot easier once we started having a lot of test data. And as we moved up in scale and put in lots and lots of minutes on the engines, pretty much all of those concerns went away. Did the cost and schedule benefits of the BE-4 engine outweigh any concerns you had about competing against Blue Origin with their own engine? Yes, that's true. You report on it, so you know that space launch, and space in general, is a different kind of industry. It's small. There aren't that many of us. We all know each other. We compete. We're in each other's supply chains all at the same time. Northrop Grumman is no different. They're providing my solid rocket motors, and it's really not all that unusual. What I look for in an important strategic partnership like that is really two things. I'm looking to see that there is some differentiation in terms of the parts of the market that we're going to focus on. I'm also looking for a mutual need, so that we both sort of need each other in a way. The BE-4 engine is a good example of that. I need an engine. They need the volume of production that our launch service model brings. There's a lot of BE-4s on a New Glenn, but there aren't intended to be that many New Glenns because of their model and their plans to be able to reuse that. Together, we make the engine affordable so that our different markets that we're really centered on can work for us. So they kind of need us as much as they need them. And then we put together a good deal; you know good fences make good neighbors. Long-term pricing agreements, and preferred customer arrangements, and things like that so that they know they have a stream of production they can count on, and we know we're going to get engines on time, and what they're going to cost. Do you have any interest in personally flying on New Shepard? Was that part of the BE-4 deal, you get six comp'd seats? No we didn't do that. Too bad. I would love to ride on it. I don't know what it will cost, but I have a feeling I won't be able to afford it. I'm curious about when SpaceX first came on your radar. I've been doing rockets my whole career, so the instant they started flying, I was aware of them. I have been watching them all that time while I was running my businesses over at another company. So when they were starting to fly the Falcon 1 rocket, you were paying attention? Oh yes, definitely. From back then, did you think they would get to where they are today? So when they were still flying Falcon 1, I think I felt the jury was out. When they switched to Falcon 9, I thought OK, these guys have the potential to be a provider in this marketplace, especially when they started getting sizable contracts from NASA that would give them the resources to develop their capability. So yeah, I took them seriously almost from day one. I'm not going to draw you into a discussion on reusability. I understand different business cases call for different plans. But when you saw them land on a boat, the drone ship, for the first time, did you look at that as an aerospace geek and think it was pretty cool? Or were you like, "Wow, they just landed on a boat"? The first one. You can't see that and not think it was a cool thing to see. It was a really neat piece of engineering. I'm pretty sure I sent Gwynne [Shotwell, SpaceX President] flowers and congratulated her on that accomplishment. I personally worked on the X-33 VentureStar. Damn, too bad we couldn't get those tanks to work. Anyway, I thought that was really something to watch. You know that we have a different approach to reusability, driven entirely by our assessment of the economics and the lack of our need to have a vertical landing and take-off model for Mars. That's not something that's in our equation. They have a different problem than the one we're trying to solve. I remain confident in our model, and that's why we're sticking to our approach. Are they good neighbors at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base? (Bruno laughs) They are definitely our neighbors, and we work with-the 45th Space Wing does a good job of keeping everybody fair and aligned. It's hard for them, I think, because there are a lot of launches happening at the Cape right now and SpaceX is burning down that big backlog that they had built up over about five years or so. And we just really appreciate the Air Force doing the right thing. I'm not sure you want to comment on this, but it seems to me that if you really wanted to open up the Solar System to exploration in a low-cost way, with a powerful rocket to reach a lot of different destinations, you might use a Falcon Heavy with a Centaur upper stage. They can get a lot of mass to LEO cheaply. You have a really high performing upper stage. Have there ever been any discussions about that? Actually, no. I've never had a conversation with Gwynne or anyone on her team about sharing that. I don't know that I have been asked by any other third parties, either. Let's say you have my job, and you're a reporter on this industry. My interest is in getting things right, but also really trying to tell readers what is actually happening. How do I do my job better? Oh, you're asking me to tell you how to do your job better? I have never been asked that question. Well, you know, when I look at a journalist, I say this person is a really good journalist if they have taken the time to do the research. Like you're asking me questions, you would ask other people those questions who might know something about it, too, and see where the truth lies. And you'd go talk to my competitor and see what they say. I think there's a big challenge for you guys now that didn't exist years ago when I first started interacting with the press. News cycles are really short now. You guys have to turn out stories fast. So when you guys are able to do your research and be pretty balanced I think that's hard work, it takes effort, and I respect it. I never expect a publication or a reporter to be my marketing staff. When I read a story and there's something not complimentary about us in there, if it's accurate, that doesn't bother me at all. https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/12/ula-chief-tory-bruno-on-competing-with-blue-origin- spacex-rocket-landings/ Curt Lewis