March 14, 2019 - No. 021 In This Issue Secretary Chao announces new transportation technology council at SXSW New Drone Measures Come Into Force As UK Expands Airport No-Fly Zones Clue Linking Mysterious Boeing 737 Max Disasters Came From Space Skyborne Technology acquires Costin Airport Echodyne to Provide Radar Tech for NASA UAS Traffic Mgmt Program CloudVisit's Aviation Maintenance Software Can Help Prevent Plane Grounding Duncan Aviation Expands MRO Facilities Semmco Opens New USA Facility Virgin Atlantic Takes Tooling Accountability to New Heights SpaceX begins static Starhopper tests as Raptor engine arrives on schedule A California company says it's building a flying motorcycle powered by jet engines Secretary Chao announces new transportation technology council at SXSW The federal government is creating a council to address oversight gaps created by emerging technologies, such as autonomous vehicles, that fall within the jurisdiction of multiple Department of Transportation agencies. Speaking Tuesday before the start of the department's five interactive sessions at South by Southwest, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said the Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council will meet for the first time later this week and involve industry innovators. Possible topics for the council include tunneling, hyperloops and self-driving cars. Eleven distinct administrations oversee different areas of the Transportation Department, including highways, air travel, and pipelines and hazardous materials. Emerging technologies often fall under the jurisdictions of several agencies. "We basically have a 20th century organizational structure for 21st century technologies. So when new technologies don't fit neatly into the existing modal structure, the results can slow down and even stifle transportation infrastructure," Chao said. The council will centralize the discussion of emerging transportation technologies, streamlining the review processes. Members at the council's first meeting will create the board's structure and begin to address tunneling technology, officials said. Different specifications and safety standards are necessary, depending on the type of tunnel. Highway tunnels would require higher ventilation standards, and high-speed rail tunnels would require air pressurization, currently covered by the Federal Aviation Agency. "We are talking nothing less than transforming the way in which we move, live and work. We want to do so in a responsible way," Chao said. Being responsible includes providing necessary oversight while allowing private industry to innovate without government interference, Chao said. "The role of the government is to address the legitimate public concerns about safety, security and privacy without hampering innovation, and that's the tough part." The Transportation Department released updated plans on the future of transportation in October, expanding the plan to include all automated vehicles. Automated vehicles would reduce congestion and increase safety on the road, but a majority of the public is anxious about getting in a driverless car, Chao said Tuesday. "I challenge ... people at Silicon Valley to share with us their confidence and their comfort with the new technology, because consumer acceptance will be a constraint to growth." https://www.statesman.com/news/20190312/secretary-chao-announces-new-transportation- technology-council-at-sxsw Back to Top New Drone Measures Come Into Force As UK Expands Airport No-Fly Zones The UK Government is today putting into place new legislation that will extend no-fly zones around airports to 5km. There is also a promise to impose major penalties for those who break the law. The government decided to bring in the changes before the new Drones Bill has been finalized, in part as a reaction to the events at Gatwick airport before Christmas. Penalties for breaking the law on misusing drones range from fines to life imprisonment if the device is intentionally used to cause violence. Drone users can only fly within the restriction zones if they have the correct permission from air traffic control or the airport. https://dronelife.com/2019/03/13/new-drone-measures-come-into-force-as-uk-expands-airport- no-fly-zones/ Back to Top Clue Linking Mysterious Boeing 737 Max Disasters Came From Space The first concrete evidence of a possible link between two deadly Boeing 737 Max crashes came from space. A new satellite network capable of tracking planes in high fidelity across the globe captured the flight path of the Boeing Co. 737 Max that crashed Sunday. The data was critical in persuading the U.S. to join the rest of the world in grounding the jet, according to industry and regulatory officials. The erratic, six-minute flight of the Ethiopian Airlines plane convinced the Federal Aviation Administration that it was close enough to what preceded the Oct. 29 crash of another Max off the coast of Indonesia to warrant concern. After reviewing the data "it became clear -- to all parties, actually -- that the track of the Ethiopian Airlines flight was very close and behaved very similarly to the Lion Air flight," agency Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell said Wednesday. Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau also cited satellite tracking on Wednesday as the reason his country joined more than 50 other nations in grounding the 737 Max models. Where the Boeing 737 Max Can't Fly The data was provided by Aireon LLC, which was formed in 2012 by Iridium Communications Inc. and Nav Canada, a nonprofit company that guides air traffic in Canada. After years of development and the launches of 66 satellites into orbit, Aireon will introduce a new commercial flight-tracking service in coming weeks. The company shared the information with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration, as well as "several European aviation authorities and various African aviation authorities," said Jessie Hillenbrand, an Aireon spokeswoman. Elwell said that initial tracks of the plane available immediately after the accident by a separate company with a ground station in Ethiopia weren't consistent with how aircraft fly and weren't credible. However, when agency experts reviewed a refined track provided by Aireon, it raised concerns. The Lion Air plane experienced more than two dozen sharp dips shortly after takeoff. Indonesian investigators said in a preliminary report that the plane was automatically commanded to dive because software known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, thought the plane was in danger of losing lift on the wings. Aerodynamic Stall Boeing had added the MCAS as protection against an aerodynamic stall. However, in the case of the Lion Air flight, a malfunctioning sensor signaled that the plane was in danger when it wasn't and it commanded unnecessary dives. Rather than switching off the motor triggering the dives -- a procedure pilots on all models of the 737 are taught to memorize -- the Lion Air crew continued counteracting it with their controls until it dove into the sea. While Elwell and Canada's Garneau didn't detail the Ethiopian plane's flight path, it apparently made the same highly unusual descents followed by climbs. Normally, a jet climbs steadily after takeoff. "It certainly puts a magnifying glass on the MCAS system," said Peter Goelz, a former managing director at the NTSB who is now senior vice president at O'Neill & Associates, a Washington lobbying and public relations firm. "There's an implication that there were two similar accidents and that it likely involved the interaction of the MCAS system with the flight of the aircraft." manufacturer could face extra damages in lawsuits. The company's knowledge might be demonstrated by its statements that it was making software changes after the Lion Air crash, he said. "If you have a defective product and it turns out Boeing knew about it, this could easily expose them to punitive damages," said Durkin, a partner at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago. The standard is whether the company engaged in conduct with a "conscious indifference to the safety of others," he said. Boeing has said that following longstanding procedures should prevent accidents involving MCAS failures. On Wednesday, the Chicago-based manufacturer issued a statement saying it still has "full confidence" in the plane. "We are supporting this proactive step out of an abundance of caution," Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said in the statement, referring to the FAA action. "We are doing everything we can to understand the cause of the accidents in partnership with the investigators, deploy safety enhancements and help ensure this does not happen again." Elwell cautioned that there is still no definitive evidence suggesting that the two accidents are related. The Indonesian accident investigation isn't complete. In addition to MCAS, the preliminary report cited repeated maintenance failures and pilot performance issues. For example, the Lion Air plane suffered the same MCAS malfunction on a previous flight but it wasn't repaired. The Ethiopian pilots had received notice about MCAS and additional training suggested by Boeing after the Lion Air accident, Tewolde Gebre Mariam, chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines told reporters in a broadcast on state-controlled ETV. The tracking of aircraft from space was made possible by technology designed to move away from traditional radar tracking as the U.S., Europe and other regions introduce more modern technology to their air-traffic systems. By the end of 2020, most aircraft in the U.S. will have to be equipped with devices that use GPS to calculate a plane's position and then broadcast that and other information about the flight. The U.S. invested more than $1 billion in building a network of ground stations that track the signals as it attempts to move to the tracking technology, known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast or ADS-B. That network is operated by Harris Corp., which is also a partner with Aireon. The same data transmissions reach space only a small fraction of a second after the ground antennas and it's what Aireon relied on to track the Ethiopian Airlines flight. A ground station operated by tracking firm FlightRadar24 captured only data from the first two minutes of the flight before the plane went out of range. Aireon has agreements to sell its data to countries including Canada and the U.K. to track flights over the ocean, where ground-based radar doesn't reach and planes must be kept far apart. In addition to helping air-traffic agencies monitor flights over oceans and in countries without radar, Aireon has said the data may also assist accident investigations and help locate aircraft that crash in remote areas. It took about two years to find an Air France plane that went down in the Atlantic in 2009, but Aireon's data would have limited the search area to a mile or less. "We now have a global picture of all aircraft," Don Thoma, Aireon's chief executive officer, said in an interview last month. "It's finally real. It's finally here." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-13/doomed-737-caught-on-satellite-data-that- could-aid-investigation Back to Top Skyborne Technology acquires Costin Airport- Port St Joe, Florida; Unmanned Systems, Inc to manufacture drones and train pilots Skyborne Technology, Inc., a developer, manufacturer and integrator of next generation manned and automated first responder communication, unmanned airship and drone aviation systems has acquired Costin Airport in Gulf County, FL for flight operations, manufacturing and unmanned aircraft systems training. Unmanned Systems, Inc., a manufacturer of unmanned systems and drones will be moving part of its manufacturing and training to Gulf County, Costin Airport to further enhance the joint effort between Skyborne Technology and Unmanned Systems. "Skyborne Technology and Unmanned Systems will help build employment in Gulf County, Floridato further develop the educational needs in high tech manned and unmanned systems," stated Don Bintz, President of Unmanned Systems, Inc. Jim McKnight, Director of Economic Development for Gulf County, Florida, said, "Skyborne Technology has become the good news people for our county, first they open a plant in the County's Wewahitchka Industrial Building, then make an offer on the Costin Airport, then hire their first three Gulf County staff and have now closed on the purchase of the Costin Airport, which will be used for assembly training and flight operations. Skyborne Technology staying the course of developing facilities and operations on both ends of the County has been a beacon of hope during our community's response to and recovery from Hurricane Michael." "We are looking forward to the upcoming airship and drone test flights at Costin Airport as this is strategic for our customer base in Central America and the Caribbean as a one stop shop for inspection of the technologies," stated Dr. Carlos Arzu, President of Skyborne Central America. "The co-location in our community of these two manufacturing leaders in the unmanned aerial vehicle arena provides an unprecedented opportunity for the citizens of Gulf County! In conjunction with the related training opportunities under development in the local high schools, and underway at Gulf Coast, these companies are poised to fully develop and deploy these transformational technologies, becoming a magnet for high tech opportunity in the region," said Dr. John Holdnak, President of Gulf Coast State College. "Skyborne chose Gulf County for both the political support and local assets that will insure Skyborne's growth and opportunities. We are planning a press conference in the next two weeks to display several of our air assets at the recently acquired Costin airport," stated Mike Lawson CEO of Skyborne Technology, Inc. About Gulf County Gulf County, FL is a place where both businesses and families thrive. Innovative companies are rethinking their strategies and exploring new frontiers. Based on the assets in our community, Gulf County is positioned to respond to these demands and help businesses and industries secure strong market positions for future growth. About Skyborne Technology Skyborne Technology, FL is a next generation manufacturer and developer of manned and unmanned aircraft, airships and sea systems worldwide with offices in Central America, South America and the United States. About Unmanned Systems, Inc. Unmanned Systems Incorporated is a Small, Women Owned, Native America Business involved in Training, Testing and Developing Unmanned Aircraft. USI has been conducting Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations globally since 2003. For further information visit our website at www.usi.aero. About Gulf Coast College Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) is an educational leader in Northwest Florida, meeting the workforce development needs of Florida's central panhandle. As a comprehensive educational provider, GCSC delivers high quality certificate, associate, and baccalaureate degrees, as well as an exceptional non- credit programing in the professional development and industry certification arenas. GCSC also provides an extensive set of business/product development tools and opportunities to support our business and industry partners. https://www.suasnews.com/2019/03/skyborne-technology-acquires-costin-airport-port-st-joe- florida-unmanned-systems-inc-to-manufacture-drones-and-train-pilots/ Back to Top Echodyne to Provide Radar Tech for NASA UAS Traffic Mgmt Program Echodyne will provide its radar platform to two organizations for a demonstration of unmanned aircraft system missions and related technologies in urban areas as part of NASA's UAS Traffic Management initiative. Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence and Innovation at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems Unmanned Aviation Safety selected Echodyne-built radars for inclusion in the program's Technology Capability Level 4 flight tests, the company said Tuesday. NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration seek to help industry understand the potential risks of urban drone operations through the UTM program. The space agency said data from the demonstrations can help inform traffic management procedures and safety policies for flying drones over populated locations. "We are proud to have worked with the NASA UTM team and FAA test sites for the past several years and are pleased our radar performance brings us back for increasingly more challenging mission parameters," said Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne. The company's offerings include the ground-based EchoGuard sensorand EchoFlight airborne sensor. https://blog.executivebiz.com/2019/03/echodyne-to-provide-radar-tech-for-nasa-uas-traffic-mgmt- program/ Back to Top CloudVisit's Aviation Maintenance Software Can Help Prevent Plane Groundings CloudVisit, an MRO Software company providing Aviation Maintenance Software, believes a recent grounding of commercial airliners to replace overhead bins in each aircraft could have been easily avoided. Some overhead bins would not close, leading to aircraft safety concerns. Approximately 40 flights have been canceled as aircraft maintenance teams replace these overhead bins, causing frustration not only to aviation maintenance technicians who will now have an overflowing backlog of work, but also to customers. CloudVisit's Aviation Maintenance Software enables live visual communication and collaboration between two or more people in separate locations. Using the software, inspectors do not have to travel from site to site and can approve inspections from virtual locations. Using aviation-specific functionality, visual and audio data is documented and saved to the cloud, providing accuracy and accountability. The software provides evidence of the quality of aircraft maintenance and maximizes quality control with virtual inspection. "When airlines aren't up to date with the latest technology, their oversights cost them," explains Daniel Gilbert, Founder and CEO of CloudVisit. Why Airlines Should Upgrade Aircraft Maintenance According to IAG Cargo Magazine, when an aircraft is grounded for maintenance and repairs, it can cost an airline $150,000 per hour. When an airline company has to ground multiple planes for maintenance, it can result in the loss of millions of dollars. This unplanned aircraft maintenance also affects customers. As these flights have had to be rescheduled, the airline created a major inconvenience for the people who chose to fly with them. The financial loss and the inconvenience to passengers could have been avoided. CloudVisit's Aviation Maintenance Software Maximizes Safety, Efficiency, and Accuracy in Aircraft Maintenance CloudVisit's Aviation Maintenance Software offers many functionalities for quality assurance in aircraft maintenance. Using the multi-purpose checklist, the inspector first creates a punch list, or work cards, for each task that must be accomplished so that technicians can focus on their work. The inspector can use his or her computer to easily schedule a high-definition videoconference session with a technician. He or she can then witness the progress on the maintenance work that must be completed, and to approve the maintenance work when it is completed. The mechanic uses a smartphone or tablet to take images of the maintenance work and send these images to the inspector. The inspector can annotate these images with descriptive markings (circles, lines, arrows and more) to show the technician any tasks that need to be performed. All data-video and audio recordings, annotated images, and chats) are saved to the cloud and easily found through customized labels. CloudVisit's Aviation Maintenance Software offers these aviation-specific features to customize each aircraft inspection for individual aircraft or aircraft fleets. Aviation Maintenance Software optimizes quality control through collaboration so that work is performed accurately and efficiently, and in compliance with FAA regulations. CloudVisit MRO software enables remote inspections across multiple industries. Using CloudVisit's software, experts can inspect projects virtually. Remote inspections result in reduced travel and more efficient use of time for on-site workers. CloudVisit offers leading Aviation Software, Wind Turbine Inspection Software, Solar Panel Software, Transportation Software and Telemedicine Software, and is expanding. The company is backed by 15 years of success in software programming, video conferencing, telemedicine and telecommunications. CloudVisit has a proven record of excellence, efficiency, security and quality customer service. For questions about MRO software and remote inspections or to request a no-obligation demo, call 845-809-5770. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/maintenance-providers/mro/press- release/21071847/cloudvisits-aviation-maintenance-software-can-help-prevent-plane-groundings Back to Top Duncan Aviation Expands MRO Facilities Business aircraft MRO provider Duncan Aviation is growing its footprint in the U.S. with multiple new facility expansions that will add new capabilities and staff. In February, Duncan Aviation more than doubled its aircraft battery shop space at its Lincoln, Nebraska location, which has seen growing demand for in-house battery service since it added two new maintenance hangars in 2014. The shop services approximately 85-100 batteries each week, performing capacity checks, testing and maintenance for what it says is every aircraft battery in service on business aircraft flying today. The shop's expansion to 1,400 ft.2 was enabled through what Duncan Aviation says was some shuffling of avionics, instruments services and accessory work to other locations at the Lincoln site. In addition to the added square footage, the shop has added a new battery cooler, twice as much bench space and new advanced test sets. According to the company, the expansion has allowed the battery team to improve safety and increase productivity with streamlined production processes. Meanwhile, Duncan Aviation is gearing up to open a new paint complex in April at its Provo, Utah location. The 53,000 ft.2 paint facility is part of the company's ongoing project to build a new MRO complex at the Provo Municipal Airport, which will offer nose-to-tail services including airframe and engine maintenance, avionics installations, paint and interior refurbishment, non-destructive testing and parts support. The new paint complex will feature a two-zone airflow system that will allow paint teams to strip, sand, paint and perform detail work on multiple aircraft simultaneously. The complex will employ more than a dozen paint team members from Duncan Aviation's existing paint facilities in Lincoln and Battle Creek, Michigan-which expanded paint capabilities in 2014 and 2007, respectively. According to Duncan Aviation, the additional capacity will give it the capability to paint up to 225 aircraft per year, including the largest models in use today such as the Bombardier Global Express, Dassault Falcon 7X and Gulfstream 550. Both the new paint facility and the MRO complex's new Hangar 1 are scheduled for completion in Q1 2019, with Hangar 2 scheduled for completion by Q2 2019. By the end of the project-which is slated for Q2 2020-Duncan Aviation plans to finish back shops and offices as well as hire a total of 256 team members. Duncan Aviation has been providing maintenance capabilities in Provo for close to a decade, but a spokesperson for the company says it is always investing back into its facilities and people. The company's overall investment in the expansion is more than $70 million. https://www.mro-network.com/maintenance-repair-overhaul/duncan-aviation-expands-mro- facilities Back to Top Semmco Opens New USA Facility Semmco, a leading British engineering company that designs, manufactures and installs aviation maintenance solutions, has recently opened its new USA office and manufacturing facility in Arlington, Texas. Building on the company's heritage and reputation supplying GSE solutions for narrow and wide bodied aircraft over the last 25 years, Semmco's new USA facility will provide local support and elite servicing to its North American clients; an impressive roster including Air Canada, Delta and American Airlines. Semmco will continue to provide customers with safety focused and high quality maintenance solutions - all manufactured and built in the USA. Key products in the MRO equipment range will be on Semmco's booth at MRO Americas April 9-11, 2019, in Booth 3713. This will include Semmco's Nitrogen Ground Support Equipment, Wheel and Access Step ranges, demonstrating Semmco's extensive range, perfect for hangars and teams working on the line. Stuart McOnie, Managing Director of Semmco, explains, "Demand for aviation maintenance in the USA is increasing to prepare for the upsurge of airline passengers. Our USA facility will support the growth in demand for high quality, reliable and safe MRO equipment in the region. We welcome attendees at MRO Americas 2019 to meet us at our stand." The Semmco team looks forward to meeting customers and prospects and introducing the new USA team, including Will McOnie, USA Sales and Business Development Manager, Chloe Denty, USA Operations Manager, Andrew Walling, USA Special Accounts Manager and Stuart McOnie, Managing Director. For further information on the Semmco Aviation range, call the USA office on +1-682-252-4148 or visit www.semmco.com https://www.aviationpros.com/gse/press-release/21071881/semmco-limited-semmco-opens-new- usa-facility Back to Top Virgin Atlantic Takes Tooling Accountability to New Heights Historically, the management and control of tooling used in aircraft maintenance has been a manual process that was not always considered robust and with a view to satisfy recent guidelines by the EASA Virgin decided to automate the process as much as possible. In a significant move to further heighten safe working practices and anticipate upcoming compliance measures, Virgin Atlantic Engineering recently took the decision to look for a technological solution for managing the issuing and return of tools used within its maintenance hangars and ramp areas. The airline, which operates in the UK at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports, approached its long-time partner on ground service equipment, Rushlift GSE, to help implement a fail-safe system for checking-out and receiving-back tools. The airline had every confidence in its supplier's ability to perform at the task. Rushlift GSE, part of the Doosan Industrial Vehicles UK, has been working alongside Virgin Atlantic Engineering for the last six years, ensuring the smooth running of the airline's extensive fleet of ground service equipment through a highly successful leasing and maintenance agreement. As well trusted partners, and with the resources of the $21 billion global Doosan Group as a backup, Rushlift GSE was well placed to offer the airline a future-proofed solution for their tooling needs. Their trust was rewarded. The result has been a radical shift in the ownership and control of the tooling and the levels of visibility and accountability available to the airline's engineering management. "Over the years, the industry has put in place a lot of processes and paperwork in this area," says Andy Currey, Tooling & GSE Manager at Virgin Atlantic Engineering. "When an engineer signs out an aircraft under a Certificate for Serviceability they are taking full responsibility for ensuring that all tools used to maintain the aircraft are accounted for. That is a large responsibility for an engineer, especially when you consider that you could have twenty or thirty people working on an aircraft over anything from 24 hrs to several days, depending on the checks." Virgin Atlantic Engineering wanted a system that would automatically record and monitor the issuing of tools, logging each tool or kit to an individual engineer and then registering its return at the end of a shift - the idea being to modernise the process by moving away from manual paper based systems with individual engineers owning and using their own tools. After extensive market research and an in-depth tendering process, the solution selected was from Snap-on, leased and maintained under a contract through Rushlift GSE. Of the 172 tool kits supplied across the airline's three airport locations, 13 of them were Snap-on's Automatic Tool Control (ATC) toolboxes, assigned for use in the hangars. The rest were mobile tool kits for maintenance activities in the ramp areas and were dedicated to various trades and trade specific tasks, such a mechanical, avionics and in-cabin technology. With over 1000 tools in each ATC box the technology used to monitor contents needed to be highly sophisticated. As Andy Currey explained: "In the hangars the staff have a security pass with a bar code and this must be scanned before an ATC tool box can be opened. Critically, the system knows every item that is taken out and who has taken it out by date and time. Visibility and accountability has been dramatically improved. "I can see on screen exactly what is happening with every single box, not only in the Heathrow hangar but also in the hangar at Gatwick," says Andy Currey. "The system keeps me informed as to who has which spanner or pliers, when they took it, on which aircraft they are working and when it is returned". An important point for Virgin Atlantic Engineering was to take full control of the tooling, issuing tools and tool kits to individual engineers rather than having engineers using their own tools. However, providing the necessary equipment for some 350+ engineers across every trade would require a substantial £1m capital investment. The preferred approach taken by Virgin Atlantic was to lease the tools instead, thereby off-setting the risk of technological advances leaving them behind. If technology took a leap ahead sometime in the future, they could simply upgrade. "We didn't want to be caught out by changing technology, so leasing the equipment through Rushlift GSE, a partner we trusted and have been working with for over six years now, was clearly the best option," says Andy Currey. "We lease our ground service equipment from Rushlift under a full maintenance contract and therefore, it was a straightforward task of adding to the contract." He concludes, "We've got a fantastic relationship with Rushlift GSE - and it works extremely well." https://www.aviationpros.com/gse/gse-technology/press-release/21071629/virgin-atlantic-takes- tooling-accountability-to-new-heights Back to Top SpaceX begins static Starhopper tests as Raptor engine arrives on schedule SpaceX has officially begun static ground testing of Starhopper, a full-scale pathfinder Starship prototype meant to support an early series of Raptor-powered hop tests at SpaceX's South Texas launch site. Simultaneously, the second completed Raptor engine arrived at the site on Monday, March 11th, confirming CEO Elon Musk's March 8th tweets about the delivery. While reasonably routine for any rocket test program, the first tanking test of Starhopper effectively marks the first time that SpaceX has begun tests with a more or less fully integrated Starship (previously BFS). Likely performed with liquid nitrogen instead of liquid oxygen/methane, the first few tanking tests will be used to determine the quality of the prototype's stainless steel tanks - built en plein air in a fairly unorthodox fashion - and test whether they are functional pressure vessels without risking immediate and total destruction. If successful, SpaceX will proceed into Raptor integration and integrated static-fire tests before preparing for tethered hover tests, perhaps as early as later this month. In November 2016, SpaceX began propellant-loading tests of its first finished full-scale Starship (then Big Falcon Spaceship) hardware, a massive carbon composite liquid oxygen tank stretching 12 m (~40 ft) in diameter. Over the course of 2017, SpaceX transitioned from liquid nitrogen to liquid oxygen and ultimately conducted one final burst-test in which the composite tank was pressurized until it exploded, ending full-scale BFR composite testing with a bang. Within 6-12 months, Musk had come to the conclusion that a stainless steel BFR would ultimately be a superior path forward for the rocket and spaceship and attempted (apparently successfully) to get his team of R&D engineers on board with such a radical change so late in the development phase. Despite the fact that that radical design departure may have occurred as few as 6-8 months ago, SpaceX engineers and technicians have accomplished an extremely rapid development program that will - in part - culminate in the hopefully successful hop testing of Starhopper, the first Starship prototype. While more of a rough testbed than an actual representation of the hardware and structures that will be required for a reusable orbital-class Starship, Starhopper has at least acted as a crash course (either technically or organizationally) on fabricating and assembling stainless steel aerospace structures, a material largely foreign to SpaceX flight hardware prior to late 2018. Although the early vehicle was less than encouraging, as was the demise of its nosecone as a consequence of improper planning and/or bad workmanship, Starhopper as it now stands might actually be flightworthy in the context of suborbital, subsonic hop tests. Powered by the same or similar Raptors that would power orbital prototypes, Starhopper's hop tests would optimally provide a wealth of experience and engineering data for both building 9 meter/30 foot-diameter stainless steel rocket sections and operating full-scale Raptor engine(s) in actual flight configurations. Extensive testing with Raptor will help to ensure that the fit and finish of the new engine's flight- grade avionics and hardware are up to the challenge of safe, reliable, and gentle operations for a nominally crew-rated launch vehicle and spacecraft. Around two days after Starhopper was briskly transported from its build site to SpaceX's brand new launch facility, local Twitter account @SPadre (short for South Padre Island) posted a video of tanking test that occurred on March 11th, capturing the sound of venting as the liquid involved turned to gas inside its propellant tank(s). The fact alone that the person behind the camera was allowed to be where they were during the test all but guarantees that this first test was performed with an inert liquid, most likely liquid nitrogen given a massive delivery that occurred the day before (March 10th). In no conceivable world would SpaceX or local law enforcement willingly allow for Starhopper to be loaded - for the first time ever - with even a partial load of liquid methane or liquid oxygen with bystanders barely a few hundred feet distant. When SpaceX gets to the point that they are confident enough in the structural integrity of Starhopper to begin wet dress rehearsals and tests with actual propellant, it's a safe bet that the company will cooperate with local law enforcement to block off the lone access road to a distance of at least 1-2 miles, if not more. It's unclear if local homeowners and residents will be forced to vacate the adjacent Boca Chica Village during testing, but chances are good that nobody will be within several thousand feet of Starhopper when those propellant loading tests begin, let alone actual static fire activity once Raptor(s) are installed. According to an official SpaceX statement on the progress, propellant load tests and static fires could begin "in the days ahead", although the spokesperson was under the impression that those tests - as well as initial hop tests - "[would] not be visible from offsite". Unless SpaceX plans to draw a keep-out zone with a radius of multiple miles, interested observers will almost certainly be able to get close enough to at least catch a glimpse of Starhopper, but the statement still offers an idea of just how focused the company will be on safety during these early tests. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starhopper-static-tests/ Back to Top A California company says it's building a flying motorcycle powered by jet engines They have been a staple of science-fiction films for decades, from the iconic speeder bikes in "Return of the Jedi" to the jet bike from "Looper." Now a California company says it's taking orders for a real-life flying motorcycle powered by five modified jet engines on the base of the aircraft. The $380,000 vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft, called the "Speeder," will be able to reach at least 150 mph, have a 45-mile range and fly as high as 15,000 feet when it debuts next year, according to David Mayman, chief executive of JetPack Aviation, a company that creates and sells personal jet packs. The speeds and heights may sound far-fetched, but company officials say they're already testing a one-third scale prototype. The plan, they say, is to roll out 20 full-size Speeders ready for customers next year. For those bold enough to ride one, the aircraft comes standard with a safety strap. "This is a compact machine, like a motorcycle, that can take off vertically from your front lawn or driveway and land on the other side of the city in a similar position," said Mayman, who famously made a jet-pack flight around the Statue of Liberty in 2015. "That kind of convenience and size is what we've all dreamed about, but this idea has always been treated like science fiction." Increasingly, flying cars, motorcycles and other personal craft are no longer the stuff of imagination. The Speeder is the latest entry in the race to create autonomous flying vehicles, with companies such as Uber, Airbus and Volocopter already developing them. Eventually, flying-car inventors say, commuters will be able to order an air taxi that whisks them across town in minutes, bypassing traffic-clogged streets below. In Dubai, police unveiled a flying motorbike known as the Scorpion in 2017that places a daring pilot between four whirling propellers. In Texas, the chief executive of LIFT Aircraft says his start-up's electric-powered vertical-takeoff- and-landing aircraft, the Hexa, plans to begin offering 15-minute flights across a lake outside Austin this year for $249 a pop. Unlike with conventional aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration does not require a pilot's license to operate a "powered ultralight" craft. The agency's rules require instead that ultralights operate during daylight hours in open areas and limit their use to sport and recreation. Like others developing similar craft, Mayman said the Speeder will be used for recreation and operated on personal property until rules and regulations begin to evolve. The craft can be operated autonomously or semiautonomously using a throttle and a joystick that will feel familiar to video game enthusiasts, he said. At some point, the Speeder could be adapted to use electric energy, but for now, Mayman said, no battery cells come close to the speed and potential power created by turbine engines. "Infrastructure and regulation are not there yet to allow even electric aircraft to fly around cities," he said, noting that the Speeder uses a kerosene-based fuel. "I strongly believe that will come if the use case and safety of the aircraft can be demonstrated." Mayman maintains there's a large role for the Speeder to play in both civilian and military life. He said his company has been working for several years to develop a jet pack that could be used by Special Forces soldiers. As their payload requirements continued to increase, he said, engineers began designing a personal aircraft that eventually turned into the Speeder. In military settings, Mayman said, the aircraft could be used to transport heavy loads or move soldiers on and off the battlefield, especially in areas too dangerous for helicopters. The craft is small enough to sit on the back of a boat or atop a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, he said. In civilian life, he said, those same capabilities would make the aircraft useful for first responders, allowing them to reach locations that might be difficult to get to otherwise. Maymen foresees the day when the Speeder will undertake missions that even a drone can't handle. "Electric drones have electric motors out on arms and that help stabilize the craft, but the large ones that can carry people are way too big for serious urban operations," he said. In contrast, the Speeder's engines are clustered beneath the craft. "If you have a victim and can't get them in an ambulance and want to land literally two feet away from them, we can do that," he said. "We have no exposed rotors and nothing that will injure people nearby." https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/03/13/california-company-says-its-building- worlds-first-flying-motorcycle/?utm_term=.43bbdbd9ecd9 Curt Lewis