MAY 16, 2019 - No. 039 In This Issue Bombardier and JETEX Sign Agreement for Establishment of New Line Maintenance Station in Dubai. Aviation apprenticeship offers Baldwin County students free college, job opportunity Jet Linx Furthers National Expansion By Acquiring Elliott Aviation's Private Jet Management Business Southwest Airlines Invests in Denver With New Maintenance Hangar. DCAF Mulls Entry into Saudi Market Practical Training Course Graduates 1,000th Trainee Incheon Airport MRO complex likely to be established soon Newcomer Archein Pursues Quick-turn HUD/EVS Installs ARSA Finds Technician Shortage Costs $100 Million Per Month SpaceX Delays Launch of Starlink Orbital Internet Satellites Bombardier and JETEX Sign Agreement for Establishment of New Line Maintenance Station in Dubai MONTREAL, May 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with JETEX for the establishment of a new Line Maintenance Station in Dubai, further complementing the tip-to-tail maintenance services provided by Bombardier's Service and Support Network in the Middle East and around the globe. The new Line Maintenance Station will initially offer unscheduled maintenance services and build toward scheduled maintenance operations in the coming months. The technical engineers supporting the line station are certified for all Challenger series and Global series business jets, including Bombardier's flagship Global 7500 aircraft. "This expansion is an integral part of our overall mission to enhance OEM support for our operators in the Middle East - and we are very pleased to be working with highly-respected business aviation leader JETEX in the development of this project," said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Vice-President and General Manager, Customer Experience, Bombardier Business Aircraft. "As a part of our commitment to offering an exceptional customer experience, we are delighted to offer our customers expanded support, more resources and increased flexibility closer to their base of operations." "The shared vision between Bombardier and JETEX to provide a comprehensive and exceptional experience makes this new service expansion an exciting venture for us," said Adel Mardini, President and CEO of JETEX. "This is a significant boon for our customers who rely on our services to give them the peace of mind that they have trusted partners ready to go the extra mile around the clock and around the globe." The introduction of the new Line Maintenance Station in Dubai comes on the heels of the announcement of major Bombardier customer experience enhancements worldwide including: a new customer service super centre at Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport in Miami, Florida; a major expansion of the Singapore Service Centre at the Seletar Aerospace Park, quadrupling the current service centre footprint; the addition of five new trucks to the Mobile Response Team (MRT) network throughout the U.S.; a new Paris Line Maintenance Station at Paris-Le Bourget Airport bolstering customer service offerings in Europe; and the addition of a dedicated Challenger 300 Mobile Response Team aircraft based in Frankfurt, Germany, to provide additional parts shipping and response to Bombardier aircraft operators in the region. The new Line Maintenance Station in Dubai will join Bombardier Business Aircraft's award-winning network of nine service centres and a total of 30 Customer Response Team mobile units around the globe, all equipped to support Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global business aircraft. The network's approximately 1,000 dedicated technicians share best practices to provide industry-leading maintenance and care. Bombardier Business Aircraft customers also have access to a broad network of 38 Authorized Service Facilities around the world. About JETEX An award-winning global leader in executive aviation, JETEX's international portfolio consists of full aviation services in gateway cities and strategic locations around the world including exceptional FBOs, aircraft fueling, ground handling, trip planning, and luxury travel concierge. The JETEX global team provides highly crafted, anticipatory experiences so that clients have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Visit us online, on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to experience the exceptional. About Bombardier With over 68,000 employees, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries as well as a broad portfolio of products and services for the business aviation, commercial aviation and rail transportation markets. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/05/15/1825417/0/en/Bombardier-and-JETEX-Sign-Agreement-for-Establishment-of-New-Line-Maintenance-Station-in-Dubai.html Back to Top Aviation apprenticeship offers Baldwin County students free college, job opportunity The need for aviation technicians is at a historical level, and companies with growing interests in south Alabama are developing new partnerships with local school systems and colleges to help meet that need. Coastal Alabama Community College recently held a signing day event at Foley-based Collins Aerospace for three Baldwin County high school seniors who are the first enrollees in the college's new four-year Aviation Maintenance Technician apprenticeship. It is the first such partnership between Coastal Alabama and the former UTC Aerospace Systems, and will be implemented through the college's Alabama Aviation Center. Carly Jo Davis, John Everett Mohler and Jalen Hicks will receive on-the-job training, college credit toward an associate's degree in airframe technology and their Federal Aviation Administration airframe licenses as part of the program. The students are from Foley, Fairhope and Baldwin County high schools, respectively. The three toured the Collins Aerospace facility prior to signing their letters of intent and were impressed with everything the company does. Formerly known as UTC, the company merged with multinational conglomerate Rockwell Collins in 2018. The Foley facility employs more than 1,000 who design, build and support the aerodynamic structures that surround an aircraft's engine - known as nacelles - for commercial and military aircraft. Hicks, 18, said he has tried to stay informed about the growth of the aerospace industry in south Alabama, especially since his father works at VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering, located at the Brookley Aeroplex. The Bay Minette native is already working as a handyman while completing his senior year, and sees the Aviation Maintenance Technician apprenticeship as a way of leap-frogging people his age who also might want to work in the industry. "Most people start later on, and this gives me a step up," Hicks said. "It's a good opportunity." The AMT apprenticeship took nearly two years to develop, and was spearheaded by training coordinators at Collins Aerospace, working with their counterparts within the U.S. Department of Labor. The process was well underway when Mark Sloan took over the Alabama Aviation Center at Coastal Alabama Community College in 2018, but he arrived with a comprehensive understanding of the critical need for aviation mechanics. Citing a 2017 study by aerospace giant Boeing, Sloan said the U.S. aerospace industry will need 189,000 new aircraft technicians over the next 20 years, or 9,450 per year. Over 25 percent of the workforce is 64 years or older and the average age of an aviation technician is 51 years old, he said. "If you were to take every school in the United States that teaches the FAA curriculum, we currently graduate between 7,000 and 7,500," Sloan said. "We have a 20-year technician shortage that may be extended because we currently can't meet the aviation industry's demands. "So this program is a big, big thing." Beginning with the fall 2019 semester, students Davis, Mohler and Hicks will learn alongside Collins mechanics in Foley, in addition to their responsibilities in the classroom. The first two years will earn them their associate's degrees in airframe technology. And by the end of the four-year program, they will have their Federal Aviation Administration airframe licenses. Originally, the program was crafted to offer opportunities to just two students, but it was expanded to accommodate three based on the strength on the applicants. Sloan helped promote the apprenticeships by visiting local high schools looking for students with a passion for aviation. "Apprenticeship shows the commitment, that Collins wants to invest in the next generation, and for an educator that's what I want to see," he said. "I want to see that the kids are going to be taken care of when they hit the deck. "In so many different areas in aircraft maintenance, they're not. They're just another cog in the wheel." The May 2 apprenticeship signing at Collins Aerospace preceded another major announcement of opportunities for area high schoolers - this one spearheaded by Airbus at Brookley. Gov. Kay Ivey was in town on May 8 to announce a pair of training programs: FlightPath9 and Fast Track. Like the AMT apprenticeship, those programs are for seniors, with an inaugural class of 25 introduced on Tuesday. The nine-month FlightPath9 initiative is an after-school training program that will take place two nights a week until the students accumulate 200 hours of instruction. Graduation from FlightPath9 leads directly into Airbus' Fast Track program, a 12- to 15-week course designed to give new hires basic training in aerospace maintenance. Scott Hannah, the Foley MRO general manager for Collins Aerospace, said the apprenticeship partnership with Coastal Alabama Community College might not only create the next generation of skilled workers at the facility, but its future leaders, as well. "Ultimately, we want them to be successful," he said. "Because if they're successful, then we're successful." https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2019/05/aviation-apprenticeship-offers-baldwin-county-students-free-college-aviation-apprenticeship.html Back to Top Jet Linx Furthers National Expansion By Acquiring Elliott Aviation's Private Jet Management Business OMAHA, Neb., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jet Linx, the third largest private jet management company in the United States, continued its national expansion and furthered its record-breaking growth by acquiring Elliott Aviation's private jet management business. Elliott Aviation is renowned for aircraft sales and aviation services, including maintenance, paint and custom interior design. The acquisition was completed at the end of last week, but the terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The announcement was made by Jamie Walker, President & CEO of Jet Linx Aviation. Said Mr. Walker, "Both Jet Linx and Elliot Aviation are respected family businesses and industry leaders that have enjoyed a thriving partnership for more than two decades. This acquisition will enable Jet Linx to expand our operations in the Midwest as well as provide private jet management services and jet card offerings to Elliott Aviation's clients, allowing Elliott Aviation to continue serving our aircraft owner's maintenance, paint and refurbishment needs while focusing on the development of its core business. This is not just an acquisition, but a significant expansion of our twenty-year partnership." Founded in 1936, Elliott Aviation is one of the oldest and most respected companies in the aviation industry, renowned for its aircraft sales, maintenance and avionics, accessory repair and overhaul, as well as for its custom interior design and paint services. Serving the business aviation industry nationally and internationally, Elliott Aviation has state of the art facilities incorporating sophisticated, industry-leading technology in Moline, IL, Des Moines, IA, and Minneapolis, MN. "For over twenty years, Jet Linx has been an excellent partner and has become a highly admired industry leader," said Wynn Elliott, Chairman and CEO of Elliott Aviation. "As Elliott Aviation enhances our focus on our maintenance, repair and overhaul business, we wanted to find the right company to take over existing aircraft management division. As Jet Linx shares many of our core values, they are the ideal choice to take over this part of our business." Jet Linx plans to acquire other respected and established private jet management companies as an integral part of its growth strategy and national expansion across the United States, including planned future base locations in Florida and California. Since 2015, Jet Linx has acquired two other private jet management companies in addition to Elliott Aviation; ProJet Aviation in Washington D.C. and Flight Concepts in Tulsa, OK. The acquisition of Elliott Aviation's private jet management business comes on the heels of the Jet Linx fleet surpassing 100 million miles flown, a monumental milestone in private aviation, and the celebration of the Company's 20th anniversary later this year. With the commencement of private jet management services and jet card sales through its dedicated private terminals forthcoming over the next three months in New York, Boston, Chicago and Austin, Jet Linx is poised for another year of record growth. Jet Linx has become the preeminent private jet management and jet card company in the United States due to its unique and innovative business model that offers a far more personalized approach to guaranteed private jet travel solutions through individual, city specific, local operations. More importantly, Jet Linx is committed to managed, strategic and sustained growth in its number of private jet aircraft, jet card members and locations across the country, as well as to the highest and most stringent safety standards in the private aviation industry. About Jet Linx AviationJet Linx Aviation is a locally-focused private jet company founded in Omaha, NE in 1999 as a more personalized approach to national private jet companies. Jet Linx offers two different ways to experience private aviation - a guaranteed Jet Card and an Jet Management program - providing its clients with an all-encompassing, local solution to all of their private jet travel needs. Jet Linx is an IS-BAO Stage 3, ARGUS Platinum and Wyvern Wingman safety rated operator, an accomplishment earned by less than one percent of all aircraft operators in the world. It is headquartered inOmaha, Neb. and has bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St Louis, Tulsa and Washington D.C. For additional information, please visit the Jet Linx website (www.jetlinx.com). About Elliott Aviation Elliott Aviation is a second-generation, family-owned business aviation company offering a complete menu of high-quality products and services including aircraft sales, avionics service & installations, aircraft maintenance, accessory repair & overhaul, paint, and interior. Serving the business aviation industry nationally and internationally, they have facilities in Moline, IL, Des Moines, IA, and Minneapolis, MN. The company is a member of the Pinnacle Air Network, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA). For additional information, please visit Elliott Aviation's website (www.elliottaviation.com). https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/21080419/jet-linx-furthers-national-expansion-by-acquiring-elliott-aviations-private-jet-management-business Back to Top Southwest Airlines Invests in Denver With New Maintenance Hangar Southwest Airlines announced today during its Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Denver, Colo., that it intends to begin construction on its first maintenance hangar at the Denver International Airport this summer. The nearly $100 million investment will allow Southwest's Mechanics to work on up to three aircraft inside the 130,000 square-foot hangar. There will be parking and facilities outside the hangar for eight additional aircraft. Ground breaking is expected to occur within the next few months and the hangar is anticipated to be completed in late 2020. The facility can house the 75 Technical Operations Employees currently working in Denver, who are responsible for maintaining Southwest's all Boeing 737 fleet. Once opened, it'll join the six other hangars located in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, and Phoenix. Overall, the Carrier employs more than 4,000 People within its Technical Operations department. Southwest carries more local travelers to and from Denver than any other carrier. Denver International Airport is also one of the carrier's top five airports in terms of daily departures in its network of more than 100 cities and offers up to 224 daily departures for sale to nearly 70 nonstop destinations. The carrier employs 4,200 People in Denver. https://aviationtribune.com/airlines/north-america/southwest-airlines-invests-in-denver-with-new-maintenance-hangar/ Back to Top DCAF Mulls Entry into Saudi Market Dubai-based management and MRO specialist DC Aviation Al-Futtaim (DCAF) is exploring the possibilities for entering the Saudi market, managing director, Holger Ostheimer, told AIN on the eve of EBACE. "There have been discussions over time at the group level about an engagement of DCAF in Saudi Arabia over the last couple of years; I am sure this will come to fruition at the right time," he said. "Our commercial team has been to Saudi during the Saudi Airshow and came back with very positive feedback. That's also confirmed with the amount of maintenance activity from Saudi clients, particularly in the ACJ bracket, which provides work for our cooperation with Lufthansa Technik." He sees the situation "gathering momentum," and looks to "hopefully [firm] up our presence there" in the near future. "For Saudi Arabia, we are looking into all areas of service that are provided in Dubai: aircraft and technical services, maintenance, management, and hangarage," he said. "We are considering increasing our presence, not just in the public domain, which would lead people to use our facilities in Dubai, but also looking into having a physical presence in Saudi Arabia to provide services on the ground from within." A new ruling by the General Authority for Civil Aviation at the beginning of the year, broadly mandating in-kingdom aircraft registration, has implications for DCAF's plans. "If we were present in Saudi, I'm confident that we would be able to provide management services from within the country," he said. "That has to be the objective: being able to [manage aircraft] both from Dubai as well as in Saudi Arabia. "At [a recent] management meeting...with our commercial and quality teams, we were discussing the regulations in Saudi, and the AOC requirements. From an operator's perspective, this still isn't clear. We are carefully monitoring the progress on the subject so that we can plan together with the authorities a presence in Saudi Arabia." Regarding a possible location for the new office in Saudi Arabia, Ostheimer said, "Details will be revealed once we have a full picture." Ostheimer added that geopolitical factors were weighing on activity in DCAF's Dubai business. "We are in a steady state at the moment," he said. "What's been happening on a global scale over the last two years, geopolitically, and in terms of the politics of trade, has really changed the ballgame. We've lost a lot of the dynamics globally, [but] not here in the region. I believe that this region will continue to be more attractive and a little bit more successful than other areas." The number of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, particularly in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, gives Ostheimer cause for optimism. "There may be financial strains, but...there is enough financial capability left for the parties to consider upgrading or purchasing aircraft," he said. "And that leaves us with opportunities for aircraft management or service proposals to try to win entities and organizations or people over, that are purchasing or upgrading [this year] and have them join our clientele. "If we consider the last 18 months in Saudi Arabia, since October, November 2017, a significant number of aircraft have been [sitting out of service] on the ground. There are now only two options [for them]: significant maintenance to either restart operations; or to make [the aircraft] a saleable asset. If it becomes a sellable asset, that results in the [owner purchasing] a more attractive preowned aircraft; or even a new-aircraft purchase." DCAF has six aircraft under management. "We always target winning one or two new managed aircraft per year. This year, the objective remains the same: bringing one or two additional managed aircraft into the fleet, while at the same time increasing our maintenance footprint, more certified aircraft, more activities both within the area of the strategic partnership with Lufthansa Technik, targeting the A320 and BBJ, as well as outside that strategic operation, on all other procedure types." 'EXPO EFFECT' Analysts looking to see an improvement in Dubai's bizav performance in recent months and years have been keenly watching "the Expo effect," he said. "Expo 2020 is still about a year and a half away," he said. "It kicks off in October 2020. I cannot see an exorbitant increase, but I'm pretty confident that business is going to benefit from the Expo through more activity." He was less willing to comment on the number of business aircraft expected for the event. "I don't think you can predict that, whether it's going to be 100, 400 or 500. We'll see, as it happens." Bizav activity in the Middle East and Africa outside the Gulf Cooperation Council remains slow. "Once in a while, we have stakeholders reaching out for potential opportunities in those markets," he said. "Those discussions tend not to go very far. A lot really hinges on regional political developments. So the situation in Lebanon never really goes away. "Africa-Central Africa, Southern Africa-remains a potential contender for developing its structures, its infrastructure and, as a result of demand for bespoke lift, corporate and private jets. It hasn't taken off yet, given the number of people living in this part of the world and the accumulated wealth. President Paul Kagame has led very promising development in Rwanda. Look at Kenya and Nigeria, both countries with a good level of wealth, particularly Nigeria. "It will continue to take time for structures to mature and become standardized if we can speak of international standards. But a country like Rwanda demonstrates that you can develop a prospering business culture. We can develop an environment to foster business, and when markets develop, corporate aviation isn't very far away." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-05-16/dcaf-mulls-entry-saudi-market Back to Top Practical Training Course Graduates 1,000th Trainee May 14, 2019 (Saint-Cloud, France): The Dassault Training Academy recently graduated the 1,000th trainee from its Falcon Practical Training course, underscoring the growing popularity of this advanced, hands-on educational tool. "The real-life working conditions offered by the Practical Training Program make it the most useful and comprehensive program available from any OEM," said Jean Kayanakis, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Customer Service and Service Center Network. "Trainees obtain access to the latest Falcon technologies and maintenance standards while benefiting from the hands-on experience of seasoned Dassault Aviation technicians and engineers." The academy, established in 2013, offers Falcon customers a full portfolio of training options covering the entire life cycle of their aircraft, from entry into service onward. With two locations in France - Mérignac, near Bordeaux, and Paris-Le Bourget - the Dassault Training Academy offers accredited, two-week, model-specific courses for technicians on all Falcon 900 and Falcon 2000 models, as well as the Falcon 7X and 8X. Falcon Practical Training, the academy's baseline course, is designed to complement theoretical instruction provided by CAE, FlightSafety International and Global Jet Services, Dassault's Authorized Training Providers. It is open to qualified maintenance technicians from operator flight departments, Dassault owned service centers and Falcon Authorized Service facilities. A key component of the Practical Training syllabus is Falcon Immersive Practical Training, a unique 3D virtual reality tool that allows up to ten trainees and their trainer to access any component or part (even in the narrowest, hardest-to-reach areas of the airplane) without using actual hardware. The Dassault Training Academy also offers a range of specialized offerings such as Structural Repair Training, a five-day course in mapping and handling corrosion and composite repair. Offered in partnership with Aerocampus Latresne near Bordeaux, this course enables maintenance crews to examine a Falcon aircraft for structural damage and deliver repair in line with Structural Repair Manual (SRM) or Dassault-designed repair schemes. To meet increasing demand and satisfy operator requests for more targeted training, the academy is looking to further develop its specialized course offerings, for example in the areas of pilot maintenance familiarization servicing tasks and cabin system maintenance. Dassault Aviation was the first business jet manufacturer to obtain EASA approval to operate as a Part 147 Training Center. https://www.aviationpros.com/education-training/press-release/21080437/dassault-aviation-practical-training-course-graduates-1000th-trainee Back to Top Incheon Airport MRO complex likely to be established soon A pending bill for establishing an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul complex at Incheon Airport is expected to be passed by the National Assembly soon, reports said Wednesday, which will fuel progress in the long-awaited project. Incheon International Airport Corp., which operates the nation's key air hub, has been seeking for nearly a year to build an MRO cluster near the airport in Yeongjong-do. It is expected to attract local and foreign companies related to aviation maintenance and flight training while contributing to the growth of the regional economy. The bill was proposed by a ruling Democratic Party lawmaker in Incheon in May last year and presented to the Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee at the assembly in March. It has been pending at parliament due to other proposals that were prioritized. Authorities say the bill will be passed swiftly as sufficient consultations have been held with the current administration. If the bill is passed, it will give legal grounds for authorities to pursue the establishment of the complex. The city of Incheon has been pushing for the MRO project due to a lack of aircraft maintenance services at Incheon Airport, which has led to heavy reliance on foreign outsourcing of aircraft maintenance. The outsourcing reportedly costs the government about 4 trillion won ($3.4 billion) annually. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190515000638 Back to Top Newcomer Archein Pursues Quick-turn HUD/EVS Installs Archein Aerospace, which made its debut last week at the NBAA Maintenance Conference, has received its Part 145 repair station certificate for avionics maintenance and installations, with a focus on head-up display/enhanced vision system (HUD/EVS), ADS-B, and other advanced systems for air transport, cargo, and business aircraft. Colocated with MRO provider and interiors specialist Robinson Aerospace at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, the company aims to be a center of excellence in advanced avionics using what chairman Jim Wisdom told AIN is a "hyper-maintenance" model for quick-turn service with an emphasis on HUD/EVS installations. "We're trying to fill a niche," Wisdom said, with a HUD/EVS program that aims to have such systems installed and up and running within six days compared with the typical 18 to 20 days. "If someone wants this done, they don't want their airplane down for three weeks," added Wisdom, who said he was involved in the initial development and flight testing of HUD/EVS for FedEx. Archein president and CEO Michael Kaufhold thinks HUD/EVS is an increasingly important part of an airplane's avionics. "The 2016 changes in FAA regulations for reduced-minimums approaches through lower ceilings and bad weather conditions with [no natural vision] enhanced vision technologies installed is the underlying impetus for Archein," Kaufhold explained. "You can't ignore the safety and bottom-line value and efficiencies of this to owner-operators operating globally and, in particular, in the NextGen arena." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-05-15/newcomer-archein-pursues-quick-turn-hud-evs-installs Back to Top ARSA Finds Technician Shortage Costs $100 Million Per Month The Aeronautical Repair Station Association's (ARSA) 2019 Member Survey paints a picture of a thriving, international industry whose growth and vitality are being threatened by a chronic shortage of technical workers. Eighty-six companies, representing a diverse cross section of the industry and ARSA's membership, responded to the annual data-gathering exercise. Repair stations come in all shapes and sizes, from small, highly-specialized component shops to large engine and airframe facilities with facilities spread across the world. Respondent reports of revenue reflect that diversity, ranging from less than $10 million in 2018 revenue to a slice of companies reporting well more than $1 billion. Across this variety of businesses, with locations across the globe, a number of key trends emerged. Many of these perspectives are consistent with responses provided to each of ARSA's recent member surveys: Profitability Increasing, Markets Growing ARSA members report that business activity is strong and they are confident about the future. Supporting Global Customer Base Nearly a quarter of respondents plan to seek new certifications from aviation authorities outside the United States in the next two years. Government Business has Big Impact More than half of respondents reported doing business with some federal, state or legal entity in the United States or overseas, including military contracts. Technician Shortage is Biggest Concern, Costs Industry $1 Billion Per Year While the business forecast is good and industry leaders are generally optimistic, as reflected in past ARSA surveys, the technician shortage is a major concern. Underscoring the workforce challenge, more than two-thirds of U.S. companies reported vacant technician positions, a total of 4,615 openings. Those empty positions are having real consequences, increasing time to complete work, driving up overtime and training costs and preventing new business development. Based on the survey data, ARSA projects the technician shortage is costing the U.S. aviation maintenance industry $118.416 million per month ($1.421 billion per year) in lost revenue. Those figures underscore the importance of ARSA's work to attract, retain and train maintenance technicians. Among other things, the association is a leading a coalition to secure funding for the new technician workforce development grant program created at ARSA's urging by the 2018 FAA reauthorization law and promoting repair station careers through its public relations and regulatory activities. A full analysis of key survey response data will be made available for ARSA members in the May edition of the hotline newsletter. As always, the association's advocacy teams will utilize data from the survey as necessary to support legislative and regulatory initiatives. "Thanks to all the members across the U.S. and the world who took the time to respond to our 2019 survey," ARSA Executive Vice President Christian A. Klein said. "The data our members provide helps us tell the industry's story and ensure our priorities are aligned with member needs." https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/21080702/arsa-finds-technician-shortage-costs-100-million-per-month Back to Top SpaceX Delays Launch of Starlink Orbital Internet Satellites The goal of Elon Musk, the founder and chief executive of SpaceX, is to send people to space. But how can he possibly pay for such an expensive venture? SpaceX, for all its successes, is still a fairly small company, and the profit margin on rocket launches is small. The solution may be to start an entirely different space business: satellites to provide high-speed internet everywhere. The company's next launch, will put into space the first pieces for a constellation called Starlink. "This would provide connectivity to people who either don't have any connectivity today or where it's extremely expensive and unreliable," Mr. Musk said during a Wednesday news conference. The launch was postponed on Wednesday evening because of winds in the upper atmosphere. The company said it will try again on Thursday evening. What is the rocket carrying? SpaceX - which usually ferries cargo to orbit for NASA or private companies - is its own customer this time. And the Falcon 9 rocket is not carrying just one satellite, but 60 identical ones. Mr. Musk posted pictures of the Starlink satellites on Twitter. The Starlink satellites will eventually form a constellation of satellites that are to offer internet to almost anywhere on Earth. Last year, SpaceX launched two prototype satellites, called Tintin A and Tintin B. The payload on this launch, at more than 30,000 pounds, is the heaviest ever launched by SpaceX, Mr. Musk said. He added that these satellites would be able to relay information by bouncing the data off a ground station. However, they lack a component planned for future versions: lasers that would allow the satellites to relay information to each other. Each of the flat-panel satellites weighs about 500 pounds, powered by a single solar array. They are to be deployed about one hour after launch, steadily moving outward from a slowly spinning core. "It will almost seem like spreading a deck of cards on a table," Mr. Musk said. The satellites are to be switched on two to three hours after deployment. Mr. Musk sounded a note of caution to tamp down expectations. "There is a lot of new technology here," he said. "It's possible that some of these satellites may not work. In fact, it's possible, a small possibility, that all of the satellites may not work." Isn't there already internet service from space? A number of companies do satellite internet using geostationary communications satellites 22,200 miles above the surface. At that altitude, the time for the satellite to complete an orbit is exactly one day and thus it remains over the exact same spot on Earth as the planet rotates at the same rate. That makes it straightforward for one satellite to provide internet for a swath of the surface below, but current services have drawbacks. They are not available everywhere and they are usually fairly expensive. Because the data signals have to travel up 22,200 miles and then back down, the performance can be laggy. That does not matter if you are watching a movie on Netflix, but it becomes excruciating when playing an online game that relies on fast reflexes. What's different about Starlink? The Starlink satellites will orbit much lower - between 210 and 710 miles above the surface. That reduces the lagginess, or latency. SpaceX has said performance should be comparable to ground-based cable and optical fiber networks that carry most internet traffic today. Starlink would provide high-speed internet to parts of the world that currently are largely cut off from the modern digital world. Because the satellites are lower, they travel faster. Thus, Starlink must provide a constellation of satellites whizzing around the planet. When one satellite moves away from one of its customers, another one must come into view in order to provide a continuous internet connection. Mark Juncosa, vice president for vehicle engineering at SpaceX, said that with 12 additional launches, SpaceX could provide good coverage over the United States; 24 launches would put enough satellites to cover most populated areas; and 30 would cover the entire world. If Starlink is successful, more satellites would be added to send and receive greater volumes of data. Are other companies also looking to launch constellations of internet satellites? Starlink's competitors include OneWeb, Telesat, Iridium and Blue Origin, the rocket company started by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. Why is SpaceX, a rocket company, going into the internet business? For Mr. Musk's dream of sending people to Mars, he is developing a giant spacecraft called Starship. He noted that SpaceX's rocket launching business might grow to about $3 billion a year. By contrast, internet revenue could bring in $30 billion a year for the company, Mr. Musk said. "We see this as a way for SpaceX to generate revenue that can be used to develop more and more advanced rockets and spaceships," Mr. Musk said. "We think this is a key steppingstone on the way to establishing a self-sustaining city on Mars and a base on the moon." What about orbital debris? Currently, there are about 2,000 operational satellites around Earth. That number will multiply as constellations like Starlink are deployed. "A majority of the satellites in orbit will be SpaceX, if things goes according to plan," Mr. Musk said. "That is a big if, of course." The worry is what happens when satellites die. The proliferation of satellites will greatly increase the risks of collisions, and the many pieces of debris would in turn pose danger to other satellites. Mr. Musk said each Starlink satellite would possess data on orbits on all known pieces of space debris and automatically steer away from any that might cross its path. With so many satellites, there will also be much more debris falling from space in the coming years. SpaceX said that 95 percent of a Starlink satellite would burn up on re-entry, but that would still mean that about 25 pounds of debris would reach the surface. Mr. Musk said that discarded spacecraft would be aimed to the mostly empty Pacific Ocean and that the debris would come down in small pieces. The chances of any one crashing satellite hurting or killing someone is small; the danger to you in particular is negligible. But adding up the risks of tens of thousands of satellites to the 7.5 billion people on Earth, the probability of someone being hurt somewhere become more significant. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/science/spacex-launch.html Curt Lewis