September 23, 2019 - No. 075 In This Issue Thomas Cook in liquidation with 21,000 jobs at risk Sky's the limit for aircraft mechanics as industry, training programs boom Garamendi, Zeldin Reintroduce Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing Disclosure Act Delta TechOps and Orix Aviation Systems Ltd. Sign Major Engine Maintenance Contract. London-Corbin Airport awarded $809,000 federal grant for runway rehab Jazz launches Jazz Aviation Pathways Program for Flight Attendants - First Agreement signed with Georgian College What will 737 MAX be worth once it returns to service? Qantas, Cobham Aviation Services extend regional freight ops agreement Italeaf: Softeco (TerniEnergia Group) and Fincons awarded a framework contract to EASA for new aviation safety platform SpaceX installs two Starship wings ahead of Elon Musk's Saturday update Thomas Cook in liquidation with 21,000 jobs at risk Alix Partners are handling insolvency proceedings relating to the tour operator and holiday companies within the group, which has ceased trading and been suspended from the London Stock Exchange. KPMG is responsible for insolvency proceedings related to the group's aircraft maintenance and engineering activities. The 178-year old company, the first-ever packaged holiday operator, had been experiencing well- documented financial difficulties, including £1bn of debt. At the time of its collapse, Chinese investor Fosun, which has a stake in the company was offering to support a £900m rescue deal, but Thomas Cook was left seeking an emergency loan of between £150m and £300m. Neither its banks nor the government would offer funding and the firm's fleet of 40 owned and leased aircraft were all grounded over night. The company has 21,000 staff around the world, with 9,000 based in the UK, including staff at around 600 high street travel agencies and airline crew. Operation Matterhorn Around 150,000 UK travellers who are currently on holiday abroad with Thomas Cook and are booked to return to the UK over the next two weeks will now be brought home as close as possible to their booked return date in a rescue operation. Codenamed Operation Matterhorn, this is being led by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), but also involves the Department for Transport, the Foreign Office, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Department for Work and Pensions, and other departments. The current repatriation effort is estimated to be twice the size of the one mounted in the wake of the collapse of Monarch Airways two years ago, which cost £50m. The government has said, given the extent of the disruption, with an estimated 150,000 passengers affected, it will be bringing back all passengers including those who are not ATOL protected, who would normally be expected to find and pay for their own way home. Business secretary Andrea Leadsom said: 'This will be a hugely worrying time for employees of Thomas Cook, as well as their customers. Government will do all it can to support them. I will be setting up a cross-government taskforce to monitor local impacts, will write to insurance companies to ask them to process claims quickly, and stand ready to provide assistance and advice. 'I will also be writing to the Insolvency Service to ask them to prioritise and fast-track their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thomas Cook going into liquidation.' Peter Fankhauser, chief executive of Thomas Cook, said: 'We have worked exhaustively in the past few days to resolve the outstanding issues on an agreement to secure Thomas Cook's future for its employees, customers and suppliers. Although a deal had been largely agreed, an additional facility requested in the last few days of negotiations presented a challenge that ultimately proved insurmountable. 'It is a matter of profound regret to me and the rest of the board that we were not successful. I would like to apologise to our millions of customers, and thousands of employees, suppliers and partners who have supported us for many years. 'This marks a deeply sad day for the company which pioneered package holidays and made travel possible for millions of people around the world.' Airline insolvency review In the wake of the Monarch Airlines collapse, the Department for Transport launched an airline insolvency review, which published its final report in March this year. The review's stated aim was to address concerns that only a quarter of air passengers are fully covered by the ATOL scheme in the event of a provider ceasing operations. It recommended the government introduce a 'flight protection scheme', which would be a comprehensive scheme to protect all UK-originating air passengers, with the associated costs met largely, if not wholly, by the private sector. The review suggested that the scheme should be coordinated by the CAA, and underwritten by requiring each airline serving the UK market to provide suitable financial protection based on the estimated cost of repatriating its passengers. It claimed this would create a level playing field for all UK-originating passengers, providing reasonable assurance of repatriation protection, whether or not they hold an ATOL certificate. It also made recommendations to enhance protection relating to future bookings, and to put the ATOL scheme on a more commercial footing. To date, this policy has not been put into effect, with a number of major airlines objecting to funding the system. Liquidation proceedings Simon Appell, Alastair Beveridge, Dan Imison and Ben Browne of AlixPartners have been appointed special managers to assist the Official Receiver with regard to Thomas Cook's airline and tour operator companies in liquidation. The affected businesses are Thomas Cook Airlines Ltd, Thomas Cook Group Treasury Ltd, Thomas Cook Tour Operations Ltd, Thomas Cook Airlines Treasury, Thomas Cook In Destination Management Ltd, Thomas Cook Group Tour Operations Ltd, Thomas Cook Group, Thomas Cook Money Ltd, Thomas Cook Services Ltd, My Travel Group Ltd, Thomas Cook Investments (2) Ltd, Thomas Cook Continental Holdings Ltd, Blue Sea Overseas Investments Ltd, Thomas Cook Group UK Ltd, Thomas Cook Finance 2, Thomas Cook Group Airlines Ltd, Thomas Cook West Investments Ltd, Thomas Cook UK Ltd, and Thomas Cook UK Travel Ltd. Blair Nimmo, Jim Tucker, David Pike, Mike Pink and Ben Leith of KPMG have been appointed special managers to assist the Official Receiver regarding retail and aircraft maintenance companies in liquidation. These are Thomas Cook Aircraft Engineering Ltd, Thomas Cook Retail Ltd, TCCT Retail Ltd, The Freedom Travel Group Ltd, Future Travel Ltd, Travel and Financial Services Ltd, and Retail Travel Ltd. Customer information All Thomas Cook bookings, including flights and holidays, have now been cancelled. All of Thomas Cook's retail shops will close with immediate effect. The government is working with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to help passengers return to the UK. Depending on their holiday location, this will be either on CAA-operated flights or on existing flights with other airlines. This will apply to both ATOL protected passengers and those who are not protected. The CAA has set up a dedicated website for Thomas Cook customers. https://www.accountancydaily.co/thomas-cook-liquidation-21000-jobs-risk Back to Top Sky's the limit for aircraft mechanics as industry, training programs boom DULUTH - Kieran Cummings has a year of school left, but he's already making a living repairing commercial jets. After a day of classes at one hangar at the airport here, he heads to another where he works late into the night - some caffeine required. "We're tearing these things apart, and we're doing everything," said the Lake Superior College student. "The experience, you can't beat it." It takes a lot of people on the ground to keep airplanes in the sky, and a shortage of aircraft mechanics around the country is causing employers to get creative and some school programs to swell. As aviation booms in the Duluth area, led by plane maker Cirrus Aircraft and aviation services company AAR Corp., Lake Superior College (LSC) is doubling down on the industry thanks in part to cash and material donations that have stretched into six figures in recent years. Enrollment in the aircraft maintenance technology program hit another record this year. "We're seeing these workforce shortages across the board in manufacturing, health care, but aviation is stepping up and putting some skin in the game," said Daniel Fanning, the school's director of institutional advancement. Minneapolis Community and Technical College has likewise seen enrollment grow for its aircraft maintenance program, located inside the Delta Air Lines hangar at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The airline has also partnered with LSC and dozens of other schools around the country to "mentor and source the next generation of aircraft maintenance technicians" as it faces more than 2,000 retirements in the next decade, said Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant. Across North America, Boeing estimates there will be demand for 193,000 aircraft mechanics over the next 20 years. Still hard to recruit But aviation programs are costly to maintain and still hard to recruit for. The University of Minnesota Crookston recently suspended its program - which had been around since the school was founded in 1967 - citing increasing expenses and only modest enrollment. Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls has seen its aviation enrollment shrink as a strong economy deters those who might want to go back to school to change careers. Industry support - which in Duluth includes donated parts from Cirrus and tuition reimbursement for students who sign on for two years at AAR - has been crucial to building the workforce pipeline. The rest is up to students. "If you don't get a job in aviation right now, it's because you're not trying," said LSC instructor William Beecroft. In just five years, LSC's program has grown from a handful of students to more than 80 this year. Beecroft chalks that up to a growing awareness and a steady increase in the school's resources, like a recently donated retired corporate jet. It also reflects the industry in Duluth, which has grown by 40% over the past decade to 3,200 jobs, according to state figures. One recent morning, students were in a hangar-based classroom trying to wrap their heads around whether an aircraft on a conveyor belt could ever take off. "Technically, yes," Beecroft said. But it's not all math, he said: "For me it's just letting people know that it's really not a hard career if you're motivated, and you think planes are for you." Brayden Wellman had that thought when he moved from the metro area to enroll at LSC. The 18- year-old, who loves working on cars, also is working some hours at Sky Harbor Airport on Duluth's Park Point. "We get really immersed," he said, pointing to Cirrus right next door to the college's aviation campus, or F-16s taking off from the Minnesota Air National Guard's 148th Fighter Wing. Cummings, meanwhile, starts his days at 8 a.m. and often ends them as late as 2 a.m., between classes and his job at AAR on the other side of the runway. "It's challenging, without a doubt," said the 24-year-old Minneapolis native. "There has not been a job where I just continuously learn so much." Rewarding partnerships When prospective students tour the Minneapolis Community and Technical College's aviation campus, they get excited, an administrator said. "They will be studying in the same building where these mechanics maintain and repair Delta airplanes," said Vincent Thomas, dean of the School of Business and Economics and School of Trade Technologies. Its aircraft maintenance program has grown nearly to capacity - 70 students this year - with a boost from the Delta partnership that first started in 2013 and includes help with marketing as well as donations. Northland Community and Technical College also boasts an airport campus and a 100% job- placement rate for its aircraft maintenance program, though enrollment has sagged. "Everybody is begging for mechanics," said Lynn McGlynn, aerospace case manager and academic adviser at Northland, whose phone rings often with companies looking for recruits. "These companies are going to have to start giving incentives because there's so much competition out there." Attract and retain AAR, which in Duluth performs routine maintenance on commercial jets, is looking at offering free mountain bike and kayak rentals on top of tuition assistance and other perks to lure hires. With steady work from United Airlines and a 20-year lease recently signed at the hangar that was once home to Northwest Airlines, the proactive approach is a necessary one. "We're doing a lot of different things to try to attract people to Duluth, and also getting people to change careers," said Pete DeSutter, AAR's director of business development. The publicly traded company, based in Illinois with operations around the world, employs about 350 people in Duluth today. DeSutter wants that number closer to 400, especially with a fourth maintenance line opening this month. Luckily for DeSutter, a lot of new hires are staying: "I would say they're coming in faster than they're leaving." http://www.startribune.com/aircraft-maintenance-programs-boom-as-workforce-needs- intensify/561080932/ Back to Top Garamendi, Zeldin Reintroduce Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing Disclosure Act This bipartisan legislation would require airlines to disclose the maintenance history for their aircraft fleets, specifically the location and date an aircraft underwent heavy maintenance-the most comprehensive test for an aircraft. Airlines would be required to post this information online, distribute it with tickets, and communicate it to passengers upon request. Airlines would also be required to submit an annual report to a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database that tracks the maintenance history of their aircraft fleets. The database will also indicate whether maintenance was conducted in the United States or abroad; by FAA-certified mechanics or not; or by airline employees or third-party contractors. Recent airline accidents raise serious concerns about the increasing trend of maintenance being outsourced, particularly to countries in Central America and Southeast Asia. These foreign outsourcers do not have to be FAA certified, and are not subject to the drug and alcohol testing required in the United States for mechanics. Outsourcing has also eliminated thousands of middle- class jobs in the United States and created significant safety concerns for passengers. "Airline passengers have the right to know if the planes they fly in were serviced by qualified mechanics in the United States, or whether maintenance was outsourced to foreign countries with lower safety standards," said Congressman Garamendi (D-CA). "Our bipartisan bill prioritizes transparency for passengers and supports the creation of new middle-class jobs in the United States." "When it comes to the marvel of air travel, there is no room for error. Every nut and bolt on an aircraft has a specific and critical job when it comes to transporting Americans efficiently and safely. That's why the United States has some of the highest aircraft maintenance safety standards, and there's no room to cut corners. Unfortunately, many airlines are attempting to cut costs by outsourcing aircraft maintenance to countries with lower standards and lower costs. American travelers have the right to know where their aircraft was serviced so they can make an informed decision for them and their family, which is why I'm proud to join my colleague Congressman Garamendi to introduce bipartisan legislation that would increase safety transparency so American passengers can make the right decision before they board," said Congressman Zeldin (R-NY). https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/21106640/house- committee-on-transportation-and-infrastructure-garamendi-zeldin-reintroduce-aircraft- maintenance-outsourcing-disclosure-act Back to Top Delta TechOps and Orix Aviation Systems Ltd. Sign Major Engine Maintenance Contract Delta TechOps (DTO), the maintenance, repair and overhaul division of Delta Air Lines, announced that is has signed a five-Year Maintenance Services Agreement with top-tier aircraft leasing company, ORIX Aviation Systems, Ltd. (ORIX Aviation) The agreement will cover the support of CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B aircraft engines. As both an operator of, and MRO for CFM56-5B and -7B engines, Delta TechOps is uniquely qualified to provide maintenance services to ORIX. Delta TechOps has been maintaining CFM56 engines for numerous years and will be able to pass along the same operational reliability and expertise to this globally established lessor. "We are proud that ORIX Aviation has selected Delta TechOps for their CFM56 engine maintenance needs," said Mike Moore, senior VP maintenance operations. "The agreement is a testament to our relationship and commitment to excellent customer service. We look forward to building on this partnership with this major aircraft lessor in the coming years." "We are pleased to have the expertise of Delta TechOps on board in support of CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B technical requirements which the ORIX Aviation team may have going forward", said James Meyler, CEO ORIX Aviation Group. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/maintenance-providers/mro/press-release/21106650/delta- techops-delta-techops-and-orix-aviation-systems-ltd-sign-major-engine-maintenance-contract Back to Top London-Corbin Airport awarded $809,000 federal grant for runway rehab The London-Corbin Airport has been awarded a $809,332 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help rehabilitate the runway. U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-05) made the announcement Thursday afternoon. In July, the airport was also awarded a $1.85 million competitive grant through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The funding is part of a $5 million project to repair and upgrade nearly 6,000 feet of existing runway that has severely deteriorated, developing significant safety hazards. "Our small airports are as essential as highways to economic development and progress in Southern and Eastern Kentucky," said Congressman Rogers. "As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have been a long-time advocate for federal funding that boosts rural airport operations. With immediate access to I-75, the London-Corbin Airport is a hub for business development and incredible opportunities, including visits from national leaders, such as Vice President Mike Pence who landed at the airport in August. I applaud the board for diligently competing for grant opportunities necessary for repairs and upgrades at this vital regional airport." "We appreciate the investment of these federal funds to help us make critical repairs to our runway," said Matthew Singer, Airport Manager. "This airport is an incredible asset for our region and we are dedicated to maintaining its value to Laurel County and the area as a whole, as we continue to grow and recruit new opportunities." In May, Congressman Rogers and Governor Bevin visited the London-Corbin Airport to celebrate a new Aviation Maintenance Technician Training Program in partnership with Eastern Kentucky University and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, supported by grant funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission. According to the FAA's most recent economic analysis, U.S. civil aviation accounts for $1.6 trillion in total economic activity and supports nearly 11 million jobs. https://www.thetimestribune.com/news/local_news/london-corbin-airport-awarded-federal-grant- for-runway-rehab/article_7e8042b1-3ae4-5584-a6a0-8f7a33482048.html Back to Top Jazz launches Jazz Aviation Pathways Program for Flight Attendants - First Agreement signed with Georgian College HALIFAX , Sept. 20, 2019 /CNW/ - Jazz Aviation LP ('Jazz'), a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Inc. ('Chorus') (CHR.TO) announced today the launch of a new program which provides a direct career path to flight attendant positions at Jazz for qualified candidates. The new program, called the Jazz Aviation Pathways Program for Flight Attendants, follows in the footsteps of Jazz's successful Jazz Aviation Pathways Program for Pilots. Jazz also announced that it has signed an agreement with The Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology for the college to become the first organization to join the Jazz Aviation Pathways Program for Flight Attendants. The partnership was celebrated today at an event held at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario . Graduates from Georgian College's Flight Services Program are eligible for referral to flight attendant positions at Jazz after graduation and upon meeting eligibility requirements. "We are extremely pleased to launch our new Jazz Aviation Pathways Program for Flight Attendants and to welcome Georgian College to our program," said Rhonda Bishop , Jazz's Director, Inflight and Onboard Product. "Working together to provide a career path for students interested in aviation, and specifically to flight attendant positions, is positive for the students, the college and for Jazz. We are excited to begin what we know will be a mutually beneficial working relationship." "Innovative industry partnerships like this one with Jazz have led to Georgian exceeding the provincial average for graduate employment for more than 20 years," said Maher Ghalayini , Dean of Business and Management, Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation. "With this partnership, Jazz will be setting our graduates on the fast-track to success as they launch their careers in aviation." The program will commence with Georgian College students registered in the Flight Services Program this 2019/2020 year. Students who successfully complete this one-year program, and meet eligibility requirements, will interview with Jazz Aviation for open flight attendant positions. Jazz operates approximately 670 daily flights across Canada and the United States on behalf of Air Canada under the Air Canada Express brand, with a fleet of 116 aircraft. About Chorus Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia , Chorus was incorporated on September 27, 2010 . Chorus' vision is to deliver regional aviation to the world. Chorus has been leasing its owned regional aircraft into Jazz's Air Canada Express operation since 2011, and established Chorus Aviation Capital to become a leading, global provider of regional aircraft leases. Chorus also owns Jazz Aviation LP and Voyageur Aviation Corp. - companies that have long histories of safe and solid operations that deliver excellent customer service in the areas of contract flying operations, engineering, fleet management, and maintenance, repair and overhaul. Together, the Chorus group of companies can provide a full suite of regional aviation support services. Chorus Class A Variable Voting Shares and Class B Voting Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol 'CHR'. www.chorusaviation.com About Jazz Aviation LP Jazz Aviation LP has a strong history in Canadian aviation with its roots going back to the 1930s. Jazz is owned by Chorus Aviation Inc. (CHR.TO). Chorus's vision is to deliver regional aviation to the world. As the largest regional carrier in Canada, Jazz has a proven track record of industry leadership and exceptional customer service, and has leveraged that strength to deliver value to all its stakeholders. Jazz operates more flights and flies to more Canadian destinations than any other airline, and has a workforce of approximately 5,000 professionals, highly experienced in the challenging and complex nature of regional operations. There are three divisions operated by Jazz Aviation LP: Air Canada Express, Jazz Technical Services and Jazz. Air Canada Express: Under a capacity purchase agreement with Air Canada, using the Air Canada Express brand, Jazz provides service to a variety of markets throughout North America, with a fleet of 116 Canadian-made Bombardier aircraft. Jazz Technical Services: Established in May 2016 as a separate division, Jazz Technical Services (' JTS' ) is dedicated to heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul ('MRO') of Bombardier, De Havilland and Embraer aircraft. JTS provides MRO services to third parties while maintaining the dedication and commitment to its primary customer, Air Canada. Jazz: Under the Jazz brand, the airline offers charters throughout North America for corporate clients, governments, special interest groups and individuals seeking more convenience. Jazz also has the ability to offer airline operators services such as ground handling, dispatching, flight load planning, training and consulting. About Georgian College Degrees, diplomas, certificates, apprenticeships and more - Georgian College offers more than 130 market-driven programs to accelerate your success. Georgian is a recognized leader in co-operative education and has one of the highest graduate employment rates among Ontario colleges. We're known as a trailblazer in entrepreneurship and social innovation education. Georgian is home to 13,000 full-time students, including over 3,600 international students from 85 countries. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jazz-launches-jazz-aviation-pathways-163000609.html Back to Top What will 737 MAX be worth once it returns to service? While the grounded Boeing 737 MAX jets are already a headache for airlines, their ungrounding will likely to bring a new range of confusion for aircraft lessors, investors and financiers. What will be the price of the 737 MAX and what factors will affect its value once the planes are given the green light to fly again is one of the main topics concerning the industry right now. In a panel discussion at AIR Convention Europe 2019, Marian Pistik, the head of asset management at International Airfinance Corporation, Michael Rurik Halaby, the head of aviation debt origination/EMEA at Deutsche Bank, and Rob Watts, the CEO of Aerotask have exchanged views on the problems surrounding the 737 MAX return to service from a financial aspect. One issue in estimating the MAX value once the worldwide grounding is lifted will be related to the age of the plane, Michael Rurik Halaby pointed out. "Take, for instance, a plane built in March 2019, which has never flown. Supposing the aircraft, for sake of argument, is cleared to fly again in March 2020. At that point, would you have an aircraft that has no flying hours, no cycles, but is one year old?" Looking at the aircraft maintenance aspect after the restrictions are lifted, the majority of work is going to be hourly or cyclically driven, Rob Watts states. But even in that case, there are going to be certain calendar-driven elements. As some checks on the aircraft are going to be needed, its value will be reduced by the required maintenance. Before MAX can return to skies, some refresher check ups will be needed for the planes. But for Watts, an even bigger issue is related to estimating the pricing of the 737 MAX post- grounding. Current price of an aircraft is based on the history of aircraft transactions. The problem is that there are no MAXs being transacted at the moment. "From the point of view of investor that aircraft is permanently impaired from the value that is would have had otherwise, if it was a new aircraft that went into service," Marian Pistik adds. Currently, as MAXs are staying put, their certain components are deteriorating. As they will be returning to service, the quality of storage, weather conditions in which they were preserved will play a role in determining their value as well. Therefore, in addition to the fact that one year of the aircraft's life will be wasted, there will be "significant expense" to bring the aircraft back to life. It is not clear who will face this significant expense, Pistik argues. The global Boeing 737 MAX fleet was grounded in mid-March 2019, following two crashes of the MAX-8 version aircraft that claimed a total of 346 lives. Lion Air flight JT610 went down in October 2018, followed by Ethiopian Airlines ET302 crash in March 2019. For an airline the cost of one grounded 737 MAX plane is estimated to be around $150 thousand per day. MAX-family aircraft list prices vary from $99.7 million to $134.9 million according to Boeing pricing list. Finishing up on MAX systems (including the notoriously famous MCAS) and training programs updates, Boeing now expects restrictions to be lifted by the end of 2019. However, as foreign aviation authorities have several times expressed their scepticism on the Federal Aviation Administration's credibility to determine the safety of an aircraft, MAX is likely to be assessed by several different regulations before it is up and flying again. https://www.aerotime.aero/zivile.zalagenaite/23969-what-will-737-max-be-worth-once-it-returns- to-service Back to Top Qantas, Cobham Aviation Services extend regional freight ops agreement Qantas Freight has extended its agreement with Adelaide-based Cobham Aviation Services (CAvS) for regional freight service for six more years, CAvS announced today. The renewed agreement will commence on July 1, 2020 and will run on through June 30, 2026, with the option for an additional 12-month extension. Under the agreement, Cobham will use its four Bae146-300QT regional aircraft to shuttle freight for Qantas in support of the Australia Post between Adelaide (ADL), Melbourne (MEL), Sydney (SYD) and Brisbane (BNE). CAvS anticipates it will operate 2,500 flights and carry around 25,000 tonnes of freight annually for the carrier. CAvS maintains a fleet of 20 717 aircraft, along with pilots and maintenance support as part of the long-term contract Qantas also recently expanded with Australia Post. https://aircargoworld.com/allposts/qantas-cobham-aviation-services-extend-regional-freight-ops- agreement/ Back to Top Italeaf: Softeco (TerniEnergia Group) and Fincons awarded a framework contract to EASA for new aviation safety platform The refactoring frame-work contract for the ECCAIRS system, developed by Softeco, will be on a three-year basis for a total amount of approximately Euro 3.5 million. The new E2 platform will assist national and European transport bodies in collecting, sharing and analysing their information, in order to improve the safety of civil aviation transport. TerniEnergia, smart company listed on MTA of Borsa Italiana and part of the Italeaf Group, announces that the Group's digital company, Softeco Sismat, in partnership with Fincons S.p.A., has won the tender launched by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) based in Cologne (DEU) for the development of a new platform for aviation transport safety based on the refactoring of the ECCAIRS system. The three-year frame-work contract (2019-2021) provides for the assignment of works to three different groups, for a total amount of Euro 3.5 million. The consortium formed by Softeco and Fincons S.p.A., an international IT consulting firm, will develop and implement the new platform to be called ECCAIRS 2.0 (in short E2). The refactoring of the current version of ECCAIRS (European Coordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems) in a completely new version, using the latest technologies, is the main objective of the E2 project. The decision was taken by the European Commission Directorate- General DG Move, which will transfer the management of the ECCAIRS suite from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra (Varese) to EASA from 2020. Softeco Sismat, a digital company of the TerniEnergia Group (which in its industrial turnaround process also focuses decisively on the sectors of emobility, sustainable and safe management of transport and digitization and electrification of the mobility chain), has developed, since 1995, the original platform ECCAIRS. It is a solution composed of different applications, with advanced features designed to assist national and European transport authorities in collecting, sharing and analyzing their safety information in order to improve the safety of civil air transport, under the auspices of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra (VA). TERNIENERGIA (TER. MI), established in September 2005 and part of the Italeaf Group, is the first Italian global technological enabler, committed to bringing energy solutions and efficient recovery of integrated and sustainable resources to the world. Organized into two strategic business lines (Assets and Smart solutions and services), with about 300 employees and a geographical presence worldwide, with operative and commercial offices, TerniEnergia develops innovative solutions, products and services based on digital and industrial technologies for the energy supply chain, grids, smart mobility, industrial automation and the recovery of marginal resources. TerniEnergia, also through its subsidiaries (Softeco Sismat, Greenled Industry, GreenAsm, GreenAsm, Purify, Wisave, Ant Energy), pursues the objectives of increasing energy production from renewable sources, saving energy and reducing emissions and actively participates in the energy revolution of distributed power generation and smart grids, with innovative digital solutions. TerniEnergia is the ideal partner for large utilities, distribution operators and network operators, energy producers, public administrations, industrial customers and investors who intend to realize large projects for the production of renewable energy, modern systems and plants with high energy efficiency, solutions for the management and maintenance of infrastructure and electrical installations. TerniEnergia has completed its transformation from a leader in the international photovoltaic market into a smart energy company and technological enabler for the sustainable use of resources through a complete commercial offer of solutions, the development and supply of digital technologies and the creation of "intelligent" services and solutions aimed at public and private customers in emerging sectors. TerniEnergia is listed on the MTA of Borsa Italiana. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/italeaf-softeco-ternienergia-group-fincons-051500212.html Back to Top SpaceX installs two Starship wings ahead of Elon Musk's Saturday update SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is just six days away from giving an updated Starship presentation and the company is working relentlessly to get the spacecraft as close to a finished product as possible. In the last 48 hours, this burst of effort was marked (most notably) by the installation of two of Starship Mk1's actuating fins/wings, revealing a definite departure from the design Musk and SpaceX revealed almost exactly a year ago. Musk took to Twitter this morning to partially describe some of those design changes and the reasoning behind them. Musk confirmed that the current design will involve several legs attached to the rear of Starship, separating the fin-leg combination shown in previous tripod-fin renders. Intriguingly, Musk expressed that he has not fully "bought into" this updated design, motivated by analyses that indicated that separating the legs and fins would actually be a lighter solution than combining them. This is certainly unintuitive, but it's extremely encouraging to hear that Musk is seriously trusting and bowing to the educated opinions of some of the extremely skilled engineers that SpaceX is known for. Like the circa-2018 design, Starship 2019 will feature two actuating wings/fins near its rear and another two canard-like control surfaces near the nose. A third non-functional fin may or may not serve as a leg in the 2019 design. Those control surfaces will work in concert with "very rapid movement[s]" to ensure the stability of Starship during reentry and atmospheric operations, as well as ensuring that the spacecraft can safely and stably land on a variety of surfaces. The new legs look quite a bit different as a result of the design change. As the two actuating fins no longer have to reach the ground and double as landing legs, they can be quite a bit smaller and situated further above Starship's engine section and rear. It's possible that the stubby fins will have tips attached at their ends to produce a more triangular shape, but we are now heading into unknown terrain until Musk or SpaceX provide updated renders, likely to come later this week. Of note, based on observations of inactivity at SpaceX's Cocoa, Florida Starship facilities, it appears that the company is wholly prioritizing Starship Mk1 in order to get the spacecraft prototype as close to finished as possible over the next several days. Work on Starship Mk2, pictured below, appears to have more or less been paused, almost certainly indicating that SpaceX has flown a large portion of its Florida-based workforce to Texas in a bid to expedite Starship Mk1's assembly. This is probably the result of CEO Elon Musk requesting that the spacecraft be nearly complete by the time he is supposed to present an updated design overview in Boca Chica, Texas. Knowing Musk, it's likely that the event will be held with Starship Mk1 as a centerpiece, be it in several pieces or as a single, nearly-complete stack. Set to be livestreamed by SpaceX, that presentation is scheduled to occur on Saturday, September 28th. Teslarati will be on the ground in Texas to cover the event live and in person. Stay tuned for updates in the coming days! https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-kicks-off-starship-wing-installation-elon-musk-update/ Curt Lewis