November 22, 2019 - No. 091 In This Issue Boeing Programs Receive Aviation Week Laureate Awards Purdue Introduces "Degree In 3" Program New Technology Pushing Up Insurance Claims Airlines Invest in New Connectivity, Digital and Avionics Tech at Dubai Airshow. EasyJet Becomes First Major Carbon Neutral Airline Emirates opts for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in revised deal First part of unmanned drone corridor completed Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) announces £9 million UK Government grant for electric aircraft What we learned about the future of flying cars, drones and more at an exclusive North Texas summit Hitachi Vantara launches AI-based solution for airport congestion SpaceX prototype blows its top during ground test mishap Boeing Programs Receive Aviation Week Laureate Awards CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Boeing [NYSE:BA] programs were honored today with Aviation Week Laureate Awards for extraordinary achievements in aerospace. Boeing's ecoDemonstrator program was recognized in the Commercial Aviation Sustainability category. The ecoDemonstrator takes promising technologies out of the lab and into a flying test bed to solve real-world challenges for airlines, passengers and the environment. These technologies focus on enhancing safety; reducing fuel use, emissions and noise; using more environmentally responsible materials; and improving cabin amenities to make flying more enjoyable for passengers. "We are honored to win the first-ever Laureate Award in the Commercial Aviation Sustainability category," said Kourosh Hadi, director of Airplane Product Development. "Sustainability is the foundational element of the ecoDemonstrator program, and it's exciting to be recognized for our innovative and collaborative leadership on projects that are truly making a difference in our industry." In partnership with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Boeing's Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program was recognized in the Defense Weapons Platforms category. The MDA and Boeing completed a historic missile defense test earlier this year. For the first time, two GMD system interceptors were launched to destroy a threat-representative target, validating the fielded system protects the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles. This is GMD's third Laureate Award; the program was also recognized in 2015 and 2018. "The data collected from this test will enhance missile defense for years to come and solidify confidence in the system," said Paul Smith, GMD vice president and program director. "We are proud to be recognized for this work that demonstrated, and will continue to increase, the system's reliability to outpace the ever advancing threat." Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boeing-programs-receive-aviation-week-laureate- awards-300960950.html Back to Top Purdue Introduces "Degree In 3" Program Getting an aviation degree in three years instead of four could save students $20K to $30K under Purdue University's new "Degree in 3" program. But it would also more quickly help fill the pilot and technician pipeline that Purdue, among others, feels is essential to countering an expected shortage of talent in the coming years. Rather than stick to the traditional academic year, students in the Degree in 3 program will attend classes and fly during the summer. "The three-year program leverages better flying weather during Indiana's summers and improves our aircraft utilization," according to Brian Dillman, associate professor in aviation and transportation technology at Purdue. Central to Purdue's slicing 25 percent from the traditional four-year scheme is "new flight simulator technology that provides better training and preparation for professional flight students." This includes Purdue's new Hawker 900XP full-motion simulator. "There is a global shortage of pilots, and we are part of the solution," said Manoj Patankar, the Raisbeck Engineering Professor of Aviation Technology and head of the school. "Purdue is certainly leading the pack in terms of being able to graduate students who are job-ready, allowing them to enter the job market sooner." Not all students will qualify. It's required that the students "earn their private pilot certificate no later than June 1 and begin classes during the summer semester of their first year." And, according to the school, it will send "invitations to admitted students who are most likely to qualify for the program." https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/purdue-introduces-degree-in-3-program/ Back to Top New Technology Pushing Up Insurance Claims One goal of new materials and systems is intended to make airframes and engines more resilient and extend their time between overhauls. However, many believe that although the new technology might require fewer maintenance events, each shop visit will require more complex work and end up being more expensive. Definitive proof of that suspicion will remain elusive until new technology ages and signifcant maintenance demand emerges, yet some evidence is appearing from insurance claims. Insurer Allianz notes that new-generation aircraft are leading "to more expensive aviation insurance claims," with engines and new materials "driving up the cost of repairs and groundings." Of the roughly $16 billion of aviation insurance claims over the last five years, Allianz says that 13% were related to poor maintenance, while another 27% were caused by collisions or crashes. It also notes that complexity of repairing composite materials means that replacement is often chosen over repair, contributing to an increase in the severity of claims. "We recently had a claim where an aircraft wing was damaged during maintenance. However, the manufacturer's repair and inspection protocols meant repair was not cost-effective. The result was a new wing, costing $10 million," said Dave Watkins, regional head of general viation, North America at Allianz. Watkins also highlighted the difficulties caused by maintenance bottlenecks for engine overhauls and the costs that can ensue. "An airline may have to wait six months just to get in the line for [an engine] repair." In the meantime, it will need a spare engine. "We recently handled a claim where a rental engine was required while the aircraft's engine was repaired. The value of the rental engine was more than the entire aircraft, including its original remaining engine," said Watkins. https://www.mro-network.com/maintenance-repair-overhaul/new-technology-pushing-insurance- claims Back to Top Airlines Invest in New Connectivity, Digital and Avionics Tech at Dubai Airshow Prominent Middle eastern carriers, including Emirates, Middle East Airlines and Qatar Airways among others made significant investments in new in-flight connectivity, digital analytics and avionics upgrades during the first two days of the 2019 Dubai Airshow. Here, we provide a look at some of the highlights of those deals that allude to the continuing trend of operators investing in technologies that digitally transform the way they fly and maintain their aircraft. On the connectivity front, Qatar Airways surprised the connected aircraft ecosystem by becoming the first airline in the Middle Eastern region to adopt Gogo's 2Ku in-flight connectivity service. Under the agreement, published in a press release by Gogo on Nov. 19, the airline will install 2Ku connectivity and live television across 70 of its in-service aircraft. According to Gogo, Qatar will be upgrading its fleet of Boeing 787-8, 787-9 and Airbus A380s with the new technologies. The upgrade will involve the replacement of antennas, along with the installation of new modems, wireless access points (WAPs) and new line replaceable units needed to enable 2Ku across the targeted fleet. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker remarked on being able to provide passengers with "an excellent connectivity experience with Gogo 2Ku." "Having access to the internet, and being connected and available is critical for passengers, and the demand for bandwidth will only increase," Al Baker said. Qatar's investment in Gogo is the airline's second major connectivity investment in recent years, after becoming the first Middle Eastern carrier to start operating what it describes as "Super Wi-Fi," with Inmarsat's GX Aviation connectivity in 2018. GX connectivity, enabled by Honeywell's JetWave satellite communications hardware - which includes a Multi-Channel Satellite (MCS) terminal, antenna controller, modem and router hardware, and a tail-mounted antenna dual receivers - is featured across a combined fleet of 130 Airbus A350s and Boeing 777s operated by Qatar. Ashi Hoseini, manager of Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) systems at the airline, recently said in an interview with Via Satellite that the airline is also paying close attention to the future potential promised by low earth orbit (LEO) satellites and would like to see their use of connectivity eventually support artificial intelligence and machine learning applications. Emirates, another major Middle Eastern carrier also known for investing in the newest connectivity, made another type of acquisition in Dubai this year. Emirates is adopting GE Aviation's electronic Flight Operations Quality Assurance (eFOQA) and Flight Pulse data analytics platforms for its A380 and B777 pilots. GE describes FlightPulse as a mobile application that uses aircraft data and "smart analytics" to enable pilots to access their own flying metrics and trends. Pilots can see and review snapshots of their performance at takeoff, cruise, landing, descent and ascent at different times to see where they could be saving fuel. The eFOQA service being adopted by Emirates is designed to use "flight data generated by the aircraft and its systems and applies proprietary data management and analytics technology to help Emirates better manage their fleet, providing previously unavailable insight into their operations," according to GE. "We are keen on having pilots review their performance and become more active in achieving best safety standards while optimizing operations," said Capt. Hassan Alhammadi, Divisional Senior Vice President of Flight Operations for Emirates. Boeing also received interest for airline investment in digital upgrades in Dubai this year. South African low cost carrier FlySafair signed an agreement to join more than 300 other airlines using Boeing's Maintenance Performance Toolbox. The technology is described by Boeing as an online system capable of generating two and three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interfaces, combined with advanced data mining and search capabilities, to improve the way airlines locate and access relevant maintenance information on-demand. Inside the cockpit, Middle East Airlines (MEA) selected Honeywell Aerospace to supply an integrated avionics suite for its new purchase of 11 Airbus A321neos, four A330neos and four A321XLRs. MEA's new Airbus fleet will be equipped with Honeywell's integrated multi-mode receiver, IntuVue RDR-4000 3D weather radar, Pegasus II flight management system and enhanced ground proximity warning system. Lebanon's state-run airline will also equip the new aircraft with an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) and traffic collision avoidance system Mode S transponder from Honeywell. "Our avionics portfolio helps airlines create a path towards future EASA and FAA safety mandates and provides pilots with crucial flight information in the most efficient way possible. This makes it easier for them to select optimal routes and navigate inclement weather," said Raghed Talih, the head of Honeywell's Middle East Aerospace division. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2019/11/19/airlines-invest-new-connectivity-digital-avionics-tech- dubai-airshow/ Back to Top EasyJet Becomes First Major Carbon Neutral Airline Airlines are increasingly talking about the environment. Who knows whether it's because they actually care, or whether it's because they think it's what they need to talk about. Regardless, it's a step in the right direction. While airlines have long given customers the option to offset their travels, some airlines are taking it a step further. For example, a few weeks ago British Airways announced that they'd carbon offset all of their domestic flights. Well, EasyJet has just taken that to the next level... EasyJet Carbon Offsetting All Flights EasyJet has announced that they've become the first major airline in the world to offset carbon emissions from fuel used for all of their flights. EasyJet is undertaking this carbon offsetting through schemes accredited by Gold Standard and VCS. This includes contributing towards forestry, renewable, and community based projects. EasyJet says that carbon offsetting is only an interim measure while new technologies are developed, so the airline will continue supporting the development of hybrid and electric planes, and working towards decarbonizing aviation over the long-term. Since 2000, EasyJet has reduced carbon emissions for each mile flown by over a third. This is not only thanks to new aircraft technology, but also thanks to introducing light weight carpets, trolleys, and seats, single engine taxiing, and removing paper manuals from aircraft. They hope to further reduce emissions by 10% between 2016 and 2022. EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said the following about this development: "Climate change is an issue for all of us. At easyJet we are tackling this challenge head on by choosing to offset the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of our flights starting today. In doing so we are committing to operating net-zero carbon flights across our network - a world first by any major airline. We acknowledge that offsetting is only an interim measure until other technologies become available to radically reduce the carbon emissions of flying, but we want to take action on carbon now. People have a choice in how they travel and people are now thinking about the potential carbon impact of different types of transport. But many people still want to fly and if people choose to fly we want to be one of the best choices they can make." How Much Is EasyJet Spending On This? EasyJet is an ultra low cost carrier that carried 96 million passengers in the past year, so my first thought when I heard this news is that this new scheme must be really costly for them. That's not to say that low cost carriers can't lead the way with offsetting travel, but it is surprising in a way. So, how much is this costing the airline? EasyJet says that they'll be spending about £25 million per year between their carbon offset scheme, as well as their work to support new environmentally- friendly technology. That's less than I would have expected. Now that I'm doing research, though, it seems it's not that far off. For example, British Airways offsetting all of their domestic flights is costing them about £3 million per year. Here's how EasyJet says the new program works in practice: The vast majority (around 85%) of easyJet's carbon footprint is due to the use of aviation fuel to power flight. easyJet constantly measures exactly how much fuel is used for its flights, and thus how much CO2 is produced, which is 3.157 kilograms of CO2 for every kilogram of aviation fuel used. Further, we use well known aviation standards and benchmarks to estimate the amount of other greenhouse gases we generate, and account for them on a CO2 equivalent basis. We then offset this quantity of CO2 by purchasing carbon credits which have a measured impact on carbon reduction. Ultimately none of this is a perfect solution, as the science behind a lot of these offset schemes is somewhat debatable (not whether it makes sense to do something, but rather the methods that are used). It sure seems to me like EasyJet is paying significantly less per passenger/flown mile than most carbon offset programs suggest, though perhaps they've found a way to cut costs there. I'd expect no less from an ultra low cost carrier. Bottom Line Whether it's a perfect solution or not, it's certainly commendable that one of the world's biggest ultra low cost carriers is now offsetting all of their flights. EasyJet will be spending about £25 million per year between their carbon offset scheme, as well as their work to support new environmentally- friendly technology. Well done, EasyJet! https://onemileatatime.com/easyjet-carbon-neutral/ Back to Top Emirates opts for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in revised deal DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Middle East's biggest carrier, the Dubai-based Emirates, announced on Wednesday a firm order for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in a deal valued at $8.8 billion. The order, however, does not represent additional spending by Emirates because it replaces a previous agreement with the Chicago-based plane manufacturer at a near trade at list prices, which are negotiated by airlines. Emirates CEO and Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the new order replaces a previous agreement for 150 777x Boeing aircraft. That $56 billion deal had been announced at the 2013 Dubai Airshow. Instead, Emirates said it is purchasing 126 of the 777x aircraft and 30 of the 787-9 Dreamliners. Combined, the value is also around $56 billion. Earlier at the airshow, Emirates announced it would be buying 20 wide-body Airbus A350s, bringing its total order for the aircraft to 50 in an agreement worth $16 billion at list price. That deal, however, replaced a $21.4 billion agreement struck in February to purchase 70 Airbus aircraft, which had included 40 of the A330neo. Overall, Airbus netted around $38 billion in new plane orders at the airshow this week to Boeing's roughly $17 billion, though not all are firm orders. Around $20 billion of these commercial purchasing announcements were made by low-cost carriers. The Dubai Airshow, which opened Sunday and is the Middle East's biggest aviation event, has seen the region's flagship Gulf carriers rein back big-ticket purchases as they face industry headwinds from lower airfreight demand to weakened travel demand in the region. The big Gulf airlines also have multiple existing orders on planes yet to be delivered. Emirates, which feeds Dubai's busy international airport, posted significantly lower earnings of $237 million this past fiscal year compared to the previous year's whopping $762 million. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi's flagship carrier Etihad has posted losses for several consecutive years. Qatar Airways, another major Gulf carrier, is struggling under a blockade imposed on Qatar by neighboring Gulf Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates. As major Mideast airlines contend with dips in earnings, U.S. plane manufacturer Boeing faces pressure over its troubled 737-8 Max jet. Still, Boeing announced 60 orders for the jet this week, signaling a vote of confidence among some airlines for the Max that's been grounded around the world following crashes that killed 346 people. Boeing said Wednesday an order for 20 came from an unidentified customer. The crashes, in October of last year and March, raised questions about pilot training requirements and the plane's new technology, particularly an anti-stall software that pushed the planes' noses down. The crashes also sparked criticism of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's certification process, particularly for new technology on aircraft. Boeing has said it hopes to have the Max certified by the FAA and flying again by January, before other regulators around the world follow suit. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson told reporters at the airshow Wednesday that the regulator will not be pressured on time. "As a regulator, there's certain things that we have to do, but time pressure can't be one of them," he said. "We've got to make sure that we do everything the right way and do it the complete way." He said his message to the FAA workforce is to understand "that we need to run every step of the process." When asked if the plane would be certified by January, Dickson said: "It remains to be seen." "I'm not going to commit to a timeline," said Dickson, who was sworn-in to the post for a five-year term in August. https://komonews.com/news/local/emirates-opts-for-30-boeing-787-dreamliners-in-revised-deal Back to Top First part of unmanned drone corridor completed SYRACUSE - The first part of a drone corridor that Oswego County will be part of in the future has been completed. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Nov. 12 the completion of the state supported 50-mile unmanned traffic management drone corridor, which runs from Central New York to the Mohawk Valley. Cuomo said this first-in-the-nation corridor is the most advanced drone testing corridor in the nation. This is phase one of the drone corridor project. Oswego County Airport Manager Brandon Schwerdt said the corridor is set to be expanded to the county airport in Volney in the future. "Oswego County is part of phase two. I don't have an estimated date for phase two as Federal Aviation Administration approvals dictate the timing," he said. "It's coming later on." The discussion of the 50-mile drone corridor and its expansion to Oswego County came up during a visit and drone demonstration at the Oswego County Airport in June 2018. NUAIR (Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research) Alliance, a company located at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, brought one of its unmanned devices to the airport to test the airspace. It was controlled by two NUAIR employees who flew it around and around at various altitudes while checking to see how the airspace handled the device. Tony Basile, chief operating officer with NUAIR Alliance, said at that time that a drone could be flown from Griffiss to Volney while being followed and watched by a manned aircraft. The next evolution of the unmanned adventure would be flying a drone from Griffiss to the Oswego County Airport with the device completely controlled by a person sitting in Rome. Basile said in June 2018 that the goal of unmanned aircraft technology is to have full size aircraft that are unmanned and piloted by someone in another location. He said once this becomes possible, it wouldn't be farfetched to think of a company like FedEx landing unmanned aircraft at the Oswego County Airport and unloading packages for delivery. "The industry is exploding," he said then. "I have experience with the airport, I like it there and its fits our (NUAIR) needs. And Oswego County officials have been pursuing this type of industry. The airport has a lot going for it." Cuomo said with the needed infrastructure now in place, companies will be able to test both unmanned aerial systems platforms and UTM technologies in real world settings, generating data that will inform the industry and regulators and taking us one step closer towards the routine commercial use of drones. The completion of the corridor advances the regions' collective strategy to accelerate and support emerging uses of UAS in key industries, including agriculture and forest management, transportation and logistics, media and film development, utilities and infrastructure and public safety. "The completion of the 50-mile drone corridor is a groundbreaking achievement that caps a key strategy laid out in our CNY Rising plan to make Central New York and the Mohawk Valley a global center for UAS testing and innovation," Cuomo said. Current FAA drone regulations require operators to keep their drones in line of sight unless they have approval from the FAA. To date, Northeast Unmanned Aircraft System Airspace Integration Research and the New York Unmanned Aircraft System Test Site have conducted over 2,500 test flights but required multiple people in the field to have a visual line of sight for the aircraft. Cuomo said by receiving "True" Beyond Visual Line of Sight flight approval, the UAS Test Site will no longer require those observers in the field as NUAIR and the Test Site have proved to the FAA that the proper safety measures and technologies are in place to fly unmanned aircraft beyond line of sight safely. https://www.nny360.com/news/oswegocounty/first-part-of-unmanned-drone-corridor- completed/article_9ecfbdc6-5302-57ac-ae9d-bcc72ab20c65.html Back to Top Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) announces £9 million UK Government grant for electric aircraft development Aircraft integrator in green commercial aviation CAeS has received the backing of the UK Government for its Project Fresson which aims to design, manufacture and integrate a hybrid- electric propulsion system into a nine-seat Britten-Norman (B-N) Islander aircraft. The Britten-Norman Islander is a twin-engine aircraft that is typically used on short flights such as island-hopping routes. The grant has been provided through the ATI Programme: a partnership of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), the Department for Business, Energy & Industry Strategy, and Innovate UK to maintain and grow the UK's competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. "Project Fresson brings together a great partnership to develop innovative technology for a sustainable all-electric air transport solution for isolated islands" said Mark Scully, Head of Technology for Advanced Systems & Propulsion at the ATI. "The partners' ultimate goal of delivering the first commercial passenger-carrying all-electric aircraft service in the UK will mark a significant breakthrough for all-electric propulsion." Paul Hutton CAeS CEO added that the results of this exciting electric aircraft demonstrator project can be rapidly developed into an EASA/CAA (European Aviation Safety Agency/Civil Aviation Authority) certified modification kit, enabling the UK to lead the way with the first passenger- carrying sub-regional aircraft capable of all-electric flight. The strength of the industrial partners involved in this project, are underpinned by the world-class aerospace/manufacturing research capabilities of Cranfield University. The Project Fresson team includes UK businesses: Rolls-Royce, who will be supplying the power management system; the Denis Ferranti Group, supplying the electric motors; Delta Motorsport, providing battery packs; WMG (University of Warwick), who will perform battery testing and characterisation, and Britten-Norman, the aircraft OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) providing the baseline aircraft and aircraft data/design support. CAeS parent Cranfield University will be researching key technology solutions vital for the 30-month project. The Fresson project supports Rolls-Royce's commitment to making aviation more sustainable. This electric flight technology demonstrator enables Rolls-Royce to introduce a new concept in aircraft- level power distribution control that optimises all the elements of the power and propulsion system. Following the demonstrator project, CAeS will go on to certify the modification through EASA to obtain a Supplemental Type Certificate. This will then be immediately available in the global market, allowing the current operators of the 400+ B-N Islanders to convert their aircraft reducing operating costs and their carbon footprint. In follow-on phases of CAeS's green aircraft strategy the intention is to design and implement a similar modification, this time to a larger existing 19-seat sub-regional aircraft type, continuing with partners to design and build a new 19-seat aircraft. The design of the new aircraft will be optimised for emission-free propulsion, making use of the certified propulsion systems architecture from the earlier phases. https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/electric_hybrid_vehicles/cranfield-aerospace- solutions-caes-announces-9-million-20191121 Back to Top What we learned about the future of flying cars, drones and more at an exclusive North Texas summit Aviation entrepreneurs, investors talk future of flight at North Texas summit Aviation entrepreneurs, investors and leaders in the future of flight convened at a North Texas ranch this week to work toward a shared goal: Making it possible for more people to soar through the skies. Wearing cowboy hats and sipping cocktails, the roughly 160 attendees updated one another on progress they've made in the development of air taxis, sophisticated drones and other electric- powered aircraft. They delivered "lightning talks," showed off slick videos and got an up-close look at prototypes. And they spoke candidly about challenges that remain: developing a better electric battery, getting regulatory approval and winning over skeptical members of the public. The invitation-only summit Wednesday and Thursday was part ideas festival, part investor pitch and part networking event. But above all, it was a rally for believers in the maturing, but still nascent air taxi industry. The Dallas Morning News was one of just a few media outlets granted access. The exclusive UP summit was thrown by aviation entrepreneurs and investors Ben Marcus and Cyrus Sigari. It was co-hosted by Dallas' Ross Perot Jr., an avid aviator and real estate developer, in a giant barn on his Circle T Ranch in Westlake. The list of attendees was the Who's Who of futuristic aviation, including Nikhil Goel, who has helped lead Uber's air taxi effort; Erik Lindbergh, grandson of famed flyer Charles Lindbergh; Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway; former Federal Aviation Administration officials and leaders of major companies like Bell, Rolls Royce, Airbus and Boeing. Sigari estimated there was over $100 billion of investable capital in the room. The summit was filled with Texas touches, such as a dinner of prime rib and roasted whole pig, a live country band, a photo-op with a longhorn and fittings of Cavender's cowboy hats. A private flight show of a F-5E Tiger II fighter jet kicked off the summit's opening night. The lineup featured former President George W. Bush, Tesla co-founder JB Straubel and record-breaking stuntman and skydiver Luke Aikins, who jumped from 25,000 feet without a parachute. Marcus and Sigari, both 37 and from Santa Monica, Calif., met when they were 11 years old. Marcus is an Israeli Jew and Sigari is an Iranian Muslim, but they shared a fascination for aviation and became lifelong friends. They attended college together and later co-founded private jet broker, JetAviva. About three years ago, they started the summit to gather together the brain trust behind electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft or eVTOLs. They held the first summit in a living room in Jackson Hole, Wyo., with about 30 attendees. They threw the second summit with about 100 attendees with aviation entrepreneur Steuart Walton, grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton, in the retail giant's hometown of Bentonville, Ark. All attendees are hand-picked by Sigari and Marcus. Many flew there on private jets. Sigari, Marcus and Perot picked up the tab - along with sponsorships by companies including Bell and Honeywell. The summit isn't just about flying cars, but also cargo-carrying drones and technology improvements, such as autonomous systems, to make them possible. At the summit's opening dinner, Marcus said he and Sigari are inspired not just by flying's novelty, but also by its impact. As kids, they volunteered for a nonprofit called Angel Flight that provides free flights to people who need medical treatment far from home. As they grew up and became flight instructors, they flew over congested Los Angeles. "We used to look down at the highways and see these miserable people stuck in traffic and think, 'Why are we the only ones in the sky and why are they all down there? How can we get them up here to enjoy the sky with us?' " Marcus said. He said the room of innovators and investors could change an eye-opening statistic: Only one in five people in the world have ever taken flight. Sigari said the summit has grown, but it won't get much larger. He turned down about 400 others who wanted to attend. He said the intimacy of the summit is what allows all of the executives, entrepreneurs and investors to get to know one another and feel comfortable enough to speak candidly. For some startups, the event has led to valuable connections. Clint Cope, co-founder of San Francisco-based Elroy Air, said he met his first investor at the Wyoming summit. His company is developing autonomous aircraft that carry heavy cargo. He said the summit is a morale boost and a way to promote momentum for all companies, even competitors. "Everybody is in a bit of a frenemy stage now," he said. "You want to help people along the way, so you have a critical mass." One of the first big names to sign on to the UP summit was then-Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead. He attended the first summit in his home state. As governor of a predominantly rural state, Mead said he understood how smaller, electric-powered aircraft could make life easier. In conversations with the public, he said he has found people are quick to bring up barriers. They ask about safety risks, noise and visual clutter in the skies. While those challenges are real, he said, aviation executives and entrepreneurs must also help the public understand the societal benefits. What would the aircraft mean for the environment? How could they spur economic activity in rural communities? Could they free up funds for states to invest in education rather than highways? And what would it mean if parents could spend an extra hour a day with their children instead of commuting? An air taxi industry The pursuit of an air taxi industry has taken off in recent years, particularly with a push by Uber. Three years ago, the San Francisco-based company published a white paper and pledged to make a Jetsons-like vision of flying cars real. It hosted its first Uber Elevate Summit in Dallas in 2017 and announced that Dallas-Fort Worth would be one of the service's first markets. It laid out an aggressive timetable of starting flight demonstrations next year and launching limited commercial service in 2023. At launch, Uber's air taxis will have a pilot - but the company wants them to eventually become autonomous. Uber is working with several partners, including Fort Worth-based Bell. This summer, the company launched Uber Copter in New York City to learn how to synchronize seamless passenger trips that begin in a car on the ground, continue in the skies and end on the ground again. The one-way trip between Lower Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport costs between $200 and $225 a person. More than 200 companies from venture-backed startups to major corporations are now developing electric vertical-lift aircraft. Big tech names have put their money into the effort. For example, Google co-founder Larry Page is funding two startups, Kitty Hawk and Opener. And larger companies, such as Boeing, are snapping up smaller startups through acquisitions and building aircraft of their own. Urban air mobility - from passenger travel to military and cargo applications - could grow into a $1.5 trillion market by 2040, according to a Morgan Stanley research estimate. Perot, who flew the first round-the-world flight by helicopter in 1982, is among those who saw the business opportunity. For the past few years, his real estate company Hillwood has worked with Uber to help identify sites where air taxis could take off and land. One will be Frisco Station, a Hillwood development near the Dallas Cowboys headquarters. The real estate developer is also turning AllianceTexas, his giant mixed-use residential and commercial development in Fort Worth, into a testbed for the future of mobility. It wants companies to test their drones and air taxis there. The master-planned development is larger than the island of Manhattan and home to hundreds of companies, including Facebook's data center and a regional hub for Amazon. It also has a large industrial airport, Fort Worth Alliance. Circle T Ranch - where the summit was held - is part of AllianceTexas. Hillwood and Bell offered free helicopter tours of the property to attendees. Perot said he keeps up with progress in the air taxi industry, but it has exceeded the pace that even he imagined. He pointed to other examples of how social norms have changed with the emergence of new kinds of mobility. "One day, we will hop into an air vehicle and fly around without a pilot and not even think about it," he said. "The first elevators had operators because people were afraid to get in an elevator and just punch a button. Now, look how it's changed today." 'The vertical dimension' Austin-based Lift Aircraft showed a prototype of its flying vehicle, Hexa. It looks like a large drone, but has a cabin for a single passenger. It's light enough that FAA regulations allow it to be flown without a pilot's license. It has software to simplify flying for a layperson and safety features, including a built-in ballistic parachute. The company will initially use it as a form of entertainment or a tourist attraction, CEO Matt Chasen said. Thousands of people have reserved a ride, which will cost $249 for a 10-15 minute ride. It will begin offering rides on a cross-country road trip later this year or in early 2020. Eventually, Chasen said, he imagines putting the vehicles in different parts of cities and allowing people to request rides through a smartphone app. Martine Rothblatt, founder and CEO of biotech company United Therapeutics, accepted an award for her leadership. Rothblatt, co-founder of Sirius Satellite Radio, started the biotech company after her young daughter was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The company went on to discover a medication for that condition. Now, it's developing new ways to repair and manufacture lungs and other organs to multiply the number of people who can receive transplants. Rothblatt is financially backing two electric aircraft companies, Chinese manufacturer Ehang, and Vermont-based Beta Technologies. They're developing electric-powered aircraft that can transport the company's life-saving organ donations in a way that doesn't harm the environment or public health. In a speech, Rothblatt referred to a saying by Albert Einstein that problems can't be solved at the same level of thinking. She encouraged the group to keep striving "until we are all thriving in the vertical dimension." https://www.dallasnews.com/business/technology/2019/11/23/at-invitation-only-summit-in-north- texas-aviation-futurists-talk-progress-toward-flying-cars-electric-powered-aircraft/ Back to Top Hitachi Vantara launches AI-based solution for airport congestion Hitachi Vantara has unveiled a new solution powered by artificial intelligence (AI) technology to reduce airport delays. The technology is capable of reducing delays caused by crowding at check-in, security, retail and boarding areas. Named Lumada Video Insights, the solution leverages lidar (light detection and ranging) technology to develop a 3D model of the airport and track the real-time movement of passengers, equipment and luggage. The solution evaluates passenger and baggage movement and compares them to ideal models to enable the staff to identify issues and take appropriate action. The company noted that the technology maintains the privacy of the passengers by refraining from storing personally identifiable data. According to Hitachi Vantara, the technology will enable the airport to streamline check-in and security lines, manage overhead luggage space on aircraft and decrease the consumption of aviation fuel. Hitachi Vantara smart spaces and video intelligence global vice-president Mark Jules said: "Nothing ruins a holiday travel experience like long lines and flight delays. "Hitachi Vantara is committed to creating innovative technologies that can help airports and airlines identify and address congestion hot spots, which make a big impact on the industry's bottom line, environmental footprint and their customers' travel experiences." The technology is currently being tested by a major American airline, with plans to expand its implementation to other US airports by next year's holiday season. Earlier this week, British Airways initiated the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure the timely departure of flights at Heathrow Terminal 5. https://www.airport-technology.com/news/hitachi-vantara-aiport-congestion-solution/ Back to Top SpaceX prototype blows its top during ground test mishap New York (CNN Business)SpaceX's Mars rocket prototype burst apart during a ground test, a setback for the company as it works to develop a spaceship capable of taking humans and cargo to deep space. Engineers at a SpaceX facility in south Texas were running a test on Wednesday that was meant to check how well the vehicle, nicknamed Starship Mark-1, withstands high pressure when a metal cap on top of the vehicle burst off. Pieces of aluminum were flying, vapor spewed into the area and local SpaceX fans captured footage of the bulkhead landing nearby. SpaceX said in a statement that there were "no injuries, nor is this a serious setback." "The purpose of today's test was to pressurize systems to the max, so the outcome was not completely unexpected," the statement reads. SpaceX representatives often reiterate after something goes wrong during development that the company doesn't consider such incidences failures. Musk has said that expecting - even embracing -- failures during testing has helped propel SpaceX to its crowning achievements. But Wednesday's incident could mean that SpaceX will already abandon the Starship Mark-1 prototype, which Musk showed off two months ago in a grand unveiling. SpaceX said engineers have already turned their focus to a newer test vehicle design, dubbed Mark-3. One other Starship prototype is also under development in Florida, and they're all part of SpaceX's quest to create a spaceship that can launch massive satellite, take cargo to the Moon and, eventually, establish a human colony on Mars. Musk has talked about building such a rocket for years. And SpaceX began putting significant time and resources into Starship's development early this year. After conducting a few low-altitude tests of an earlier prototype, Musk unveiled Starship Mark-1 to a group of reporters and locals at an event in Boca Chica, Texas on September 28. Speaking from beneath the 160-foot-tall prototype, Musk said SpaceX would continue that test program by launching the vehicle on a much higher "hop test" - up to 65,000 feet - before landing it upright back on the ground. In its statement, SpaceX said its plans have since changed. Before Mark-1 erupted on Wednesday, the testing team had already decided not to try to fly the vehicle and instead was focused on building Mark-3. That vehicle will be designed to reach orbit, which requires speeds topping 17,000 mph. It's not clear if the timeline Musk laid out for Starship's first orbital test flight still stands. In September, he suggested a prototype could reach orbit within a year - a remarkably quick time frame as far as rocket development goes. He said in a tweet after the Starship Mark-1 incident that Mark-1 "had some value as a manufacturing pathfinder" but the design of the prototype SpaceX now plans to fly will be "quite different." The CEO, who also wears the lead designer hat at SpaceX, has embraced failures during previous SpaceX development efforts. He's even shared a reel of the company's many failed attempts to land a rocket booster before the company succeeded in 2015. https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/21/tech/spacex-starship-prototype-partial-explosion/index.html Curt Lewis