December 23, 2019 - No. 100 In This Issue rolls-royce unveils one-seater electric plane in bid to break speed records Why Aviation Needs to Address Its Emissions Problem Now Uber's plan to launch an air taxi service in 2023 just got a boost from a secretive startup Aircraft Solutions Investing Nearly $100M In North Carolina SqwaQ Signs G&N Aircraft to Distribute Robust Helicopter Data Connectivity Embraer and Brazil's Air Force Launch Military Transport Study Possible software issue forces NASA to cancel Boeing Starliner's attempt to dock with space station How Data About Turbluence Could Cut Aviation Emissions FAA INVESTIGATING BLACKBIRD AIR TRANSPORTATION DIGITAL SERVICE SpaceX's Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test Will Now Launch No Earlier Than Jan. 11 rolls-royce unveils one-seater electric plane in bid to break speed records rolls-royce has unveiled what it hopes will be the world's fastest all-electric aeroplane. the british luxury automobile maker unveiled the single-passenger, zero-emissions ACCEL project plane at the gloucestershire airport in england, which is predicted to reach a top speed of over 300 mph (480 km/h) early next year. the plane is part of a rolls-royce initiative called ACCEL - short for 'accelerating the electrification of flight' and is a key part of rolls-royce's strategy to champion electrification. the project involves a host of partners including electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA and the aviation start- up electroflight. half of the project's funding is provided by the aerospace technology institute (ATI), in partnership with the department for business, energy & industrial strategy and innovate UK. the ionbird test airframe, named after the electrical technology propelling the aircraft, was also unveiled. the ionbird will be used to test the propulsion system before it is fully integrated into the plane. planned tests over the next couple of months include running the propulsion system up to full power as well as key airworthiness checks. ACCEL will have the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for an aircraft, providing enough energy to fuel 250 homes or fly 200 miles (london to paris) on a single charge. its 6,000 cells are packaged to minimise weight and maximise thermal protection. an advanced cooling system ensures optimum performance by directly cooling cells during the high-power record runs. the UK has a proud heritage and enviable worldwide reputation for advances in aviation technology,' business minister nadhim zahawi said. 'the electrification of flight has the potential to revolutionise the way we travel and transform aviation for decades to come - ensuring we can travel worldwide while maintaining a low carbon footprint. backed by government funding, rolls-royce is pushing the boundaries even further, and this new innovation could become the fastest electric plane ever.' 'building the world's fastest all-electric aircraft is nothing less than a revolutionary step change in aviation and we are delighted to unveil the ACCEL project plane,' rob watson, director of rolls-royce electrical said. 'this is not only an important step towards the world-record attempt but will also help to develop rolls-royce's capabilities and ensure that we are at the forefront of developing technology that can play a fundamental role in enabling the transition to a low carbon global economy.' the propeller is driven by three high power density axial electric motors that spin at a far lower RPM than regular blades to deliver a more stable and far quieter ride. combined they'll continuously deliver more than 500 horsepower for the record run. the all-electric powertrain delivers power with 90% energy efficiency and of course zero emissions. YASA's electric motor technology is ideal for powering electric flight - the advantages we see on the road are amplified in the air where reducing size and weight for a given power and torque is even more important,' chris harris, CEO, YASA said. 'we share the same passion for engineering as the team at rolls-royce and are delighted to partner with them on ACCEL, a project that's ushering in a new age of sustainable, electric flight.' the ACCEL project is just one of the ways in which rolls-royce is developing lower carbon power. this includes partnering with airbus on the e-fan x technology demonstrator project, which is an important stepping stone towards hybrid-electric commercial aircraft at the scale of today's single-aisle family. we are also working with widerøe, the largest regional airline in scandinavia on a joint research programme on zero-emissions aviation. the programme is part of the airline´s ambition to replace and electrify its regional fleet of 30+ planes by 2030. project info company: rolls-royce collaborators: electroflight type: electric airplane manufacturer: YASA funding: aerospace technology institute (ATI) https://www.designboom.com/technology/rolls-royce-one-seater-electric-plane-break-speed-records-12-20-2019/ Back to Top Why Aviation Needs to Address Its Emissions Problem Now Today, aviation as an industry contributes a relatively small percentage of global carbon emissions, thanks in large part to 50 years of efforts by aerospace and aviation to increase aircraft energy efficiency. Since the 1960s, aerospace manufacturers have pushed the envelope to reduce aircrafts' fuel consumption, and those efforts continue today with unprecedented turnover to modernize airline fleets, as well as add tools and tactics to optimize flying procedures and routes to minimize fuel burn. Amid continuing environmental pressures, the industry has also been investigating biofuels and other non-fossil fuel alternatives. Pioneers on the aerospace side are investing in research and development on game-changing technologies like electric batteries and hydrogen fuel cells for aircraft to reduce industry reliance on fossil fuels. And the International Air Transport Association and the International Civil Aviation Organization continue to work with the industry to set targets and encourage carbon-offset programs that will support a reduction in aviation's greenhouse gas emissions. While all of these efforts are admirable, the industry and these international organizations are unlikely to succeed in reducing aviation emissions, given the current hurdles. In fact, the case is quite the opposite. Aviation's contribution to global carbon emissions - currently estimated at about 2% to 3% - is almost certain to rise over the next decade by a substantial amount, and at the moment, the options to prevent it are limited. No Easy Solution The challenges are numerous. First, the industry has pushed energy efficiency in fossil fuel engines about as far as it can. Innovations might improve efficiency by 1% or 2% each year moving forward, but demand for air travel is projected to grow about 5% annually for most of the next decade, at least. According to a United Nations-sponsored report from the International Civil Aviation Organization, the share of emissions from global aviation could reach 27% by 2050, assuming there are no technological breakthroughs and that other industries continue to make progress reducing their emissions. On the technology front, there is justifiable hope that hybrid engines might be developed that add an electric propulsion component to current technology. But research efforts are still limited, and a commercially viable solution may be a decade away. The timeline for a totally electric, large commercial airliner could be more than two decades off, despite recent prototypes of small planes. Biofuels face similar hurdles, even though they've been around for decades. Sustainability is a key concern, since some are based on agricultural products like corn, and they would use up land that could otherwise grow food for people. Other biofuels based on waste are still not cost-competitive with fossil fuels. There is also simply not enough biofuel feedstock or production capacity yet to make it a real alternative. Falling Behind Aviation's emissions share may also rise because some other industries are seeing more success substituting zero-carbon technologies. For instance, the automotive industry is making progress, as sales of hybrids and electric vehicles exponentially increase and prices for them become more affordable. Of course, the automotive sector is also helped by the fact that the number of people seeking to own cars isn't growing the way it once did, a trend that increases the percentage of hybrids and EVs on the road. Probably the biggest strides have been made in electricity generation, where a switch to renewable energy sources - particularly solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbines - has already reduced that industry's share of emissions, despite the growth in demand for electricity. Even the traditional energy sector, where the primary product remains fossil fuels, is showing improvement through substantial investment in renewable generation. Unless aviation, as an industry, can demonstrate it is taking meaningful action to reduce emissions on a pathway that is consistent with international climate goals, it runs the risk of governments imposing rules to limit demand. As climate impacts become more severe, the call for action is likely to become more urgent and proposed regulation more stringent. The Risk of Regulation This is likely to happen first in Europe, where regulators and policymakers alike have been keen to legislate to generate action. For example, the industry already faces penal measures to protect consumers with the implementation and more recent rigorous enforcement of Flight Compensation Regulation 261/2004, commonly known as EU261, and the European Commission's new Green Deal proposals mention bringing more aviation under the emissions trading system and re-examining the tax-free status of kerosene. Over the next two decades, the auto industry faces prospective bans on sales of new internal combustion vehicles in several nations. The public discourse is already beginning to point fingers at aviation. For instance, in Sweden, where "Flygskam," or flight shame, the anti-flying movement, originated, we see demands for greater energy efficiency in transportation choices. There are also calls in Germany for expansion of passenger rail to reduce domestic flights. And while this criticism and regulatory pressure may start in Europe, it is likely to spread to other parts of the world. This is especially true as more negative effects from climate change are felt, such as the fires laying waste to parts of Australia, Brazil and the United States and the increase in severe storms in both the Atlantic and Pacific. Need to Focus on Design What should be the industry's response? One sure thing it should not be and will not be is silence. Sadly, there is no one "silver bullet" solution since most of the known alternatives have limitations or drawbacks. If the industry is to limit or avoid disruptive regulation, it must show unwavering commitment to a path forward and importantly, cooperation and coordination. A natural step is a commitment to transformational change in aircraft design rather than the incremental improvements, which have been the norm in many of the recent new programs. Moving forward, aviation will be expected to embrace and leverage step changes in engine and aircraft technology, including the obvious, much-debated option of hybrid propulsion. And whatever unique solution or combination of technologies and innovations rises to the forefront in the coming years, the assumed time-to-market will be key, informing decisions on the need for and depth of environmental regulation. The aviation ecosystem will have to develop and adopt ways of reducing the design and new product introduction cycle, leveraging technologies such as digital manufacturing systems but keeping safety paramount. Short-Term Strategies Also Needed While the industry works hard on identifying the right path forward for more radical redesigns, it will need to figure out short-term strategies to prove its commitment to reducing emissions, such as pushing hybrid gas-electric solutions, improving inflight efficiencies to reduce fuel consumption and developing tools that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into carbon-neutral synthetic fuels. This needs to be in addition to following recommended carbon-offsetting regimes and improving and incentivizing eco-friendly operations. This coming year will be an important one for the industry, as international pledges begin to come due. Governments Can Help Rather than make life difficult for aviation, governments need to work with the sector to help bring about the necessary transformational change by providing clear regulatory signals, exploring opportunities for public-private partnerships and encouraging R&D investment. More than 65 million jobs are supported worldwide by aviation and related tourism. And if aviation were a nation, its gross domestic product would rank as the 20th largest economy in the world, considerably larger than some members of the G-20. At the end of the day, solving aviation's problems is in everyone's interest. http://www.brinknews.com/why-aviation-needs-to-address-its-emissions-problem-now/ Back to Top Uber's plan to launch an air taxi service in 2023 just got a boost from a secretive startup Uber's ambitious plans to launch an urban air taxi service just got a lift from a secretive, well-financed startup. The ride-hailing company said it would join forces with Joby Aviation, a California-based aerospace company that has been working on electric aviation for over a decade. Joby is the first company to commit to Uber's aggressive timetable to launch its flying taxi service by 2023. Joby is the brainchild of inventor JoeBen Bevirt, who started the company in 2009. The company operated in relative obscurity until 2018, when Joby announced it had raised a surprising $100 million from a variety of investors, including the venture capital arms of Intel, Toyota, and JetBlue. The money helped finance development of the company's air taxi prototype, which has been conducting test flights at Joby's private airfield in Northern California. Unlike the dozens of other companies that are currently building electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Joby has kept much of its project under wraps. The few renderings that are out there show a plane-drone hybrid with 12 rotors and room in the cabin for four passengers, though a spokesperson previously cautioned that what Joby is working on now is "entirely new." The company has yet to provide any recent photographs or images of its prototype aircraft. A 2018 profile of Joby by Bloomberg revealed some tantalizing details about the company's project: We were the first two reporters to see a demo of the prototype, named Rachel after the women several of its creators used to date. The pilot managed a vertical takeoff, 15 minutes of flight in a 15-mile loop, and a safe landing. Powered by electric motors and sophisticated control software, the taxi performs like a cross between a drone and a small plane, able to zip straight up on takeoff and then fly at twice the speed of a helicopter while making about as much noise as a swarm of superbees. Bevirt says thousands of these sky cabs will one day shuttle people around cities, soaring above the conventional traffic below. Uber says that it has signed a multiyear commercial contract with Joby to "launch a fast, reliable, clean and affordable urban air taxi service in select markets." Neither company disclosed the terms of the deal, nor would they comment on whether there was any money exchanged. They did sketch out the role each company would fill. Joby will supply and operate the electric air taxis, and Uber will provide air traffic control help, landing pad construction, connections to ground transportation, and, of course, its ride-share network reconfigured to allow customers to hail flying cars rather than regular, terrestrial ones. Uber released images of its own concept aircraft, though it said it's looking for partners that can meet its technology specifications - electric-powered, minimal noise, and vertical take-off and landing capabilities - as well as a company that can scale production to build tens of thousands of vehicles to meet the demand of Uber's on-demand service. Joby isn't Uber's only manufacturing partner. The ride-hailing company has previously named six other aerospace companies - Jaunt, Embraer, Pipistrel, Karem Aircraft, Aurora Flight Sciences, and Bell - that will work on prototype aircraft to be used as part of its air taxi service. Bevirt, Joby Aviation's CEO, said he believes air taxis will enable people to get to their destinations "five-times faster than driving, reduce urban congestion and accelerate the shift to sustainable modes of transit." In a statement, he said he was excited to join forces with Uber. Eric Allison, head of Elevate, praised Joby as "a real technology leader whose vehicles aim to be designed to enable a safe, quiet, and affordable service for Uber Air riders." Of course, many companies - Joby included - have promised revolutionary new aircraft for years, only to miss deadlines or fail to live up to past promises. Kitty Hawk, the flying car venture backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, is reorganizing amid reports about breakdowns, battery fires, and returned deposits. The jury is still out on whether an electric vertical takeoff and landing-based air taxi system would make an appreciable contribution to a next-generation transportation system, or whether it would simply be an escape hatch for the super-rich to avoid street-level congestion. https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/20/21029943/uber-joby-aviation-flying-car-air-taxi-2023 Back to Top Aircraft Solutions Investing Nearly $100M In North Carolina Aircraft Solutions USA Inc. will establish a new subsidiary at North Carolina's Global TransPark to recycle aircraft parts and materials. The company will create 475 jobs and invest nearly $100 million to establish the new aircraft recycling center in Lenoir County. "After an intensive research and great support from various sites, such as the ElectriCities Business Relocation Program and excellent communications with each of the involved public departments, we are confident that Global TransPark of Lenoir North Carolina is the right location for our tremendous project," said Dr. Sven Daniel Koechler, General Manager of Aircraft Solutions USA Inc. "With our environmentally friendly and sustainable processes, we offer a real alternative to conventional boneyards and are proud to be able to build an architectural highlight in North Carolina with one of the largest hangars in the world. With our unique hanger system and our self-developed most effective new recycling technology, we are able to recycle up to 70 more Boeing 737 a year and will invest not only in the construction and modern equipment, but also in qualified workers and their families." Aircraft Solutions serves commercial and military clients with aircraft that have reached their end of life stage and are ready for decommissioning. Despite an aircraft's age, older airframes often contain many valuable parts and materials that can be recycled. Useful parts may include engines, undercarriage equipment, avionics, and in-flight entertainment systems. In phase one of the project, Aircraft Solutions' new recycling center will systematically remove, catalog, and inspect parts, certifying them as either usable, repairable, or unfit for service. The company plans to establish a paint shop in phase two of the project. "Our state's aerospace industry is taking off with the Global Transpark as a hub in rural eastern North Carolina," said Governor Roy Cooper. "From first in flight to first in skilled workers, global companies like Aircraft Solutions will find North Carolina to be a great place to grow and thrive." Although wages will vary depending on position, the average salary for the new positions will reach as high as $47,069. The Lenoir County average wage is $36,766. Aircraft Solutions' project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee. Over the course of the 12-year term of the grant, the project will add nearly $958 million to North Carolina's economy. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $4,782,000, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant's reimbursement payments to a given company. "The aviation industry famously got its start at Kitty Hawk, and this industry continues to find the right ingredients for success in North Carolina," said North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. "This new investment will add to the growing relevance of the Global TransPark and Lenoir County to aviation companies." The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina worked on the project along with the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and its Division of Aviation, ElectriCities, Lenoir Community College, North Carolina's Southeast, Lenoir County, the City of Kinston, and the North Carolina Global TransPark Authority. https://businessfacilities.com/2019/12/aircraft-solutions-investing-100m-north-carolina-global-transpark/ Back to Top SqwaQ Signs G&N Aircraft to Distribute Robust Helicopter Data Connectivity New airborne modem replaces expensive satellite links and microwave relays with 20Mbps data connection that flies up to 5500' AGL supporting smart aircraft missions. DALLAS, Dec. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SqwaQ, announced today that it has signed G&N Aircraft as a Channel Distribution Partner for its new SqwaQbox in-flight modem. This device delivers robust data connectivity to helicopters and light fixed wing aircraft without the need of expensive satellite or microwave links. The SqwaQbox is a patented, mobile modem developed specifically for aircraft and combines six individual 3G/4G LTE cellular links into one large, multi-redundant data connection. The bandwidth is robust enough to stream two cameras simultaneously, with less than one second latency. This allows public safety ground responders to view aerial video in real time using their smart phones and tablets to better assess emergency situations. It can also transmit other data traffic like VoIP, email, Internet access, GPS and flight sensor data concurrently. This is the first airborne Internet device of its kind, designed and manufactured to DO-160 and AS9100 aviation safety standards, as well as cellular network approval for airborne LTE transmission. Data connectivity for routine civilian flight operations is becoming a necessity today, but existing solutions have failed to meet the demands of many users. Satellite links are slow and expensive. Microwave links are geographically limited by expensive ground receivers that must be installed across a region. Common 4G/LTE routers are designed for terrestrial use and usually do not provide enough bandwidth, range, redundancy, operating altitude or reliability required by flight applications. 5G also fails because the signals only extend a few hundred feet from the towers and they cannot cope with the speeds that aircraft fly. "Airborne data connectivity has limitless potential to improve public safety missions, save lives and work more efficiently. To say we are excited to help launch this important technology into aviation with SqwaQ is an understatement. We already have customers requesting flight tests and integration," said Craig Anderson, Vice President G&N Aircraft. In addition to its proprietary hardware, SqwaQ also developed a suite of services and solutions that can be customized to each user to further enhance capabilities. SqwaQ is an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) with wholesale bandwidth agreements to provision custom data services on over 600 global cellular networks across 130 countries. Users can activate all six data connections on a single cellular network, or use multiple cell networks simultaneously for added redundancy. Network carriers can be easily changed as missions change geographic locations, to improve reliability. Because SqwaQ provides the entire hardware, data services and support solution with its channel partners, finger pointing is eliminated if a technical problem arises. "SqwaQ is building the single, carrier-agnostic network on which all smart aircraft will fly with data connectivity up to 5500-feet AGL. This includes drones, helicopters, air taxis and fixed wing aircraft cooperating and communicating with each other through our connected skies network. G&N is part of that vision as we work together to introduce this exciting, industry changing technology." said Michael Hinkler, VP Channel Sales for SqwaQ. The SqwaQbox modem can be factory-installed into aircraft and drones, or retrofitted to existing aircraft. Learn more at https://www.sqwaq.com. About SqawQ SqwaQ is an MVNO service provider focused on high-value mobile, Industrial IoT applications that demand reliable multi-redundant connectivity like aviation, telemedicine, oil and gas, and commercial construction. Founded in 2018, the company has more than a dozen patents issued or pending on its multi-redundant 3G/4G/LTE communications modem. Devices are designed to AS9100 and DO-160 specifications and manufactured in the USA. SqwaQ has wholesale bandwidth agreements with major cellular networks to provision its own customized data services on over 600 cellular networks across 130 countries. Learn more at https://www.sqwaq.com. About G&N Aircraft G&N was founded in 1961 by NASCAR driver and aviation enthusiast Paul Goldsmith, now the oldest living veteran of the Indianapolis 500. The company operates a full service FAA Part 145 certified MRO facility, specializing in services that maintain and improve aircraft safety and reliability. We are also pilots, passionate about delivering high-quality services and solutions to our customers, and operate an International flight-training academy for commercial airlines. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sqwaq-signs-g-n-aircraft-100000897.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig= AQAAABF_un08GvUQcs9YjR6n7z07zaITQpr4Whpm26FQL9A_3-a0hAL_dpJUac32MtsYHG-7JXhbaExbG7oE1QNIUO-V9jhu6t7SODv6A63hJSIPT31P_RcEtDkHjSYAcZUhkKfxoq_xYDWUKrGsskIRGfMXfWK0YKbCFHMM-NkCbQv4 Back to Top Embraer and Brazil's Air Force Launch Military Transport Study Embraer and the Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB, Brazilian air force) signed a memorandum of understanding on December 19 launching a joint development study for a new light military transport. The new aircraft would be optimized to carry cargo and personnel, especially in the Amazon region and austere environments, including operations from unpaved, short and damaged runways located in remote areas. The FAB received the first examples of the Embraer C-390 Millennium (formerly the KC-390) multi-mission tactical military airlifter in 2019, and is now turning its attention to modernizing its light/medium transport capabilities. The new aircraft could replace the Brazilian air force's in-service fleet of about 68 EMB-110s (C-95s), some of which are now more than 40 years old, and perhaps the Cessna 208 Caravans (C-98, 31 in service) and EMB-120 (C-97, 19 in service). The study will examine a range of possible alternative solutions to meet FAB operational requirements and will explore a variety of new technologies, system architectures, innovative platform solutions, and perhaps even hybrid-electric propulsion, which would be a first for a military aircraft. The study will also assess likely global demand for the new aircraft. Jackson Schneider, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security said, "Embraer is more than up for the challenge. Our newest product, the C-390 Millennium multi-mission transport aircraft, is coming into operation, and this new project will be instrumental in maintaining and enhancing Embraer's engineering and technology capabilities to meet the challenging demands of the FAB and other customers worldwide." While Embraer will leverage its technological expertise, market knowledge and innovation, the FAB will contribute a great deal of invaluable knowledge and experience gained operating aircraft in this market segment. The study marks the latest in a series of collaborative programs that Embraer has undertaken with the FAB, including the EMB-110 Bandeirante, the EMB-312/314 Tucano, the R-99, and the KC-390. Lieutenant-Brigadier Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez, FAB Commander, explained, "The purpose of this memorandum is to formalize Embraer's intention to develop a light transport aircraft to carry cargo and personnel. The Brazilian air force participation is mainly with regard to sharing expertise, based on projects that Embraer and the Brazilian air force have already developed in partnership, to meet the air force's needs over time." Schneider added that Embraer was "confident that the expertise of the Brazilian air force will help us to establish the most appropriate requirements for this study, resulting in an extremely capable aircraft." The new product study will be the first to be undertaken by Embraer Defense & Security since the company's commercial jet airliner business was effectively taken over by Boeing. Although Embraer's executive jet and defense unit remained outside the joint venture, the two companies announced a further joint venture, Boeing Embraer-Defense, on November 18, with Embraer having a 51 percent share. The new JV was tasked with promoting and marketing the C-390 Millennium tactical transport aircraft. Embraer is more reliant than ever on defense, and with the KC-390 and A-29 having moved from development to production, a new design and development program is urgently needed. The new study may demonstrate that Embraer is determined to maintain an independent capability, and that it is not planning to become simply a Boeing subsidiary. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-12-20/embraer-and-brazils-air-force-launch-military-transport-study Back to Top Possible software issue forces NASA to cancel Boeing Starliner's attempt to dock with space station CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Boeing, still reeling from the crashes of two passenger jets that killed 346 people and led to the worldwide grounding of its most popular aircraft, suffered another major setback Friday when the craft it is designing to fly NASA astronauts to space failed to achieve the correct orbit, forcing the cancellation of its planned mission to the International Space Station. Officials said they were investigating what caused the Starliner capsule's main engine not to fire as scheduled to push it onto a path to rendezvous with the space station. But suspicion immediately fell on the capsule's software, which was directing the spacecraft's operations after launch. No one was aboard the spacecraft and no one was hurt, but the problem reignited questions about Boeing's procedures as NASA seeks to restore human spaceflight from U.S. soil. No American has flown into space from the United States since the space shuttle fleet was retired in 2011. Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in an email to The Washington Post that there is "no direct comparison" between the Starliner's failure on Friday and the two deadly crashes of 737 Max airliners, which were blamed on a software program called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. Spaceflight software development "utilizes different approaches and people due to the unique mission demands and conditions," Johndroe said. But questions are sure to arise around whether Boeing's divisions might share approaches to design, testing and evaluation that could result in shared problems with software, said Todd Curtis, an aviation safety analyst for the website AirSafe.com and a former Boeing engineer. "Although they are different divisions, they are the same company, and they are in these spaces where assets from one part of the company can be used in a completely different part of the company," Curtis said. He recalled that during his time in the commercial plane division, he was sometimes called on to help out with issues in the military aviation division. "They can be working off shared documentation, shared procedures, or shared staff, or other shared resources used in different parts of the company," he said. "Even though this is a space story today, 737 Max's problems are in the back of people's minds." Loren Thompson, a defense analyst who works with Boeing as well as some of its competitors, suggested Boeing's problems with the 737 Max would inevitably affect Boeing's other businesses. "One thing that has allowed Boeing to take risks on the defense and space side is robust cash flow from their jetliner business," Thompson said. "Now that that has been impaired, they may have to pull in their horns from taking risks." Boeing shares have tumbled 22 percent since the second crash of a 737 Max in March, erasing about $52 billion of its market value. The stock price fell more than 1.6 percent Friday, closing at $328 a share. The failure of the Starliner capsule to achieve the correct orbit came after what appeared to be a flawless on-time liftoff at 6:36 a.m. Friday. The Atlas V rocket, operated by the United Launch Alliance, took off just before dawn. After a few minutes, the first engine cut off, the second stage took over, and finally the spacecraft was flying freely. At 31 minutes after launch, the Starliner's main engine was supposed to ignite. It did not. Boeing and NASA officials said they were gathering details about what went wrong and why, as they seek to bring the spacecraft back to the ground, most likely Sunday in New Mexico. The original plan had been for the craft to dock with the space station on Saturday, deliver holiday presents and supplies, and return to Earth on Dec. 28. Officials painted a complicated picture of multiple miscues aboard the craft: In addition to the failure of the spacecraft's computer to fire the engine to push it into the correct orbit, a timer aboard the spacecraft mistakenly thought that "orbital insertion burn" had taken place and ordered other thrusters to fire to keep the spacecraft on a straight and true trajectory. By the time the crews on the ground figured out what was wrong and sent corrective instructions to the spacecraft, it had burned through so much fuel that officials decided they would need to abort the mission to the station and bring the spacecraft down. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said at a news conference Friday that the failure would not have been life-threatening had astronauts been onboard. He said that had the spacecraft been crewed, the mission might have been saved. "They are trained to deal with a situation where the automation is not working according to plan," he said. Bridenstine praised the quick thinking and professionalism of Boeing as it struggled to deal with a troubling situation. He and others said finding problems was the precise reason for the test program. On Thursday, he said he had complete confidence in Boeing. "We're very comfortable with Boeing as a company," he said. "Look at the history that Boeing has delivered on behalf of the United States of America. There is a lot of history here. There is a lot of capability here." He added that NASA's engineers had been "embedded side by side with Boeing's engineers" and that "every piece of this spacecraft is being certified by NASA." The failure of the Starliner capsule comes at one of the darkest moments in Boeing's more than 100-year history. The 737 Max remains grounded, nine months after the plane's second crash in Ethiopia, and a fix first promised by April has yet to be approved as more problems have come to light. Boeing's chief executive, Dennis Muilenburg, was stripped of his title as chairman. One member of Congress, incensed over the problems with the 737 Max, accused the company of building "flying coffins." On Monday, Boeing announced it would halt production of the troubled airplane beginning in January, a hit to its bottom line that could send ripples across the U.S. economy. Southwest Airlines, the largest customer for the 737 Max, announced Tuesday it would not plan to fly the planes until April, and on Friday, United Airlines said it was pulling 737 Max jets from its flight schedules until June 4. "We won't put our customers and employees on that plane until regulators make their own independent assessment that it is safe to do so," United spokesman Frank Benenati said in an email. United has 14 737 Max jets in its fleet and is waiting on delivery of an additional 16, Benenati said. Boeing also has suffered a number of problems with its Starliner spacecraft, originally scheduled to fly crews into space in 2017. Last year, it discovered a propellant leak during a test of the capsule's abort motor. The company fixed that problem, it said. But then last month, during a test of its abort systems, one of the three parachutes failed to deploy, apparently because someone had failed to hook the main chute to a drag chute that pulls it from the capsule. Since the space shuttle was retired in 2011, the space agency has relied on Russia to ferry its astronauts to the space station, about 240 miles above Earth. Those seats cost about $84 million each. In 2014, Boeing and SpaceX won contracts, worth $6.8 billion combined, to build spacecraft designed to restore human spaceflight from U.S. soil. In March, SpaceX successfully flew its Dragon spacecraft without crews to the space station, and it is hoping to complete a test of its emergency abort system in January. Before Friday's launch, Bridenstine was bullish about the progress both companies were making and optimistic about the future. "We're moving into a new era," he said Thursday. "We are going to launch American astronauts, on American rockets, from American soil for the first time since the retirement of the space shuttles." The first flight with astronauts aboard, he said, would take place "in the first part of next year." Officials on Friday could not say what the next steps will be. Jim Chilton, Boeing's senior vice president for space and launch, said the company will focus on finding the "root cause of the failure" but said "we don't know why" the timer misfired. "The spacecraft was not on the timer we expected it to be on," he said. "That was a surprise." It was unclear whether NASA would require Boeing to fly another test mission without crews onboard before allowing its astronauts to fly in the Starliner. Bridenstine said he wouldn't rule out a mission with crews onboard, pointing out that the space shuttle had been piloted by astronauts, not computers. A statement from Vice President Pence, the Trump administration's point on crewed spaceflight, suggested the failure will not disrupt NASA's schedule to fly Americans from U.S. soil next year. The statement said Pence had been briefed by Bridenstine, who assured him that "NASA will continue to test and improve, in order to return American astronauts to space on American rockets in 2020." https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/12/20/boeing-starliner-launch/ Back to Top How Data About Turbluence Could Cut Aviation Emissions Could the sharing of turbulence data help the airline industry to achieve its climate goals? The IATA thinks so. It's created a platform for real-time turbulence data which is expected to cut fuel emissions and therefore prevent unnecessary carbon emissions. Turbulence Aware Hitting turbulence mid-flight is never a comfortable experience, not least for those it harms. But whilst turbulence was previously a concern for passenger safety, it's now being indicted for damage to our climate. For that reason, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has taken an interest in collecting turbulence data. With this information, it's providing real-time mapping of global turbulence to prevent other aircraft hitting the same rough air currents. But why is that so important? Well, encountering turbulence forces pilots to find better air to reduce the uneven motion of the aircraft. This will mean changing altitude which is thought to burn a wasteful 160 million gallons of fuel annually in the United States alone. That equates to 3.2 billion pounds of CO2 released into the atmosphere each year, necessitating around 1.6 billion mature trees to absorb the impact. The environmental cost is huge, so a solution is much required. Back in December 2018, the IATA launched a trial of the platform and this year it collected data from several airlines around the world, including Qantas, easyJet, and Southwest. The airlines that participated in the initial test phase contributed turbulence data which was made available to other airlines via the IATA platform. The IATA says that the new data provides: "Accurate information [that] enables pilots and dispatchers to choose optimal flight paths... [and these] optimal flight altitudes use fuel efficiently." But whilst the organization has big hopes about the potential of this technology, it has yet to provide any concrete evidence. The program simply hasn't been running long enough to provide any hard proof. So how does the IATA have so much faith that this scheme will work? Will it clean up the climate? Well, the IATA is not the first to be experimenting with turbulence data. Delta Air Lines has had its finger in the pie for over three years now and it's got the impact results from the data. It says that its Flight Weather Viewer app is the reason for reduced customer incidents related to rough air currents. So the IATA knows that the data works, but it's taking a different approach to Delta's. Whilst Delta Air Lines' focus seems to be on customer safety, an important consideration in itself, there is also the fuel efficiency impact to be examined. And that's IATA's concern. The great news about the IATA turbulence program is that the data collection has no negative impact on the environment. It's a significant improvement in turbulence reporting and evading excess fuel consumption. If fully rolled out, there's no doubt that this is a viable solution to help clean up the aviation industry. Alongside other technologies like carbon offsetting, eco-friendly jet fuel, electric planes and general awareness about the impact of flying, turbulence data could really help. But... Of course, it's not that easy. The problem with turbulence data The IATA has tried its very best to incentivize the sharing of turbulence data. It has liberally advertised benefits such as increased passenger safety and cheap fuel costs. But getting airlines to give out such sensitive information is not an easy task. The reason is that when a person is injured from turbulence, the liability lies with the airline. There's certainly no advantage to airlines allowing themselves to be ensnared by lawsuits. This is why the IATA has anonymized the data it collects and will not be sharing it publically. But for some, that's still not enough. The threat of uncontrollable data is just not something all airlines are willing to risk, however much they might be assured of data protection. And that's why we still pose the benefit to the climate as an 'if' statement. The theory is that if all airlines were to share their data, things would improve. It's not a given. Regardless, it's important to remember that the IATA Turbulence Aware program is only young. Perhaps in a few years when the concrete data is there to provide evidence of reduced fuel consumption and fewer passenger injuries will airlines decide to share turbulence data. https://simpleflying.com/turbulence-data-cuts-emissions/ Back to Top FAA INVESTIGATING BLACKBIRD AIR TRANSPORTATION DIGITAL SERVICE PILOTS WHO PARTICIPATE COULD FACE 'JEOPARDY' The FAA is investigating the operation of BlackBird Air, an online marketplace that brings together commercial pilots and aircraft with people seeking air transportation through an app-and the regulatory agency warned that pilots listed in the BlackBird database may face "jeopardy." BlackBird, which has received media attention as an "Uber-for-planes startup," was created by media and business development executive Rudd Davis in 2016, asserting online that it "helps you fly over traffic by connecting you with pilots and planes, bringing you true freedom of flight." In March, Forbes reported that BlackBird had received $10 million in Silicon Valley venture capital in its quest to put an end to many travelers' road trips. Describing itself as an online marketplace-not a flight operator-BlackBird says pilots who join its database must meet safety standards; hold an "FAA Commercial Certificate"; have more than 500 flight hours; undergo a background check; and have an airman medical certificate, an instrument rating, and "aircraft currency." The FAA dismissed that picture in a December 17 letter sent to BlackBird's attorney and posted to the agency's Twitter feed. "We have little trouble concluding that the pilots listed on BlackBird's pilot database selected by the user are transporting persons or property, from place to place, for compensation," wrote Naomi Tsuda, the FAA's assistant chief counsel for enforcement. Her letter was written in response to a June letter from BlackBird to the agency, describing the business model. The FAA emphasized its conclusion that BlackBird's pilots were "holding out" a willingness to transport people or property, which with few exceptions is not permitted without an operating certificate issued by the FAA. As applied to aviation, the common-law concept of "holding out" can be accomplished "by any means that communicates to the public that a transportation service is indiscriminately available to the members of the segment of the public it is designed to attract." Participating pilots, therefore, "are engaged in common carriage" that requires additional certification and oversight. In an AOPA interview, Davis expressed the view that the FAA's position amounted to "guidance, not law" until tested in court. However, he added that the company had "paused" its activities covered by Part 91 of the federal aviation regulations-which he described as a minority of Blackbird's enterprises-as a show of good faith pending resolution of the dispute. As for judicial review, Tsuda likened the BlackBird business model to the flight-sharing website FlyteNow, citing a case in which the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the FAA's contention that FlyteNow activity amounted to an offering of transportation to the public (and that expense sharing was a form of compensation to pilots). "Because these operations are subject to part 119 certification, a pilot who holds an airline transport pilot or commercial pilot certificate must obtain and hold a certificate issued under part 135 or the pilot must be employed by a company operating the flight that is certificated under part 119," the letter said. BlackBird believes the FAA's position on its digital business model represents a "misunderstanding of technology," said Davis. "Software can create this scenario within the regulatory environment," he said. "We believe passionately that this is above board." Tsuda warned BlackBird to expect further investigation, "particularly regarding its pilot database. In addition, we would be interested in learning of any action you intend to take in view of the jeopardy facing pilots who participate in BlackBird' s service," it said. Davis, whose expansive defense of BlackBird's concept broached a range of topics from the projected professional pilot shortage to the cost burden to taxpayers of the subsidized Essential Air Service program, said he still hoped to meet with the FAA to hash out differences. In the meantime, BlackBird is doing "millions of dollars of charter flights on a monthly basis" under Part 135 of the federal aviation regulations, he said. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/december/20/faa-investigating-blackbird-air-transportation-digital-service Back to Top SpaceX's Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test Will Now Launch No Earlier Than Jan. 11 SpaceX will now launch a major in-flight abort system test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft for astronauts no earlier than Jan. 11, a week later than previously announced. The uncrewed test flight, called an In-Flight Abort Test, will test a vital safety system designed to protect astronauts during a launch emergency. It was initially expected to liftoff sometime this month, but NASA announced last week that the mission would launch no earlier than Jan. 4. That target has since slipped another week. "NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Jan. 11, 2020, for a critical In-Flight Abort Test of the Crew Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pending U.S. Air Force Eastern Range approval," NASA officials wrote in an update Wednesday (Jan. 18). NASA did not give a reason for the date change. SpaceX's In-Flight Abort test flight, called IFA for short, will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket and intentionally trigger the spacecraft's launch abort system in mid-flight. That system, a network of eight SuperDraco abort engines, will pull the Crew Dragon free of its Falcon 9 booster to simulate an emergency escape and parachute back to Earth. The abort system is vital to safeguard astronauts during launch. In October 2018, the launch abort system on a Russian Soyuz rocket carried NASA astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin to safety when their booster failed during flight. "The demonstration of Crew Dragon's launch escape system is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program and is one of the final major tests for the company before NASA astronauts will fly aboard the spacecraft," NASA officials wrote. During the upcoming test, SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying an uncrewed Crew Dragon, then activate the capsule's launch abort system in mid-flight. If all goes well, the Crew Dragon will fire its SuperDraco engines to rip the capsule free of the Falcon 9, deploy parachutes and splash down in the Atlantic Ocean. "The In-Flight Abort Test follows a series of static fire engine tests of the spacecraft conducted Nov. 13 near SpaceX's Landing Zone 1 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida," NASA officials wrote. "SpaceX will also conduct a static fire test of its Falcon 9 rocket ahead of the In-Flight Abort Test." SpaceX is one of two commercial companies (Boeing is the other) building private space taxis to fly NASA astronauts to and from the space station. The company launched its first uncrewed Crew Dragon test flight to the station in March of this year, but the spacecraft used on that flight was destroyed during a failed ground-based abort system test in April. SpaceX has since identified the cause of that failure and made corrections that led to a series of successful abort system ground tests in recent months. Boeing, meanwhile, is making progress on its own spacecraft, a capsule called Starliner that launches on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Last month, the company successfully performed a pad abort test of its Starliner capsule. Today (Dec. 20), Boeing launched its first uncrewed Starliner flight to the International Space Station. However, about 15 minutes after liftoff, the spacecraft experienced an "anomaly" that prevented it from entering the correct orbit. Rather than spending a week at the space station as planned, Starliner will spend about 48 hours in orbit before returning to Earth via a parachute-assisted landing at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The mishap could delay Boeing's plans to launch a crewed flight test, which is currently scheduled to take place in mid-2020. https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-in-flight-abort-launch-new-date.html Curt Lewis