March 23, 2020 - No. 021 In This Issue ABARIS TRAINING US AIRLINES WARN OF LIQUIDITY FEARS WITH $US10 BILLION MONTHLY CASH BURN West Star Aviation cuts contractor jobs as COVID-19 virus threatens economy S.A.F.E. Reminds Mechanics to Think Safety First Regulators give airlines a break A320 Operators Ordered To Perform Urgent Maintenance On Engines Federal Financial Relief Needed for Canada's Airports to Endure Through COVID-19 Crisis Flitetec brings forward launch of aviation-grade antibacterial cleaner Transportation, Logistics Workers Deemed Essential During Coronavirus Crisis Aircraft interior purification system adapted for ground use SpaceX, NASA aim for historic crew launch in mid-May despite coronavirus outbreak US AIRLINES WARN OF LIQUIDITY FEARS WITH $US10 BILLION MONTHLY CASH BURN US airlines are burning through cash at a rate of $US10 billion a month as planes fly less than a third full, an industry group has warned. The estimate by Airlines For America (A4A) comes as airlines are seeking $US50 billion in government support to help battle the ravages of COVID-19. That would include $US25 billion in grants for passenger air carriers and $US4 billion for cargo operators. The rest would be in the form of loans or loan guarantees. A4A joined other industry groups in an urgent plea to US politicians, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to work as quickly as possible to financially protect the industry and the 11 million US jobs directly or indirectly supported by aviation. Signatories to a letter sent to lawmakers Thursday include unions as well as airports, maintenance organizations and general aviation groups. The organizations said actions taken to combat the diseases globally had been fluid and were rapidly evolving on an hour-by-hour basis. "The rapid spread of COVID-19 and the government- and business-imposed restrictions on air travel are having never-before-seen impacts on US aviation and our employees,'' they said. "In the short space of two weeks, aviation industry stakeholders have seen their positions of strong financial health deteriorate remarkably rapidly, and challenges are growing for all stakeholders. 'The downturn in demand for commercial air transportation and shipping related to COVID-19 is vast. "For passenger carriers alone, net bookings for the next few months are down 100 - 200 percent, as cancellations are rapidly outpacing new bookings and trending worse each day." The letter said the US industry did not want to furlough employees and needed them to retain their positions to be ready to lead a recovery. "What appeared to be a distant possibility just weeks ago has come to the forefront; we now face legitimate liquidity concerns and questions about our ability to meet ongoing debt obligations,'' it added. "This crisis hit a previously robust, healthy industry at lightning speed, and the government response needs to be just as swift, in order to save it. "In the frankest of terms, the current economic environment is simply not sustainable." It also noted US airlines had taken or planned more than $US30 billion in "self-help" in response to COVID-19 in the current calendar year. "The US aviation industry, including key industry stakeholders, is a critical component of the US economy,' it said. "Civil aviation drives more than 5 percent of U.S. GDP and is necessary to the success of other industry sectors - which makes it unique in its significance to the health of the overall U.S. economy." Aerospace manufacturers, including Boeing, are also seeking $US60 million in assistance. "Boeing supports a minimum of $60 billion in access to public and private liquidity, including loan guarantees, for the aerospace manufacturing industry,'' it said. "This will be one of the most important ways for airlines, airports, suppliers and manufacturers to bridge to recovery. "Funds would support the health of the broader aviation industry, because much of any liquidity support to Boeing will be used for payments to suppliers to maintain the health of the supply chain. "The long-term outlook for the industry is still strong, but until global passenger traffic resumes to normal levels, these measures are needed to manage the pressure on the aviation sector and the economy as a whole." https://www.airlineratings.com/news/us-airlines-face-liquidity-worries-burn-us10bn-month/ Back to Top West Star Aviation cuts contractor jobs as COVID-19 virus threatens economy West Star Aviation, which opened a $22 million corporate aircraft maintenance facility at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport in 2016, on Friday released some of its contract labor at its four facilities. Debi Cunningham, vice president of marketing for West Star, said between 10 to 20 contract workers were laid off, including some in Chattanooga. But she said the company is maintaining its own 1,500-employee staff and so far has been able to weather the turbulence in the airline industry caused by travel restrictions and cutbacks stemming from the COVID-19 virus. "Our first and foremost responsibility is to our own employees," she said. "We hate having to make this move, but we decided to go this direction first to help protect our position in these uncertain times." West Star Aviation helps maintain and repair corporate aircraft, which hasn't so far been hurt as much as the commercial airline industry. "Our March so far is doing well and our hangars are full and people are making deliveries," Cunningham said. "We have no plans for closing or shutting down any of our locations at this time as long as the states where they operate are doing well and there's not a mandatory shutdown (of air travel)." Cunningham said West Star Aviation is vigilant in cleaning all aircraft and it has not had any instances of any employees being tested positive for the virus. https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2020/mar/20/west-star-aviation-cuts-contractor-jobs-covid-19-virus-threatens-economy/518753/ Back to Top S.A.F.E. Reminds Mechanics to Think Safety First S.A.F.E. Structure Designs reminds everyone to think about safety while maintaining aircraft. This spring season shows many aircraft in for extended maintenance due to a halt or slowdown in operations and government restrictions with the spread of the Covid-19 virus. This is the time to remain vigilant on safety. Consider the following recommendations. Wear the right gear. Don't rush. Manage fatigue. Manage tools. Maintain situational awareness. Use approved procedures and parts. Finish all steps. Use the correct equipment and fall protection for the work. "We know everyone is concerned about health right now and we wish all aircraft operators and their families a healthy and swift end to the Covid-19 slowdown." said Johnny Buscema, CEO of S.A.F.E. ""We also want to remind the mechanics to be safe. So many times we are called to provide a solution after a fall. Think safety first and call us if you need help with your platforms, ladders and fall protection." S.A.F.E. Structure Designs is the global leader in maintenance support equipment that strives to put safety first, S.A.F.E. listens to the needs of the maintenance teams. S.A.F.E. designs custom equipment to the exact specifications that consider realistic ergonomic factors as well as efficiency. S.A.F.E provides the answers to the unique challenges of working on complex aircraft. S.A.F.E. is also hosting a maintenance safety seminar "Troubleshooting Technology" in Dallas and working with Southern Utah University on maintenance certificate courses. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/maintenance-providers/press-release/21130453/safe-structure-designs-safe-reminds-mechanics-to-think-safety-first Back to Top Regulators give airlines a break GENEVA, 23 March 2020: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed decisions taken by aviation regulators to provide flexibility to airlines and flight crew during the COVID-19 crisis. "Safety is the industry's top priority. Countries have a well-established licensing system to ensure this. Airlines and their employees are facing an unprecedented challenge in coping with the business and operational impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. In this extraordinarily difficult environment, we are grateful for actions to ease regulatory requirements that do not impact the safety of flights," said IATA's senior vice president, safety and flight operations, Gilberto Lopez Meyer. Key decisions The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published templates which may be used by state regulators to notify EASA of the use of flexibility provisions. This allows for the extension to the validity periods for licences, ratings, endorsements, certificates and attestations of aircrew, instructors, examiners, aircraft maintenance licence holders and air traffic controllers as well as an extension of Airworthiness Review Certificates. The United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has published a Decision allowing for flexibility to the validity periods for licenses, ratings, certificates applicable to Flight Crew and Cabin Crew. Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has recognized the need for flexibility in the delivery of classroom training and for the completion of recurrent training requirements. They have also granted the ability to extend the validity periods to some elements of training applicable to pilots, engineers, cabin crew and dispatchers. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has put a process in place to allow an extension to the validity of pilot and cabin crew requirements. In Mexico, the Agencia Federal de Aviación Civil, (AFAC) is extending the validity of permits, licenses and/or certificates for technical personnel for three months. IATA is also offering help for airlines whose IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) cannot be performed owing to Covid-19 travel restrictions that make it impossible for auditors to visit airlines, or because of other circumstances related to the current crisis. Extensions of IOSA audits are being offered for periods of up to six months. Airlines will be required to complete an IOSA safety questionnaire at a minimum of every 60 days during the extension period. The applicable Temporary Revision to the IOSA Program Manual (IPM) and affected registrations on the IOSA Registry can be consulted at www.iata.org/iosa. https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2020/03/regulators-give-airlines-a-break/ Back to Top A320 Operators Ordered To Perform Urgent Maintenance On Engines The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is ordering A320-family operators to perform urgent maintenance and inspections on their aircraft. The order stems from an incident that took place on March 18th involving a Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321. The aircraft aborted its take-off from Ho Chi Minh City. The trigger incident The order comes after a Vietnam Airlines A321 had to abort its take-off from Ho Chi Minh City airport on March 18th. FlightGlobal reports that the incident had one of the aircraft's engines suffer a high-pressure turbine first-stage disk failure. Simple Flying actually reported on the incident. However, at the time the incident was reported to be a burst tire resulting in a grass fire. Columns of smoke were observed rising from the runway area, and a raft of fire engines were dispatched to deal with the blaze. The flight, number VN920, was due to depart for Phnom Pehn in Cambodia. Vietnam Airlines' Director of Aviation Dinh Viet Thang told Vietnamese media that no passengers or crew members were injured in the incident. When it was safe to approach the aircraft, a tug took it back to the apron where all passengers were able to disembark safely. The emergency airworthiness directive Upon examination of the affected aircraft, authorities discovered that the Airbus A321-231 airplane, powered by IAE V2533-A5 model turbofan engines, "experienced an uncontained high-pressure turbine (HPT) 1st-stage disk failure that resulted in an aborted takeoff". The FAA's ruling was that this condition, if not addressed, could result in "release of high-energy debris, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, and loss of the airplane." Involving International Aero Engines V2500 powerplants, the emergency airworthiness directive (AD) has been issued to prevent further failures of high-pressure turbines. Airlines are advised to check their aircraft's engine serial numbers against a list included in the FAA's AD. Should there be a match, airlines are directed to remove the HPT 1st-stage disk from service. The FAA states that this AD only outlines interim action. It says that the root cause of this event is still under investigation. Conclusion The Airbus A320 family of aircraft have been some of the most popular and best selling in the world. However, this won't affect all airlines as the AD pertains to a small list of serial numbers. Additionally, the A320 family of aircraft has multiple engine options. For example, the A321-200 is powered by either CFM International CFM56-5 or the International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500 engine. Under more "normal" circumstances, this emergency airworthiness directive may cause an inconvenience to airline schedules and aircraft availability. However, in this current climate of reduced air travel, airlines should have no problem carrying out the orders outlined by the FAA. https://simpleflying.com/a320-family-engine-maintenance/ Back to Top Federal Financial Relief Needed for Canada's Airports to Endure Through COVID-19 Crisis As Canada's airports continue their work with public health agencies to facilitate the safe passage of hundreds of thousands of people to their homes in Canada and abroad, they are looking ahead to what they need to endure, and remain open through the weeks and months ahead with COVID-19. With passenger volumes expected to decline by more than 50 per cent between March and June 2020, and a currently projected revenue loss of $1.3 billion or more in 2020 because of the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on travel, Canada's airports are urging the federal government to provide both short-term rent relief and a longer-term stimulus package as part of the nation's overall economic recovery. "While our primary concern is protecting the health and safety of travellers and airport workers, and getting people home, we are now facing the grim reality that many parts of the aviation sector could shut down without government action and relief," said the Canadian Airports Council (CAC) president Daniel-Robert Gooch. "Traffic is disappearing, and we don't know when it will come back." The most pressing concern is the loss of airport operating revenues caused by flight cancellations and drastic declines in passenger traffic. These negatively affect revenue generated by landing and terminal fees charged to air carriers, as well as per-passenger fee revenue. On-airport businesses such as shops, restaurants and duty free are also severely affected. In addition to providing services to traveller, these are a major source of local jobs and revenue for airports. Canada's airports are concerned about their cash flow, as they must maintain the same high standard of safe, secure operations on drastically reduced revenue. Airports are moving quickly to reduce operating costs as much as possible to respond to this unprecedented challenge. Airports are also reducing or suspending capital programs until traffic rebounds. Meanwhile, many airport operational costs related to safety, runway maintenance, aircraft movements and passenger services are fixed and cannot be reduced in proportion to reduced traffic volumes. In fact, with increased protocols aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 in place in terminals throughout the country, costs at Canada's airports have increased. Based on estimates by the Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA), the COVID-19 outbreak will now significantly set back Canadian airports from previously forecasted stable growth prospects. "The operational and financial challenges Canada's airports are facing from COVID-19 are unlike anything the industry has seen," said Mr. Gooch "With events moving so rapidly, our estimates, as dire as they are, are virtually out of date as soon as they are released. We really don't know where the bottom is yet." Canada's airports are deeply appreciative of the work of the Minister of Transport, his officials and his department as Canada deals with this unprecedented threat. As government has moved quickly to introduce economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period, Canada's airports are heartened to see the Minister of Finance and Prime Minister acknowledge the need to address the long-term viability and resiliency of Canada's aviation sector. The CAC is urging the federal government to take swift action to ensure the continued financial viability of Canada's airports, by providing short-term relief to address immediate cash flow challenges and ensure that our airports can continue operations and rebound from this crisis: Rent relief of at least one year, to allow airports to redeploy these funds to continue operations and support their recovery strategies. Rent relief is the quickest direct mechanism with which the federal government can support National Airports System airports to help them deal with their own cash flow crunch. Financial relief for reduced cash flow -Airports ask the federal government to put into place a program to direct new funds to airports to compensate for their lost revenues and increased costs. This is particularly important for smaller airports that do not pay rent, yet must continue to maintain operations for essential services, including cargo and medevac. Regulatory Flexibility and Funding: Flexibility to adjust tight implementation deadlines and dedicated federal funding to help airports meet recent regulatory requirements. Canada's airports also echo calls from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and other aviation groups to postpone government consultations that are not germane to COVID-19, and put a moratorium on the introduction of new, non-essential regulations and policies to allow airports to deal with the crisis at hand. Airports have also suggested initiatives to support the industry's role in stimulating air traffic and tourism once travel rebounds, such as tourism promotion, improvements to the border facilitation for international travellers, and arrivals duty free. About the Canadian Airports Council The Canadian Airports Council is the voice of Canada's airports. A division of Airports Council International-North America, the CAC consists of 53 members representing 100 Canadian airports, including all of the National Airports Systems (NAS) airports and most passenger service in every province and territory. Canada's airports employ 194,000 direct workers and contributes about $7 billion in taxes to local, provincial and federal levels of government. They also enable foreign direct investment, international trade, and support Canada's $90 billion travel and tourism sector, which employs some 1.7 million Canadians. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/federal-financial-relief-needed-canada-193900486.html Back to Top Flitetec brings forward launch of aviation-grade antibacterial cleaner Aircraft maintenance company Flitetec has launched MX14 Aero, a water-based antibacterial cleaner for soft furnishings, leather and plastics. MX14 Aero removes ink and stain marks from leather and soft furnishings. It can also be used on interior parts including plastics in galleys, seats and lavatories, and has just gained EN1040 certification for its antibacterial qualities. The company planned to launch the product at Aircraft Interiors Expo, which was to be held in Hamburg, Germany, at the end of March 2020, but brought the launch forward after the show was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Flitetec's customers include major airlines, helicopter manufacturers and MRO companies in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America. "We took the decision to launch MX14 Aero immediately following the escalation of COVID-19," said Trevor Lea, managing director at Flitetec. "The outbreak has affected all sectors of the economy, especially aviation. Following the safety directive recently issued by EASA, MX14 Aero will help to combat the spread of coronavirus, with EASA recommending that airlines on all routes step up the frequency of cleaning as a preventative measure. "MX14 is formulated to not only comply with the required regulations and conform to rigorous aerospace specifications, but it is also the only cleaner in the industry to be 100% biodegradable, with no chlorines, bleaches or solvents, leading the way to a greener cabin and planet. All packaging is made of recyclable materials and it has refillable dispensers, so no single use plastic is involved." https://www.businessjetinteriorsinternational.com/news/covid-19/flitetec-launches-aviation-grade-cleaning-system.html Back to Top Transportation, Logistics Workers Deemed Essential During Coronavirus Crisis The transportation industry is critical for the movement of goods. But are all employees working for transportation and logistics companies "essential" during these unprecedented times of mandatory quarantines? New York joined California on Friday morning in ordering all nonessential workers to stay home. The Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers during the coronavirus pandemic. CISA Director Christopher Krebs said in a memorandum issued Thursday that the list of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers was developed to provide guidance to state and local governments. "As state and local communities consider COVID-19-related restrictions, CISA is offering this list to assist prioritizing activities related to continuity of operations and incident response, including the appropriate movement of critical infrastructure workers within and between jurisdictions," Krebs said. The memorandum said essential industries "represent, but are not necessarily limited to, medical and health care, telecommunications, information technology systems, defense, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, water and wastewater, law enforcement and public works." Krebs said, "As the nation comes together to slow the spread of COVID-19, everyone has a role to play in protecting public health and safety. Many of the men and women who work across our nation's critical infrastructure are hard at work keeping the lights on, water flowing from the tap, groceries on the shelves, among other countless essential services." The CISA guidance, as listed, identifies those essential in transportation and logistics as: Employees supporting or enabling transportation functions, including dispatchers, maintenance and repair technicians, warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, and workers who maintain and inspect infrastructure, including those that require cross-border travel. Employees of firms providing services that enable logistics operations, including cooling, storing, packaging and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use. Mass transit workers. Workers responsible for operating or dispatching passenger, commuter and freight trains and maintaining rail infrastructure and equipment. Maritime transportation workers - port workers, mariners and equipment operators. Truck drivers who haul hazardous and waste materials to support critical infrastructure, capabilities, functions and services. Automotive repair and maintenance facilities. Manufacturers and distributors, including service centers and related operations, of packaging materials, pallets, crates, containers and other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging staging and distribution operations. Postal and shipping workers, including private companies. Employees who repair and maintain vehicles, aircraft, rail equipment, marine vessels and the equipment and infrastructure that enables operations that encompass movement of cargo and passengers. Air transportation employees, including air traffic controllers, ramp personnel, aviation security and aviation management. Workers who support the maintenance and operation of cargo by air transportation, including flight crews, maintenance, airport operations and other on- and off-airport facilities workers. The Port of Oakland posted a link to the CISA list and reiterated Friday that it was exempt from shelter-in-place orders. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday night ordered all of the state's 40 million residents to stay home. "The port, airport and their supply chain partners are considered essential businesses and therefore exempt from shelter mandates," the Port of Oakland confirmed Friday morning. Also Friday morning, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state's residents, with the exception of those employed in essential jobs, will be required to stay home beginning "Sunday evening." "We're all in quarantine now," said Cuomo, adding that violators will face civil penalties. "I'm not kidding about that." Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) said it helped craft CISA's guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers. "We commend CISA for utilizing the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council and the Maritime Sector Coordinating Council in developing guidance on essential critical infrastructure workers," said DCA Chief Executive Officer William Doyle. DCA is a voting member of the Maritime Sector Coordinating Council. The food industry association FMI also commended CISA for including food and agriculture and transportation and logistics as part of the essential and critical infrastructure. "This allows grocery stores and their supply chain partners to maintain their daily operations," FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin said. "The supply chain continues to adapt to meet the new levels of demand and being deemed an essential workforce allows the industry to restock and replenish products across the country without interruption." In his task force update Friday, President Donald Trump said, "Truckers are making the long haul to keep stores stocked." He also said, "You're seeing very few empty shelves." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/transportation-logistics-workers-deemed-essential-192621403.html Back to Top Aircraft interior purification system adapted for ground use Aviation Clean Air (ACA) and International Aero Engineering have partnered to offer the ACA Ionization Purification System as a portable ion distribution unit for disinfecting aircraft interiors on the ground. The unit uses the same technology as ACA's airborne system, which is certified for aircraft installation by FAA Supplemental Type Certification (STC), but it has been adapted to meet the immediate need for decontaminating aircraft interiors while on the ground. The proactive bipolar ion distribution system kills pathogens and purifies air and surfaces by pushing air through the cabin and distributing ions throughout the aircraft interior. According to the partners, the electronically created positive and negative ions form from hydrogen and oxygen molecules in the water vapour present in the air and work as a cleaning agent to purify the air and surfaces. The technology replicates and accelerates nature's cleaning process that successfully inactivates airborne and surface viruses. The ground unit is a portable 110 VAC electric-powered ionisation and air blower unit that is placed on the floor of the cabin and activated for a period of time, ranging from one to two hours. Upon completion, the unit is powered off and removed from the aircraft, whereupon the cabin is safe for ground crew, technicians and other personnel to enter the aircraft. In addition to disinfecting and purifying the aircraft, the ionisation unit eliminates the quarantine requirement currently in place at many OEM aircraft maintenance facilities. "We have been working with aviation manufacturers, operators and service companies for many years, and we know how important it is to them and their customers to continue to keep the industry functioning, while also being vigilant about the current situation," said Jonathan Saltman, president and CEO of International Aero. "The partnership with Aviation Clean Air, which also has established industry relationships, allows us to provide a much-needed solution to effectively and efficiently deal with the enhanced levels of decontamination being undertaken." "Our Ionization Purification System has been installed on a variety of aircraft models and is proven to purify the air and surfaces onboard," added Howard Hackney, managing member of ACA. "Adapting the system for ground use provides not only effective cleaning and disinfecting of aircraft interiors - it offers a number of advantages. The proactive, natural purification process uses no chemicals and produces no harmful ozone or other emissions. It will also not damage fabrics or carpeting, as other disinfectants potentially could. In addition, it lessens the number of personnel required and downtime needed to conduct a thorough disinfection." Both ACA and International Aero Engineering International hold Approved Supplier status from several OEM aircraft manufacturers around the world. https://www.aircraftinteriorsinternational.com/news/passenger-health-safety/aircraft-interior-purification-system-adapted-for-ground-use.html Back to Top SpaceX, NASA aim for historic crew launch in mid-May despite coronavirus outbreak The first crewed orbital launch from American soil is scheduled to lift off just two months from now, despite the coronavirus outbreak. NASA and SpaceX are targeting mid- to late May for the launch of Demo-2, which will send agency astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, NASA officials confirmed in a media advisory on Wednesday (March 18). The flight, which will employ a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. KSC was the jumping-off point for the last homegrown orbital human spaceflight - STS-135, whose July 2011 launch kicked off the final mission of NASA's space shuttle program. (Suborbital flight is a different story: Virgin Galactic has launched two crewed test missions to suborbital space, in December 2018 and February 2019.) The Demo-2 target date is roughly in line with previous reports, which indicated SpaceX was aiming for an early May liftoff. But, like other launch targets, this one is not set in stone. The media advisory says that mid- to late May is the earliest possible window, and that NASA and SpaceX are closely tracking the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused widespread disruption to work and travel around the world. "NASA is proactively monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation as it evolves," NASA officials wrote in the advisory. "The agency will continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the agency's chief health and medical officer and communicate any updates that may impact mission planning or media access, as they become available." Demo-2 will be the second flight to the ISS for Crew Dragon. One of the capsules aced an uncrewed test flight to the orbiting lab, called Demo-1, in March 2019. If Demo-2 goes well, SpaceX can start prepping for contracted crew flights to the ISS, which the company will fly under a $2.6 billion deal it signed with NASA in 2014. (The cargo version of Dragon has flown many robotic resupply flights to the ISS for NASA, under a different contract.) Boeing also holds a NASA commercial-crew deal, a $4.2 billion contract that the aerospace giant will fulfill using a capsule called Starliner. But Starliner failed to reach the ISS as planned on its version of Demo-1, the Orbital Flight Test (OFT), which launched in December 2019. Post-flight analyses of OFT data revealed several software problems that Boeing needs to fix, NASA officials have said. So, it's unclear at the moment when Starliner will fly again. https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-may-launch-coronavirus.html Curt Lewis