May 14, 2020 - No. 034 In This Issue Aviation maintenance student pleads guilty to bribing test administrator on FAA exam AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE: WHAT TO DO DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS Airport Board denies fee waivers for Westjet, Dale Aviation, Moyle Petroleum NBAA Launches New Interactive Virtual Business Aviation Platform Embry-Riddle and GE Aviation Team Up to Enhance Flight Analytics and Aviation Safety Education MRO Touts Major Aircraft Mx During Covid Slowdown Duncan Aviation Satellite Locations Expand Battery Capabilities Rolls-Royce launches first immersive virtual reality training for business aviation customers Frankfurt Airport Ready to Fly Safely. After Demo-2: SpaceX is already prepping for 1st operational Crew Dragon mission Aviation maintenance student pleads guilty to bribing test administrator on FAA exam A former aircraft maintenance student from Las Vegas has pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe a test administrator for a passing grade on his Federal Aviation Administration exam, prosecutors said Tuesday. A former aircraft maintenance student from Las Vegas has pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe a test administrator for a passing grade on his Federal Aviation Administration exam, prosecutors said Tuesday. Frank A. Jalion Amaro, 21, was charged in March after traveling to Duluth and offering to pay the FAA-designated examiner $2,500 to pass him on the agency's required Airframe and Powerplant test, authorities said. The FAA requires mechanics to obtain the certification in order to perform aircraft maintenance and approve equipment for returns to service, officials said. Mechanic students must take 1,900 hours of classroom and practical training before passing several tests covering 43 technical subjects.Using an alias and fake phone number, prosecutors said Amaro contacted the instructor in November and tried to bribe him. The administrator immediately notified authorities of the solicitation attempt and agreed to work with them, federal prosecutors said. Over the next several weeks, Amaro and the FAA Examiner agreed that Amaro would take the Airframe and Powerplant examination in Duluth on Dec. 16. As part of the agreement, Amaro paid the test administrator $500 up front and another $2,000 the day of his test in exchange for the passing score. "The public trusts that the men and women who perform maintenance on commercial aircraft have the proper credentials and qualifications," U.S. Attorney BJay Pak said in a statement. "By attempting to buy his certification, Amaro took the easy way out and could have put the safety of those citizens who fly in jeopardy."Amaro pleaded guilty to one count of criminal information with bribery, authorities said. It wasn't immediately clear if his sentencing hearing has been scheduled. https://www.ajc.com/news/crime--law/aviation-maintenance-student-pleads-guilty-bribing-test-administrator-faa-exam/xuKW52gRY2xt4t2WCGvsoI/ Back to Top AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE: WHAT TO DO DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS The weather finally turned warm here in New England, and people have begun flocking to the local home stores to buy grass seed, flowers, mulch, and all sorts of landscaping supplies. It seems that even during a pandemic, homeowners are embracing the importance of maintaining, improving, and protecting their property. It's important that you do the same for your aircraft. Although some of the regulations governing airmen have been temporarily relaxed or extended, the regulations governing aircraft maintenance remain steadfastly in place. This is because it's critically important that all aircraft, from the smallest LSA to the largest commercial transport aircraft, remain airworthy to safely perform their duties. The requirements for proper maintenance and inspection are even more important if your aircraft has been sitting dormant during the crisis. Aircraft begin to deteriorate from the moment that they are parked as the corrosion process starts on components that are no longer moving and receiving lubrication, seals begin to dry out, and the internal components of the engine lie dormant. Fortunately, aircraft maintenance facilities are considered essential businesses and remain open during the crisis. If you find yourself grounded, or simply don't have the mission or motivation to get airborne, consider this an ideal time to get your aircraft into the shop and ready for action as soon as the crisis passes. There's no rule that scheduled inspections or maintenance have to wait until the last minute; you can perform an annual inspection at any time and restart your aircraft's compliance calendar. Consider the following maintenance and inspections that can interrupt your routine flying schedule: Oil and filter changes. Annual/100-hour inspections. Pitot/static and altimeter checks. Transponder checks. Airworthiness directive inspections. Overhaul/replacement of life-limited components. Cleaning, polishing, and protecting the interior and exterior. This is an excellent opportunity to get ahead of the maintenance curve and clear your summer flying calendar of maintenance downtime. In addition, if your aircraft is not yet ADS-B compliant, this is the perfect time to remedy that. Only weeks ago, most people faced long wait times to get quotes and appointments for avionics work. If you were one of these people, try calling again because times have changed, a least a little. And, not only could you get the work done sooner, but the cost may have decreased as well. Many avionics companies are offering rebates and discounts on their products right now, so it pays to take advantage of these deals while supporting the industry that supports us. And that's a very important consideration. The general aviation industry is a fragile one-from our local FBOs and maintenance facilities to the engine; avionics; and other manufacturers that invest millions of dollars in research, development, and certification in the hopes that we (the aircraft owners) will keep flying and buy those products. If you're sitting on the fence about an upgrade for your aircraft, I would urge you to take the plunge. You'll be investing in your future as well as the future of others. In the not-so-distant future, when this crisis is in our rearview mirror, you could be happily flying behind that new engine or navigating with the new avionics you always wanted, knowing that you got the job done efficiently and cost effectively during a low point in our industry. And, you just might save someone's job in the process. For my part, I have been working to help pilots get real-time answers on important topics such as disinfecting and maintaining their aircraft through our weekly SocialFlight Live! webcast. These programs include maintenance experts such as the legendary Mike Busch, who will be providing additional insight about proper aircraft operation and maintenance in an upcoming show. You can register online at socialflightlive.com and ask questions during the program. You can also view previous programs on SocialFlight's YouTube channel. One last note on the maintenance industry: If you visited an avionics or maintenance shop a year ago, you would have seen technicians working 20 feet apart (or more) on different aircraft, wearing rubber gloves and other protective gear required to safely work around the chemicals and other dangers inherent to aircraft maintenance. About the only areas I can think of that have significantly changed to accommodate safe social distancing are the break room and the front desk. We were built for this. And, with a little help from aircraft owners, our industry will emerge strong, healthy, and ready for another great decade of aviation support. I hope you and your families remain safe and healthy, and wish you blue skies. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/may/12/aircraft-maintenance-what-to-do-during-the-covid-19-crisis Back to Top Airport Board denies fee waivers for Westjet, Dale Aviation, Moyle Petroleum Temporary financial relief requests from three aeronautical tenants at Rapid City Regional Airport were denied Tuesday by the Airport Board of Directors. Westjet Air Center and Dale Aviation penned a joint letter to the board asking for rent, airport fees and charges to be waived for 180 days, and the suspension of the 2020 rate adjustments for ground lease rates. A third aeronautical tenant, Moyle Petroleum, requested rent, airport fees and charges be waived for the remainder of 2020. "What we're looking for is some relief because general aviation is a vital part of the airport," Westjet Air Center President Linda Rydstrom said. "Without general aviation, you don't have fuel services to the airlines. We back up airlines if they need help with de-icer, if they need help with equipment. We've actually had airlines come to us to see what we can do. We've also had other tenants and other users of the airport (come to us)." Dean Beresford, chief pilot for Moyle Petroleum, said his company's biggest concern was the landing fee charged for aircraft that weigh over 12,500 pounds. "Normally, based aircraft are exempt from this (fee)," Beresford said. "I've been paying bills for 30 years and I've never seen a based-operator getting charged landing fees. We're the only airplane on the airport that gets charged the landing fee that's based here." Rapid City Regional Airport will be receiving a $9.2 million grant through the federal CARES Act, which provides coronavirus relief. However, Airport Executive Director Patrick Dame said that grant is for the operations of the airport itself, not tenants. "The funds are obligated to airport operations, maintenance and debt service. They are not there to provide direct benefits to aeronautical tenants," Dame said. "There are other federal programs tenants are eligible for and we hope they have taken advantage of them." Airport Board Vice President Rod Pettigrew said he understands that the airport's general aviation tenants are experiencing financial difficulties because of the drop in air travel due to the coronavirus, but the loss is no different than what other businesses in Rapid City are going through. "Just because you're located on this field, in my opinion - and this is not the opinion of the board - I don't think you are entitled to any special benefits other than a guy on Main Street Rapid City going through the same thing," Pettigrew said. Dame said on the aeronautical side of the airport's service, the staff is very limited on what they can do because of fair treatment regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration. "On the non-aeronautical side, we have more leeway to work on that. If we start waiving fees on the aeronautical side, there are more stipulations that we go through in creating equality between groups on the airport," Dame said. "We want to work to benefit everybody on the airfield without putting ourselves in a situation where we are picking and choosing who gets benefits and who doesn't." Dame said with the emergency CARES grant, the airport will be able to pay its bills, do maintenance on the field, and cover expenses to prevent tenants from having to pay more in the future. "Airport management intends to continue to operate the airport and will submit operating costs to the CARES Act grant, which will prevent us from reducing our reserves and aid us in continuing to conduct business," he said. "This will also allow us to do maintenance projects in the future to prevent additional expenses on aeronautical users. Those projects that would otherwise get deferred, due to lack of airport revenue, can proceed with government assistance at 100% federal funding. This will allow us to spread the benefit across all aeronautical users." https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/airport-board-denies-fee-waivers-for-westjet-dale-aviation-moyle-petroleum/article_fec6bb24-0d2b-50f3-a02a-1db573f0ef1a.html Back to Top NBAA Launches New Interactive Virtual Business Aviation Platform As our personal and professional lives move through the drastic changes the world is experiencing, aviation associations like the National Business Aviation Association are moving fast to re-tool content delivery systems to maintain their usual high level of educational benefits. NBAA's new GO Virtual Interactive Platform is an example of the shifting mindset association executives are working with to keep members engaged and updated. NBAA GO (short for "Go Online") initially launched with pre-recorded and interactive live content that delivers the latest advancements, best practices, and progress in the business aviation industry, all aimed at industry professionals. With nearly 40 hours of available content currently being offered, NBAA GO virtual sessions provide access to important educational programs available anytime. "We're extremely excited to offer this new, interactive product to business aviation professionals seeking to further their education about the latest developments in our industry," said Jo Damato, CAM, NBAA vice president of educational strategy and workforce development. "Especially during this difficult time, it's more important than ever that business aviation professionals remain informed and engaged. The platform is open to everyone right now at introductory member pricing regardless of their membership status." The new interactive platform will initially feature sessions tied to three NBAA staple events that were canceled or curtailed for 2020 because of the COVID-19 crisis. These include the following virtual events: Virtual IOC2020: The 2020 NBAA Virtual International Operators Conference sessions will focus on the latest critical safety and security information, and they were launched on April 30. New sessions will be available weekly on Thursdays at 11 am EDT. Virtual MC2020: The education sessions at the 2020 NBAA Virtual Maintenance Conference will cover new ways of doing business and best practices in aircraft maintenance. This virtual conference launched May 4 with a free keynote presentation offering the latest regulatory updates from the FAA, and new sessions will be available weekly on Mondays at 2 pm EDT. Virtual SDC2020: This virtual conference will feature a combination of 2020 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference sessions recorded live on-site in Charlotte, North Carolina, in early March. New sessions recorded virtually will keep members up-to-date on the latest operational information critical to business aviation, with an emphasis on building resilience in the face of challenges. Virtual SDC2020 sessions are available now and more will be added by May 15. Each session includes a live question-and-answer portion allowing attendees to engage virtually with session presenters and other industry professionals. Live sessions and Q&A will also be recorded for on-demand consumption. Additionally, nearly every NBAA GO online interactive session is eligible for quarter-point credit toward initial or recurrent Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) approval." NBAA GO will include all of the scheduled education sessions planned for SDC2020, IOC2020 and MC2020 that lend themselves well to the virtual format," Damato added. "While these interactive online sessions are in no way intended to replace the experience of attending an NBAA conference in person, during this difficult time NBAA GO offers an exciting and innovative way for business aviation professionals to continue their engagement with education about our industry." https://www.flyingmag.com/story/news/nbaa-go-virtual-business-platform/ Back to Top Embry-Riddle and GE Aviation Team Up to Enhance Flight Analytics and Aviation Safety Education A new partnership between Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and GE Aviation is improving aviation safety education by providing students and faculty with access to a leading flight data analytics platform - opening doors to additional applied learning and research opportunities. "Embry-Riddle intends to use the software on all campuses in our aviation safety education courses and programs, and to improve operational efficiency for flight and fleet maintenance in our flight departments," said Dr. Alan Stolzer, dean of the College of Aviation on Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Florida, campus. "This software, in particular, gives us a huge competitive advantage over other flight and educational programs." The university worked for more than a year to identify the best flight data monitoring tool for its use, said Stolzer. GE Aviation's Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) program is powered by the company's flight analytics platform - the Event Measurement System (EMS). It's the "gold standard" and is used by the majority of domestic and international airlines, and general aviation, Stolzer said. "Embry-Riddle is the leading aviation school in the world, so it was the right thing to do," said Bob W. Whetsell, director of safety programs with GE Aviation's Digital Group. "We feel that helping students learn on the tools that are actually being used in the field is very important." Airlines, the military and many significant corporate aviation operations use flight data monitoring to detect conditions outside of normal, predetermined parameters and trends. Educational and Research Advantage While the software will assist Embry-Riddle with its fleet operations, the partnership's primary focus is on students. "Giving our students hands-on experience with the industry's state-of-the-art flight data analysis program makes them highly competitive for positions in the safety programs of every major airline in the world," Assistant Professor of Aerospace & Occupational Safety Dr. Kimberly J. Szathmary said. The FOQA program allows for data visualization with animation and enables users to look for trends and detect precursors to incidents or accidents, she said. "Additionally, I envision master's and Ph.D. students, as well as faculty members, using the software for research into real-world, pressing aviation safety problems," Szathmary said. The university's Flight Data Analysis Lab will also allow for collaboration with industry and aviation experts and offer professional education for aviation safety professionals. "GE Aviation's FOQA program will give us myriad opportunities for research in data analytics, fuel consumption modeling and other areas," Stolzer said. https://www.aviationpros.com/education-training/safety-training/press-release/21138019/ge-aviation-embryriddle-and-ge-aviation-team-up-to-enhance-flight-analytics-and-aviation-safety-education Back to Top MRO Touts Major Aircraft Mx During Covid Slowdown California-based aviation services provider Sun Air Jets has completed a major inspection project on a customer's Gulfstream G550 at its Part 145 repair station. With the industry facing reduced demand for private jet charter, the client viewed this as an opportunity to conduct the project, which included 12/24/36/48/72 and 144-month inspections. That five-week project, conducted at the company's Camarillo Airport headquarters, entailed the disassembly of the long-range twinjet's landing gear, fuselage, interior, and tail section; a detailed inspection with operational checks; and then the reassembly of the aircraft for return to service. "Aircraft owners are looking at their schedules for the rest of the year and are choosing to utilize the current slowdown to conduct large-scale maintenance events, helping free up the airplane for the rest of the year," said Rob Cox, the company's executive v-p of maintenance. "We schedule all other minor maintenance events around the owner's normal schedule, minimizing the required downtime for scheduled maintenance." In addition to its MRO services, Sun Air operates an FBO and its own diverse charter fleet, including Gulfstream, Bombardier, Cessna, Hawker, and Dassault jets. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-05-13/mro-touts-major-aircraft-mx-during-covid-slowdown Back to Top Duncan Aviation Satellite Locations Expand Battery Capabilities Duncan Aviation has more than two dozen avionics satellite locations at some of the busiest airports across the United States. These shops, usually a short distance from customer hangars, offer a wide range of avionics line and install services along with a few new additions. One of these new additions includes main ship and emergency power battery capabilities, which are available at 19 Duncan Aviation Satellite locations. "All of the main Duncan Aviation Satellite locations can offer a form of this service to business and commercial aviation operators. The primary objective of this new capability is to take advantage of the avionics competencies we've built throughout the network and support customer needs and requests," says Satellite Operations Manager Matt Nelson. Duncan Aviation has added main-ship battery maintenance capabilities in Bedford, Mass., Morristown, N.J., Ft. Worth, Texas, and Atlanta, Ga. to go along with our Satellites in Denver, Colo. and St. Paul, Minn., which have had this capability for some time. A few other locations will be adding this capability down the road in order to continue serving local customers. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/maintenance-providers/mro/press-release/21137895/duncan-aviation-duncan-aviation-satellite-locations-expand-battery-capabilities Back to Top Rolls-Royce launches first immersive virtual reality training for business aviation customers Rolls-Royce continues to ensure support for its global customer base by offering immersive Virtual Reality technology for customer training. "The latest addition to the remote training programme is an instructor-led distance learning course, providing a comprehensive overview of the construction, design and operation of the Rolls-Royce BR725 engine that powers Gulfstream's current flagship G650 business aircraft family. After completion of this comprehensive two-day training course, participants will be able to service the engine and undertake non-routine maintenance." Andy Robinson, SVP customers and services - Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce, said: "Rolls-Royce has been the leading engine supplier for business aircraft for more than two decades thanks to our continued commitment to the highest levels of service support. We are tremendously proud to have been voted number one in the latest Engine Product Support Services Survey of Aviation International News (AIN) by our operators. Digitalisation plays a vital role in in bringing our IntelligentEngine vision to life; we use it to design, test and maintain our engines. This new immersive live Virtual Training tool is nothing short of a game-changer - it makes us the leader in technical training and allows customers to participate in the new training, wherever they are in the world. They just need an internet connection, and the required VR equipment, which will be shipped directly to their door," Andy added. Lee Bradshaw, director of Technical Operations, Cox Aviation, said: "The new Virtual Reality maintenance course is a great example of the innovative thinking that is needed to meet the challenges of our ever-changing world. This programme allows each student to immerse themselves in an augmented environment full of realistic images, interactive functions and auditory feedback to delve deeper into the engine like never before. The course complements the industry-leading service already provided by Rolls-Royce and is another reminder of why this company is pioneering the way in creative solutions for the future." https://www.arabianaerospace.aero/rolls-royce-launches-first-immersive-virtual-reality-training-for-business-aviation-customers.html Back to Top Frankfurt Airport Ready to Fly Safely Amid the continuing coronavirus pandemic, Frankfurt Airport is getting ready to ramp up passenger flights again. Fraport, its owner and operator, is taking comprehensive steps to prevent contagion in the currently used areas of Terminal 1 and comply with the requirements imposed by the responsible health authorities. "We attach top priority to the safety and health of our passengers and employees," says Alexander Laukenmann, who heads Fraport AG's Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security unit. "We are now implementing a wide range of measures to minimize the risk of infection and ensure that passengers can travel safely via Frankfurt Airport." The entire aviation industry has joined forces to define consistent measures. Many of these have already been put into practice in Frankfurt: the waiting areas in front of the check-in counters, at the boarding pass and security checkpoints, and the baggage claims have all been reorganized to ensure that passengers can keep at least a meter and a half (five feet) apart. Markings on the floor help them do so. This also holds for all other processing points where it can be necessary to wait in line. In rest areas, only every other seat may be used. Posters, digital displays, and PA announcements in multiple languages additionally call passengers' attention to the social distancing rules. Trained agents circulating in the terminal also watch out and remind them if they forget. Everywhere that passengers and employees need to directly interact, plexiglass shields provide additional protection for both. When front-line staff are unable to maintain the required distance due to the nature of their work, for instance at security checkpoints, they are required to wear face masks at all times. This also applies to passengers if they board buses or enter shops at the airport. The possibility is currently being considered of obliging all passengers, guests, meters & greeters, and employees to don a mask when entering the terminals. A large number of hand disinfectant dispensers have also been installed around the terminal, and frequently touched surfaces are now cleaned and disinfected more often than usual. "In order for these preventive measures to be truly effective," adds Laukenmann, "everyone has to do the right thing by consistently maintaining the prescribed distance from others. We have already taken appropriate steps in all areas that are currently being used or will be in the near future, and are working hard to get the rest of the airport ready as well." https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/buildings-maintenance/press-release/21137888/fraport-frankfurt-airport-services-worldwide-frankfurt-airport-ready-to-fly-safely Back to Top After Demo-2: SpaceX is already prepping for 1st operational Crew Dragon mission SpaceX's first crewed mission is just the beginning, and the company is already gearing up for what comes next. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch the company's Crew Dragon capsule on May 27 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, sending NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station (ISS). The flight, called Demo-2, will be SpaceX's first-ever crewed mission, and the first orbital human spaceflight to depart from U.S. soil since NASA's space shuttle fleet was grounded in July 2011. But Demo-2 is far from a climax; as its name suggests, it's a demonstration mission, a test designed to show that the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon are ready to begin operational astronaut-toting flights. SpaceX is committed to fly six operational crewed missions, under a $2.6 billion deal the company signed with NASA in 2014. And the wheels are already turning on the first of them, known as Crew-1, which will send NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japan's Soichi Noguchi to the ISS for a six-month stay. On April 24, for example, SpaceX put the Crew-1 Falcon 9 through its paces, performing "static fire" tests on both of the rocket's stages at the company's facility in McGregor, Texas. During static fires, rocket engines light up briefly while the vehicle is secured to the ground. (The Falcon 9 first stage is powered by nine Merlin engines; the upper stage sports a single Merlin.) And Crew-1 astronaut training is already "well underway," SpaceX representatives said via Twitter on May 1. That tweet included photos of the suited-up crewmembers, presumably at the company's headquarters in Southern California, where the Crew-1 capsule resides - for now. "We should be shipping that vehicle [to Florida] in the next few months and prepping for the first operational mission," SpaceX president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell said during a Demo-2 news conference on May 1. SpaceX plans to get Crew-1 off the ground sometime this year, but a specific timeline has not yet been announced. That won't happen until Demo-2 is in the books and SpaceX and NASA teams have had a chance to assess the test flight and its reams of data. And we don't know when such an assessment can begin, because it's unclear at the moment when Demo-2 will come back to Earth. That decision won't be made until after launch, NASA officials said. "When we get on orbit, we'll again look at the vehicle systems and how it's performing, how Dragon's doing," Steve Stich, deputy manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said during a different Demo-2 briefing on May 1. "We'll be looking also at the readiness for the Crew-1 mission later this year, and then at a time during the mission, we'll decide exactly how long we'll fly the mission." The minimum Demo-2 length is about a month and the maximum is around 119 days, Stich added. That upper limit is imposed by solar-array degradation, which is caused by atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit, he said. (The operational version of Crew Dragon, such as the capsule that will fly Crew-1, is designed to last 210 days in space, SpaceX representatives have said.) Demo-2 will be the second visit to the ISS for a Crew Dragon. One of the capsules aced an uncrewed mission to the orbiting lab called (you guessed it) Demo-1 in March 2019. And SpaceX routinely flies robotic resupply missions to the ISS for NASA with a cargo version of Dragon, under a different contract with the space agency. Aerospace giant Boeing is preparing to launch NASA astronauts as well, under its own Commercial Crew contract. But Boeing isn't quite ready for its first crewed flight. During the company's version of Demo-1, which launched this past December, Boeing's CST-100 Starliner capsule suffered several software issues, including a glitch that caused the craft to get stuck in the wrong orbit for an ISS rendezvous. Starliner will refly the uncrewed ISS mission before taking astronauts aboard, Boeing representatives announced last month. https://www.space.com/spacex-preparing-crew-1-dragon-mission-nasa.html Curt Lewis