February 2, 2017 - No. 010 In This Issue Hong Kong's new air traffic control system overcomes teething pains to handle Lunar New Year surge Lufthansa, Etihad Deepen Ties With Catering, Maintenance Pacts TNA 2017 Product Line to be Assembled in the United States First drone delivery flight conducted in Ireland Avion Unmanned Launches Online UAS Training Portal Diapers on display as Boeing campaigns against Machinists in S. Carolina vote BEUMER Group to Highlight Next-Generation End-to-End Baggage Handling System at Inter Airport SEA 2017 Hong Kong's new air traffic control system overcomes teething pains to handle Lunar New Year surge Hong Kong's controversial new air traffic management system (ATMS) appeared during the Lunar New Year travel period to have surmounted its teething pains, with air traffic controllers handling more flights than ever before. The city's aviation chief hailed the reliability of the new ATMS, which managed an average of 2,055 daily flight and overflight movements - up 3 per cent from the same period last year, when the old system was used.During the holiday period, the HK$1.56 billion system clocked 11 consecutive days of handling more than 2,000 flight movements. The new system is capable of handling up to 8,000 flight movements a day - five times more than its predecessor. The figures are significant as Hong Kong International Airport prepares for more flights ahead of the third runway expansion. The two existing runways are operating at close to full capacity. Several notable problems had dogged the Raytheon Auto Trac III system since its introduction in November, resulting in delays and flight disruptions. An expert panel was formed to ensure smooth operation of the system and to assuage doubts about the Civil Aviation Department's capability of handling the new flight technology. Simon Li Tin-chui, director general of civil aviation, praised the controllers for their dedication and diligence in providing round-the-clock air traffic services to the public. He characterised the air traffic services as "safe, efficient and smooth" amid a surge in air traffic flow within Hong Kong air space. A department spokeswoman said the record figures were "the best proof of the outstanding performance of the air traffic control staff and the new ATMS in the face of persistently high demand for services". The average number of daily take-offs and landings during the festive period reached 1,155. Meanwhile, the average number of overlights hit 900 over the region, up 8 per cent on last year. At the end of last year, the airport welcomed 70 million passengers. The milestone capped a two- year span of breakneck growth, as the airport greeted 60 million passengers at the end of 2014. https://www.thestreet.com/story/13975751/2/hong-kongs-new-air-traffic-control-system- overcomes-teething-pains-to-handle-lunar-new-year-surge.html Back to Top Lufthansa, Etihad Deepen Ties With Catering, Maintenance Pacts Long-time adversaries Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Etihad Airways PJSC announced deals covering catering and aircraft maintenance and said the agreements could act as a springboard to a broader alliance. While the accords amount to contract wins for Lufthansa worth more than 200 million euros ($216 million), the carriers said they're targeting further tie-ups in cargo, procurement, information technology and new code-share routes, and could form a full joint venture, the closest relationship available to airlines from different regions. The German carrier said its also open to cooperation with Alitalia SpA, in which Etihad has a 49 percent stake. The companies are drawing closer as Lufthansa struggles to cut costs and add low-cost flights amid union opposition, just as Abu Dhabi-based Etihad grapples with losses from European investments. James Hogan, who leads the Mideast group, said Wednesday's announcements mark a "major step" and that closer ties to the German carrier would bring vital "scale," while his counterpart Carsten Spohr said talks are already underway on a deeper deal. "This is just the beginning of something that could be of significant size," Spohr told Bloomberg Television following a joint ceremony in Abu Dhabi. "Today marks the start. I think there's room for more. A joint venture could be a potential next step, and there are other ideas." Modest Beginnings The initial accords between the carriers are modest, with Lufthansa's Sky Chefs arm set to provide in-flight food to Etihad at 16 cities worldwide under a $100 million contract. The Lufthansa Technik maintenance unit will also explore cooperation with Etihad Aviation Group and its partner carriers, according to Spohr, who said that deal may be worth more than 100 million euros. Hogan, who plans to stand down later this year, said the accords with Lufthansa are "the most significant" struck by his company outside of its investments in so-called "equity alliance" partners, and will form a "platform for a much wider strategic collaboration." Spohr said the carriers still hold "different perspectives" on a range of topics and restated his opposition to the funding of airlines through state aid, something he has previously claimed helped Etihad and Gulf peers Qatar Airways and Emirates became major global players. All the same, the pair will be "putting these differences aside," he added. Lease Deal Lufthansa is struggling to keep pace with network rivals including British Airways owner IAG SA, in which Qatar Air has a 20 percent stake, just as discount operators led by Ryanair Holdings Plc eat away at its market share on short-haul routes. Etihad has failed to halt losses at Air Berlin Plc and Italian flag carrier Alitalia SpA, in which it has built up holdings as part of the equity alliance tying together eight carriers spanning Europe to Australia. Etihad and Lufthansa began working together in 2016, announcing a code-share -- or joint sales -- agreement covering four routes and brokering a deal for Air Berlin to supply 38 surplus planes and crews to the larger German carrier. The lease contract is worth 1.2 billion euros over six years, Hogan revealed, while Spohr said talks are underway about the addition of further code-share destinations as early as next winter. Etihad will also relocate terminals next to Lufthansa in Frankfurt and Munich to aid cooperation. Both carriers have announced plans for major Europe-Mideast initiatives in the past, only for them to fail to materialize. Etihad said in 2012 that a code-share pact with Air France-KLM Group could become a "much larger strategic partnership," while Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines were exploring a deal as recently as September 2015. Under joint venture agreements, which require antitrust immunity, airlines can effectively operate as a single carrier on specified routes, coordinating timetables and sharing costs and revenue. Asked whether Etihad had considered seeking a stake in Lufthansa, Hogan said that the planned partnership is "not about equity," but "the right strategy for the market." He added that the Gulf carrier won't give up on its minority partners, and that while Chairman Mohamed al Mazrouei has said the alliance needs adjusting, he has also "been very clear that the investment in those equity airlines continues." The task at Air Berlin, where the fleet will be cut by half as aircraft transfer to Lufthansa and TUI AG, is one of rebuilding the company, he said after being questioned about whether it might be sold. Lufthansa executive Harry Hohmeister, who runs the German group's network airlines, said on the fringes of the Abu Dhabi event that cooperation with Italian flag-carrier Alitalia is something the airline could potentially pursue as it works more closely with Etihad. Hogan also said that Lufthansa has held talks with some of Etihad's European equity partners, without being more specific. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-01/lufthansa-etihad-deepen-ties-with- catering-maintenance-pacts Back to Top TNA 2017 Product Line to be Assembled in the United States St. Augustine, FL - Jan 31st 2017 - TNA Aviation Technologies, a leading supplier of highly advanced semi-robotic aircraft tugs and ground support equipment in North America, announced it would assemble its aircraft tugs in the USA. The company, which prides itself on supplying unique state-of-the-art ROTV's (Remote Operated Tug Vehicle's) and a wide range of German designed and innovative towbarless airplane re-positioning systems for the aviation industry, is now assembling its products in the United States. "We are thrilled to launch our TowFLEXX 2017 model year product line that was complemented with many new systems and very innovative advancements", says co-owner and managing partner of TNA Aviation Technologies, Michael Turwitt. "Our passion and dedication to providing quality aircraft tugs is already well known throughout the general aviation industry. We are pleased to offer a wider range of aircraft tugs in 2017." The company revealed that its new 2017 product line has already integrated the company's latest models as of January, and while the tugs will be finally assembled locally right here in the USA, future designs will continue to be developed by its highly skilled joint team of German and American engineers. Uli Nielen, co-owner and managing partner of TNA had this to say, "We are very pleased to offer the most comprehensive and complete product line of aircraft tow systems for aircraft as small as 4,000 lbs MTOW all the way up to large wide cabin corporate jets and airliners like Boing 737 or Airbus A320 in the 200,000 lbs MTOW range." Unlike traditional aircraft tow tugs, TowFLEXX aircraft re-positioning systems from TNA allow customers to utilize hangar and apron space to much higher extend. Further, TNA has made it even easier for operators to move aircraft faster and safer at lower cost. TNA Aviation Technologies continues the company's pledge to drive innovation and deliver best-in- class aircraft tug solutions to aviation businesses in North and South America. The company's commitment to foster advanced technology and its undoubted future in the aviation industry led to an increasing amount of corporate flight departments, FBO's, charter companies, airlines, and hangar owners taking a keen interest in TNA's aircraft tug products. The TowFLEXX electrical towbarless tug vehicles combine revolutionary technology, unrivalled flexibility, unique practicability, unparalleled quality, and convenience, making it the most ingenious aircraft tow system in the industry. About TNA Aviation Technologies TNA Aviation Technologies, a division of Turwitt, Nielen & Associates, P.A., is the exclusive American distributor for German designed aircraft ground handling tugs, known in Europe under the brand Flyer-Truck® and TugMAXXE®. These advanced electric towbarless aircraft tow tugs are easy to operate and offer limitless flexibility. The company provides modern solutions to all aircraft moving and ground support needs for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters between 2,000 lbs. (910 kg) up to 220,000 lbs. (100 tons) MTOW. The company offers best-in-class products that meet the needs of a diverse aviation marketplace, from private aircraft owners, FBO's, MRO's, charter and corporate flight operators, airlines, military and law enforcement. TNA Aviation Technologies is a member of the NBAA. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12300517/tna-2017-product-line-to-be-assembled-in- the-united-states Back to Top First drone delivery flight conducted in Ireland The first Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) approved parcel delivery by drone successfully took place on Saturday 28 January, in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin. The flight was organised by ten-year old Belle Moore as part of her project on drones for the Intel Mini Scientist Competition. During the 2min flight, the drone delivered a 250g parcel from the shoreline to a boat at sea almost 200m away in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin. Fixed to the underside of the drone in a waterproof container, the parcel includes medical supplies such as an emergency thermal blanket, an Epi-pen, bandages, plasters, thermometer, first aid leaflet, gloves, wipes and burn dressings. IAA safety regulation director Ralph James said: "We're delighted with the success of the first official parcel delivery in Ireland via drone under controlled conditions, which met all regulatory requirements. "The application of drone technology is vast and the IAA will continue to foster, promote and encourage its use with the emphasis, as always, on safety. "A significant amount of research is taking place all over the world to design systems, which will enable drones to safely integrate with manned aviation. "Drone delivery systems is one such application. Whatever procedures are introduced in the future must guarantee the safety of manned aviation and the safety of people on the ground in urban areas." FlyRyte Drone and Pony Express Couriers were also involved in the recently conducted flight. http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsfirst-drone-delivery-flight-conducted-in-ireland- 5727796 Back to Top Avion Unmanned Launches Online UAS Training Portal HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Training Team at Avion Unmanned in Huntsville, AL announces the launch of their Online UAS Training Portal. Designed and developed to prepare groups and individuals in law enforcement and the commercial sector for the challenges they face in the operation of UAS (drones) in the National Airspace System (NAS), the UAS training portal offers self-paced remote training that encompasses recently released Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) UAS regulations. Avion Unmanned is the UAS division of Avion Solutions, Inc. Backed by over 20 years' experience developing equipment and training for the US Military, the portal utilizes the cloud-based TalentLMS (Learning Management System) in collaboration with seasoned aviation instructors. Training includes courses in aircraft systems, aerodynamics, flight control software, weather, airspace, etc. from the Part 107 Remote Pilot Exam. Based on the 5-day in-person training course, the Online UAS Training Portal allows students to experience the same proven training criteria used to educate law enforcement and public agencies. Commercial UAS is proving to be the next big technology boom across the globe! Avion Unmanned is leading the push for safety standards and quality training to support the long- term growth and adoption of drones by modern industry. "The only way to be effective with a tool is to be properly trained how to use it," says Taylor Abington, Avion's UAS Program Manager. "By enrolling in Avion's online UAS training, you are sure to be trained to operate your UAS legally, effectively, and most importantly, safely." Dan Carbone, a retired US Army Maintenance Test Pilot/Instructor Pilot for the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter platform, spearheaded efforts to make the training comprehensive, relevant, and available at a competitive price. "This is the first opportunity for commercial and public groups in the civilian market to experience this caliber of comprehensive learning," he says. This elite online training is accessible anywhere in the world for a fraction of the cost of onsite training, while maintaining the quality and integrity for which Avion is known. "As a member of the FAA's Know Before You Fly campaign, this online training is key to reaching a larger audience while promoting safe and legal flying, support for law enforcement operations, infrastructure inspections, real estate companies, and any of the myriad UAS operators out there," says Abington. Avion Unmanned is eyeing customizations to the standard training packages to address specific needs and organizations such as aerial photography for construction, mapping and photogrammetry, specific aircraft platforms, and programs that will only be available to police and emergency response units. About Avion Unmanned Avion Unmanned is a branch of Avion Solutions training assets geared toward UAS operations in the national airspace and fostering a positive environment for UAS industry growth in the US. Find Avion Unmanned Online Training Portal, course content, and associated costs at www.Avionsolutions.com/unmanned. Contact Steve Cope, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at (256) 327-7176. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12300800/avion-unmanned-launches-online-uas- training-portal Back to Top Diapers on display as Boeing campaigns against Machinists in S. Carolina vote Boeing is taking the gloves off to fight the Machinists union with everything it's got. Monday, it was a video that starts with a brooding, dark Seattle skyline looking pretty much like Mordor. Tuesday, a heaping pile of diapers. A vote by Boeing's production workers in North Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 15will determine if the International Association of Machinists (IAM) will represent them. It has sparked a feverish, over- the-top propaganda war. Every day, Boeing issues a new video on a company website dedicated to convincing the workers they should reject the union. Monday's video contrasts the current state of the plant in South Carolina, where workers "are creating a great future for our kids," with the divisiveness that the IAM allegedly could bring. To drive that home, it starts with an ominous Seattle skylinethat resembles the land of shadow from Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings."Turns out it's populated not by sword-wielding orcs, but by always-striking machinists holding picket signs. Not shown are the production lines in Renton and Everett, where those same machinists last year rolled out Boeing jets at record levels. On Tuesday, Boeing pulled a different stunt to grab the attention of its South Carolina employees. It set up two displays in workers' break rooms, one with a table overflowing with a huge pile of diapers and kids clothes, and the other with groceries. In each case it was said to be $800 worth - the amount the union would take out of an employee's paycheck every year in dues, a sign above the displays made clear. In case anyone wondered whether this was just heartless corporate messaging, Boeing promises to donate the items on display to the Lowcountry Orphan Relief Fund and Lowcountry Food Bank in South Carolina. The Machinists union's Facebook page for convincing Boeing workers to vote for union representation shows a photo of the diaper-laden table with lots of comments from IAM supporters. "There is a reason they don't want a union in the plant and it has nothing to do with saving the employees $800," posted David Story, an electrician at an IAM local in Alabama. "It has to do with saving the company from the negotiated wages." http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/diapers-on-display-as-boeing-campaigns- against-machinists-in-s-carolina-vote/ Back to Top BEUMER Group to Highlight Next-Generation End-to-End Baggage Handling System at Inter Airport SEA 2017 The BEUMER Group - a global supplier of automated baggage handling systems - will feature an end-to-end tote-based baggage handling and transport system in an immersive, virtual-reality tour on Stand A020 at Inter Airport South East Asia 2017, from 15-17 February 2017, at the Singapore Expo. Based on the CrisBag system, the tour will allow visitors to the BEUMER Group stand to experience the speed and efficiency of tote-based baggage handling via an Oculus Rift virtual-reality head-set. The tour will also reveal why many airports consider the tote-based system to be the next generation in energy-efficient baggage handling. The system's 'one bag per tote' concept also enhances security and process efficiency by providing 100 percent tracking and traceability by for each item of baggage throughout the check-in, sorting and screening processes. The CrisBagsystem is the one of the world's most widely-installed tote-based systems and is already installed in a number of international airport hubs including Changi Airport in Singapore. At Changi, CrisBag is used as a dual-purpose system for sorting baggage and for extensive baggage transfers between Terminals 1, 2 and 3. A CrisBag system has also been installed at Abu Dhabi Airport's new Midfield Terminal and additional CrisBag systems are installed for Changi Airport's new Terminal 4 building and at Calgary Airport, Canada. Other baggage handling systems from BEUMER Group's Crisplant range have been installed in airports throughout China, including Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Changsha and Nanjing. "BEUMER Group is helping airports throughout south-east Asia to respond to increased market demands by providing state-of-the-art technology and guidance on best practice. This combination enables airports to increase the capacity and efficiency of their baggage handling systems whilst minimising energy consumption," explains Klaus Schäfer, managing director, BEUMER Group A/S. About the BEUMER Group The BEUMER Group is an international leader in the manufacture of intralogistics systems for conveying, loading, palletising, packaging, sortation, and distribution. With 4,000 employees worldwide, the BEUMER Group has annual sales of about EUR 750 million. The BEUMER Group and its subsidiaries and sales agencies provide their customers with high-quality system solutions and an extensive customer support network around the globe and across a wide range of industries, including bulk materials and piece goods, food/non-food, construction, mail order, post, and airport baggage handling. For more information, please visit: www.beumergroup.com. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12300220/beumer-group-to-highlight-next- generation-end-to-end-baggage-handling-system-at-inter-airport-sea-2017 Curt Lewis