April 3, 2017 - No. 027 In This Issue Airbus and Boeing debut new jets on the same day. FAA To Offer More Breaks On Certification Honeywell Unveils The Power Of The Connected Aircraft At Aircraft Interiors Expo 2017 IATA to hold inaugural Aviation Data Symposium Embraer conducts first flight of E195-E2 aircraft How New Jersey is trying to become the 'Silicon Valley' for the commercial drone industry Nuctech introduces Airport Security Solution at 2017 Netherlands Passenger Terminal EXPO The Time Seems Right For Aviation To Embrace Biofuels American Airlines CEO continues push to reform 'broken' air traffic control system on CNBC UAS Symposium: FAA Can't Take On Cybersecurity Alone Things we learned after SpaceX's historic Falcon 9 relaunch and landing Airbus and Boeing debut new jets on the same day Airbus and Boeing both debuted new airliners on Friday. The Boeing 787-10 took off for the first time from the company's North Charleston, South Carolina facility for a four-hour-long test flight. Earlier in the day, the Airbus A319neo also made its maiden test flight from the company's factory in Hamburg, Germany to its headquarters in Toulouse, France. The newest 787 is the largest member of Boeing's state-of-the-art Dreamliner family with room for 330 passengers in a two-class layout. The Dash 10 is capable of holding 14 per cent more seats and can carry 15 per cent more cargo than the current 787-9. "I want to say thanks to the team. This is a big big milestone for us and our customers," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said on a webcast of the Dreamliner's first flight. With a range of 12,000km, the 787-10 is designed to make ultra-long-haul flights while delivering 25 per cent better fuel economy than existing airliners of its size. The plane, which was unveiled in February in a ceremony featuring President Trump, has been touted as a possible replacement for older versions of Boeing's game-changing 777-200ER. Currently, Boeing has taken 149 orders for aircraft which carries a list price of US$312.8 million (NZ$445 million) per plane. The 787-10's largest customers are Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines - each with 30 aircraft on order. According to Airbus, the A319neo's maiden flight was used to assess the aircraft's general handling characteristics and the functionality of its main systems. Even though the flight took off from Hamburg, the A319neo prototype's test program will be based out of Toulouse. The A319neo is the smallest member of Airbus' next generation neo or new engine option series of airliners. Based on the A320neo that's already in service, the A319neo has room for up to 160 passengers and is designed for short or medium range flights. In addition, the little Airbus will specialise in flights into or out of airports with tough operating conditions such as high altitude, high heat, or short runways. Thus far, Airbus has just 55 orders for the $99.5 million jet. It's largest customers are Frontier Airlines and Colombia's Avianca. Earlier this week, Embraer's new E195-E2 airliner also made its maiden flight. The next generation E2 took off from Embraer's facility in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil for a two hour test flight. http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/91130262/airbus-and-boeing-debut-new-jets-on-the-same-day Back to Top FAA To Offer More Breaks On Certification AOPA says the FAA is about to approve more liberalization of aircraft certification by relaxing some requirements for GA aircraft. In a story on its website, AOPA says the agency is ready to adopt less stringent standards for software, electromagnetic protection and lightning strike survival for equipment in light aircraft. Current standards apply to all aircraft uniformly, whether they're Boeing 777s or Cessna 172s. Building and demonstrating gear to that level of compliance isn't feasible for many companies focused on supplying the light end of the market and seriously drives up the costs for those that do. AOPA said the change is "nothing short of monumental" and "a banner moment that we've been advocating for years." "The FAA is striving to apply risk-based decision making to the certification process," Mel Johnson, acting manager at the Small Airplane Directorate in Kansas City, told AOPA. "As we review some of our past policies we see areas where the policy may have been appropriate for high-risk situations but not appropriate for lower-risk applications. By applying a risk-based approach we can ensure compliance while scaling the approach to certification. We anticipate that this will translate into more products being certified for the general aviation fleet that in turn will improve safety." Last year, the FAA agreed to allow Dynon and Garmin avionics originally designed for experimental aircraft to be installed in certified airplanes and two companies are at work getting similar approval for two-axis autopilots. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-To-Offer-More-Breaks-On-Certification-228751- 1.html Back to Top Honeywell Unveils The Power Of The Connected Aircraft At Aircraft Interiors Expo 2017 HAMBURG, Germany, April 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (HON) will be at the Aircraft Interiors Expo to showcase how connectivity impacts the aerospace industry well beyond passengers and the cabin. With thousands of its products on aircraft around the world, and more than 100 years of experience providing satellite communications, mechanics, engines, cockpit technology and more to the aerospace industry, Honeywell is well-positioned to lead the aerospace industry's Connected Aircraft evolution. The company's vast connectivity products and service offerings are opening up real-time data utilization in new ways - fueling an aggressive shift of the aviation industry into the digital age. "The aerospace industry is going through a monumental shift right now. Access to high-speed connectivity brought a revolution for passengers and their experience on a plane, but that's just the tip of the iceberg," said Kristin Slyker, vice president, Connected Aircraft, Honeywell Aerospace. "At Honeywell, we know the ultimate impact from connectivity will be felt beyond the cabin, unlocking critical data like weather information, engine usage, maintenance reporting and more that can be better shared and analyzed to help airlines improve efficiency and reduce costs." A New Era of Connected Aircraft Solutions From the cockpit to the cabin, Honeywell provides and is working on a unique suite of Connected Aircraft solutions for airlines, business jets, militaries, helicopters and enthusiast owners that spans satellite components and equipment to software and services. This broad product offering improves and, in some cases, redefines the flying experience: * Pilots now have more information about the flight environment than ever before. New technologies such as Honeywell's GoDirect Weather Information Service with real-time weather updates, connected flight management systems, and other connected services deliver increased flight efficiency and improved flight planning while providing pilots with expanded situational awareness for better decision-making. GoDirect Weather Information Service may save airlines from $25,000 to $100,000 per aircraft annually through avoiding hazardous conditions, reducing delays and diversions, lowering anti-ice usage, and decreasing maintenance costs and downtime. * Before the aircraft lands, maintainers will be able to identify components that will require maintenance or replacement - and ensure spare parts are available and ready for installation when it touches down. Honeywell is improving predictive analysis by wirelessly connecting more mechanical systems. For example, capturing and analyzing aircraft data on usage and wear will enable the connected auxiliary power units, environmental control systems, and wheels and brakes to be inspected more efficiently, undergo more rapid and streamlined maintenance processes, and realize lower costs. * Passengers now can benefit from truly global, high-speed inflight Wi-Fi. Enabled by the Honeywell JetWave satellite communications system, GX Aviation Ka-band service allows passengers to use their mobile devices while flying over land or oceans with speeds equivalent to their home and office. With 500 deliveries to date and nearly 1,000 upcoming, JetWave is taking in-flight Wi-Fi into the next generation. * Airlines can now improve operational efficiency as a result of better access to data. Real-time flight planning services help reduce flight time by up to 5 percent while decreasing delays. Honeywell's GoDirect Fuel Efficiency software collects data from airline IT systems to provide data analysis and reporting, identify operational savings opportunities, optimize fuel usage with as much as 5 percent annual fuel savings, and drive reduced emissions. The Connected Aircraft delivers safer, faster and more comfortable flights for passengers; reduces workload for pilots and maintainers; and reduces costs and increases ease of ownership for airlines. If you would like to learn more about Honeywell's connected aerospace solutions at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2017, Honeywell experts will be available at Booth #2E78 for further information. Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft, and its turbochargers are used by nearly every automaker and truck manufacturer around the world. The Aerospace business unit develops innovative solutions for more fuel-efficient automobiles and airplanes, more direct and on-time flights, safer flying and runway traffic, along with aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity services, logistics, and more. The business delivers safer, faster, and more efficient and comfortable transportation-related experiences worldwide. For more information, visit www.honeywell.com or follow us at @Honeywell_Aero and @Honeywell_Turbo. Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 software-industrial company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace and automotive products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/honeywell-unveils-power-connected-aircraft-060000908.html Back to Top IATA to hold inaugural Aviation Data Symposium The inaugural Aviation Data Symposium will provide a unique platform for experts to discuss data intelligence solutions in aviation. The symposium will be held from November 15-16 in Miami, USA. Some of the world's leading airlines, as well as air travel and trade experts, will debate how the power of data can help shape the future of aviation. "The use of data in aviation is a hot topic, and IATA is already very active in this area," says Charles de Gheldere, IATA Director, Financial and Distribution Services, Travel Intelligence. "But we didn't have a platform for a community to meet once a year to discuss various industry data topics. "We feel we can get more ideas for new product development, and this platform can also help us prioritize and align our efforts in data intelligence." Data already plays a huge role across aviation sectors, including distribution, safety, operations and maintenance. Andrei Grintchenko, IATA Head, Financial and Distribution Services Business Intelligence Projects, believes IATA must lead from the front in developing new data intelligence solutions. "At the moment, it doesn't seem that there is an over-arching industry-wide agenda on how to deal with data and different data-sharing models," says Grintchenko. "I think it's important to be at the front of the industry and put all of our efforts together. We want to elevate things one step higher and link different data viewpoints across the industry." Plenary sessions will feature discussions on general aspects of data management for airlines. Sessions will also focus on specific areas where data plays a key role. "You can also expect to gain more insight on the various data intelligence solutions out there for airlines, airports and suppliers," says de Gheldere. "Programs will be showcased, discussed and many of them will also be demonstrated. It's a unique opportunity to gain visibility on all the various data intelligence tools available for people in the industry." IATA's data initiatives-including Direct Data Solutions (DDS) and Passenger Intelligence Services (PaxIS)-will be among those demonstrated. "But we don't want to limit it to the IATA solutions," says de Gheldere. "There will definitely be some discussions and presentation around our products. But there will also be other third-party data solutions presented. There will be technology providers there too, making sense of whatever data-and data intelligence solutions-we will be discussing. "It's going to be a nicely rounded event, capturing not just the airlines sector, but expanding the discussion into wider travel and tourism." http://airlines.iata.org/news/iata-to-hold-inaugural-aviation-data-symposium Back to Top Embraer conducts first flight of E195-E2 aircraft Embraer has carried out the inaugural flight of E195-E2, the new member of its E2 aircraft family, ahead of schedule. During the 2h flight, the E195-E2 took off from Embraer's facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil, marking the beginning of the aircraft certification campaign. The aircraft is the largest plane of the E2 family. Two aircraft will be used for the E195-E2 certification campaign. The first prototype will be used for the aerodynamic and performance tests, while the second prototype will be used for the validation of maintenance tasks and of the interior. The latter will make its inaugural flight by the end of this year. The E195-E2 is scheduled to enter into service by the first half of 2019, with Azul Brazilian Airlines. Embraer commercial aviation COO Luís Carlos Affonso said: "With 1.4m longer wingspan than the E190-E2, the E195-E2 becomes the aircraft with the highest aspect ratio among single-aisle jets, thus increasing fuel efficiency. "We also applied experience from over 17 million hours of flight and 100 jet airline customers to develop the E195-E2 with the most competitive lifecycle cost in the industry." Compared with Embraer's current generation E195 aircraft model, the E195-E2 has three more rows of seats. The E195-E2 can be configured with 120 seats in two classes of service, or up to 146 in a single class. Embraer has so far secured 275 firm orders for its E2 family aircraft, including 90 for the E195-E2. The company has also won 415 options, purchase rights, and letters-of-intent, totalling 690 commitments from airline customers and leasing companies for the E2 family. http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsembraer-conducts-first-flight-of-e195-e2- aircraft-5775742 Back to Top How New Jersey is trying to become the 'Silicon Valley' for the commercial drone industry In a quiet corner of South Jersey, in a hanger built for the Second World War and stacked with history, a tech company hopes to help build the future. Luftronix, a startup working on navigation systems for small drones, has rented space in historic Hangar 1, the home of the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum at the Cape May County Airport. In a corner of the cavernous museum, the company plans to test and demonstrate a system using drones to inspect aircraft. There among the museum's collection of fighter jets, military planes and more is a de Havilland DHC-4 Caribou, a large-scale cargo plane leased by the county from the nearby Penn Turbo Aviation Inc. for the tests. Using a navigation system that allows it operate in areas without GPS, such as inside the hangar, the small multi-rotor drone glides slowly over the plane, mapping it and then inspecting it, according to Denise Spell, a spokeswoman for the company. This could be part of routine maintenance, or a search for damage after a lightning strike, a process she said can take hours. Luftronix has been looking for somewhere to test and demonstrate their systems, including potential locations in France and Poland, Spell said. "We were looking for a home where we could do this long term. We needed an aircraft, and we needed space," she said. They found both in Cape May County. Over five days in February the company demonstrated the process to representatives of airlines, government officials and other companies, she said, although she declined to identify which companies, because they have not yet signed any contracts. Luftronix is the second drone company to get involved at the county airport, but if Cape May County officials get their way, they will be far from the last. County officials see a bright future in drones - or as many prefer, UAS or unmanned aerial systems - and they're doing their best to make the county airport part of that future. Carole Mattessich, Cape May County's economic development coordinator, has been trying hard to make a welcoming home for up-and-coming UAS companies, including regular innovation meetings and the creation of what she's calling an incubation area, offering space to give new companies a chance to grow, while providing the structure that could allow them to draw investors. The county has also launched an annual UAS conference, with the second, held last October, focused on the business side of the new technology. Go drones, and grow rich in the future Tourism rules Cape May County's economy, and most economic development work has aimed at either drawing more visitors to the shore, or extending the tourism season beyond the summer. A county report last year found that visitors spent more than $6 billion in Cape May County in 2015, making up 65 percent of the county's economy. But it remains a seasonal business, and aside from the fishing industry, the hospital and the county itself, most jobs on the Jersey Cape depend on it in some way. That means a big spike in unemployment each winter, and a report published by NJ.com in 2015 put Cape May County's unemployment at 11.5 percent, the highest in the state. Mattessich hopes drones will be one way of improving those numbers. She and other county officials see high-paying tech jobs coming to the county, if they can make the area attractive enough to the new industry. "That will mean more available income and a draw for young people to start coming back to the county after they graduate from college," she said. She looked to Silicon Valley for inspiration, with a view to create an innovative community where companies interact and build on each other's success. Freeholder Will Morey, member of the county's governing body and a licensed pilot, said the county expects to offer interim space for their tech incubator within the next couple of months, with plans to demolish a huge, out-of-use light industrial building next year and replace it with a permanent home for the project soon after that. Other airports are also looking at drone projects, but Morey said "Cape May County is probably as active or more active than anywhere else in the state." As far as Luftronix goes, it seems to be working. Cape May County is the first site in the United States for the company, and Spell says they eventually want to put their headquarters and testing facility at the county airport. "It really makes it very attractive for a company like ours, and you know, Cape May County is a beautiful place to be," said Spell. Proponents also cite the county's proximity to the FAA's William J. Hughes Tech Center in Atlantic County as another plus for a Cape May County location for an industry still in its infancy, both in terms of the technology and the rules that will eventually govern it. And county government continues to press the matter. Last month, the county announced it had received authorization from the FAA to operate drones in an 800-mile airspace around the airport, an area that extends into Cumberland and Atlantic counties and across the Delaware Bay almost to Lewes. Morey described that as an important step, but perhaps not as important as creating a tech-friendly community, and help that community of innovators find the money to fly. "One thing that's going to make it attractive is to start developing an investor pool. We're hoping to establish those relationships, to work with the investor community, and bring awareness to what's going on in Cape May County," he said. Multiple uses The first drone tests in the county were performed by American Aerospace Technologies of Conshohocken, Pa. They started with a flight from an unused helicopter landing pad at the Coast Guard base in Cape May, according to David Yoel, the company CEO, and since then have moved operations to the county airport for four more flights. Before that, they would travel to remote locations like southwest New Mexico to fly without risk of violating FAA rules, which prohibit flying over people or populated areas. "We were having to travel to the far reaches of the country to really remote locations in order to be able to fly," Yoel said. South Jersey is far more convenient for his crew. While there's no desert in Cape May County, there are wide swaths of protected wetlands with no houses or people. And there is the far larger area of the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay. "We were able to take off and land in New Jersey and fly offshore, with no population risk," he said. The company has a truck which transports the drone and includes a cockpit for its operation. "We take it to the airport, set it up, put it together, check it out and then we fly it," he said. While Luftronix is testing tiny drones that can fly inside a hangar, American Aerospace is working on a much larger scale. The drone they're testing in Cape May County has a 17-foot fixed wingspan and can stay in the air for 12 to 16 hours, although their longest test so far has been about five hours, he said. The research they've been doing in Cape May County will help operate the flight system in the future. According to Morey, the test flights in the county have been line-of-sight so far, meaning someone is watching the entire flight. That can mean observers stationed along the flight path, in communication with the operator, or a spotter plane following the drone. But he expects to see the tests soon move beyond line of sight, relying on instruments and video. Yoel sees the technology being used in support of first responders, spotting fish for the commercial fleet, inspecting utility lines from the air, and helping with other projects. "At the end of the day, we're not going to be out there flying them for fun," said Yoel. In October, working with Verizon, the company tested what amounted to a drone-based cell tower, Yoel said. Next up is a planned large scale exercise in April, working with local emergency responders, to test providing communications support after a disaster, and to test using the drone's mapping sensors to help after a disaster strikes. "We could help emergency responders identify where people need help, and how to get there," he said. In October, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey coast hard. The barrier island towns throughout the county were cut off, and the Jersey Cape got off easy compared to shore resorts farther north. According to Yoel, about a quarter of the cell towers were knocked out by the storm, so a drone- mounted tower could make a big difference in post-disaster communication. For now, all this is only in the testing phase. It could be about a year before the emergency response element moves beyond testing and can be deployed in a real situation, he said, and perhaps five years for other applications, especially those in remote areas, such as inspecting crops or pipelines far from towns and cities. "We're eager for the day that drones are approved for routine operations. We didn't expect it to take this long," he said. Yoel expects it will be far, far longer before your Amazon order bombs in by drone. That involved far more complicated operations, within population centers, and in order to make economic sense, they would have to be operated by computer. If there is a pilot sitting somewhere flying the thing, you may as well just use the trucks you already have and pay a driver. But he said for now it's the FAA's rules that are slowing things down, rather than the advancements in technology. Not everyone welcomes drones In addition to Cape May County government, UAS industries have a vocal and influential advocate in U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, who heads a House subcommittee on aviation, and sees tremendous economic potential in drone industries. But after American Aerospace Technologies' tests were announced, some residents spoke against an expanded drone presence. Some raised privacy and safety concerns to the Board of Freeholders, and pushed for local action to keep drones out of their skies. In Ocean City, an ordinance banned drones around the city's small airport, effectively keeping private drone operators from flying almost anywhere on the island. That ordinance included a sunset provision, which was reached last September, so according to Ocean City spokesman Doug Bergen, the community now falls under the FAA rules. In 2015, the city of Cape May eyed a similar ordinance. Some objections have been more direct. On Sept. 26, a Lower Township man fired a shotgun at a private drone that had flown over his house. The remote-controlled helicopter drone was said to be worth more than $500. The man later pleaded guilty to criminal mischief. Similar private drones, most mounted with cameras, have become a common sight in the summer, flying over beaches, and sometimes capturing spectacular images of local events like Wildwood's annual polar plunge. Meanwhile, according to Morey, the technology incubators at the airport aren't limited to flying drones. "I don't think it's limited to that, but that's the focus. When we talk about unmanned, there are unmanned ground vehicles, unmanned water vehicles. Rutgers brought down an underwater drone, that comes back up to the surface and then flies away," he said. Set at the north end of Lower Township between the commercial hub of Rio Grande in Middle Township and the residential stretch of Lower known locally as The Villas, the Cape May County airport caters to private pilots. It has two runways, no tower, a diner, and extensive area that has been put to a variety of light industrial use. For years, local officials struggled to draw business back to the airport, with mixed success. That seems to have changed recently, with new businesses flocking to the airport, including the successful and rapidly expanding Cape May Brewing Company, and millions of dollars' worth of infrastructure improvements underway. The airport began as a pilot training center in World War II, and was leased to the county as a civilian airport after the war. In 1999, the two-state Delaware River and Bay Authority took over operation of the airport. Formed to oversee the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the DRBA also operates the Cape May-Lewes ferry and several other airports in Delaware and New Jersey. http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/102476-cape-may-county-is- betting-the-commercial-drone-business-will-take-off?linktype=hp_impact Back to Top Nuctech introduces Airport Security Solution at 2017 Netherlands Passenger Terminal EXPO AMSTERDAM, March 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Netherlands Passenger Terminal EXPO co- sponsored by IATA (International Air Transport Association) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol was held in RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre in Amsterdam from March 14-16, 2017. To welcome the visitors, Nuctech enriched its booth with Keyline the next generation airport security solution, Kylin the CT inspection system, trace exploder detector, and various cutting-edge products in aviation market such as Raman inspection system, MMW (millimeter wave) human body inspection system, and dual-view x-ray inspection system. As the main product in the EXPO, the CT inspection system Kylin drew attention from customers and experts. It is featured with dual-energy spiral CT detecting and an independent DR detecting system which allow it to get HD 3D color images, sliced CT images, and DR images. This high- throughput scanning system can fit in space-constrained locations well and automatically detect explosives, liquid explosives, and drugs without the need of the passengers to take all liquids and electronics out. Improving the passengers experience while enhancing the operating efficiency of security checks, the system is ideal for airports, customs, public transit hubs, and other high-threat checkpoints, facilities, and high-profile events. HIS Jane's Airport Review and PTW gave exclusive interviews to Nuctech's President Chen Zhiqiang during the exhibition, and Mr. Chen introduced Nuctech's latest technology and solutions regarding air safety. The launch of Keyline is actually a response to the significant reform that air security is experiencing with growing passenger throughput, changing policies, evolving threats, new technologies, and in-depth participation of manufacturers. This solution integrates the passengers experience with operating efficiency while improves security and helps the airports to reduce operating costs. To be specific, Nuctech's CT baggage inspection system has passed the ECAC 3 test which has made it a good choice for the European transportation hubs and airports in face of the coming EU 3 standard. In regard of ground safety and insider threat, Mr. Chen put forward a risk-based and technology- driven security solution for the airports, and called on the relevant departments to strengthen cooperation in order to cope with challenges. Nuctech would continue to increase the R&D investment, deepen the cooperation with aviation industry, and provide efficient solutions with innovative technologies. As a world leading security solution and service supplier, Nuctech understands the importance of passengers' baggage check to national security, and is always committed to providing our customers the best aviation security solutions, the most advanced security systems, and the most thoughtful services. Currently, Nuctech's security systems have been deployed to more than 150 key airports in the globe, and have helped our aviation customers a lot in achieving qualitative leaps regarding the mode of operation. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nuctech-introduces-airport-security-solution-at-2017- netherlands-passenger-terminal-expo-300432991.html Back to Top The Time Seems Right For Aviation To Embrace Biofuels Aviation currently contributes about 2 percent of human-produced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. That figure is expected to rise as the demand for air transport doubles by 2035. To date, the industry has focused on reducing greenhouse gases mainly by reducing overall fuel usage and increasing fuel efficiency through new plane technology and operational improvements. But with stricter regulations on greenhouse gas emissions set to come into effect in the next few years, further reductions may require bolder action. It may be time for aviation to embrace renewable fuels. Since 2009, five renewable jet fuels have been approved for use in aircraft. These are known as "drop-in" fuels. Much like the ethanol-gasoline mix used by cars, they are blended with conventional fuels for use in today's aircraft engines. There has been some commercial use of jet biofuels; examples include United Airline flights out of Los Angeles International Airport to San Francisco, beginning in March of last year, and Alaska Air flights between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Washington D.C., beginning this past November. That said, jet fuels haven't really made it out of the testing phase for most airlines, as relatively high costs and commercial-scale availability are holding back widespread adoption. It's something of a chicken-and-egg problem, as biorefineries won't be able to reduce costs and increase scale without commitments from airlines to buy their fuel. New mandates ahead What may finally get renewable jet fuels over the hump is regulation. This past October, the 191 member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreed to a new global market-based measure to support the twin goals of near-term carbon-neutral growth and long-term reduced carbon emissions. Sixty-six member states (including the United States and China), which represent nearly 87 percent of international aviation activity, will participate in the pilot phase of the program that begins in 2021. Without renewable jet fuels, however, it is unlikely that airlines will be able to reduce emissions enough to meet the proposed requirements of this and other regulatory mandates set to come online. Renewable jet fuels represent an opportunity for airlines to invest in their future and get out ahead of regulation. First, by starting now and gradually expanding renewable fuel commitments with bio- refineries, they can rapidly drive improvements in fuel cost and availability of these alternatives. Second, they will need to work with airports and aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus to develop efficient fuel delivery mechanisms and ensure that engine requirements are met. Finally, the industry should participate in and strongly encourage government funding of ongoing fuel research and development, with a focus on scalable, low-cost feed stocks and increased refinery efficiency. There's something in it for airports as well. Developing early airport-wide plans for sustainability that include renewable fuel usage would allow an airport to differentiate itself from others as a "sustainable airport" and help advance local community sustainability goals. In the end, airlines will find adopting renewable fuels a necessity after 2020. Getting on board now is likely to make that change less disruptive over the long term. https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverwyman/2017/03/31/the-time-seems-right-for-aviation-to- embrace-biofuels/#1792360c48a2 Back to Top American Airlines CEO continues push to reform 'broken' air traffic control system on CNBC American Airlines CEO Doug Parker continued his lobbying to reform what he called a "broken" air traffic control system Friday during an appearance on CNBC. "Today to fly from DFW to Philadelphia is about 30 minutes longer than it was in 1979," Parker said, "simply because we have an [air traffic control] system that hasn't kept pace with the rest of the world." Parker's comments come at a time when major U.S. airlines have more momentum than they've had in years as they push for an overhaul of the country's air traffic control system. Carriers and the industry lobbying group Airlines for America have called for operations of the air traffic control system to be shifted from the Federal Aviation Administration to a nonprofit corporation, but have been stymied in their efforts to win congressional approval. President Donald Trump has signaled initial support for the proposal, including it in his recently released budget blueprint. On Friday, Parker said that shifting operations to a nonprofit would speed up technology improvements that can improve the efficiency of airline operations and reduce delays. "The operation would still be regulated by the FAA. It has nothing to do with safety whatsoever," said Parker, who said other countries have made similar switches without affecting aviation safety. "What it's about is about being much more efficient and having much fewer delays, much lower flight times." Parker said making the change would free the air traffic control system from the cycle of annual congressional appropriations that make it difficult to plan for long-term investments - such as the shift from ground-based radars to satellite technology for tracking aircraft. "That's the only way we believe, after years and years of working on this, that we're going to be able to get this kind of technology put in place," Parker said. Parker played down opposition to the proposal, which has drawn pushback from general aviation interests who worry that the change could increase costs for business jet operators, private fliers and other nonscheduled air transportation operators. He didn't mention rival Delta Air Lines, the only major U.S. airline to come out against the overhaul effort. "We've done everything to assure them that's not the case," Parker said of the potential for an increased cost burden on the general aviation community. "We'll keep working on that." http://www.dallasnews.com/business/american-airlines/2017/03/31/american-airlines-ceo- continues-push-reform-broken-air-traffic-control-system-cnbc Back to Top UAS Symposium: FAA Can't Take On Cybersecurity Alone The FAA cannot tackle the issue of cybersecurity without industry, FAA's Wes Ryan told the crowd during a cybersecurity panel at the 2017 FAA UAS (unmanned aerial system) Symposium last week. Audience members voiced concerns regarding both manned and unmanned aircraft, but the basis to any solution is that there is a need for an exchange of ideas and expertise from the aviation industry to the government. The panel was moderated by Susan Cabler, assistant manager of the Aircraft Certification Design, Manufacturing and Airworthiness Division for the FAA's aircraft certification service. Panelists included Ryan, manager of Programs and Procedures (Advanced Technology), for the FAA Small Airplane Directorate; Richard Morgan, director of National Airspace Security and Enterprise Operations for FAA Technical Operations Services; Tim Shaver, manager of the Aircraft Maintenance Division for the FAA Flight Standards Service; and Greg Rice, senior engineering manager for Cyber Systems at Rockwell Collins. "We cannot, because we're a government agency, pay what a cybersecurity expert can make out in the industry because of the criticality of the subject matter," Ryan said. "So this has been a challenge of ours for a very long time. And the discipline changes. If we don't have the expertise internally, we have to go seek that expertise. And that's exactly what this session is meant to help us do; it's an exchange." As concerned as some of the audience members were, with several questions regarding the security of ADS-B and open source software, the FAA does not have all the answers. Expertise in cybersecurity is also difficult to obtain, Ryan explained, because the technology changes so rapidly. Someone who was an expert in GPS 20 years ago, he said, is not going to be able to use that same knowledge for GPS today. FAA said it is approaching this issue with interagency, international aviation authorities and industry partnerships. "Another avenue that we're exploring at the FAA is how to engage the international community," said Cabler. "[The International Civil Aviation Organization] is having a summit over in Dubai next week. Both Richard [Morgan] and I will be attending. But there's a lot of good information that we need to share at that level. We're hoping that ICAO can help us - not design a regulatory framework - but give us the underpinnings of a regulatory framework that we can accept globally." There are also lessons on improving cybersecurity practices that the FAA has been capturing from the automotive industry. Self-driving cars have already required implementation of cyber attack mitigation methods. Aviation may have a leg up in developing cybersecurity measures, considering the ever-present safety-first philosophy the industry is built on. Rice mentioned how the automotive industry did not preemptively act on cybersecurity the way the aviation community is, spurred into action by the rapid devilment of the drone industry. "In aviation, we have a lot of safety mechanisms in place today to try to prevent those types of attacks. We alluded to some earlier, like partitioning mechanisms. That makes cyber attacks in the space very difficult," Rice said. "But we have the opportunity right now to not react in the way that the automotive community did. We're talking about cybersecurity at a very early UAS conference. So as we think about new features and new technologies in this space, like remote IP identification and [unmanned aerial vehicle] tracking, let's think about how we want to assure those links, and how we want to make sure that the information being provided over those links can be assured. Let's think about the software that's operating onboard those UAVs, and how we can assure that that software is as free of vulnerabilities as possible." Once the software is developed, though, it would have to be certified, depending on implementation. This is a problem shared by the aviation industry in general, not just by drones. One audience member at the symposium posed the question of how drone operators can be sure the software they're purchasing, like open source or otherwise, is safe and secure. Rice said he's noticed a small push in the aviation industry for software that has been verified. He would like to see more of a push in both sectors of maintaining link integrity and mitigating cyber attack risks. The aviation industry is not known for its quick certification or acquisition processes, which is a significant hurdle when technology is changing and being developed so rapidly. But even though there are infrastructural items to sort out, industry has an opportunity to start doing that at what Rice feels is an early stage of the industry. "We have the capability in this space to be more proactive. We're standing at the precipice of a new community here as we start to look at some of those command and control links.," Rice said. "We want to think about, 'how would we do encryption...' It doesn't have to necessarily provide confidentiality over the links, but it should provide integrity over those links. We have the opportunity has a community to define what those standards are going to be." http://www.aviationtoday.com/2017/03/31/uas-symposium-faa-cant-take-cybersecurity-alone/ Back to Top Things we learned after SpaceX's historic Falcon 9 relaunch and landing SpaceX CEO Elon Musk didn't spend long savoring the achievement of Thursday's successful launch and landing of a previously flown Falcon 9 rocket before further expanding on his vision for rocket reusability. Musk appeared at Kennedy Space Center for a news conference after the rocket launched from pad 39A at 6:27 p.m. and delivered the SES-10 commercial communications satellite to orbit. He answered questions on a range of topics from fast reusability to the much anticipated Falcon Heavy. Here are some of the highlights. SpaceX wants rapid - seriously rapid - Falcon 9 reuse Twenty-four hours. That's how quickly the company wants to turn around Falcon 9 rockets from landing to flying again, greatly increasing access to space and chances for companies like SES to secure rides for satellites. "Our aspiration will be zero hardware changes, reflight in 24 hours," Musk said. "The only thing that changes is we reload propellant." SpaceX could reach that point as soon as late this year or early next year. For Thursday's launch, the air frame and engines remained the same, but some auxiliary components were replaced. Musk estimated that with only refueling and a quick inspection between launches, a Falcon 9 could be flown about 10 times. With moderate refurbishment between launches, it could see 100 launches or more. The rocket's grid fins, which help stabilize and control direction during descent, see some of the heaviest damage. Musk said the company is working on a new design and titanium-based alloy that will better stand up to the stresses of reentry. Surprise! SpaceX attempted a fairing landing, too A few minutes into Thursday's conference, Musk received word that there had been a second landing attempt - this time by the rocket's fairing, which sat at the top of the Falcon 9 and encapsulated the SES-10 spacecraft. SpaceX built a thruster control system into the fairing, giving it the ability to maintain orientation as it reentered Earth's atmosphere. Then, a steerable parachute deployed. "So it's its own little spacecraft," Musk said. The $6 million, 16-foot-in-diameter fairing will eventually have a "bouncy castle" to land on with the aim of full reuse in the future. Historic first stage will be gifted to Cape When asked about plans for what SpaceX would do with the historic first stage flown on Thursday, Musk said it would be best served as a gift to the Cape. He didn't specify where exactly it would go, but first stages usually return to Port Canaveral a few days after landing on the "Of Course I Still Love You" drone ship. Remember the robot? Remember that rumored robot spotted atop the drone ship at Port Canaveral? Musk confirmed its overall purpose and said it can remotely secure the legs of a Falcon 9 rocket after landing on an autonomous spaceport drone ship, or ASDS. That's important; in rough seas, crews can't board the ship and secure the rocket because it's being jostled from side to side. The robot acts to secure the legs and stabilize the rocket, allowing crews to safely board. Musk said it should be ready "within the next few months." Falcon Heavy updates Perhaps the most anticipated event for SpaceX in 2017 is the launch of Falcon Heavy, the company's three-booster rocket that sports 27 engines. For those watching, it'll be quite the show - all three first stages will be recovered after launch from Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A, which is expected late this summer. Musk said two of the boosters will return to "Landing Zone 1" at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station after a "sort of synchronized aerial ballet." The center core will target a drone ship landing. Testing for Falcon Heavy is finished and fabrication is underway, possibly wrapping up in 2 to 3 months. Speaking on Falcon Heavy overall, Musk said at first, strapping together three first stage boosters for a heavy-lift rocket "sounded easy." "It was actually shockingly difficult to go from a single core to a triple core vehicle," he said. Reusable upper stage? Musk briefly hinted at the possibility of adding reusability components to Falcon 9's upper stage, which takes spacecraft to orbit after a successful first stage burn and separation. Coupled with the surprise development of fairing recovery, reflying the upper stage could bring full reusability to the Falcon 9. "Considering trying to bring upper stage back on Falcon Heavy demo flight for full reusability," Musk said via Twitter on Friday. "Odds of success low, but maybe worth a shot." Discount for 'flight proven' rockets? While SpaceX and SES were mum on exact numbers, Musk said they are still working to figure out how much of a discount to offer paying customers. It's complicated by the need to pay off development costs, which means there may not initially be much latitude. But Musk did confirm that there are and will be more discounts. "It will certainly be less than the current price of our rockets and will be far lower than any other rocket in the world," he said. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2017/03/31/things-we-learned-spacex-elon- musk-falcon9-reusability-kennedy-space-center-florida-ses10/99869966/ Curt Lewis