April 17, 2017 - No. 031 In This Issue DFS Sees GBAS as Future Precision Landing System Help wanted: Commercial drone boom opens door for mechanics EgyptAir passes European Aviation Safety Agency inspection UTAS To Demo Carbon-Nanotube Ice Protection NCAT Wins ICAO Award on Aviation Training Gary Jet Center Receives Supplier of the Year Award from The Boeing Company BAA and Luxaviation announce new strategic alliance Vietnamese company gains EU aircraft maintenance certificate DFS Sees GBAS as Future Precision Landing System Germany's Frankfurt International Airport has become the world's first hub airport to feature ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) landings with an increased glide angle of 3.2 degrees. In March, Lufthansa began flying the new precision landings, designed to reduce aircraft noise during the approach phase, using an Airbus A319 and Boeing 747-8. German air navigation service provider Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH first introduced the use of GBAS at Frankfurt in 2014. The airport also still uses its instrument landing system (ILS) with a 3- degree angle in bad weather and a 3.2-degree glide angle in normal conditions. However, as DFS CEO Klaus-Dieter Scheurle told Avionics, the use of ILS is much more expensive and the nation's air navigation provider sees GBAS as a future replacement for ILS as a primary means of precision landings into Frankfurt and other German airports. "Raising the glide slope on a runway by using the ILS, requires a complete additional ILS system for each runway and each runway end," said Scheurle. "This is very costly. GBAS, instead, requires only one ground station, comprising four GPS antennas, a computer and a VHF transmitter, serving all runways at Frankfurt Airport with different glide path angles." A study carried out by Frankfurt's expert noise committee had shown that raising the ILS glide angle at Northwest runway to 3.2 degrees reduces the maximum sound level, ranging between 0.5 and 1.5 dB depending on the monitoring station and the aircraft type, according to Scheurle. Prior to the 3.2-degree approach procedures, all runways had first been equipped with GBAS using only the 3.0-degree angle. Several years after Frankfurt's new Northwest runway was implemented, DFS collected enough data on the use of a 3.2-degree angle using ILS to seek the design of a 3.2-degree approach procedure using GBAS, primarily in an effort to reduce aircraft noise encountered by surrounding communities when aircraft are on approach to that runway. In order to fly the new procedure, or any GBAS procedure at Frankfurt or any other airport equipped with GBAS, aircraft need to be equipped with a GBAS receiver. "We estimate that 8 to 10 percent of the aircraft landing in Frankfurt would be able to use the GBAS technology," said Scheurle. While many aviation organizations and civil aviation regulatory authorities, such as the International Civil Aviation Org. (ICAO) and the FAA, have noted the benefits of the use of GBAS, it is still rarely used at airports globally. According to a presentation given by Mikael Mabilleau, navigation service manager for French air traffic management consulting firm Egis Avia, the majority of operational GBAS stations are located throughout Europe and Russia, with limited availability at North and South American airports, he said at an ICAO navigation workshop last year. ICAO describes the main benefits derived from using GBAS for airlines to produce fuel savings, noise reduction and reduced emissions with flexible flight paths, as well as fewer flight disruptions and less associated costs caused by ILS interference. A representative for Lufthansa told Avionics that no special training is required to use GBAS and that an airline only needs to fill two conditions: certification of the aircraft and approval from relevant civil aviation authorities. Scheurle said DFS is working with other aviation groups in Germany to provide more data on statistics in terms of noise reduction and reduced fuel burn derived from using the new GBAS approaches at Frankfurt as well. He says that in the future, GBAS will be introduced at other airports in Germany. "The system is considered the future solution for precision approaches at airports. GBAS technology is intended to replace the currently used ILS in keeping with relevant provisions of ICAO," said Scheurle. "Different approach procedures during day and night times may be conceivable. Furthermore, GBAS may one day permit the use of laterally displaced approach paths. Then, curved approaches, may be possible," he added. http://www.aviationtoday.com/2017/04/14/dfs-sees-gbas-future-precision-landing-system/ Back to Top Help wanted: Commercial drone boom opens door for mechanics FARGO, N.D. - With the number of commercial drones expected to soar into the millions in the next few years, operators whose unmanned aircraft malfunction or crash will be looking for places to get them fixed. Some repair shops authorized by manufacturers to fix smaller drones already are having trouble keeping up with demand. For several weeks, a California company had a note posted on its website referring specifically to the Phantom drone: "Temporarily not accepting any new repairs at this time due to high volume. Please check back soon." The message was recently removed. While such waits might be frustrating for operators, it spells opportunity for repair shops keen to diversify and budding drone mechanics who could start lucrative careers repairing commercial drones without having to pay for a four-year college degree. "I'm trying to hire two experienced drone technicians at $20 an hour and I can't find anybody," said James Barnes, who founded the New Jersey Drone Academy. "This gives kids in urban areas that can't go to college now a chance to work at a trade and make decent money." Northland Community and Technical College in northwestern Minnesota has been teaching unmanned aircraft maintenance for larger military-type drones. It is expanding its program to include smaller drone repair, and school officials are promising a high-paying job after just one or two years. "The reality is, the people coming out of the trade schools, the technical colleges, places like that, are the people out there getting jobs and they're getting paid nicely to do it," said Zack Nicklin, unmanned aircraft instructor at the school in Thief River Falls, Minn. "They're making careers out of this." One of Nicklin's students, Chris Rolfing, said he grew up taking machinery apart, seeing how it worked, and putting it back together. He signed up for drone maintenance and repair after serving four years in the military and hopes his skills will help local farmers. "I grew up in a farming community and both of my grandpas were farmers so I would like to stay close to the agriculture business," the 26-year-old said. "This spring I will be working with a few farmers doing some demo flights and getting my name out there to get my business started up." In addition to his repair business, Rohlfing plans to do his own business doing aerial photography, 3-D mapping, and agriculture analysis. Unmanned aircraft owners basically have three options when their drones need tune-ups or repairs. They can send it back to the manufacturer, send it to a repair shop or fix it themselves. Most of the smaller shops currently specialize in hobby grade or low-end commercial grade drones, specific to a few manufacturers. Those drones typically cost a few thousand dollars to buy, and about $150 to fix, not including parts. The more expensive commercial drones generally need repair experts, many of whom have backgrounds in manned aviation. Brad Hayden, of Albuquerque, N.M., is the president and CEO of Robotic Skies, which is building a network of affiliated repair stations around the world. He currently has more than 120 service stations under his umbrella, most of which work on higher-end drones that cost $10,000 and up, and he plans to recruit more shops, as needed. "The industry is always short of avionics technicians. That's kind of the way it is," Hayden said. "Our intent is to bring in enough service centers to always meet the demand. We are built for a volume market." Thomas Swoyer Jr., the head of the nation's first drone business park, Grand Sky, is looking at creating a repair depot at the North Dakota park for medium and large unmanned planes. The only place to fix large unmanned aircraft now is on military bases and as more of them enter the market, Swoyer said they are going to "need a place to get retrofitted, upgraded and repaired." Barnes has an idea to turn used food vendor trucks into portable drone repair stations to move in and out of urban areas. "I'm not sure we're quite at the point where you would have them like your basic auto repair shop, with one on every corner," Nicklin said. "I think one day we will definitely be there." http://chronicle.augusta.com/business/2017-04-16/help-wanted-commercial-drone-boom-opens- door-mechanics Back to Top EgyptAir passes European Aviation Safety Agency inspection EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Company has passed the periodic inspection of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Cairo; Sharm el-Sheikh; and Borg al-Arab, said Safwat Mesallam, Chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company. International credits are a major requirement for joining the aviation global market, he said; adding that EgyptAir seeks to comply with all of the requirements of international bodies and agencies to ensure that it continues to compete internationally and to meet the needs of its customers. Abu Taleb Tawfiq, Chairman of EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Company, expressed his pleasure over the passing of the inspection. Tawfiq pointed out that inspectors praised the technical performance of the crews and their awareness of the international legislation governing aircraft maintenance, which leads to the development of the level of service provided to customers. http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/egyptair-passes-european-aviation-safety-agency- inspection Back to Top UTAS To Demo Carbon-Nanotube Ice Protection A lightweight, low-power electro-thermal ice protection system for commercial and other aircraft that uses carbon-nanotube (CNT) heater technology is to be flight tested by the end of 2018 by UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS). The CNT heater layer is 30-40 times lighter than conventional electrothermal heating elements ,and requires 10-50% less electrical power than current technologies, said Chris Wilson, senior director of safety systems engineering in UTAS's Sensors & Integrated Systems business. The technology can be used to protect the leading edges of wings; horizontal and vertical stabilizers; engine inlet lips; and vanes and aircraft nose cones and is suitable for commercial; regional; business aircraft; rotorcraft; and unmanned aircraft, he said. "We expect initial versions of ice-protection systems using advanced carbon-nanotube heaters to be in demonstration tests for specific applications in two years, with widespread use in three to four years," Wilson said. UTAS has licensed the technology from Metis Design, which co-developed the CNT heater with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. UTAS has partnered with Metis and the United Technologies Research Center to transition the technology. "Development at Metis Design reached technology readiness level [TRL] 5 with icing wind-tunnel tests and manufacturing of composite leading-edge prototype for flight demonstration on an unmanned aircraft," Wilson said. UTAS is developing controls and power switching electronics to provide a complete ice-protection system, with TRL 6 and a flight-test demonstrator for commercial-aircraft applications planned for late 2018, he said. CNT technology provides the ability to design a thermal distribution into the system based on how ice forms on flight control surfaces. "This will allow us to put power where it is needed and minimize the amount of energy required to shed ice," Wilson said. Other advantages include the flexibility of the CNT heater, enabling installation on more complex- curvature surfaces, as well as an expected improvement in the fatigue life. "Metis Design has extensively tested the CNT technology for heater thermal stability, fatigue and performance, including icing tunnel tests," he said. To raise the technology and manufacturing readiness levels, UTAS plans additional tests and simulations in 2017 and 2018. "We are developing the technology to be integrated with composite or metallic components. In terms of life expectation, the materials are resistant to rain erosion and other environmental sources of degradation," he said. "Regular scheduled maintenance will not be specific to the CNT, but rather will be similar to that required for any composite or metallic surface that is exposed to the environment," Wilson said, adding life is expected to exceed those of current technologies. http://aviationweek.com/awincommercial/utas-demo-carbon-nanotube-ice-protection Back to Top NCAT Wins ICAO Award on Aviation Training The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Global Aviation Training (GAT) has given award to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT) Zaria as the training institution with the highest number of instructors and highest number of delivered ICAO courses in the African region. NCAT received the award prize at the just concluded GAT and Trainair Plus Symposium, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. According to the College, by this recognition also, the ICAO Global Aviation Training (GAT) office further gives NCAT more Training allocations to conduct additional courses such as: Government safety inspector air worthiness - Air - Operator and approved Maintenance Organization Certification; Government Safety Inspector Operations - Air Operator Certification Course; Government Safety Inspector Personnel Licensing Course and Dangerous Goods Part 1. While receiving the ICAO GAT Award, the Rector/Chief Executive of NCAT Capt. Abdulsalami Mohammed thanked the Global Aviation Body for the honour and inspiring recognition of NCAT success. He dedicated the award to the federal government and the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amechi and the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika. Mohammed urged the federal government to give the College needed budgetary allocations so that it would boost its training activities. According to the Rector, the allotment of more ICAO Courses to be conducted in NCAT implicitly entails more finances for procurement and acquisition of the needed facilities and expertise respectively. Mohammed further enjoined the Staff of the College to be inspired by this award to offer greater contribution towards the full realization of NCAT`s vision and mission statements "because for him, this is a clarion call for all staff to be more focused and dedicated to their official mandates in order for NCAT to attain greater milestones ahead," the College said in a statement. Mohammed also remarked that prudent and efficient management of fiscal allocations have become more necessary now than ever before in NCAT. In addition, he maintains that the ICAO commendation and release of more Courses to NCAT is simultaneously an honour and challenge to the College. He assures that NCAT would neither disappoint nor fail in the confidence reposed on it by the international aviation stakeholders. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/04/17/ncat-wins-icao-award-on-aviation-training/ Back to Top Gary Jet Center Receives Supplier of the Year Award from The Boeing Company GARY, Ind., April 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gary Jet Center has been recognized as Supplier of the Year in the Global Diversity category by The Boeing Company. Gary Jet Center was one of 13 companies honored April 12, 2017 at a gala in Dallas, TX for distinguished performance in working with Boeing. Gary Jet Center previously was honored with this award in 2013. In January, Gary Jet Center was notified that it was one of 480 companies to receive the Boeing Performance Excellence Award which rewards performance excellence. Achieving the Supplier of the Year designation further acknowledges superior performance and labels this class of winners as best of the best. "Boeing's success is a testament to the partnerships we hold with the finest aerospace suppliers in the world such as Gary Jet Center," said Kent Fisher, Boeing's leader for enterprise Supplier Management. "Together we will continue to deliver affordable, technologically advanced products and services that give our customers a competitive edge." This year's recipients represent an elite group among more than 13,000 active Boeing suppliers in nearly 48 countries around the world. This selection was based on stringent performance criteria for quality performance, delivery performance, cost, environmental initiatives, customer service and technical expertise. "We are honored to have been recognized by The Boeing Company as a 2016 Supplier of the Year", said Lynn Eplawy, President of the Gary Jet Center. "We are proud of the work we do to support Boeing's missions around the world, and are forever appreciative of the opportunities Boeing has given us in being one of their many suppliers. Our team's commitment to quality, safety and exceptional customer service is the cornerstone of our success, and we are grateful to The Boeing Company for allowing us to be a part of their operation." The Gary Jet Center provides aircraft maintenance and repair, as well as global flight technical support and line services to their Executive Flight Operations, based at the Gary/Chicago International Airport (KGYY) in Gary, Indiana. About Gary Jet Center Gary Jet Center, www.garyjetcenter.com, is an aviation services company based at the Gary/Chicago International Airport, located 25 minutes from downtown Chicago. A family-owned and operated company, the Gary Jet Center provides fixed base operations to a variety of corporate and general aircraft, aircraft management services to over a dozen aircraft owners, Part 135 Charter operations, and two Part 145 Maintenance certificates. With over 110,000 sq. ft. of hangar space and a consistent focus on exceptional customer service, Gary Jet Center is poised to accommodate and service the corporate jet market in the Chicagoland area. http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12325722/gary-jet-center-receives-supplier-of-the-year- award-from-the-boeing-company Back to Top BAA and Luxaviation announce new strategic alliance SHANGHAI - Business Aviation Asia Ltd. (BAA), one of the largest and most influential business aviation operators in Asia Pacific, announced a new strategic business alliance with related company, Luxaviation Group. The partnership will see BAA, which provides high-level aircraft management services for business jet owners in the Greater China region (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) and beyond, working in partnership with Luxaviation Group, one of the world's largest private aviation operators, with a fleet of more than 260 aircraft and 1,600 employees worldwide. Following the signature of a strategic cooperation deal in 2015, the new agreement between the two major private aviation companies, will see BAA, which has been operating in Asia for over a decade, delivering expertise in integrating advanced western experience of business jet management to China's new and burgeoning private aviation sector, working in synergy with Luxaviation Group. Through its subsidiary ExecuJet, Luxaviation manages 25 world-class fixed- based operator (FBO) facilities and 15 maintenance centres worldwide and offers combined business aviation experience from some of the world's most respected private jet operators. The collaboration will see customers benefitting from the enhanced privileges of a premium global infrastructure and service culture of a truly global aviation business providing charter, FBO, maintenance, aircraft management and aircraft transactions with operations in Europe, Asia, Australasia, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Latin America. CMIG Aviation, which is part of the China Minsheng Investment Group, fully owns BAA. President of CMIG Aviation Mr. Zhu Yimin said: "This new strategic partnership in aviation services will undoubtedly help play a highly important role in the further growth and development of China's business aviation market. The agreement will bring the combined private and business aviation expertise of East and West in one unified service offering, with the kindred companies able to support and complement each other's operations across Europe and Asia." Mr. Patrick Hansen, CEO of Luxaviation Group added: "We are proud to have the opportunity to deliver our expertise to the fast-growing Asian and specifically the Chinese business jet market and support BAA to further improve its client services in this region." http://www.traveldailynews.asia/news/article/64735/baa-and-luxaviation-announce-new Back to Top Vietnamese company gains EU aircraft maintenance certificate With the EASA-145 certificate, the company is allowed to provide maintenance and repairing services for aircraft with EU registration. VAECO is the first and only Vietnamese aircraft maintenance service provider having two prestigious international certificates - the FAR-15 certificate granted by the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States and the EASA-145. Speaking on the occasion, Duong Tri Thanh, Vietnam Airlines General Director said the latest certificate, together with other international and national ones, proves the company's development, contributing to making Vietnam a reliable aviation market in the region and the globe. Tajes Rosa from EASA said the agency is willing to cooperate and support to enhance Vietnam's capability in aircraft maintenance. In order to receive the certificate, VAECO has gone through five stages of appraisal of EASA. The recognition will open up more opportunities for the company to provide maintenance services for airlines using EU-registered fleet, and set up partnership with international and regional partners. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/176609/vietnamese-company-gains-eu-aircraft- maintenance-certificate.html Curt Lewis