October 05, 2017 - No. 078 In This Issue SpaceX Test-Fires Used Rocket Ahead of Saturday Launch Atlantic County plans for new aviation school at AC airport GSP introduces its first maintenance operation H+S Aviation declares Motorflug Baden-Baden as Rolls-Royce M250 authorized service center Etihad Airways Engineering Awarded Boeing 777 Maintenance and Paint Contract by AeroMexico Air France KLM is Evaluating MRO Potential for Blockchain TAG Aviation Geneva Expands Maintenance Capabilities ST Engineering's Aeria Gains Some Independence Boeing's New Analytics Business Has Already Signed 223 Contracts Alpine Secures EASA Nods for PMA Parts ARINC Announces Inaugural Mechanical Maintenance Conference SpaceX Test-Fires Used Rocket Ahead of Saturday Launch SpaceX test-fired a previously flown Falcon 9 rocket Monday (Oct. 2) in preparation for a planned liftoff of the booster this weekend. The standard "static fire" test took place Monday afternoon at Launch Complex 39A, part of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If all goes according to plan, the two-stage Falcon 9 will lift off from Pad 39A on Saturday (Oct. 7), delivering the SES 11/EchoStar 105 communications satellite to orbit. Saturday's launch will be the second mission for the first stage of this particular Falcon 9. On Feb. 19, the booster helped send a robotic Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station on a resupply run for NASA; the first stage then came back to Earth for a pinpoint touchdown at SpaceX's "Landing Zone 1," a facility at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. (The second stage of this Falcon 9 has not flown before.) The first stage will attempt another landing Saturday, this time on one of SpaceX's "autonomous spaceport drone ships" in the Atlantic Ocean, according to Spaceflight Now. Such activities are part of SpaceX's effort to develop fully and rapidly reusable rockets and spacecraft - a priority of company founder and CEO Elon Musk, who has stressed that such technology could revolutionize spaceflight by slashing its cost. (Indeed, the company's planned "BFR" Mars-colonization architecture - the latest version of which Musk unveiled last week - will be fully reusable.) SpaceX has landed Falcon 9 first stages 16 times to date and is currently riding a streak of 12 straight successful touchdowns. (This streak refers to landing attempts and therefore does not take into account a Sept. 1, 2016, explosion during a preflight test, which destroyed a Falcon 9 and its satellite payload on the ground.) The company has re-flown landed Falcon 9 first stages twice, both times successfully. The first such flight occurred on March 30 of this year, with the launch of the SES-10 communications satellite. A used Falcon 9 booster also lofted BulgariaSat-1 to orbit on June 23. SpaceX will be quite busy for the next week or so. The company is also planning to launch 10 satellites for the communications company Iridium next Monday (Oct. 9), from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. https://www.space.com/38343-spacex-test-fires-used-rocket-photo.html?utm_source=notification Back to Top Atlantic County plans for new aviation school at AC airport EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - Atlantic City International Airport will soon be the home of a new aviation maintenance academy. Atlantic County announced Wednesday it will partner with Atlantic Cape Community College to create an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul training institute at the airport that will train students to fix planes for small and major airlines around the country. The program will take one to two years to be developed by Atlantic Cape with technical support from the county, according to college President Barbara Gaba. "We have the facility and the interest. What we are lacking is a professionally trained workforce to support this field," County Executive Dennis Levinson said in a statement, adding the county has had discussions with several airlines interested in participating. "We plan to take advantage of our assets to build an aviation industry. This is yet another step in that direction that should bring good-paying jobs to our region and help us diversify our economy beyond gaming." The idea of creating an aviation maintenance academy has been discussed by county officials for more than a year. Last year, the county looked to partner with Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, located in New York, to create the school, but the plans remained stagnant. Gaba said Atlantic Cape has worked with Vaughn College in the past, but it is too early to determine what institutions they will partner with for this project. Both organizations, along with the county, will work to secure funding for implementation and operation of a Federal Aviation Administration-approved program. This initiative is fully supported by the South Jersey Transportation Authority, according to the county. The SJTA operates and maintains the airport and has looked to expand its use in the past. The aviation academy will prepare students for FAA certification and provide a foundation for an associate of applied science degree in aviation maintenance with the ability to transfer into a variety of four-year programs, according to a statement from the county. Gaba said those in the program will be Atlantic Cape students and they will be available for the same financial-aid opportunities current students have. The FAA will determine the requirements to be accepted in the program. Creating an aviation industry was a key element in a report authored by Texas-based economic firm Angelou Economics in 2015 that urged Atlantic County to diversify its economy away from gambling in the wake of five casinos closing in Atlantic City. A 2015 Boeing technical outlook forecasts the need for more than 609,000 maintenance technicians during the next 17 years. The creation of the maintenance program would go along with the building of the Stockton Aviation Research and Technology Park, which the county broke ground on earlier this year. "We see this as a tremendous opportunity and are very appreciative of Atlantic Cape President Dr. Barbara Gaba and her team for their shared vision in moving this forward," Levinson said in the statement. "Aviation maintenance and repair-technician careers should appeal to both our youth as well as those who may be currently underemployed or unemployed." http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/atlantic-county-plans-for-new-aviation-school-at-ac- airport/article_6c0b30cc-e194-5f00-b35e-6a53af41cb54.html Back to Top GSP introduces its first maintenance operation Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport introduced its first maintenance repair and overhaul facility on Tuesday. PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, has added GSP to its maintenance locations that also include two in Ohio and one at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. PSA Airlines will service planes for American Airlines overnight in a 30,000-square-foot workspace that includes 15,000 square feet of office space. The company has 58 employees and Ron Cotterman, PSA Airlines maintenance manager at GSP, said plans call for increasing that number to 74. PSA Airlines has partnered with Greenville Technical College's airframe and power plant program to get the FAA certified employees it needs. Michelle McCallum, a development officer with the Greenville Tech Foundation, said shrinking state support requires the school to seek business partners to assist in the training and development of their students. "We go and look for partners who want to help us bridge the gap financially in student scholarships, equipment for our programs and professional development," she said. "We rely more and more on our community to help us provide the education we need to fill the pipeline and provide the opportunities for our citizenry." Dave Edwards, president and CEO of the GSP Airport District, said partnering with Greenville Tech, and possibly other schools, helps fill the workforce needs. "We want to continue to raise the attention of aviation and aerospace in the Upstate, and the opportunities that are out there for the younger population," he said, adding that getting high schools into the mix would help educate the future workforce on the aviation opportunities that exist in the Upstate. Edwards also said PSA Airlines is the first of what could be additional opportunities for airline companies at GSP. He said the hardest part of the process is "getting over the hump on the first one." "While we've done some maintenance and repair previously, it was done for general aviation so this is the first commercial aviation MRO facility that's ever been sited here at GSP," he said. "This gives us the opportunity as we go out and do business development to say 'PSA saw this as a great opportunity, we think you'll feel the same way.' From an economic development and a business development point this helps us with some of that additional recruitment." https://gsabusiness.com/news/aerospace/73051/ Back to Top H+S Aviation declares Motorflug Baden-Baden as Rolls-Royce M250 authorized service center H+S Aviation, a BBA Aviation global engine services company, announced the recent approval of Motorflug as a Rolls-Royce M250 authorized service center under H+S Aviation's current M250 AMROC agreement. Through this agreement, H+S Aviation extends its ability to provide regional support, such as field services, to M250 customers through Motorflug Baden-Baden's OEM-approved capabilities. H+S Aviation will partner with Motorflug, an independently owned and operated business, to collectively offer Rolls-Royce M250 operators comprehensive engine services in the region. The new M250 authorized service center will provide maintenance on M250 engines in line with work scopes set in the M250 engine operation and maintenance manual, including field maintenance. H+S Aviation will continue to provide HMIs heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul, component repair, and engine-testing services. "We are continuously searching for solutions to better serve our customers, and partnering with OEM-approved service centers like Motorflug significantly benefits our customer base in Germany and throughout Europe," said Andrew Ferguson, commercial director of H+S Aviation. "With our approval of Motorflug and the support of Rolls-Royce, M250 operators will have additional maintenance support, with the same great quality of service." Further, this recent approval enables H+S Aviation, as the Rolls-Royce AMROC, to ensure the authorized service center is operationally-equipped to perform approved work scopes and offers engine maintenance services from OEM-certified technicians. "We will work closely with Motorflug to provide exceptional maintenance services to Rolls-Royce M250 operators in the region, and look forward to seeing the benefits our partnership will deliver to our customers," Ferguson said. https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/hs-aviation-declares-motorflug-baden-baden-rolls- royce-m250-authorized-service-center/ Back to Top Etihad Airways Engineering Awarded Boeing 777 Maintenance and Paint Contract by AeroMexico Abu Dhabi, UAE - Etihad Airways Engineering has been chosen by Aeroméxico to carry out end of lease C-checks on its Boeing 777 aircraft. It is the first time the Mexican flag carrier has awarded a contract to the largest commercial aircraft MRO services provider in the Middle East. The heavy maintenance project also includes full stripping and painting of the aircraft at Etihad Airways Engineering's state-of-the-art paint facility adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport. The first input will arrive at in the first quarter of 2018. Abdul Khaliq Saeed, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways Engineering, said, "We value the trust and confidence customers place in our expertise and experience, flying in aircraft from Latin America to Abu Dhabi for maintenance and engineering services. We look forward to further building on our relationship with Aeroméxico, and supporting the airline through our expanding capabilities." Etihad Airways Engineering continues to invest in infrastructure to support the growing business. Aircraft hangars at the facility cover approximately 42,000 sq metres, including 10,000 sq metres of aircraft painting facilities and a custom-designed hangar that can accommodate up to three Airbus A380 aircraft simultaneously. About Etihad Airways Engineering Etihad Airways Engineering is the largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services provider in the Middle East with a rich legacy of MRO experience and expertise. As a subsidiary of the Etihad Aviation Group, the company offers maintenance services around the clock, including design, advanced composite repair, cabin refurbishment and component services, from its state-of-the-art facility adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport. About Etihad Aviation Group Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) is a diversified global aviation and travel group comprising five business divisions - Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways Engineering, Etihad Airport Services, Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners. The group has minority investments in six airlines: airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways and Virgin Australia. From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to, or has announced plans to serve, more than 110 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. The airline has a fleet of over 120 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. In 2013, it placed firm orders for 204 aircraft, which included 71 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777Xs, 62 Airbus A350s and 10 Airbus A380s. For more information, please visit: etihad.com http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12372234/etihad-airways-engineering-awarded- boeing-777-maintenance-and-paint-contract-by-aeromexico Back to Top Air France KLM is Evaluating MRO Potential for Blockchain Air France KLM's engineering and maintenance division is evaluating the potential for blockchain to become its new digital ledger for managing replacement parts on in-service airplanes. During a recent webinar, the airline's MRO division joined Microsoft and Ramco Aviation to discuss their research into future uses of blockchain in aircraft maintenance. In January, IBM became one of the first companies to propose the use of Blockchain as a way to improve the aircraft maintenance process for airlines. Originally popularized by its association with the recording of bitcoin transactions, blockchain is a data structure with the ability to establish a digital archive of data shared across networks of computers in a public or provide configuration. "However, in the last couple of years, there has been more interest in its distributed-ledger capabilities," said Richard Knight, a member of the Microsoft "Global Black Belt" team based in Asia. Air France KLM engineering and maintenance is using its MRO Lab to experiment with the future possibilities of blockchain. The French aircraft maintenance provider uses its MRO Lab to partner with universities, manufacturers and software developers within and outside of the aviation industry to explore how they can make new ideas and concepts a reality within aviation MRO. KLM has found it so successful that it has opened a second lab - MRO Lab Singapore - in collaboration with Ramco Systems. According to James Kornberg, director of innovation of the Air France KLM business unit, his team is looking to establish a clear business case for the use of blockchain to improve maintenance processes and work flows. "The use case has to be realistic," said Kornberg. "The four features of blockchain are resilience, traceability, integrity and disintermediation are well suited to the aviation supply chain." Using Microsoft Azure and blockchain, Ramesh Sivasubramanian, a Ramco Aviation engineer, demonstrated the actual process of an Air France aircraft coming under an aircraft on the ground (AOG) status due to a hydraulic system failure. After troubleshooting the mock AOG situation, the engineering team concluded that the system has an actuator that is in need of repair. Sivasubramanian then showed how an Air France engineer was able to acquire a replacement actuator by creating a blockchain ledger for it that could be viewed by the engineer, the AF KLM logistics and loan officers, and any other engineer or technician involved in getting the replacement part to Air France. Lufthansa's Industry Solutions division has created the Blockchain for Aviation (BC4A) initiative, in which it hopes to bring together software developers, aircraft manufacturers, MRO service providers and more to collectively create a foundation for the future use of blockchain in the aviation industry. The company has even introduced a one-day IT training course that "teaches participants the technical basics of blockchain solutions and demonstrates their potential," according to its website. Accenture also says it can help airlines "cut through the buzz" and actually start using blockchain to change the way they do business, according to a recent overview on the topic published by its aerospace consulting division. Jeff Cass, VP of strategy for the aviation and defense business unit at IFS, also believes the combination of cloud security and blockchain can help airlines reinforce their cybersecurity protocols. Kornberg said AF KLM is looking at how it can overcome the reality that the existing non-electronic data it currently manages with aircraft components, systems and parts would not easily transition to a blockchain environment. "In the aviation industry we still have a lot of our data that is not digitalized, still a lot of analog data, the first step, and that's what we're doing at the moment - going to a fully digital solution, on all the supply chain and all the aviation data that we get," said Kornberg. "And before we do that, blockchain cannot be applied on non-electronic data." http://www.aviationtoday.com/2017/10/03/air-france-klm-evaluating-mro-potential-blockchain/ Back to Top TAG Aviation Geneva Expands Maintenance Capabilities To meet the growing demand from TAG Aviation's customers and to ensure the widest range of aircraft maintenance provisions, TAG Aviation Maintenance Services Centre in Geneva has recently expanded its on-site aircraft refurbishment proficiencies. TAG introduced an aircraft interior cabin wood re-varnished solution, a partial exterior paint refurbishment and a new 3D cabin refurbishment project design technology. "For customers wanting to upgrade their aircraft we will do everything possible to meet their requirements," said, Philippe Rabier, vice president maintenance sales, TAG Aviation Europe. https://traveltradedaily.com/europe-air/item/2277-tag-aviation-geneva-expands-maintenance- capabilities Back to Top ST Engineering's Aeria Gains Some Independence Singapore Technologies (ST) Engineering has restructured its San Antonio VIP completions operation, Aeria Luxury Interiors by VT San Antonio Aerospace, incorporating the unit as a separate subsidiary with its own up-front capital. The business had been under the umbrella of ST Engineering's VT San Antonio Aerospace (SAA) operation, which is a major maintenance and modification center for airliners. The incorporation of Aeria (Booth N6111) will enable the business to better tailor its processes and increase its competitiveness, ST Engineering said. In addition, with the incorporation, Aeria is beginning to operate under its own Part 145 repair station certificate instead of under VT SAA's certificate. "Establishing an independent FAA repair certification allows Aeria to streamline its completion process and expedite its maintenance, refurbishment and completion contracts in the most efficient way possible," the company said. But Aeria will remain part VT SAA's facility. And it will remain part of the ST Aerospace global network, continuing to leverage operations and marketing synergies, ST Engineering said. Aeria specializes in Airbus Corporate Jet and Boeing Business Jet VIP completions, having performed more than 20 refurbishment, heavy maintenance and avionics upgrade projects since 2012. The company recently added 14,000 sq ft to its facilities, including a new cabinet and upholstery shop and a building housing a showroom and the design, sales and marketing teams. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-10-03/st-engineerings-aeria- gains-some-independence Back to Top Boeing's New Analytics Business Has Already Signed 223 Contracts Boeing has signed agreements with seven customers for Boeing AnalytX, the manufacturer said. Boeing said it has now signed 223 analytics contracts this year. Unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June, the AnalytX division "unites existing analytics services and products across Boeing's commercial, defense and services businesses, its research and information technology capabilities and its family of companies," according to the company. Services can help customers decrease fuel costs, perform predictive maintenance and build "smarter" flight plans and crew schedules. According to Boeing, new agreements include: * Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed on for airplane health management. The service will be used for its 777-300ER and 737-800 fleets. * Condor is set to use crew optimization software from Boeing's Jeppesen. This includes crew pairing and rostering. * Japan Airlines signed on for an optimized maintenance program. This can improve maintenance operations through customized maintenance programs using text analytics, parametric modeling and diagnostic analysis. * MTU Aero Engines signed an agreement to use AerData's engine fleet planning and costing tool. This assists in optimizing engine maintenance planning, engine spares availability and budgets. * Qantas signed a contract for airplane health management for its 787 fleet. * TUI Group was alreadying using airplane health management, but has signed a contract to extend predictive analytics alerts to its forthcoming 737 MAX fleet. * United Airlines has expanded use of airplane health management to cover its entire Boeing fleet of airplanes. The airline added coverage for its next-generation 737, 737 MAX, 757 and 767 fleets. It also renewed airplane health management for its 747, 777 and 787 fleets. http://www.aviationtoday.com/2017/10/04/boeings-new-analytics-business-already-signed-223- contracts/ Back to Top Alpine Secures EASA Nods for PMA Parts Alpine Aerotech obtained EASA approvals for a range of replacement parts. A Bell Helicopter service center, Alpine noted its work on Bell medium helicopters had revealed a need for replacement parts that have improved performance, cost and availability. As a result, the Kelowna, British Columbia-based maintenance provider has developed a number of replacement parts for Bell medium helicopters that provide tighter tolerances and improved quality at lower cost. Alpine is keeping a stock on hand for cases that need immediate delivery, as well as for scheduled maintenance. "Our approved replacement parts is another example of our desire to provide affordable, comprehensive solutions to our customers" said Neil Baycroft, general manager at Alpine Aerotech. "We can incorporate these products in our heavy maintenance programs," saving customers "thousands of dollars." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-10-04/alpine-secures-easa-nods- pma-parts Back to Top ARINC Announces Inaugural Mechanical Maintenance Conference WARRENDALE, Pa., - The inaugural Mechanical Maintenance Conference (MMC) will be held Nov. 7- 9 in Cleveland Ohio. The event will be hosted and held by ARINC Industry Activities (ARINC IA). ARINC IA is known for running the Avionics Maintenance Conference (AMC), Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC), and Flight Simulation Engineering and Maintenance Conference (FSEMC). During MMC and these other events, experts from all over the world travel to discuss and solve problems and exchange experiences. In addition to the annual conferences, each group promotes the betterment of our industry through education. Many new developments in aviation are explained to hundreds of engineers/technicians who proudly represent their companies. There is no better place on the earth where all these activities take place in a cooperative, friendly, and inspiring environment. It is a tradition that has spanned almost 70 years. Activities during MMC will contribute to increased reliability and maintainability, resulting in reduced operation cost of the airline industry. A highlight of the MMC event will be a panel discussion titled, "PMA is a way of life." This discussion will be moderated by Marijan Jozic of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and will include speakers from Delta Air Lines, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and HEICO. PMAs are going to play a major role in lowering costs of MRO and airline shops. The panel will feature in-depth discussion and audience questions. The MMC conference also holds many opportunities for expanding customer interaction by promoting a company's brand; and it includes the opportunity to host an exhibit in the Tuesday night Expo with the option of continuing throughout the week. Additional opportunities for promoting brand are available by sponsoring a coffee break or taking advantage of sponsoring one or more MMC Registration Giveaways. The MMC Mobile App - Organization Highlight is an excellent way to get company information in the hands of the meeting attendees before, during and after the conference. The 2017 Mechanical Maintenance Conference is open to all organizations including airframers, manufacturers, airlines, operators, and suppliers. The conference has an attendance charge of $600 USD, although ARINC IA Members and Sponsors gain access to the conference at no charge. Members and Sponsors are also entitled to a wider range of benefits including ARINC Standards and other products. The recently published Plane Talkhttp://aviation-ia.com/amc/plane_talk/1Q2017_pt.pdf has two articles directly related to why someone should attend the MMC. The articles "Why Should You Come to the MMC in Cleveland" by Ted McFann, AMC Vice Chairman, and "From Small Beginnings Come Great Things" by Marijan Jozic, AMC Chairman, outline the justification and benefits to attending. For more details regarding MMC, visit http://aviation-ia.com/amc/mmc/upcoming/index.html For more information about maximizing your organization's potential as a member or sponsor of ARINC IA, please visit: http://www.aviation-ia.com/MembershipAndSponsor/index.html SAE ITC is an affiliate of SAE International. SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting over 127,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12372241/arinc-announces-inaugural-mechanical- maintenance-conference Curt Lewis