February 15, 2018 - No. 013 In This Issue Free Online Course in Aviation Maintenance Open to Public More Than 60 Aviation Technician Teams Bring Skill and Camaraderie to the 2018 Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on Singapore and FAA civil officials sign revised aviation safety agreement Triumph, China Southern plan nacelle maintenance co-op Northland Community & Technical College Takes Geospatial Intelligence Program Online to Train Students Worldwide for Next-Gen Aerospace Careers Aviation Firms Partner on Vegas-area Hangars Optomec Brings Additive Metal Technologies To Aviation Aftermarket Honeywell Introduces AR/VR Simulator To Train The Industrial Workforce And Help Close Skills Gap Aviation base lands at old Braniff HQ at Dallas' Love Field FlightSafety and Pilatus Announce the Start of Pilatus PC-24 Training in Dallas FCC chairman backs SpaceX plan for internet satellites Free Online Course in Aviation Maintenance Open to Public Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Worldwide Campus will offer a free, two-week online class focusing on aircraft maintenance, inspections, safe and efficient integration of daily operations and how to effectively manage global challenges facing the industry. Scheduled to run from Feb. 26 to March 11, the Aviation Maintenance Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) will be taught by Embry-Riddle faculty as well as experts from the aviation industry and is open to the public. "As the industry changes and adapts to new environments, we have to educate ourselves on how to successfully navigate those challenges, to make the most out of potential opportunities," said Dr. Bettina Mrusek, lead faculty for the Aviation Maintenance MOOC. "Our students will get a real-world look at the industry, from multiple perspectives. We are not only focused on the maintenance technician, but also on those supervising and leading them." In addition to bachelor's and master's degrees in Aviation Maintenance offered through Embry- Riddle Worldwide, the university also offers a bachelor's degree in Aviation Maintenance Science at its residential campus in Daytona Beach, Fla. Registration is currently open at worldwide.erau.edu/massive-open-online-courses. https://news.erau.edu/news-briefs/free-online-course-in-aviation-maintenance-open-to-public/ Back to Top More Than 60 Aviation Technician Teams Bring Skill and Camaraderie to the 2018 Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented By Snap-on Kenosha, Wis., February 14, 2018 - More than 60 aviation maintenance teams from around the world are preparing to compete against each other in the industry's premier annual event, the Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on. The event is held at the MRO Americas 2018 Convention, April 10-12, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on is the foremost international competitive skills event for aviation technicians. It provides certified AMTs from major airlines, MROs and OEMs, as well as military personnel and students in FAA Part 147 schools, the chance to test their skills against their peers. The two-day competition runs from 1 to 5 PM Tuesday, April 10, and 9 AM to 4 PM Wednesday, April 11. The awards presentation is from 9 to 11:00 AM Thursday, April 12. "The Aerospace Maintenance Competition brings together the best of the best in aircraft maintenance," said Ken MacTiernan, Chairman, Aerospace Maintenance Competition. "The precision, skill and expertise these teams display is a testament to the true professionals that embody the industry. The Aerospace Maintenance Competition is a great venue to share information and experiences, and connect with peers from around the world." The teams will compete in 29 events, including safety wiring, composite repair, electrical troubleshooting, turbine engine and others, that challenge their knowledge, skill and team work. The team earning the overall best score takes home the grand prize in aviation maintenance - the William F. "Bill" O'Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance. Presented by Snap-on, the coveted award signifies the highest standard of excellence in aviation maintenance. The O'Brien Award is a traveling trophy that debuted at the 2013 competition. The winning team receives the honor of displaying the 5-foot tall trophy in their facility for a year. In addition to the trophy, Snap- on is awarding more than $75,000 in tools and equipment as prizes to the top finishers in the competition. Last year, the five-member team from United Airlines Team Cleveland was awarded the trophy, and it has been on display at the company's facility at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. This year's field is expected to be the strongest ever, as more than 60 global teams are planning to participate. Some of the more notable teams include: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines; China Eastern Airlines; Flybe Aviation Services; JetBlue; Qantas Airlines; UPS; FedEx; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical College; Indian Hills Community College; Salt Lake Community College; and Boeing. John Goglia, famed aviation safety and maintenance consultant, and former National Transportation Safety Board member, said that the event showcases the high level of knowledge and pride that's inherent to all aviation technicians. "The AMC is a celebration of the aviation maintenance profession," said Goglia, President, Aerospace Maintenance Council, which hosts the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. "I want teams to take away from the AMC that they have a tremendous amount of knowledge and skill within themselves; that they have pride in their own work and what they do." Snap-on supports aviation technicians around the world through its commitment as the official tool sponsor for the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. Snap-on provides all the tools and equipment used by the participants during the competition, as well as planning and logistical support. "On behalf of thousands of professionals around the world, Snap-on is very pleased to once again present the Aerospace Maintenance Competition," said Tom Murray, Director of Marketing, Snap-on Industrial. "There's no other event like this that brings together aviation technicians and students from around the world. The camaraderie and esprit de corps throughout the AMC is a true celebration of the industry - and we're happy to present that." For more information about Snap-on, call 877.740.1900, or visit http://www.snapon.com; for information on the Maintenance Skills Competition Presented by Snap-on, visit www.aerospacecompetition.com. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12397624/more-than-60-aviation-technician-teams- bring-skill-and-camaraderie-to-the-2018-aerospace-maintenance-competition-presented-by-snap- on Back to Top Singapore and FAA civil officials sign revised aviation safety agreement WASHINGTON. Officials with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), attending the Singapore Airshow this week, signed a revised Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement that will enhance the two countries long-standing cooperation in airworthiness. The enhanced Bilateral Aviation Safety AgreementImplementation Procedures for Airworthiness (BASA-IPA) provides for the mutual recognition of airworthiness of civil aeronautical products, and includes an expanded scope of modifications and repairs allowed beyond cabin interiors. These enhancements will reduce duplicate certification activities for design approvals issued to air operators and aeronautical design industries from both the U.S. and Singapore, resulting in significant time and cost savings. The BASA-IPA, originally signed in 2004 and enhanced in 2007, was expanded with the BASA - Maintenance Implementation Procedures (MIP) at the Singapore Airshow in 2016. Then in July 2017, both parties signed the BASA-MIP Maintenance Agreement Guidance. The BASA-MIP allows for the reciprocal acceptance of safety oversight requirements, as well as mutual recognition of procedures for the approval and monitoring of aircraft maintenance organizations. Similar to the BASA-IPA, the BASA-MIP eliminates duplication of inspections and audits on aircraft maintenance organizations in Singapore and the U.S, thereby significantly reducing regulatory burdens and compliance costs for the aviation industry. The collaboration between the FAA and CAAS was further strengthened through a Declaration of Intent on the initiation of a U.S. - Singapore Joint Aviation Steering Committee (JASC) in December 2017. The JASC aims to develop a framework to manage and strategically guide the robust technical cooperation under the bilateral agreements between the FAA and CAAS. "The FAA values our strong U.S. - Singapore bilateral relationship and we look forward to continued collaboration as we enhance our efforts this year through the development of the FAA-CAAS Joint Aviation Steering Committee," said FAA Acting Deputy Administrator, Carl Burleson. The FAA Administrator and the CAAS Director-General of Civil Aviation will co-lead the JASC with support from technical sub-groups who will undertake projects including, but not limited to the areas of International Safety Standards and Recommendations, Regional Cooperation and Development, Air Traffic Management, Environment, and Cybersecurity. Tay Tiang Guan, Deputy Director-General of CAAS, added, "The long-standing FAA-CAAS bilateral relationship is a testament to the high degree of mutual trust and confidence in the technical competence and regulatory capabilities of both parties. It is also a testament to the high safety standards we uphold, even as we support aviation industry growth." "The removal of the limitations will now allow airlines to undertake a comprehensive supplemental type certificate package of modifications for cabin, mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the in-flight entertainment system. This will certainly help airlines reduce lead times and costs of cabin retrofit programs," says Singapore Airlines Senior Vice President of Engineering, Lau Hwa Peng. Dr Yip Yuen Cheong, Executive Vice President of Aerospace Engineering & Manufacturing, ST Aerospace, says, "We welcome the new revision that simplifies the process in getting the necessary certifications and approval from both the CAAS and FAA. Apart from lowering administrative costs, the revised agreement also helps in bringing to market new modification and repair solutions faster, which ST Aerospace will benefit from as we grow our engineering, design and manufacturing business in passenger-to-freighter conversions, cabin interiors and seats." http://mil-embedded.com/news/singapore-and-u-s-civil-aviation-officials-sign-revised-aviation- safety-agreement/ Back to Top Triumph, China Southern plan nacelle maintenance co-op Triumph Group Inc. (TGI, Berwyn, PA, US) announced on Feb. 6 that its subsidiary, Triumph Aviation Services Asia Ltd. (Bangkok, Thailand), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China Southern Airlines (Guangdong Province, China) to cooperate in a comprehensive alliance for nacelle maintenance, potentially including the establishment of a joint venture entity in Shenyang, China. Triumph Aviation Services Asia, is an operating company of Triumph Product Support. Under the MOU, Triumph Aviation Services Asia will provide repair services for China Southern's fleet of V2500 and PW4168 nacelles while the joint venture company is being established. The JV will then provide repair and overhaul services for nacelle components and additional aircraft components of China Southern Airlines' fleet in the long term, as well for as other operators in the China region. The establishment of the new alliance builds on years of collaboration between the two companies. Since 2013, Triumph has supported the development of China Southern's composites repair shop at the airline's Shenyang Maintenance Base. "We are very proud that Triumph Aviation Services Asia was selected by China Southern as an exclusive partner for nacelle repair requirements," says Michael R. Abram, executive vice president of Triumph Product Support, "and we are excited to have the opportunity to partner with them to establish an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul footprint in China to serve the second largest domestic aviation market in the world. Our expanded relationship with China Southern Airlines demonstrates how we work with our customers to offer Total Life Cycle (TLC) Solutions when and where they need it." "Triumph Aviation Services Asia [has] always supplied the best services in our years of cooperation," says Li Zhi Gang, senior vice president for China Southern Airlines' Maintenance & Engineering Division, "considering the expectations for future use of composite material, we firmly believe they are the best partner in composite repair sector." https://www.compositesworld.com/news/triumph-and-china-southern-airlines-plan-nacelle- maintenance-joint-venture Back to Top Northland Community & Technical College Takes Geospatial Intelligence Program Online to Train Students Worldwide for Next-Gen Aerospace Careers Thief River Falls, MN, Feb. 12, 2018 - With drone technology advancing into more and more industries, the aerospace department at Northland Community & Technical College (NCTC) is gearing up to take its Geospatial Intelligence Analysis program online this coming fall. The move to a distance learning format will allow the ollege to train students around the world for diverse careers in both the public and private sectors, ranging from military intelligence to retail marketing. As an industry in and of itself, Geospatial Intelligence Analysis (GeoInt) is complex enough to defy simple categorization. Its widespread use across the greater aerospace spectrum has given rise to different meanings for different applications. In basic terms, GeoInt is the practice of interpreting images of planet Earth, geo-referencing them, and identifying objects, structures and patterns in order to make actionable recommendations. "We train our students to turn images into digital maps with pieces of information layered on top much like a flip book," explained Steve Sorenson, one of NCTC's program instructors. "Looking at the recent California fires, for example, we can map the fires and then look to see what extent the damage is, how it will impact towns and how to plan evacuations all based on these layered maps we produce." (Part Gamer, Part Sherlock Holmes: Geospatial Intelligence Unlocks Career Paths for Problem Solvers) The NCTC aerospace programs, including those that train aviation maintenance and unmanned aerial systems (UAS or drones) technicians, have all earned reputations for excellence since the department was first created more than 50 years ago. "Northland aerospace education and aviation maintenance is well regarded in the industry," said Curtis Zoller, Associate Dean Of Aerospace & Agriculture. "Companies like Northrop Grumman and Boeing come and recruit our students right out of class. We basically have a 100% job placement rate. Our instructors are in a constant coordination with these industry leaders to make sure our education is at the cutting edge of what's going on in these advancing careers, and we're doing the same thing with the imagery and geospatial programs, working with industry to stay on top of the trends." Nearly 80 percent of companies across all industries rely on some sort of geospatial data. Whether they realize it or not - or directly employ specific GeoInt technicians - companies, farmers and municipalities rely on geospatial data for things like mapping new retail locations, planning new communities or forecasting crop yields. For consumers, Google Earth may be the most obvious example of GeoInt in action. These maps of planet Earth are layered with information like street names, businesses, road conditions, etc. Behind all that functionality sits an expert technician trained in analyzing images and providing actionable intelligence in the form of a map. More than four million jobs are directly linked to digital maps, explained Jon Beck, an instructor for UAS technology at NCTC. "The economic impact is more than a trillion dollars yearly in terms of sales for businesses," he said, "but beyond the economics, geospatial intelligence is enormously valuable to society as a whole. For example, emergency response teams... digital maps created with geospatial imagery and data have decreased response time by about 20 percent in situations where someone's life is on the line. You wouldn't typically think of a map as a lifesaver, but the maps we create can do just that." According to Zoller, geospatial intelligence is still an emerging field. "The demand is great and increasing due to the continuing advancements in drone technology, which we here at Northland are on the leading edge of. With all the aviation technology, high-def cameras and high-tech imaging tools now available to every sector of the economy, it's no longer just the military that needs trained analysts. We've only just scratched the surface in terms of career potential, and with this new online program, we're going to be able to reach around the globe to help meet the demand." Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC) is a comprehensive college with campuses in Thief River Falls, MN and East Grand Forks, MN. NCTC also has an aerospace site in Thief River Falls, MN and a satellite site in Roseau, MN. NCTC offers certificates, diplomas, transfer courses, two-year AAS degrees in more than 60 areas of study, workforce training and education programs. NCTC is a member of Minnesota State, and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. NCTC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. Visit NCTC online at www.northlandcollege.edu. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12397194/northland-community-technical-college- takes-geospatial-intelligence-program-online-to-train-students-worldwide-for-next-gen-aerospace- careers Back to Top Aviation Firms Partner on Vegas-area Hangars Flight school and aircraft rental provider All In Aviation, along with its maintenance partner Lone Mountain Aviation, is set to develop a new hangar complex at Las Vegas Henderson Executive Airport that includes box hangars capable of housing light to midsize business jets. It will include 9,000 sq ft of office space, five training rooms, a classroom, 16-seat conference room, avionics workshop, library, pilot shop, parts department, and a 22,000-sq-ft maintenance hangar for Lone Mountain, the largest general aviation Part 145 repair station in the state. In addition to 12 T-hangars capable of storing small aircraft such as a Cirrus SR22, plans call for 11 box hangars able to shelter midsize business jets. Groundbreaking for the project, the first purpose-built, multi-use aviation facility of its kind at the dedicated GA airport, is expected later this spring, following approval of the engineering plans. According to the companies, 35 percent occupancy has already been achieved in the pre-leasing phase for the complex, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-02-13/aviation-firms-partner- vegas-area-hangars Back to Top Optomec Brings Additive Metal Technologies To Aviation Aftermarket With a total staff of 82 people, the additive manufacturing firm Optomec is small, but it has some very big aviation customers, such as United Technologies, Boeing, Rockwell Collins and GE, which has invested in Optomec. The company is bringing some very different additive metal technologies to aviation that could be especially useful in overhaul and maintenance, according to Marketing VP Ken Vartanian. Most additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, of metal parts today is done by powder bed fusion. Optomec works with two other techniques, aerosol jet for printing electronics and laser engineered net shaping, or LENS, deposition for structural metals. Speaking in a webinar sponsored by Michigan State University's Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vartanian said Optomec has a unique and patented process for aerosol printing developed over 15 years. The process begins with atomized particles of 2-5 microns in diameter, using a wide range of materials, including conductive inks, polymers,adhesives and even biomaterials. A mist of these droplets is compressed into a fine beam that is ejected from a nozzle at 70 meters per second onto the substrate, or the part onto which a very thin layer of the material is to be added. Aerosol jet is ideal thus for adding sensors and antennas to parts, making them 'smart parts.' One possible application is enabling condition based-monitoring of aircraft structures. Another application on which Optomec has been working for two years is adding sensors to engine turbine blades. These are passive optical sensors, made of ceramic ink, that must work under temperatures of up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The turbine blade sensors detect metal fatigue and creep. They are scanned during the maintenance cycle, and data is downloaded to the engine-maker's Internet of Things platform. So instead of replacing engine blades based on statistical probability of early failures, the OEM can identify and replace exactly the blades that actually need replacement. "For a few dollars per sensor, you can save thousands of dollars," Vartanian observes. Optomec has also taken the LENS techniques originally developed at Sandia National Laboratories in the 1990s and refined them into practical manufacturing and repair methods. Here powdered metals are blown into the focus of laser beams that deposit the metal to build up a part. Water- cooled lasers of up to 3 kilowatts are used to deposit up to a kilogram of metal per hour. The strength of the resulting part has been proved to be at least as good as that of cast or wrought metals of the same materials, for example titanium or stainless steel. Powder Bed Fusion is better than LENS at building more complex parts and at getting better resolution, Vartanian acknowledges. But PBF is limited in the size of parts printed, while LENS is not. And LENS can build simple parts faster than PBF and cheaper as well, because it uses larger sizes of metal grain. Moreover, the LENS technique is ideal for doing repairs, welding and coatings, Vartanian points out. With a shortage of 400,000 welders forecast for the U.S., the new technology may be especially helpful. LENS repairs of engine parts can also be economically attractive, avoiding major expenditures for purchase of new parts. And Optomec is trying to make LENS equipment more affordable than the $750,000 to $2-million machines that have been available in the past. It is integrating its LENS technology as modules into conventional computer numerical control, or CNC, machines and developing 'recipes' for using LENS to ease training and deployment. Vartanian remembers being a young engineer staring at a computer-assisted design (CAD) diagram on a PC screen and dreaming of just printing out that design. Now he can, and he wants to make the technology much more pervasive in manufacturing. http://www.mro-network.com/technology/optomec-brings-additive-metal-technologies-aviation- aftermarket Back to Top Honeywell Introduces AR/VR Simulator To Train The Industrial Workforce And Help Close Skills Gap Honeywell today announced a cloud-based simulation tool that uses a combination of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to train plant personnel on critical industrial work activities. With as much as 50 percent of industrial plant personnel due to retire within the next five years, the Honeywell Connected Plant Skills Insight Immersive Competency is designed to bring new industrial workers up to speed quickly by enhancing training and delivering it in new and contemporary ways. Honeywell's advanced training solution combines mixed reality with data analytics and Honeywell's 25 years of experience in worker competency management to create an interactive environment for on-the-job training. It uses Microsoft's HoloLens, the world's first and only self-contained holographic computer, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets to simulate various scenarios for Honeywell's C300 controller - such as primary failure and switchovers, cable and power supply failure - that train and test personnel on their skills. "Megatrends such as the aging workforce are putting increased pressure on industrial companies and their training programs," said Youssef Mestari, program director, Honeywell Connected Plant. "There is a need for more creative and effective training delivered through contemporary methods such as Immersive Competency, ultimately empowering industrial workers to directly improve plant performance, uptime, reliability and safety." Simulating specific job activities through virtual environments, which are accessed through the cloud, Honeywell's solution offers a natural way to interact and communicate with peers or a trainer. Similar to a flight simulator, trainees can safely experience the impacts of their decisions. This approach improves skill retention versus traditional training methods by up to 100 percent and reduces the length of technical training by up to 150 percent. Additionally, the employees' training progress is tracked as part of a formal competency management system. "Honeywell's unique approach to industrial training and competency development, combined with Windows Mixed Reality platform and devices, is a good example of a major industrial player proactively and creatively driving digital transformation," said Lorraine Bardeen, general manager for Mixed Reality at Microsoft. "This is the first solution that directly links industrial staff competency to plant performance by measuring the training's effectiveness based on real outcomes." Honeywell Connected Plant turns data into insight that enable plants and businesses to run better. Honeywell delivers this capability through its unmatched domain expertise and advanced analytics capabilities to connect process, assets, people and enterprise to maximize performance. Honeywell's breadth of cyber-security solutions ensures data stays secure from increasing external threats. For more information on Honeywell Connected Plant Skills Insight Immersive Competency, visit https://hwll.co/SkillsInsightPR http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12397240/honeywell-introduces-ar-vr-simulator-to-train-the- industrial-workforce-and-help-close-skills-gap Back to Top Aviation base lands at old Braniff HQ at Dallas' Love Field An aviation ground services company, The Arnold Cos. Air, says it will put a new commercial flight center in part of Braniff International Airways' old headquarters at Dallas Love Field. TAC Air said it plans to have the facility open by next summer with 200,000 square feet of hangar space and aviation support facilities. The new aviation base will be accompanied by retail, restaurant, offices and an auto dealership in a $134 million mixed-use redevelopment of the 60-year-old Braniff headquarters at 7701 Lemmon Ave. on the east side of Love Field. Dallas businessman and car dealer Randall Reed has been working for six years to restore and reuse Braniff's landmark office and maintenance center buildings. Reed is working with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones Blue Star Land and developer Lincoln Property Co. to redevelop the 28-acre Braniff headquarters. The project, called the Braniff Centre, will include Reed's Park Cities Lincoln dealership when it's finished. The original Braniff building was designed by architects William Pereira and Charles Luckman and has been prized by preservationists. Reed stepped forward with a plan to save the building after discussions about demolishing the structures. The Gravity Co. and Burns & McDonnell designed the restoration with the Texas Historic Commission. TAC Air says it plans to offer private hangars, an executive terminal and concierge and valet services out of its facility. "When open, you will take a step back to the mid-century era of aviation in Dallas, with Braniff archives on display in the public areas," said Greg Arnold, chairman and CEO of Dallas-based Arnold Cos. "For those with aircraft, you can experience the best ground support and hangar facilities in the D-FW Metroplex as you travel to Dallas through Love Field or make TAC Air your home base." https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2018/02/14/aviation-base-lands-old-braniff-hq- dallas-love-field Back to Top FlightSafety and Pilatus Announce the Start of Pilatus PC-24 Training in Dallas NEW YORK (February 12, 2018) - FlightSafety International and Pilatus announce that training for the new PC-24 Super Versatile Jet has begun at FlightSafety's Learning Center in Dallas, Texas. "We are pleased to announce the start of training for the new Pilatus PC-24 aircraft in Dallas," said David Davenport, Executive Vice President. "FlightSafety and Pilatus worked closely together to ensure owners and operators of the PC-24 receive the highest quality training and outstanding service they deserve and expect." The Pilatus PC-24 simulator was recently qualified and approved for training by the European Aviation Safety Agency. Qualification by the United States Federal Aviation Administration occurred in December 2017. "Receiving EASA and FAA qualification demonstrates our ability to design and manufacture simulators that replicate the flying characteristics of the aircraft they represent, and meet or exceed the stringent standards of aviation regulatory agencies around the world." added Davenport. Pilots and maintenance technicians who operate and support the Pilatus PC-24 benefit from the highest level of fidelity, quality, and reliability this new FlightSafety FS1000 simulator provides. It is equipped with the latest advances in technology including the VITAL 1100 visual system, electric motion and control loading, and new Instructor Operating Station. FlightSafety's two Learning Centers in Dallas are equipped with 25 full flight simulators. They are used to provide training for business and commercial aircraft manufactured by Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter, Bombardier, Embraer, Dassault, Gulfstream, and Pilatus. FlightSafety International is the world's premier professional aviation training company and supplier of flight simulators, visual systems and displays to commercial, government and military organizations. The company provides more than 1.4 million hours of training each year to pilots, technicians and other aviation professionals from 167 countries and independent territories. FlightSafety operates the world's largest fleet of advanced full-flight simulators at Learning Centers and training locations in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and the United Kingdom. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12397160/flightsafety-and-pilatus-announce-the-start- of-pilatus-pc-24-training-in-dallas Back to Top FCC chairman backs SpaceX plan for internet satellites Elon Musk's plan to deliver internet from space may be one step closer to reality. The head of the Federal Communications Commission has called for the agency to approve an application from Musk's SpaceX to beam high-speed internet to earth from low orbit satellites. "Satellite technology can help reach Americans who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach. And it can offer more competition where terrestrial Internet access is already available," Ajit Pai, the FCC chairman, said in a statement Wednesday. There were about 24 million Americans without access to high-speed broadband as of the end of last year, according to the FCC. SpaceX previously sought approval from the agency to launch 4,425 satellites to deliver broadband to users in the U.S. and worldwide. The initial satellite network would be smaller, however. "SpaceX anticipates that an initial deployment of as few as 800 satellites will be capable of providing high-speed, low-latency broadband throughout the U.S. and anywhere on the planet," SpaceX said in one filing with the FCC. The company said in another filing it plans to include two demonstration satellites with its payload on an upcoming Falcon 9 launch. SpaceX declined to comment. Assuming the FCC moves ahead with the chairman's proposal, SpaceX would be the first U.S. company to get the green light for delivering broadband from low orbit satellites. It has previously approved requests from OneWeb, Space Norway and Telesat. Google (GOOGL) and Facebook (FB) have also been experimenting with alternative internet delivery options, including satellites, drones and balloons. The investments have the potential to expand the number of internet users with access to their services. http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/14/technology/spacex-internet-satellites-fcc/index.html Curt Lewis