February 19, 2018 - No. 014 In This Issue KLM UK Engineering & Braathens Regional Sign Contract for Airframe Maintenance Safran's Even Tapped To Lead Airbus Helicopters Gulfstream to build $40 million service center, add 200 jobs at Appleton airport Vahana Soars in its First Fully Self-Piloted Flight Ireland's ASL Aviation closes Spanish carrier Iberia Maintenance to Service DHL's RB211 535-E4 Engines Goldstar Air, Ethiopian Airlines agree to use same MRO AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS TRADE THE TOWER FOR A SCREEN-STUFFED CAVE Decarbonizing the aviation system using bio-jet fuel SpaceX's Falcon 9 carrying broadband satellite to be launched on Feb 21 KLM UK Engineering & Braathens Regional Sign Contract for Airframe Maintenance aris, Amstelveen, Norwich, 16 February 2018 - A European leader in the regional jets & narrow body aircraft market and having an internationally acknowledged expertise on the Boeing 737, Embraer 170/190, BAe146/Avro RJ, Fokker 70/100 & Airbus A320 Family, KLM UK Engineering is delighted to confirm its contract with Braathens Regional. KLM UK Engineering commenced airframe maintenance checks with Braathens Regional on their BAe 146/ARJ fleet during 2017. Ian Bartholomew, Director Business Development & Sales commented: "We are delighted to have been selected by Braathens Regional to carry out their heavy maintenance checks. We have been supporting Braathens Regional for the last year and look forward to further developing our relationship". Ronny Christiansen, Vice President Support Braathens Regional said: "Having been a customer of KLM UK Engineering's over the last year, we are very pleased to reach this long-term agreement regarding our heavy maintenance programme.KLM UK Engineering has performed a very good quality of work and great flexibility in order to meet Braathens requirements." http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12398384/klm-uk-engineering-braathens-regional- sign-contract-for-airframe-maintenance Back to Top Safran's Even Tapped To Lead Airbus Helicopters Airbus Helicopters has tapped the head of one of its major suppliers to lead the company. This week the company announced the appointment of Safran Helicopter Engines chief Bruno Even as its new CEO. Even will replace Guillaume Faury, effective April 1. Faury is leaving Airbus Helicopters to run Airbus's commercial aircraft division. Even, 49, has run Safran's helicopter engine division since 2015. Before that, he was CEO of Safran's electronics and defense business, formerly known as Sagem. Even is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and worked at France's Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs before joining Safran Helicopter Engines (Turbomeca) in 1999, eventually becoming executive vice president of support and services before moving to electronics and defense. "Bruno has climbed the management ranks at Safran at a very young age," said Airbus CEO Tom Enders. "His broad background in the helicopter business and his strong customer focus combined with program and engineering expertise make Bruno the ideal candidate to succeed Guillaume Faury and to continue our successful improvement journey in a very demanding business environment." During Even's tenure at the helm of Safran helicopter engines the company instituted several initiatives to improve customer support, including rolling out online engine maintenance tracking. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-02-16/safrans-even-tapped- lead-airbus-helicopters Back to Top Gulfstream to build $40 million service center, add 200 jobs at Appleton airport GREENVILLE - Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced Friday that it will build a new $40 million service center at Appleton International Airport. The 180,000-square-foot maintenance facility will complement the company's existing operations at the airport and create about 200 jobs. Gulfstream currently employs 820 people locally at its cabin-completions facility and service center. "This is the most significant expansion we've had in Appleton in the nearly 20 years we've been there," said Derek Zimmerman, president of product support for Gulfstream. State and local officials gathered at a Gulfstream hangar on Discovery Drive to celebrate the news. Gov. Scott Walker championed both the capital investment and the addition of "good-paying, family-supporting jobs." "The company's decision to expand right here in the Fox Valley is yet another sign that our state's economy is strong," he said. Walker and Gulfstream officials credited the state's sales tax exemption on aviation parts and maintenance as one of the reasons the company chose Appleton for its expansion. State Sen. Roger Roth, R-Appleton, congratulated Gulfstream and the Fox Cities workforce for "creating these fantastic products that are the envy of the world." "This is an extraordinary day for the Fox Valley," Roth said. Gulfstream engineers, manufactures and services business aircraft. It has been at Appleton International Airport since 1998. State Rep. Mike Rohrkaste, R-Neenah, credited Gulfstream for being "a very positive corporate citizen." "It's been great to see how they have grown over the last 20 years," he said. "This is going to be good for the Fox Cities. It's going to create more jobs, and more importantly, it's going to create more career opportunities for the 800 employees who are here and then the other 200 who are going to be added soon." Zimmerman said the new jobs primarily will be technicians and support staff for the service and maintenance of Gulfstream's growing fleet of aircraft produced for customers around the world. "We will start hiring this year yet," he said. "We anticipate we will get about 40 percent of that hiring done in 2018 ... and we'll do the remainder of the hiring as we get into 2019." The new service center will include a hangar, offices, back shops and support space. It will be located at the airport between two existing Gulfstream hangars west of the Greenville water tower. Construction is scheduled to begin in May and be completed by the second quarter of 2019. Gulfstream's existing facilities at the airport total 316,000 square feet of space. The new facility, Zimmerman said, "will add about 50 percent to our current capacity at this site." Zimmerman said Gulfstream will take advantage of "the same state incentive package that's available to all employers in Wisconsin." Worldwide, Gulfstream employs more than 15,000 people. It is headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, and operates facilities in the U.S., United Kingdom, China and Brazil. Two years ago, Gulfstream announced the layoff of 1,100 workers - 600 contractors and 500 employees - at its U.S. sites. At the time, the employee layoff totaled about 3 percent of its workforce. https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/local/2018/02/16/gulfstream-build-40-expand-add- jobs/340441002/ Back to Top Vahana Soars in its First Fully Self-Piloted Flight ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- It was a historic day for Airbus, A3, and the Vahana team when Alpha One, the first full-scale aircraft lifted off on January 31, 2018 in Pendleton, Oregon. At 8:52AM Pacific Time the fully self-piloted vehicle reached a height of 5 meters (16 feet) before descending and landing safely. The vehicle completed a second flight the following day. In attendance was the full Vahana team, representatives from the FAA, and A3 leadership, all coming together to witness this historic accomplishment. The first flight also marked the successful completion of significant milestones by Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) and its team of subcontractors supporting Vahana for the past 18 months. Integrated directly with the experts at Vahana from early in the project, MTSI, a 100% employee-owned engineering services and technology solutions provider for the defense industry, intelligence community, and commercial markets, contributed to the vehicle reaching its first flight milestone by performing the following tasks: Coordinated and presented a Safety Evaluation resulting the award of a Special Airworthiness Certificate - Experimental Served as Test Director during flight and ground tests Authored Flight Test Plans and Ground Test Plans that captured test objectives and test requirements for an evolving experimental platform Authored the Flight Manual, Maintenance Program Manual, Vehicle Maintenance Logs, and Standard Operating Procedures for flight test Design, assembly, installation, and programming of an instrumentation pallet monitoring critical subsystems with the assistance of Advanced Aircraft Equipment LLC and Adjutant Engineering LLC Completion of Safety Review Boards for Test Range approval from NexGen UAS Range Management and the City of Pendleton, Oregon. Vahana's aim has long been to design and build a self-piloted, single passenger, all electric VTOL aircraft to answer the growing need for urban mobility. Its goal is to democratize personal flight by leveraging the latest technologies such as electric propulsion, energy storage, and machine vision. The first flights mark a huge milestone for Vahana as well as the global pursuit of urban air mobility. MTSI will soon resume flight testing of Vahana and continue hover, transition, and cruise test profiles at the Pendleton UAS Test Range. For more information on openings MTSI currently has, company information, and benefits offered, please visit the MTSI Careers page and MTSI Vahana job opportunity listings. About Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) MTSI is a 100% employee-owned engineering services and technology solutions company delivering first-choice capabilities to solve problems of global importance in the critical mission areas of missile defense, cyber security, intelligence, unmanned/autonomous systems, aviation, space, and homeland security. MTSI's mission is to make important and lasting contributions to the nation's defense and security by providing leadership and best-value solutions to solve America's most technically challenging strategic problems. Founded in 1993, MTSI today has over 800 employees, based at 20 offices and field sites worldwide. Read more at www.mtsi-va.com. For more information on available job opportunities with MTSI and benefits offered including 401K with immediate vesting, zero deductible health plans, employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), $10k annual tuition reimbursement, and more first year paid time off, please visit www.mtsi-va.com/careers. http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12398381/vahana-soars-in-its-first-fully-self-piloted-flight Back to Top Ireland's ASL Aviation closes Spanish carrier Ireland-based ASL Aviation Holdings is ceasing operations of its Madrid-based operation, ASL Airlines Spain. The move, in mid-February, came less than a week after ASL handed back the air operator's certificate for its Swiss operation, and is part of a policy to reduce duplication, optimize assets and create centers of excellence across its European network. The group said the Spanish operation's six BAe 146-300QT freighters no longer meet the range and capacity requirements of the emerging markets that ASL is configuring its European freighters to serve. The aircraft will be withdrawn from service, and the Spanish airline will cease operations when the last freighter is removed. The aircraft are for sale. Future Spanish flight operations will be handled by Boeing 737-400F aircraft from elsewhere in the ASL group, to meet increasing capacity requirements to other European nations. A "very small number" of additional aircraft will be required to cover the Spanish airline's operations. Some ASL Airlines Spain staffers may be redeployed to positions with other ASL airline companies across Europe. ASL Airlines Spain has staff at its Madrid headquarters and line maintenance bases at other Spanish airports. In a statement, the group said the move was necessary "to position ASL as a strong, sustainable and profitable business that is flexible and that can quickly adapt to meet the changing requirements of its customers." http://atwonline.com/airlines/ireland-s-asl-aviation-closes-spanish-carrier Back to Top Iberia Maintenance to Service DHL's RB211 535-E4 Engines Iberia Maintenance was awarded the contract for inspection and repair of the Rolls-Royce RB211 535-E4 engines on the B757 fleets of DHL Air UK and Blue Dart, both subsidiaries of DHL Express. The contract covers maintenance of 40 engines over a 10-year period. Iberia Maintenance already services the RB-211-535C engines belonging to the transport and logistics group's Deutsche Post DHL unit. Paul Bishop, CEO of DHL Air UK, commented: "This new agreement broadens the commercial relations between DHL and Iberia that began more than 10 years ago with the earlier 535C model and which continue to develop and expand thanks to the principles of trust, respect, quality, and integrity shared by the two companies." Iberia's Technical Manager André Wall commented: "This new contract for the inspection and repair of RB211 engines is a sign of the trust placed by DHL Express in Iberia Maintenance. We will continue our efforts to become more efficient and to improve our service to customers, in keeping with our commitments to 'Fly safe, Fly on time, Fly @ LowCost, and Feel the Innovation and Continous Improvement.'" The British DHL Air UK is a freight carrier with a fleet of 20 B757-200SFs and four B767-300Fs. Iberia Maintenance is a leading provider of MRO services, with some 2,600 employees specialising in servicing Airbus fleets chiefly at its major installations in Madrid and Barcelona, while performing line maintenance at many other airports. Iberia Maintenance provides premium MRO service ranging from one-off maintenance tasks to the comprehensive maintenance of aircraft in the Airbus A320, A330 and A340 families. At its Madrid engines repair facility it carries out the inspection, maintenance, and repair of CFM56-5A1/-5B, CFM56-7B, V2500 and RB211-535 engines, while it is getting ready for new generation engines. http://aviationtribune.com/airlines/europe/iberia-maintenance-service-dhls-rb211-535-e4-engines/ Back to Top Goldstar Air, Ethiopian Airlines agree to use same MRO Goldstar Air, a wholly Ghanaian owned airline and Ethiopian Airlines have signed an agreement for the former to use the latter's Maintenance Repair Organisation (MRO) in the interim. The Ghanaian airline said it was working hard to have its own MRO and Training School in Tamale soon. Mr Eric Bannerman, Executive Chairman of Goldstar Air, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), on the deal said, "Whenever any technical and engineering assistance anywhere in the world is needed, they will immediately dispatch Ethiopian Airlines personnel to the place where the repair works will be carried out. "Their values at the MRO focus on top quality, short turnaround time, highly competitive prices, and excellent customer service." According to the Executive Chairman, the airline will be sending personnel of the company, who are retired young Air force engineers and pilots for type rating in Ethiopia on Boeing aircrafts soon. "The engineers will be back and work as assistants while the pilots will come as first officers, till they all gain more experience on the Boeing aircraft, which will make them captains on their own." Mr Bannerman said preparations are far advanced for Goldstar Air aircraft to be flown to the Ethiopian MRO for final servicing and paint works. Ethiopian Airlines will also livery Goldstar Air colours to reflect the wings of Ghana and the logo of the supporting bank on the aircrafts. Goldstar Air will be initially, flying to twelve destinations worldwide, from Accra to London, Dubai, Guangzhou, Baltimore Washington International, Providence International, Lagos, Abidjan, Monrovia, Freetown, Banjul, Conakry and Dakar. The MRO of Ethiopian Airlines has over 1,800 fully qualified technical staff and state-of-the-art maintenance hangar and paint hangar facility certified by competent regulatory bodies like Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ETCAA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Based at Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Airlines MRO, established in 1957, provides services for aircrafts, engines and components and has four main hangars used for airframe maintenance. These are a closed-door hangar to accommodate one Boeing 767/787/777; and a closed door hangar to accommodate two Boeing 767/787s or four Boeing 737 size airplanes at the same time. The third hangar is an open door and can accommodate three Boeing 737 size airplanes and the fourth is an open door Hangar that accommodates two Q400s. Also, Ethiopian Airlines has two warehouses for over 100,000 line items; the first is dedicated to aircraft parts whereas the second is used for commercial and bulk items which will be very beneficial to Goldstar Air. "Our intention as Ghanaians, is to build a state-of-the-art and trend-setting aviation industry in terms of safety, quality, reliability, punctuality, efficiency and costs," the Goldstar Air Executive Chairman said. https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/business/159681/Goldstar-Air,-Ethiopian-Airlines- agree-to-use-same-MRO Back to Top AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS TRADE THE TOWER FOR A SCREEN-STUFFED CAVE THE NEXT TIME you fly into Florida's Fort Lauderdale airport, look out the window and see if you can spot what's missing. The answer? A 160 feet high tower. That's what airport officials at the airport say would have been necessary for them to be able to safely control the movement of planes on the ground, taxiing to and from gates and runways at the recently expanded airport. That would be doing things the old fashioned way, by line-of-sight-aka looking at the planes. Instead of an elevated perch, ground controllers at FLL have an even better view from inside a nearby squat, building. "They have no windows in their building," says Mike Nonnemacher, the chief operating officer for Broward Country Aviation Department, which controls FLL airport. "It's all done by radar, and augmented by a system of CCTV and infrared cameras." A new computer system takes the data from those cameras, and other sensors, and stitches it together into one giant virtual vista. Controllers sit in front of a video wall, which shows them what's happening in real time. The infrared images offer improved visibility at night and in the fog. Wearing headsets, they calmly issue cryptic sounding instructions to pilots, and then track the plane moving. It's the first of its kind in the US, and could set the bar for other airports around the country. In the US, the FAA runs air traffic control, which sees planes safely onto the tarmac. But responsibility for moving these huge machines around on the ground falls on the airport or airline. Their wingspans, which look so elegant in the air, are just a protruding hazard on the ground. Pilots don't have great visibility out of the cockpit windows, so they rely on ground controllers to tell them which gate to taxi to, where to hold, which path to take, and to warn them of other vehicles like fueling trucks or passenger busses crossing active taxiways. It's a complicated dance, becoming ever more so as air travel booms and airports expand, allowing takeoffs and landings with barely 30 seconds between them. Airfields usually have one or more towers, so ground controllers can see everything that happens from the runways to the gates. The layout of the Fort Lauderdale airport makes it a great test case for something new. One row of gates is hidden from direct view of ground controllers, so they used to send someone on foot to scout the scene, report back, and help them keep track of aircraft on a dry-erase board. Tired of all the back and forth and eager to avoid the cost of building a looming tower, they went the virtual route. The result is that windowless building, inside which ground controllers take in feeds from 66 CCTV cameras, and FAA radar data that includes each plane's location and call sign. "We take a lot of information, from lots of sources," says Betros Wakim, the head of Amadeus Airport Technology in the Americas, which designed the software to stitch all that together and present it to controllers in useful ways. When a plane is ready to leave its gate, ground controllers first make sure it's safe to move. With their virtual views, they can train cameras toward the plane, check its flight number, and then check the surrounding area. Pushback can be rather hazardous. "You always have construction and maintenance people who need to be on the runway to do repairs," says Patti Clark, aeronautics professor at Embry Riddle University, and a former airport manager. Wild animals might be taking a stroll through the grounds. By combining cameras with the radar data, ramp controllers should be able to spot all that, and ward off disaster. "The human factor is always involved, but the more useful and reliable tools you can provide to the human, the better the situational awareness is," says Clark. No surprise then, that Nonnemacher says he has already had phone calls and visits from other airports interested in recreating the system, including Tampa, Dallas, and Toronto. One day, virtual airfield control could remove ramp control centers from airports altogether, freeing up space for terminals or cargo handling areas. It's all just data, it can be piped anywhere. There's precedent in Europe; London City airport has just replaced its air traffic control tower with a remote system, and controllers sitting 120 miles away. That same tech is being used in Australia, Sweden, Norway, and Ireland. So the next time you come in to land at FLL, don't bother looking for that non-existent tower. Instead, see if you can spot the little building, with the folks inside making your path to the gate-to freedom-quicker and safer. https://www.wired.com/story/airport-traffic-controllers-trade-the-tower-for-a-screen-stuffed-cave/ Back to Top Decarbonizing the aviation system using bio-jet fuel Feb. 16, 2018 - Unlike automobiles and other light transport vehicles, airplanes face technical, safety and infrastructure challenges for being powered by electricity derived from renewable sources such as wind and power, hydrogen or fuel cell technology and will need a more energy- dense renewable fuel (i.e. bio-jet fuel). Electric aircraft are, currently, very small and are powered by batteries or photovoltaic solar panels. However, the weight and duration of power are obstacles. Electric hybrid planes will likely be utilized before full electric airplanes. Decarbonizing the aviation sector via switching to more energy-dense biofuel could, however, play an important role in reducing atmospheric CO2 concentration across the country while transitioning to a future energy system. Three common pillars identified by signatories of Paris Agreement, are energy efficiency, decarbonizing electricity generation and fuel switching. Aviation sector is one of the decentralized emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world. Decarbonizing transportation system can be achieved via fuel switching. Given this sector's growing contribution to global CO2, aviation could play a key role in meeting the global climate targets. While major airlines continue to demand the use of narrow range of hydrocarbon jet fuel for the foreseeable future, some European airlines and aircraft manufacturers have committed to voluntary CO2 reduction targets. According to a 2015 report from the Canadian Airport Council, Canadian passenger traffic forecast is estimated a market growth to about 216 million passengers by 2033, a 50 per cent increase compared to 122 million in 2013. Life cycle carbon emissions Emissions of passenger aircraft per passenger kilometre (km) vary, on average, from 114 g CO2 equivalent per km for long distance flights to about 260 g CO2 equivalent per km for short distance flights. In our view, GHG emissions can be reduced by one to two per cent annually through improved engines' fuel efficiency, aircraft redesign, airport modifications, new and efficient navigational system, etc. However, significant reduction in GHG emissions requires airlines to use more sustainable alternative jet fuel such as bio-jet in the long-term. According to a report from Utrecht University, the use of bio-jet reduces net life-cycle carbon emissions as it enables reusing and recycling carbon that is already in the biosphere to create the fuel. Figure 1 compares life-GHG emissions in jet fuel for fossil fuel and bio-jet fuel produced using various conversion technology pathways. As shown, most pathways yield greenhouse gas emissions reductions exceeding 60 per cent compared to fossil jet fuel. However, some fail to reach a 50 per cent reduction threshold due to high greenhouse gas emissions associated with feedstock cultivation (e.g. fertilizer) or hydrogen consumption. As shown, on a well-to-wheel basis the bio-jet can significantly reduce GHG emissions compared to conventional jet fuel (if emissions from land use change can be avoided) and achieving such a target requires increase in bio-jet production and consumption by the aviation sector. Bio-jet fuel in Canada Although bio-Jet has been produced on a limited scale, the transportation fuel industry is very competitive, making it very difficult for producers of bio-jet to be economically competitive with fossil fuel, particularly due to low oil prices. Besides the capital cost of building large-scale production facilities, the difficulty of establishing new supply chains, the projected operating costs associated with proven feedstock and the technical difficulties with conversion processes are all posing challenges to market access. In addition, the oil industry has been conservative in its engagement and support of alternative jet fuel development. As fossil-derived jet fuel is likely to be much cheaper to produce for quite some time into the future, effective policies will be required for all aspects of bio-jet fuel development, from encouraging production of feedstocks through to the production and use of the bio-jet fuel itself. In the short term, most commercial bio-jet fuels will likely come from oleo chemical feedstocks, such as tallow, used cooking and palm oils. However, in the mid-to-long term, cellulosic feedstocks will likely supersede these lipids/fats as the main source of bio-jet fuel because they are not in direct competition with food, are in large supply, and will likely be less expensive. With the support from companies such as Boeing, Bombardier, Air Canada, West Jet and NORAM and from the funding agencies Green Aviation Research and Development Network, NSERC, International Energy Agency (IEA) and BiofuelNet, The Forest Products Biotechnology/Bioenergy group at University of British Columbia have been assessing the potential of producing bio-jet fuel from forest residues. According to IEA Bioenergy - Task 39, the group is co-ordinating the efforts to determine whether a bio-jet production facility could be commercialized in British Columbia using local forest residues. Utilizing vast biomass resource as well as the existing energy and crude oil infrastructure in Alberta, can provide the opportunity to cost-effectively decarbonize the aviation sector via producing and blending a more energy dense biofuel in conventional jet fuel. Benefits, barriers and challenges Commercialization of bio-jet offers potential societal benefits by expanding energy sources, reducing GHG and other emissions that impact air quality and economic development. Many of these benefits are the result of agricultural opportunities that are not accessible to food crops. For significant reduction in GHG emissions from flights, second generation feedstock should be utilized, i.e. oils from nonfood crops or waste products - such as animal fat, used cooking oil, forestry and agricultural waste, and household trash. Having a variety of feedstocks makes it easier to produce renewable jet fuel around the world because refineries can use the feedstock most available in their region. The majority of the bio-jet could be distributed, i.e. located close to feedstock supplies, to keep costs and emissions minimum. According to a presentation by MIT at the 2016 IEA Bioenergy workshop, the need for annual growth in alternative jet fuel production out to 2050 is estimated to be on the order of 5-15 Mt/yr (100-300 kbpd) in global biofuel production capacity to achieve between 10 to 20 per cent emission reduction by 2050. This would require an estimated $6-$50 billion capital investment per year. The main economic challenges are feedstock availability and price, lack of multi-stakeholder collaboration, techno-economic factors, accelerated technology development and demonstration projects funding for both small and large start-ups. The technical challenges are not limited to feedstock development, novel conversion technology with lower energy use, fuel testing and certification process by ASTM but also policies like renewable fuel standard, sustainability assessment tools and models. Certification of a bio-jet technology through ASTM standard specification can take years and includes rigorous testing and evaluation. For now, fuel producers lack the funds, policy support, and renewable fuel incentives to build more factories and increase production volumes, though there are signs that the industry is ready to grow. Policies As aviation is international in nature, Canada should take the lead the global policies specific to bio- Jet as it is crucial to encourage larger-scale commercialization and use of the same. Technological development of advanced bio-fuels should be done through multi-stakeholder alliance including equipment manufacturers, airlines, fuel producers and airports. Carbon offsets continue to contribute to global emission reductions and it not clear whether it will accelerate the bio-jet development. By 2050, the global aviation industry aims to combat climate change by reducing net carbon emissions by 50 per cent compared with 2005 levels. That's a commitment to cut one-tenth the emissions projected for 2050. Improved engine efficiency and aircraft aerodynamics will provide some reductions. But transitioning to fully renewable jet fuel is key to meeting the targets suggested by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The international nature of aviation will require global coordination of policy makers and also involvement of organization like ICAO. According to a research in Penn States' College of Agricultural Science, in North America, several policy initiatives are pushing bio-jet fuel use in the states. One of them is EPA's Renewable Fuel Standard that, through a rather complex system, ultimately provides credits for cellulosic biofuels, up to $2 a gallon. The second is, in certain markets like California and Oregon, a low-carbon fuel standard that provides credit for low-carbon-emitting fuels such as bio-jet fuel. Policy makers should play an active role to help bio-jet in the same evolutionary pathway like bio- ethanol and bio-diesel. Key policy areas to focus are mandated bio-jet blend like ethanol in gasoline, support commercialization of bio-jet through incentives and tax credits, enhance production and use through the entire supply chain from feedstock supply to distribution with initiatives like European Union Initiative Towards sustainable Kerosene for Aviation (ITAKA) project and industry and consumers play a part in expand the production and use e.g., Fly Green Fund and other corporate programs that encourage customers to cover the price of using premium bio-jet. https://www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca/biofuel/decarbonizing-the-aviation-system-using-bio- jet-fuel-6724 Back to Top SpaceX's Falcon 9 carrying broadband satellite to be launched on Feb 21 Elon Musk-run SpaceX will now launch its Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink broadband satellites and the Paz radar-imaging satellite for Spain on Wednesday. Earlier scheduled for February 17, SpaceX delayed the launch, saying more time was needed for final checks of the Falcon 9 rocket's upgraded payload fairing, Space.com reported late on Sunday. "Team at Vandenberg is taking additional time to perform final checkouts of upgraded fairing," SpaceX representatives tweeted. The Falcon 9's launch is scheduled from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. "Payload and vehicle remain healthy. Due to mission requirements, now targeting February 21 launch of PAZ," SpaceX added. The Falcon 9 rocket will send SpaceX's first Starlink broadband satellites and the Paz radar-imaging satellite for Spain into orbit. The starlink satellite aims to provide low-cost Internet access on a global scale. SpaceX is expected to launch two prototype satellites, called Microsat-2a and Microsat-2b, as part of its Starlink broadband satellite constellation. SpaceX has kept mum about many of the details relating to Starlink, but the company's business plan calls for putting thousands of communication satellites in orbit, with limited service starting by 2020, media reported. The primary payload on Falcon 9 rocket is the 3,000-pound Paz. According to a report at Nasaspaceflight.com, the Paz satellite - named after the Spanish word for "peace" - will be launched into a 514 km circular orbit. It was built by Airbus for the Spanish company hisdeSAT, and will be used for military and civilian purposes. SpaceX successfully launched Falcon Heavy rocket into space on February 6. http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/spacex-s-falcon-9-carrying-broadband- satellite-to-be-launched-on-feb-21-118021900240_1.html Curt Lewis