May 28, 2018 - No. 042 In This Issue SA Express Grounded by South African Civil Aviation a Day After SAA Merger Announcement Aviation maintenance center in Rome to close, lay off 116 Boeing and Turkish Technic sign Global Fleet Care Supplier Agreement Officials to Study Feasibility of Aviation School. ComAv again issued FAA award for safety, technical knowledge Falcon Aviation Plans Opening for New Dubai DWC Base Maintenance Hangar Facility Traxxall Wins JoinJet Business Russia's Jet Flight Service opens new MRO center in Riga, Latvia Rolls-Royce celebrates launch of new Pearl engine family SpaceX's Crew Dragon edging closer to flight SA Express Grounded by South African Civil Aviation a Day After SAA Merger Announcement The South African commercial aviation sector took another hit this week with the announcement Friday that all South African (SA) Express flights were to be grounded immediately due to maintenance concerns. Following the announcement, news agency Fin24 reported that South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) was behind the grounding of the SA Express fleet. "SACAA suspended SA Express' Operator's Certificate, as well as its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation approvals," the site reported. "SACAA has also suspended the Certificates of Airworthiness for nine of the 21 aircraft operated by the airline." The decree left thousands of customers stranded, as all SA Express aircraft had to return to their bases immediately and without any passengers. SA Express has called on South African Airways, low-cost airline Mango and Airlink, all airlines that SA Express has links with, to assist with passenger travel. In a press release, Acting CEO of SA Express Matsietsi Mokholo said, "We regret the inconvenience this frustrating situation has caused our passengers. We assure you that we are doing everything in our power to resolve the situation urgently." SACAA cited non-compliance by SA Express in relation to 17 specific findings but did not disclose full details of its audits. The grounding comes a day after a merger with SA Express and Mango was confirmed by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, on Thursday and a week after South African Airways (SAA) reported their seventh annual loss in a row. "Bringing the airlines together and rationalizing their routes are important," Gordhan stated. "Rationalizing the kind of aircraft needed at a particular time and day - that's the experience we're beginning to learn from airlines around the world." Reports from South Africa are that the situation will take months to resolve, as even though SA Express may have some of the concerns in hand, the process to reinstate the Operators' Certificate will take some time. South Africa's EWN News has quoted SACAA's Director Poppy Khoza as saying, "We will have to redo the entire process like looking at a new airline; looking at the system to see if we are satisfied, then we can re-issue the operations certificate." As reported last week, the fate of South Africa's airlines has partially been exacerbated by the political situation in the country. A parliamentary meeting to discuss the future of SAA was again called off this week due to political differences. SAA requires a cash injection of 5 billion rand (401 million dollars) to meet debt obligations, but South African media report that National Treasury Director-General Dondo Mogajane told parliament a bailout could not come from the government. The South African government has so far pumped 20 billion rand (1.6 billion dollars) into the airline. Mogajane has suggested the treasury would be willing to consider selling a stake in SAA to a private equity partner to raise the funds instead of a publically-funded capital injection from the government. https://airlinegeeks.com/2018/05/26/sa-express-grounded-by-south-african-civil-aviation-a-day- after-saa-merger-announcement/ Back to Top Aviation maintenance center in Rome to close, lay off 116 Rome, N.Y. -- Canadian-owned Premier Aviation is closing its aircraft maintenance center at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, eliminating 116 local jobs. Premier Aviation notified employees this week of its plan to close the facility in August, citing insufficient revenues, according to Rome-area media reports. Oneida County and Rome city officials learned of the closing from a company filing Thursday under the state's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. issued a statement calling the company's decision "disheartening." Premier acquired the facility from Empire Aero in 2010, becoming an anchor tenant at the airport, the former Griffiss Air Force Base. The Quebec-based company began operations at the airport in October that year with 73 people. It said at the time that it expected to double its work force in a year and employ 275 people by 2012. JetBlue announced in January last year it planned to bring more planes to Griffiss for maintenance under a deal with Premier. At the time, 150 people worked at the facility. However, the Rome Sentinelreported that 50 contract workers at the facility were let go in June last year because of a business slowdown. The facility houses 379,000 square feet of hangers, repair shops, warehouses and office space, and a 50,000-square-foot hangar for painting aircraft. The center's size allows it to accept aircraft up to and including the B747-8, according to the company's website. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/aviation_maintenance_center_in_ rome_to_close_lay_off_116.html Back to Top Boeing and Turkish Technic sign Global Fleet Care Supplier Agreement Boeing and Turkish Technic Inc., the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) arm of Turkish Airlines, announced signing of a Global Fleet Care supplier agreement. Turkish Technic is now a strategic Boeing supplier for line maintenance, heavy maintenance of airplanes, component service and repair. Boeing and Turkish Technic will collaborate together in the training and certification of technicians from different parts of the world. "We provide a broad portfolio of MRO services in 50+ International Line Maintenance locations as well as our existing base maintenance facilities in Istanbul and Ankara. In addition to the current services we provide, more will be available to our customers at our brand-new facilities, located Istanbul New Airport as of 29th October 2018. We are so glad to announce such a remarkable collaboration with Boeing today, which will significantly contribute and add value to our business in our new home base. Within the extent of Boeing Global Fleet Care program including aircraft maintenance, repair and training, Boeing operators will be able to experience the world class quality of Turkish Technic's MRO services through this agreement." said Ahmet Karaman, General Manager of Turkish Technic Inc. Last year, Boeing and the Turkish Government announced the Boeing Turkey National Aerospace Initiative, launched to support the growth of the Turkish aerospace industry, in conjunction with the targets set by Turkey's Vision 2023 that specially designed for the 100th establishment anniversary of the Turkish Republic. The initiative outlines a strategic framework that aligns Boeing investment and programs with the Turkish Government, Turkish airlines, aerospace service companies and industry suppliers in the areas of research, engineering and skills development. "Turkey is one of the Boeing's top strategic growth countries, and we see strong capability and growth potential in aviation services and maintenance in Turkey," said Marc Allen, President of Boeing International. "Positioning Turkey as a global player in aviation services is one of the key elements of the Boeing Turkey National Aerospace Initiative we announced last year. With this agreement, we are taking our successful collaboration with Turkish Technic one step further in a manner that aligns to the growth of Boeing and Turkey." Through its Global Services division, Boeing provides technical support to more than 60 customers and over 2,500 airplanes through its Global Fleet Care program. This customizable portfolio offers engineering and planning activities associated with managing the technical performance of the airplane. A power-by-the-hour based offering, Global Fleet Care solutions in the form of Engineering, Materials and Maintenance programs bring inherent efficiency to airline operations. https://www.eturbonews.com/186154/boeing-and-turkish-technic-sign-global-fleet-care-supplier- agreement Back to Top Officials to Study Feasibility of Aviation School CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Yeager Airport and Marshall University are looking at the possibility of developing an aviation school in West Virginia. The Herald-Dispatch reports the airport's board voted Wednesday to sign a memorandum of understanding with Marshall University to determine the feasibility and sustainability of adding the school at Yeager. Marshall spokeswoman Ginny Painter said Thursday that the school had not yet signed the memorandum. Officials plan to study the issue over the next 12 months. If they decide to move forward, Yeager Executive Director Terry Sayre said the aviation school would be located adjacent to the east end of a now-closed runway that had primarily served smaller aircraft. "It's an exciting opportunity for us," Sayre said. "We needed to do something about bringing jobs to the area. People who are trained here can work at airports across the state. There's a national shortage of pilots and aircraft mechanics." If approved, the school and its curriculum would be developed through Marshall's Robert C. Byrd Institute of Advanced and Flexible Manufacturing, its Appalachian Transportation Institute, its College of Education and Professional Development and its College of Information Technology and Engineering. It could offer fields of study that include pilot training, aeronautical science, aviation maintenance and air traffic control. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/west-virginia/articles/2018-05-25/officials-to-study- feasibility-of-aviation-school Back to Top ComAv again issued FAA award for safety, technical knowledge VICTORVILLE - ComAv, an aviation asset management company, was recently issued its 13th Diamond Award - a recognition by the Federal Aviation Administration for excellence among the company's aircraft maintenance staff and professionals. The FAA's Diamond Award of Excellence for Aviation Maintenance Technician Training is the agency's highest recognition. ComAv has now received the award in 13 of 14 years it has been issued. The award recognizes aviation companies and maintenance specialists that initiate highly effective training programs aimed at improving safety and technical knowledge that exceed standard FAA regulatory requirements. Companies must score 100 percent in training, quality, safety and technical knowledge per the FAA. Less than six companies in the world achieve the recognition. "We are honored to receive such a prestigious award. The AMT Employer Diamond Award of Excellence is a huge deal in this industry," ComAv CEO Craig Garrick said in a statement. "We cannot extend enough gratitude to our employees that continue to prove their efforts in quality, training and maintenance. With over 20 years of service, we are just so proud of everyone." The award was issued Thursday. http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20180527/comav-again-issued-faa-award-for-safety-technical- knowledge Back to Top Falcon Aviation Plans Opening for New Dubai DWC Base Maintenance Hangar Facility Falcon Aviation, the UAE's leading business aviation services, charter, MRO and aircraft management company, returns to Europe's premier business aviation show, EBACE, in Geneva this month (29th to 31st May) to highlight its new business jet MRO facility at its Dubai South, DWC, Al Maktoum International Airport. Falcon Aviation's new facility is built on a total 24,000 sqm plot size capable of accommodating up to four Boeing BBJ / Airbus ACJ sized narrow bodied aircraft for base maintenance. It includes workshops, interior solutions, a wash bay, and landside office space, plus 13,000 sqm of apron. Falcon Aviation supports its own and managed fleet of business jets and helicopters at its Al Bateen Executive Abu Dhabi Airport facilities. But its new Dubai base has been built primarily for third party customers. Falcon Aviation is already talking with existing and prospective customers to grow its MRO business. "Our goal at EBACE is to meet with the OEMs to see how we can support them and their operators by adding other aircraft types to our capabilities," said Falcon Aviation COO Captain Raman Oberoi. Falcon Aviation's new facility, which has been in construction for 12 months, is pivotal to its overall long-term strategy to bring a 'one stop MRO shop' to the region. It has committed to build the necessary infrastructure to support the region's growing business aviation market - with a FBO, Heliport (running under Falcon's AOC), Line maintenance - and now Base Maintenance and Technical services. Additional engineers have been employed and with the growing business we will be adding more jobs into year 2019 to ramp, its dedicated MRO team.The new DWC facility will also offer 24/7 AOG support and aircraft parking. Big boost for DWC's Aviation District master plan Falcon Aviation's investment is a significant boost to Dubai World Central's ongoing investment in its dedicated 6.7 square kilometre ecosystem Aviation District, first announced in 2014. It comprises general aviation (home to the main VIP Dubai South Terminal, where Falcon Aviation has its FBO); its heliport; hangars, fuel farm, catering, ground handling; MRO and technical support, MRO businesses and the aerospace supply chain. DWC is also the permanent home of the Dubai Air Show and the alternate MEBAA Show. MEBAA endorsement for infrastructure boost Ali Alnaqqbi, Founding Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) endorsed Falcon's new facility commenting; "I am very pleased to see Falcon Aviation spreading their wings into DWC with its new business jet MRO facility. This will positively boost the business aviation market standard." Last summer Falcon achieved approval from the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to perform third party line maintenance at Dubai South and is currently cleared for types including the Gulfstream G450/G550; Embraer 135/145/Legacy regional jets and Embraer 190/Lineage 1000. (Falcon Aviation is an Authorised Service Centre for Embraer Executive Jets at its Al Bateen base.) It is also GCAA approved for the Pilatus PC-12; Airbus Helicopters, including the EC130, Bell 412 and Leonardo AW189, AW169 and AW109. Falcon Aviation Director of Maintenance, Nicolas Tejera and Service Centre Manager Ronnie McCrae will support Falcon's presence in Geneva and Ahmad Badreddine, FBO Manager will be meeting the clients and partners for the FBO business. "We are looking forward to offer a solid proposition of full service MRO support to Business Aviation operators and owners in the region. Attending EBACE is optimally timed for us," Nicolas Tejera added. Firming up Pilatus PC-24 deliveries Falcon will also use the occasion of EBACE to meet with Pilatus Aircraft to firm up its PC-24 deliveries. It will be the first Middle East operator to take the game-changing light jet, with deliveries slated for the second quarter of 2019. "The PC-24 will be a smart addition to our charter fleet and we expect it to be based at our Dubai FBO," said Capt Raman. Falcon's new Dubai South FBO is attracting a steady base of loyal customers. The charter business is currently seeing more leisure customers to popular destinations like the Seychelles, Maldives and Europe. The Atlantis Heliport, which Falcon Aviation manages, had a great year, carrying 34,000 passengers. It has quickly grown to be second busiest heliport in the world. New website To promote its enhanced capabilities, VIP Jet business charter MRO, FBO, Commercial and Offshore Helicopter operations Falcon Aviation has launched a new website. www.falconaviation.ae About Falcon Aviation * Falcon Aviation, founded in 2006, is a leading business aviation services company, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Since its creation, under the patronage of HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, has built up a sound reputation for high quality and innovative services, serving a significantly large customer base. It has become synonymous with safety, quality and excellent customer service. * Falcon Aviation is based at Al Bateen Executive Airport, the premier VIP airport in the UAE, within Abu Dhabi City. Falcon Aviation delivers a variety of aviation services from private jet and executive helicopter charter with a diverse fleet of business jets and helicopters; third party aircraft management, MRO, CAMO, commercial aircraft leasing and oil and gas aviation support. * It operates 11 strong fixed wing fleet including one Embraer Legacy 600s, one Lineage 1000, three Gulfstream G450/G550s and six Bombardier Q400 turboprops. Three of the six Q400s are currently leased to Qazaq Air in Kazakhstan. Falcon Aviation also operates a variety of helicopters consisting of - 10 Bell 412EPs; five Airbus Helicopters EC130B4s; five AW109S/SPs, two AW189s and two AW169s. * In December 2016, coinciding with the MEBAA Show, it opened its luxurious new FBO at the VIP Dubai South Terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The 1,000 sqm state-of-the art facility offers two VIP lounges, with en suite bathrooms; a refreshment and coffee bar; cigar lounge, boardroom-style meeting facilities; prayer room; shower facilities and access to a dedicated VIP Terminal Duty Free. The facility extends to a children's play area and pets room. * In April last year Falcon Aviation inaugurated a Heliport, adjacent to Dubai South VIP Terminal at DWC. Run and managed by Falcon Aviation personnel, the Heliport is open to all operators, corporates and private individuals arriving with their business jets at VIP Terminal. It is the first in the region to facilitate quick and convenient helicopter charters between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in just 30 minutes. Other significant time savings on popular destinations include: Dubai South to Ras Al Khaimah - 45 minutes; Dubai South - Diba, 45 minutes; Dubai South- Fujairah 40 minutes and to Qasr Al Sarab Resort - 1 hour, 15 minutes. * In May 2017 Falcon Aviation achieved approval from the GCAA to perform third party line maintenance at its new Dubai South facility at Al Maktoum International Airport base in Dubai, co- located with its FBO facility in the VIP Terminal. Aircraft types it has been cleared to work on include the Gulfstream G450/G550; Embraer 135/145 regional jets and Embraer 190/Lineage 1000. (Falcon Aviation is already an Authorised Service Centre for Embraer Executive Jets at its Abu Dhabi Al Bateen Executive Airport base.) as well as the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop. Falcon Aviation is a founding member of the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) and an authorised service centre for Embraer Executive Jets and warranty service centre for Gulfstream. The MRO is also providing services for Bombardier, Gulfstream, Leonardo, Pilatus, Airbus and Bell helicopters. https://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/falcon-aviation-plans-opening-new-dubai-dwc-base- maintenance-hangar-facility-1137858 Back to Top Traxxall Wins JoinJet Business Aircraft maintenance tracking and inventory management specialist Traxxall Technologies (Booth T45) added JoinJet as a client. The charter operator will use the Traxxall maintenance-tracking service for its fleet of 26 aircraft that includes Dornier jets, Hawkers, Beechjets, and a Piaggio Avanti. Part of Danish operator Sun-Air, JoinJet provides charter, corporate shuttle, air ambulance, and management services. JoinJet implemented the system after analyzing it, along with other maintenance trackers, over the past year. "Since we first started using Traxxall almost a year ago, we have been very pleased with its performance," said JoinJet CEO Kristoffer Sundberg, adding the system has helped it manage a diversified fleet. "By making aircraft maintenance tracking more efficient, Traxxall helps shorten unscheduled downtimes and scheduled maintenance milestones." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-05-26/traxxall-wins-joinjet- business Back to Top Russia's Jet Flight Service opens new MRO center in Riga, Latvia In line with its strategic plan to attract more international clients, Jet Flight Service (JF Service), Moscow, a Vnukovo-3-headquartered MRO provider, has opened a new maintenance service center at Riga, Latvia. The new facility will provide both line and base maintenance services for the Embraer (Legacy 450/500/600/650) and Gulfstream aircraft (G350/450/550/650) families. At the same time, Jet Flight Service has appointed Frantisek Budin to the position of base maintenance manager at its new Riga facility. Budin has extensive knowledge and experience with Embraer business aircraft, in which he has specialised during the last 15 years, and he has worked in aircraft maintenance for almost 30 years. Prior to joining Jet Flight Service, he spent 13 years with ABS Jets as base maintenance manager and technical director. Commenting on Budin's appointment, Kirill Trushkovskiy, the chief executive of Jet Flight Service, states: "I am very happy to welcome Frantisek Budin to our team. His extensive experience and expertise will be a major asset to our team. This appointment ensures that we can move forward with the plan to further enhance our portfolio of maintenance and engineering services in Moscow and Riga." JF Service was founded in 2002 in Moscow at Vnukovo-3 business aviation center, starting with the support of Russia's first Embraer-135BJ aircraft. Over the years the company has expanded its expertise to cover Embraer Legacy 600/650, and the line of Gulfstream aircraft up to its flagship G550, as well as the Boeing BBJ. http://www.rusaviainsider.com/russias-jet-flight-service-opens-new-mro-center-riga-latvia/ Back to Top Rolls-Royce celebrates launch of new Pearl engine family The FINANCIAL -- Rolls-Royce announces the launch of a new engine family for business aviation, with the introduction of the Pearl. The engine has been purpose-built and will be the sole engine for Bombardier's latest business jets, the Global 5500 aircraft and the Global 6500 aircraft. Rolls-Royce is the world's leading engine supplier for business aviation, powering over 3,000 aircraft in service today, with a 42% market share. The Pearl 15 is the first of the planned state- of- the-art Pearl engine family for business aviation and marks the sixth new civil aerospace engine introduced by Rolls-Royce in the past 10 years. The introduction of this new engine family serves to reaffirm Rolls-Royce's leading position in business aviation. The Pearl engine combines innovative technologies derived from Rolls-Royce's Advance2 technology demonstrator programmes with proven features from the Rolls-Royce BR700, today's leading engine family in business aviation. Its pioneering technology, combined with outstanding performance, will support Bombardier's successful Global family of aircraft in reaching new standards in the ultra-long-range corporate jet market. Enabling travellers to travel farther, faster, quicker and quieter, the Pearl 15 will deliver up to 15,125lb of thrust (ISA +15), thanks to the most efficient engine core available across the business aviation sector. Despite delivering up to 9% more thrust during take-off than the BR700, the engine will be 2 decibels quieter and operators will benefit from a 7% improvement in specific fuel consumption (SFC). The engine will also deliver world-leading emissions performance, including best in class NOx emissions, despite propelling customers at speeds approaching the speed of sound (Mach 0.90). Chris Cholerton, President - Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: "Our teams have worked hard behind the scenes to develop this new engine and we are proud, once again, to lead the way in business aviation. The Pearl engine is a pioneering product, bringing together the most eco- friendly and efficient technologies available today." The new engine, which has been developed at Rolls-Royce's Centre of Excellence for Business Aviation engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, has undergone a comprehensive test programme and received EASA certification on 28 February 2018. The engine is currently undergoing flight tests at Bombardier's Flight Test Centre in Wichita, Kansas, supporting the planned entry into service at the end of 2019. Chris Cholerton added: "The combination of outstanding performance, economy, and reliability levels make it the perfect fit for Bombardier's newest Global aircraft and, with the Pearl engine, we are extending our successful relationship with Bombardier, which started more than 20 years ago. Together we made history by creating a whole new class of aircraft and that success story enters a new chapter today." David Coleal, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft, said: "The Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft have the longest range, the largest cabins and the smoothest ride in their class, and we are very proud that they will be powered by the advanced and efficient Pearl engine, purpose- built for these aircraft by our longstanding partners at Rolls-Royce." Designed for outstanding reliability, the Pearl family will be supported by the industry-leading Rolls- Royce CorporateCareŽ service, the most comprehensive aftermarket programme in business aviation, providing full transfer of off-wing maintenance risk at a predictable, fixed price. For a predefined hourly cost, CorporateCare covers all engine parts and labour when the time comes for the engine to be overhauled, whether for mandatory or recommended service bulletins as well as unscheduled shop visits. The Pearl 15 also exemplifies Rolls-Royce's IntelligentEngine vision of a future where product and service become indistinguishable thanks to advancements in digital capability. As well as a new- generation Engine Health Monitoring System that introduces advanced vibration detection, the engine benefits from the incorporation of advanced remote engine diagnostics and bi- directional communications that allow for easy remote reconfiguration of engine-monitoring features from the ground. In line with the IntelligentEngine vision, these developments ensure that cloud-based analytics and Big Data continue to play an increasing role in delivering exceptional levels of availability and greater peace of mind for customers. https://www.finchannel.com/oil-auto/73670-rolls-royce-celebrates-launch-of-new-pearl-engine- family Back to Top SpaceX's Crew Dragon edging closer to flight To test a spacecraft for electromagnetic interference (EMI), it is placed in a special room designed for the task. SpaceX has done just that. Recently, company founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted a picture of the Crew Dragon capsule being prepared for testing in an anechoic chamber. The chamber, lined with radiation-absorbent material, is designed to isolate the subject from external radio frequencies so that electronic components can be tested in a greenfield environment, free-inasmuch as possible-from interference. Once EMI testing is complete, the Crew Dragon and its service module is expected to be shipped to NASA's Plum Brook Station in Ohio. There it will be tested in environments that can simulate both the rigors of launch-complete with shaking and high acoustic loads-to the vacuum and thermal characteristics of deep space. Also undergoing tests and simulations is the experience within the spacecraft itself. NASA astronaut Suni Williams recently took part in a simulated mission aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft at the company's Hawthorne, California headquarters, during which she was outfitted in the SpaceX spacesuit. Over the course of the training, Williams interacted with the touch-sensitive displays comprising the vehicle's control panel. "One of the key parts of the Commercial Crew Program is the joint test team," Williams said in a May 18, 2018, NASA news release. "So whenever the providers want to do a test requiring human interaction with their systems, the team gets together to understand the test parameters and go through the safety review process so no one gets hurt during the testing." The simulations are meant to test and validate the hardware, software, and procedures used on an actual flight. "Really the whole mission, from pre-launch through docking and undocking, entry, landing and post-landing, all of those need to be verified in the simulator," Mike Good, program manager assistant for Crew Operations and Testing at Johnson Space Center, said in the space agency's news release. "So we'll have our astronauts going through each flight phase making sure all the tasks they have to do meet our workload, usability and error-rate requirements." Good said NASA is also contributing by helping the commercial crew providers, which also includes Boeing and its CRS-100 Starliner spacecraft, complete their verification testing so that they can can close requirements and fly safely. SpaceX is currently targeting its first uncrewed test flight for later in 2018. The first piloted Crew Dragon should fly sometime after, possibly in 2018-although that may slip to 2019 with NASA requiring the Block 5 iteration of the Falcon 9 to launch seven times before it is certified to ferry astronauts to space. http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/space-exploration-technologies/spacexs-crew- dragon-edging-closer-to-flight/ Curt Lewis