June 4, 2018 - No. 044 In This Issue Promoting women's roles in aviation maintenance. HNA Group to acquire 100 ARJ21s and 200 C919s in strategic deal with COMAC TAG Launches Portugal Maintenance Control Centre Australia Gets New Aviation Data-sharing System Ravensdown Aerowork goes for Ramco Aviation Russia's only all-Airbus operator signs for 14 Boeing 737MAXs Honeywell Expands GoDirect Flight With New Connected Service Offerings For Pilots, Dispatchers Airport construction and environmental sustainability concerns Israeli university signs aviation research deal with US Spain's Flightline to open MRO, training base in Lleida SpaceX Launches Satellite for SES in Its 11th Mission This Year Promoting women's roles in aviation maintenance Like many careers in the aviation industry, aircraft maintenance is performed almost entirely by males. In fact, only 2.8 per cent of aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licences in Canada are held by women, according to 2016 data from Transport Canada. While some may view that figure negatively, Elevate Aviation sees it as an opportunity-a very big opportunity-to grow that statistic in the coming years. And one of the steps toward accomplishing that goal was to send its first-ever team of women technicians to the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) presented by Snap-on. Elevate Aviation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to introduce women to careers in aviation. The main strategy behind Elevate Aviation is to team up women with female mentors within the industry to give them a better idea of what a career as a technician, pilot, air traffic controller or flight attendant is like. "We're trying to get out there and raise awareness about these careers," said Kendra Kincade, founder of Elevate Aviation. "For future aircraft mechanics, the idea is to go out and job shadow experienced technicians. She can show you the ropes, show you what it's like to work there, so you'll have a better idea of what a career as an AME is like." Founded in 2015 in Edmonton, Alta., Elevate Aviation has mentored more than 500 women in several aviation disciplines. Kincade is looking to broaden Elevate Aviation's reach south of the border and establish female mentors in the United States by the end of the year. Kincade believes both countries could help each other out, as organizations such as Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance and Women in Aviation International, among others, are actively pursuing strategies to increase the number of female technicians in the United States. This drive to network with other groups and build its brand presence in the States were the reasons why Elevate Aviation fielded a team at the AMC. Held during the MRO Americas convention this past April in Orlando, Fla., the AMC provided certified technicians from major airlines and maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations (MROs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), as well as military personnel and aviation maintenance students, the chance to test their skills against their peers. The AMC included 69 teams from around the world. Each completed 29 aviation challenges, such as avionics, safety wiring, fiber optics/flight control rigging, hydraulics and jet engine troubleshooting. Teams had 15 minutes to complete each task, with those finishing the quickest earning higher scores. The six women comprising Team Elevate Aviation represented a diverse cross-section within the Canadian aviation industry. Jennifer Bennett and Claudia Saucier are technicians with WestJet; Dawn Dearing and Jayne Graham are technicians with the Royal Canadian Air Force; Elina Carlsson is an employee with Harbour Air, and Dina Jammaz, who served as the coach and advisor for the team, is an air traffic controller. The chance to represent Elevate Aviation and their country, while also demonstrating that women are successful in aviation maintenance, was an opportunity none wanted to pass up. "It's always nice to try to promote females in aviation; just to show them if you really want anything, you can go ahead and do it. There's nothing stopping you," said Saucier, an AME with WestJet for the past 18 months. "Even if you're a girl, you can still do the task just like anybody else, if not better." While many teams allocate weeks of practice to prepare for the AMC, most of Team Elevate Aviation met each other for the first time when they arrived in Orlando. Nonetheless, the team's strategy was to review each other's strengths and expertise, and best match those skills to the 29 challenges. "For just meeting a few days prior, we came together and worked cohesively. The entire experience was phenomenal," said Dearing, an aviation technician with more than 20 years of service with the Royal Canadian Air Force. In an industry looking to attract more women, it was encouraging that two other all-female teams joined Elevate Aviation to compete in the AMC: United Airlines-San Francisco and Pratt & Whitney. "We met the female team from United, and it was pretty interesting just talking to them and hearing what they do to work together," Saucier said. "It's nice to get different views of their job to compare to what I do every day. All of us really appreciate what other AMEs are doing out there." "We were privileged to have three all-female teams compete in Orlando. These women clearly conveyed the message that not only men can repair aircraft; women are just as capable," added Ken MacTiernan, chairman of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. "With a growing number of females competing in the AMC, we demonstrate to the younger generation of women that they can succeed in this profession." Collectively, the team believes more women would consider a career in aviation if the industry did a better job promoting itself to females. "I think women need to be better informed about the many opportunities available to them," Saucier said. "Girls are just unaware of the aviation jobs that are out there." Helping to spread the world of aviation to Canadian women is a role Elevate Aviation is happy to fulfil. Jammaz said participating in the AMC is a perfect opportunity for her team to promote maintenance after they return home. "Just connecting these five women together has been wonderful," she said. "But now that we're home, we can share our stories on social media and other avenues, and people can look and say, 'Wow, these women are amazing. I want to do that, too.'" Elevate Aviation is planning to bring another team to the AMC next April in Atlanta. For more information on the Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on or Elevate Aviation, visit aerospacecompetition.com and elevateaviation.ca. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/promoting-womens-roles-aviation-maintenance/ Back to Top HNA Group to acquire 100 ARJ21s and 200 C919s in strategic deal with COMAC China Commercial Aircraft Company (COMAC) and Hainan Airlines Group (HNA Group) signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement, regarding cooperation in aircraft procurement and operation, and aviation maintenance, as well as to jointly promote the Chinese-made civil aircraft. Under the agreement, HNA Group plans to gradually introduce 100 new ARJ21s and 200 C919s. The two sides will work together in building the country's regional aviation network. HNA Group will deploy the aircraft with subsidiary Africa World Airways in Ghana and as well as other subsidiary airlines. Meanwhile, both sides will explore cooperation in aircraft maintenance, material support, special research industry personnel training, and aircraft leasing, with plans to build a domestic aircraft service support system. Further cooperation towards a more extensive and in-depth field is planned. https://newsroom.aviator.aero/hna-group-to-acquire-100-arj21s-and-200-c919s-in-strategic-deal- with-comac/ Back to Top TAG Launches Portugal Maintenance Control Centre AG Aviation is creating a Maintenance Control Centre (MCC) at Lisbon/Cascais Aerodrome from June. This is anticipated to enhance TAG Aviation's current Mobile Repair Team (MRT) operations, with maintenance services support now available from eight locations throughout Europe. The MCC will simplify the centralised handling of all Aircraft on Ground and MRT requests, with one customer services contact number, available 24/7, to request assistance from TAG's highly-trained technicians. "One central contact number empowers our maintenance services teams to be able to respond very speedily to our clients' needs across the full range of maintenance service capabilities we operate, minimising downtime, and further supporting our on-going commitment to maximise the efficiency of our clients' operations," elaborated, Franck Madignier, president, maintenance and fixed-based operator services, TAG Aviation Europe. https://traveltradedaily.com/europe-air/item/4640-tag-launches-portugal-maintenance-control- centre Back to Top Australia Gets New Aviation Data-sharing System Airservices Australia has announced a new aviation data-sharing system, allowing the synchronisation of data for air traffic controllers and operations staff at airports. Partnering with United States defence and security company Saab Sensis Corporation, the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) system is being implemented at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth airports. The Australian government-owned corporation said it is the first air navigation service provider globally to take on a multi-location A-CDM implementation, with A-CDM initiatives typically led by an airport in a single location. Read more: https://www.zdnet.com/article/australia-gets-new-aviation-data-sharing-system/ http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12414952/australia-gets-new-aviation-data-sharing-system Back to Top Ravensdown Aerowork goes for Ramco Aviation Ravensdown Aerowork (RA), New Zealand's largest aerial fertiliser applicator, has gone live with the Ramco Aviation Suite. The latter will manage RA's aircraft maintenance and engineering operations. Ravensdown Aerowork specialises in aerial applications, for example fertiliser spreading, which it can perform across all terrains. With this implementation of a comprehensive aviation software suite, the first in 70 years of operation, RA has embraced digitized operations. Fabian Kopu, Application Manager, Ravensdown Aerowork Limited, said: "Going digital and moving to Ramco's future-ready, integrated aviation suite has improved the visibility of our engineering operations, with better compliance and reporting capabilities, streamlining our business processes. The team at Ramco has been supportive for every step of our digital journey and we are grateful to have worked with them as we chart a new phase of growth." Ravensdown Aerowork background RA is New Zealand's largest fixed wing agricultural aviation company. It has 15 aircraft spread across six bases in the North Island with 4 bases in the South Island. Whanganui is the base for the RA's engineering workshop - where all maintenance, manufacturing and rebuild work occurs. Whanganui airport also serves as the head office for the business. As part of the larger Ravensdown cooperative, RA aims to provide shareholders with the ability to fertilise their land in a sustainable manner. This involves applying the correct nutrients in recommended areas in order to deliver a profitable and environmentally sustainable business. Fixed wing Cresco aircraft have the ability to carry up to 2000Kg loads and, with excellent climbing performance, these optimise spreading such that the swath and evenness do not waste fertiliser. RA invests heavily in future technologies and practices. RA couples its Ravensdown's GIS package and Intellispreaddifferential application system to provide ever more accurate results. Applying Ramco's MRO suite at Ravensdown Aerowork At RA, Ramco's MRO suite automates and optimizes the former's supply chain and inventory management. This includes an accounting and finance module which integrates with Ravensdown Group's accounting systems. Ramco's fleet maintenance functions, when paired with 'Approve Anywhere' mobile capabilities for on-the-go authorization, ensures maximum airworthiness with minimum aircraft downtime. Commenting on the go-live, Virender Aggarwal, CEO, Ramco Systems, said: "Ramco's disruptive innovations have been witnessing significant momentum in the Oceania region. We are pleased to work with industry leaders in the region. Our partnership and go-live with Ravensdown Aerowork marks yet another successful track record in strategic digital transformations as we strive to position ourselves as one of the region's foremost cloud enterprise software providers." Ramco Aviation Software More than 75 aviation companies with 22,000+ users manage 4,000+ aircraft around the globe with Ramco Aviation Software. Designed to be accessible on Cloud and Mobile, Ramco Aviation Software has added innovations like 'Anywhere Apps'. This bring mobility which reduces transaction times - both during aircraft-on-ground conditions and aircraft turnarounds. Other improvements Ramco is introducing include: * chatbots * mailbots * HUBs * cognitive solutions * application compatibility with Microsoft HoloLens (to bring Mixed Reality which improves efficiency in maintenance operations). What does this mean Ramco is one the leading MRO vendors. It has been looking to further that reputation and to grow faster. Its success in China is in place. With the RA implementation, Ramco's MRO spreads its wings further, (pun intended) not only geographically (with New Zealand) but also with 'alternative aviation' - smaller operators which are nevertheless a base for growth. Perhaps what surprises is that Ravensdown Aerowork has taken such a plunge. This is a significant investment in the digitisation of its spraying business. That it integrates with the Ravensdown Group's existing accounting systems is an additional benefit. https://www.enterprisetimes.co.uk/2018/06/04/ravensdown-aerowork-goes-for-ramco-aviation/ Back to Top Russia's only all-Airbus operator signs for 14 Boeing 737MAXs Russia's fifth largest carrier Ural Airlines has closed a deal for leasing of 14 new Boeing 737MAX-8 aircraft, a game-changing move for the airline, which operates an all-Airbus fleet and has never purchased or leased new aircraft before. The deal amounts for US$739 million, some 240 per cent of the airline's book asset value. The leasing agreement signed with SB Leasing Ireland, Dublin- based subsidiary of Russia's biggest state-owned Sberbank is for 12 years with preferred extension option with the deliveries scheduled between October 2019 and May 2022. The deal also marks Boeing's second notable contract from a Russian airline involving its newest narrowbodies so far this year, after UTair's order for 30 B737MAXs placed in May with deliveries also set to begin in 2019. Earlier, S7 Airlines became Boeing's first Russian customer for the re- engined narrowbody. Ural Airlines currently operates a fleet of 45 Airbus A320 family aircraft (seven ?319s, 24 ?320s and 14 ?321s), and is declared by Airbus the leading operator of the family in Russia for two consecutive years, with an average daily utilization rate of 12.71 hours per unit in 2017. The airline had been considering both Airbus A320neo (including the A321LR version) and Boeing 737NG/737MAX for its fleet expansion plans. The airline said it was considering launching a Boeing 737 maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) capability at its in-house engineering center. http://www.rusaviainsider.com/russia-airbus-operator-signs-14-boeing-737maxs/ Back to Top Honeywell Expands GoDirect Flight With New Connected Service Offerings For Pilots, Dispatchers Honeywell (NYSE: HON) is expanding its range of GoDirect® connected services to deliver improved flight support within its signature program, GoDirect Flight. Using the new integrated services, business aviation operators will benefit from improved flight planning and in-flight communications through Honeywell's GoDirect Flight Planning, GoDirect Flight Tracker and GoDirect Weather applications. As a result, flight crew workload can be reduced while enhancing flight safety and operational efficiency. "In today's fast-paced business aviation environment, our customers are increasingly looking for end-to-end integrated solutions that will help them quickly, easily and cost-effectively manage their flight operations so they can remain competitive," said John Peterson, senior director, Connectivity Services, Honeywell Aerospace. "Our range of updated services act as a flight department's premier partner, providing the insight needed to make informed decisions using real-time data and automation." GoDirect Flight is a part of Honeywell's GoDirect family, one of the industry's most complete portfolios of more than 50 services and applications that provide business aviation operators, flight crews and maintenance teams with the critical information they need to control their services and network. Combined, these applications improve the overall support service for pilots, dispatchers and schedulers while increasing the safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness that business aviation operations require. GoDirect Flight is taking pilot services to the next level in many ways: Flight planning and scheduling: Thanks to a partnership with scheduling and trip-planning provider Professional Flight Management (PFM), operators can now link their existing scheduling system with Honeywell's datalink and flight planning services, enabling the sharing of data between their two most important systems. Customers' datalink positions and "Gate Out, Wheels Off, Wheels On and Gate In" reports can be forwarded to PFM systems to automatically create flight logs, send flight- following notifications and provide flight-following on-maps. This integration creates a reduction in flight-logging errors and the added ability to complete flight logs without saving data from flight management systems. Ground handlers can receive real-time updates on the position and state of the aircraft while executive assistants can receive updates on expected arrivals and delays. Flight tracking: With GoDirect Flight Tracker, Honeywell customers can estimate future aircraft positions in 3D based on the last-known coordinates, heading, speed and altitude. With geo-fencing features, operators will be notified in advance if an aircraft is leaving or entering coverage areas and special use airspace. Constant emergency alert monitoring ensures flight teams are immediately notified when emergency response plans are needed." Weather avoidance and safety: Thanks to a new partnership with data provider DTN, weather services now offer a broader range of higher-resolution information so that pilots receive more insight along their routes to avoid extreme weather events. The application provides access to the industry's first vertical situation display that combines a bird's-eye view with a vertical flight path, improving pilots' situational awareness and the flight experience of passengers. With this service, Honeywell customers will also be able to better detect and navigate lightning, turbulence, cloud tops and volcanic ash. Flight quality and passenger satisfaction: In addition to the vertical situation display showing the vertical flight path, GoDirect Flight Bag Pro can also improve situational awareness through Jeppesen Instrument Procedure charts. Both tools can help pilots improve their flight planning and weather avoidance. https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/honeywell-expands-godirect-flight-with-new-connected- service-offerings-for-pilots-dispatchers/ Back to Top Airport construction and environmental sustainability concerns The aviation industry, in our modern society, seems to be almost essential. Worldwide, people travel everywhere for work, vacation, tourism, etc. every day. It's no wonder it is such a big business and there are so many airports internationally. With the convenience of being able to fly through the air and arrive in a different part of the world in a matter of hours, also comes the consequences of airports many effects on the environment. Airport infrastructure often cuts through existing urban communities because of the elevated highway structures. Depending on where they are built, they can cross a border, creating further segregation in the community. The lessening of surface grades during highway construction for development of airports has led to the loss of fertile land. The demand for construction materials for land-based transportation has led to deforestation. The transportation routes used have required the draining of land. This wipes out wetlands and drives out water plant species. Certain plants have shown restricted growth and changes due to the need to maintain roads and stabilise slope along transport facilities like airports. Several species are becoming endangered because of the changes to their natural habitats. Aviation has become one of the top sources of greenhouse gas emissions. It causes approximately 2 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions with the approximated expected growth around 3-4 per cent per year. This is misleading though because most flights are taken by the wealthy, so in developed countries, the amount of CO2 emissions caused by flying is higher, at around 6.3 per cent. Aircraft, along with the majority of other types of vehicles, including airside and landside vehicles, ground support equipment, fuel storage, engine testing, fire training and road traffic, are major sources of air pollution from gas and particulate material emissions that are harmful to human health. These include lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, silicon tetrafluoride, heavy metals, benzene and volatile components, and ash and dust. Lead emissions, fortunately, have gone down significantly in the last decade. Toxic air pollutants are linked to cancer and cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological diseases. Carbon monoxide reduces oxygen in the circulatory system when inhaled. Nitrogen dioxide emissions from airplanes reduce lung function and weaken the immune system, and increases the risk of respiratory problems in people. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides form acidic compounds that mix with cloud water, which in turn creates acid rain. Acid rain reduces agricultural crop yields and causes deforestation. Ground level and altitude level aircraft emissions also harm the ozone layer. The ground level airport air emissions are caused by the gasoline and diesel fuel for the aircraft vehicles, the ground support equipment (GSE), fossil fuel for electricity and heating, the jet fuel for auxiliary power that powers the aircraft at the airport gates and more. Particulate emissions in the form of dust, which come from vehicle exhaust and other non-exhaust sources such as vehicle and road abrasion, have an impact on air quality. The physical and chemical properties of particulates are associated with health risks such as respiratory problems, skin irritations, eyes inflammations, blood clotting and different allergies. Smog, a mixture of solid and liquid fog and smoke particles formed through the accumulation of carbon monoxide, ozone, hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxide, water, particulates, and other chemical pollutants, is often worsened by local physical and meteorological conditions that can create times of high smog concentration. Ground support equipment, as well as the airport surface access systems, are also contributors to the air pollution problem, so they need to be considered as well. A little progress is happening when it comes to the air pollution from aviation including the use of air monitoring systems, air traffic management, the promotion of green transport access nodes. Airports are a major source of various kinds of waste. Water run-offs from airport locations are a big polluter because they contain high levels of chemicals and other toxic substances from the de- icing and anti-icing of the aircraft and airfield, fuel spillages, firefighting foam, the oil and chemicals from aircraft and vehicle maintenance, detergents used in the aircraft, cleaning, etc. The aviation industry also produces a lot of solid waste in the form of non-hazardous and special hazardous waste from the terminal, airfield operations, aircraft catering, and maintenance activities. These hazardous waste products contaminate the soil and pollute waterways. Measures that are being taken to help solve the waste issue include wastewater and sewage plants being constructed, as well as drainage systems, surface, and groundwater quality monitoring, grease separator systems, the use of biologically degraded de-icing and anti-icing agents, etc. Airports are also huge users of water. The implementations to reduce water use depends on the location of the airport. To increase water efficiency, airports sometimes include various leak detection systems, install water reduction devices, and start water recycling programs to reduce the demand for potable water. Another kind of pollution that airports give off is noise. The level of noise that comes from airports has an effect on people's health through interference with communication, sleep disturbance, annoyance responses, learning acquisition, performance effects and cardiovascular and psychophysiological effects, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The noise surrounding an airport causes a decline in the land values surrounding the area. Regulations like the use of sound barriers and other soundproofing techniques such as noise monitoring systems, operating restrictions and limits, air traffic management, and home insulation are all other steps that airports are taking to reduce their noise output. Luckily, airports are beginning to apply initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint, or at least keep their emissions at bay. These include energy efficiency improvements and conservation, ground fleet conversions, and low emission power generation plants on location. In a small number of cases, hydropower, geothermal, or wind and solar power are used for a wide range of their energy needs. Usually, though, airports simply strive for achieving carbon neutral operations by managing carbon emissions they are not able to eliminate completely. As an individual, one thing you can do to help is to not travel by flight as often or choose airlines that are more eco-friendly. https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/70008/airport-environmental-concerns/ Back to Top Israeli university signs aviation research deal with US Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recently signed a first of its kind, three-year research agreement to collaborate to improve the health monitoring of aviation engines. Prof. Jacob Bortman, of BGU's Department of Mechanical Engineering, has developed advanced diagnostic and prognostic algorithms to monitor engine health and predict materials deterioration, thus reducing accidents and maintenance costs. Bortman was formerly head of Material Command in the Israel Air Force and plans to continue the work he began while in service in the Prognostic Health Monitoring lab at BGU, which he currently leads. Renata Klein, an expert in mechanical health monitoring, will also participate in the research collaboration. The agreement was signed with the support of the Defense Ministry's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure. AFRL is a research organization run by the US Air Force Material Command, leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for US air, space, and cyberspace force. Research at AFRL is focused on developing new technology in aerospace, sensors, information, munitions, materials and manufacturing processes, directed energy, space vehicles and improving human performance. https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-university-signs-aviation-research-deal-with-us/ Back to Top Spain's Flightline to open MRO, training base in Lleida Flightline (Spain) (FTL, Barcelona El Prat) is finalising plans to open a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and training base at Lleida airport, SEGRE has reported. Currently, the company's facilities are split between Barcelona El Prat and Girona. While no exact timeline has been given, the cargo specialist is understood to be near the formalisation of the relocation, which should happen in the coming months. Flightline intends to build its own hangar at Lleida for the storage and overhaul of its five Metroliners. It also plans to concentrate its training activities, which are a vital component of the carrier's business, at Lleida. The airport in north-eastern Catalonia sees only marginal scheduled traffic with 2x weekly service to Palma Son Sant Joan by Iberia franchisee Air Nostrum (YW, Valencia Manises) but has been growing into a considerable station for training and maintenance operations of late. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/67705-spains-flightline-to-open-mro-training-base-in- lleida Back to Top SpaceX Launches Satellite for SES in Its 11th Mission This Year Space Exploration Technologies Corp. launched a satellite for long-time customer SES SA of Luxembourg early Monday, marking the company's 11th mission of the year. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carried the payload from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida at around 12:45 a.m. local time. The satellite will be deployed roughly 32 minutes after liftoff. The Falcon 9's first stage had supported the OTV-5 mission in September 2017, according to a SpaceX press kit. SpaceX won't attempt to recover the first stage after the launch. The company is targeting roughly 30 missions in total this year, up from a record 18 in 2017. SpaceX's valuation has climbed to about $25 billion with a new funding round, putting it on course to become the third-most valuable venture-backed startup in the U.S. after Uber Technologies Inc. and Airbnb Inc. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-04/spacex-launches-satellite-for-ses-in-its- 11th-mission-this-year Curt Lewis