July 9, 2018 - No. 054 In This Issue 500 aviation investors set to meet in Dubai as UAE invests AED85b in airports Another Russian airline opts for Swiss-made MRO software Honeywell report: Commercial air sector on verge of tech investment wave Lufthansa Technik Philippines signs more MRO contracts Boeing demands US$2,7m from govt New terminal at Singapore's Seletar Airport to be six times larger than original A Can Of Red Bull Nearly Caused Major Problems For An Air Force Spy Plane Second annual Drone-Con takes flight at Palomar EU Council gives EASA authority over UAV, aviation cybersecurity development The electric aircraft is taking off 500 aviation investors set to meet in Dubai as UAE invests AED85b in airports DUBAI - Dubai will host the first Global Investment in Aviation Summit (GIAS) - a major aviation conference - to be attended by the world's 500 top aviation finance, aviation asset managers, aircraft lessors, investors, airlines, aircraft manufacturers, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities, aviation logistics suppliers, fixed-base operators (FBOs), as the UAE emerges as the region's biggest aviation hubs. The high-profile delegates from 40 countries will include 20 Aviation Ambassadors, 10 Knowledge Partners, 200 Aviation Officials and 300 Investors brainstorming throughout the three days. The three-day aviation investment conference will take place as the UAE authorities are investing AED85 billion ($23.16 billion) in airport development and expansion that will see its airports handle develop combined capacity to handle more than 300 million passengers per year. These include AED30 billion ($8 billion) in developing Al Maktoum International Airport, AED28 billion ($7.6 billion) expansion of the Phase IV of Dubai International Airport, AED25 billion ($6.8 billion) re-development and expansion of Abu AEDabi International Airport - many of which are supported by the banks and financial institutions. In addition Sharjah International Airport is also undergoing a AED1.5 billion investment in expansion of its terminal. The UAE has 14 airports, air strips and airfields served by 113 airlines with a total annual takeoff and landings exceeding 540,000. In addition to these, the four UAE airlines are also investing billions of dollars in acquiring the latest aircraft models that will help the UAE economy to grow. All these developments need funding and the financial institutions and investors are also expanding their capabilities to support the economic growth. "I am delighted to be here today as we prepare for the Global Investment in Aviation Summit. This summit is very close to UAE's heart, as we have much to be proud of as a nation, from our humble aviation beginnings to now one of the biggest passenger hubs in the world," HE Mr Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said. "Our airlines and airports have been ranking consistently as among the best internationally. On compliance level, UAE ranked as a top member state of the International Civil Aviation Organization. "The Global Investment in Aviation Summit is UAE's testament on how far we have achieved and of our commitment to push the nation to be a global pioneer in this field. The glass ceiling is not too high to break as we have mounted unimaginable innovations. "Yet, looking forward, we know that we can still do more. In fact, conservatively, we anticipate accommodating 118 million passengers by 2023 at the Dubai International Airport, and 120 million passengers upon completion of phase 2 of the Dubai World Central, and 200 million passengers upon its completion, all in ultra-modern infrastructures that match, if not surpass, the best in the world." The three-day international summit of the aviation leaders will be held from January 27-29, 2019. The summit is held at a time when the region's aviation industry rides high on efficiency and performance. Emirates Group posted a profit of AED4.1 billion (US$1.1 billion) for the financial year ended 31 March 2018, up 67 percent from the previous year. The combined fleet size of the four UAE airlines reached 502, including Emirates fleet of 268, Etihad Airways' 120, FlyDubai's 61 and Air Arabia's 53. The UAE airlines add between 4-5 aircraft per month and the total combined fleet size of the UAE's four airlines would cross 525 by the end of 2018. The UAE airlines have more than 300 more aircraft on order to join their fleets. "The UAE is the largest airline market and aviation hub in the Middle East and North Africa and it is still the most vibrant market where the airlines are adding new aircraft every month to their fleet," Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi said. "Not only as the country hosting the largest combined aircraft fleet, the UAE has also joined the global aircraft manufacturing supply chain management with Strata manufacturing aircraft components for both Boeing and Airbus. "Dubai South - the largest aviation hub - is also developing aviation, airline and aviation-related industries and institutions, that will help the region develop new technical and research capabilities that will help the global aviation industry. "With the growing industry that also needs continuous investment, it is befitting for the UAE to host the Global Investment in Aviation Summit - where industry leaders could network, assess and do business deals for developing new capabilities for the aviation industry." He said, the Summit will also offer the local market, from within the aviation industry and its related sectors, a great opportunity to expand their business operations from fresh investments generated from the summit. GIAS 2019 will be a specialized and focused gathering where the local market can network with investors to present their ideas and projects. "Likewise, these benefits and opportunities will be enjoyed by the international market who will attend the summit. Local and international investors who are keen to establish investment partnerships and collaborations with another investor or with an organisation, city, or country for their aviation projects, can maximize the platform being offered by GIAS 2019," he said. "The summit has features to discuss, share knowledge, network, and to assist in facilitating investment agreements during the event so that all participants' agenda related to investments in aviation will be catered. The investment opportunities that can be generated from this Summit means UAE aviation industry shall soar even higher. We hope to count on your support on this initiative." Dubai Airshow - the region's largest aviation industry exhibition - last year saw $114 billion worth of orders signed, including $27 billion worth of orders by FlyDubai for 225 Boeing 737 Max aircraft and Emirates Airline's $15.1 billion for 40 Boeing B787-10. Dubai South, the world's largest Aerotropolis hosting Al Maktoum International Airport - the world's largest greenfield airport development - is undergoing a massive development programme with investment to the tune of AED110 billion ($30 billion) - which will be the future home of Emirates Airline - the world's largest international airline. Aviation Industry is one of the most important economic sectors globally, the demand for air transport will increase by an average of 4.3 percent per annum over the next 20 years. This implies that demand for air travel will increase by a factor of two and a half over the period. Airlines worldwide will add 11,671 aircraft and grow to 37,978 in fleet size in ten years by 2028, from the current fleet size of 26,307, according to PlaneStats - an aviation research platform by global aviation research firm Oliver Wyman. "The global fleet is forecast to grow 4.2 percent annually over the first five years, then slow to 3.3 percent in the second five years as the rate of deliveries decreases and removals remain high. These dynamics will result in a fleet that is younger and larger in average seating capacity," The report Global Fleet & MRO Market Forcast 2018 - 2028, by Oliver Wyman said. "The new fleet is expected to support Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPK) growth of nearly five percent as operators improve capacity management with the larger average seating capacity. By 2028, the average age of the active fleet will have decreased from 11.2 to 10.5 years, a significant reduction. Of nearly 20,700 aircraft deliveries, 44 percent will replace in-service aircraft a slight reduction from last year's forecast of 50 percent." The Global Investment in Aviation Summit (GIAS) will feature International governments investment proposals delivered by key government of?cials and private sector top executives, and will provide attending ?nanciers with a fact and ?gure checked perspective on ongoing and future projects. The meeting will offer a reliable environment to build conclusive partnerships and solid bonds between investors and projects developers, to make strategic and informed investments in the several represented at GIAS 2019. The three-day eventful summit will see a number of hectic activities, including the GIAS Summit, GIAS Masterclass, GIAS Aviation Investment Destination, GIAS Investor Lounge, GIAS New Business Accelerator, GIAS Ambassadors, GIAS Bilateral Meetings, GIAS Aviation Super Stars Closing Ceremony, among others. GIAS Summit: This two-day event will focus on presenting the most attractive sectors in aviation for investments, it's future outlooks, factors that will drive regions development, public and private ventures, as well as government incentives to key projects in aviation. With careful selected key speakers and led panels participants will get exclusive and curated content with enormous relevance for their ?nancial interests. GIAS Investor Lounge: A special zone will be dedicated to top investment houses and investment corporations, development banks, and sovereign wealth funds. This feature will allow them to meet with of?cial government representatives as well as project developers seeking ?nancing and discuss the possibility of new ventures and potential partnerships GIAS Masterclass: At the ?rst day of the events, world experts, and reference projects, will gather to offer participants a 360 degree view on the best investment practices with interactive masterclass outlined for institutional investors and project ?nance managers looking to understand aviation ?nance and airport project ?nance. - SG http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/538519/BUSINESS/500-aviation-investors-set-to-meet-in- Dubai-as-UAE-invests-AED85b-in-airports Back to Top Another Russian airline opts for Swiss-made MRO software Ural Airlines, Russia's fourth largest passenger carrier, has selected the AMOS software solution produced by Swiss-AS to replace its antiquated in-house maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) management system. The move supports the airline's preparation for the servicing of the next-generation Boeing 737MAX and Airbus A320neo narrow-bodies that are due to be delivered next year, as well as increasing its third-party MRO capabilities. The carrier has opted for the AMOS Airline/MRO Edition, which specifically fits the airline's business model: utilising the new software allows Ural to manage its own maintenance requirements as an airline, whilst also performing a considerable number of third-party MRO activities. This solution brings increased efficiency to Ural by providing the necessary tools to accurately manage the planning and execution of aircraft maintenance. The new software replaces the airline's legacy maintenance and engineering system. "By implementing AMOS, Ural Airlines' manpower can be redistributed to focus on more advanced and complex innovation and digitalisation projects rather than taking care of an out-dated legacy system embedded in a fragmented MRO-IT landscape," explains Ronald Schaeuffele, chief executive of Swiss-AS. Ural Airlines will introduce the new system at its main base at Yekaterinburg, which is currently being upgraded with new facilities and additional capabilities. Reportedly, the airline is ambitious to start offering more maintenance services to third-party customers. Whereas currently the centre holds approvals for providing continued airworthiness of the Airbus A320 family and focuses on Ural Airline's own fleet of 45 A320s, the recent order for 14 Boeing 737MAX aircraft requires a significant investment in new capabilities. "Starting from next year we will begin to operate brand new Airbus A320 and A321neo as well as the Boeing 737-8 MAX, so for us it is the right time to start our partnership with Swiss-AS," reiterates Igor Poddubniy, Ural Airlines' technical director. In the meantime, the project team at Ural Airlines is working smartly on a speedy introduction of the Swiss software to its 350 designated users. The new systems may later be migrated to the airline's supplementary maintenance bases at Moscow's Domodedovo, and at Samara and Chelyabinsk. In Russia and the CIS region, existing AMOS customers include airlines, such as Aeroflot, Pobeda, Rossiya, Belavia and Turkmenistan Airlines, and MRO providers TS-Technic, A-Technics, UTG M&E and, most recently, S7 Technics. AMOS is being developed and distributed by Swiss AviationSoftware, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Swiss International Air Lines. http://www.rusaviainsider.com/another-russian-airline-opts-swiss-made-mro-software/ Back to Top Honeywell report: Commercial air sector on verge of tech investment wave PHOENIX -- A recent report from Honeywell Aerospace says the commercial aviation industry is "at the beginning of a technology investment wave" being driven by the demand for and availability of high-speed, in-flight Wi-Fi technologies. Honeywell's "Connected Aircraft Report", available for download here, was culled from surveys of maintenance personnel, flight and ground crews, fleet management and others in the global commercial air sector. According to the report, aircraft connectivity is a high or very high priority amongst 81 percent of respondents, with nearly 70 percent stating they were likely to increase connectivity spending over the next five years. In monetary terms, 38 percent said that spending equates to at least $1 million in connected technologies over that five-year span, with 17 percent saying they plan to spend more than $10 million. "The airline industry is beginning to seriously invest in connected aircraft technology to proactively improve daily operations," said Kristin Slyker, vice president of Honeywell Aerospace's Connected Aircraft division. "The result is airline employees performing their daily roles more effectively, while also delivering the kind of service that passengers expect, including increased safety and on-time arrivals." Honeywell said the anticipated wave of connectivity investments will likely address three key areas, including maintenance, fuel consumption and aircraft turnaround time. These investments are expected to pay dividends, however, with 27 percent of respondents saying they would want returns by the end of 18 months, and 28 percent anticipating returns by the end of three years. https://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2018/07/honeywell-report-commercial-air-sector- on-verge-of-tech-investment-wave.html Back to Top Lufthansa Technik Philippines signs more MRO contracts MANILA, Philippines - Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) signed multiple contracts with a number of air carriers in line with its goal to be the leading maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider in the country. The deals were signed with Philippine Airlines (PAL), Lufthansa Airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. Lufthansa Airlines, the largest German airline, has tapped the services of aircraft service provider LTP in an agreement formalized on June 24, 2018. The contract covers heavy base maintenance checks of its Airbus A380 Aircraft. "This latest deal caps off a fruitful A380 program for the MRO provider, as it comes at the heels of other customers who contracted LTP for their base maintenance services as well as Korean Air and Asiana Airlines," LTP said. For both carriers, LTP is set to conduct base maintenance checks for its Airbus A380 planes for the next several years. LTP expects to generate more than $200 million from all its A380 contract, creating more than 500 jobs within the company. "With plans to expand its operations and facility, LTP is seeking to ramp up its capabilities and to aggressively capture future market opportunities," the company said. Last May, PAL tapped LTP to maintain its new Airbus jets, through the signing of a 12-year milestone agreement with an estimated contract volume of more than $260 million. The agreement formalizes the assignment of line maintenance services for PAL's incoming A350s and A321 Neos, which took effect beginning May 31. "Our mission is simple but clear-cut - for us in LTP to grow steadily and positively in the coming years, to elevate our MRO service ensuring that the work we do is of excellent quality, safe, and held to a higher international standard, and to solidify the company's foothold as a leading MRO provider in the Philippines, in partnership with our valued customers," the company said. LTP is a joint venture of Lufthansa Technik AG and Philippine aviation services provider MacroAsia Corp. that provides aircraft MRO services to airline companies from all over the world. "As the largest majority-controlled of the 30 subsidiaries within the Lufthansa Technik Network, LTP makes it its mission to ensure that all aircraft that comes out of its hangars reflect the world- renowned Lufthansa Technik standard of quality, safety, and reliability," the company said. LTP currently employs 2,800 people - a combination of highly skilled English-speaking mechanics, engineers and support personnel. Personnel transfers within the Lufthansa Technik network and LTP are a regular occurrence, assuring the right skills are effectively and regularly transferred to the local workforce. https://www.philstar.com/business/2018/07/09/1831738/lufthansa-technik-philippines-signs-more- mro-contracts Back to Top Boeing demands US$2,7m from govt AMERICAN aircraft manufacturer Boeing is demanding US$2,7 million from the government in order to supply manuals for four Boeing 777 jetliners which Harare is controversially acquiring from Malaysia on behalf of Zimbabwe Airways (ZimAirways) in a US$70 million corrupt deal. Government has paid for two of the four aircraft, one of which arrived in the country in March, but returned to the Asian nation last month where it is now grounded because it does not have an operators' licence and due to maintenance cost issues. The delivered plane now risks being impounded over unpaid US$1 million maintenance fees. Without the manuals, ZimAirways cannot get a licence to start operations. The initial arrangement was that two of the Rolls Royce-powered planes would cost US$16,5 million each, while the other two would be bought for US$18,5 million apiece, bringing the total to US$70 million. However, it was later decided to buy two Boeing 777s for US$18,5 million and US$16,5 million, a total of US$35 million. It was also resolved to buy two Embraers for US$6 million using Treasury Bills. This brought the total of the revised deal to US$41 million. The plane flew to Malaysia on May 25 after government paid US$300 000 to ZimAirways to carry Zanu PF campaign material from China and India ahead of the critical July 30 general elections. Transport minister Joram Gumbo convinced government officials that the Boeing 777, acquired for US$18 million amid complaints of corruption, could be chartered to China and India without an air operator's certificate (AOC). An AOC grants approval by a national aviation authority to an aircraft operator to use its planes for commercial purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets and systems in place to ensure the safety of its employees, passengers and the general public. Gumbo then wrote to Transport secretary George Mlilo and Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe chief executive David Chawota applying for exemption from compliance with civil aviation regulations in a bid to ensure the Boeing 777 (registration Z-RGM) flies out to bring the consignment. However, Indian civil aviation authorities told ZimAirways they would not grant the shady aircraft landing rights because Gumbo's waiver had no jurisdiction or validity outside Zimbabwe, more so given the controversial nature of the flight. It has now emerged that Boeing is demanding US$680 000 to produce manuals for each, but government was failing to raise the money. The planes were part of 12 aircraft which Boeing manufactured to order in 1994 and delivered to Malaysian Airways in 1997. The planes had been operating until February 2016 when they were retired and discarded to an aircraft scrapyard. They were salvaged from the scrapyard for sale to Zimbabwe last year. According to aviation sources, when a plane has been retrieved from the scrapyard, it undergoes extensive maintenance checks which are only carried out by engineers from the manufacturer and the customer is then required to have manuals since the overhaul would come with new fittings. It is understood that Gumbo has been sweating over how to raise the money, with both Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangundya adamantly maintaining that the State coffers were empty. Gumbo confirmed the developments this week, saying prospects that the new airline would take to the skies anytime soon were grim. "We have been trying to raise the money. Boeing is asking for US$680 000 for each plane for them to process the manuals. Government must pay that money so that we can be able to apply for the International Civil Aviation Organisation licensing. Without those manuals, we will not be able to get the licence to operate the airline," said Gumbo. "We need the money as soon as possible so that we can be able to ply the routes. That is the major reason why we have not been able to start operations. We had planned that ZimAirways should operate the long hauls while Air Zimbabwe services the local routes but we are constrained by lack of funds," he said. Chinamasa said government was still looking at ways of raising the money. "Last year, I gave an instruction to the RBZ to issue Treasury Bills to raise money for the planes and they raised US$41 million which we used to pay for the planes and, at the moment, we are still finding ways to raise the money for the remaining two planes and money for other issues which will enable us to operationalise the airline," he said in a telephone interview this week. Boeing, it is understood, has advised that extensive refurbishments should be carried out on the other plane which government has paid for. "We are doing all what needs to be done in order to get those planes ready to fly. We were advised by engineers that the other plane needed to be reconfigured to suit our requirements and that process is yet to be started," Gumbo said. https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2018/07/06/boeing-demands-us27m-from-govt/ Back to Top New terminal at Singapore's Seletar Airport to be six times larger than original Seletar Airport's new passenger terminal has received its temporary occupation permit and preparations are on track for the terminal to begin operations by the end of this year. The new terminal building at Singapore's second public airport has a floor area of 10,000 sqm - more than six times larger than the current terminal. Constructed and fitted out at a cost of about S$80 million, it is designed to handle 700,000 passenger movements a year, in anticipation of the growth in passenger traffic in the coming years. The airport caters to business and general aviation users such as international aircraft charters, private flights, and maintenance, repair and overhauls. Managed by Changi Airport Group, the new passenger terminal features an enlarged departure and arrival area, which is designed to handle scheduled commercial flights. The departure area will have four check-in counters, six immigration lanes, two security screening stations and a spacious gate hold room, which can comfortably accommodate about 200 passengers. Khoh Su Lim, Deputy General Manager of Seletar Airport, said, "The new passenger terminal enables Seletar Airport to handle the expected growth of aviation activities in future. We look forward to providing passengers with a fresh experience, in terms of comfort and convenience, when the new terminal starts operations around the end of the year." The new terminal will also have a section for passengers travelling on chartered business flights and private jets, with its own waiting lounge area. On the airside, passengers will be able to board their flights conveniently with three aircraft parking stands next to the terminal. This allows passengers quick and efficient access to the aircraft, enabling greater operational efficiency and faster aircraft turnaround time. When the new terminal becomes operational around the end of 2018, Firefly, currently operating 20 daily turboprop flights - to and from Subang, Ipoh and Kuantan - at Changi Airport, will shift its operations to Seletar. This move ensures the optimisation of resources within Singapore's entire aviation system, as aircraft movements at Changi continue to increase. https://www.internationalairportreview.com/news/71477/singapores-seletar-expansion/ Back to Top A Can Of Red Bull Nearly Caused Major Problems For An Air Force Spy Plane If you read that recent Military.com story about the Air Force's efforts to engineer a new coffee mug and thought to yourself "why do these horrible mugs cost some $1,200 apiece of my hard-earned tax dollars," we have a relatively simple answer: a spill can be a complete disaster - especially if it's Red Bull. The eagle-eyed aviation pros at The War Zone spotted an unusual accident in Military Times' sprawling database of aviation mishaps detailing how a 16oz can of Red Bull and an MC-12W Liberty spy plane that resulted in more than $100,000 in damage to the aircraft. Here are the key details, per a mishap summary obtained by The War Zone via Freedom Of Information Act request: * The June 5th, 2017, incident occurred after one of the aircrew, identified as "Mishap Copilot (MCP, Person #1)," retrieved an unopened 16oz can of Red Bull from his bag that promptly ruptured, spewing the energy drink over the center console. * "While the MCP used his shirt to absorb what he could, the Mishap Pilot (MP) noticed a faint odor," according to the report. "He subsequently shut down the mission system power, which alleviated the odor. The crew discussed their options and decided to RTB [return to base]." * The War Zone reports that while the aircrew wasn't even close to in danger due to the spill, the mishap cost the Air Force a whopping $113,675, or "more than $7,000 of damage for each ounce of Red Bull that 'Person #1' spilled in the cockpit." This is officially the most expensive can of Red Bull known to man. * Though it's unclear what, if any, systems were damaged by the spill, the report indicates the hefty bill likely resulted from maintenance personnel removing and repairing 13 "line replaceable units." For context, that console in the civilian version of the MC-12W Liberty (the King Air 350ER) includes a Synthetic Vision System (SVS) graphics and aviation package. This is exactly why the Air Force engineers $1,200 mugs: to prevent some sort of unanticipated fluid-related incident from catalyzing a potential catastrophic mishap. As my T&P colleague Brad Howard, an Air Force vet who has actually flown on the MC-12W before, told me: Everything that enters the cockpit of a $38 million aircraft needs to be highly engineered to not, y'know, cause fires or generate static electricity that may screw with controls. The most likely cause of the mishap? The copilot probably opened a shaken Red Bull can that was in his helmet bag right over the console. Indeed the War Zone notes that the incident " might have earned them some sort of disciplinary action," but those proceedings were heavily redacted in the report. OK, OK, we'll say it: Red Bull does not give you wings. But my boy Howard has a solution to prevent these problems in the future: Big Safari, the legendary shadowy wizards behind quick fixes, could modify a Bass Pro Shop 32oz mug to fit into the MC-12W cup holders for a cool $2 million tops. Either that or the sensor operators should be put in charge of snack duty. Just sayin' https://taskandpurpose.com/red-bull-air-force-spy-plane/ Back to Top Second annual Drone-Con takes flight at Palomar SAN MARCOS - More than 250 unmanned aviation entrepreneurs, thought leaders and innovators from across the nation met at Palomar College for the second annual Drone-Con event on Friday, July 6. With more than 30 guest speakers presenting on a range of topics, the sold-out conference was twice as large as last year's inaugural gathering. "This year we really broadened our focus," said conference co-organizer and Palomar professor Wing Cheung. "There's a lot of excitement from various sectors in the industry about this technology, the work that we're doing here at Palomar-and the work that our students are doing." Friday's keynote speaker, U.S. Air Force Col. Jeremy Zadel, started the day by sharing some of the advancements made by the military in unmanned aviation. He sampled a vast array of applications for which drones are already being used, and hinted at some of the jobs they may be doing in the near future. Zadel also praised the entrepreneurs and private-sector innovators who have adapted and advanced drone technology very quickly. "In the military, we've taken risks and we've experimented, but we don't think as creatively, and we aren't as willing to take as many risks, as the business world," Zadel said. "The business world can develop things very quickly. And then you have institutions like Palomar College, where we can sit down and talk about how we are going to use (drone technology) in the future." After the opening remarks, attendees split up for a variety of breakout session, which included: * Starting a UAS program at your school * How to stay legal when operating UAS * Mapping and surveying with UAS * Environmental conservation with UAS * UAS career pathways for military veterans Following the presentations, guests had the opportunity to network, ask questions, meet with exhibitors, and try their hand at flying a drone in a controlled setting inside the lobby of the Natural Sciences building. "I loved being able to try the drones. I had never flown one before and it was addicting," said Ruby Flores, a Student Services Coordinator at Santa Ana College who attended Drone-Con to learn about building a program like Palomar's at her college. "I definitely have some takeaways for our college, and I learned a lot about the drone industry," said Flores. "They had great speakers-very knowledgeable." In Palomar's UAS academic program, Cheung said, "Our focus is on training students to start their own small businesses offering drone-related services, so we're helping students build professional connections so they'll have a successful business." https://www2.palomar.edu/pages/news/drone-con-coverage-2018/ Back to Top EU Council gives EASA authority over UAV, aviation cybersecurity development COLOGNE, Germany -- A mandate adopted by the Council of the European Union last week updates the continent's aviation safety rules to better prepare for emerging technologies like unmanned aerial vehicles. The new rule is intended to give the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) the ability to more easily provide guidance to what executive director Patrick Ky called "unprecedented technological transformation", while also giving it the authority to collaborate with EU member states. "It was important to provide EASA with the proper tools and legal foundation to support the development of the aviation industry, in particular in domains like drones and digitalization," Ky said. "At the same time, we need to preserve the European society aspirations for a safer and environmentally friendly world." Called the "New Basic Regulation", the rule also strengthens EASA's role in areas including environmental protection, research and development, international cooperation and aviation cybersecurity. The regulation will be published in the EU's official journal by the end of July, and will become effective in the coming months. The final text of the New Basic Regulation can be found here. https://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2018/07/eu-council-gives-easa-authority-over-uav- aviation-cybersecurity-development.html Back to Top The electric aircraft is taking off In 2008, the electric motor vehicle experienced a rebirth triggered by a rise in oil prices. Now in 2018, it is the time for another rebirth - in electrical aviation. Over the decades, advances have been made across the aviation field and on all fronts. In 1986, Burt Rutan made the first non-stop, unrefueled flight around the world. Now, 30 years later another trip around the world was completed, marking the first electrical powered circumnavigation. The lofty journey started in Abu Dhabi and 16 months later landed back where its journey began. This plane, unlike others that have made the journey before, emitted no emissions and burned no fuel. Instead, it used solar panels, an electric motor and 4 massive 41 kWh lithium-ion batteries. Called Solar Impulse 2, it changed the world of aviation when it completed its flight in 2016. Since then, the vision of an electrically powered commercial airplane has gone from a dream to a possibility. A future that includes electric flight is a positive one, slashing the fuel use of current aviation, reducing emissions, and a creating a cleaner environment. According to the European Commission, airplane emissions currently account for about 3% of total EU Greenhouse gas emissions, and about 4% of world greenhouse gas emissions. It's a pretty significant percentage that's growing at a fast rate. By comparison, the emissions per person on a flight from London to New York, is roughly equivalent to a person in the EU heating their home for a whole year. With electric aviation, these rising emissions could be reduced. It will make the ambitious EU goal of cutting greenhouse emissions to 40% below their 1990 levels by 2030, and to 80% of 1990 emissions by 2050 more feasible. From the passenger's perspective, electric aircraft are a massive win. The new planes would result in a cheaper ticket, decreased noise, and a higher rate of climb. With an electric engine, planes are able to maintain performance at higher altitudes where the air resistance is less, unlike combustion engines that operate less efficiently at these altitudes. The aircraft engine would therefore have to be less powerful to generate equivalent speed. Challenges For all the hype and innovation surrounding the ideal of electric flight, there is still a long way to go before our commercial flights are powered by electric engines. The Burt-Rutan designed Long-EZ is an instance of electric flight in recent time. In 2012, as one of the fastest electric aircraft flown, the plane traveled at 202.6 mph, and carried a single passenger. Contrast that to a Boeing 787, which flies at 585 mph, and carries more than 242 passengers. There is still a long way to go, and at the current pace of battery and electrical engine technology it won't be until 2030 that even hybrid electric technology is used in commercial aviation. Currently there is a project underway known as the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed. This project is looking at the current technology obstacles of electric flight. With this test bed, increased efficiency and reduced weight are the goals. The test bed can be adapted to power larger and larger engines as technology is improved. Another challenge that exists is creating a practical cooling system that can be used. Thermal management for these systems will require a system that can reject anywhere from 50 to 800 kW of heat in flight. A cooling system is required for the integrated power module used for high power electronics. Materials will need to be developed for improved thermal performance, and a lightweight system developed for the power electronics cooling. Superconductivity and supercooled electronics will be required to reduce the electrical resistance of the aircraft. The Batteries The most significant limiting factor at this point is not the weight of the engines, or the design of the aircraft, but it is rather the batteries. Batteries at this point cannot provide the power-to-weight ratio needed for electric aviation to be feasible. Currently, jet fuel yields about 43 times more energy than an equivalent mass of battery. The electric aviation industry is making a big bet that energy storage technology will improve significantly in the future. It is possible with battery energy density rising by 5 to 8 percent per year. For batteries to be at a point where it is economically feasible to work in small-scale aviation they will need to achieve about five times their current density. The good thing, is that airplanes are becoming better designed, and will require less and less power as time progresses. Once all this is figured out and solved another problem exists. How does one swap the batteries out quickly and efficiently enough to allow the planes a quick turnaround time from landing to then picking up new passengers and taking off? The best solution is battery swapping, but even this solution has its difficulties. Batteries have a higher maintenance costs than gas turbines do, and on top of that require replacement after only 1,500 charge cycles. In addition, electricity consumption is highest in the day when these batteries are needed to be charged. Current Competition Zunum Aero is a company backed by Boeing and JetBlue that has been working since 2013 on a family of 10 to 50 seat hybrid electric regional aircraft. They started development in October 2017 for a 12 seat aircraft, aiming to fly in 2020. The design includes a series of hybrid ducted fans that are powered by batteries alone for short trips and a range-extending generator providing 1 MW to 4-5 MW. A gas turbine would be used to drive two 550kW generators in order to extend the range of the plane to 700 nautical miles. In February 2018 it was announced that Zunum is building its first prototype. Airbus E-Fan X is being developed with Rolls-Royce and Siemens as a hybrid-electric airline demonstrator. Development of this aircraft is building on work completed with the Airbus E-fan, a prototype two-seater electric aircraft that was under development by Airbus. It uses on-board lithium-ion batteries to power two electric motors. First flown in 2014, the E-Fan has an endurance of 60 minutes. The E-Fan X does includes a motor and generator that are not cryogenically cooled and not superconducting leading to more than a 15% loss in efficiency. What they hope to do on the way to an all-electric plane is create a hybrid electric model capable of flying in 2020, while further developing the technology. Eviation Alice is an Israeli electric aircraft that is under development by Eviation Aircraft. This plane features three propellers, two on the wingtips and one in the rear of the plane body. The plane features an electric propulsion system and is developed from 95% composite materials. The company was started in 2015 and is currently underway to manufacture the first prototype of its all electric business and commuter aircraft. Wright Electric is a startup aiming to create a commercial airliner that runs on batteries and for distances of under 300 miles. The company was founded in 2016, and has received venture capital from groups such as Silicon Valley accelerator Y combinatory. In September 2017, UK budget carrier EasyJet announced it was developing an electric 180 seater aircraft to be developed by 2027 with Wright Electric. So far the company has built a two seat proof of concept, which contains 600 lbs of batteries. Ampaire is a recent startup currently undertaking the big task of developing a retrofitted electric aircraft with the aim to be FAA certified by the end of 2020. The aircraft will be able to carry 7-9 passengers, and have a range of up to 100 miles. The company is hoping to develop a battery swapping system, and is hoping to test fly next year. Joby Aviation has spent the last decade developing their own electric motors and their current VTOL design from the ground up. The company recently secured $100 million in series B financing to prepare for production and certification. According to reports, the new vehicle is being developed to fly as many as five people as far as 150 miles on a single electric charge. This is quite significant for an electric aircraft, and could be used within the commercial aviation area for very short haul flights. As streets fill with electric cars in the coming years, let us not forget that there is still a long way to go until our skies are on the same path as our roads. As we follow the long path to successful electric aircraft, we will be reminded of the perilous journey that was followed to achieve successful electric vehicles. Once past the barriers of batteries, engines, and design, these planes will soon be taking off. https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/08/the-electric-aircraft-is-taking-off/ Curt Lewis