November 29, 2018 - No. 094 In This Issue EOS and Etihad Airways expand 3D printing capabilities CAPA to bring World Aviation Outlook Summit to Malta in 2019 S.A.F.E. Structure Delivers Innovative Fire Suppression Bottle Check Stand to the U.S. Coast Guard US airlines respond to safety concerns following Indonesia crash AMAC pioneers MRO mixed model Barfield Reinforces Partnership with TAME in New Components Maintenance Support on Its A330 Aircraft UTC Completes Acquisition of Rockwell Collins New Envoy Air Military Transition Program Assists Veteran Mechanics Pursue Commercial Airline Career Newly Minted Collins Aerospace to Upgrade B-1 Trainers ExecuJet Malaysia Receives FAA Approval. SPACEX IS LAUNCHING A PIECE OF ART INTO ORBIT EOS and Etihad Airways expand 3D printing capabilities Industrial 3D printing company EOS and Etihad Airways Engineering, the largest aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services provider in the Middle East, have agreed a strategic partnership which will significantly expand local capabilities for industrial 3D printing in aviation. The partnership agreed at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend will enable Etihad Airways Engineering to produce aircraft parts at their facility in Abu Dhabi. Visitors to the race were able to view a full-scale 3D printed front wing of a Formula 1 car and speak to 3D printing experts. The initial phase of this collaboration, which uses an EOS system for additive manufacturing, will include the qualification of machine, process and materials in accordance with aviation regulatory requirements. Following a structured selection process, suitable cabin interior parts will be produced through the AM process, which offers a substantial value-add in terms of optimised repair, lightweight design, shorter lead times and customisation options, particularly during aircraft modifications. Bernhard Randerath, Vice President Design, Engineering and Innovation at Etihad Airways Engineering, commented, "Etihad constantly invests in new technology and has identified additive manufacturing as a key technology for aviation interior parts, as well as applications beyond aerospace in the future." 'Key enabler' Randerath added, "This technology is a key enabler when it comes to design and innovation in our industry. Etihad is proud to work towards a vision of a 3D-printed cabin interior." Markus Glasser, Senior Vice President Export Region at EOS said, "Etihad is providing industry- leading aircraft maintenance and engineering solutions. As such we share the same mindset as both of our companies are committed to high quality solutions and constant technology innovation. "We are honored to support our partner on this innovation journey, as such bringing the production of aircraft interior parts to the next level." After the initial steps have been completed, Etihad Airways Engineering will certify the AM process, further develop additive manufacturing capabilities based on this technology and jointly with EOS develop, test and qualify new polymer materials. In the long term, Etihad plans to roll-out AM among their customers and within their broader ecosystem. http://optics.org/news/9/11/40 Back to Top CAPA to bring World Aviation Outlook Summit to Malta in 2019 CAPA - Centre for Aviation, the world's most trusted source of market intelligence for the aviation and travel industry, is pleased to announce Malta as the next destination for its annual CAPA World Aviation Outlook Summit and Awards for Excellence. Scheduled for 5-6 December 2019, the event is set to bring to together the biggest names in aviation from all over the world to discuss the future of the industry. Hosted by the Ministry for Tourism for Malta, the longstanding annual CAPA Summit will provide an in-depth, big picture overview of the global aviation outlook, as well as a review of trends and challenges facing the industry in the years to come. Speaking at the closing of the 2018 World Aviation Outlook Summit in Berlin, Germany, CAPA Executive Chairman Peter Harbison said: "Malta is a destination steeped in culture and heritage, with a historic legacy unique in the Mediterranean. Malta's aviation market continues to go from strength to strength and it is for this reason we are delighted to bring our World Aviation Outlook Summit to this vibrant location." The Summit, typically attended by prominent airline leaders, will cover a mix of aviation, global macroeconomic, travel and geopolitical topics across a range of keynotes and interactive panel discussions. The Summit complements CAPA's existing suite of global aviation events and is expected to attract more than 250 senior level executives and decision makers from full service and low cost carriers, airports and industry suppliers. Maltese Minister Konrad Mizzi welcomed the announcement, stating: "The Maltese islands continue to play host to prestigious events and meetings from all over the world and we are pleased that the tradition will continue with CAPA's 2019 World Aviation Outlook Summit in December. Malta is establishing itself globally as a leading nation for innovation and excellence and this is reflected in our booming aviation sector, which is a leader in maintenance, aircraft registration, leasing, finance, as well as crew and flight training." CAPA Global Aviation Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner The Summit will also feature the global CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner, awards which have recognised strategic leadership in the aviation industry since 2002. Regarded as the pre-eminent awards ceremony for strategic aviation excellence, the CAPA Aviation Awards are intended to reward airlines, airports and individuals that are not only successful but have also provided industry strategic leadership in an always changing environment. The awards are not driven by customer surveys or sponsorship and are researched by an independent panel of judges. Award categories include CAPA Airline of the Year, CAPA LCC of the Year and CAPA Airport of the Year. Established in 1990, Sydney-based CAPA - Centre for Aviation is the leading provider of independent aviation market intelligence, analysis and data services, covering worldwide developments. CAPA runs C-level aviation and corporate travel summits in key markets around the world, bringing together the leading stakeholders of the global commercial aviation industry. CAPA has become a highly influential aviation group, with its events platforms helping the aviation sector and leading supplier businesses to stay informed and remain closely connected to industry leaders, driving change and supporting industry evolution. CAPA attracts the world's leading airline and industry executive level speakers and attendees at each of its global events held in key aviation markets around the world, reaching more than 350,000 unique website visitors each month. Understanding aviation markets is our great strength and our passion. Providing our CAPA Members, clients and partners with an unparalleled level of expertise and insight is our business. https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/capa-to-bring-world-aviation-outlook-summit-to- malta-in-2019-450295 Back to Top S.A.F.E. Structure Delivers Innovative Fire Suppression Bottle Check Stand to the U.S. Coast Guard in Mobile, AL SAFE Structure, a preferred global leader partner in providing solution driven aviation support equipment to the United States Coast Guard. SAFE specializes in the innovative design and manufacturing of safe ergonomic aircraft maintenance stands, fall protection platforms, hangar equipment, portable field equipment and specialty tooling for all aviation applications. SAFE has announced the delivery of its most innovative fire suppression bottle check stand to the USCG in Mobile, AL for their fleet of MH-60 Jayhawks. S.A.F.E. has a known reputation of working alongside aircraft mechanics around the world to design the most valuable products to meet their needs in the aviation industry. SAFE's new innovative fire suppression bottle check stand is the first of its kind. The check stand was designed for ergonomic access to the fire suppression bottle for the MH-60 Jayhawk during inspection, routine maintenance or complete overhaul. The check stand's complex design ensures a complete contour to the aircraft and adjusts to the proper working height. SAFE's design team accounted for the various heights of the aircraft depending on the fuel load, parts, and accessories during overhaul and standard maintenance. This check stand will increase the mechanic's efficiency while providing a safe working environment. Chief Warrant Officer, Scott Walton, United States Coast Guard, Mobile, AL states, "Our maintenance team completes 62,500 maintenance labor hours a year and SAFE's manufactured equipment has made a substantial impact concerning the safety and comfort of my crew on the hangar deck. My team has found the quality of the SAFE Structure team, their maintenance platforms/stands, and hangar equipment to be top notch. SAFE's extreme passion concerning safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction is one of the many aspects that sets them apart from like companies. Their attention to detail and seamless process is highly appreciated by my team. SAFE has proven then will go the extra mile to provide us with exactly what we need." "SAFE structure is driven by a culture to work alongside our customers. In this case specifically, the United States Coast Guard, in providing solutions that currently do not exist on the market. This team effort we all win." said Johnny Buscema, President and CEO of S.A.F.E. Structure Designs. https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12437872/safe-structure-delivers-innovative-fire- suppression-bottle-check-stand-to-the-united-states-coast-guard-in-mobile-al Back to Top US airlines respond to safety concerns following Indonesia crash Investigators are learning more about why a late-model Boeing 737 airliner crashed in Indonesia last month, killing nearly 200 people. According to the Associated Press, previous pilots had reported problems with control systems of the Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 that slammed into the Java Sea, leaving all 189 people on board dead. The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Commission's preliminary report indicated that a sensor recording the plane's angle of attack triggered a system that brought the plane's nose down more than two dozen times as pilots fought against it. Meanwhile, U.S. airlines are responding to safety concerns about their fleets. Ross Feinstein, director of operations communications at American Airlines, said in an email late Wednesday that the company's flight, tech ops and safety teams have been working together since the Oct. 29 crash. He said American Airlines is also working closely with Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing. The emailed statement continues: Earlier this month, [American Airlines] received the Boeing-issued Flight Crew Operations Manual Bulletin and subsequently issued FAA Emergency Airworthiness Directive that apply to the 16 B737 MAX 8 aircraft currently in our fleet. We are in full compliance with the Emergency Airworthiness Directive, which reiterated existing, well-established procedures for MAX 8 pilots. Those procedures for handling non-normal events are the same across the entire Boeing 737 fleet. They are not specific to the MAX and are documented in the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH). At American, we have not had similar issues regarding an erroneous Angle of Attack during manual flight. Our work with the FAA and Boeing is ongoing, and we will continue to keep our pilots and maintenance professionals informed of any updates. Alaska Airlines is awaiting delivery on dozens of similar aircraft. The airline's spokesman Tim Thompson said Wednesday that 32 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets are on order with Boeing, and set for delivery starting in the middle of next year. In a written statement, Thompson said: "Alaska Airlines doesn't currently fly the MAX plane as part of our fleet. We are scheduled to take the MAX in mid-2019. Boeing and the FAA are solely focused on the MAX at this time. Safety is paramount at Alaska Airlines. We've earned our 17th Diamond Award of Excellence from the FAA for our maintenance program. This is the FAA's most prestigious honor and recognizes the airlines' commitment to aircraft maintenance and training" According to the AP, Boeing's share price fell roughly 14 percent over the past three weeks through Tuesday. Shares of the company were up 4.3 percent Wednesday afternoon. https://www.ktva.com/story/39556797/alaska-airlines-ordering-dozens-of-jet-in-indonesia-crash Back to Top AMAC pioneers MRO mixed model The gateway to the Turkish Riviera on what's known as the Turquoise Coast is Milas-Bodrum Airport - and AMAC Aerospace has high expectations for its new MRO facility there. Swiss-based AMAC celebrated the opening of its new 4,600sqm hangar in July. It's the first MRO facility at this growing airport on Turkey's south-western Mugla Province, which AMAC's chairman and CEO predicts will become a regional hub for aircraft maintenance. As he explained, the "whole world" descends on Bodrum in the summer. During those six months, the airport clocks up about 2,500 rotations of corporate aircraft and the same number in commercial movements. "We're the only maintenance facility on site," he added. "We decided to start a small hangar with a single Boeing 737 bay. We've ended up with a hangar with bays for three 737s or one wide-body." He said the AMAC strategy is a "new model in the aviation world, where a VIP MRO expands to do commercial maintenance as well". The new Bodrum facility will allow AMAC to concentrate on business and VIP aircraft in the summer, swinging over to line and base maintenance on commercial aircraft in the quieter winter months and then back again to VIP as traffic picks up. AMAC is counting on attracting private jet owners in the Middle East, who would otherwise have to fly to an MRO in Europe. "We will be able to carry out the maintenance for all aircraft - from small jets to wide-body aircraft - while aircraft owners holiday," he said. While AMAC is developing its mixed business model, the landscape for heavy and light maintenance visits on the commercial side is also changing. Muhiddin is not convinced; nor is he worried about competition. "We're seeing bigger airlines getting more aggressive to reduce maintenance costs," he said. "They adopt their own schemes, which are approved by their authority. Where aircraft used to have a full overhaul every eight years, these checks are being integrated with the annual checks. "Instead of 6-8 weeks on the ground with major checks, now they're reducing the time on the ground to 3-4 weeks. "I can understand why they want to use every minute to fly - they compete on volume, not like the 'good old days' when ticket prices were high and revenues more predictable. Today, every penny they save is important to them." But, he said, this approach to MRO has an impact on aircraft and engines. In the corporate aviation world, owners tend to take a personal interest in their aircraft and its maintenance programme. "I'm not saying commercial [owners] don't, but the route they take to maintaining the aircraft is shifting. We'll have to wait and see if it's better or not." He was not concerned about potential competition from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the aftermarket, branding it "probably just talk - in my view". Airbus, he said, had already tried offering a one-stop-shop for aftermarket services with discounts on maintenance but had been unable to entice owners and operators. "MROs have to build bridges of trust with their clients. Once that's established, why would a client want to go elsewhere?" Muhiddin, himself, has spent the better part of 42 years building those bridges - ever since he graduated from Bristol Technical College with a degree in aeronautical engineering from Kingston University in London. He's proud to say he's still current on all his licences. After working for Iraqi Airlines from 1977-79, Kuwait Airways from 1980-90, and a UK MRO, in 1991 he set up his own consultancy, Gamit Ltd, in England. It manages heavy maintenance, freighter conversions, buying, selling and salvaging aircraft, spare parts supply worldwide, technical representation and now digital record archiving. Those experiences taught him important lessons about customer expectations: service is paramount, even if, on occasion, it costs you a little. Though AMAC is "the world's biggest privately owned MRO", it retains many of the attributes of a smaller organisation. It has a flat management structure; the doors in its C-suite are always open; employees don't need an appointment; when what they need is an answer, they get one. Such an approach leads to enviable corporate agility. "While other people are still thinking about something, we've done it," said Muhiddin. "We confer and take decisions in 5-10 minutes. We're always going forward in quick steps. "I can give approval to do something worth millions on the phone. So can my management team. "I don't think we take better decisions; we just take them instantly to suit the occasion. Others may take months, and meanwhile the customer is waiting. "We rarely get it wrong, but when we do, we take responsibility for that decision. "If we make a decision and we lose money on it and we have to write it off, we will. The customer will come back and if we are lucky we may make it up on the next job, but what's important is our customer's satisfaction. "The feedback we get in the market is that customers like our quality, performance, delivery on time and on budget. We're happy that our clients recommend us." Word of mouth has driven AMAC's growth over 10 years. It has branched out to six sites and seven hangars - eight if it receives permission this autumn to expand at its home base in Basel, Switzerland. The company employs nearly 1,000 people across the group. With its affiliated companies, which include Gamit and the wholly owned Turkish airline Tailwind, the total headcount rises to about 1,500. Annual sales are reported to be in excess of $2 billion. February was a month for awards for AMAC, and for Muhiddin personally, although he doesn't see it that way. When Business Worldwide Magazine named him 'best CEO in the private aviation services industry' in its 2017 Global Corporate Excellence awards, he demurred. "When it comes to such an award, it is the workforce that deserves it. I just collect it on their behalf. What makes me successful is my people. I set strategy; the company follows it." The other award announced at the 2018 European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) was for the best VIP aircraft interior design of the year, awarded for AMAC's work on a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) demonstrator. "To have a company like Boeing leave the US market and come to AMAC for the aircraft that is used by the chairman and board of directors speaks for itself. We delivered the aircraft on time, on budget and according to design," said Muhiddin. What do the next five years hold for AMAC? Muhiddin says with a laugh: "I can't tell you. It's not a secret - it just doesn't exist. "We have a lot of requests, every month, from investors in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, the Far East, inviting us to their countries to set up AMAC facilities there. China is a growing market and hungry for such a set-up; they don't have this expertise themselves. "We will move quickly if there is a solid reason for it. We don't expand for the fun of it." If the Basel airport authority approves AMAC's application to build it, the company's fifth hangar at its home base will be used exclusively for Bombardier types following the company's receipt of authorised service facility (ASF) status. AMAC is also weighing up the need for a third hangar in Bodrum. "We like to build hangars," said Muhiddin. "This is not crazy expansion - a new hangar every two years is not bad." Among its business activities, AMAC acts as a marketing agent. A recent project involved managing the operation and transfer of a B747-8i from the Qatar Amiri Flight. After completing some preservation maintenance on the aircraft in Basel, AMAC facilitated its transfer to a new owner. The aircraft has since been despatched. A company spokesman said: "We are happy to have executed this service in a swift and meaningful manner." https://www.arabianaerospace.aero/amac-pioneers-mro-mixed-model.html Back to Top Barfield Reinforces Partnership with TAME in New Components Maintenance Support on Its A330 Aircraft Miami, 27 November 2018 - Barfield, an Air France KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) subsidiary in the Americas, and a major aviation industry player, has signed a multi-year components maintenance agreement with Ecuadorian based airline TAME. The flat rate agreement covers TAME's Airbus A330 aircraft. "This agreement gives Barfield the opportunity to continue to strengthen our partnership with TAME. Our focus is to provide them with the best dependability, engineering support, and the most helpful customer service in the industry to keep their dispatch reliability at the highest level possible" said Hervé Page, Barfield Chief Operating Officer. The agreement also increases Barfield's long term partnership with TAME with the support of AFI KLM E&M. Indeed, for Franck Becker, AFI KLM E&M Regional Vice President Sales Americas, "The trusted relationship between TAME and Barfield as seen with this new agreement, increases and strengthens AFI KLM E&M position on the South American market." The component repair contract is based on high quality engineering practices put in place to increase the flying life of the components. "TAME is committed to an ambitious growth plan over the next few years and we couldn't think of a better partner than Barfield to entrust the maintenance of our A330 aircraft components as well as the support of our other fleet types" said TAME's CEO, Octavio Augusto Perez Sierra. About TAME TAME is an airline founded in 1962 and headquartered in Quinto, Pichincha Province with the main hub in Mariscal Sucre International Airport. The airline was formed by the Air Force of Ecuador. In 2011, it became a commercial entity and now provides domestic, international and charter flights. TAME has a fleet of 10 aircraft including Airbus A319s, A320s and A330s. About Barfield Barfield consists of 500 employees across its facilities in Miami, Phoenix, Louisville and Atlanta. With its leading facilities, Barfield can satisfy the needs of customers operating commercial or regional fleets in North, Central and South America. From MRO Services to Distribution and Ground Support Test Equipment (GSTE), Barfield provides complete tailor-made support programs for A320 family, 737, Bombardier, Dash 8, ATR 42 & 72 and Embraer 170 & 190 aircraft to operators in need of inventory and logistics solutions, repair management programs, engineering and fleet support, and component reliability management. Barfield is part of the AFI KLM E&M network, a major MRO provider. www.barfieldinc.com About AFI KLM E&M Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance is a major multi-product MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) provider. With a workforce of over 14,000, AFI KLM E&M offers comprehensive technical support for airlines, ranging from engineering and line maintenance to engine overhaul, aero structure and fan thrust reverser support, as well as the management, repair and supply of aircraft components, structured around a powerful logistics network. AFI KLM E&M supports almost 2,000 aircraft operated by 200 major international and domestic airlines. www.afiklmem.com or mobile.afiklmem.com https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12437818/barfield-reinforces-partnership-with-tame- in-new-components-maintenance-support-on-its-a330-aircraft Back to Top UTC Completes Acquisition of Rockwell Collins United Technologies (UTC) has received final regulatory approval to buy Rockwell Collins in one of the largest acquisitions in the history of the aerospace manufacturing industry. Under the new acquisition, Rockwell Collins will become Collins Aerospace in a combined re-structuring with UTC Aerospace Systems. UTC will remain the parent company of Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney, while proposing to spin off its Otis and Climate, Controls & Security (CCS) businesses under the new name Carrier. There is also a proposal to spin off Otis Elevator Company into its own independent business. Both spin off scenarios are subject to approvals from regulators and UTC's board of directors. During a Nov. 27 conference call with analysts, UTC Chief Executive Greg Hayes said the addition of Rockwell Collins to UTC's aerospace portfolio fills a void that was left when the company divested Sikorsky. The UTC chief expects aerospace sales to grow significantly by 2020 with the addition of Rockwell Collins. "We made some tough decisions early on in the portfolio when we divested Sikorsky, that was a great move for us but it also left us sub-scale on the aerospace side," said Hayes. "With the addition of Rockwell Collins, we will now have an aerospace business that will have sales of roughly $50 billion by 2020." Hayes will remain the CEO of UTC, while Kelly Ortberg will serve as the CEO of Collins Aerospace. Kent Statler, who previously served as vice president and chief operating officer for Rockwell Collins' commercial systems division, will become the head of the Collins Aerospace strategy avionics business unit. The acquisition took longer to complete than expected, as Hayes previously expected to close the acquisition by October. Hayes previously said one of the reasons for the delay was the search for a buyer of the flight controls and electric actuators product line previously owned by Rockwell Collins. That product line was sold to French aerospace and defense manufacturer Safran, which expects to complete that acquisition within the first six months of 2019. Regulatory approval from China's State Administration for Market Regulation, achieved on Nov. 23, was the last financial regulatory review needed for the acquisition to occur. UTC first announced its acquisition of Rockwell Collins on September 4, 2017. By acquiring Rockwell Collins, UTC's aerospace portfolio now includes the Rockwell Collins' avionics manufacturing, defense business and interiors unit - the latter resulting from Rockwell Collins' 2016 acquisition of B/E Aerospace. Akhil Johri, chief financial officer of UTC, echoed Hayes' recent comments about the financial performance of the Collins interior businesses. "The interiors portion of the business has been a little weaker than it was expected to be a year or so ago," said Johri, noting that Rockwell Collins commercial aftermarket business has performed better than expected over the last year as well. While neither Hayes nor Johri commented on specifics related to the avionics technologies supplied by Collins Aerospace, the acquisition will make UTC the supplier of communications, navigation and surveillance technology on some of the world's newest and best selling commercial airframes. As an example, Rockwell Collins provides the core avionics network for the Boeing 787 and the displays for that aircraft as well as the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X among other Boeing aircraft. Collins' Pro Line Fusion flight deck is also featured on the Airbus A220 and the company supplies the common data network for the A350 as well. Moving forward, the combination of Rockwell Collins and UTAS could provide for some unique collaboration in developing new aircraft technologies. UTAS revealed at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow that it was researching and developing a next generation vehicle management computer (VMC) with 20 times the computing power of today's flight control computers enabled by three dissimilar multicore processors. The company has also seen increased interest in recent years from operators in its aircraft interface device (AID) and aircraft health monitoring technologies, including a deal to supply its virtual quick-access recorder for a fleet of 777s operated by Emirates. In a self published article remarking on the completion of the acquisition, Collins Aerospace CEO Ortberg said that the combined entity will enable his newly structured company to meet growing expectations for "speed, agility and value" from airlines and manufacturers. "This expectation is changing the way our industry works. Aerospace suppliers and even OEMs are merging and partnering to deliver sophisticated solutions with greater scale and scope," said Ortberg. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2018/11/27/utc-completes-acquisition-rockwell-collins/ Back to Top New Envoy Air Military Transition Program Assists Veteran Mechanics Pursue Commercial Airline Career IRVING, Texas, November 28, 2018 - Envoy Air Inc., the largest wholly owned regional airline subsidiary of American Airlines Group (AAG) today launched a Military Transition Program for former and active military service members who have experience in aviation maintenance and wish to pursue their career with a commercial airline. Envoy's new program is valued at up to $11,000 and will assist eligible candidates with the specialized training needed to obtain their Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license. In return for a two- year commitment, candidates receive an accelerated two-week training course, including lodging and meals, and receive a professional toolbox with tools valued at more than $3,000. "We know the caliber of aviation mechanics who serve in our nation's military and are looking to hire the best of the best," said Jay Murray, Vice President of Maintenance for Envoy. "Our fleet is growing rapidly, and we're preparing now to welcome an additional 40 new 76-seat Embraer 175 regional jets over the next two years." The carrier is targeting experienced military mechanics who have recently left the military or will soon be transitioning to enroll in the new program. "In just a matter of weeks, you can earn your A&P license and enter new hire training at Envoy," said Murray. "We now offer all new mechanics a signing bonus of up to $7,500, based on their years of experience. And depending on your base, you may also be eligible for relocation assistance." As a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, Envoy offers outstanding benefits few companies can match: * Up to $7,500 sign-on bonus, depending on years of service * Free and unlimited space-available travel on American's global network * 20% discount off confirmed tickets on American * Medical, dental, vision and life insurance * 401(k) with company matching contributions * American Airlines Group profit sharing "I started my career as an aircraft mechanic, so I know all that this industry - and company - can offer," added Murray. "I encourage any of our veteran mechanics who are interested in an exciting and challenging career to speak to our recruiters about joining the Envoy team." For more information, see jobs.envoyair.com/mtp for details. Or call (972) 374-5655 or email Envoy.TalentServices@aa.com. About Envoy Envoy Air Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, operates more than 170 aircraft on nearly 1,000 daily flights to more than 150 destinations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas and Caribbean. The company's more than 16,000 employees provide regional flight service to American Airlines under the American Eagle brand and ground handling services for many American Airlines Group flights. The company was founded in 1998 as American Eagle Airlines, Inc., following the merger of several smaller regional carriers to create one of the largest regional airlines in the world. Envoy is headquartered in Irving, Texas, with hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, New York and Miami, with a large ground handling operation in Los Angeles. Connect with Envoy on Twitter @EnvoyAirCareers, on Instagram @EnvoyAirCareers, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/envoyaircareers and Facebook.com/EnvoyPilotRecruitment. https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12437946/new-envoy-air-military-transition- program-assists-veteran-mechanics-pursue-commercial-airline-career Back to Top Newly Minted Collins Aerospace to Upgrade B-1 Trainers Collins Aerospace, formerly Rockwell Collins, will update B-1 Lancer training systems for Aero Simulation Inc. (ASI), which last month received a contract for B-1 training system sustainment from the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Maintenance Command. There are 35 Lancer flight and maintenance training devices at a number of different Air Force Bases for which ASI is responsible. ASI selected Collins to execute concurrency, obsolescence and cybersecurity upgrades to weapons systems, missions, cockpit procedures and maintenance trainers, with the goal of aligning training systems with current B-1 aircraft configurations. This contract allows Collins to examine each trainer to pinpoint needed upgrades, which the company can then propose for additional, follow-on contracts, according to a company spokesperson. The process will entail identifying where the trainers need to be upgraded to conform to current Lancer aircraft and where trainer upgrades can future-proof them for compatibility with planned Lancer upgrades. No timeline has been made available yet regarding when follow-on contracts to upgrade the trainers are expected to be granted or when that work will commence. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2018/11/28/73895/ Back to Top ExecuJet Malaysia Receives FAA Approval 28 November 2018: ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation Group, has secured the official stamp of approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its MRO in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the facility receiving Part 145 approval. The approval recognises the MRO facility, based at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, as an authorised Repair Station - giving US-registered aircraft owners confidence that the facility upholds FAA- certified standards of aircraft maintenance. Ivan Lim, General Manager, ExecuJet Malaysia, says: "Achieving FAA Part 145 accreditation is testament to our quality system in the Kuala Lumpur facility, and adds to our existing list of approvals from the various National Airworthiness Authorities. With this pillar of American aviation behind us, we can further extend ExecuJet's industry-leading maintenance capabilities to N- registered aircraft in the region." At 64,000 sq. ft, ExecuJet's facility is the largest business aircraft MRO facility in Malaysia. It is also a Bombardier authorised service facility and a limited Gulfstream authorised warranty facility, as well as an authorised dealer and service centre for Honeywell APU and avionics, Rockwell Collins, Rolls-Royce (BR710) and General Electric (CF34) engine services, DAC International engine repair support and Satcom Direct. About ExecuJet ExecuJet is a leading global business aviation organisation offering a diverse range of services including aircraft management for private and commercial registered aircraft, aircraft charter, aircraft maintenance, aircraft completions management and fixed base operations. ExecuJet has operations in six regions - Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, embracing a workforce of more than 1,000 experienced staff. ExecuJet manages 165 business jets worldwide under the most stringent safety standards. Its commercial fleet is operated under the regulatory umbrella of six regional civil aviation issued air operating certificates (AOCs). ExecuJet has many authorised maintenance facilities throughout four regions, certified to work on most business jets. ExecuJet, in collaboration with the Paragon Aviation GroupTM, has a network of 55 FBOs globally, 27 of which are managed by ExecuJet. Further information: www.execujet.com. ExecuJet is part of the Luxaviation Group, one of the largest aircraft operators worldwide. Further information: www.luxaviation.com. https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12438039/execujet-malaysia-receives-faa-approval Back to Top SPACEX IS LAUNCHING A PIECE OF ART INTO ORBIT Video Here. When a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches Saturday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, north of Santa Barbara, California, its payload will include 64 small satellites from 34 organizations and 17 countries, each having paid launch broker Spaceflight Industries a hefty fee to be blasted 350 miles up and released into low earth orbit. Most of these satellites are destined to carry out some utilitarian purpose, be it communications, observation, or science. But there is one small satellite among them that aims to do nothing more than entice people around the world to enact a primal, atavistic urge: to look up at the night sky and wonder what's out there. It's April, and that satellite's creator, the artist Trevor Paglen, is sitting in the lobby of a Hampton Inn in West Covina, California, 20 miles east of downtown LA, explaining the rationale behind the project he's calling the Orbital Reflector. "The point for me really was to create a kind of catalyst for looking at the sky and thinking about everything from planets to satellites to space junk to public space and asking, 'What does it mean to be on this planet?'" says Paglen, who has come to California to witness some crucial prelaunch tests on his creation. "It's a timeless question in some ways, but the content of the question is always changing." Paglen has described the project, which was undertaken in partnership with the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, as "the first satellite to exist solely as an artistic gesture." As gestures go, it's not cheap-its budget of $1.5 million was funded by the museum, private donors, and a Kickstarter campaign-but it's certainly true to its name. Once in orbit, it will deploy a 100-foot-long, 5-foot-wide balloon made of high-density polyethylene coated with titanium dioxide powder that will reflect light back to earth, making it as visible to the naked eye as a star in the Big Dipper, a work of public art streaking across the night, visible to anyone who looks up into a clear sky at the right time, and trackable via the project's website and a partnership with the Starwalk 2 app. "The goal has been to build this out like it's the exact opposite of every other satellite," says Paglen, who has a long history of art projects that chart the dark world of government surveillance. Where other satellites might spy or photograph or measure, his will be defiantly, whimsically useless. It will remain in the sky for at least two months and then will burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry. "It's a way to do an artwork that exists at and thinks about the scale of the planet." The peripatetic Paglen has just flown in from Berlin, where his studio is based, but where, as his career and travel schedule have accelerated, he spends ever less time. He's wearing his usual uniform of white T-shirt, dark jeans, and boots. A pair of aviator-style sunglasses sit on the table next to his phone and a bottle of Cherry Coke Zero. He's jet-lagged and seems a little depleted. Developing the Orbital Reflector has been a long and complicated process, one that Paglen has been juggling amid other projects and collaborations and museum shows and lectures. The 44-year-old artist is hitting his mid-career stride in a full sprint-he won a Macarthur Foundation "genius" grant last year and the Nam June Paik Art Center Prize this year, and he has a major retrospective currently up at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in DC. Paglen has emerged as one of the most incisive and relevant provocateurs of our heavily surveiled age, a producer of timely and often tech-infused work, much of which has focused on the security state and the increasingly quaint notion of privacy. He has a PhD in geography from Berkeley and has pioneered a field he calls "experimental geography," investigating the spatial implications of these invisible worlds with the goal of making us, finally, see them. He has trekked to "blank spots on the map" to photograph secret military bases; he learned to scuba dive so he could photograph undersea data cables that have been secretly tapped; he's charted the course of spy satellites and surveillance planes; and he's sent a series of images, The Last Pictures, into deep-space orbit in an attempt to create a monument that might outlast our planet. Orbital Reflector is a logical extension of the questions Paglen has been asking, with ever-greater reach and complexity, for two decades. It is also a timely call for all of us to look a little more closely at the booming space industry. And just as Paglen's terrestrial work asks viewers to try to see the physical shape of the hidden world around them, his foray into extraterrestrial space is meant to draw attention to the way the heavens are increasingly intruded upon by man's best and worst intentions and the unintended consequences that go along with them. Paglen wants you to know that for every Hubble telescope gazing outward at the galaxies beyond ours, there are dozens more satellites whose electronic eyes are trained on Earth itself-monitoring, broadcasting, transmitting, watching. Space, in other words, is not benign. One of the other payloads launching on the same rocket, he makes sure to note, "is basically like a commercial spy satellite. They wouldn't call it that, but that's what it is." It's getting close to dinnertime, and other members of the Orbital Reflector team begin gathering in the lobby before heading to a nearby restaurant. Amanda Horn, the director of communications for the Nevada Museum of Art, who has played a crucial role in shepherding every aspect of the project, comes in and sits down next to us. "I want to introduce you to Zia," she says to me, "and you can ask him about some of the technical aspects since we have a little time now." "Perfect," Paglen says. "We were talking about drag coefficients and the implications for balloon design." If Horn is responsible for keeping this train on the track, then engineer Zia Oboodiyat, the project manager and veteran of a lifetime's worth of satellite launches, is tasked with making sure it runs. A gregarious man who fled Iran as a boy, the semiretired Oboodiyat met Paglen in 2011 while working on his Last Pictures project. He writes poetry and has a philosophical bent, and as we rehash various questions about the complications and potential difficulties of the launch, he seems at peace. "As much as possible, we predict the risks and test for them and simulate the conditions the satellite is going to face. That is what the test tomorrow is for: to simulate the dynamic forces of the launch conditions," Oboodiyat says. "We have done our analysis, we have checked our assumptions, but there is a risk with any and all space programs." Horn hands him an envelope, and he pulls out four patches that Paglen and the museum have made as part of the project. Paglen has long had an ethnographer's interest in the culture surrounding this secret world and has collected the patches commissioned by various top-secret government programs and agencies, typically featuring snakes or skulls or an octopus. His tongue-in-cheek versions for Orbital Reflector are cartoonish, with mottos that mostly seem like inside jokes about the tedium of the process of building your own satellite: "Orbital Reflector Logistics / In Space No One Can Hear You Complain"; "Reno, We Have a Problem / #NotMyProblem"; "Ad Astra Per Cartam" ("To the stars through paperwork"). Oboodiyat picks up a blue circular patch with an embroidered image of a smiling blond man and reads the pink-lettered slogan across the top. "Space is hard?" he reads, laughing at first. "Space is hard." MARK CAVIEZEL, ONE half of the engineering duo from Global Western, the firm that built the Orbital Reflector, opens a black Pelican case to reveal a gleaming aluminum rectangle about the size of a large loaf of bread. "All right Trevor, there's your bird," he says, pulling it out with a delicate flourish. "That's your aircraft." It's 8 am the next morning, and we are in a nondescript industrial park in Covina at the nondescriptly named Consolidated Laboratories. Walking through its roll-up door feels like stepping into a time warp, a cavernous space that was half machine shop and half storeroom for computer towers and machines that look like they've been there since the 1970s. The term "space age" tends to conjure some notion of slick futurism, but we forget that the first space age and all its Cold War-era investment happened half a century ago. That era's aerospace industry powered vast swathes of southern California's economy, largely on the back of military and defense spending at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena and a surrounding constellation of private contractors like Hughes, which was based in nearby Fullerton. Some of those USA-made machines-including the computers that run them-were built to last and are still in use for tests like these. "It reminds me of the day I started working in this industry," says Oboodiyat as one of the technicians inserts an 8-inch floppy disk and begins booting an archaic-looking machine connected to a wardrobe-sized unit labeled "5427A Vibration Control System." "A lot of this stuff in here really belongs in the Smithsonian." The futuristic cube-the actual satellite sits inside the anodized aluminum case, which replicates the exact size of its pod on the launch vehicle-is the only shiny thing amid all the drab relics. But though it looks out of place, its being there makes perfect sense. The facility is still very much operational and is just the sort of place Paglen has spent years looking for and writing about, a node of the defense-industrial complex hiding in plain sight, disguised only by its banality. Caviezel seems to confirm this suspicion. "They usually don't have many spectators for a thing like this. Not a lot of cameras," he says. "Most of the folks coming through here-Lockheed, Boeing-the last thing they'd want is people to know they'd been here." Indeed, our group, which includes the Global Western team of three, Oboodiyat, Horn, a cameraman from the museum, a documentary crew from Australia, and me, seems to spook our hosts a little. "Usually I'm here alone," says Larry, the technician running the test, "so this is a bit unusual." Oboodiyat tries to explain the project to him: "It's art, it's science, it's both. It's unique." Caviezel warned me previously that the so-called shake-vibe test the unit would be undergoing would not be the most exciting thing: The satellite unit would be bolted to a metal plate attached to an electrodynamic "shaker," which would send high-frequency vibrations through it to simulate the rigors of launch, only more violently. "It's not a lot of huge action, so I hope you're not disappointed. The most exciting thing might be attaching and detaching the unit," to allow the same tests to be run along the x, y, and z axes. As I watch the technician meticulously attach the satellite to the platform with parallel aluminum braces bolted into the baseplate, "exciting" is not the word that comes to mind. The shaker itself looks like a cement mixer attached to a welding table. "This is a later model for us; it was probably built in the '80s," Larry says when I ask. "These things last for a lot of years." Sitting at a nearby table, Paglen answers a few questions for the documentary crew and checks his phone. He has a flight to catch for a speaking engagement at Berkeley, and he's getting anxious to head to the airport. As much as he wants to stay and observe, things are moving slowly, and they've been saying "five more minutes" for about an hour. "Hey Trevor, don't take off, Larry says we're good to go," says Gary Snyder, the other half of the Global Western team. "This first portion won't be very impressive," Larry says. "It's pretty quiet." Then he hands out earplugs, and all eyes turn to the small silver box. The machine kicks on with the sound of a semi truck badly in need of a tune-up, but otherwise, as promised, nothing much seems to happen. IT HAS BEEN a long journey to this point for Paglen, no matter how anticlimactic it seemed to watch a cube of metal being vibrated at frequencies beyond what the human eye can detect. His father was an Air Force ophthalmologist and the family lived on bases in Maryland, Texas, and California before settling at the airfield in Wiesbaden, Germany, when Trevor was in junior high. He returned to the states for college at Berkeley, where he studied religion and music and got involved in prison activism, leading to a series of sound recordings done in various prisons by means of a concealed microphone. In its exposure of a hidden world, that project was a harbinger of things to come. Paglen went on to an MFA at the Art Institute of Chicago before embarking on a PhD in geography back at Berkeley, where, the story goes, he was poring over USGS aerial photos, looking for prisons, when he stumbled on massive redacted areas denoting secret military sites. He first visited Nevada's Area 51 in 2003, which proved the starting point for a body of research that became his dissertation and, eventually, the book Blank Spots on the Map, in which Paglen charts the geography of secrecy, the physical presence of the "secret state within a state." "Geography theory tells us that it really isn't possible to make things disappear, to render things nonexistent," Paglen writes in the book. "Geography tells us that secrecy, in other words, is always bound to fail." Paglen's method, then as now, was to question everything. He was rigorous verging on relentless, relying on FOIA requests, archival research, interviews with industry sources, and on-the-ground sleuthing. Along with the book, he trekked into deserts and up mountains to produce a series of arresting landscape photos of these dark sites, some taken from as far as 60 miles away. He next turned his lens skyward, learning how to identify, track, and photograph classified spy satellites for a project called The Other Night Sky. The results are both surreal and familiar, entirely novel and yet rooted in our visual culture. "In The Other Night Sky, he responded to the traditions of landscape photography, a temporal axis invoking historical precursors including Timothy O'Sullivan and Ansel Adams," writes John P. Jacob, the McEvoy Family Curator for Photography at the Smithsonian, in an essay in Sites Unseen, the monograph that accompanies Paglen's Smithsonian solo show of the same name. The photos look up, rather than out, Jacob writes, so that "they have no earthly perspective. They are wondrously disorienting." It was around the time of that project, in the mid- to late-2000s, that he began thinking about the project that would become Orbital Reflector. In 2008 he started assembling a team to work on the project, and in 2013 he released four prototypes for nonfunctional satellites. The one that led most directly to the Orbital Reflector was built around the idea of a mirrored, reflective sphere-an anti-spy satellite, echoing Russian artist Kazimir Malevich's 1920s idea of man- made planets and inverting the normal relationship: We spy on it rather than the reverse. It would record nothing, do nothing, seek no higher purpose than being a short-lived artificial star, destined to eventually flame out. According to Paglen, it was the aerospace version of "art for art's sake," an attempt to see "what aerospace engineering would look like if its methods were decoupled from the corporate and military interests underlying the industry." Or as he rephrased it in a 2015 lecture at the Smithsonian: "Could you build a satellite that was not a weapon? Could you build a satellite that had no commercial, scientific, or military function whatsoever? Could you build a satellite just because you wanted to build one, because you thought it would be beautiful?" It turns out you could, but it's not easy. In 2015, though, Paglen found a partner for the project in the Center for Art + Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art. "The Nevada Museum of Art has been extraordinarily nimble and creative in terms of being able to think about how to do a project like this and develop an interesting program around it," Paglen says. They were, he notes, also brave to take it on at all, given the potential for failure. "It's really a very risky project for an institution to do," he says. From the museum's perspective, it was a project, and an artist, that fit with their mission. "We are very focused on art and the environment in the West, on where the built and natural world intersect, and we have a huge archive on land art," Horn says during one of our first discussions about the project. "To us, this is basically a piece of land art in the sky." Horn spearheaded the fund-raising and helped shepherd many of the logistical details, becoming expert at the paperwork that seems to be the true fuel of spaceflight. "I'm not sure any other art museum would have taken this on," she says. "But we like to take risks-managed ones, at least." Together they assembled the budget and the engineering team, starting with Oboodiyat, and sought to take advantage of the rapid development of the commercial space sector, which has made satellite launches affordable after a fashion, particularly for the two smallest categories: microsatellites and nanosatellites. In the latter category, characterized as a satellite weighing between 1 and 10 kilograms, the industry has coalesced around the so-called CubeSat standard, a format initially introduced with academic research projects in mind but now deployed for a host of uses. (Earlier this week, two CubeSats played a crucial communications support role for NASA in the InSight lander's successful touchdown on Mars. They accompanied the lander to the red planet, becoming the first CubeSats to go beyond low earth orbit and sending back some remarkable photos.) The CubeSat format takes a 10-centimeter cube as its basic unit, and the Orbital Reflector is a pretty standard three-cube unit, 10 by 10 by 30 centimeters. This launch, which Spaceflight has dubbed the "SSO-A: SmallSat Express," is itself evidence of the sector's growth, marking the company's first purchase of an entire payload of a Falcon 9 and the largest ride-share mission from a US launch vehicle to date. It's an Uberpool to space, and CubeSats are the primary customer. The $1.5 million that the museum raised to build the satellite (actually, satellites-there's an identical backup unit) and put it into orbit seems like a lot of money, but spend some time with people who have devoted their lives to building satellites and you'll come away thinking it's a bargain. "The industry is evolving," Oboodiyat says. "Instead of hundreds of millions of dollars, suddenly you can spend a million or 2 million on a little CubeSat and run experiments and learn the same thing." SpaceX, founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk, has emerged as the leading private space transportation company, and today marks the 64th Falcon 9 launch for the company since the rocket debuted in 2010. But SpaceX is hardly the only player in an industry that has seen huge growth over the past decade in both outside investment and the number of launches, particularly as nongovernmental launches have surged. It's estimated that 120 venture capital firms invested nearly $4 billion in private space companies last year, and this year has already seen 72 orbital launches. Navigating this marketplace and guiding clients to space is where companies like Spaceflight Industries come in. "We're really a facilitator to get people on orbit," says Curt Blake, CEO of Spaceflight. And as the barrier to entry has gotten lower, he says, they've seen "a whole bunch of satellites with different ambitions where you say, 'That's pretty amazing that people even thought of that.'" This launch will include a satellite that will study the clarity of ocean water as a measure of ocean health, and another testing the effects of different levels of gravity on algae. Building and launching a satellite may be more achievable than it used to be, but this project represented a unique set of both technical and aesthetic challenges, starting with its scale. Most CubeSats start small and stay relatively small. This one needed to sprout a 100-foot tail. The balloon was partly what led them to Global Western, as the firm had prior experience with balloons through a project they did for a French high-altitude parachutist. Paglen's initial sphere conception got tossed early on. "That's a really efficient shape for maximizing your surface area," he says, "but that also means it's very susceptible to drag. So it's not a very efficient shape in terms of wanting to stay up for very long." Efficiency-wise, a cylindrical balloon trailing behind the satellite body was deemed the best bet, but the setup looked, to Paglen's eye, a little too phallic. He sketched out a faceted, more diamond- shaped version that looks almost like the blade of a sword. The optimal shape of the reflector was just the start of a list of problems to be solved and questions to be answered, issues that seemed to multiply by the day. What would the balloon be made of? How would it inflate? What would the communication link be? How much battery life and solar charging capacity could you pack into such a small unit? How would you fit in all the other components and still have room for the balloon? What would the mechanism be for opening the door to release the balloon? Where would the hinge be located? How would you avoid hitting other satellites with the balloon? How would the balloon react to solar radiation? How much drag would the balloon create, and how rapidly would the drag cause it to fall out of orbit? But engineers love solving problems, and in every case, they sought the simplest, most fail-proof solutions, building in redundant backup systems where possible. The communications link is via ham radio, the unit is held shut by spectra cord, and the entire balloon-thanks to the atmosphere of space, with external air pressure near zero-will inflate via a simple, small CO2 cartridge. The resulting satellite is a tiny exercise in elegant simplicity, built of perhaps a hundred different components, many of them available off the rack. It was Global Western's first CubeSat project, but they seem to have enjoyed the challenge. "When Mark called me up with this project, I didn't answer right away," Snyder says. "I wanted to make sure it was something I could do." He was pleased with the result, and the relative simplicity of the process. "I built this satellite," he says, tapping the box. "It has solar power and lithium batteries and computers." It could, he says, herald a new era for spaceflight. "Not everyone builds satellites in their garages," Oboodiyat says. "Everyone should!" Snyder says. PAGLEN ONCE SPENT a week holed up in a Las Vegas hotel room with an airport view, tracking the comings and goings of planes headed to classified sites in the desert. So the revelation that he likes to get to the airport early for a domestic flight-really early, like two and a half hours-makes me think perhaps he has some secret agenda there. No, he says. "I just don't like the stress of it." And so with the tests still underway, Paglen departs, the documentary crew trailing behind him. Truth be told, there isn't much for any of us to do there. The machine keeps vibrating, the plotter keeps plotting, the engineers keep watching, and, eventually, Larry gives a thumbs-up. The machine ceases its roar, and the team gathers around to look at the results. "This is good news," Caviezel says. "No big spikes or variances. Very stable." Snyder and Oboodiyat agree. Larry nods and then swaps out one 8-inch floppy for another one. During breaks in the testing, I spend a good deal of time with my face 6 inches from the aluminum box, trying to peer inside to make the satellite give up some of its secrets. I can see its handmade provenance in the screws and the hinge where it would open and the solar panels attached to the outside. The project is simultaneously complex beyond civilian understanding and alarmingly simple: a tiny box with a balloon and a remote-controlled whippet cartridge to inflate it. ut though physically small, the scope of potential impact and the size of the canvas are grand. "Orbital Reflector ... places Paglen in the tradition of earth artists such as Christo and Michael Heizer," writes Jacob, the Smithsonian curator. Instead of massive-scale land art on the planet, it is nearly its own planet. "A satellite that has no intelligence-gathering function becomes an artificial star, a reflective object of pure delight and wonder." The Orbital Reflector passed all of its tests that day, taking an important step on its path to launch and gratifying the men who made it. By the end of the day, the team's discussions had turned wistful. "It's like you have a child, you invest all this time into it, and then just give him away," Oboodiyat says. "Every time I build a satellite I feel that way, that void. And then you find the next project, and you start all over again." This project, however, was a little different, and he'd connected with its sense of higher purpose. "It's just pure art," he says. "It doesn't discriminate. You can see it no matter who you are, and it's a light of hope. It's helping people become a little more inquisitive." In the months following the tests, other minor problems cropped up and were solved, and all the other necessary tests were passed. Since late summer, the team and the satellite have been ready for launch. The blastoff, initially scheduled for July, was postponed by SpaceX and then postponed again. Just last week, as Paglen and his team were en route to Vandenberg for the scheduled November 19 takeoff, they got word that it would be postponed yet again. A week later, reports of bad weather led to another postponement. In October, the satellite traveled to Spaceflight's headquarters in Auburn, Washington, for the "integration" process, wherein it was packed into its slot on the launch unit that will sit atop the rocket. From that point, it was out of the Orbital Reflector team's hands. (In an unforeseen plot twist just announced in mid-November, there will be another CubeSat-as-art project on the same launch. Artist Tavares Strachan partnered with LACMA's Art + Technology lab, which is sponsored by SpaceX, to produce Enoch, a work meant to honor the memory of Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., the first African American astronaut, who died in training in 1967, by releasing a CubeSat-size gold sculpture featuring a bust of his likeness.) The only other hiccup occurred late this past summer, when a few astronomers and bloggers stirred up a controversy by complaining that the project amounted to an exercise in pollution, just sending more junk into space. In one typical complaint, Mark McCaughrean, senior adviser for science and exploration at the European Space Agency, tweeted that "adding another satellite like this brings nothing beyond what the many purposeful ones in orbit look like already. Or the many natural phenomena already there to enthrall. It's a completely empty artistic statement." For Paglen, the objections only proved that, even pre-launch, Orbital Reflector was succeeding in provoking dialog. He took the opportunity to respond forcefully with an article of his own. On the critique of putting "useless" things into space, he wrote, "I plead guilty. I think public art is a good thing. The 'uselessness' of public art doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it's one of the things that makes it worthwhile." What's more, it takes a tremendous amount of willful blindness to be more bothered by one tiny satellite that will last two months than the estimated 2,000 satellites and half a million pieces of space junk already floating in orbit, and the ongoing and ever-escalating militarization of space. The project, he writes, aims to "bring some awareness about how profoundly compromised space has become by the world's militaries and corporations." His argument reminds me of a part of our conversation in West Covina. "I've said this over and over, but there is no such thing as a civilian space program and never will be," Paglen told me. "The history of spaceflight is a history of nuclear war. ICBMs were not developed to put people on the moon. They were developed to blow up the planet." That Paglen's satellite is likely hitching a ride to space alongside actual military and spy satellites is an unavoidable reality, as is the fact that Vandenberg has long been the preferred launch site for spy satellites. In fact, Paglen visited Vandenberg for Blank Spots on the Map, writing that he wanted to see up close the intelligence world's "gateway to the heavens," the dark counterpart to the sunny launches from Cape Canaveral, "a military base almost entirely dedicated to black projects." Such overlaps only sharpen the project's implicit critique: The only way to get to space, even within the framework of the newly commercialized space industry, is with a little help from the military. And so on Saturday, if all goes to plan, the Falcon 9 will fire up on the launch pad at Vandenberg and head skyward on a southerly course, traversing open ocean toward Antarctica on its way to orbit. Paglen and the engineers will be there, and the museum has sponsored a watch party at a nearby park with a clear view of the launch. About an hour and a half after launch, the Spaceflight launch vehicle will detach from the rocket and, over the next five to six hours, will deploy its payload, starting with the 15 larger microsats, followed by its 49 CubeSats, Orbital Reflector among them. The door holding Orbital Reflector in its pod will open, and a spring at the bottom will eject it into space. Roughly 10 hours later, a ham-radio signal will trigger the melting of the spectra cord holding the unit closed. The box will hinge open, another radio signal will trigger the compressed CO2cartridge, and the diamond-shaped balloon will trail out behind the satellite body and inflate to its full 100-foot length. Within 24 hours, the team will have tracking information from Norad, and within another day or two we will all be able to look at the project website or the Starwalk 2 app on our phones, then up at the sky, and see Paglen's latest provocation tracing its course across the firmament for all the world to see. And then, perhaps two months from now, it will be gone. A normal CubeSat deployed in similar orbit might stay aloft for 20 years, but the rapid orbital decay caused by the added drag of the balloon means that the Orbital Reflector will lose altitude with each successive orbit-it'll circle the globe every 90 minutes or so-eventually burning up when it re-enters the atmosphere. Of course, even the two months estimate is more of an educated guess; even assuming a perfect launch, there are a lot of variables that could still impact things, from solar radiation to balloon inflation direction to unforeseen drag to communication issues. "It's essentially a chaotic system," Paglen tells me. "You can't exactly predict what it's going to do." But that's space. It's also art. https://www.wired.com/story/spacex-is-launching-a-piece-of-art-into-orbit/ Curt Lewis