January 14, 2019 - No. 004 In This Issue TAG Aviation Opens Fixed Base Operation in Macau Aviation regulator grounds CemAir over safety issues Aviation safety inspectors deemed 'non-essential' US EXPANSION FOR GAMA AVIATION Vietnam's Bamboo Airways sets 16 January launch date Maintenance lapse caused Havelian plane crash: report Hollingshead Aviation Announces Nashville-Based Service Partnership with ICON Aircraft Locatory Introduces New MRO ERP Solution Beta Technologies, a Vermont Air Taxi Start-Up, Might Be About to Change the Aviation World SpaceX, Elon Musk's Rocket Company, Cuts 10 Percent of Its Work Force TAG Aviation Opens Fixed Base Operation in Macau TAG Aviation on Jan. 11, officially launched its first Fixed Base Operation (FBO) in Asia Pacific. Located in Macau, the new facility marks a major milestone for the company's ambitions in expanding its business to meet the continuing growth in the Asia Pacific region. The facility represents the fourth FBO for TAG Aviation globally. The opening ceremony was attended by company executives and VIP guests Dr. Deng Jun, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Macau Airport Authority, Simon Chan, president of Civil Aviation Authority of Macau SAR, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of Macau Government Tourist Office and Antonio Barros, Macau Airport director of airport operations department. "The opening of our Macau FBO expands our global network to Asia and provides TAG Aviation with the operational capabilities to deliver world-class FBO services in the region," said Steven Young, TAG Aviation Holding director & president TAG Aviation Asia. "Macau is rapidly developing as important destination of choice for business aviation and the industry's development enjoys the strong support of the Macau Government." The Macau FBO provides a comprehensive suite of 24/7 business aviation services including passenger facilitation, VIP and business-executive amenities, on-site customs and immigration clearance, flight planning and chartering, along with aircraft maintenance and servicing capabilities. The new facility in Macau joins its international network of FBO's based at Farnborough, Geneva and Sion, providing the very best integrated FBO services. TAG Farnborough Airport in the UK and TAG Geneva FBO, are repeatedly voted some of Europe's best private jet facilities, recognizing the superior quality customer services and amenities that are available for business jet users. https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12440298/tag-aviation-opens-fixed-base-operation- in-macau Back to Top Aviation regulator grounds CemAir over safety issues 'CemAir is simply unable to prove the continued airworthiness of its entire fleet,' the regulator said in a statement. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (Saccaa) today put a stop to CemAir's operations following the suspension of the airlines' Part 121 and 135 Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) from 5pm with immediate effect. "The suspension was necessitated by the Saccaa's concerns over the systemic failure of the airline's maintenance controls. In a nutshell, the most recent annual renewal audit revealed CemAir's inability to prove the continued airworthiness of its fleet," it said. Last month, the aviation regulator suspended CemAir's air operator certificates after the airline allegedly contravened legislation and civil aviation regulations. Saccaa said that it had numerous interactions with CemAir between December 28, 2018, and January 11, and had also visited CemAir operations in order to gather evidence and confirm that the continued airworthiness finding was addressed satisfactorily. During the audit, Saccaa said it learnt that an aircraft manufacturer had given CemAir an assessment of their aircraft maintenance schedule with findings and recommendations on what needed to be done in order to get the maintenance status of their fleet on track, but CemAir bizarrely ignored the manufacturer's recommendations. "Ignoring manufacturer's recommendations is not only bizarre but is also a very serious and dangerous omission that should be avoided at all cost by any licence-holder," Saccaa said. "Based on the renewal audit findings and the subsequent confirmation of the systemic maintenance failure, it became evident and without a doubt that CemAir is simply unable to prove the continued airworthiness of its entire fleet." CemAir has the right to appeal to the director of civil aviation within 30 days should they feel aggrieved by this suspension, meaning that they must lodge an appeal before February 11. Sacaa said that it was willing, able, and on stand-by to assist CemAir to comply with the requisite civil aviation regulatory prescripts. "The Sacaa is mandated with regulating civil aviation safety and security thereby ensuring the safety of the flying community. The main reason why some enforcement actions are made public is to empower and alert the flying community to make informed decisions when utilising aviation operators," it said. https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/general/2061941/aviation-regulator-grounds-cemair-over- safety-issues/ Back to Top Aviation safety inspectors deemed 'non-essential' As day 21 wraps up, the federal government shutdown is now tied for the longest in US History. And more people across the country are feeling the effects. Federal Aviation Administration employees are among those not getting paid. The men and women in the South Bend Airport control tower are working for free. But they say that's not the worst of it. The aviation safety inspectors have been deemed non- essential and have been furloughed. Those inspectors check the planes for safety and oversee maintenance procedures. Their FAA coworkers say they're anything but non-essential. The longer those inspectors are off work, the more dangerous it gets to fly. The employees who are working say Congress may not be feeling the pressure, but average Joes certainly are. If you've ever flown, you were on one of the more than 40,000 flights handled by the Federal Aviation Administration every day. It takes people like Brett Bateman and Steve Showalter to keep those planes in the air. "We ensure that the systems that they use to communicate to the aircraft, the surveillance systems, and the landing systems are still working properly," said Bateman, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists Union rep. "No airplanes would fly without those systems," said Showalter, airway transportation system specialist. The aviation safety inspectors check the planes and oversee maintenance procedures. "I would say it's a vital part of our safety culture," said Bateman. "For us, we're still coming to work, we still have expenses to come to work, we gotta buy gas, we've got childcare to pay for. You know, things like that," said Showalter. Without money coming in, there's only one way to get by: Savings. "It's only sustainable for so long." As the shutdown drags on, more and more TSA employees are calling in sick rather than work without pay. Bateman and Showalter say they'd never consider it. "I use the air system just like everybody else, and safety is paramount," said Showalter. "Without us, without the air traffic controllers and inspectors, it's not safe." Bateman and Showalter made clear to us that every day this shut down drags on, the less safe it gets to fly. Showalter calls the last 21 days an unfair trade. https://wsbt.com/news/local/aviation-safety-inspectors-deemed-non-essential Back to Top US EXPANSION FOR GAMA AVIATION Gama Aviation, the global business aviation services company based in Hampshire, has purchased a paint and interior completion business currently operated by Lotus Aviation Group at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. The purchase is part of Gama $10m investment to scale its US maintenance business. The facility serves clients from across the US, Central and South America and was said to be ideally placed for Gama Aviation's existing Floridian heavy maintenance locations at Opa Locka and Palm Beach International. Dennis Richey, president for Gama Aviation's US ground division, said: "The addition of the paint shop and completion centre is another significant milestone for our organic growth strategy in the US. "This facility adds two new lines of business providing customers with the opportunity to work with a single provider across all major through-the-life maintenance events from unscheduled AOGs (aircraft on ground), to heavy, base maintenance and now interiors and paint. The depth, breadth and scale we now offer provides a compelling proposition for those operators who wish to simplify their maintenance supply chain." Rajeev Singh, president and chief executive of Lotus Aviation Group, added: "I'm immensely proud of what we have built at Lotus Aviation Group and very excited for our future with Gama Aviation. "In recent years, we have seen business aviation maintenance buyers evolving from using a large, fragmented supplier base to much more capable integrated maintenance networks. This deal reflects that evolution which is great news for our people and our customers in North, Central and South America." https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/southeast/us-expansion-for-gama-aviation Back to Top Vietnam's Bamboo Airways sets 16 January launch date Vietnamese start-up Bamboo Airways has set 16 January as its launch date, one week after gaining its air operator's certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), and sticking to its previous announcement of a mid-January launch. In a statement, the carrier states it will operate on a hybrid business model, offering economy and business class cabins on its aircraft. Flights will operate out of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to various domestic points in Vietnam. Subsequently, it is looking to operate international services. Prior to obtaining its AOC from the CAAV, the airline was also approved as an aircraft maintenance organisation, it adds. Bamboo's own booking engine indicates that the initial flights will be operated out of Hanoi to seven domestic points. For flights out of Ho Chi Minh City, it will be linked to Hanoi and Quy Nhon. Vietnamese start-up Bamboo Airways has set 16 January as its launch date, one week after gaining its air operator's certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), and sticking to its previous announcement of a mid-January launch. In a statement, the carrier states it will operate on a hybrid business model, offering economy and business class cabins on its aircraft. Flights will operate out of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to various domestic points in Vietnam. Subsequently, it is looking to operate international services. Prior to obtaining its AOC from the CAAV, the airline was also approved as an aircraft maintenance organisation, it adds. Bamboo's own booking engine indicates that the initial flights will be operated out of Hanoi to seven domestic points. For flights out of Ho Chi Minh City, it will be linked to Hanoi and Quy Nhon. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/vietnams-bamboo-airways-sets-16-january-launch- date-454982/ Back to Top Maintenance lapse caused Havelian plane crash: report ISLAMABAD: The Safety Investigation Board (SIB) report blames the maintenance department of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for the crash of PK-661 near Havelian in 2016, which killed famous singer-turned-preacher Junaid Jamshed and 47 other passengers. The preliminary report cites lapse in maintenance by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the possible cause of the incident, which was triggered by safety check failure and engine defect. The report, titled Immediate Safety Recommendations, states that the investigation into the crash is heading towards a concluding stage, however, some important findings of technical nature require immediate attention of the authorities concerned. It says that the sequence of events that led to the fatal crash was initiated with the dislodging of a turbine blade that resulted in in-flight engine shut down. According to requirements, the report states, the turbines blades were due for a change, having already completed the 10,0000 hours after which they need to be replaced. However, the CAA failed to make the necessary changes at the next maintenance check. The report continues that the aircraft flew approximately 93 hours after the above-mentioned maintenance activity before it crashed on Dec 7. "Missing out of such activity highlights a lapse on the part of PIAC (Maintenance and Quality Assurance) as well as a possible in-adequacy/lack of oversight by PCAA [Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority]," said the report. The board recommended the national flag carrier to ensure all maintenance requirements are followed in letter and spirit on the entire fleet of ATR aircraft. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1886452/1-maintenance-lapse-caused-havelian-plane-crash-report/ Back to Top Hollingshead Aviation Announces Nashville-Based Service Partnership with ICON Aircraft Hollingshead Aviation, Middle Tennessee's premier general aviation Fixed Base Operator (FBO), announced a partnership with ICON Aircraft, makers of the amphibious light sport ICON A5 airplane. Hollingshead is the first ICON Service Partner in the region for the California-based airplane manufacturer. "We are excited to be part of ICON's continued growth by becoming the first ICON Service Partner in our area, and we are already looking for creative ways to simultaneously co-market our brands. Middle-Tennessee's openness to general aviation, mild climate, and accessible lakes and waterways certainly lend itself to growth through this new partnership," said Monty Bailey, Director of Marketing & Communications for Hollingshead Aviation. The ICON A5 is an amphibious light sport aircraft (LSA) with both runway and water landing capabilities. The versatile aircraft has been praised for its sports-car inspired cockpit and advanced safety features, which include a spin resistant airframe, an Angle of Attack system to help the pilot quickly and intuitively understand how the plane is flying, and the ICON Parachute System (IPS), which is a full airplane parachute that the pilot can activate if needed. The first ICON A5 delivered to the area is hangered at Hollingshead Aviation's state-of-the-art facility located at Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport (MQY), just minutes from downtown Nashville. ICON owners throughout the Nashville metropolitan area will be able to utilize Hollingshead Aviation to perform service on their A5s. "Hollingshead's reputation for customer service and excellence in their maintenance practices aligns perfectly with our company values. We're delivering A5s to owners in the area, and this partnership gives current and future owners a trusted company to service their aircraft when need be, "said Ty Finch, ICON's Regional Sales Director. https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12440311/hollingshead-aviation-announces-nashville- based-service-partnership-with-icon-aircraft Back to Top Locatory Introduces New MRO ERP Solution Eastern Europe aftermarket IT specialist Locatory.com has launched Sensus MRO, a web-based application designed to make MRO processes more efficient. Marketing manager Asta Lisauskaite says the solution has already been chosen by FL Technics, Locatory's sister company in the Avia Solution Group, along with Helisota MRO, a rotorcraft maintenance company. It says Sensus is also being considered by a major aviation company with maintenance shops across the globe. FL Technics has been using Sensus for a while. "Initially, the company purchased several Sensus MRO modules, but after seeing the benefits, they implemented more," Lisauskaite says. "Sensus MRO system helps the company to flexibly adapt to the most effective process." Helisota purchased Sensus's time-tracking module which helps in recording and analyzing workforce utilization across all maintenance divisions. A third client will likely use Sensus as its future operating system to complement its legacy system Quantum Control. Lisauskaite says the new software will enhance customer experience with improved capacity planning, customer portals, remote access for increased mobility, optimized quoting and invoicing and time tracking. Sensus collects data on all working hours, reporting profitable and non-profitable hours and thus ROIs. The application gives, on an easily accessible portal, client data such as current project status and required approvals. The Locatory marketer says the new software was developed based on the latest and most effective MRO processes and that its time-tracking and contract-management are the most advanced in the current market. "The time tracking module shows exceptionally detailed time entries that provide up-to-the minute accuracy. Reports let users see where employees' time really went. Contract management facilitates preparation, quoting, approval, planning, cost administration and invoicing. Billing rules support quoting exact prices." In addition, a hangar slot-planning function simplifies hangar flow, identifies slot availability and monitors labor capacity versus requirements, Locatory is currently working on enhancing Sensus to support paperless MRO operations. https://www.mro-network.com/technology/locatory-introduces-new-mro-erp-solution Back to Top Beta Technologies, a Vermont Air Taxi Start-Up, Might Be About to Change the Aviation World The collection hardware that aerospace engineer Kyle Clark has assembled to further his quest for electric vertical-lift aviation would make any proper gearhead or technophile hyperventilate. In one corner of the hangar that will soon become the headquarters for Beta Technologies in Burlington, Vermont-sitting behind an old F-4 Phantom being renovated by the Air Force Reserve-is a vintage Enstrom 28FX helicopter Clark is converting to battery power to evaluate the direct-drive electric motors being installed in the company's new air taxi prototype. Down the street, at its current HQ, a cabinet of 3-D printers cranks out prototype models and parts, while a collection of battle-scarred flying models of past and future iterations of Beta's air taxi hang from the walls and ceilings. Across the room, a computer running the high-fidelity flight simulator X-Plane-its creator, Austin Meyers, is part of the team-provides engineers and pilots the chance to evaluate the flight characteristics of the forthcoming aircraft, via a cabin mockup of two seats and three screens. In another location down yet another street, Beta engineers are working on a solar- and grid- powered recharging pad for e-VTOL aircraft-the electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles Uber and others are betting will start a mobility revolution within the next decade. The idea, Clark says, is that such stations could be set up in key areas so that electric aircraft can recharge between and during missions, even in remote locations. "The re-charging pad is modular and built from recycled shipping containers and reused aircraft batteries," he said, noting that the stations can be customized to the individual location. "Each shipping container has a specific purpose. Some contain batteries, some contain overnight hotel units, some are maintenance containers, and others contain a control center and pilot briefing room." But it's actually across Lake Champlain where the hardware gets reallyinteresting. There, at Plattsburgh International Airport-formerly Plattsburgh Air Force Base-the company stores and tests its actual aircraft, the Ava XC. This 4,000-pound, eight-motor, eight-propeller battery-operated e- VTOL aircraft has been in secret development for two years, but was revealed to The Drive during a visit last week. The aircraft uses those eight rotors to allow vertical takeoffs and landing by pointing them 90 degrees up; when pivoted forward, they provide thrust while the 35-foot wing generates lift. The aircraft sits high on tall landing gear, which provide the ground clearance necessary when the propellers pitch forward. It is so far the heaviest known e-VTOL to fly, with more than 170 tests under its belt to date. Not only did the company come out of stealth mode this week, but it revealed its funding source and an ambitious demonstration scheduled for this spring or summer. Though the amount invested in Beta remains secret, Clark revealed that his company is funded by United Therapeutics, which is developing manufactured organs for human transplant. Led by technology entrepreneur Martine Rothblatt, founder of SiriusXM satellite radio, the company expects to begin manufacturing its organs around 2024-about the same time that Clark says the production version of his aircraft will be ready. Rothblatt sees e-VTOL as the most efficient and economical way to transport organs on-demand. The technology is very close to ready, she said, with battery capacity improving annually. "We've seen seven percent improvements in energy density every year for the past several decades," she said. "We need 300 watt-hours per kilogram in order to reach a range of 250 nautical miles, which is what I'm asking for, and it's a no-brainer to see that we'll be there in just a few years." Clark-who's no stranger to Vermont's chill, having once played minor league ice hockey-began his quest even before meeting up with Rothblatt, through work dating back to his college days at Harvard and stretching through a variety of engineering and software startups across the last 15 years. He committed to building Ava when Beta formed in 2017, as a way of "opening up a conversation" about electric aviation. The plan was to fly the aircraft across the country as a way of exposing all the challenges and associated with the work, from performance to regulatory to practical matters such as charging. He assembled a team that included veterans of GE Global Research, Scaled Composites, Tesla, and multiple technology and engineering firms. He even struck up a friendship with Segway inventor Dean Kamen that saw the latter become one of Beta's key advisors. Now, the vision is all coming together in Burlington and across the lake in Plattsburgh. During several tests last week, Clark flew Ava up and down the 12,000-foot runway, with chase vehicles in hot pursuit. It flew confidently and capably-and much more quietly than I expected. It's no turbine- powered chopper, but a serene, steady flying machine. At the moment it appears that Beta is a solid front-runner in the race to e-VTOL glory-though other companies are being as secretive as Beta previously was about their own status. Though the development of the final production aircraft will focus on the specific needs of Rothblatt's work, Clark is free to also pursue the air-taxi market with his aircraft, as it could easily serve both roles. Regardless of the many specific potential uses, he's passionate about the simple advantages brought by electric aviation. The biggest is reliability: "With many fewer moving parts running at much lower temperatures, electric motors will go for three to 10 times longer before requiring an overhaul," he said. Another is efficiency. Internal combustion aircraft operate at between 20 and 30 percent efficiency, while electric motors reach 90 to 99 percent efficiency, meaning they can be operated far more economically without emitting any pollution from the aircraft itself. Finally, there's the pure performance advantage. "Electric motors put out a constant torque across all speeds," Clark said. "This enables them to be used in a distributed propulsion configuration where the flight controller can demand and expect instantaneous thrust adjustments at any power level." The result: Ultra-precise control no matter the speed or attitude. In fact, e-VTOL aircraft could safely cut power completely-such as to avoid a collision-go into freefall, then restart and recover before hitting the ground. Though such a capability is unlikely to ever be used, as the air-taxi market takes off and similar aircraft enter the skies by the thousands in coming decades, it'll be a good trick for one to have up the sleeve-just in case. The upcoming cross-country flight is meant as both a discovery process-to learn about the capabilities and uncover unknowns-and a demonstration of the technology. To pull it off, Beta will rely on one additional piece of very cool hardware in the hangar: a 1982 Eagle bus. Formerly a musician's touring vehicle, Clark converted it to a mobile charging platform for Ava. It now has batteries, solar panels, and generators, as well as an expandable landing pad on the roof. Inside, there are bunks and a lounge area for team members to track the flights and troubleshoot along the way. Around the time of the cross-country journey, Clark will also reveal the final configuration of the production version. Don't expect it to look like Ava, though: It will be completely different from her set-up, as well as faster and capable of flying much further, up to 290 miles-with no bus necessary. http://www.thedrive.com/tech/25914/beta-technologies-a-vermont-e-vtol-air-taxi-start-up-might- be-about-to-change-the-aviation-world Back to Top SpaceX, Elon Musk's Rocket Company, Cuts 10 Percent of Its Work Force SpaceX, the private rocket company founded by the billionaire Elon Musk, is laying off about 10 percent of its work force in what it framed as a necessary cutback to position the company for an unchartered future. The company will have about 6,000 employees remaining after the layoffs, which will take place companywide. "To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company," the company said in a statement. "Either of these developments, even when attempted separately, have bankrupted other organizations. This means we must part ways with some talented and hardworking members of our team." The Los Angeles Times first reported the cuts, citing an email sent to employees by the company's president, Gwynne Shotwell. SpaceX was offering at least eight weeks of pay and other benefits to those who were being laid off, the newspaper reported. The company said the layoffs were a strategic step in anticipation of the "extraordinarily difficult challenges ahead." SpaceX, based in Hawthorne, Calif., aims to revolutionize space travel and hopes to one day send humans to colonize Mars. While the company says it is financially strong, the viability of its vision has been hard to measure. The Wall Street Journal reviewed internal financial documents and reported in 2017 that SpaceX was vulnerable to setbacks, such as a failed rocket launch in 2015 that contributed to a quarter- billion dollar annual loss and a 6 percent drop in revenue. In 2016, another SpaceX rocket exploded, destroying a $200 million communications satellite on board, and Mr. Musk was criticized for moving too quickly in the complex industry of space travel. The company has ambitious plans for this year, including the deployment of its first set of Starlink satellites, which promise space-based internet. The test launch of Crew Dragon, a capsule built to carry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station, was scheduled for this month but has been pushed back, NASA said this week. If successful, the company could schedule a test launch with a crew aboard for later this year. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/12/business/spacex-layoffs-elon-musk.html Curt Lewis