April 11, 2019 - No. 029 In This Issue Vista Global to Acquire JetSmarter F-35 Auto GCAS Technology Wins Collier Trophy. Milan Airports to Deploy Next Generation ECAC Standard 3 EDS Technology from Smiths Detection Honeywell And Volocopter Partner On Air Taxi Systems FREQUENTIS and SUNHILLO Launch UAS-C to Securely Connect Drone Pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC) GE Aviation Moves Toward Data Democratization with Dataiku Green Cubes Technology Brings Sustainable Lithium Batteries to GSE Turkish Aerospace Industries to build world's 4th largest plant for aircraft composite parts Google Wing launches first home delivery drone service. Virgin Galactic's First Test Passenger Gets Commercial Astronaut Wings Vista Global to Acquire JetSmarter - Executing on Its Digitization Strategy of the Global on Demand Private Aviation Marketplace DUBAI, UAE and FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vista Global, a world leader in business flight solutions, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire JetSmarter, creating the global On Demand digital marketplace. JetSmarter's innovative marketplace technology will fulfil Vista Global's digitization strategy, providing all customers with an unmatched end-to-end service and seamless booking experience. The acquisition will enhance Vista Global's formidable position offering the largest suite of services and advanced technologies to every private aviation customer. Following JetSmarter's successful digital partnership with XOJET, it will now bring its digital capabilities to the entire Vista Global group. JetSmarter's industry-disrupting platform will therefore be integrated into the back-end technology of Vista Global's brands VistaJet, Vista Lease and XOJET. The integration will significantly improve the ease and speed of the booking process for the 150,000 passengers traveling with any of the Vista Global companies each year, building upon its impressive track record of offering customers the most technologically advanced solutions in the private aviation industry. Vista Global's Founder and Chairman Thomas Flohr said: "Today's acquisition is an important milestone for Vista Global - accelerating and executing our vision of digitizing the entire private aviation offering. Customers today want speed, reliability and value, which in today's world is only possible with technology. Vista Global's reach and infrastructure will take JetSmarter to the global stage to fully realize its potential. JetSmarter's technology will digitalize Vista Global's market-leading customer offering to Program Members and On Demand customers." Since its founding in 2012, JetSmarter has become the preeminent provider of technology-enabled service to the business aviation market with two million downloads to date. Today, JetSmarter's digital platform allows both Members and On Demand customers to book private or shared trips instantly. Following the acquisition, JetSmarter's customers will benefit from the reach, resources and operational expertise of Vista Global group. Its growing customer base will have access to a wider fleet, wherever they are in the world, and enjoy the highest standards in private aviation as they join the Vista Global family. They will significantly benefit from the group's unparalleled customer service and an unmatched in-flight experience. Steven Langman, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Rh๔ne Capital added: "Vista Global is marking a new major milestone in its development. The acquisition of JetSmarter is fully in-line with the company's mission: to transform the nature of the business aviation sector and offer its growing customer base a fast and seamless access to its services through digital innovation." Behdad Eghbali, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Clearlake Capital Group stated: "Vista Global is the undisputed market leader with unmatched vision to consolidate and digitally transform this fragmented industry. Vista Global's worldwide fleet access, unmatched end-to-end service experience, and world-class management team will combine with JetSmarter's digital technology leadership including digital bookings and On Demand crowdsourcing to further expand Vista Global's leadership. We are thrilled to partner with Thomas Flohr and the talented management team at Vista Global and believe that, combined with Vista Global, JetSmarter will flourish and revolutionize the industry's digital transformation." The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. As part of the transaction, all JetSmarter investors, inclusive of Clearlake Capital and Jefferies Financial Group, will become investors in Vista Global, supporting its future growth. Jefferies LLC acted as financial advisor to JetSmarter. About Vista Global HoldingVista Global Holding is the world leader in business flight solutions. A global group headquartered at the DIFC in Dubai, Vista Global integrates a unique portfolio of companies offering asset lite solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation: guaranteed and On Demand global flight coverage; aircraft leasing and finance; and cutting-edge aviation technology.Founded by Thomas Flohr, the group's mission is to further industrialize and consolidate the fragmented business aviation industry, and to lead the change to provide customers with the most advanced flying solutions and the very best value, anytime, anywhere around the globe. The group owns VistaJet, Vista Lease, XOJET (fleet & sales) and at the closing of the transaction described herein, JetSmarter. Vista Global's knowledge and understanding of all facets of the industry deliver the best end-to-end offering, service and technology to any business aviation customer or platform.Vista Global does not own or operate any aircraft. All flights are performed by FAA-licensed/DOT-registered EASA or U.S. certified Vista Global group direct air carriers and/or partner operators with a non-controlling minority stake held in XOJET Aviation LLC. For more information, visit www.vistaglobal.com About JetSmarterJetSmarter is a global community of fliers that prefer an elevated travel experience. Using technology and a sharing economy model, JetSmarter gives users the ability to create flights On Demand or book individual seats on flights created by fellow fliers, saving thousands compared to traditional private travel. JetSmarter offers a number of programs including Private Charters, for which JetSmarter acts solely as the authorized agent in arranging the flight, and Public Charters, for which JetSmarter acts as principal in buying and reselling the air transportation. JetSmarter does not own or operate any aircraft. All flights are performed by FAA-licensed and DOT-registered air carriers.For more information, visit www.jetsmarter.com https://www.apnews.com/Globe%20Newswire/e8ffb96cabf093e24bf4445d71826168 Back to Top F-35 Auto GCAS Technology Wins Collier Trophy The National Aeronautic Association announced that the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS) Team is the recipient of the 2018 Robert J. Collier Trophy for "successfully completing a rapid design, integration and flight test of critical, lifesaving technology for the worldwide [Lockheed Martin] F-35 fleet." The Collier Trophy is awarded annually "for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year." "I am so proud of the entire Auto GCAS Team and their commitment and dedication to saving lives through this revolutionary technology," said Mark Wilkins, senior aviation safety analyst, Office of Secretary of Defense for Personnel Readiness and Safety. "We are truly honored to be recognized with such a prestigious award and deeply humbled considering the aviation greats who won previously." As the name implies, Auto GCAS technology using automation to prevent an F-35 from hitting the ground. "I want to congratulate the Auto GCAS team on winning the 2018 Collier Trophy," said Greg Principato, NAA president and CEO. "The Collier Trophy was established more than a century ago to encourage the best minds in this country to continually find ways to advance and improve aviation. The Auto GCAS team, which includes Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Air Force, the F-35 Joint Program Office, NASA and the Defense Safety Oversight Council, is a sterling example of a project that brought together the best minds from many disciplines. The result is a game-changing advance in safety that has already changed military aviation and can one day change the game for everyone." The Collier Trophy Selection Committee, comprised of 30 aviation and aerospace professionals, convened on April 4, 2019 to hear presentations from 11 nominees. This year's Collier nominees also included the Bell V-280 Valor, Boeing T-X, Draken International Contracted Close Air Support & Adversary Air Services in Support of Combat Readiness Training, Embraer E190-E2, F-35 Integrated Test Force, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. Integration of Large UAS into Civil and International Airspace, NASA/JPL Mars Cube One (MarCO) Project Team, Perlan Project, Responsive Environmental Assessment Commercially Hosted (REACH) Project and Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two Program. https://www.flyingmag.com/f35-technology-wins-collier-trophy Back to Top Milan Airports to Deploy Next Generation ECAC Standard 3 EDS Technology from Smiths Detection PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 9, 2019--Smiths Detection is pleased to announce that it has received an order to support the upgrade to ECAC Standard 3 explosives detection systems (EDS) at Malpensa and Linate Airports in Milan. Operators SEA S.p.A required an innovative and efficient solution which would not only deliver compliance, but also high levels of security and operational efficiency. With Standard 3.1 approval (the highest in the EU) and TSA certification, the HI-SCAN 10080 XCT scanners meet these requirements and have the capacity to handle predicted passenger traffic growth for the two airports over the next 5-10 years. "The key factors in winning this competitive tender were our technical expertise and also the strength of our service organisation," explained Jacques Bernardi, Sales Director Europe South/West & Africa, Smiths Detection. "Leveraging very advanced technology, the HI-SCAN 10080 XCT offers the necessary levels of security, flexibility and productivity to meet the various demands of this installation. We will also have a dedicated engineering team supporting the two airports." Using a dual-view, dual-energy line scanner with high resolution 3D Computed Tomography (CT), the HI-SCAN 10080 XCT produces exceptional data. Detection algorithms are interchangeable on a bag by bag basis depending on the destination and associated risk level. The belt speed is an impressive 0.5m/sec, enabling it to handle up to 1800 bags per hour and hence making the screening process faster and more efficient. A large rectangular tunnel (107 x 81cm), extremely high quality, full colour images and a low false alarm rate all also support the most challenging performance levels. The frame agreement includes a minimum of 13 (and maximum of 20) HI-SCAN 10080 XCT scanners including redundant servers for connection to the network; up to 35 workstations; and a 10 year service agreement. Delivery and installation will be rolled out between July 2019 and September 2020. Smiths Detection, part of Smiths Group, is a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies for aviation, ports and borders, defence and urban security markets. Our experience and history across more than 40 years at the frontline, enables us to deliver the solutions needed to protect society from the threat and illegal passage of explosives, prohibited weapons, contraband, toxic chemicals and narcotics. Our goal is simple - to provide security, peace of mind and freedom of movement upon which the world depends. For more information visit www.smithsdetection.com https://www.apnews.com/Business%20Wire/b1e7279964ec428eaab5ae148b2bc7b8 Back to Top Honeywell And Volocopter Partner On Air Taxi Systems Honeywell Aerospace has announced that it will be partnering with Volocopter to jointly develop and test navigation and automatic landing systems for Volocopter's electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. Honeywell says it will be bringing its autonomous sensing and flight technologies-including inertial measurement units and attitude heading reference solutions-to the table for the project along with aviation hardware and software products such as navigation technologies and fly-by-wire flight controls "tailored for the unique needs of [urban air mobility (UAM)] aircraft." According to the company, its solutions will build on technology developed under Europe's Clean Sky 2 and Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) 2020 programs. "Honeywell's wealth of experience and knowledge in the development of next-generation avionics technologies combined with our manufacturing expertise will make autonomous, on-demand air mobility a reality across the world," said Volocopter chief technology officer Jan Hendrik Boelens. "A key goal of our collaboration is to fly a Honeywell inertial measurement-based attitude reference system solution in one of our Volocopters in 2019." Volocopter's eVTOL completed its first public unmanned test flight in Dubai in September 2017 and the aircraft flew for the first time in the U.S. in January 2018 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The company plans to begin urban flight tests in Singapore in the second half of 2019. http://flash.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Honeywell-And-Volocopter-Partner-On-Air-Taxi-Systems-232613-1.html Back to Top FREQUENTIS and SUNHILLO Launch UAS-C to Securely Connect Drone Pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC) As the number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or systems (UASs) used for civilian and military applications continue to grow so does the need for secure and reliable connectivity with manned aviation. Frequentis and Sunhillo have addressed the challenge of connecting the UAV pilot in command (PIC) with air traffic control (ATC) units by developing its UAS-C system. The UAS-C converts UAS position data into standard aviation formats and provides a secure virtual radio communication link to connect seamlessly to the existing ATC infrastructure. High-quality surveillance information and voice communication are essential for a common air situation picture and shared situational awareness for ATC, UAV pilots and manned aviation. The primary concern when integrating civilian and military UAVs into the airspace is safe, secure and reliable communication between all airspace users in the same geographical region. The surveillance of manned aviation is mainly based on primary and secondary radar technology, which cannot safely detect, identify and predict the position or future track of UAVs, while ATC communication currently relies entirely on onboard VHF/UHF radios, not available for many UAVs. "The UAS-C coverts the UAVs onboard position data into standard aviation format (eg ASTERIX) for processing in any ATC unit or command centre. The data can then be visualised alongside other radar and ADS-B targets, ensuring a common air situation picture. The UAS-C also provides connection to any Frequentis voice switch infrastructure. the UAS-C automatically selects the correct radio frequency by the location of the UAS," says Hannu Juurakko, Vice President ATM Civil. UAS-C can be connected remotely via LTE or directly via a secure IP network connection. It supports all types of UAV operations flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), including flying in or through controlled airspace, regardless of size, altitude or mission. "UAVs have the potential to assist various military missions such as aerial surveillance or investigation. Allowing a direct connection between the UAV operator and Military ATC is vital for mission success.", says Peter Skiczuk, Frequentis Vice President Defence. UAS-C provides air traffic controllers and command centers with reliable and secure ground-based UAS pilot communication while the UAV pilot uses the same virtual frequency as manned aviation users, minimising the risk of safety infringements. Since the communication equipment is located on the ground, UAS-C does not relay information through the UAS vehicle radio equipment, reducing the overall weight of the UAS, increasing payload. "A common air situation picture is key to the safety of both manned and unmanned aircraft. Pilots benefit from party line radio communications and shared situational awareness. The UAS-C also provides the pilot with a "see and avoid" display showing all aircraft, provided via ATC surveillance infrastructure, in the immediate area as well as sending the location of the UAV UAS to ATC or the local command centre." says Doug Walczak UAS Business Development lead at Sunhillo Corporation. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/airport-technology/communications/press-release/21075757/frequentis-usa-inc-frequentis-and-sunhillo-launch-uasc-to-securely-connect-drone-pilots-and-air-traffic-control-atc Back to Top GE Aviation Moves Toward Data Democratization with Dataiku Dataiku, one of the world's leading Enterprise AI and machine learning platforms, announced its collaboration with GE Aviation through a joint white paper detailing the evolution of GE Aviation's Enterprise AI journey, specifically the development of its Self-Service Data program from zero to more than 1,800 users that has paved the way for wider company change. Despite the hype of machine learning and AI, not many businesses today have actually managed to bring transformational change through data, largely because they lack the most important pieces of the puzzle: transformation of people and processes through education. GE Aviation is an exception, having been able to develop their staff to leverage technology (including Dataiku) and enable employees' ability to process, understand, and use data for day-to-day decisions. Since March 2017, the GE Aviation Self-Service Data program has seen the creation of more than 2,000 data products. "We knew that we would never be able to hire enough data professionals to meet the data demands of the business, so instead, we decided to turn the business into data professionals," said Jonathan Tudor, Senior Manager, Self-Service Data and Analytics at GE Aviation. "That's how our Self-Service Data program was born, and now using Dataiku, employees across supply chain, engineering, and finance leverage the power of data to generate insights across their entire line of business - without having to receive hands-on direction from a data scientist or IT team." "GE is a 127-year-old company, and it takes a lot to innovate. Going from data silos to data democratization was no easy feat," said Somesh Saxena, Product Owner of Dataiku and Alation at GE Aviation. "But we were able to jumpstart our evolution to a data culture through a combination of technology - including partnering with Dataiku - plus processes and people, particularly through enablement and education. Gamification also played a critical role in getting the program off the ground, ensuring proper documentation and encouraging data quality." The Self-Service Data program at GE Aviation now empowers the entire organization - not just at a high-level, but down to the individual level - to use data for day-to-day processes. The white paper showcases: • How GE Aviation developed a Self-Service Data program using a suite of tools (including Dataiku) that unlock employees' ability to use data to receive insights quickly. • The technological stack and organizational setup at GE Aviation that enable these systems. • The lifecycle of a data product at GE Aviation. • How GE Aviation handles data governance and data education (including suggestions for employee onboarding material for a Self-Service Data program). • The return on investment (ROI) GE Aviation has seen from their data initiatives. "To have one of our largest customers see such success, putting data in the hands of thousands of people - that's why we're here. That's why we built Dataiku and have put emphasis on democratization and collaboration since the beginning," said Florian Douetteau, Dataiku CEO. "GE Aviation is now able to leverage insights from data that they weren't able to before, and the outcome has transformed the way they do business. We're looking forward to playing an integral role for companies around the world as they embark on their data journey." https://martechseries.com/sales-marketing/b2b-commerce/ge-aviation-moves-toward-data-democratization-dataiku/ Back to Top Green Cubes Technology Brings Sustainable Lithium Batteries to GSE CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Cubes Technology today announced its first large-scale commercial sale of lithium battery systems to the ground support equipment market. With its Lithium SAFEFlex battery system, Green Cubes will power select belt loaders, baggage tractors and container loaders at four U.S. airports, including Cincinnati, Ohio, Dallas, Texas, and Northern & Southern California. Green Cubes Technology, along with a large eCommerce retailer and a leading ground support equipment manufacturer, is powering the shift from legacy lead-acid batteries to more sustainable and optimized lithium alternatives. These lithium battery systems provide higher equipment performance at a lower cost and dramatically reduce the environmental impact of battery powered systems. "We are proud to be a leader in the conversion to Lithium in ground support equipment, a growing $7.5 billion market," said Tony Cooper, General Manager of the Motive Division of Green Cubes Technology. "With higher efficiency, better performance and lower long-term monetary and environmental costs, lithium can really transform the ground support equipment industry, especially in cold environments." With Lithium SAFEFlex, airports and equipment manufacturers can retrofit pre-existing ground support equipment to mitigate startup costs associated with converting battery systems. Simultaneously, these battery systems require no watering or equalizing and provide true fast charging, eliminating maintenance costs and time lost from swapping batteries on a regular basis. "With ground support equipment operating in every kind of climate imaginable, it's imperative to have a power solution that can withstand extreme temperatures," explained Cooper. "Lead-acid batteries simply can't maintain performance in cold environments, and maintenance costs are extremely high. With lithium batteries, ground support equipment operators will see longer lifecycles and increased charging efficiency so equipment can optimize aviation operations, not hinder them." Designed to increase speed and efficiency, Lithium SAFEFlex offers a reliable and durable solution for any weather environment. With a recharge efficiency of more than 98 percent, Lithium SAFEFlex drives electrical savings and ultimately reduces damaging effects of heating batteries. Green Cubes Technology's customer will begin official use of Lithium SAFEFlex at these airports within weeks. https://www.aviationpros.com/gse/gse-technology/green-alternative-energy-gse/press-release/21075646/green-cubes-technology-green-cubes-technology-brings-sustainable-lithium-batteries-to-gse Back to Top Turkish Aerospace Industries to build world's 4th largest plant for aircraft composite parts Turkey's leading aerospace engine designer and manufacturer will build the country's first and the world's fourth-largest composite plant under a single roof for the high technology production of structural aircraft parts. The $181 million facility will be built by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) as 'a smart digital factory' on a 95,000 square meter area within the company's compound in capital Ankara's Kahramankazan district. Preparing its infrastructure for Industry 4.0, TAI will also develop products for global aviation giants such as Airbus and Boeing, as well as its own aircraft. The facility will produce structural parts of aerial vehicles, like airplanes and helicopters, and meet 2 percent of the world's air constructions composite needs. Besides high-level technological production, the facility will design and develop new products, while autonomous tools will be used in all operations to ensure high accuracy and efficiency. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR and VR) will also aid in the production process. According to the type of composite, specialized robotic and autonomous equipment will allow precise and error-free production. Autonomous vehicles, robots and machines at the facility will be in constant communication with each other. The entire production process will be controlled continuously with thousands of sensors and communication systems. For example, paint shops will be operated autonomously by artificial intelligence, with no human contact whatsoever. The parts produced will be subjected to strenuous quality control processes with non-destructive testing methods such as ultrasonic and x-ray systems, and will later be mounted onto the aircraft. Composite materials such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, and fiber-reinforced matrix systems are widely used in the aircraft making industry. Composite materials and constituent materials together create a hybrid that has greatly improved the structural properties of aircraft. With this investment, TAI will greatly increase its production capacity and contribute to the national economy through exports. Founded in 1973, TAI is a joint venture of the Undersecretariat of Defense Industries and the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation. TAI produces and conducts modernization projects on F-16 fighter jets, both for the Turkish Air Force and its allies, along with training aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and spacecraft electronic systems manufacturing. TAI also takes part in various military and civilian aircraft projects. https://www.dailysabah.com/defense/2019/04/10/turkish-aerospace-industries-to-build-worlds-4th-largest-plant-for-aircraft-composite-parts Back to Top Google Wing launches first home delivery drone service The first home delivery drone service has been launched in Australia, after years of test flights. Wing, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, will deliver takeaway food, coffee and medicines by drone to about 100 homes in Canberra. It has been testing its drones in Australia since 2014 but many residents had complained about the noise. Wing said the feedback obtained during its trials had been "valuable" and it hoped to "continue the dialogue". Australia's aviation authority gave Wing permission to launch a commercial service after examining its safety record and operational plans. It judged that the company posed no risk to residents or other aircraft. Wing's drones deliver small packages which are lowered into the customer's garden on a length of string. However, the approval has several conditions attached. The drones will only be allowed to fly during the day and not before 08:00 AEST at the weekend. They will not be allowed to fly over crowds or main roads. Trials of the drones had attracted complaints from residents in Bonython, Canberra, who said they were noisy and intrusive. The Bonython Against Drones campaign said the devices could be heard from "a long way off, both coming and leaving". "When they do a delivery drop they hover over the site and it sounds like an extremely loud, squealing vacuum cleaner," the group said on its website. In response, Wing said it had developed a quieter drone. The aviation authority says Wing must use this quieter drone for its commercial service. Drone Delivery https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47880288 Back to Top Virgin Galactic's First Test Passenger Gets Commercial Astronaut Wings (REUTERS) - VIRGIN Galactic's first test passenger received her commercial astronaut wings from the U.S. aviation regulator on Tuesday after flying on the company's rocket plane to evaluate the customer experience in February. Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor, Beth Moses, who is a former NASA engineer, became the first woman to fly to space on a commercial vehicle when she joined pilots David Mackay and Mike Masucci on SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity. The wings were presented to the three-person crew at the 35th Space Symposium in Colorado by the Federal Aviation Administration's associate administrator for commercial space, Wayne Monteith. "Commercial human space flight is now a reality," he said. The February test flight nudged Richard Branson's space travel company closer to delivering suborbital flights for the more than 600 people who have paid Virgin Galactic about $80 million in deposits. Branson has said he hopes to be the first passenger on a commercial flight in 2019. The 90-minute flight, during which passengers will be able to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and see the Earth's curvature, costs $250,000 - a price that the company said will increase before it falls. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX are also in the space tourism race. Blue Origin has launched its New Shepard rocket to space, but its trips have not yet carried humans. SpaceX last year named Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa as its first passenger on a voyage around the moon, tentatively scheduled for 2023. Moses, who as a NASA engineer worked on the assembly of the International Space Station, is designing a three-day training program for Virgin Galactic's future space tourists. "I gleaned a lot of firsthand information that we can roll into the design and then also into the training," she said on her return to earth in Mojave, California, in February. The passengers, some of whom have been signed up since 2004, will train in a mock-up cabin at New Mexico's Spaceport America before their flights. Moses told Reuters she aims for customers to arrive in space "not wondering what noise they just heard or being surprised by the G they just felt." Virgin Galactic's Branson will also receive the annual Space Achievement Award at the symposium in recognition of the company's two crewed test flights, the first from U.S. soil since the final Space Shuttle mission in 2011. https://www.usnews.com/news/technology/articles/2019-04-09/virgin-galactics-1st-test-passenger-gets-commercial-astronaut-wings Curt Lewis